Tag Archives: Heavy Metal

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

1976 Part 2.6: Ted Nugent – Free For All

It’s album number two for the “Motor City Madman” released in October 1976. Wikipedia mentions that it’s his first album to go Platinum, but it doesn’t mention that the year was 1992, 16 years after its release.

A “free for all” is a chaotic situation, lacking rules or structure. Like an uncontrolled fight that involves many people or a concert circle pit, or a press conference that deteriorates into a smash and bash or a barrage of questions without any control as to who is asking.

But this album is cohesive and structured, nothing like a free for all.

It’s well known that Ted Nugent liked his solo career to be all about him. But he did need others to make that happen, like Derek St. Holmes, who was hired as a vocalist and rhythm guitarist for the debut album. But as the lead singer, you could say that some attention was directed towards him.

Fast forward a year later, St. Holmes left the band, due to growing personal and creative conflicts with Nugent however he did play and sing on a few tracks before his departure. Left without a vocalist, Nugent turned to himself and to an unknown singer called Meatloaf, who was a year away from his “Bat Out Of Hell” international success.

And like all things in business, money talks and St. Holmes was back in the band at the request of Epic Records for the tour and “Cat Scratch Fever”.

The musical side of the recording has Ted Nugent on guitars plus vocals on the title track, along with Rob Grange on bass and Cliff Davies on drums. Derek St Holmes played rhythm guitar on the tracks he provided vocals on and Meatloaf did the rest.

Tom Werman is also producing.

St. Holmes hated the Werman production as he believed it was too watered down, but Werman knew exactly what was needed to get as many songs onto the radio.

The view from Werman was simple. If the songs were played on radio, it meant that the band would have a chance to tour. By touring and having songs on radio, the album would then sell.

This type of thinking would come to fruition for Werman by the late 70’s and most of the 80’s. His streak of Gold and Platinum albums is an envious one, and most of the artists who succeeded with Werman or had their biggest selling album with Werman, would go on to blast Werman many years after.

“Free-for-All”

I was reading that the intro riff is based upon the track “Sufficiently Breathless” from Captain Beyond, but when I first heard it, it reminded me of “Stormbringer” from Deep Purple and “Stranglehold”.

Vocals are provided by Nugent.

Lyrical, the Nuge is in top form with lyrics like “the stakes are high and so am I” and “When in doubt I whip it out”.

It’s a free-for-all alright.

“Dog Eat Dog”

It feels like Accept took this song and used it as the basis for the “Balls To The Wall” album and song.

Vocals are provided by Derek St. Holmes. The pentatonic leads from Nugent are excellent and towards the end, he does an open string lick, which reminds me of the things that Angus Young would do on “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap”.

Lyrically, it’s pretty descriptive. We are told of a riot, “Sabotage on a downtown street / Police cars overturned” and a suicide, “Kamikaze from the hundredth floor / Swan dive to the street”. “Wild Side” from Motley Crue comes to mind here.

“Writing on the Wall”

7 minutes long.

My kind of cut, that just jams along and takes you on a journey. The main riff reminds me of “Stranglehold” and “Free For All” but it’s the vocal delivery and melodies from Meatloaf which makes this song sound epic.

The Chorus section sounded like “Gates Of Babylon” exotic before “Gates” was even recorded.

I like the lead break section in this. The bass grooves on the main riff, the drums lay down the foundation and Madman Nugent decorates it with pentatonic lines, bends, slides and a ringing chord.

At some stages it moves into the melodic minor domain before moving back into the bluesy pentatonic lines.

“Blazing’ down the highway / I’d rather have it my way”

I don’t think the kids these days have the same view of the highway as we had back then. It was a rite of passage to get your licence, get a car and drive. It opened up new places.

What’s a rite of passage these days?

Get the latest tech, have the most followers, play the crypto game or the stock market.

“Turn It Up”

It feels like a Led Zeppelin cut in the “Rock N Roll” vein. But at 1.22, it changes into these sleazy groove for a Nugent solo before it picks back up into the 12 bar blues.

Vocals are provided by St. Holmes.

And in the last 30 seconds, Nugent becomes Jimmy Page with fast Pentatonic lines.

“Street Rats”

It kicks off Side 2.

The intro riff would sound familiar to Van Halen fans, as I’m pretty sure a young EVH was listening to this. Hell, the Sunset Strip sound is this riff.

Vocals are provided by Meatloaf.

“Post war anti-social” is a lyric that resonates for some reason. Maybe it’s due to the in-depth study I did on the Vietnam War back in High School and how the soldiers returned as villains and not to any Victory Parade, with PTSD and drug issues and problems with the government.

“Together”

The song is written by Rob Grange and Cliff Davies. Vocals are provided by Meatloaf. It’s like a power rock ballad, and one of the best tracks on the album.

Grange and Davies create a great foundation, for Nugent to solo over and Meatloaf to create a great vocal on.

“Light My Way”

It’s written by Derek St. Holmes and Rob Grange and vocals are provided by St. Holmes. Its more in the vein of the blues rock tracks that St. Holmes is involved in.

“Hammerdown”

It’s a heavy metal cut that would rival most NWOBHM bands and make sure you check out the vocals by Meatloaf.

I’m not sure if Steve Harris was listening, but the riff in the Verses and Chorus is very similar to “Running Free”.

Even the vocal melodies from Meatloaf could be said inspired some of the NWOBHM vocalists.

White line
Double time
Come around with a hammerdown

Was the Nuge a user/taker or just using artistic licence. It’s pretty clear what he’s writing about here.

“I Love You So I Told You a Lie”

Written by Cliff Davies, and what a great title.

Vocals are provided by Meatloaf for a 12 bar blues in the verses.

A family life and a loving’ wife
Just ain’t my kinda scene

But when you’re all alone, you would long for this scene as a we are creatures of the tribe.

Underrated stars on the album are Rob Grange on bass and Cliff Davies on drums. While Grange was Entwistle like, Davies was very technical.

Ted Nugent is also more of a melodic player than a technical shredder and I like it.

And although he has views on things are different to mine, those views rarely distract me from good music.

Crank it.

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

Dee Snider – Leave A Scar

I grew up on the 80’s Twisted Sister albums. I have em all, from “Ruff Cutts” to “Love Is For Suckers”. Albums like “Stay Hungry” I have four times. On cassette, vinyl and on CD I have the original issue and “Still Hungry” anniversary edition with extra tracks and demos.

I eagerly waited for Desperado, only to read it got shelved. Then I heard about Widowmaker and waited for those albums, which finally got a release in Australia, almost half a year after it was released in the U.S. And I never stopped following Snider’s career.

“Never Let The Bastards Wear You Down” had Dee digging into the vaults to grab songs written for Twisted Sister and Desperado albums. “We Are The Ones” showcased an alternative rock vibe with massive anthemic Choruses. And while I like it when artists branch out, I didn’t like the Showtunes covers album.

Dee Snider has a voice for heavy metal.

If you don’t believe me, check out tracks like “The Fire Still Burns”, “Burn In Hell”, “Under The Blade”, “Stay Hungry” and “Come Out And Play”.

And his metal vocal style was forgotten behind the big clips of “We’re Not Gonna Take It” and “I Wanna Rock”.

A simple dare from Jamey Jasta, brought forth “For The Love Of Metal” and it caught a lot of people by surprise. “Leave A Scar” carries forth the metal torch that Dee Snider has recently lit. I’ve got the Dee-Lux Wooden Box Edition (limited to 500) on pre-order via Napalm Records which comes with a 7 inch single of a non-album track.

The band line-up is Dee Snider on vocals, Charlie Bellmore on guitar, Nick Bellmore on drums, Russell Pzütto on bass and Nick Petrino on Guitar.

“I Gotta Rock (Again)”

The intro riff from Bellmore is excellent and the drum groove smashes you awake.

A fitting title for a return to live music after a pandemic.

I can’t stop
Be a lifer til I’m done
Gonna ride it til I’m gone
For as long as I’m breathing!

Even a strain of COVID-19 couldn’t stop Dee from rocking out again.

And the lead work from Bellmore and Petrino is Judas Priest “Tipton and Downing” like.

How good is the foot stomping riff after the lead breaks?

“All Or Nothing More”

It could have come from a Megadeth or Metallica album as the riffs are super head banging material.

What is your life?
Choose a path, decide what you will do
Anger and strife
Won’t get you where you need

A new call to arms for a new generation needing some guidance. Choose a path and enjoy the journey and remember it’s okay to take some twist and turns along the way.

The Chorus is anthemic.

All or nothing
All or nothing more
Make a choice
Use your voice
It’s your soul you’re fighting for

Its written in a period of political upheaval and if people didn’t use their voice for change, then the same corrupt leaders would remain.

There is this bass riff after the Chorus that reminds me of “Holier Than Thou” and I like it.

And the wah-wah is out for the lead break.

“Down But Never Out”

Its furious, more Killswitch Engage like. Another empowerment anthem for the S.M.F’s.

Musically, its excellent.

And we could be down, it happens from time to time especially now, trying to survive a pandemic and lockdowns, but we are never out.

As the Chorus states, we’ll battle on and fight to turn things around.

“Before I Go”

My second favourite track.

The guitar work from Bellmore is excellent especially in the riff department.

Like the verses.

From the cradle to the grave
You’ll be judged by those that you saved

Truth.

And how the hell do you fit the words “gossamer wings” into an anthemic chorus?

They did.

The simple dynamic of quietening down after the solo is excellent.

“Open Season”

The opening riff gets the head banging immediately.

Hey motherfucker, are you kidding me?
You better get ready

The intention of the song is clear.

Now it’s open season
I aim and never miss

If there was any confusion about the message in the song, I think this sums it up.

The riff after the second chorus. Fist pumping devil horns epic-ness.

“Silent Battles”

My favourite track on the album.

The guitar riff to kick off the song reminds me of all the good things I like about the 80’s. I’m hearing George Lynch, EVH, a bit of Vito Bratta and Nuno Bettencourt.

Did I mention that Snider can rock pretty hard?

Fighting silent battles
The war some must go through
Now let us be guided
Guided by the truth

The Chorus is one of the best I have heard for a long time.

Rising bravely to face this new day with hope
Some kneel down with solemn pause

And the harmony solo. How good is it?

The only thing I can do once the song finishes is press repeat.

“Crying For Your Life”

It reminds me of “Reason To Kill” from Widowmaker. The clean tone intro hides the anger of the song.

You left your mark every step of the way
You were so sure you wouldn’t have to pay
Now look in the mirror, what do you see?
Look in the mirror, no ride’s for free

Actions will have consequences.

Check out the riffs/music from 2.36.

It’s like a funeral march, very Paradise Lost like, aka “Draconian Times” album.

“In For The Kill”

A bone crunching riff along with the bass drum acting like a metronome starts the song off.

But it’s the harmony solo in the intro that gets me ready to break my desk.

I’m tired of waiting, sick of holding back
Been ready for this day
It’s not a reckoning and it’s not an attack
I’ve got to have my say

If there’s any confusion to the songs intention, well the first four lines lay it all out.

Make sure you check out the excellent lead breaks.

“Time To Choose”

A thrash metal cut, with “Corpsegrinder” from Cannibal Corpse on backing vocals. Typing it feels strange. Death metal backing vocals.

How can death metal vocals be backing vocals?

It is.

Your dreadful choices you just can’t defend

Check out the technical guitar playing in the outro.

“S.H.E”

A great melodic Chorus for a super heavy groove metal cut.

And it’s the most hardest rocking and metallish love song I have ever heard.

“The Reckoning”

A speed metal cut with a riff that reminds me of “Don’t Tread Of Me” and “Of Wolf And Man” in the intro. In the verses it reminds me of early Megadeth.

Your reckoning
Is here
There’s nothing that you can do
You’re living
In fear
You’ll never know what hit you

And the drumming is relentless.

“Stand”

I like the ominous and slightly distorted intro which also serves as the Chorus riff.

Stand up
Don’t leave your mark, leave a scar

“I carved my name in a tree. 55 years later, I went back to my school, and I saw the tree, and my name is still there. That’s a scar. That’s the difference. And that resonated in my head. When I was writing the song, ‘Stand,’ that line that’s where it comes from. Don’t leave your mark. Leave a scar.”
Dee Snider in HollywoodLife.com

There aren’t a lot of artists in their mid-60’s producing quality music like this. Dee Snider is doing it and he’s making it look very easy. The Bellmore brothers are underrated talents as songwriters and instrumetalists, on the guitar and drums.

And hopefully my box set with the 7-inch single will arrive someday from Germany.

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The Week In Destroyer Of Harmony History – August 9 to August 15

4 Years Ago (2017)

Thinking short term hurts us. Every leader thinks about the now and never about what’s around the bend. The majority of people in charge of corporations only care about the now.

What is our bottom line looking like?

There is no care about their environmental footprint or employee well-being.

Record labels are the same. They focus so much on first week sales and charts as they believe it brings in an instant payday, without understanding that the payday they are really earning is from music created 30 plus years ago and it just percolated, slowly rising to the top.

Have you heard of the record labels starting to employ artists as employees and offer them retirement plans?

Of course not. That’s long term thinking.

And while everyone kept complaining that Spotify doesn’t pay, they couldn’t explain how Warner accumulated $360 million dollars in streaming fees from em.

All of those artists who sold their rights to the labels and publishers are losing out in the long run but maybe winning in the short term.

I was writing about the 80s and listening to music those bands released in the early 90s.

And I didn’t see much dumbing down of lyrics in the way the writers of the time claimed. And that’s why grunge took over. Instead I saw better lyrics, more mature lyrics, lyrics that showcased highs and lows.

8 Years Ago (2013)

Music and movies just didn’t seem to last anymore.

So why would artists and film makers spend so much time on making one project every two to three years.

George Lucas once said that the $200 million movie is dead. But in 2013, a lot of blockbusters cost over $200 million and man didn’t they flop big time.

Movies like “R.I.P.D “ (a derivative version of Ghostbusters and Men In Black) and “The Lone Ranger” (a derivative version of The Lone Ranger TV show, National Treasure and Pirates of The Caribbean) came to mind.

For some reason, Hollywood still believes that they need a $200 million movie, meanwhile, the movies that did well in 2013 had lower budgets.

“The Conjuring” cost $20 million and when I wrote the article in 2013 it had made made $140 million and when I checked it today, it was at $319.5 million.

“The Heat” cost $43 million to make and in 2013 it had made $190 million and in 2021 it was at $229.9 million.

“Now You See Me” cost $75 million to make and in 2013 it had made $233 million and in 2021, the figures was at $351.7 million.

So is a $200 million budget movie really worth it or should those big budgets be used to make 5 lower budget movies.

So is social media a way to broadcast to people or connect with people?

And while I was critical of Dream Theater having a listening party with no fans, a few weeks later, they invited a select group of fans to experience the new album.

I was reading a lot about “The Pirate Bay” as it turned 10 years in 2013.

From its inception”TPB” is like a number one act, albeit a controversial act, always on top of the charts.

And it all happened via word of mouth in the same way we used to talk about artists and movies back in the day.

Or you can do like Lady Gaga, who would manipulate the mainstream media to write about her and get her loyal “monsters” to spread the word.

Are deluxe editions just overpriced boxes, offering the same thing over and over again for a higher price or offering something of value to a super fan that no one can get anywhere else?

The “Dream Theater” self-titled deluxe edition box set had the same album on a CD, a VINYL LP version and a FLAC version in a box and they charged over a $100 just to format shift the same music.

Meanwhile for half the price (at $55) Coheed and Cambria’s “The Afterman Limited Edition Deluxe Box Set Amory Award Edition” gives you the albums, the demos, a DVD making of, a VIP pass, a book of the story, and notes about the songs, plus a link to download the album and demos on mp3.

Back in the Eighties, the goal was to work in the music business for a record label while you dreamed of being a rock star. Fast forward thirty years and the goal is to work in technology as the new rock stars are the tech heads.

Artists don’t need a middle man to distribute their music, but artists are in love with the story of fame and wealth however they don’t understand that the aim of the game is to outlast the competition.

The “rock star myth” was a deliberate creation of the major labels. Wannabe musicians bought it hook, line and sinker, signing everything away to be the next star. And the Labels licked their lips at all the talent waiting to be exploited.

“Stand Or Walk Away” is an underrated cut from “HellYeah”.

It’s got a “Kashmir” like groove I like. The head nods, the foot starts to tap and the fingers start to lay down the beat. There is a sense of classic rock familiarity that intrigues me and it is modern at the same time.

One last thing, when the future generations write the history of metal guitarists, talented players like Greg Tribbet will be forgotten. But he shouldn’t be.

Tribbet is a sum of his influences.

He can be progressive (Mudvayne’s 2nd album is the piece d resistance in progressive riffage), he can be heavy, he can be a guitar hero and he can be soulful, bluesy and even countrish. He is a great talent.

And since we are in the single music era, go and stream the crap out of this song. It will be worth your time.

And that’s another wrap for another week.

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The Record Vault: Disturbed – The Sickness

I was working as an Insurance Broker in Sydney during this time. And everytime I went for a walk during lunch time to the record shops, the flyers for Disturbed always grabbed my attention, but I didn’t buy.

Then they got added to the Ozzfest festival. Ozzy apparently said, he’s seen the future of heavy metal and that is “Disturbed”. Then I got a transcription of “Voices” in one of the guitar magazines I subscribed to and after playing through what I thought the song sounded like, I was very interested.

So in 2001, I made the purchase.

And I looked at the band member names. Totally unrecognisable.

From Chicago, they formed in 1994. The band currently (2021) is vocalist David Draiman, guitarist/keyboardist Dan Donegan, bassist John Moyer and drummer Mike Wengren.

Donegan and Wengren have been involved in the band since the start, with Moyer replacing former bassist Steve Kmak and Draiman replacing original lead vocalist Erich Awalt.

In 2000, the band released its debut album, “The Sickness”.

In the U.S alone (and if you like to use the RIAA sales metric as a gauge for success) it went Gold by August, 2000.

Platinum by November, 2000.

2x Platinum by October 2001.

3 x Platinum by March 2003.

4 x Platinum by September 2008.

5x Platinum by June, 2018.

It went Platinum in Australia, 2x Platinum in Canada, Gold in the U.K

“Voices”

“Are you breathing?”

“Soooooo”.

And a new trademark is born.

The metal groove of the riff became known as the “Nu-Metal” riff.

And Draiman talks about some freaky shit, and the staccato vocal delivery from Draiman was so unique it got me interested. It was just so different from the 80’s type of singers I was so used to.

“The Game”

The NIN electronics plus bass drum acting like a metronome and a catchy vocal melody hooks me in.

And those dog barks from David Draiman. WTF. But I liked it. It was different. Very different.

Also the syncopation of vocal melody, guitar riff and bass drum was insane when I first heard it.

“Stupify”

The groove on this. And the vocal style of Draiman was bizzare, it was like he had a health issue the way he was singing. But I couldn’t turn it off. I wanted to hear what he would come with up with next.

At 2.33, this Middle East style vibe kicks in, before the heaviest part of the song kicks in when Draiman is singing “Don’t deny me”.

The guitar riff takes the style of Korn and guitarist Dan Donegan has this ability to take influences from what was current like NIN, Korn, Limp Bizkit, Tool and put it all into his metal influenced blender, and out comes the magic brew of Disturbed.

“Down With The Sickness”

The drum pattern and riff to kick off this song is now iconic, along with Draiman’s bird like calls “Oo Wahahahah” and the disturbing Bridge, which has Draiman talking and screaming at an abuser.

In the live arena, there are a sea of faces jumping up and down and head banging, like an ocean swell about to hit the stage.

“Violence Fetish”

The riff is jarring.

“Bring the violence its significant”

“Fear”

It’s like soundtrack music at the start but when the riff kicks in, it’s more of the same.

“Numb”

It has this Deftones/Tool like feel in the music which I like as it offers some variation from the previous tracks.

“Want”

The verse riff is cool to jam to.

“Conflict”

It feels like a re-write of the first four songs with “en-e-me” as the catchcry.

“Shout 2000”

I really like what Disturbed did with this “Tears For Fears” song and how Dan Donegan created the heavy palm muted riff.

“Dropping Plates”

A groove metal cut, a fan favorite.

“Meaning Of Life”

It starts with electronica and the riffs from Donegan build nicely while Draiman is singing “I wanna get psycho”.

Lyrically there wasn’t anything that grabbed me, but the music, the grooves and staccato vocals definitely got me thinking differently when it came to writing riffs.

Disturbed would nail it with the next two albums, “Believe” and “Ten Thousand Fists” which I consider superior to “The Sickness” and both of them did good business in the multi-platinum figures. But those stories are for a different post.

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The Record Vault: Dio – Holy Diver Live

The rebuild of the Dio brand in the 2000’s involved a revolving cast of musicians.

Tracy G served as the guitarist from 1993 to 1999. He brought in different elements to the band and assisted it keeping the band going throughout the 90’s.

Craig Goldy came back in between 1999 and 2002 to help with a new album “Magica” and keep the live show going.

Doug Aldrich came in between 2002 and 2003 for the album “Killing The Dragon” and to keep the live show going. Warren DeMartini did a small stint in 2003 for the live show, with Craig Goldy to return for a new album called “Master Of The Moon” in 2004.

Doug Aldrich returned again as a touring musician for 2005.

Interest in Dio was high, as “Master Of The Moon” was highly praised and recommended. The 1983 “Holy Diver” was also reissued by Rock Candy during this time.

The band for the tour was Ronnie James Dio on vocals, Doug Aldrich on guitar, Scott Warren on keyboards, Rudy Sarzo on bass and Simon Wright on drums. The show was filmed at London’s Astoria Theatre on October 22, 2005 and released in 2006. The DVD booklet describes the concert as “one of the best hard rock gigs of all time”.

The stage show is not as extravagant as the 1983/84 stage shows. Wright is only 70cm off the ground, instead of the 3 metre drum riser that Vinny Appice had to contend with.

“Tarot Woman”

From Rainbow.

When I saw it as the opener, I was surprised, but goddamn, the song is full of energy and the riffs in the song are perfect foot stomping live riffs. Blackmore wouldn’t create anything else.

Aldrich’s tone is stellar and is faithful to Blackmore as much as possible with a bit of improvisation in the lead break.

“The Sign of The Southern Cross”

From Black Sabbath.

How heavy does this sound on this recording?

A perfect addition to the set list and the crowd responds.

“One Night in the City”

From “The Last In Line” album. I used to mix up “Caught In The Middle” and “One Night In The City” and intertwine the lyrics of the songs.

Then we get the whole “Holy Diver” album.

“Stand up and Shout”

The band is on fire. Sarzo and Wright own the foundations while Aldrich comes across like he’s been in the band forever. Dio is vocally good, singing in a lower range, so he doesn’t overstretch those vocal chords knowing that as you get older, they seem to disappear.

At 3.32 long, its fast and relentless.

“Holy Diver”

The feedback leads into the riff of “Holy Diver”. The tempo feels a bit slower compared to the previous live performances I’ve watched.

Dio’s voice is gravelly and perfect. Wright is a monster on the drums and Rudy Sarzo is still making love to his bass. Aldrich here remains as close to faithful to Campbell’s licks and leads. And there is no better singer at ad-libbing on the outro’s than Dio.

“Gypsy”

It’s got a groove riff that’s like a “let’s get this party started” riff. Aldrich here is given the freedom to do his own thing in the lead break. And the song morphs into a “Drum Solo” and you all know my views on these kind of lone solos in concerts.

“Caught in the Middle”

How good is the intro riff?

And I love that melodic rock chorus?

Just press play to hear Dio ad-libbing the outro.

“Don’t Talk to Strangers”

A great song to listen to and Dio is all gravelly on this one as well, giving it a different vibe. By now, Aldrich is sweating and his rock hard abs are on show for the predominantly male audience.

“Straight Through the Heart”

The groove riff to kick it off and the verse vocal melodies are my favourites. Aldrich also shines on the lead break while Wright and Sarzo, along with Warren on the keys and peculiar dance moves, provide a great foundation

“Invisible”

Once the clean tone arpeggios are done, a distorted riff kicks in and it sounds similar to “Shout At The Devil” from Motley Crue.

It’s amazing how many albums released around the same time (1983/1984) had similar songs.

“Rainbow in the Dark”

As soon as the Am chord comes crashing in and the synth lick starts playing, the crowd is involved and loving it.

In the ending part of the song, Dio is saying to his audience, “you are all my rainbow in the dark”.

“Shame on the Night”

The bluesy Pink Panther crime noir style riff always gets my foot tapping.

And just before the Outro of the song kicks in, there is a “Guitar Solo” moment, but done as part of a jam with the band which is a lot better than just the “lone ranger” style of solo. And you can hear how exotic Aldrich is, with his melodic minor soloing.

Then the “Escape From New York” influenced outro kicks in.

And for some strange reason, they reprise “Holy Diver” again, maybe as a way to musically say to the audience that this is the end of the “Holy Diver” album play through.

“Gates of Babylon”

From Rainbow and how can you not like it. It’s got an exotic riff, pentatonic riffs and a killer Dio vocal. Warren on the keys is excellent, Sarzo and Wright bring the power, while Aldrich is excellent especially in the lead break, which goes to show how complex Blackmore can get.

“Heaven and Hell”

The best Black Sabbath song and we get 11 minutes of it.

This time around, the crowd is chanting the opening riff with Dio and they are all in when Dio’s starts singing, as he waves his devil horns salute around.

Rudy Sarzo is one hell of a bassist. Very underrated.

The middle section lead break is faithful to Iommi.

And we get four minutes of the fast outro section with Aldrich wailing away.

I guess the world is full of kings and queens who blind our eyes and steal our dreams.

“Man on the Silver Mountain”

The first song of the encore is from the Rainbow days. And Aldrich nails the song riff, using the pick and his fingers to sort of chicken pick the intro riff.

If you listen closely, you will notice how Dave Sabo was influenced to write “Youth Gone Wild” and “Monkey Business” from this riff.

And I like how they go into the “Little Wing” influenced “Catch The Rainbow”.

“Long Live Rock and Roll”

And those Rainbow days are back again for 3 minutes and 30 seconds of energy and crowd sing-alongs. And if this was the end of the concert, it would have been a worthy end.

But there was one more track to come.

“We Rock”

The closer, which became a standard closer for Dio but with the fast metal riff, it could easily be an opener.

At almost 2 hours, the show is done and Dio leaves the building.

P.S. From start to finish the set list flows like a classic metal album, a one stop overview of Dio’s career and if you’re a fan, you will see a lot of songs missing that maybe should have been in, such was Dio’s quality output.

P.S.S. Doug Aldrich is faithful to the past material and the riffs/leads of Vivian Campbell, Richie Blackmore and Tony Iommi. In Whitesnake, he also did an admirable job in being faithful to the past and assisting David Coverdale to keep the brand going.

P.S.S.S. Dio at 63 is aged and his voice is not the same but if you went to the show you wouldn’t be disappointed. He still delivers a worthy performance befitting a man of his age.

P.S.S.S.S. I can’t believe how many great songs Dio wrote/co-wrote across three different bands and over three decades.

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

1976 – Part 2.3: Thin Lizzy – Johnny The Fox

All of my Thin Lizzy listening experiences happened well into the 90’s, when the second hand vinyl market was cheap and rocking, with most of it priced less than $5.

And I was snapping it up.

“Johnny the Fox” came out in 1976 and the last Thin Lizzy album to have guitarist Brian Robertson featured as a full member of the band. Clashes over songs and personalities led to Robertson being sacked, reinstated, and later sacked again.

It was an album of convenience as “Jailbreak” came out at the start of the year and due to Phil Lynott’s illness with hepatitis, they couldn’t really tour behind it, so “Johnny The Fox” was created.

Thin Lizzy was Phil Lynott on bass guitar and vocals, Scott Gorham on lead and rhythm guitar, Brian Robertson on lead and rhythm guitar and Brian Downey on drums.

Johnny

The intro is just so simple and groovy, how can you not like it. I swear it gave birth to the New Wave bands that came out in the 80’s.

And the iconic phrasing and voice of Phil Lynott is unique, it makes you pay attention to the story he’s trying to tell.

The lead breaks are excellent.

And the drumming is so underrated. Its powerful and make sure you check out the fills.

Rocky

“He’s got all the tricks to pull the chicks”, is Lynott at his best.

The harmony solos are nice and delicate before the angry and sleazy pentatonic licks start to wail away.

Borderline

It’s like a bluesy country rock song. Check out the bass lines on this.

Don’t Believe A Word

I was hooked from the opening riff which Robertson re-interpreted after Lynott presented the song in a slow 12 bar blues format.

The faster upbeat, was based on a Downey shuffle. If you want to hear Lynott’s original bluesy version, it’s on Gary Moore’s “Back On The Streets”, released in 1978.

The actual lead break with the wah wah sounds like it’s getting strangled out of the guitar.

Robertson wasn’t happy when the song was only credited to Lynott.

Fool’s Gold

The major key vibe is something that Thin Lizzy used a lot and man, they made it rock hard.

Johnny The Fox Meets Jimmy The Weed

Seriously what a great title for a funk blues rock tune. Phil Lynott was a fan of “The O’Jays” and their song “For the Love of Money.

Old Flame

It’s like a love rock song with a lot of harmony guitars.

Massacre

The best track on the album.

This could appear on an Iron Maiden album and not be out of place. It’s basically a metal cut.

The whole band is on fire. The drums are fast, jazz like, while the guitars and bass syncopate, to play some fast palm muted pentatonic grooves.

Sweet Marie

After the madness of “Massacre”, “Sweet Marie” is like “Love Boat” music, as you’re lying on a beach drinking Pina Colada’s. Vocally, John Sykes borrowed heaps from this song. In some sections, I believed I was listening to Sykes.

Boogie Woogie Dance

It’s got a musical feel similar to “Massacre” but with a stupid title. Then again, it goes with “Johnny The Fox Meets Jimmy The Weed”.

But it wasn’t strong enough to be on the album.

It didn’t get any certifications in the North American markets. But what it did do was put the band on the road. And as long as they could stay healthy, they would make coin.

But they didn’t.

Robertson was fired during the tour, replaced by Gary Moore and back in the studio they went.

Finally, drummer Brian Downey is the unsung hero on this album, delivering so many different rhythms and feels.

P.S. For their second album in the year it’s still solid and some stellar cuts like “Massacre” and “Johnny”.

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A to Z of Making It, Derivative Works, Influenced, Music, My Stories

The Week In Destroyer Of Harmony History – August 2 to August 8

4 Years Ago (2017)

Streaming services were challenged.

Netflix had a debt problem. Spotify hadn’t turned a profit and neither had Pandora. Meanwhile, Soundcloud was for sale.

And they had expenses.

They had to pay for content either by creating their own for TV and Film providers, or by licensing content from the labels and movie studios.

The ISP’s then charge all the streaming providers a lot of money for them to use their fast channels without any buffering and then the ISP’s charge us to use the internet and access these streaming services.

But all of these streaming providers have the same issue every other service and artist has.

People can’t slow down their lives long enough to immerse themselves in their content at a rate they would like.

If Netflix has this problem, imagine every up and coming musician or established musician.

1983 was a revolutionary year and the year that metal and rock music became a commercial force and a massive influence on society. Along with the rise of MTV, culture changed dramatically.

Metal and rock music made governments introduce censorship stickers on new releases.

Preachers and TV evangelists became rich and famous when they condemned the art form and told their followers the devil is on the loose, only to be caught with their pants down in seedy motels.

Lawyers took artists to the civil courts because suddenly when records got played backwards people believe they found subliminal messages telling kids to kill themselves.

Band T-shirts had been around before, but nothing like the 80’s. A whole new billion dollar industry came about, because of the imagery. We wanted the T-shirts. It told the world we are a member of the club.

It was just unfortunate that the record labels abandoned these musicians for a newly created record label genre called Grunge.

8 Years Ago (2013)

It’s the music that makes “Learning To Live” from Dream Theater a classic.

“Learning To Live” was released in 1992 on the “Images and Words” album. The song is that good, that Dream Theater even rewrote it and called it “Breaking All Illusions” for the “A Dramatic Turn of Events” album in 2011.

I wrote about artists staying true to their artistic vision and doing what is valuable to them, using bands like Evergrey, Coheed and Cambria, Dream Theater, Digital Summer, Five Finger Death Punch and Protest The Hero as examples.

I compared 2011 and 2013 as it felt like déjà vu again.

In 2011, I was listening to “In Waves” from Trivium and “A Dramatic Turn of Events” from Dream Theater.

And in 2013, I was waiting for “Vengeance Falls” from Trivium and Dream Theater’s self titled album to drop.

We are living in the generation of kids born from 1997 onwards. A generation who consumes music and entertainment digitally. Their sense of community is all online. These kids weren’t alive when the Record Labels ruled the day, so they have no desire for that era, they are all about today and what lays beyond.

The music community has shifted to being a song centric community. We just don’t know it yet. The album format that used to make the most money for the record labels is almost a dead format. However artists still go back and release a collection of songs as an album.

But it’s what gets played over and over again and into the future that matters.

Music is a long road.

Let’s go back in time.

It’s 1982.

The band Bleak House have two highly-regarded releases out in the market and a loyal fan base. One of those releases is a single called “Rainbow Warrior”, that has a movable power chord verse riff that went from B to C to D over an E pedal tone which would go on to form the main riff in Metallica’s “Welcome Home (Sanitarium)”.

And Bleak House struggled to write new material and compete with the other acts releasing music consistently. Eventually they disappeared.

Any artist starting off you need to be creating and releasing. Forget about the 2 to 3 year gap between albums. That is the Record Label standard. It was never the artist standard.

And here is my study on the songs that “Welcome Home” from Metallica borrows from.

And that’s another wrap for another week.

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

The Record Vault: Dio – We Rock (DVD)

“We Rock” (the DVD) was released in 2005. It collects two VHS releases from the early 80’s and brings them forth into the 2000’s. The sound is still rooted in the 80s with a bit of a clean up.

The early 2000’s became a period of re-invention for Dio. After experimenting with Nu-Metal in the mid 90’s, he went back to his roots, to his kind of metal and rock and re-established the “Dio” brand as a commercial force.

For studio albums, in 2000, we got the “Magica” studio album, “Killing The Dragon” came out in 2002 and “Master Of The Moon” in 2004. In addition, “The Devil You Know” from Heaven and Hell hit the streets in 2009.

For live albums, in 2005, we got the “We Rock” DVD and “Evil or Divine – Live In New York City”, “Holy Diver – Live” in 2006 and “Live From Radio City Music Hall” in 2007 from Heaven and Hell.

But it was the live show which brought in the money. His audience from the 80’s remained faithful and they turned up with their adult kids.

Through placement in movies and certain bands covering his songs, Dio was also generating revenue from licensing, sales and streams. And while artists have their views on piracy, having the Dio catalogue available to download for free, increased his supporter base, which led to an increase in the audience to the live show. This happened for a lot of bands who did it tough during the 90’s. Motley Crue and Twisted Sister come to mind.

In the link, the research suggests that every ten music albums pirated leads to three extra concert or festival visits. However, at the same time, it leads to a significant drop in physical album sales and digital downloads.

Dio – Live In Concert 1984

The show was recorded in Holland/The Netherlands on 4 December 1983.

The stage show is massive, with Vinny Appice sporting a very unpleasant looking red leather jumpsuit is sent up on the second level of the building. In other words, the drum riser is very high.

“Stand Up And Shout” is the opener, with Vivian Campbell playing a black Les Paul shaped guitar, running around like a madman on stage, while Jimmy Bain holds it all together, especially when Campbell drops out for the lead breaks. And of course, Dio is nailing his melodies, as the tempo at which they play the song live wouldn’t have helped vocally.

“Stand Up And Shout” feedbacks into the groove riff of “Straight Through The Heart” and I like it. Dio’s voice is like an instrument here itself, especially in the verses.

“The Pink Panther” like riff kicks off “Shame On The Night”, which gets the audience clapping along, before it moves into the doom riff. It’s slower tempo is perfectly placed in the set list.

How good is the bass and drums on the verses, as they carry the music along with Dio’s melodies?

And the outro riff reminds me of the “Escape From New York” main theme.

“Children Of The Sea” is next and a nice recognition of his Black Sabbath output. Dio and Appice really shine on this track, while Campbell and Bain carry out what needs to be done musically. Then the solo comes and Campbell shines, staying faithful for a bar or two and improvising after that.

“Holy Diver” is the pinnacle of the show. The band is on fire and the audience is loving it.

When the song ends, a “Drum Solo” starts.

I hate lone drum solos and guitar solos in concerts. I see no point in them, especially when the artist has enough material to play songs. But I do like it when a drum solo or a guitar solo is within the song, which I’ve seen some artists do.

After the “Drum Solo”, one of my favourite cuts starts in “Heaven And Hell”. As soon as Dio starts with the “sing me a song” line, the whole crowd is in the palm of his hand, singing along with him. It sounds like Claude Schnell came out of hibernation to add some synth licks but he’s nowhere to be seen on the stage.

Campbell is faithful to Tony Iommi as much as he can and when it comes time for the lead breaks he does improvise a lot, but then again so does Dio, adding new vocals over the jam grooves.

As they are jamming along, with Campbell soloing, the music stops and we get a “Guitar Solo”. As mentioned, I hate it when they take up time in a concert, however you do get to hear how accomplished Campbell is as he pulls out all the licks and tricks from his arsenal.

Bain and Appice then kick in with the “Heaven And Hell” groove and Campbell keeps soloing with music as the background and this I like.

Dio then comes in and gets the crowd involved in a sing-a-long.

The issue I have is that it does go on and on and on and on.

Finally the fast outro kicks in, however it is ultra-fast here, with my favourite lyrics in “the moon is just the sun at night”.

After about 20 plus minutes of the song, (including the guitar solo), the song ends. And the Dutch are screaming “Dio”.

Band introductions take place and Dio says something like “I like to introduce the next song, which has rainbow in it but nothing to do with the band of the same name”. Since no Rainbow songs are included on the release, you can presume the bad blood between Richie and Dio was still too much. But I do think he played a couple of em, but just didn’t include them.

“Rainbow In The Dark” cranks in and how can you not sing when Dio starts with “when there’s lightning”.

Once the song ends, the crowd chants again “Dio” over and over again.

It’s all black, then red eyes light up from Dio’s mascot and an encore is happening.

“Don’t Talk To Strangers” closes the gig, the embryo to “The Last In Line” and “We Rock”.

Dio – A Special From The Spectrum

The opening track “Stand Up And Shout” is not included in the DVD release, but you can see it on YouTube if you want.

The stage show is a bit different, going with the theme of “The Last In Line” album cover, however Appice still remains on the second floor, so high up from the rest of the band.

This time around Campbell is sporting the red leathers and his playing a Charvel/Fender style guitar. Dio as usual is nailing it vocally and Bain is always reliable with his bass rumbling away and then carrying the music when Campbell drops out for the lead break.

And the band is ferocious this time around. They have the “Holy Diver” album and tour behind them and their out promoting “The Last In Line”.

“Don’t Talk To Strangers” is song number 2 and it opens up the DVD concert version. On the “Holy Diver” tour, this was the closer. And it’s a great decision to open the album with two songs they have played a lot because their delivery is so fluent.

“Mystery” is up next, the first song played from “The Last In Line” album. It’s major key vibe and Hard Rock Mainstream style Chorus works well in the set, after the two metal cuts before it.

Then my favourite Dio song starts in “Egypt (The Chains Are On)”. That riff from Campbell and the slow “Heaven And Hell” drum groove from Appice is all I need. Suddenly I’m singing, “in the land of the lost horizon” and “when the world was milk and honey”.

Half way through the song, a “Drum Solo” starts and as you know, I hate these moments in concerts.

And like the previous show, they go into “Heaven And Hell” and this time Campbell is playing an Explorer shaped guitar. And like the previous show, as soon as Dio starts singing the first verse, the crowd is singing with him. The song is played similar to the previous concerts with a lot of jamming in the lead break.

And then the music stops and we get a “Guitar Solo”. You know my views on these lone solo pieces. I don’t know why Campbell would need to have this moment as he was wailing away on the “Heaven And Hell” groove and it sounded so good. Anyway, like the previous show, Appice and Bain then kick in with the “Heaven And Hell” groove and Campbell keeps soloing and this little piece I like.

Dio comes out, and yells, “Vivian Campbell and his magic guitar” and the crowd roars their approval. Then he gets the crowd involved a sing-along. And I’m bummed that the fast outro of the song doesn’t get played.

But they do go into “The Last In Line”.

The medieval fingerpicked intro hides the metal cut that the song would become.

“We are coming”, silence, “hoooooome” as the riffs kick in. The band is nailing everything and Appice is thundering. And for such a new song, the crowd is singing along with him. I guess you can’t keep a good song down.

Once the song ends, something unexpected happen. They go into the fast outro section of “Heaven And Hell” and I’m not bummed anymore as this is my favourite section of the song. Campbell is wailing away here on the guitar again, which makes me question why there had to be a lone “Guitar Solo” spotlight.

“Rainbow In The Dark” cranks in, with Dio sending out his devil horns salute at the end of every fourth bar. They know what needs to be done and they deliver.

Campbell’s playing is excellent and I like how he adds a few extra fills here and there in his lead break, letting the energy of the show take over and command his performance. And Appice can play a metal cut with just his snare, he’s that good on it.

“Mob Rules” kicks in. It’s full of energy, and Campbell goes all shred in the lead break, totally playing his thing, sort of like how Randy Rhoads did with the old Black Sabbath cuts.

The show ends, it goes to black, only for the band to come out and tell the audience they deserve another one.

And what a closer.

“We Rock” kicks in and that opening guitar riff is head banging, circle pit like. And there’s fireworks going off like crazy, lasers and did I mention that Appice can carry a song with a bass drum and snare. He can.

And the show is done.

If you want to see the classic era Dio band at its best, this DVD is a must have. Press play and enjoy, as half of the band has come home and I guess we’ll never know if they were evil or divine. RIP Ronnie James Dio and Jimmy Bain and thanks for the music and memories.

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1976 – Part 2.2: Thin Lizzy – Jailbreak

I was reading Guitar Legends and there was a feature on each decade from the 60s to the first 2000’s decade.

So in the 70s decades they covered some important and influential albums.

“Paranoid” by Black Sabbath, “IV” and “Physical Graffiti “ from Led Zeppelin, “Machine Head” by Deep Purple, “A Night At The Opera” by Queen, “Destroyer” by Kiss, Boston’s self-titled debut and “Never Mind The Bollocks” by The Sex Pistols are mentioned.

Thin Lizzy didn’t even get a mention. Written out of history. If there is a band that brought harmony guitars to the masses, it’s Thin Lizzy.

But they didn’t have a guitar hero in the band and a front man who wasn’t a pretty boy.

The band is Phil Lynott on vocals and bass, Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson on guitars and Brian Downey on drums.

“Jailbreak” is the only Thin Lizzy album which has a certification in the U.S, a Gold one for 500,000 copies sold. But they never really toured behind the album as Lynott was fighting hepatitis.

It was also their last chance as “Nightlife” and “Fighting” didn’t meet the commercial expectations their label had.

And while Robertson felt the production was too restricted which led to less improvisation, it was exactly the tight ship that was needed to push them into the arenas.

Press play and have fun.

Jailbreak

How good is the main riff?

When the sirens start, listen to the riffs under it, it’s like the rumble/fight riffs in stage play soundtracks. Alice Cooper did something similar with “Gutter Cats vs The Jets”.

It’s a 41.5 million streams on Spotify.

Angel From The Coast

Downey on the drums is a star. Listen to how he swings, not a beat out of place.

Great lyrics about the boys playin poker and the joker being their favorite card and the middle section reminds of Hendrix and the Lizzy boys are swinging with the best of em.

Running Back

It’s a blues melodic rock cut inspired by Van Morrison and the first single from the album.

And it’s the little things, like the keyboard, saxophone, and overdubbed guitar lines from Scott Gorham that all add up.

Romeo And The Lonely Girl

What a great guitar solo in a song dedicated to those right girls that come at the wrong times.

And the solo keeps going when Lynott starts singing again.

Warriors

Lynott’s way of defining heavy drug takers was by describing them as warriors.

The Intro riff shuffles along.

Great soloing from Brain Robertson with a lot of wah wah.

But the piece d’resistance starts from the drum improv section at 2.53 and continues to the end. It’s progressive rock and a wow moment.

The Boys Are Back In Town

The big hit single, at 247.2 million streams, which still gets played on radio and licensed to movies, TV shows and advertisements in 2021 generating millions in royalties.

But no certification in the U.S market, however you would be hard pressed to find a person who doesn’t know the song.

So do you really need a sale or a plaque on the wall to show off your success or the success of a song?

And it did something massive for songwriters, making twin guitar harmonies an actual thing in popular songs.

Fight Or Fall

It’s got this Rod Stewart “Maggie May” feel, a strummed soul blues number.

Cowboy Song

The slow acoustic intro doesn’t foretell the rocker to come. 14.7 million streams on Spotify.

Emerald

The embryo and foundations of what Iron Maiden would be is in this song.

The Irish influences are here as well, something that Gary Moore would use a lot of on the “Wild Frontier” album.

It’s one of my favorite Lizzy albums of the Robertson and Gorham era on guitars. Lynott is unique but it’s Downey who owns this album. His drumming is superb and very underrated.

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The Record Vault: Diamonds – The Best of Dio

“Diamonds – The Best of Dio” was marketed as a “greatest hits” collection. I remember the ads. But the title says, “best off”. I guess marketing people don’t know the difference between “greatest hits” and “best of”.

And Ronnie James Dio is one of those artists who didn’t sit don’t to write hits. He just wrote songs that he liked.

It was released internationally in 1992, and never released in the U.S. And there was no effort with the CD. Just check out the no frills booklet.

I got this compilation because of the track “Hide In The Rainbow”, which was never released on a Dio studio album before. A rare EP called “The Dio E.P” (original title) was released in 1986 with the song, but like all things physical, it wasn’t readily available.

Back then no one was really sure who played on the track.

Was “Hide In The Rainbow” Vivian Campbell’s last studio recording with the band or did Craig Goldy play on the track?

The booklet states Craig Goldy.

But, history and the benefit of hindsight has shown that the CD booklets notes and credits are not a good source of truth sometimes.

In relation to the album, it covers the well-known songs in chronological order based on year of release.

“Holy Diver”, “Rainbow in the Dark” and “Don’t Talk to Strangers” are from the “Holy Diver” album, released in 1983.

“We Rock”, “The Last in Line” and “Evil Eyes” are from “The Last In Line” album, released in 1984.

“Rock ‘n’ Roll Children”, “Sacred Heart” and “Hungry for Heaven” are from the “Sacred Heart” album, released in 1985.

“Hide in the Rainbow” is from “The Dio E.P” released in 1986.

Listen to the intro. I wish they continued it a bit longer.

And is it just me, or does the Chorus riff remind you of “No More Tears” from Ozzy. Then again this is 5 years before “No More Tears”, so maybe young Zakk was listening. Anyway, all music is derivative. Take what came before and make it a bit different.

“Dream Evil” is the title track, released in 1987.

“Wild One” and “Lock Up the Wolves” are from the “Lock Up The Wolves” album, released in 1990.

You could argue that “Stand Up And Shout”, “Egypt (The Chains Are On)”, “All the Fools Sailed Away” and “Born On The Sun” are better songs and should be included.

If you have the albums mentioned above, there is no need for this compilation. But if you didn’t have any of those albums, this collection is an excellent addition.

At the time I was still buying Dio product to keep my collection up to date, however this ended up being the last purchase for my CD/Vinyl/Tape collection.

The studio albums which came in the 90’s and 2000’s were not available easily in Australia and had to be imported in at a higher price. So I ignored em, but my mate “Nick The Stick” is a massive fan, so he had em and he burned em on a CD for me.

I did buy a couple of DVD’s in the 2000’s called “Holy Diver Live” and “We Rock”. Those reviews will be coming soon.

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