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

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

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Great Metal Albums of 1988: Lita Ford- Lita

If there was anything wrong with heavy metal in the 1980s, it was that it still had sexist attitudes in some areas. In the case of some bands, female singers and musicians were there to wear short skirts and look good. Female singers were often given some leeway in this regard but I never liked the term ‘female fronted bands.’ In fact, I find it insulting and no band should allow themselves to be branded as such. A good band is a good band no matter the gender of the person in front. Now, to the point and then I promise to get off my soapbox. In the 1980s, female shredders had next to no respect from their male counterparts and sadly, this trickled into the metal fanzone. I’m sure Kelly Johnson of Girlschool fame would back me up on this. Fortunately, that began to change in 1988 when Lita Ford wowed the metal world with her most successful album, simply titled, “Lita.”

From the opening track, Lita shows the world that a lady can shred along with the best of men. While some might grumble at the keyboards in the opener, “Back to the Cave,” her guitar solos obliterate any thoughts on that. The same can be said for the track, “Blueberry.” Actually, I’m surprised this was never released as a single because thinking of the 80s singles charts, this song would have done well. There is a strong keyboard accompaniment but in no ways synth pop and a strong bass line. It helped that her rhythm section on the album was Pat Benatar’s. Still, the riffs on the song make it a cool rock song.

Now onto the first of the big singles which made this album so successful. “Kiss Me Deadly” has a vibe which most people, metal or non-metal can dig. You can’t help but to bob your head along to it. Lyrically, we can all identify with having bad days and going to parties on a Saturday night where you didn’t get laid but got in a fight. Actually, neither really happened to me, although a few years earlier, my then girlfriend who would become my first wife nearly broke up with me at a Saturday night party. Still, Lita rocks this song.

In the middle of the album comes one song which was a released as a single and the other the hidden gem, which are the two best songs on the album in my view. The single, “Falling In and Out of Love,” is a great metal tune plain and simple. Again, Lita proves her shredding credentials quite well on this one. A great bassline starts the hidden gem, “Fatal Passion,” before Lita’s guitar kicks in full pelt an of course, another cool guitar solo. Lita is at her best with this one and if anyone back in the 1980s grumbled about keyboards, this song removes any doubt that Lita can’t rock.

On “Under the Gun,” Lita almost goes space rock here. This brings me to another point. While I’ve been rightfully gushing over Lita’s guitar skills and she shreds a plenty on this one, I nearly forgot what a great singer she is and that she’s not afraid to venture into new territories and come out better for it. The album ends with two ballads, the last of which, was the biggest single for Lita. She teams up with Ozzy on the closer, “Close My Eyes Forever” and that was a great move. While Lita takes the lead, Ozzy puts forward his two cents and together make this song a great one. Totally the right way to close the album.

Track Listing:

1. Back to the Cave
2. Can’t Catch Me
3. Blueberry
4. Kiss Me Deadly
5. Falling In and Out of Love
6. Fatal Passion
7. Under the Gun
8. Broken Dreams
9. Close My Eyes Forever

Lita Ford- guitar, vocals

David Ezrin- keyboards

Don Nossov- bass

Myron Grombacher- drums

Additional Musicians:

Ozzy Osbourne- accompanying vocal on “Close My Eyes Forever”

Craig Krampf- additional drums and percussion

Llory McDonald, Mike Chapman- backing vocals

Lita Ford broke through gender stereotypes and proved that a woman can shred. If any Neanderthals out there still think otherwise, then I suggest you have a good listen to the “Lita” album.

Next post: Scorpions- Savage Amusement

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

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Great Metal Albums of 1987: Envy- Ain’t It a Sin

Before I launch into the album, I thought I’d share another photo of my metalhead granddaughter Juliana.

Ain’t she cute?

Once again, I have to thank my sister for sending me a track on a cassette from a band which would have totally passed me by in 1987. In fact, this post reminds me of two things which was wrong with music back in the 1980s and the first one is probably true today. My last post was about the phenomenal “Hysteria” album from Def Leppard, which received accolades worldwide. Like the album or not, it was a huge success. However, for every Def Leppard there must be at least 100 bands like Envy, who in 1987, had an album just as good but didn’t get the commercial break. This is why I feel it’s even more important to post about their only album, “Ain’t It a Sin.”

The only track from the album that made my sister’s tape was the opening title cut and it’s good. After all, it has stuck in my memory for more than thirty years. However and this is no criticism of my sister, there are better tracks on the album. If there was any track which screams, commercial single, it’s the second one, “I Believe in You.” It has that catchy melody after opening with a keyboard intro that lures you into thinking it’s going to be a ballad but the guitars kick in right after obliterating any such thoughts. If I had seen Envy live, I would have been at the front banging my head and flashing the horns along to it. Oops, it was the 80s, so at the song’s conclusion, I would have held my cigarette lighter aloft. This is the track of the album.

Right after, things get serious with the much harder song, “Heartache.” That sets the tone for practically the remainder of the album as the next few tracks really rock, which brings me to the other thing wrong with music and particularly metal back in the day. Envy is led by the sister combo of Rhonni and Gina Stile. Rhonni handles the vocal duties and does a brilliant job. However, it is Gina on guitar that really steals the show on the album and that was the black eye for heavy metal back then. With the exception of Lita Ford, female shredders were overlooked. Even Kelly Johnson of Girlschool fame didn’t get the recognition she deserved. This was a damn shame because Gina Stile can totally shred and does so on each and every song. Some of her best efforts are on “Lie Here Waiting.” Even her rhythm guitar riffs are exceptional as highlighted on the track, “Wait On You.” She shreds on that track as well.

Gina Stile

I keep asking myself, why didn’t “Ain’t It a Sin” make a bigger impact and Envy become a household name in the metal world? This is the big question, especially since the album was produced by none other than Dee Snider, yes, that Dee Snider. One clue could lie in the record label. The name ATCO rings a bell but I never heard of ATCO/Wounded Bird Records. So maybe the band wasn’t marketed properly or simply it could be down to the fact of an over saturated metal market. In either case, it’s a shame because this is one hell of a fine album.

Another great thing about this album is that it doesn’t tail off at the end. The finish is just as strong as the start. One track which could have been a second single is “I See the Light (Let Me Rock and Roll).” This has a catchy vibe that would have been good for commercial radio but not losing it’s hard rock edge. Once again, Gina shreds magnificently.

Yet another plus is that unlike on many albums, the penultimate track isn’t the least strongest track. In fact, it’s hard to discern which track should get that dishonour because the tracks are that good! “I’m Not Your Lover” is a brilliant track and though they shine on every track, the rhythm section is brilliant here. And the closer, “Hurt Me,” might start out like it’s going to be a ballad but it changes into a rocker, though I do like the acoustic guitar accompaniment.

Track Listing:

1. Ain’t It a Sin
2. I Believe in You
3. Heartache
4. Lie in Waiting
5. Wait On You
6. You’re So Hot
7. All the Reasons
8. I See the Light (Let Me Rock and Roll)
9. I’m Not Your Lover
10. Hurt Me

Envy

Rhonni Stile- lead vocals

Gina Stile- guitar, backing vocals

Bill Spencer- bass

Danny Kapps- drums

Additional Musicians

Alan St. John- keyboards

Arthur Stead- keyboards

Taylor Dane- backing vocals

I put the title track in for Dawn. May I ask a favour of all of you out there? Could you all go on Youtube and have a listen to the great, forgotten album which is “Ain’t It a Sin” by Envy? I am sure you’ll like it and even if you don’t feel free to comment either way. However, I am confident you will because the big sin is the fact that the album didn’t make the headway it should have.

Next post: Testament- The Legacy

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

Great Metal Albums of 1984: Lita Ford- Dancing on the Edge

With heavy metal actually dominating the rock music scene in the summer of 1984, (trust me, it did), metal acts were coming out of the woodwork thick and fast. It was only right that a female metal artist come forward in what is a male dominated world. The metal world had Girlschool and Rock Goddess from England and from the USA came former Runaways guitarist Lita Ford. “Dancing on the Edge” was her second album and I’m kicking myself for never noting her first one but it was this album which made me and the rest of the world take notice.

“Dancing on the Edge” came out amidst controversy in Lita’s personal life. First there was her supposed feud with former Runaways band members Joan Jett and Cherrie Currie. From what I’ve read, the feud with Joan was more or less fabricated by Joan Jett’s management who didn’t want Lita anywhere near their star. She was also engaged to Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi at the time and he appears in the video for “Dressed to Kill” from this album. However, Lita has said that the relationship was marred with physical abuse due to Tony’s drug problems back then. Therefore, it’s an amazing endorsement of Lita Ford herself that she could put out such a killer album in spite of all the things in her personal life.

Cutting right to the chase, let me just say that “Dancing on the Edge” is a fantastic metal album. There a lots of great power chords and Lita has a great voice but the best thing is that she can really shred. She does this very well on every song. So well in fact, that it has always been difficult for me to pick a favourite track on the album. Each time I listen, I discover something small in a song that I hadn’t noticed when I heard it before. Therefore, I am forced to conclude that the album simply has nine fantastic songs of pure metal mania. God, I’m pinching quotes from Dee Snider. While Lita shines on vocals and guitar, she has two very capable musicians providing that all important rhythm section. On bass was Hugh McDonald who is currently with Bon Jovi and Randy Castillo who would later play for Ozzy Osbourne and Motley Crue on the drums. That can only help make “Dancing on the Edge” that much better.

Track Listing:

1. Gotta Let Go
2. Dancing on the Edge
3. Dressed to Kill
4. Hit’N Run
5. Lady Killer
6. Still Waitin’
7. Fire in My Heart
8. Don’t Let Me Down Tonight
9. Run With the $

Lita Ford- vocals, guitar

Hugh McDonald- bass

Randy Castillo- drums

Geoff Leib- synthesizers, backing vocals

Robbie Kondor and Aldo Nova- synthesizers

“Dancing on the Edge” cemented Lita’s permanent foothold as a serious metal artist in 1984. From there, her legacy would continue to this day with loads more great albums.

Next post: Ted Nugent- Penetrator

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Great Metal Albums of 1981: The Plasmatics- Metal Priestess

Before I launch into this great mini LP or EP or whatever you want to call it from The Plasmatics, I must give forewarning that I might not be posting very much over the next three or four weeks due to family problems. My father in law passed away last week and the funeral is on Wednesday which means we will make the 200 mile trip to Grimsby on the Tuesday. I know for Americans, that distance is just a Sunday drive. The following week, I’m off to the States to visit my mother who I haven’t seen in eight years and hasn’t been well since her accident Christmas time. I know, I’ll get plenty of time to hang with old friends and my brother and sister but I can’t be sure of how much computer time I will get. I have always endeavored to post twice a week here but please bear with me if I can’t post that many times over the next few weeks. Thank you.

The best way to bring us out of the melancholy feeling I’ve just produced is to look at an album that has been left out of the spotlight for so many years. “Metal Priestess” was made because of the success with The Plasmatics’ previous album “Beyond the Valley of the 1984.” The producer, Dan Hartman, (you may have heard of him) thought that the band should have something to build on that success and since a full length album wasn’t on the cards at the time, the six song “Metal Priestess” was made. There may have been only six songs on the album but wow! What great six songs they are proving that quality is sometimes better than quantity. Each song is an explosion of pure metal mania. Things begin with an impressive guitar opening in “Lunacy” and those guitars dominate but it’s the voice of Wendy O. Williams that gives it the extra edge. Her sinister sounding vocals give meaning to the title of the song. That combination works equally as well on the track “Black Leather Monster” and I love the beginning of “Twelve Noon” as well. It too is a brilliant song and the live recording of “Masterplan” as the closer was stroke of genius for this LP. If you want a pure metal album from 1981 and that’s exactly what this album is, pure metal, there are few which are better than “Metal Priestess.”

In the past and even more so in the future, I have paid and will pay tribute to rock goddesses and metal queens. I have already mentioned such important ladies as Pat Benatar, Debbie Harry, Ann and Nancy Wilson, Grace Slick and even the first true queen of rock Janis Joplin. Future posts will include lovely ladies like Lee Aaron, Lita Ford and Doro Pesch. However, when any of these queens are mentioned, the name Wendy O. Williams seems to be missed out and to me that is a travesty. Speaking as red blooded male, Wendy is just as hot as any of the ladies I’ve just mentioned, hell, look at the album cover. And vocally she’s no less talented. So let’s give Wendy to adoration she so richly deserves when we talk about the great females who have contributed so greatly to our beloved genre of music.

Track Listing:

1. Lunacy

2. Doom Song

3. Sex Junkie

4. Black Leather Monster

5. Twelve Noon

6. Master Plan

The Plasmatics

Wendy O. Williams- vocals

Richie Stotts- lead guitars

Wes Beach- rhythm guitars

Jean Bouvoir- bass

Neal Smith- drums

Proof that sometimes less if more, the six songs on “Metal Priestess” can all be counted as great metal tunes. I rocked out to each one of them when I listened to it. Another album from a band that didn’t last longer into the 80s and this album as the previous has me asking why. Maybe I’ll get the answer further down the line.

Next post: TBA

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