Great Metal Albums of 1988: Bitch- Betsy

One dilemma many rock and metal bands had back in the 1980s was the question of risking losing their hardcore following in order to gain mass appeal. That’s why many bands, Iron Maiden and Judas Priest included, did things like add synths to their mid 80s records. While the band Bitch didn’t add synths to their album, “Betsy,” they did drop the “Bitch” and went for a less harder sound in order to gain mass appeal and like so many bands who tried this formula, it didn’t give them the commercial success they were hoping to achieve.

While the Duranies of the world paid no attention to the album, I can testify to the fact that “Betsy” is a cool melodic metal album. Betsy, (real name Betsy Weiss), has a great voice and she should be included whenever you talk about such great female metal vocalists from the 1980s like Lee Aaron, Doro and Lita Ford. I think her voice is that good. Furthermore, she has a great band behind her. Guitarist David Garruth cranks out some really amazing guitar solos on this album and David and Betsy are supported by a very competent rhythm section in Ron Gordy and Robby Settles.

Now onto the songs. The best ones on this album are “Devil Made You Do It” which takes the mick out of the anti-metal Christian brigade but it’s done with a cool guitar solo from David while singing about Satan and pentagrams. “Rock ‘N’ Musician” has a Led Zeppelin vibe to it with lots of swagger and some great opening riffs and shall I sing the praises of David’s guitar playing again? Why the hell not! Speaking of opening riffs, those which open “Cold Shot From the Heart” are probably the best on the album. The rhythm on this song is pure metal.

Whether or not it was the case, I speculate that “You’ll Never Get Out” was the intended single. It is more commercial sounding that the rest of the album, although it’s still a decent song. The rest of the album is basically how I described it before, a very good melodic metal album with some great riffs, vocals, rhythm section and cool guitar solos. Ron Gordy does lay down a groovy bass line on “What Am I Gonna Do With You” and “Sunset Strut.” In short, it’s everything one would expect from a heavy metal album. So my question is: Why isn’t this album spoken about more in the heavy metal world?

Track Listing:

1. You Want It You Got It
2. You’ll Never Get Out (Of Here Alive)
3. Devil Made You Do It
4. Rock ‘N’ Roll Musician
5. Cold Shot to the Heart
6. Flesh and Blood
7. Turn You Inside Out
8. What Am I Gonna Do With You
9. Stand Up For Rock
10. Sunset Strut
11. Get Out

Bitch

Betsy Bitch- lead vocals

David Garruth- guitars, backing vocals

Ron Gordy- bass, backing vocals

Bobby Settles- drums, backing vocals

“Betsy” could be one of the best forgotten albums of 1988. This is a great metal album that somehow got lost along the way. I think it’s time to rescue it from the forgotten realms and have a good headbang to it.

Next post: Napalm Death- From Enslavement to Obliteration + Scum

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Great Metal Albums of 1988: Scorpions- Savage Amusement

Back in the 80s, I used to think that only Led Zeppelin used to go three years or more between albums, however, The Scorpions proved me wrong. Unless you count their brilliant live album, “World Wide Live,” “Savage Amusement” was the band’s first studio album since the colossal 1984 album, “Love At First Sting.” Therefore, the question asked when the album came out was: “Would the four year lay off be a good thing or a bad thing?” My short answer is that it was a good thing.

Things get right down to business with the opener, “Don’t Stop at the Top.” Maybe this song was a wake up call for the band. Perhaps they had spent four years resting on their laurels and realized that if they didn’t put out a new album, they would be forgotten. So, they went back to the studio and recorded this one and used this great opener as their announcement they were back. Right away, with the great soloing by Mathias Jabs and the soaring vocals of Klaus Meine, you wouldn’t have thought they had been away for so long. It’s also the hidden gem on the album.

After being energized by the opener, the album follows with its big single, “Rhythm of Love.” It has a catchy mellow vibe at first but the chorus really rocks. If the opener didn’t convince you, then this one lets you know that the band was definitely firing on all cylinders. They also get Canadian metal queen, Lee Aaron to sing on the track. After the big single, cones another track which was released as single further down the line, “Passion Rules the Game.” It might not have charted but that makes no difference with me, it’s a great Scorpions rocker and like many of the songs on this album, reminds me of my favourite Scorpions album, “Blackout.”

They do change things up a little with “Media Overkill.” 80s sounding effects are used at the beginning but it’s not long into the song where Scorpions normality returns. Okay, there are some weird noises in middle of the song but the song is exactly what you want from the band. “Walking on the Edge” has a great intro with the acoustic guitar and Francis Buchholz’s bass. The track showcases their ability to switch between ballad and hard rocker without breaking a sweat. There are no ballad vibes on “We Let It Rock, You Let It Roll.” It’s the fastest song on the album and just powers its way through its three and a half minute life. Mathias stamps the song with a blistering guitar solo.

“Every Minute, Every Day” is hard for me to describe. While not a bad thing because they definitely make it work, but there seems to be a lot of things going on at once here. Most notable is the rhythm section. Schenker, Buccholz and Rarebell are the glue which holds the song together while Klaus and Mathias work rings around the song. Herman opens “Love on the Run” with some great drumming. It’s another fast song, almost speed metal but the Scorpions were always capable of such feats. “Savage Amusement” goes out with a power ballad, “Believe in Love,” something the band was always good at. Cliche remark but in this case, the track was the best way to end the album.

Track Listing:

1. Don’t Stop at the Top
2. Rhythm of Love
3. Passion Rules the Game
4. Media Overkill
5. Walking on the Edge
6. We Let It Rock, You Let It Roll
7. Every Minute Every Day
8. Love on the Run
9. Believe in Love

The Scorpions

Klaus Meine- lead and backing vocals

Rudy Schenker- rhythm and lead guitars, backing vocals

Mathias Jabs- lead and rhythm guitars, voice box, backing vocals

Francis Buccholz- bass, backing vocals

Herman Rarebell- drums, backing vocals

Additional Musicians:

Lee Aaron- backing vocals on “Rhythm of Love”

Insert further cliche but yes, the Scorpions were well and truly back with “Savage Amusement.” It’s a great album and if they’re going to wait four years before putting out and album, then the wait is worth it.

Next post: Candlemass- Ancient Dreams

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Great Metal Albums of 1988: Kingdom Come

My introduction to German band Kingdom Come came through a compilation album I got in 1989. While they did gain some notice in the UK, what I didn’t know was that they actually had made some considerable headway in the US. This debut album of theirs made it to number 12 in the rock charts. Listening to the album, I can fully understand why.

There is no question that Kingdom Come was heavy influenced by Led Zeppelin. It is crystal clear on songs such as “17” and “Loving You” and it can be heard on many of other tracks as well. Even if the Led Zep influence isn’t immediately clear in the riffs, what is clear is the fact that lead singer, Lenny Wolf, sounds like a clone of Robert Plant. On the track, “Pushin’ Hard,” he even does that little stutter that Plant used to do on some Zeppelin tunes. In fact, if you were not to have read what I’ve just written and listen to the song first time, you would think that Robert was singing on it.

What I’m not going to do is compare the other individual members of Kingdom Come to those of Led Zeppelin. Lead guitarist, Danny Stag, is not Jimmy Page and this is not a negative dig at Danny. He can shred and he proves it on such songs as the bluesy ballad “What Love Can Be,” though again, the Zeppelin influence can be heard here as well. He really jams out on the already mentioned “17” and I have to give credit where due to the rhythm section on this one. Johnny B. Frank should have been given more notoriety as a bass player.

Onto the single, the song which appeared on the compilation album, which I will cover in the 1989 tour, “Get It On.” Again, the LZ influence can be heard, Lenny’s vocals make it nigh impossible not to think otherwise. But there is some great riffing by Danny and rhythm guitarist Rick Steiner who also plays keyboards. Everything about the song leads me to understand why this was picked for the single, it ticks all the boxes. However, me being me, it’s not the best song on the album. That award goes to the preceding track, “The Shuffle.” This one is a solid straight ahead rock track, which ticks all the boxes for me.

One track which doesn’t sound so much like LZ is “Now Ever After.” True, Lenny still sounds like Robert but the vibe from this song is more Whitesnake than anything else. It’s more a typical 80s rock tune, though it’s done well. The bassline is further proof that Johnny should have been given more notice as a bass player. This leads me to my a nit pick about the album. I think it would have made a better closer than “Shout It Out.” For me, the lyrics and the spirit behind them as well as how the song fades out just says closer to me. However, if this track wasn’t on the album, then “Shout It Out would be the right song for the job.

Track Listing:

1. Livin’ Out of Touch
2. Pushin’ Hard
3. What Love Can Be
4. 17
5. The Shuffle
6. Get It On
7. Now Forever After
8. HIdeaway
9. Loving You
10. Shout It Out

Kingdom Come

Lenny Wolf- lead vocals

Danny Stag- lead guitar

Rick Steier- rhythm guitar, keyboards

Johnny B. Frank- bass

James Kotak- drums

Now that I have listened to the album in earnest and read a little of the history behind it, I am surprised that after such a good debut album, Kingdom Come didn’t go onto great glories. This debut shows that they could have been more of a household name, at least in the metal community.

Next post: Dokken- Beast From the East

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

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Great Metal Albums of 1986: Chastain- Ruler of the Wastelands

Here’s a perfect reason why I should have bought the album. My experience of Chastain, actually it was guitarist David Chastain, was through the two songs which appeared on the compilation tape the Metal Sisters sent me. Those songs were “No Man’s Land” and a cover of Led Zeppelin’s “Communication Breakdown.” Both songs were superbly played and for years I simply assumed they were on Chastain’s 1986 album, “Ruler Wasteland.” Unfortunately, they are not. I have tried to find the album these songs appear on but my search has been fruitless. Therefore, I thought the only thing left to do was to listen the album through Youtube and post about it. This turned out to be a wise decision.

In 1986, guitarists who wanted to emulate one Yngwie J. Malmesteen seemed to be coming out of the woodwork. Reflecting back, I think Vinnie Vincent was trying to be such and so was David Chastain. While he is backed up by a very good band, especially lead singer, Leather Leone, “Ruler of the Wasteland” leaves no doubt that its objective was to showcase the guitar skills of David T. Chastain. Something the album does very well here from beginning to end as David solos his way through.

David T. Chastain

It’s not just David’s guitar skills that should be noted here as there are some very well crafted tracks on the album. “One Day to Live” has Leather’s best vocal performance, although she’s quite good on the other tracks. One song where it all comes together and highlights the album and shows the talents of the individual members is “Fighting to Stay Alive.” This song proves that David is a capable song writer as well as a great guitarist. Yes, he does hammer out a cool guitar solo on the track but the vocals are good as is the rhythm section. While all of those things are present on every track, it’s done the best on this one.

One very pleasant and eye opening surprise is “Angel of Mercy.” I have heard this song before, covered by Axel Rudi Pell, who does a great job on it. However, the original version here on the album is simply mind blowing and now I am in a quandary as to which song is better between “Angels of Mercy” and “Fighting to Stay Alive.” While the former is straight ahead full blown metal, Angels has a more blues feel to it and it too has all the band pulling together to make it great. I guess I’ll call it a tie.

The fastest song on the album is “There Will be Justice.” Imagine Yngwie playing a guitar solo on a speed metal song and you’ll get the picture of what I’m trying to say. Then right after, you get a progressive metal sounding fantasy track with “The Battle of Nevermore.” Every time I hear this track, I like it more. Therefore, maybe I should stop listening to it as I will have great difficulty in choosing which songs to feature. Then again, isn’t that a trait of a very good album?

Track Listing:

1. Ruler of the Wasteland
2. One Day to Live
3. The King Has the Power
4. Fighting to Stay Alive
5. Angel of Mercy
6. There Will be Justice
7. The Battle of Nevermore
8. Living in a Dreamworld
9. Children of Eden

Chastain

David T. Chastain- guitar

Leather Leone- vocals

Mike Skimmerhorn- bass

Ken Mary- drums

Moral of the story: Get the album! I didn’t and for years I have missed out on the fine album which is “Ruler of the Wasteland.” As for the songs I have mentioned, I have plans for them in a future post.

Next post: Merry Christmas

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

Great Rock Albums of 1985: The Firm

For a good number of people in 1985, The Firm were considered a disappointment. This was because many people, including yours truly, thought that a band with both Paul Rodgers and Jimmy Page in it was going to be some sort of Led Zeppelin/Bad Company hybrid. The Firm’s debut album certainly wasn’t that. What Rodgers and Page did was make their own unique music with the help of a great rhythm section featuring Tony Franklin and Chris Slade.

The album’s first single, “Radioactive,” put many metalheads off exploring them more. This is a shame because I knew that there would be better things to come on the album and I was right. This is not to say that there isn’t anything wrong with “Radioactive,” it’s a good song in it’s own right. It was just the fact that many people were expecting the song to be the love child of “Stairway to Heaven” and “Bad Company” and “Radioactive” doesn’t come close. I still like the song.

Once one has thrown away their expectations of what they thought this album was going to sound like and listen to it with an open mind, one would find that it’s a damn good album. Okay, it’s definitely not heavy metal, more of a straight forward rock album and if you listen closely, you can still hear some Bad Company influence. Especially in the songs “Make or Break, which is the hidden gem and “Satisfaction Guaranteed.” Furthermore, while Jimmy Page doesn’t nail down the solos like in the old Zeppelin classics like “Stairway” or “Whole Lotta Love,” he still shows he can wail on the guitar. It’s just with The Firm, it’s not as pronounced like it was with his former band. “Money Can’t Buy” is a fine example.

Proof that Rodgers, Page, Franklin and Slade were determined to forge their own path in the rock world is their cover of the Righteous Brothers classic, “You Lost That Lovin’ Feeling.” The coolest part in the song is Jimmy’s guitar solo supported by Tony on the fretless bass, good stuff. Also, Paul’s vocals are as good as ever on every song on this album.

Track Listing:

1. Closer
2. Make or Break
3. Someone to Love
4. Together
5. Radioactive
6. You Lost That Lovin’ Feeling
7. Money Can’t Buy
8. Satisfaction Guaranteed
9. Midnight Moonlight

Paul Rodgers- lead vocals, guitars

Jimmy Page- lead guitar

Tony Franklin- bass, keyboards, synthesizers, backing vocals

Chris Slade- drums, percussion

Does anyone have a time machine I could borrow? If so, I would like to go back in time and say to all of those people who rejected The Firm back in 1985 because they didn’t sound like former bands, “Look, they’re not like Bad Company or Led Zeppelin, get over it!” Because their first album shows what they can do on their own.

Next post: John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band- Tough All Over

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Another Great Gig, I Just Happened to See

Last week, I happened to spend a few days in the great Northern English city of Newcastle Upon Tyne. Mrs 80smetalman really loves the place and goes every year but because of other commitments the previous years, this was the first time I went there in four years. First, I did attempt to go to the pub, The Broken Doll, which my good buddy 1537 recommended but it was too far away from my hotel and there were no Metro stations in that area. I did try. Therefore, I had to settle for Newcastle’s premiere rock pub, Trillian’s. I ventured there my first and last nights of my stay and I was definitely glad I went on the final night because I got to see two really cool bands.

This photo was taken four years ago. Trillian’s still looks exactly like this. I didn’t see the girl in the photo this time around.

The first band to hit the stage that night was a band called The Distorted. Now one could think that this band was trying to be like The Disturbed, especially when they played a cover of “Down With the Sickness” halfway through their set. However, I noticed a heavy influence of Black Sabbath in their music as well. The Distorted proved to be a very tightly knit quartet with all the tools necessary to go a lot further; a strong rhythm section, a guitarist who can shred and a good lead singer with some personality. He could connect with the audience, just a shame there weren’t more people there for him to connect to. On one song, he put a skull on his wrist and acted like it was doing the singing, cool, I thought. I really enjoyed this band.

Later that evening, I managed to catch up with the guitarist, a really cool chap, who told me that they nearly got to Bloodstock this year. They made it all the way to the regional semi-finals. Well with what I heard at Trillian’s I hope they go all the way in 2017.

The Distorted on stage.

Singing with the skull

In one of the fastest equipment changeovers I have ever witnessed, headliners, Twister were soon out on stage. While The Distorted wanted to pound your skull a bit, Twister were slightly more melodic but not less heavy. Furthermore, they already have an album out. “Trees” will be available for download on September 5th and from what I saw on stage, it too, will be worth it. Twister also fields four members but have two guitars, both of whom are capable of laying down a good solo. Listening to them, one could easily tell that their influences are more old school. The cover of Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love” kind of gave it away but their music can stand well on its own. While they make a good foursome, most of the attention was on the mop haired blonde lead singer. He definitely made himself known while Twister was on the stage. He along with the band, also impressed me this night and I loved how they closed the show with the AC/DC classic, “Whole Lotta Rosie.”

Twister on Stage

Twister rocking Trillian’s

Link for Twister: https://www.facebook.com/TwisterUK/

Link for The Distorted: https://www.facebook.com/TheDistorted/

Next post: Back to the great albums of 1983 with Thin Lizzy- Thunder and Lightning

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Also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle and on sale at Foyles Book Shop in London

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Great Rock Albums of 1983: Robert Plant- The Principle of Moments

Here is another example why I stopped trusting commercial radio or MTV for all of my music liaisons. In 1983, the two singles from Robert Plant’s “The Principle of Moments” album, “In the Mood” and “Big Log” got a lot of airplay on MTV. If I were to judge this album just on those two songs, I would have thought that Robert Plant had completely abandoned his roots and was making mellow out, commercial songs. I know that even then, Robert wasn’t comfortable when people like me said that his former band, Led Zeppelin, were one of the founding fathers of heavy metal but this album shows that he didn’t totally abandon his beginnings.

“The Principle of Moments” is a long way from the heavy metal sounding delights of Led Zeppelin “II” or “IV.” Nonetheless, it is still a good album with some rock delights for all. When I heard the introduction on the opening song, “Other Arms,” I found myself checking the credits on the album because I was sure that Robert had gotten Jimmy Page to play on it. Obviously, I was dreaming but saying that, Robert Blunt does a magnificent job on the six string all throughout the entire album. Does he site Jimmy as an influence? Don’t know but it might be worth checking out.

Maybe it’s me mellowing in my old age, (I’ll be halfway between 50 and 60 in three weeks), but listening to “In The Mood” again after all these years, I’ve decided it’s not as bad as I thought back then. In fact, there’s a pretty tidy guitar solo from Blunt which has me wondering how I missed something like that back in 1983. I’ll blame the weed. Another really good standout track is “Wreckless Love” which is possibly the hardest rock tune on the album. However, other songs like “Messin’ With the Mekon” and “Horizontal Departure” come fairly close. “Thru With the Two Step” is another interesting song on the album. It starts out like it’s going to be a mellow one, more in the style of Led Zeppelin’s later progressive years. Then it goes into a more hard blues sound with a killer guitar solo from Blunt. God, I have to check this guy out more.

The only stone left unturned is the vocals of Plant himself. They are as good as ever here. Sure, he doesn’t scream like he did back in the 1970s but he still shows he has a decent range.

Track Listing:

1. Other Arms
2. In the Mood
3. Messin’ with the Meckon
4. Wreckless Love
5. Thru With the Two Step
6. Horizontal Departure
7. Stranger Here… Than Over There
8. Big Log

Robert Plant

Robert Plant- vocals

Robbie Blunt- guitars

Paul Martinez- bass

Jezz Woodroffe- keyboards

Phil Collins- drums on tracks, 1-3, 5,6, 8

Barriemore Barlow- drums on tracks 4 and 7

John David and Ray Martinez- backing vocals

Unlike “In the Mood,” my thoughts haven’t changed much on “Big Log.” Maybe it’s that image conjured up from the video of Robert Plant swimming in the pool. But don’t let that spoil your enjoyment of “The Principle of Moments” because it is a good album. Classic Robert Plant.

Next post: Jackson Browne- Lawyers in Love

To buy Rock And Roll Children, go to http://www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/RockAndRollChildren.html

Also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle and on sale at Foyles Book Shop in London

 

 

 

 

 

Great Metal Albums of 1983: The Scorpions- Blackout

 

First of all, let me say a well done to Deke for picking out all four albums on display in the last post. He gets 50 80smetalman points for that, not that they’re worth anything in the real world. For those who didn’t get all four and many got some, the albums were Van Halen I, Twisted Sister- “Stay Hungry,” Led Zeppelin- “Remastered” and Grace Slick- “Dreams.” Thank you all who participated and I hope everyone is happy that they finally got to see those famous ammo cans. It is really a cool way to store cassettes.

Now onto the album. “Blackout” by the Scorpions might have been released in 1982 but it brought my 1983 in rocking style. I spent the first seven weeks of the year at a small camp near Mt Fuji, Japan so music news was something scarce. It was when I returned to Okinawa that I heard this album though I can’t remember if I first heard it at Sgt Pepper’s or Kin Loo. It’s not important, what was important was the fact that when I heard “Blackout,” I was totally blown away.

It just happens that the album starts out with my favourite Scorpions song of all time. The title track is such an energy producing song that it’s only right that it should open the album. I mean talk about power chords. What is really cool is that after your ears are pummeled by “Blackout,” the album doesn’t stop to catch a breath but immediately goes into another great song, “Can’t Live Without You.” This song praises the fans who buy Scorpions records and see them live. And as the song goes, I do play an imaginary guitar when I hear these songs.

Things continue nicely over the next four songs. The single, “No One Like You,” follows on perfectly from its predecessors and goes very well into the next few after. After those three harder songs, things go slightly melodic with my second favourite Scorpions of all time, “Arizona.” The power chords are very melodically done in such away that I just say ‘wow’ each time I hear the song. Maybe they should have released that one as a single. After “Arizona,” there is what seems to be a concept song in “China White” before closing with the eerie sounding ballad, “When the Smoke is Going Down,” which is the best song to end things with on this great album.

One constant which is heard on every song on “Blackout” is the great lead guitar work from Mathias Jabs and at times Rudy Schenker. Jabs has been called underrated by many metal fans and the way he smokes the finger board here supports that statement. As always, I won’t take anything away from the rest of the band, especially as I have always considered Klaus Meine to be one of the best in the business.

Track Listing:

1. Blackout
2. Can’t Live Without You
3. No One Like You
4. You Give Me All I Need
5. Now
6. Dynamite
7. Arizona
8. China White
9. When the Smoke is Going Down

The Scorpions

Klaus Meine- lead vocals

Rudy Schenker- rhythm and lead guitar

Matthias Jabs- lead and rhythm guitar

Francis Buchholz- bass

Herman Rarebell- drums

I can’t think of any way better to start of a year than with “Blackout” by the Scorpions. It is such a great metal album and it brought my 1983 in just right. However, even after all these years, I still don’t grow tired of it.

Next post: Billy Squier- Emotions in Motion

To buy Rock And Roll Children, go to http://www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/RockAndRollChildren.html

Also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle and on sale at Foyles Book Shop in London

 

 

80smetalman’s Choices for National Anthems

National Anthems inspire love for one’s country. Every one I’ve heard definitely does that. Some are hard driving like the US, UK or Canada while others are more somber like Japan or Wales. Even Italy’s which reminded me of a parade or Spain’s which sounds like a sixteenth century dance still can inspire love for the country. However, most national anthems are over a century old and while there’s nothing wrong with that, since they still inspire nationalistic feelings, I wonder if more modern ones could be used. See, I have come to associate certain songs by certain bands with the country they come from and that has me thinking. Maybe these songs should be national anthems for their country.

Lynyrd Skynyrd

USA: Freebird by Lynyrd Skynyrd (I’m talking the full fifteen minute live version)

Led Zeppelin

UK: Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin

Rush

Canada: Tom Sawyer by Rush

Bonfire

Germany: Proud of My Country by Bonfire

TNT

Norway- Seven Seas by TNT

Yngwie Malmsteen

Sweden- As Above, So Below by Yngwie Malmsteen

Hanoi Rocks

Finland- Tragedy by Hanoi Rocks

Golden Earring

The Netherlands: Radar Love by Golden Earring

U2

Ireland- Sunday Bloody Sunday by U2

Loudness

Japan- Crazy Nights by Loudness

AC/DC

Australia- Highway to Hell by AC/DC

Note: For Brazil, it would definitely be something by Seputura and France would be a suitable song by Gojira.

While this is meant to be a little bit of fun, I’m sure some of you are cracking your knuckles and limbering your typing fingers to contribute some of your own suggestions. Well, I’m waiting.

Next post: The Scorpions- Blackout

To buy Rock and Roll Children, go to http://www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/RockAndRollChildren.html

Also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle and on sale at Foyles Book Shop in London

Great Metal Albums of 1982: Diamond Head- Borrowed Time

“Borrowed Time” by Diamond Head another album that passed me by in 1982 but then again, I had never heard of the band until a year later when I came to Britain and happened to see them at Donnington in 1983. While I thought they were okay, I still never got around to buying any of their albums. When I came to Britain to stay in 1986, it was only then I got to experience them because two of my new friends were heavily into them. In fact, one was nicknamed Diamond Head Andy because of his love for the band. Although the character based on him in “Rock and Roll Children” is called Diamond Head Martin. Even then, I can’t say that I really listened to them. That is why, like a good number of the albums of 1982, I am only listening “Borrowed Time” for the first time before making this post.

What is my impression of Diamond Head? Well listening to “Borrowed Time,” my first reaction is Led Zeppelin. It is very obvious that Diamond Head draw a major influence from the great Zep, not that I can blame them for that. Lead singer Sean Harris sounds quite a lot like Robert Plant on most of the tracks and guitarist Brian Tatler has a style very similar to Jimmy Page. The tracks which prove the point the most are “Borrowed Time” and “Don’t You Ever Leave Me.” However, there is a little of the Zeppelin influence in the other tracks too and that includes the closer, “Am I Evil” which any metalhead knows was covered by Metallica. But calling Diamond Head Led Zeppelin clones would be grossly unfair and inaccurate. Sure the Zep influence is definitely there but they aren’t clones. Take “Am I Evil” for an example. There is some good power metal riffs in that song that I can see why one of the most famous thrash bands in the world would cover it. The same can be said for “Lightning to the Nations.” That is another song where Diamond Head put their own stamp on it. Comparisons and contrasts aside, I found “Borrowed Time to be a great album to sit back and bang your head to and I have to give credit to Tatler as a guitarist, he can cook.

Track Listing:

1. In the Heat of the Night
2. To Heave from Hell
3. Call Me
4. Lightning to the Nations
5. Borrowed Time
6. Don’t You Ever Leave Me
7. Am I Evil

                         Diamond Head

Sean Harris- vocals

Brian Tatler- guitars

Colin Kimberly- bass

Duncan Scott- drums

My trip through 1982 has been full of pleasant surprises for me. Because so many albums passed me by that year due to my military commitments, (though I can’t use that excuse here), I have had the pleasurable experience of having to catch up on them. So far, every one of them has been a good experience but I have to say that Diamond Head’s “Borrowed Time” has been the best surprise thus far.

Next post: UFO- Mechanix

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