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A to Z of Making It, Classic Songs to Be Discovered, Derivative Works, Influenced, Music, My Stories, Unsung Heroes

Vandenberg – Sin

Adrian Vandenberg has come full circle.

When John Kalodner met with him in 1987, Kalodner had two propositions; one was to replace all the Dutch members of the Vandenberg band with American musicians and the other was for Vandenberg to join Whitesnake.

Morally Adrian Vandenberg couldn’t do that to his Vandenberg members and he also couldn’t pass up on a position to work with a vocalist like David Coverdale.

So he chose Whitesnake.

But when he tried to resurrect Vandenberg circa 2014/15, those Dutch 80s members didn’t have the same moral conviction as Adrian did and they took him to court so he couldn’t use his own surname anymore.

Six lawsuits later and a lot of money spent, Vandenberg was allowed to use his surname again.

But while all of the lawsuits were happening, Vandenberg’s Moonkings was created and they released three albums.

Then Vandenberg returned, dropping the excellent 2020 album with former Rainbow vocalist Ronnie Romero on vocals, Rudy Sarzo on bass, and Brian Tichy on drums.

And here we are in 2023, with another excellent album called “Sin”. This time around Adrian is joined by vocalist Mats Levén, drummer Koen Herfst and bassist Randy Van Der Elsen and the album is produced by Bob Marlette.

How cool is the cover art?

Once again, created by Adrian, he wanted to show an actual destination for the flying sharks who made their appearance on the “Heading For A Storm” album.

Instead of flying over a road in the desert, they are now flying into New York, the city of sin.

Thunder And Lightning

This is a person writing songs for the love of it. No pressure to write hits and no pressure to conform.

For those who grew up in an era of driving with the window down and cranking the music from the stereo, well this song is perfect for it.

Vocally, Mats Leven is channeling David Coverdale. Musically the song channels the spirit of Eddie Van Halen and the Euro blues rock of Michael and Rudolf Schenker.

Stick around for the guitar solo.

House On Fire

Heavy palm muted arpeggios start it all off with Leven singing in a low bass/baritone. Then it goes into a sleaze like riff.

This is a straight ahead rock and no one is doing it better in 2023 than Adrian Vandenberg.

Sin

This sounds so good. Vandenberg rewrote “Judgement Day” and I like it?

Then again “Judgement Day” is heavily based on “Kashmir”. And I still like it.

Alot of legacy artists keep saying “what is the point in writing new music as no one cares about it”. Tell that to Vandenberg.

Light It Up

Love the swagger on this.

Walking On Water

Ooh, that guitar intro and the vocal. Very 70s Free like.

And stick around for another masterful guitar solo.

Burning Skies

The album keeps going, sounding different from cut to cut. Like “Back In Black”. This one feels like a classic Scorpions cut.

Hit The Ground Running

It’s all about the vocal.

This one has Leven channeling Coverdale and the groove sits nicely on your lap.

Baby You’ve Changed

It’s intimate.

A ballad that rolls along like “Is This Love” and “The Deeper The Love”. But it’s not a copycat.

Out Of The Shadows

The arpeggio riff in the Intro reminds me of Coverdale/Page and their song, “Whisper A Prayer For The Dying” but the song is nothing like that.

It’s got this classic 70s Rainbow Dio era vibe and I like it.

It’s just 9 songs clocking in at 41 minutes. Like old school albums, pre CD.

Mats Leven is one hell of a vocalist. A journeyman like so many other vocalists from the late eighties and early nineties.

He came to my attention with the band Swedish Erotica in 1989.

He has then performed (just to name a few) with Treat, Yngwie Malmsteen, Candlemass, At Vance, Firewind, Trans Siberian Orchestra and Therion.

By doing so and picking up whatever work he could get, he found a way to survive the wastelands of the 90s and early 2000’s which were not very kind to hard rock vocalists. Jeff Scott Soto and Johnny Gioeli are two others that come to mind.

Finally, Adrian Vandenberg is 69. He still rocks as hard as he did when he was 29. He hasn’t mellowed out at all. He’s actually gotten heavier and he is free to write the music that he wants to write.

If you want to read my review of Vandenberg’s recorded output up to a certain point in time (it was up to 2014 and the first Vandenberg Moonkings album), you can read it here.

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Tony Martin – It Ain’t Worth Fighting For

Tony Martin never wanted to be a singer.

When he went to an audition with a band called “Legend”, he took his guitar.

But they said to him that they need a singer and wouldn’t let him play.

And then he gets the vocalist gig for Black Sabbath, who were going through an identity crisis between 1984 and 1987.

And as soon as he righted the Sabbath ship, he was out and Dio was back in for the “Dehumanizer” album.

And while that was happening on the Sabbath front, Tony Martin kept writing until he had enough material for a solo album.

“Back Where I Belong” was released in 1992 on Polydor.

“It Ain’t Worth Fighting For” is the opening track from the album.

The musicians are seasoned professionals.

Nigel Glockler from Saxon is on drums. Neil Murray from Whitesnake is on bass. Richard Cottle is a session pro, and he plays the keys and also performs the saxophone solo. Carlo Fragnito is on guitars.

A bit if trivia, Fragnito and his brother Anthony formed a band called Blacklace, with vocalist Maryann Scandiffio.

Hailing from Canada, their music is best described as NWOBHM. They released “Unlaced” in 1984 and “Get It While It’s Hot” in 1985. Like a lot of bands who didn’t see success right away, they struggled and eventually broke up.

Carlo then became a session pro.

As soon as you press play, the riff that smacks you in the face is reminiscent to “Headless Cross”.

But the track feels like a heavy blues rock track instead of a metal track.

If it ain’t worth fightin’ for
It ain’t worth having
And I just gotta have your love

The Chorus is Arena Rock. Make sure you pay attention to the melodic guitars underneath the vocal melody.

Bad Company comes to mind here and the feel from “Rock ‘N’ Roll Fantasy.”

Vocally, Martin comes across as a combination of Lou Gramm and Paul Rodgers.

And that Sax solo works perfectly. It outlines the Chorus vocal melody with some improv.

Press play.

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The Record Vault and Australian Method Series: AC/DC – Fly On The Wall

Disaster. That’s how the American magazines described this album.

Released in 1985, the album never stood a chance.

It was fighting for our attention along with a lot of other things.

Like.

The trilogy of Mutt Lange albums were outselling everything else AC/DC put out during this period.

The Sunset Strip gave the charts and MTV a major shake up and sales followed.

The British had invaded the U.S again with Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, a solo Ozzy Osbourne and Def Leppard cementing themselves as arena acts.

The Germans also invaded via a hurricane called The Scorpions.

And finally an underground Speed Metal scene in San Francisco was slowly taking over the U.S.

But in Australia we remained true. Never wavering. And we made it triple platinum.

But let’s go back in time.

The success of “Back In Black” in 1980 showed the labels that their was an appetite for hard rock music. And the labels wanted more of the same.

So it’s no surprise that by 1985, most of the label rosters had a lot of “hard rockers” on the books. But these rockers wore everything that wasn’t denim and their hair kept hair dressers employed for decades.

Even acts from the 70’s started to participate in this new look so they could remain relevant. But AC/DC didn’t change. They stuck true to their denims and Angus still wore the schoolboy outfit.

And the critics found them irrelevant while they still sold out arenas.

Fly On The Wall

The music is infectious and the vocals indecipherable.

Sign me up.

Shake Your Foundations

It was the only song that got a pass back in the day.

How good is that intro and the Chorus is iconic?

Plus it got decent radio play in Australia.

First Blood

Musically, it’s typical of AC/DC.

Lyrically, Brian Johnson is indecipherable and hard to understand.

Danger

“Come Together” comes to mind when I hear this.

“Here come old flat top” is what my ears are expecting when the song begins.

It’s no surprise that the Young brothers are referencing Chuck Berry here as his fingerprints are all over the riffs the Young’s write.

Sink The Pink

The music clip comes to mind here.

Seeing the band playing in a pub/bar again and that pesky fly from the cover getting a hard on (via its nose going from limp to hard) when a women dressed in pink enters the pub.

But it’s the music that seals the deal and Brian Johnson sounds better in the video than the recording.

I like the musical reference to “For Those About To Rock” and The Who’s “Won’t Get Fooled Again”. So I was hooked.

“Sink the pink, it’s all the fashion”

It has so meaning meanings.

The Urban Dictionary tells us, sink the pink means to “have sexual intercourse with a virgin, and to pop her cherry”.

But the Urban Dictionary didn’t exist in 1985 and my young impressionable brain saw it as a song about drugs.

And thanks to the Internet, I believe it is.

Welcanol was known during the eighties as the South African Heroin (Pink Heroin). It could be obtained via a Doctor prescription and it came as a pink tablet.

So before OxyContin there was Pink Heroin.

“Drink the drink it’s old fashioned”

I’ll take an old fashioned drink any day.

Playing With Girls

I love the music and the groove here.

But I hate the title and the fact that Johnson is mixed low and indecipherable.

Definitely a missed opportunity here.

Stand Up

I like this song. It’s defiant and it rocks.

If you just listen to the Chorus you would think it’s about standing up and facing the world, but when you read the lines in context with the verses, well, it has a different meaning.

Hell Or High Water

A 4/4 groove and we are off.

But it’s pointless as Johnson is buried in the mix and the song is ruined.

Back In Business

A deep cut. It reminds me of ZZ Top and I like it.

Send For The Man

Musically it rocks but the buried Johnson chainsaw like vocals ruin it.

It’s not a perfect album, then again most of the albums released in 1985 are far from perfect. In other words, the era of more filler than killer was well and truly in motion.

But I would say, it’s an underrated album from a band that enjoys doing their thing without over obsessing about it.

The U.S tour had controversy. It all took place underneath the censorship discussions concerning rock music. Religious groups tried to ban certain shows while city officials wanted to rate each show and give the shows a movie style rating, which would then exclude fans from going. Fire officials would also get in on the act and limit or stop any pyrotechnics.

But the band went on.

In the vinyl album sleeve of the “Fly On The Wall” re-release from 2020, Angus sums up the tour like this;

“This tour’s a little like a series of wrestling matches with the loonies. But what’s the fun of life without an occasional tussle”.

Enough said.

Get to it folks. Crank it and start tussling.

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2001 – Part 6.2: Seven Mary Three – The Economy Of Sound

Six years had passed since “American Standard” (1995) hit the streets and chalked up a Platinum award.

Seven Mary Three was written about as an “overnight sensation” by the media. An overnight sensation which had built their success mile by mile since 1992.

They finally got their major label deal and switched to Atlantic from Mammoth after “American Standard”. Actually I think the labels were joined at one time and they split apart with the band agreeing to sign with Atlantic.

“RockCrown” came out in 1997 and it failed commercially. The emphasis on folk rock alienated their hard rock audience who didn’t want to go on this journey with them.

But “American Standard” was still selling and “Cumbersome” was still on radio, so Atlantic put them back in the studio. Let’s reap whatever sales we could get was Atlantic’s motto.

A year and a month later, “Orange Ave.” comes out and it also fails commercially. Atlantic dropped em and Mammoth took em back.

In 1999, one of their main songwriters, guitarist Jason Pollock left, citing writers block. Thomas Juliano took his place, joining vocalist Jason Ross, bassist Casey Daniel and drummer Gigi Khalsa.

And here we are in 2001, with “The Economy Of Sound”.

Sleepwalking

It’s written by Ross and Juliano. It reached #39 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks.

It’s a great post grunge/alternative rock track, reminding me as a cross between Neil Young, Pearl Jam, Rolling Stones, The Vines and Collective Soul.

Can’t stop this sleepwalking
Can’t stop my mind

A sense of being helpless or unable to exert control over our actions and thoughts.

And my spies realize that my hope’s euthanized by the paranoid ape in my heart

A feeling of disillusionment due to internal struggles or fears.

Wait

Written by Ross.

It reached #7 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks and #21 on the Hot Modern Rock Tracks.

It reminds me of the song “Signs” which Tesla made popular again in the early 90s. On its Wikipedia page, the song is criticized as being a “Goo Goo Dolls” knockoff or a Bon Jovi homage.

Regardless, this song is littered with some of my favorite lyrical lines.

Machines and luxuries don’t last

Machines and luxuries are temporary and can’t provide lasting fulfillment.

I took my sleep for granted in the past,

Taking our sleep for granted in the past, only to realize the consequences later.

And I woke up half-dead in the hourglass.

It portrays the feeling of time slipping away and the importance of valuing things that truly matter.

Wait, you’re almost there it’s gone

A sense of missed opportunity. We are always focused on the goal and in achieving something, but by the time we realize it, the opportunity has already passed.

It could be about realizing the value of something too late or the fleeting nature of moments.

I never found a gift you get for free, You pay for them dearly

Nothing is obtained without a cost.

Even though things might appear to be free initially, there is usually a significant price to pay in terms of effort, sacrifice, or consequences.

Faster

Written by Ross.

It’s standard pop alternative rock, more like what Good Charlotte would do.

Before tearing it down. I’m alone by my design.

A deliberate choice to be alone while making changes or taking actions.

Summer Is Over

Written by Ross and Juliano, it’s got this chromatic descending line, reminiscent of Stone Temple Pilots “Plush” and certain songs from Collective Soul.

And by some six degrees of separation that Seven Mary Three listened to the “Slang” album from Def Leppard, we’ll I hear that as well.

So this song is a definite like for me.

Honey

Written by Ross.

“Song No 2” from Blur comes to mind.

Still I Find You

Written by Ross.

And still I find you waiting for me on the other side.

A hidden deep cut, with its Led Zeppelin and Beatles feel. They should have lived in this world for a little bit longer and written more songs like this.

And it’s a favorite.

Breakdown

Written by Ross and Daniel.

Its aggressive like a Blur song and its got an excellent Bridge section which is very Beatles “Helter Skelter” like.

Man In Control?

Written by Ross, it’s got this groove and feel that The Wallflowers became famous for with “One Headlight”.

Zeroes and Ones

Written by Ross and keyboardist Kevin McKendree.

It’s got this “Heroes” vibe and I like it.

First Time Believers

Written by Ross, it feels like an attempt to be Collective Soul.

Steal A Car

Written by Ross.

Velvet Revolver comes to mind here and I like it.

Tug

Written by Ross.

It’s an acoustic heartland like cross that wouldn’t the out of place on a Jovi or Collective Soul album.

And the album was another commercial disappointment.

After the release, their label Mammoth would also be swallowed up by Hollywood Records/Disney and the band was again without a label.

But they continued.

A few more albums, a couple of EPs and a live album would come out and then in 2012, the band broke up.

There was no announcement or updates on their Facebook page.

Just the end.

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The Record Vault: Dream Theater – Tokyo, Japan 10/28/95

All at once in 2004, Dream Theater dropped three bootlegs under the sub headings of DEMO, COVER and LIVE.

The DEMO release was reviewed here, and it covered the “When Dream And Day Unite” period between 1987 and 1989.

The COVER release is their play through from start to finish of the “Master Of Puppets” album and will be reviewed next.

This review is on the LIVE release and as I’m writing this review it has not been re-released as part of the Inside Out re-releases/new releases.

So all we have at the moment is the Ytse Jam Records release.

The full 2 hours and 20 minutes, recorded live on the run of shows used to promote the “A Change Of Seasons” EP.

This is from October 28th, 1995 at NHL Hall, Tokyo, Japan.

The band is John Petrucci on guitars, Mike Portnoy on drums, John Myung on bass, James LaBrie on vocals and Derek Sherinian on keys.

Intro

There is a tape intro that goes for about 1 minute. It’s got a clock ticking and the sad piano lines from “Space Dye Vest” are played.

Then there is a voice over, some backwards sound effects and the octave notes from “Under A Glass Moon” kick in.

Under A Glass Moon

I like the surrealist title.

The verse riff on this song with the keys playing Chords over it. Perfection.

Stick around for the solo as it’s one of Petrucci’s best.

The Mirror

It’s a heavy song with Petrucci deploying the 7-string. Its intricate arrangements and dynamic shifts are interesting.

Lie

It goes together with “The Mirror” as some musical sections appear in both songs. This was a single from the “Awake” album, however it didn’t have the same success as “Pull Me Under” from the album previously.

The mix of heavy riffs and melodic moments, highlights their versatility.

Petrucci as usual delivers a few killer solo sections.

Lifting Shadows Off A Dream

It starts off like a slow jazz blues fusion jam before it goes into the well recognized bass intro.

It feels like a cross between U2, ballad like Marillion and 80s synth Rush.

Instrumental Medley

You get to hear “The Rover” from Led Zeppelin, “Killers” from Iron Maiden, “Damage Inc.” from Metallica, “In The Flesh” from Pink Floyd and “Heart Of The Sunrise” from Yes.

Press play to hear the way they fuse all these different songs into one cohesive track.

Innocence Faded

It’s in a major key. While it rocks it does have pop sensibilities.

But it’s the outro that you should listen to.

Because if you worship at the altar of guitar gods then the outro is for you. Even James LaBrie screams “John Petrucci” when it starts.

If you can’t find this track, then any other official live version or even the studio cut will suffice.

A Change Of Seasons

You get the full 23 minutes.

The way this piece is written is that each part can be played separately in the set list amongst other songs or it can be played as one song, like it is here.

And like all multi-part epics, it serves as the grand centerpiece of the show, displaying their songwriting prowess and technical skills in a live setting.

Lost Without You

“Lost Without You” was officially released in 2005 on John Petrucci’s solo album “Suspended Animation”.

But here it is, live in 1995.

Its an intimate and introspective moment within the setlist, very blues/jazz fusion like and I’m all in.

Petrucci nails it and the emotion drips from the strings.

Surrounded

The “Images And Words” album is all killer.

And this song is largely out of the conversation, however the band does a stellar job playing tracks from the back catalogue in the live setting.

After the piano intro and verses, the song picks up. Listen to how Petrucci decorates.

Derek Sherinian Keyboard Solo

I’m not a huge fan of solos in concert like this, but this one actually rocked and kept me interested.

It was a mixture of ragtime, blues, classical and cinematic/video game like music.

Erotomania

Mike Portnoy takes over the middle of the song with a drum solo.

But at least they go back into the song and to one of my favorite instrumental sections.

Voices

This is another song that seems like it’s out of the conversation when it comes to Dream Theater songs.

But it’s a classic

The Chorus is arena rock.

And that solo is what guitar heroes are made of.

The Silent Man

It’s a great acoustic song.

And they bring the 70s Classic Rock vibes (which is known as Country Rock these days) to it live.

Pull Me Under

Closing the main set with their most recognizable hit, leaves the audience energized.

The 1st Encore begins with a cover.

Perfect Strangers (Deep Purple cover):

The Deep Purple cover sounds like it came from the minds of Dream Theater.

You can hear the fun in the music and they definitely jam it out.

The 2nd Encore begins with the last two tracks of the “Images And Words” album. And for a 1995 set list it’s perfect.

Wait For Sleep (Acoustic version)

An acoustic version of “Wait For Sleep” is excellent.

Learning To Live

The grand finale. The whole song is a masterpiece.

And then that outro section. Wow.

In summary, its raw as a bootleg should be.

The setlist is diverse and it showcases their instrumental virtuosity and ability to navigate complex musical compositions.

There are mistakes and pitch issues but hey, if I wanted the studio recordings I would play them.

The inclusion of covers and acoustic moments also adds depth to the overall concert experience.

Crank it.

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Touch Of Madness

They got some traction with the single “Don’t Tell Me You Love Me” from the “Dawn Patrol” album in 1982. The future looked bright.

Then their record label “Boardwalk” went under.

But they had a believer in former Boardwalk vice-president Bruce Bird, who organised a deal with Irving Azoff to sign the group to MCA. Night Ranger would be the first signing to Bird’s new imprint under MCA, Camel Records Inc.

“Midnight Madness” came out in 1983. Check out the ages of the guys in the band.

Jack Blades is 29, Brad Gillis is 26, Jeff Watson is 27, Kelly Keagy is 31 and Alan Fitzgerald is 34. These are seasoned pros, who have paid their dues in other bands since the start of the Seventies.

And in 1983, fame came to them in the form of music television.

MTV would turn regional club acts into arena acts instantly on the back of a song, and “Sister Christian” along with “(You Can Still) Rock In America” became the songs that launched Night Ranger across North America.

While the album has alot of good songs my favorite is the first song on Side 2.

“Touch of Madness” is written by Jack Blades.

The eerie music box gets your attention immediately.

Then a heavily palm muted arpeggio single note riff kicks in before, all hell breaks loose with the blues slide rock riff from the 19 second mark.

The playing is excellent.

At the 42 second mark, the verse groove comes in. It’s groove Rock and Kelly Keagy thunders on the kit.

Blades delivers a stellar vocal,

The lyrics suggest a feeling of being drawn to someone who has a captivating and mysterious quality.

She say
“I get high when I want to
Don’t ya think you need it too”
I need a touch, I need a touch of madness

All of the religious leaders in the 80’s got it right, that the youth of the world had been seduced by the devil’s music. We liked to get high when we wanted to and Mister Juana was a favourite.

The “touch of madness” is the irresistible allure of someone’s unpredictable and exciting nature.

I need a touch, a touch of madness

The lead break is Randy Rhoads-esque. Building on a simple motif and embellishing it with fast scalar runs.

I like how you get another verse, pre and chorus after the solo section. It’s the reason why it clocks in at 5 plus minutes.

Crank it.

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The Night Flight Orchestra – Death To False AOR Tour: Crowbar, Sydney (Leichhardt)

I remember the kids asking me around 2019, if The Night Flight Orchestra (TNFO) would ever tour Australia as they are massive fans but they couldn’t come as it was an over 18s gig.

I said to them that Bjorn Strid as part of Soilwork tours here, so it’s a possibility but it all depends on a promoter who wants to bring them out and it also depends on fans. Streams and sales are key here.

Fast forward 4 years later, TNFO arrived on our shores. Hardline Media was the promoter who got em out here. I’ve purchased stuff from the site before and Doug does a great job/deed for Metal and Rock music in Australia.

Their first gig was at Brisbane, on Thursday 3rd August at a venue called “The Zoo”.

And on Friday, 4th August, they had their show in Sydney at a venue called “Crowbar”.

Their final show was on Saturday, 5th August in Melbourne at a venue called “Max Watts”.

It’s like waking into a time warp and coming out 40 years ago when you enter “The Crowbar”. The pub was formerly known as “The Bald Face Stag” (it was a venue I played with one of my former bands) and in 2018, it relaunched as “The Crowbar”. The furnishings are still very 80s retro, it’s painted black and I like it. Plus their is a decent selection of boutique beers on tap and in cans. Their is also a decent sized live room inside the pub, which they utilize for live music.

I purchased two VIP Meet and Greet packages.

This included:

  • early access to the show and merch stand,
  • a photo on my phone/device with the band
  • an Australian tour poster to get signed by the band
  • exclusive VIP lanyard/laminate
  • plus I was able to bring along 3 personal items to get signed.

And the prices at $160 each were reasonable.

I was thinking of what merch to take for signing. And I settled on the vinyl album, “Sometimes The World Ain’t Enough”. It’s a gatefold album, with a massive picture of the band on the inside, so it would be cool to get them to sign it. Plus I had two copies of the albums as I forgot I purchased it and then purchased it again.

The meet and greet was very relaxed. They signed our items including the tour poster and then we got the photo.

The band is Sharlee D’Angelo on bass, Sebastian Forslund on guitar, percussion and congas, Anna Brygard on backup vocals, John Lonnmyr on the keys, Bjorn Strid on vocals, Asa Lundman on backup vocals, Jonas Kallsback on drums and Rasmus Ehrnborn on guitar. In the middle, ruining the photo is yours truly.

Midnight Flyer

It was the first song recorded for the “Amber Galactic” album and the first single released to promote the album.

It’s a great opener.

Then again so is “Siberian Queen”, “Sail On”, “This Time” (which sounds like the twin of “Midnight Flyer”), “Servants Of The Air” and “Violent Indigo”.

I remember reading an early interview from the band that Deep Purple’s “Made In Japan” and “Made In Europe” are favourites.

And I can hear it in “Midnight Flyer”, how it builds from the keyboard intro, similar to how “You Fool No One” builds on the “Europe” live album or “Speed King” on the “Japan” live album.

I’m not leaving
I’m just going somewhere else
Far from the sighs and whispers
And the weakness of myself
Now is not the time
To think of all I’ve lost
There are skylines left to conquer
There are oceans left to cross

The work ethic of the TNFO members is high. Multiple bands means more touring, more time in recording studios, more time song writing and lots of champagne. Meanwhile they are all trying to keep relationships going.

I’m a midnight flyer rushing through the storm
I got lost without your loving and I can’t find my way home

Such a great lyric for the Chorus hook.

They went straight into “Sometimes The World Ain’t Enough” and we were moving and singing.

That keyboard Intro is from what David Coverdale calls “Hook City”, a mythical place of arena-like choruses and riffs.

And I love the drum beat which I call the “Deuce” beat. I know other 70s acts did this kind of beat, but I’m a Kiss fan so I’ll associate it with Kiss.

Every song TNFO played got us moving. My order of the songs is wrong compared to the live show, but here they are.

“Divinyls” rocked. It grabs your attention as soon as the guitar intro starts and it builds nicely with the drums. Rasmus Ehrnborn filled in for TNFO when Dave Andersson couldn’t tour. Now he is the guitarist in the band.

“Gemini”, “Paralyzed”, “White Jeans”, “Burn For Me”, “The Sensation”, “If Tonight Is Our Only Chance” and “Satellite” all followed with lots of grooving, people dancing and some head banging.

“Something Mysterious” (which reminds me of “Burning Heart” from Survivor) was dedicated to guitarist Dave Andersson, who passed away in 2022. For those who are not aware, Andersson was a co-founding member of TNFO along with vocalist Bjorn Strid. A lot of the TNFO songs have his riffs and lyrics. He also wrote this.

They closed the set with the 9 minute long “The Last Of The Independent Romantics”. As Bjorn said in the Intro, let’s go on a journey. And we did.

The band went off stage and we went into a football chant.

It was encore time.

“Josephine”, “Stiletto” and “West Ruth Avenue” closed the night.

“West Ruth Avenue” deserves special mention as Bjorn got a decent Conga Train happening which resembled a circle pit. Instead of people running, people were dancing.

It was also this song from the debut album which made me a fan. And the tempo was slightly increased. Which I like.

I am biased but this gig is a 10. They never let up on the energy and the setlist was perfect.

Moving forward, current single “The Sensation” is doing the rounds. A new album is expected in April/May 2024 and I’m looking forward to adding it to the collection.

Hopefully another Australian tour as well. They put down some roots here so let’s see what grows.

\::/

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A to Z of Making It, Copyright, Music, My Stories, Piracy, Stupidity

Four For Friday

RIAA POWERS

How much power is too much power?

Two years ago, the RIAA won a piracy lawsuit against two sites that offered YouTube-rippers. For those that don’t know, these sites allow the user to turn a YouTube video into an mp3.

After the verdict, the RIAA demanded $83 million in damages from the site owners.

And suddenly, there was an appeal.

As the TorrentFreak article explains;

“If the record companies can really get multi-million dollar judgments without having to prove a single instance of infringement within the United States, then no one who operates a website is safe,” Gurvits (Defense Lawyer) said at the time.

There has to be some onus on the RIAA to prove infringement.

And they can’t because they don’t know who infringed.

It’s easy to get a techie to run a report and say that the YouTube ripping sites were accessed by U.S IP addresses. But. It’s not easy to prove who is responsible when their evidence is made up of IP addresses.

But accessing the sites doesn’t constitute Copyright infringement. And the RIAA cannot prove what infringement took place or what videos from YouTube were turned into mp3s.

So why is the law allowing them to bring cases to trial without this proof.

JASON ALDEAN

The song “Try That In A Small Town” came out in May 2023 and it was out of the public conversation. It was a dud and no one cared enough to listen to it. His true fans did but no one else.

Then someone (Critic Zero) started the backlash against the song in the middle of July, 2023 and by doing so, they amplified the song by providing much needed free marketing.

The criticism then spread to other blogs and news outlets faster than Covid and as a by product the streams and downloads of the song kept going up. In the space of two weeks the songs Spotify numbers went from 1.5 million to 12.3 million.

To top off the controversy, Aldean and his team had to edit the music video because it contained footage which was copyrighted.

SPOTIFY INCREASE

The price of Premium Family is changing from A$18.99/month to A$20.99/month.

My favorite part is the reason Spotify gives for the increase, which is word for word to what Netflix gave a year ago;

We’re increasing the price of Premium Family so that we can continue to invest in and innovate on our product offerings and features, and bring you the best experience.

Really.

It’s nice to know that Spotify is using subscription money to pay people for podcasts that a lot of their customers don’t like.

BAND I’M SEEING

I’ve got tickets to watch “The Night Flight Orchestra” in Sydney next Friday. Readers of the blog will know that I am a fan. Each album has been reviewed glowingly.

In case you are interested.

You can read the debut album “Internal Affairs” (2012) review here.

“Skyline Whispers” (2015) is here.

“Amber Galactic” (2017) is here.

“Sometimes The World Ain’t Enough” (2018) is here.

“Aeromantic” (2020) is here.

“Aeromantic II” (2021) is here.

SONG IM LISTENING TO

“Crime Of The Century” by Revolution Saints. It’s a great piece of melodic rock and that Chorus just sticks around forever.

My review of the recent album is here.

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A to Z of Making It, Classic Songs to Be Discovered, Derivative Works, Influenced, Music, My Stories, Unsung Heroes

The Record Vault: When Dream And Day Unite Demos 1987-1989

It was released in 2004 on Ytse Jam Records, the official bootleg label of the band created by Mike Portnoy and John Petrucci, but Portnoy was the main driver.

Yep, the thing that bands are doing right now, Dream Theater has been doing it since 2003. Marillion, one of Portnoy’s favorite bands have been doing it even earlier via their fan club.

This was also released as part of their Inside Out record deal via the “Lost Not Forgotten Archives” on 12 May, 2023.

The CD contains pre-production demos as well as instrumental versions of the songs and songs that did not make it on to the album, or were recorded around the same time. Also included are six tracks the band recorded as a Christmas gift for their friends.

The band started this recording process as Majesty. By the end of it they would be Dream Theater.

They started it with Chris Collins as the vocalist. Then a whole year would pass before Charlie Dominici would join Mike Portnoy, John Petrucci, Johnny Myung and Kevin Moore. This is the band that recorded the debut album.

Afterlife – Instrumental Demo

It’s my favorite track from the debut album and it was the first new track they wrote upon returning home from Berklee in the Summer of 1986.

It’s straight ahead speed technical Metal and the instrumental demo highlights it.

And Johnny Myung is one hell of a bassist.

The harmony solo between the keys and guitar is still here, however the solo before is different to the recorded version.

The song was performed live with vocalist Chris Collins however it had different lyrics and melodies.

The Killing Hand – Instrumental Demo

It’s weird how my two favorite songs on the debut are the first two songs written.

You can say this song is the start of the Dream Theater epics.

That section after the solo still hooks me.

The Ones Who Help to Set the Sun – Instrumental Demo

The working title of this song was “Death Of Spock”.

It’s the most progressive of the tracks so far and the Arabic Metal feel is very prominent in the demo.

The Rush influence is also prominent when you hear the song instrumentally.

Ytse Jam – Instrumental Demo

Well the song was written to be an instrumental so instrumental demo doesn’t make sense.

Regardless, it’s a fan favorite and that Intro gets peoples attention immediately.

Cry for Freedom – Instrumental Demo

I needed to rehear it to remember it. A leftover from their Berklee jams.

Standard riffing that seems lost without a vocal melody.

But I do like the Sunset Strip riff from about 2.40 and then the change in feel at 3.00. The drums play a simple groove, the synth takes the lead and it sounds like “Stranger Things” took it for their intro. Or maybe the band was heavily influenced by the “Signals” album from Rush.

It’s also been preformed live with Chris Collins.

Resurrection of Ernie – Instrumental Demo

It’s like a John Carpenter soundtrack piece and I like it.

The music here has never been used or rewritten for another song, so it’s a true rarity.

Drum Solo – Instrumental Demo

I hate drum solos in concert and I hate them on albums. If they add some music to it and have the drums doing intricate things then I’m all in.

Portnoy created it for a contest that Modern Drummer magazine was running. The prize, “Neal Peart’s Tama Drum Set”.

Portnoy submitted it under the title “Peartnoy’s Complaint”.

He didn’t win.

A Fortune in Lies – Instrumental Demo

It is the opening track on the album. I still get hooked on the verse riff and how the keys decorate it.

And in the demo here, there’s no Chorus

Only A Matter of Time – Instrumental Demo

It’s missing the excellent synth lead which defines it.

A Fortune in Lies – Early Charlie Demo

Charlie Dominici is a great vocalist.

But at 36 years of age when he joined the band, he was always on borrowed time with the Dream Theater guys.

Mike Portnoy said it was like having Billy Joel singing in Queensrÿche. In this case it was more Steve Perry singing in Dream Theater.

A good singer in the wrong band, they would amicably part ways after this album.

Afterlife – Early Charlie Demo

My favorite track with a killer chorus. But you had to wait for it.

The Ones Who Help to Set the Sun – Early Charlie Demo

You hear a lot of Marillion in the demo and I like it.

These “Early Charlie” Demos are the ones that got the band signed. A friend of Portnoy’s had an ex-band mate who left Combat Records to start Mechanic Records and on June 23 of 1988, Majesty signed their deal.

Once signed, Terry Date was selected as Producer, who at the time had a reputation for making albums sound great on a low budget.

Portnoy’s 4 track came out and away they went with the Pre-Production demos.

  • A Fortune in Lies
  • Afterlife
  • Ytse Jam
  • Only A Matter of Time
  • The Ones Who Help to Set the Sun
  • The Killing Hand
  • Light Fuse and Get Away

All of the pre-production demos are more polished than the instrumental demos.

The solos are still a work in progress however most of the elements are there.

“Light Fuse And Get Away” was newly written during this phase.

“Status Seeker” was written just before they entered the studio and never demoed.

The entire album was recorded and mixed in 3 weeks.

Shortly before the release, the guys were informed of another unsigned band who held the registered trademark for the name Majesty. So they had to change their name.

And Dream Theater was born.

The album dropped on March 6, 1989 to little promotion and fanfare. The label reneged on their promise to fund a video and provide touring support.

It was dead on arrival as the guys retreated back to their basement rehearsal studio and their day jobs at delis, Chinese food places and music stores.

To Live Forever – Xmas Demo

The song was written after the guys watched “Rattle and Hum” from U2.

It’s stuff like this which I like from Dream Theater. They would take all kind of influences and still make it sound like Dream Theater.

On here, you can really here the pop vocals in Dominici.

Mission Impossible – Xmas Demo

A little jam with Portnoy losing his shit at the end of the song at Petrucci who was wailing away.

Golden Slumbers/Carry that Weight/The End – Xmas Demo

A Beatles medley.

O Holy Night – Xmas Demo

It’s not a Xmas demo with a Xmas song.

A Vision ’89 – Xmas Demo

I like Dominici’s vocals as well. Then again I’m a fan of this song, so I enjoy all versions of it.

This one is very Queensryche like.

And there you have it.

If you want to hear Dream Theater as a technical speed Metal band with various influences of other styles then this is the album.

Crank it.

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The Dogs Of War

Will people talk about Michael Schenker in 20 years time?

We all knew who Michael Schenker was from his time in UFO and Scorpions, but none of us could name his MSG tunes correctly.

He wasn’t on MTV and back in the 80s, there was no Spotify, no YouTube, no BitTorrent and no internet where we could go and look up his MSG output.

Radio in Australia never played MSG.

Basically if you didn’t own his albums or know someone who did, it’s like he didn’t exist.

But he was all over the guitar magazines. It’s how I came across him.

The first MSG album came out in 1980 and it stiffs in the major U.S market. Japan however loved Schenker where his popularity remained high on the back of his Scorpions and UFO contributions.

The second MSG album came out in 1981 and it did nothing as well. Something had to change. Original singer Gary Barden was fired in 1982 and Graham Bonnet fresh from his stint in Rainbow was hired. Album number 3 came out the same year (along with the “Live at The Budokan” album) and again, it did nothing. Bonnet was fired and Barden was back in for the tour.

And here we are at album number 4 released in 1983.

Commercially, it stiffed again in the major North American market. It’s forgotten from the conversation.

But it’s a favorite.

I could have picked alot of different songs from “Built To Destroy” as it’s that good. But this time around I wanted to write about “The Dogs Of War”.

It’s written by Gary Barden and Michael Schenker.

Drums and bass start it all off. A simple groove yet so catchy with Schenker decorating the Intro with feedback, chords and leads.

It builds until the verses kick in.

Nothing worth taking, all was forsaken

A sense of loss as there was nothing of value left to hold onto or protect.

Hit on the blind side, caught in the spotlights

Exposed and vulnerable, as if suddenly thrust into the spotlight without any preparation, leaving you exposed and defenseless.

Warning came late, no chance of alluding

It conveys a sense of helplessness and a lack of options.

Shadows were long as they forged through the night

I like the way this is delivered vocally. It’s almost classical and yet it feels new wave.

The line tells me it’s about perseverance and determination amidst challenging circumstances.

Looking for signs of the day,
Deep in their minds as they walked out of sight

A sense of introspection and anticipation as we search for signs of hope or a brighter future. A mindset of seeking out positive change or opportunities in the midst of uncertainty or darkness.

The line “deep in their minds as they walked out of sight” suggests that despite being physically present, our minds are occupied with thoughts, hopes, and aspirations.

Mission completed all were defeated
Branded with fire, now filled with desire

“Mission completed all were defeated” suggests that a goal or objective was successfully achieved, but it came at a cost. The mention of being “branded with fire” tells me that the experience was intense and left a lasting mark. However, instead of being discouraged or weakened, there is a newfound sense of determination and passion, as they are now “filled with desire” for more.

Message came through on the wings of a prayer
Feelings were high for a time

The line “Message came through on the wings of a prayer” suggests that guidance or inspiration arrived unexpectedly, perhaps in a moment of spiritual connection or hope.

“Feelings were high for a time” indicates a period of excitement and enthusiasm following the completion of the mission. Emotions are intense and elevated during this phase, reflecting the sense of accomplishment and fulfillment.

Slap on the backs for the ones who had dared
To run with the wolves of our time

These lines honor those who have dared to defy conventional norms and expectations, applauding their willingness to take risks and venture into uncharted territories.

They embody the spirit of running alongside the metaphorical “wolves” of their time, showcasing their courage and tenacity in the face of adversity.

Michael Schenker embodies this spirit. At 15 he left Germany to join UFO in the U.K. Imagine that, in 2023.

The dogs of war, will bite the hand for a price, and then hear them roar

The destructive nature of conflict and the willingness of certain individuals or entities to engage in acts of aggression or violence for personal gain. The phrase “dogs of war” symbolizes those who are eager to participate in warfare or engage in hostile actions. They are portrayed as fierce and relentless, driven by their own motives and desires.

The line “will bite the hand for a price” suggests that these individuals are willing to turn against their own benefactors or allies if offered a sufficient incentive.

It implies that loyalty can be easily swayed by material or monetary rewards, and they will not hesitate to betray those who once supported them.

Their mission completed, the innocents bleeding

Overall, this phrase captures the bittersweet nature of achieving a goal or objective while acknowledging the devastating impact on the innocent individuals caught in the crossfire.

To buy someone’s freedom’ who pays?

The question challenges the notion of freedom as something that can be easily obtained through financial means. It prompts us to consider whether true freedom can be bought and whether the act of purchasing it merely shifts the power dynamics or perpetuates a system of inequality.

A lot of the lyrics in the 80s got blasted and they still get blasted by music writers as being immature.

That is the case for some songs and some acts still make a living on writing simple immature lyrics with simple rhymes, laced with sexual innuendos.

Then you get other lyricists who write with some depth and double meanings. Gary Barden is one such lyricist. He’s also pushed out the “tease/please/knees” kind of lyrics as it was a symptom of the era he was in but overall his output is a lot more mature.

And Michael Schenker. He’s a lifer and what a rollercoaster lifestyle he’s had. He didn’t top the charts as a solo artist but his impact is as large as his UFO and Scorpions career.

Check it out.

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