An Early Happy New Year!

I’m wishing everyone a happy new year a day early as I will be in work on tomorrow and Saturday, can’t resist the double time. Therefore, I will wish everyone a happy and safe new year now and reflect over 2021 as it comes to an end.

Rest in peace Dusty Hill

Always wanting to get the negative out of the way, like with many of the previous years, we lost more of the rock legends we grew up with decades earlier including three in one day! One of those was the legendary bassist for ZZTop, Dusty Hill. Others include Joey Jordison, Mike Howe and Jeff LaBar and there were more. May they all rest in peace.

Of course, outside of music, we still had the Covid to deal with and while things seemed to be improving throughout the year, it appears it has all gone backwards in the end on account of the Omnicron strain. As usual, it’s been a pain in the rear end and we have to make adjustments but hopefully, things will get better in 2022.

My son Will and me celebrating our 60th and 30th birthdays

One major change for me in 2021 was the fact that I have been alive for six decades. Part of me feels like the old man ready to impart wisdom on the youth. Okay maybe not, but I can educate them on heavy metal history. This has led me to get my will sorted although I am waiting for a response from the people at Bloodstock as to whether they will honour my request to have my ashes poured from the Ronnie James Dio Stage when I do depart this world. While I might be an old man, I did receive the compliment while playing in a softball tournament that I moved around the bases pretty well for someone my age. In addition, I had added joy when both of my daughters in law bore me beautiful granddaughters in 2021.

With my granddaughter Primrose. In the foreground is my three year old grandson Alex.

My granddaughter Juliana

As the pandemic seemed to be easing throughout the year, there was a slow but steady return to live music. I have enjoyed reading some of your accounts of the gigs you went to. I managed to get to one at a club in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, when I saw the bands Logoz and Silverjet. Okay, neither band is well known outside the Northeast of England but they both put on a great show that evening.

Logoz in Newcastle

Like the rest of you, I am also looking towards 2022 with careful optimism. I hope that the pandemic will no longer be a inconvenience to our lives and we can move on. In the meantime, I will look forward to reading your posts and hearing what you all have to say about music new and old. BTW, I did get the new Iron Maiden album for Christmas and because of it’s length, I only have listened to the first CD. So far, I pretty much like what I hear.

Happy New Year to all!

Next post: Reckless- No Frills

To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com

Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays to All!

My provisions for Christmas

I would like to wish all of you out there a very Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays. I hope you all get all the great music you are wanting. Here’s a couple of Christmas ditties for you.

Merry Christmas!

Great Metal Albums of 1987: Lee Aaron

When I learned that Lee Aaron had come out with a new album in 1987, I awaited it with full optimism. It was my sister who broke the news when she sent me a couple of tracks from her self-titled album. She lamented, “Lee, Lee, what are you dong?” She went onto say that Lee had ‘wimped out’ and added keyboards to her music. When I heard the two tracks on the tape, the first two, “Powerline” and “Hands Are Tied,” I had to agree with Dawn. The keyboards were a little too much for this metalhead back in 1987.

But what about now? And is the album that bad? The answer to the first question is the way the keys were used on the album makes it sound a bit dated. As to the second question, the album is not that bad. While there are keyboards all over the album, there are still rocking moments on it. In fact, what saves the album for me is the guitar work of the very underrated guitarist, John Albani. With his guitar hooks and cool solos, none of the songs suck.

Lee with John Albani

It is true with the opening track, I agreed with my sister but the second track sounded much better and gave me hope for the rest of the album. Coming after, “Only Human” has a strong bass line and a very interesting choir sounding chorus. Lee’s vocals are especially good on this track, not that I expected any less. She was a good a singer as anyone and even today, could sing Kylie Minogue under the table. The next few tracks remind me of her previous album, “Call of the Wild,” which is not a bad thing. You get Lee’s amazing voice leading the way backed up with more great guitar work from John. The keyboards are there but not dominating and because for some reason, I am now able to tune into the bass line more on albums and Chris Brockaway does a superb job on this one.

The track “Don’t Rain on My Parade” is a bit of a paradox for me. It sounds rather 80s synth pop but there is something about it that makes me like it. Then we come to one of the hardest rock songs on the album, “Goin’ Off the Deep End.” This is the track that has me headbanging away to it, even with the keyboard fills. John’s guitar hooks and subsequent solo make this song the rocker that it is. Continuing the one-two-three punch comes the power ballad, “If This is Love.” I never had any doubt that Lee couldn’t deliver a great ballad and this is one if I had had the fortune to have seen her live, the cigarette lighter would have be held high in the air. The final blow is struck with what I think is the hardest song on the album, “Eye for an Eye.” If it wasn’t for the keyboards on the chorus, it would have taken me back to the great album which is “Metal Queen.” Some good guitar riffs on this one as well as the harmony vocals on the choruses.

“Heartbeat of the World” is a great rocking song as well and John plays his best solos on this track, maybe I was a bit premature in picking my favourite track as this one is just as good as “Eye for an Eye.” On the other hand, “Dream With Me” could only be the closer and it’s an all right one. It would feel out of place anywhere else on the album.

Track Listing:

1. Powerline
2. Hands Are Tied
3. Only Human
4. Empty Heart
5. Number One
6. Don’t Rain on My Parade
7. Goin’ Off the Deep End
8. If This is Love
9. Eye for An Eye
10. Heartbeat of the World
11. Dream With Me

Lee Aaron

Lee Aaron- vocals

John Albani- guitar, backing vocals

Jim Geicer- keyboards, backing vocals

Chris Brockaway- bass, backing vocals

Randy Cooke- drums, percussion

David Roberts- backing vocals, (tracks 3 and 5)

I ask myself, have I been too hard on Lee for this album? After all, her vocals are as good as ever. My theory is that her record label was so focused on commercial success that they softened her sound a little too much. This album is pretty good but it didn’t make me want to stop listening to “Metal Queen” back then and it doesn’t now.

Next post: Merry Christmas

To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com

London’s Aladdin’s Cave of Heavy Metal

Now that I am back from my weekend of playing Santa Clause to my step-grandchildren in Cleethorpes, I can return to posting about the golden age of heavy metal. However, this post isn’t for an album or event which happened in 1987. Instead it’s about a record store in London called Shade’s. A few years back, fellow blogger Every Record Tells a Story wrote a post about the store and now that it has been several years, I thought I’d put my own spin on it.

The best way I can describe Shade’s is using the words I used in “Rock and Roll Children,” an Aladdin’s cave of heavy metal. Although in the book, I changed the name to “Snakes” so I wouldn’t infringe any laws. It was down an narrow lane, so you had to actually be looking for it in order to find it and once inside the door, the staircase leading down to the main room added to the cave effect. Actually, I think I described it better here than I did when I wrote “Rock and Roll Children.”

Inside Shade’s

Shade’s had everything a metalhead could possibly hope for. Records, tapes, t-shirts and all other types of metal paraphernalia was on sale. I thought it particularly cool when I say a t-shirt of Kreator’s “Pleasure to Kill” album cover. However, I procrastinated and when I tried to buy it a few months later, it was no longer available. The attitude of the sales attendant when I inquired confirmed the belief that Londoners didn’t do customer service very well. They also sold concert tickets as it was there that I bought my ticket to see Possessed, Voi Vod and the English Dogs. Furthermore, while they had the classics, they also seemed to get the albums from the US when they first came out. That’s how I learned of new releases from the likes of KISS, Whitesnake, Billy Squier and the Killer Dwarfs. My one regret is that I wasn’t able to attend when Poison showed up for an autograph signing.

Unfortunately, Shade’s is no more. I heard it had become an internet cafe but I can’t be sure. I also wonder if they had been around in 2010, if they would have sold copies of “Rock And Roll Children.” I hope they would have. Still, I have fond memories of this great store.

Next post: Lee Aaron

To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com

Great Metal Albums of 1987: Malice- License to Kill

Thanks to Kerrang and other sources, I had heard of an American heavy metal band called Malice but I must confess, if it hadn’t been for my sister including two songs from their album, “License to Kill,” on a compilation tape she sent me, I probably would have never gotten around to listening to them. This is a good thing because while the album didn’t make want to stop listening to the metal heavyweights of the time, I still thought it was an album worth the listen.

I’ll start with the two tracks Dawn sent me, the title cut and “Chain Gang Woman.” Needless to say, but I am anyway, these two tracks did make me want to check out the rest of the album. True, the title track sounds like your typical metal song of the time, especially with the lyrics although in 1987, I do remember singing the line, “Call me a rock and roll outlaw, I got a license, a license to kill.” Great stuff! On the other hand, “Chain Gang Woman” is hands down the superior of the two tracks. I love that intro which moves onto to a very heavy but fast beat. A killer guitar solo makes it even better as it sound like guitarists Mick Zane and Jay Reynolds do a trade off. After the solo, there is even a cool rhythm guitar riff in the vein of “Children of the Sea.”

On the subject of great intros leading to some power beats and cool riffs, that is done before you even get to “Chain Gang Woman” with the track, “Against the Empire.” The only difference is that after the guitar solo, you get a driving hard rhythm guitar piece and that does drive the song to the end. However, in between the two songs mentioned above, there is “Vigilante” which could be thought of as filler. It’s not a bad song but it doesn’t do much for me. I think the song would have been more effective if they had sped it up a little. However, the guitar solo does save it.

Not to worry because after “Chain Gang Woman” comes my vote for hidden gem, “Christine.” The track has the formula which works for Malice but all of those parts put together are mind blowing, at least they blow my mind. I don’t know what you call it when the guitarist slides the pick up the neck of the guitar but that is what starts the song and that is followed by a faster paced beat leading to a cool bass solo from Mark Behn and then a yet another great guitar solo. But what puts it above the rest is that lead singer, James Neal, delivers his best vocal performance. “Breathin’ Down Your Neck” comes close to being as great as “Christine.”

That leads me to my next point, I won’t call James a bad singer, he’s better than a lot of others so called singers out there but his vocals aren’t mind blowing, He is definitely a few levels below the Gillans, Dios, Sniders, Coverdales, Halfords or Dickinsons and anyone else who should be included here, okay, Niharas and Meines of the world. Maybe if they had a singer more of the caliber of those mentioned, Malice would have gone a lot farther because the rest of the band are totally awesome.

Track Listing:

1. Sinister Double
2. License to Kill
3. Against the Empire
4. Vigilante
5. Chain Gang Woman
6. Christine
7. Murder
8. Breathin’ Down Your Neck
9. Circle of Fire

Malice

James Neal- lead vocals

Jay Reynolds- guitar

Mick Zane- guitar (He passed away in 2016)

Mark Behn- bass, backing vocals

Clifford Carothers- drums (I should have sung his praises more)

After listening to “License to Kill” after so many years, I have to say thank you to my sister Dawn for providing me with those two tracks from the album. Otherwise, I would have missed what turned out to be a really good album.

Next post: London’s Aladdin’s Cave of Heavy Metal

To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com

My Experience of Desmond Child

Desmond Child, 2019

Reading many of your blogs out there, Mike Ledano and 2Loud’s especially, I have learned a lot about one Desmond Child. I never knew that he wrote songs, many of them hits, or produced albums for the likes of KISS, Aerosmith, Cher, Bon Jovi, Bonnie Tyler and many many more. My association with Desmond came about through a totally different manner. Not through his producing, my introduction to him came via the soundtrack of my all time favourite film, “The Warriors.” FFI- I’ve included my post on said soundtrack should you wish to read it.

Great Rock Albums of 1979: The Warriors Soundtrack

Desmond not only writes my favourite track on the soundtrack, the closer, “Last of an Ancient Breed,” he sings it as well and I must say that Desmond is a decent singer and could have made it as one if he had gotten the breaks. Note: There were a couple of other talented singers on the soundtrack who vanished after. So, enough of me prattling on, here’s the song.

Yes, they do use excerpts from the 1983 film, “The Outsiders” in this video as well.

Hope you enjoyed!

Next post: Malice- License to Kill

To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com

Great Metal Albums of 1987: Loudness- Hurricane Eyes

While I was enjoying the sounds of Vow Wow in the UK during 1987, over in America, Loudness had put out another album titled “Hurricane Eyes.” It still amazes me how two bands from the same country got more appreciation in one country or another. Anyway, news of Loudness’s new album did reach me in the UK.

My initial reaction to “Hurricane Eyes” was that Loudness had come back harder and heavier than their charting previous albums “Thunder in the East” and “Lightning Strikes.” While “Thunder in the East” leaned towards melodic metal and “Lighting Strikes” did have song songs bordering on thrash, “Hurricane Eyes,” while not thrash, goes more in that direction. The first two tracks send that message loud and clear. Both tracks are quite heavy and I love how Munetaka Higuchi’s drum solo ushers in the album. It lets you know that Loudness are serious. Furthermore, Akira Takasaki rips a blinding guitar solo on the second track.

Track three, “Rock and Roll Gypsy” is a little more melodic proving that the band hasn’t abandoned what they had done on “Thunder in the East.” However, it is complemented by some hard pounding rhythm and full marks must go to Masayoshi Yamashita for his bass work on this track. Then on the track, “In My Dreams,” I ask myself, “How could have this cool power ballad escaped my detection?” This is a belter of a power ballad with the soft guitars followed by power chords on the chorus and a great guitar solo. However, while Minoru Nihara proves he is the great singer I always thought he was on the entire album, he particularly shines on this track as does the rest of the band.

Naturally, after a great power ballad, they must go back to more furious metal, which the band does on “Take Me Home” and continues it on “Strike of the Sword.” These are two tracks to get the blood coursing through your veins. I can almost envision a mosh pit forming on “Strike of the Sword.” Though things might seem to slow down on the next three tracks, it is only slightly. Besides, Akira’s guitar solo intro on “Rock This Way” definitely grabs your attention. What the song lacks in speed, it makes up in power chords. I want to rock their way. Then we get the mid tempo “In This World Beyond,” which gives me memories of their colossal “Crazy Nights.” Munetaka plays some heavy drums on this one. More melodic metal is the penultimate track, “Hungry Hunter” but closing the album out is the ballad “So Lonely.” While not as brilliant as “In My Dreams” in the power ballad stakes, it does take things out in the right mind.

Track Listing:

1. S.D.I.
2. This Lonely Heart
3. Rock and Roll Gypsy
4. In My Dreams
5. Take Me Home
6. Strike of the Sword
7. Rock This Way
8. In This World Beyond
9. Hungry Hunter
10. So Lonely

Loudness

Minoru Nihara- vocals

Akira Takasaki- guitar

Masayoshi Yamashita- bass

Munetaka Higuchi- drums

Refamiliarizing myself with “Hurricane Eyes” after so many years, I can say that the album has grown on me. While I don’t think it quite comes up to the dizzy heights of their previous two albums, I like the direction the album was taking the band at the time. This turned out to be a real power rocker.

Next post: Desmond Child

To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com