Tag Archives: Gilby Clarke

Classic Songs to Be Discovered, Derivative Works, Influenced, Music, My Stories, Unsung Heroes

The Record Vault – Gilby Clarke

Rubber was released in 1998.

I don’t know what I was expecting with this. I just assumed that since he was in Guns N Roses, he could write songs as well. And I didn’t get this album expecting to hear Guns N Roses like tunes, as I knew that Clarke was in a Black Crowes style band before Gunners.

And when I saw that this album clocked in at 36 minutes, especially in the CD age I was like “okay, what’s this”. Nice and fast, wham bam.

I couldn’t remember any of the songs at all.

When I saw “Kilroy Was Here” as a title I remembered Styx, but nothing from the Gilby Clarke version. It always comes back to the argument that one sale equals a fan. It doesn’t. I purchased this album, heard it a few times and never listened to it again until 22 years later.

So I pressed play to reacquaint myself with the album.

The sound reminds me of old time rock and roll mixed with all the sounds that became popular in the 90’s. Like a little bit of Seattle, and a little bit of Manchester. Second track “The Haunting” is a great example of this. It has this great solo section with a lot of fuzzed out guitar over an acoustic guitar riff that reminds me of Bad Company.

“Kilroy Was Here” kicks off the album. It has a dissonant verse but a melodic chorus.

“I’m selling you, what you sold me”

In other words, give me crap and crap will be returned. More so when I was younger. As I got older, it became easy to just delete the persons number and move on. I’m not interested in a spade for a spade anymore. It never solved anything in the first place, because it didn’t matter how many facts or truth i would have on my side, the argument could never be won.

“The Hell’s Angels” sounds sleazy and is classic Gunners, and the most heaviest track on the album. “Saturday Disaster” continues the heavy and sleazy grooves.

And how good is the riff to kick off “Technicolour Stars”?

Vocally, Clarke is okay. More pop punkish in his style and delivery.

Overall, it’s a nice listen but once it goes back onto the shelve, that would be it for the album, plus it’s not on Spotify Australia, so I can’t even add the songs I like to a playlist to have em circulating.

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Music

Kings Of Chaos

What kind of a world do we live in where a supergroup cover band trumps all of the established artists. That is what Kings Of Chaos did on Day 1 at the Stone Music Festival.

All the buzz on social media clearly states that Kings of Chaos outperformed everyone there and could have headlined, but were robbed time-wise. So who is Kings of Chaos you say?

From Guns N Roses / Velvet Revolver there is Matt Sorum on drums and Duff McKagan on bass. Gilby Clarke from the GNR Use Your Illusion period is also on rhythm guitar. Steve Stevens from Billy Idol is on lead guitar. Vocals are provided by Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple, Black Country Communion), Joe Elliot (Def Leppard) and the hyperactive Sebastian Bach (Skid Row).

Look at the set list;
Welcome To The Jungle
Youth Gone Wild
Highway Star
Burn
Rebel Yell
Pour Some Sugar On Me
Paradise City

It’s a greatest hits package from the Seventies and Eighties. All of the songs have bona fide credentials for working in the live arena.

That is the key. Writing a great song is one thing, however writing a great song that works in the live arena is another.

People go to the rock n roll show to let their hair down, get up on their feet and allow the music to lift them to a higher place. This is what Kings Of Chaos delivered. A high energy rock n roll set that covered the classics.

What a perfect opener! Welcome to the jungle, we got fun and games. Every band that wants to perform live, needs to have an opening song like this.

Remember when the Circus used to come to town and the Ring Master is there pushing it, Step Right Up, Welcome To The Show.

Kings Of Chaos knew as soon as they played this song, the audience was theirs. They had them in their palm of their hands, ready to take them on the ride. They put out the welcome mat and the fans stepped right up. The band is having a blast and the fans can see it. It’s all about having a good time and music is the leader.

I don’t believe that Kings Of Chaos will do any original songs, however as a Super Group Cover/Tribute Band, how cool is that? What a game changer to the Tribute scenes around the world?

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