1312. Stormtrooper of Death / Speak English or Die! 1985. 4/5

Is Stormtroopers of Death the most unlikely band project to ever release an album? That is probably too long a bow to draw, but it is true that the coming together and recording and release of this particular album is fantastical in the extreme. And it all comes to pass from the band Anthrax, who in June of 1985 were finishing off the recording of their second studio album “Spreading the Disease”. The story is told that, after finishing his guitar tracks, Scott Ian would draw pictures of a character that he named Sargent D, who took the form of an undead, cigar-chomping G.I. He would then compose slogans for Sargent D such as "I'm not racist; I hate everyone" and "Speak English or Die". Ian began to write lyrics about the character and about his thoughts. Once Anthrax had completed the recording of their new album there was still some studio time left, and so Ian decided to use it to have some fun. He pulled aside his Anthrax bandmate Charlie Benante to play drums. Now they needed some other personnel, and they knew just where to go. Former Anthrax bass guitarist Danny Lilker was out and about trying to get his new band, Nuclear Assault, up off the ground, but when Ian called him to see what he was doing he had a gap in his schedule, and he came down to the studio. Also on the call list was another friend Billy Milano who was lined up to do some vocals.
On July 1, 1985, the four recorded what could loosely be termed a demo tape in the studio. Titled “Crab Society North”, it was recorded by plugging a Walkman into a speaker, and then just cutting loose with their material. The demo tape was 14 minutes and 21 seconds, and contained 63 songs, ranging in length from 1 second to 58 seconds. Very little was eventually used from this one day jam, but one thing that did stick was coming up with the name of the band – Stormtroopers of Death, or simply S.O.D.
For the next four days, from July 2 to 5 1985, the four members of the newly named band put together the 21 tracks that would form what would be known as their debut album, and recorded and mixed it. Upon its release it was instantly controversial due to their deliberately offensive explicit lyrics. Scott Ian said from the outset that the songs were written as a big inside joke, adding: "Some people thought we were racist, and those people are stupid”. Even more remarkable, this album, completed in four days at the end of the sessions for Anthrax’s “Spreading the Disease” album, actually beat that album to its release by two months. And in its own way went about creating its own genre, with the joy and amusing anecdotes that was titled “Speak English or Die!”

When it comes to this album there are a couple of things that have to be addressed. The first is the lyrical content on many of the songs, controversial topics and opinions sprouted in songs such as "Pre-Menstrual Princess Blues", "Pussy Whipped" and "Fuck the Middle East", addressing homosexuality, women and foreign cultures. Dan Lilker stated at the time that "The lyrics were never intended to be serious, just to piss people off. Furthermore, in an interview with Songfacts in 2014, when asked "If Speak English or Die came out today, do you think that because of the political correctness of today, it would go over the same?", Lilker responded, "It probably would have had a harder time just because people seem to be more uptight now. Nevertheless, it was what it was, which is saying it is what it is, but back then. And I don't regret it. Maybe minor aspects went overboard with certain lyrical things, but then again, we didn't really mean them. Perhaps if people realise that, then it's just more funny”. And this is worth considering if you are new to the album. The lyrics may not be politically correct but they are not the serious thoughts of those who wrote them. They were written to gain a reaction and to be considered as a running joke commentary. Not all of course will see or take it that way.
That comes from the first track, following the instrumental opening of “March of the S.O.D” introduces us to the man himself “Sargent D and the S.O.D”, who takes all in his wake, espousing “Their cause is justified, their reason is clear, the word "revenge" is all that they hear. They'll make you wish that you didn't exist cos Sargent "D" is coming and you're on his list”. A great stomping track, that continues into “Kill Yourself” with inspiring lyrics such as “You're a loser, there's nothing left for you, A worthless loser at everything you do. Kill yourself now!”. “Milano Mosh” gives lead vocalist Billy Milano the chance to stomp around a bit himself. “Speak English or Die” lives on that threshold. “You come into this country, you can't get real jobs, boats and boats and boats of you, go home, you fuckin' slobs”. Let’s face it, real opinions such as these are still sprouted in the modern day by Joe Public, let alone those who are somehow voted into our governments. Every extremity has been covered by the band in the opening four songs.
Without trying to cover the entire range of the 21 tracks that cover the almost 29 minutes of this album, there are some really great pieces on this album. “United Forces” is a beauty, another real stomping track with a great riff and easy singalong lyrics. The short, sharp attitude of “Chromatic Death” punctuates and enlightens along the way. “Freddy Krueger” is just a brilliant thrash hardcore track that combines the best of both world and throws it into the mix perfectly. A ripping moshing song. “Milk” is perfect in the same way, expressing the disappointment that one can’t have a normal breakfast because Mum hasn’t bought milk. I imagine my 17 year old son would probably think exactly what this song expresses whenever he has drunk all the milk in our house.
Every other track, from the 2 second and 5 second squats to the lengthy 80 seconds bursts, all make for a fabulous listening experience, one that combines anger and angst with moshing and a good time.

I first came across this album as we began the new decade. As avid listeners to this podcast will know, I very recently spoke about Anthrax’s album “Persistence of Time”, and the fact that the band opened their tour for that album in Australia, which I got to see. As a lead up to that I had tried to gather together as much music from the band as I could, which had included the “I’m the Man” EP as well as being directed to this album. And it is fair to say that it struck a chord from the outset. It merged in with other band and albums that I was beginning to be introduced to at that time and over the next couple of years. Part of the Anthrax mantra had been to have a fun, corny time with their music on stage, and this certainly melded in with that.
Did I care about the fact that it used language and spoke about controversial subjects? No, not in the slightest. It would be easy to say that I wasn’t offended by anything on this album because none of those things affected me. But the truth is that it was all obviously in jest, in creating a storm by expanding these things in a greater context. If people are offended by anything here – either 40 years ago or in the present day, where offence seems more prevalent – then simply don’t listen to it.
I’ve had this album out again over the past couple of days, and it is as enjoyable as I have always found it. For me it will always be a novelty, something that is fun to put on every now and then and enjoy it for what it is, and then send it back to the shelves to wait until the next time. I am more likely to reach for an Anthrax record than I am an S.O.D. album, for no other reason than the substance of the songs.
S.O.D. toured in support of the album in 1985, opening for Motörhead and The Plasmatics, among others. They had apparently planned a follow-up titled USA For S.O.D., which was ultimately scrapped and never recorded. After their tour ended, Lilker carried on with the band Nuclear Assault while Benante and Ian continued with Anthrax. Milano formed the spin-off band Method of Destruction, known as M.O.D. It was not the end of the S.O.D. story but it doesn’t pick up again for a few years down the track.

1311. Black Sabbath / Tyr. 1990. 4/5

Following the decision of Ronnie James Dio and Vinny Appice to leave the band in 1982, the remainder of the 1980’s decade was a tough time for the band Black Sabbath, and moreso for its one remaining bastion, guitarist Tony Iommi. Through countless band member changes and record company changes and management changes, Iommi had to fight endlessly to keep the Black Sabbath name alive. Those different lineups had included multiple lead singers, bass guitarists and drummers, and while each of “Born Again”, “Seventh Star” and “The Eternal Idol” had its good moments, in general it was hard to keep up with what was happening with the band.
Better news came with the release of the album “Headless Cross” in 1989. Retaining the services of Tony Martin on lead vocals gave the band some credibility, and the recruitment of legendary drummer Cozy Powell an experienced musician to help compose and record with. The album was a return to form, and had featured a guest slot from Iommi’s mate Brian May as a part of the process. Despite reaching 31 on the UK charts, the band’s tour of the US was cancelled after just eight shows due to poor ticket sales. The European and Japan tours were more fruitful, while a 23-date tour of Russia with Girlschool gave them the distinction of being one of the first western bands to tour the country.
The band looked to strike while the iron was moderately warm and get back into the studio to record the follow up. Neil Murray, who had done some of the touring for the previous album, was now on board as a member of the band, and along with keyboardist and longtime Iommi friends and music partner, completed the line up for the new album. What was to come was something out of the box, and almost complete change of mindset. “Headless Cross” had arguably been the heaviest album by the band since the early 1980’s, and with lyrics that followed along that path. On the album that became “Tyr”, the music does not have the doom environment that the band had formerly invented. Here is an album that eschews much of that process for songs that have a far more keyboard oriented sound, almost reaching for a sound that mimics power metal without the speed or express synth sound that genre pertains to. And while this beckoned to turn off what remained of the Black Sabbath fan base from the outset, for those that hung around to see what it might hold, it became an album that held far more substance that what most fans know.

When it came to this album, the title, along with the name of several of the songs on the album, are based around Norse mythology, which led to many critics and fans believing that this was a concept album, something that Neil Murray discounted in an interview in 2005. He was quoted as saying that while some of the songs appear loosely related it was never written nor intended to be a concept album. However, the album’s departure from the darker lyrics of Headless Cross was discussed by Tony Iommi in his 2012 autobiography Iron Man, where he said this: “For our next album, Tyr, we went back to the Woodcray Studios in February 1990, with me and Cozy producing it again. On ‘Headless Cross’, Tony Martin had just come into the band and he assumed, oh, Black Sabbath, it’s all about the Devil, so his lyrics were full of the Devil and Satan. It was too much in your face. We told him to be a bit more subtle about it, so for Tyr he did all these lyrics about Nordic gods and whatnot. It took me a while to get my head around that”. It has been said that the album was originally intended to be titled “Satanic Verses” but for the same reason was discarded.
The album opens with “Anno Mundi”, a song that channels different versions of the band through its history. It is true that this doesn’t sound like that pure Iommi heavy styled riff from the original iteration of the band, but there are moments when you can almost believe that it harkens from the Dio years. It probably doesn’t harm this thought because of the similarity in voice between Dio and Tony Martin, but the song itself is of an epic type that that era of Sabbath wrote. It acts as a terrific way of drawing you in to the album from the outset, the soaring Martin vocals dominating throughout. This is followed by “The Law Maker”, a more traditional heavy song with the up-tempo speed and vibe, highlighted by Iommi’s riff and solo and Martin’s vocals showcasing his ability to adapt to whatever is thrown at him. The solid rhythm held together by Powell and Murray make this a simplified song but by no means an average one. “Jerusalem” has a very choir backed feel to the track, it sounds almost like it should be being listened to in a church, or at the very least a cathedral. It has that style and substance about it, replete with multi-layered vocals backing. “The Sabbath Stones” continues in the direction that “Anno Mundi” travels in, a heavier and perhaps more traditional epic track that still holds true to what the album opener was pushing as the album’s theme, with the quiet melodic breakdown in the middle of the track before building again to its conclusion. Martin’s vocals again showcase their best qualities while Cozy’s heavy hitting drumming powers forth.
The instrumental open of “The Battle of Tyr” opens the second side of the album by segueing into “Odin’s Court”, in itself a short quiet clear guitared moment that acts as the segue into “Valhalla”. Treating this three song set as one track is probably how most fans would approach it, with the first four minutes of “The Battle of Tyr” and “Odin’s Court” mostly forgettable, and “Valhalla” itself actually proving to be a far more inspiring song. And that is not to say that that four minutes is wasted space or clear air – it's just that even when listening to the album now, you are just waiting for the entrance of “Valhalla” to get the second side of the album to kick into gear. And then, we have what follows.
It is interesting that the band, in particular Tony Martin, has come out as saying that they do not regret putting the song “Feels Good to Me” on the album, and that they indeed like the track itself, but that it is quite different from everything else on the album. In an interview some years later, Martin was quoted as saying that the record company pretty much demanded that they include a song that was of a particular... standard... in order to release as a single. And indeed, that is exactly what it sounds like. It is composed to be a single release. It has practically none of the characteristics of every other song on the album. It doesn’t fit the sound at all, and as a result it sticks out like a sore thumb. It is hugely reminiscent of “No Stranger to Love” from the “Seventh Star” album, another of the top five most unlikely Black Sabbath tracks of all time. Could they not have just released this as a stand alone single? Or the B-side of another song, and let the radio stations just play the B side? Anyway. I don’t hate it, but it is so noticeable every time you play the album, for the wrong reasons.
The album then concludes with “Heaven in Black”, a closing song that lifts the tempo and mood of the album back to where it deserves to be, a faster paced effort that returns the energy to the album to end on a far more enjoyable note.
It may seem like an easy line to draw, but one of the reasons this album has a different sound from what many would consider to be a Black Sabbath sound is the absence of Geezer Butler on bass guitar. That is no slight on Neil Murray who is a brilliant bass guitarist and composer and plays terrifically on this album, but the songs do not sound as heavy because they do not have Geezer’s guttural distinctive tones underneath Iommi’s licks and riffs. It also indulges far heavier in Geoff Nicholls keys than other eras of the band. Now Iommi and Nicholls had been mates for years so it was probably a no brainer that they would eventually have this greater influence in the music, and this era was the best opportunity to do that, as even though the band has the name of Black Sabbath hanging over it, the music that is produced is in a different phase than what most would expect. Yes, Iommi’s recognisable riffs are here, but in the same way that Dio era Sabbath is different from Ozzy era Sabbath for obvious reasons, the same is echoed here.

How many people were actually keeping up with what the band Black Sabbath was doing after 1983? I am assuming not many. But given that my foray into the heavier side of music did not commence in earnest until the final months of 1986, I guess I was one of them. Because I pent 1986 and 1987 going backwards through their discography, that included those albums. I have one of my best friends from high school who eventually became my brother-in-law to thank for getting around to listening to “Seventh Star” and “The Eternal Idol”, because he bought those albums and I was then able to borrow them and tape them to a C90 cassette. “Headless Cross” and “Tyr” however passed me by at the time of their release. There was a LOT of music I was still discovering at this time, and those albums didn’t make the initial cut.
I was eventually gifted a CD of “Tyr” from a friend who decided he wasn't interested in it at all and gave it to me rather than hang onto it for no reason. This was in 1993, a year after “Dehumanizer” had been released, and before “Cross Purposes” was thought of. I remember thinking “Well, The Eternal Idol was good with Tony Martin on vocals. This should be good too!” So by now we had had the onset of grunge, and also that marvellous “Dehumanizer” album... so MAYBE my hopes were too high for this album?...
As it turned out, I enjoyed the album. It has lots of good moments. It just wasn’t one that I thought of to go back to very often. Eventually, it wasn’t until a few years later, when I had wearied of the 1990’s and much of its musical wares, that I began to go back to albums such as this and give them a more thorough workout than they received the first time around.
In amongst the ridiculously great and amazing albums that have popped up in this 2-3 week period I am currently reviewing and preparing podcast episodes for you lovely listeners, I have also had this one out and on rotation. And as I found almost 30 years ago when I first took this album seriously, I have truly enjoyed reliving it once again. OK, so maybe I don’t play it as much as I should, but every time I do, I do enjoy it. A couple of songs excluded. When the remastered vinyl collection came out last year I was the first in line to buy it so I could enjoy it on my turntable as well. And as I’ve already covered, there is a lot to enjoy here. Tony Martin’s vocals are still terrific to the ear, Cozy Powell's drumming is still as brilliant as always, and Neil Murray’s bass guitar is just so underrated. And who doesn’t want to listen to Tony Iommi play guitar any day of the week? Yes, these songs are so different to what has come on albums prior to this, but I don’t think there is any doubt that the band itself sounds marvellous. It may sound facetious to say, given how utterly brilliant “Dehumanizer” is as an album, and that although the reformation of the Mark III lineup of the band didn’t go on to record more albums, it is also a shame that this line up of the band didn’t have more moments in the sun, the chance to write and record a follow up to this album at that time rather than after the “Dehumanizer” effect. The music world changed too quickly at this time, and perhaps it wouldn’t have worked. We’ll never know. All I know is that despite the subtle change to the music and structure with “Tyr”, it is a most enjoyable album, and does present this lineup in the light they deserved to be in. If you listen to this album, and the others that have Iommi and Martin as the basis of the band, under the name of, say, “Headless Cross” instead of “Black Sabbath”, and not have the legacy that that name forces you to think with, then this works better, in the same way that the Iommi/Hughes albums “The 1996 DEP Sessions” and “Fused” work. Headless Cross, the new band with Tony Iommi and Tony Martin, Cozy Powell and Neil Murray, and their album “Tyr”. No expectations of doom and heavy metal. Just a band with the great Tony Iommi and other great players, doing something that doesn’t sound like Black Sabbath. Try it. You might like it.

1310. Rainbow / Stranger in us All. 1995. 4/5

When Ritchie Blackmore and Roger Glover, who made up two-fifths of the band Rainbow in its then-current form in 1983, decided to go ahead with the proposed reformation of Deep Purple’s Mark II lineup, leading to that band’s first album in nine years, it left Rainbow dead in the water. Rainbow of course had been Blackmore’s initial vehicle to get OUT of Deep Purple back in 1975, the story of which you can find in the very recent episode of this podcast that is dedicated to the debut album by the band. With his departure the band came to an unceremonious conclusion, never to see the light of day again. Famous last words as it turned out.
Deep Purple released “Perfect Strangers” to worldwide acclaim and followed it with “The House of Blue Light” which did not receive quite the same acclaim (but which I absolutely adore). It surprised no one at the time that the simmering tension that had often abounded between Blackmore and lead vocalist Ian Gillan had continued into this reformation, and that after just two albums it had Gillan quitting once again. The recruitment of Joe Lynn Turner as his replacement then saw the excellent “Slave and Masters” album released, one that almost sounded like a Rainbow album, which given that three-fifths of this iteration of the band had been in Rainbow should not make that a surprise. As the band began preparations for the follow up, there was a huge push from their record company for the band’s 25th anniversary – but they (along with the rest of the band apart from Blackmore) wanted Gillan back in the lead vocals role as a part of this. Despite the tension that still existed, Blackmore insisted and received $250,000 from the record company for this to occur, and Gillan returned for “The Battle Rages On” - the album title not the actual battle... though as it turned out, it was also accurate in the band! The differences between the lead singer and lead guitarist plummeted further, until eventually mid-tour it was Blackmore who pulled the plug and quit, never to return.
Free to now move into a new sphere of his career, Blackmore’s intention was to go out and record a solo album, one where he would be free to create whatever style he desired. Unfortunately, as so many artists who have been in successful bands find out when they are looking to do a solo project, the record company was having none of it. His label BMG more or less insisted that what Blackmore should be doing is recording an album under the name of that other band that he used to be in... what was it... Rainbow? Yeah that was it! How about another Rainbow album! No matter that it had been 12 years since that particular bands last album. Let’s resurrect it and go with that! Despite no doubt being pushed into that decision, Blackmore at least made the decision not to reform that band lineup. Going back to Turner on vocals would have been an interesting step, considering he had just worked with him on a Purple album. Instead, he recruited a whole new band, more or less young gunslingers to team up with the grizzled veteran gun shooter. And as a final statement he made sure that the band took on the name that had originally been the moniker when the band began – Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow. With the new band on board, they went into uncharted territory to come up with the eighth – and final – album of the band’s career, “Stranger in Us All”.

The beautiful opening riff of Ritchie Blackmore’s guitar greets you as you put the album on, stating from the outset that this IS Ritchie Blackmore and his album. It moves into the song proper with his wonderful riff, before we are greeted with the amazing voice of Doogie White for the first time, and it is this combination here that drags you in. This is the first time for most that they would have heard Doogie White, and his entrance is spectacular. “Wolf to the Moon” is the name of the song, and Doogie sends you to the moon with his soaring vocals. But what also hits you is that here, for the first time for a few years at least, is the true Ritchie Blackmore. His guitar is the prominent instrument throughout, not sitting back and letting the organ or vocals or bass have its turn in the spotlight. Here, it is all guitar, all Ritchie. And h seems to be far more comfortable as the leader than just one of five with an equal say. “Wolf to the Moon” is a superb opening track, and is followed by a comforting similarity of days gone by with “Cold Hearted Woman”, which truly channels the last few Rainbow albums in its style and substance. Doogie also channels Joe Lynn Turner here, but this song holds its own here on the album despite any perceived Ghosts of Rainbow Past. “Hunting Human (Insatiable)” has a very different feel about it completely. Indeed, there is a doom feel about the track, that combined with the lyrical prose attached makes it almost creepy to listen to, a song that feels as though it should have a slower tempo with which the guitar is actually propelling, but is being carried by the 2/4 beat of the drums which sticks to a mid-fast tempo. It makes for an interesting track, one that will divide opinion as to its effectiveness.
“Stand and Fight” returns to the stye that Blackmore wrote for the Turner-era albums, picking up the energy and liveliness of the song, and even incorporating the harmonica into the mix. I’m not sure it was necessary or even adds to the track. (Can we mix that out?... No?... okay, just go for it I guess...). “Ariel” is co-written by Blackmore and his soon-to-be wife Candice Night, and the collaboration has similar themes as to where their partnership would take them in the future. It also channels the mystical atmosphere that the early Rainbow albums with Ronnie James Dio headed musically and lyrically. The music here is just fabulous, and Doogie again is amazing, the way he is able to bring in the emotion of the song through his voice is incredible. As the song fades out, you actually feel that there should be more. It’s an interesting glimpse of both the past and the future for Ritchie Blackmore’s music.
Sometimes you wonder just how much trouble Blackmore had in coming up with ideas for this album, and three songs in particular come to mind when you listen to the album. There are of course the final two songs on the album, but there is also “Too Late for Tears”. Now, again, this is a perfectly good song and an enjoyable song. But when you listen to it, you are immediately reminded of another song that comes from the Rainbow catalogue, a song by the name of “Can’t Happen Here”. Why? You may ask. Well, firstly it is the same chords, and the same chord structure as that song. And secondly, even though they are different lyrics, Doogie singing on this song sounds incredibly like Joe Lynn Turner, utilising the same vocal techniques and delivery on this song that Turner did on that original song all those years ago. Coincidence? Perhaps. But surely when they listened back to the finished product, SOMEONE must have noticed the similarities. No matter, it still works. In a creepy, incestuous way.
“Black Masquerade” is a great song, and every time I listen to it, I understand more fully just how influential it, and Blackmore’s music as a whole, is so influential on the power metal genre that was enveloping Europe at the time. Indeed, this song could be seen and heard to be the template for so many of those bands and artists that began to come into the music scene at the time this album was released. And Doogie’s vocals here are a massive part of that. Just a super song and one of the best reasons to come by and check out this album. “Silence” is a completely different kettle of fish, very Blackmore oriented and he gives us his best performance on the album here with some old style Blackmore soloing and riffing. Keys that mirror horns add a contemporary mix to the sound, and Doogie just wails over the top. This is almost just a jam session, it does sound as though they went into the studio and just played to see what would come out. Like I said, the Blackmore of old appears here and it is worth every cent.
The final two tracks are great, but perhaps show just where this project was before it had even been released. “Hall of the Mountain King” is a reworking of the classical piece by Edvard Grieg, one that everyone knows as soon as you hear the most famous piece in the song. Blackmore composed the arrangement for the band, while his soon-to-be wife Candice Night wrote the lyrics for the track. And it works, and it sounds great.
In the long run, it perhaps best sums up this album that by far the best track here is the final one, which is a cover song, and one that should have been better utilised when the band FIRST recorded it. Because the final song is the same one that closed out the band’s debut album 20 years earlier, the cover of The Yardbird's “Still I’m Sad”. On the debut album it had been played as an instrumental despite the band having one of the greatest singers of all time available to be on the track. Here at least the same mistake has not been made, as Doogie White absolutely bosses the vocals here, injecting it with the emotional and power that befits what a brilliant song this is. This version is a ripsnorter, from the quiet guitar doodling from Ritchie to begin the song, right through to its conclusion where he plays it out with another of his wonderful solos. Whether or not at the time they recorded this album they knew it would be the final sign off for the band, it is perhaps the best way for the 20 years of Rainbow to come to its conclusion.

This album passed me by at the time of its release, more from the fact that 1995 was a difficult year in my existence than not wanting to listen to another Rainbow album. In fact, I was quite looking forward to it, but did not actually get around to it until five years after its initial release. By that time of course Blackmore had moved on to his newest love, Renaissance and medieval music, by forming the band Blackmore’s Night with his partner Candice Night, something that held no desire of mine to become involved in. I came across “Stranger in Us All” and gave it a listen, mainly to satisfy myself that I had probably missed nothing in the intervening years since its release. What I discovered was something far more intriguing than I would have thought. There was a bit of everything on the album – I mean, harmonica was present, there was even some horns thrown in at one stage. Another interpretation of Edvard Grieg’s “Hall of the Moutain King”. And another interpretation of The Yardbirds “Still I’m Sad”. The music SOUNDED like it was based in the sound of the 1970’s, but in a more contemporary fashion. And Doogie White – my goodness, the vocals from Doogie on this album are superb. They are simply the starring role on “Stranger in Us All”. Sure, Ritchie will always be Rainbow, but Doogie here makes the album. He is the driving force of the songs.
I must say I was looking forward to dragging this album out again this week. It is like so many other bands, if I am choosing to like to an artist, there are 4-5 albums that I will favour when I don’t really want to think about what I want to listen to, and when it comes to Rainbow that does centre on the first five albums. But my memory always remembers this as a good album, one that I don’t believe I have ever been disappointed by. And I found the same thing this week. It is a very enjoyable album to listen to. I mean, like Black Sabbath’s “Seventh Star”, it isn’t a true Rainbow album. It is a Blackmore solo album, where he has brought in these young guys and they find a connection and they write and perform some very good songs. OK, so the reverting to familiar track for the end of the album might mean they ran out of ideas, or maybe Ritchie just wanted to do another version of those songs for his own method.
Whatever it might have been, this album is a worthy one. Though the legacy of the band still holds true to its eventual demise in 1983, if this is to be truly considered the final album of the band, it is a good one to go out on. Even if it is only for this scintillating version of this song that shows Doogie White at his powering best.

1309. Scorpions / Moment of Glory. 2000. 4/5

Having reached 30 years as a band, and having survived the many tumultuous changes in music that had occurred over that period, there isn’t much that the Scorpions had not been able to see off. Their popularity had been rusted on with a number of popular album releases through the 1980’s that had produced iconic songs that lived in the memory of their fanbase, and was then topped off with the worldwide success of their 1990 album “Crazy World” and the chart topping song “Wind of Change” that had tapped into the public sentiment about the bringing down of the Berlin Wall to end the cold war. It was these moments that had guaranteed Scorpions an undeniable place in their fans hearts forever.
By the end of the 1990’s however, this was beginning to be stretched very thin. 1996’s “Pure Instinct” had overindulged in the power ballad mentality in overwhelming numbers, which had seen their rock oriented fan group beginning to wonder if the horse had bolted. Following on from this had come “Eye II Eye”, which was another radical departure in that it moved towards a pop sound, an interesting choice for the late 1990’s. This album with its massive changes again alienated big portions of the fan base, despite their single “Mysterious” reaching number 26 on the US charts. It marked a decade that the band had been through a number of stylistic changes that markedly diverged from what was generally happening in the popular music scene, and while this may have been an important thing for the band to do, to continue to push themselves to be flexible with their music, it was not to the overall enjoyment of their long term fans.
So what was to come next? While they had not gone down the unplugged route – yet – the band turned their attention to again pushing the boundaries, though by the time they came to do so, those boundaries had already been given a huge shove. The decision was made by the band to try and record a collaboration with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, which was to feature rearranged songs from the Scorpions repertoire, as well as some classical interludes. Initially, English composer Andrew Powell was asked to provide the arrangements, and Michael Kaman was designated to be the lead on the orchestral material. Unfortunately for the band, Kaman left this project early on when the opportunity came to work with another band who were doing a very similar thing in regards to recording with an orchestra. That album that became S&M, was the biggest hit for Metallica in the late 1990s decade and it made them the leaders of the pack when it came to this kind of album. And despite the fact that Scorpions were doing this as a studio project whereas S&M was alive recording, eventually it was seen that they were copying this concept, when in retrospect, they had germinated the idea as early as Metallica had. Finally, they were able to come to terms with Austrian arrange and conductor Christian Kolonovits, and he proved to be the correct collaborator. Recording for the album took place between January and April of 2000, which led to the release of the final product which was titled “Moment of Glory”.

The album opens with the retitled and expanded glory of “Hurricane 2000”, the excellent reimagining of the band’s most famous and popular song “Rock You Like a Hurricane”. This has been particularly well orchestrated and fills it with an even more anthemic vibe than the original song contains. As a way to give the listener the best idea of the concept that the band is trying to look for here, this song does it perfectly. That opening minute that the philharmonic dominates before Schenker’s opening iconic riff comes in is superb, and from here the two combine as one to create an amazing version of this song. This is followed by a new song written especially for this album, “Moment of Glory”, which is an interesting piece as this had to have been composed with the Berliner Philharmonic in mind to add their pieces. It is very much in the expected power ballad variety of Scorpions track, and is one that has been utilised since this album’s release. And yeah... it’s fine. It morphs into the kind of track certain sections of the fan base would have been looking for.
One of the band’s amazing (if not their most amazing) power ballads “Send Me an Angel” is the next to get the treatment, and we are once again treated to an amazing vocal performance by Klaus Meine, alongside the beautiful orchestral arrangement provided as the background. This song sounds completely brilliant whenever it is performed, but this version with the enhanced acoustics it one of the best. Another of the ‘everyone in the world knows this song’... songs... “Wind of Change”, also gets its chance to shine in this environment, and yes, it too has had a makeover that brings to the fore especially Klaus’s vocals once again. But it does sound a little flat following the previous track, because the platitudes and emotion of that track well and truly outstrips that of “Wind of Change”.
“Crossfire” opens with a version of “Midnight in Moscow” which in turn was a version of the Soviet patriotic song “Moscow Nights”, a classically composed instrumental which ties in nicely to the opening of “Crossfire” itself from “Love at First Sting”, played as an instrumental track and beautifully performed. This then moves straight into the so-called “Deadly Sting Suite” which is a combination of two tracks: “He’s a Woman, She’s a Man” from the album “Taken by Force” and “Dynamite” from “Love at First Sting”. Once again here, like the previous track, this is just an instrumental performance of the combined tracks, which showcases the combining of the band alongside the orchestration, and is excellently performed by both sides of this equation. These songs allow the band to show how wonderful the music is that the band writes, and how it merges so well with the Berlin Philharmonic, without a focus on the vocals of Klaus which had dominated the two power ballads.
“Here in My Heart” is a cover of a song written by well known songwriter Diane Warren and originally released by the artist Tiffany. I’m not going to lie to you here – I don’t understand the motivation to do this song on this album. There is a nice duet between Klaus and Lyn Liechty, but apart from that it is filler. “Still Loving You” is yet another of the Scorpions massive power ballads, and it receives the same sort of care and performance as the previously performed power ballads. Then comes the increased energy of “Big City Nights”, one of the band’s best high velocity tracks, and while the backing orchestration is good, this song really doesn’t need it, it isn’t the kind of song that is going to be improved in this situation. It also has a guest vocal performance from Ray Wilson, which again seems completely unnecessary. The album then concludes with “Lady Starlight”, the final ballad on the album, one that fits the purpose of this album but perhaps misses the mark if you are someone like me who was hoping for more hard in the rock.

At the time that this was released, I was still coming to terms with bands that I had grown up with who had played the greatest of heavy metal of my generation... suddenly devolving into other methods to their music. Metallica and Megadeth, both playing acoustic sets in their concerts, was something that... let’s just say it didn’t sit well with me. Listening to them was akin to torture. And it is fair to say that when these albums began to appear with bands utilising symphony and orchestra, I felt zero need to seek them out and listen to them. It was in fact only through the tireless and endless pushing from the kids half my age I was playing cricket with at the time that I relented and listened to Metallica’s “S&M” and found that it probably wasn’t as bad as I feared it would be. The song selection though remained less than exciting. So that by the time this album was released, I felt less aggrieved by being forced to listen to such an album.
So I got the album and put it on. And the opening burst of the band’s most famous track does come across well. Well enough to deserve a few listens on its own aside from the rest of the album as it turns out. And then as you move through the album... yeah, it sounds great. The band always sound terrific and that is no different here. And the orchestra do a great job and generally fill the songs out well.
But just how often is this something that you are going pull off your shelves and listen to? Is this the kind of thing that is going to interest you enough to keep coming back time after time? I mean, to me it is still a gimmick. A clever one yes. A worthy addition, yes. But for the fan, is it something you will have a desire to revisit on a regular basis.
I have had this on again for the last couple of days, and to be fair that’s more than I would really have bothered with if I wasn’t being thorough for this episode. Once, actually, was enough. It is an enjoyable album. It has some very good Scorpions songs, moulded into shape to have them backed by this orchestra. And for anyone out there who enjoys the Scorpions and hasn’t heard this album, then certainly you should find it and listen to it, because everything about it is done wonderfully well. But this is one of those albums that I was very keen to get the script drafted for, so that I could move onto the next albums and review. Because it isn’t an album I have any need to listen to on multiple occasions back to back. It is a great one-off listen to remind you of their skills. And then, back on the shelves, until the next time.

1301. Original Soundtrack / The Blues Brothers. 1980. 4/5.

Living in Australia and not being exposed to the show Saturday Night Live like those on the American continent were, most of us had little idea of the Blues Brothers before the movie hit our shores. And for those of us who were reasonably young when that happened, we didn’t see it until it came on television or on video. But as to the history of how the band came into being, and became something beyond the two-dimensional cell of the TV and movie screens, I knew none of that at the time.
The inspiration for the band came from an early sketch on Saturday Night Live, and the love of blues music of two castmates, Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi. Aykroyd had grown up in Ottowa, Canada, and had been exposed to many of the greats of the blues genre during his youth. One night he even got up and played drums for Muddy Waters when his regular drummer decided to take a break. He also performed on occasions with the Toronto-based Downchild Blues Band, co-founded in 1969 by two brothers, Donnie and Richard "Hock" Walsh, who served as an inspiration for the two Blues Brothers characters. Aykroyd modelled Elwood Blues in part on Donnie Walsh, a harmonica player and guitarist, while Belushi's Jake Blues character was modelled after Hock Walsh, Downchild's lead singer.
During the Saturday Night Live years, Aykroyd rented a blues bar where the cast would go after recordings. Aykroyd filled a jukebox with songs, and Belushi bought an amplifier and they kept some musical instruments there for anyone who wanted to jam. It was at the bar that Aykroyd and Ron Gwynne wrote and developed the story which Aykroyd turned into the draft screenplay for the Blues Brothers movie. It was also at the bar that Aykroyd introduced Belushi to the blues, which became a fascination, and it was not long before the two began singing with local blues bands. Jokingly, SNL band leader Howard Shore suggested that they call themselves "The Blues Brothers".
Eventually both Aykroyd and Belushi started to get serious about the band idea, and with the help of Paul Shaffer who was the leader of the SNL band, they began to look for the right people SNL band members saxophonist "Blue" Lou Marini and trombonist-saxophonist Tom Malone, who had previously played in Blood, Sweat & Tears, were the first. Shaffer's suggested guitarist Steve Cropper and bassist Donald "Duck" Dunn, who had played with Booker T. & the M.G.'s, and who both agreed to come on board. To fulfill Belushi’s desire for a trumpet player and guitarist, they found Alan Rubin and Matt "Guitar" Murphy, who had performed with many blues legends. With the band together, the final touch came for the two leads themselves, who donned hats and sunglasses in the tradition of John Lee Hooker to complete their look. And this was born the Blues Brothers Band – and not too long after, the movie that carried their name, “The Blues Brothers”.

The soundtracks album has a couple of things that are left off that are a very slight disappointment, but not earth shatteringly so. It doesn’t have the version of “Stand by Your Man” that the band does at Bob’s Country Bunker, that brings the crowd there to tears. It is one of the many great moments in the film, and although it is not included on the soundtrack it is perhaps best viewed in the film anyway. There are also some great songs that appear in the background in several scenes, a couple by Sam & Dave when the boys are driving around in the Bluesmobile, and another couple by John Lee Hooker, one of which he appears in the film performing, in the Maxwell Street scene outside the cafe owned by Aretha Franklin’s character. These songs would have rounded out the soundtrack album but in the end, they don’t make it any less of an album.
The other thing is that these versions of the songs were all recorded in the studio, and that means that the ones that were performed live for the movie have less of a feel and energy as those versions in the movie has. For example, the two songs played at the Palace Hotel Ballroom, “Everybody Needs Somebody to Love” and “Sweet Home Chicago”, sound less energetic and less in the moment than the versions in the film. The same goes for “Gimme Some Lovin’”, the song halted at Bob’s Country Bunker when they realise that it isn’t either of the two types of music, ‘country OR western’, or even the “Theme from Rawhide”. These versions are fine, believe me, and if you are listening to this soundtrack you probably won’t care in the slightest about what I’m explaining here, it's just that as a hard core fan of this film, I notice the slight changes here from the versions I know so well from the movie.
Beyond that, there are the other musical moments that made this such a terrific film. “She Caught the Katy”, the song played when Jake is being released from prison and being picked up by Elwood is great, and the Peter Gunn Theme that follows them around from most of the film fits perfectly as well. Ray Charles’s version with the band of “Shake a Tail Feather” was played over Australian radio for some time after the release of the soundtrack and I got to know it well before I’d even seen the film itself. “The Old Landmark” as performed in the church scene with James Brown has its charm, as does Aretha Franklin and her own great hit “Think”, but again it is not as energetic and fabulous as it is in the film itself. On the other hand, Cab Calloway singing his own terrific song “Minnie the Moocher” comes across fabulously here, and the final ensemble of “Jailhouse Rock” finishes off the soundtrack in the same way as the film itself, in a flurry of energy and dance.

What is there to say about this film that hasn’t already been said somewhere else? As with everything in life, there will be those of you out there that either do not like this film at all, or find it is only average. And no doubt will feel the same way about the music that makes this movie so entertaining. As those of you who follow this podcast will know, the blues is not one of the genres of music that I follow. But from the first time I saw this movie, the music that is such a major part of the movie also grabbed me. But what I enjoy most about the soundtrack is the mix of artists. The terrific music that the actual Blues Brothers band produces here for a start. I mean, the bringing together of these wonderful artists to become that band itself. There is only one song on this soundtrack that they are not the backing band to, and that is the James Brown gospel song in the church scene. Every other song has the Blues Brothers Band as the mainstay, and they sound terrific. It is remarkable that such a talented bunch of musicians were brought together to be the backing to two comedians who thought it would be a fun idea to start their own band to play the music they loved. That it would never have happened without their shared love of blues music is a somewhat amazing thing.
So this soundtrack showcases their abilities, along with the very special guests they talked into not only contributing to the soundtrack but also appearing in the movie. Dan Aykroyd apparently demanded that they be able to appear in the film to support the songs that were built around them. The studio wanted more current artists who had had hits around that time in order to help the profile of the movie, but Aykroyd and director John Landis would not budge, and the movie is all the better for it.
And of course, the amazing talents of Aykroyd himself alongside John Belushi. Comedically they were proven performers, but musically could they actually hold this film together? The answer of course is yes, and this soundtrack proves it.
I’ve had the soundtrack going around now for a week, and whenever I do listen to it, all it makes me think about is watching the film all over again. The performances here are terrific, and it covers the very best pieces of the movie. But you can’t see any car chases and pile up listening to a soundtrack.
If I could only choose ten movies to watch for the rest of my life, The Blues Brothers would be one of them. The music is a huge part of that. It is well worth your time checking it out.

1299. Paradise Lost / Draconian Times. 1995. 4/5

The journey taken by Paradise Lost over the first few albums of their development showcased quite the journey, and one that saw them making a mark in European countries that were well versed in the music that the band stylised their own output as, but with little recognition in their own home in the UK. Those earliest albums focused on a death and doom metal style, musically and also within the vocal stylings of vocalist Nick Holmes. Having been signed by Music for Nations, they released their third album “Shades of God”, where the progression away from this began in earnest. The band's musical approach certainly evolved within the structure of this album, with the addition of quieter passages in the song's compositions, the softening of vocalist Nick Holmes's death growl, and Gregor Mackintosh's incorporation of acoustic guitar to his sound. The follow up album to this, “Icon”, continued down the path that had been lain, and further cemented the band’s popularity in Europe.
Coming into what became “Draconian Times”, Paradise Lost found themselves on the very edge of a possible major breakthrough. The release of four albums in four years, though it had been a regular occurrence for bands in the decades of the 1960’s, 70’s and 80’s, had become a lost artform, and by not only achieving this themselves, but in the process having created a pathway for the morphing of their own identity into an evolving sound, they had tapped into a fan base that was looking for exactly what they were producing. This even led to the band – through a photo of lead vocalist Nick Holmes – being splashed over the front cover of Kerrang’s issue 549 on June 10 1995 with the headline “The New Metallica – The Band You Need to Hear”. That is a massive statement, and one that threw an enormous amount of pressure and weight onto the back of the band on the eve of the release of their fifth studio album. The question to be asked was, could Paradise Lost and their new album live up to that kind of hype?

Something that I read out there on the internet I think actually provides an interesting analysis of the evolving nature of Paradise Lost up to this album, about how the themes would have been approached by the band at various stages of their career. And here it is: 5 years earlier, it would have been about anger and inhumanity; 4 years earlier, it would have been about guilt and self-denial; 3 years earlier, about religion and sin; 2 years earlier, about loneliness and judgement. In 1995, it was shadowy and indefinite, the lyrics very open and symbolic, still dark, but in a different way. And although this album became incredibly important in setting a template for the genre extension of gothic metal, of the first five Paradise Lost albums, “Draconian Times” seems to have the least distinct character. That isn’t a criticism, it is just an observation.
Much of this album continues to remind me of artists and influences that may well not have been those of the band, but the music and its style and progression undeniably find these comparisons inevitable. The obvious one that is always spoken of is of Metallica’s black album, in tempo and riffage of the music and the style of vocals used by Nick Holmes here, though I will always hear a muted version of Burton C. Bell and Peter Steele as well. But when I have this on in the background, I absolutely catch snatches of Joy Division and The Smiths and Morrissey, which again has been referenced at points during the band’s career.
Much is made of the evolution of Holmes’s vocals from those first two albums to this album. The growl became less prevalent along the way until we reach this album where it is non-existent. And there is no doubt that, along with the music the band was writing, this created an inference and a belief that this is a more commercial album than the early works, or indeed that that was what the band was aiming for. I’ve never really believed that. Having started out in the late 1980’s where thrash metal was still reigning; and then moving through the early 1990’s where grunge took over the commerciality of the music world, the maturing of Paradise Lost’s sound mirrors other artists in the way they approached their music. Smashing Pumpkins on their outstanding album “Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness” were mixing grunge and alternative with pure heavy metal in places, and the angst of the lyrics and vocals were not following a plan for commercial success. And I think the same stands true for “Draconian Times”. While the path had been set to a degree from “Shades of God” to “Icon” to this album, it doesn’t come across as a deliberate ploy with an endgame in sight.
Why does this album work so well then? Why is it generally considered to be one of the band’s best, and to have been so influential when it comes to this style of metal? The simple answer is – because it is written and performed so well. The tempo of the album is set from very early on. There is no real wriggle room when it comes to that, but what that does is allows you to settle into the album like you would a comfortable chair, just find your comfort spot and let the album do the rest. New drummer Lee Morris has obviously been well versed for exactly what is expected of him on this album, and he does it superbly. Stephen Edmondson on bass guitar settles in alongside Aaron Aedy’s rhythm guitar perfectly, combining to produce the thick heavy undertone of each song that is the defining aspect of the album. Greog Mackintosh’s leads on this album are understated, not as outstandingly prominent as they have been in the past, but the perfunctory way they intersperse the songs is the perfect rejoinder for them. And yes, Nick Holmes’s vocals are masterful, drawing in an emotional aspect that draws the whole album together. There is a natural flow from song to song, something that if it isn’t done well, the songs can begin to feel a bit too samey, like there has been no definition between one to the next. That isn’t the case here, each song has its own individuality, each casting its own monolith over the album.

When it comes to putting together episodes for this podcast, inevitably there will come times when I am strapped for time, or have so many albums that have come up for their anniversary in the times frames I have set as the parameters for this podcast, that I am forced to put aside some albums, and hope that this podcast is still going in five years time so that I can give them the episode they deserve on that next anniversary. And there have also been some rare occasions when I have been personally sequestered by members of the public - who are much appreciated avid listeners and promotors of this podcast - who have asked if I am going to do an episode on a particular album that is coming up for its anniversary. And if my answer has not been to their liking, they then make it a demand. Such is the position that I have been placed in by two much respected listeners about this particular album, when I waffled on whether or not this album would be one of the ones that received an episode or if it would be cut from the list. Part of the problem with either result is that there is every chance that they may well get their wish in having an album receive its episode, as is the case here, but they may also not like what I have to say about it. Which is why I certainly do NOT encourage requests. Anyway, to Kirsty from Perth, and Jeff AKA Doomy – your demands have been met. And I truly appreciate the love both of you have shown for me and my little inconsequential podcast.
I have never been a big listener to Paradise Lost, or other bands in the same sphere such as My Dying Bride and Katatonia. I have albums by them, I listen to them on occasions, I admire much of their work, but they just aren’t on my go to list. But sometimes certain albums or songs grab your ear at the most interesting times, and from there you have an entry point that never seems to go away. And with Paradise Lost it happened to be this particular album, though not on its release, which is perhaps a shame, for during the year of 1995 it would have been a handy addition to my playlist. It was a couple of years later, when we were living in the inner city suburb of Sydney called Erskineville. The music most listened to by my wife Helen and her friend group from work included bands like I’ve already mentioned here today – The Smiths, Morrissey, Smashing Pumpkins, along with P.J. Harvey, The Cure and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. There’s a lot of desolate work there, and one of these friends of ours whose musical tastes took in these bands but also lent to my own music tastes, one day said “Bill, I’ve got an album that will mix with this perfectly, and you’ll like it too”. So one night he introduced us all to Paradise Lost and “Draconian Times”, and while it didn’t become a hit for those others in the group, they were happy to have it on. Occasionally. Maybe not for long, but long enough. And that was my introduction. I got a copy of the album recorded for me on cassette, and it resided in my car until we moved back home to Kiama in 1999, at which point it was lost. It wasn’t until the 2010’s, when I began the long journey back into bands that I had once heard material from and began to catch up on their catalogues that I met up with Paradise Lost again, and this album in particular. And that journey continues to today. This past week I have again delved back into the wonderful moodiness of this album, on one particular evening on my lonesome in a darkened room as this album played twice in succession without interruption, and I found myself entranced once again by the tones of emotion that both calmed and overwhelmed me as I listened. Is this the perfect state to listen to this album? For me I believe that it is. Having the album channel through me without any other distractions still allows me to gain the most from everything this album and band has to offer.
I am loathe to offer a ranking of this album within the Paradise Lost catalogue, firstly because as I have mentioned I am not a massive listener to the band’s albums, and secondly this album was my entry point to the band, and will therefore have an unfair advantage over the others. Best just to say that having listened to this album more than any others over the years, and it still enchants me to this day in a way that not many albums do.

1289. Saxon / Wheels of Steel. 1980. 4/5

Saxon’s so-called ‘overnight success story’ had actually been a process of almost a decade by the time they came to record their sophomore album. The band had originally formed in late 1975, lining up with another band that would become a contemporary of theirs, Iron Maiden. Originally called Son of a Bitch, they had come together through the dissolution of two other bands, S.O.B and Coast. To form a new band, S.O.B’s three remaining members Graham Oliver on guitar, Steve "Dobby" Dawson on bass, and John Walker on drums, joined up with Coast’s members singer and bass player Peter "Biff" Byford, and guitarist Paul Quinn. Byford relinquished the bass guitar and took on the vocalist role solely. Son of a Bitch began moving to a heavier sound and spent the next three years gigging extensively. John Walker eventually moved on and was replaced by Pete Gill. In the process of trying to organise a record deal, the band changed their name to Saxon in order to be less abrasive for record sales and radio airplay, and on the back of supporting established bands such as Motorhead and the Ian Gillan Band, Saxon released their self-titled debut album in May 1979.
The album gave the band music to promote on the road, but there was a nagging doubt about the quality and direction the band was heading. Reviews at the time said that the album was mixed, with differing styles in the songs that gave the impression that the band wasn’t sure of its own musical direction, and that the production of the album was also of a lesser quality than would have been desired. It was released at a time that the music landscape of the UK was changing, with the punk revolution and disco themes quietening after making a major splash for a short period of time. In their wake came new wave and also the slow surge of heavy metal, with bands in leather and denim beginning to find their way into the public spectrum. And for a band like Saxon, who had changed their name to avoid missing out on airplay but had also seen an opportunity to come out hard on their debut album slip away, the remainder of 1979 touring and gigging would have been eye opening for what was growing around them. They would have seen the young bands who were rising in popularity, who were p[cking out the clubs throughout the UK, and the music they were producing. And with this all around them, as the band that had the experience of the past ten years that they had spent getting themselves to this position, and with their contract safe in their hands, they entered the studios in February of 1980 with a mission statement in hand. And that was to produce an album that would not only compete with the material that was coming from these new brash young bands, but to be a leader amongst them. The end result was “Wheels of Steel”.

Whatever demographic the band was aiming for with this album, it pretty much nailed all of them with the opening song to the album “Motorcycle Man”. Remnants of the punk movement? Check. Denim clad rising of heavy metal headbangers? Check. Leather clad motorcyclists? Damn check! It is the perfect opening track for the era, the twin guitar vocal screaming hard core rhythm screams out of the speakers, the solid rhythm buffed up by Biff Byford’s opening vocals. This is bright and breezy, a song that incorporates the best of everything that was being showcased by the rise of the NWOBHM bands of the age. It has the metal guitar and drums that brings out the hand bang, and the added speed that brings the fist pump out as well. A terrific opening to the band’s sophomore album. “Stand Up and Be Counted” tracks in the same vein, and great opening riff to the song carries the momentum from the opening song forward. The twin guitars of Oliver and Quinn are excellent here, playing off the solid rhythmic core of Dawson and Gill while Byford sings anthemically over the top. Another solid track to kick off the album. Then comes the more melodic features of “747 (Strangers on the Night)”, a song that is still regarded by hardcore fans as one of the band’s best achievements. The morphing of the guitars into a melodic rhythm are accentuated by Byford’s excellent vocals throughout. This song shows how much the band had grown in the 12 months since their debut album. Though this differs in style from the opening two tracks, they are still paired together by the tougher riff leading out of the bridge into the melody, and then into the guitar solo section, which leaves no doubt as to the style of music the band is creating here. While the song has its change of mood it doesn’t make a left turn when it comes to style and genre. This is followed by the title track “Wheels of Steel” which mixes double entendres with a simple love of cars song, one designed for listening to while cruising in the car on the highway, fist pumping out of the window. Again, here Saxon has found their marketplace and are driving for it with all pistons pumping... slight pun intended. It closes out what is a superb first half of the album.
Let’s keep heading out down the highway (Judas Priest stylings on standby) with the opening song from side two of the album, “Freeway Mad”. And – if I haven’t mentioned it before – these lyrics are not going to win any awards at any songwriting festival that may have existed in the past or present. This isn’t Shakespeare and it isn’t Stephen King. However, they are fun enough, and the music more than makes up for them. Saxon pour fuel on the fire here again, especially in the solos that highlight and light up the track to its utmost. And who doesn’t like sirens added to a track to make it sound like you are being chased by the law... I mean, it only happens on just about every album released in 1980 on one song... don't believe me? Go back and check out Maiden and Priest and their releases from this year. “Freeway Mad” is a good song, and “See the Light Shining” continues on in the same manner, utilising the same template as has come before it and cannonballing through the second half of the album. I mean, the lyrics are... not nonsensical, but they really aren’t trying too hard to come up with a real story either. The lines “show me the way” and “I can see a light shining, shining down on me” take up three quarters of the song. Repeated almost to ad nauseum. Biff isn’t changing gear of pitch too often either. OK, well while we are at it, let’s just rinse and repeat for “Street Fighting Gang”. Saxon have found their niche and their groove, so there doesn’t seem to be any reason to change it, certainly not in the year and environment they find themselves in musically. The song is as on the same ground as the other tracks here but on a lesser scale, perhaps just through sheer tiredness of bashing that template for another song choice. “Suzie Hold On” acts as the ballad of the album, though really only lyrically not musically. Perhaps hard rock ballad is the best way to describe it, with Biff crooning about wishing her was rich to take away the pain of the protagonist woman he is singing about. Yet musically it holds its form with solid riffing. The album concludes with “Machine Gun”, which fires up the speed again. It also brings forth the war theme, giving the album a well rounded review topically. Jump on that rhythm riff to start the song and drive it all the way to the end, broken up only by the guitar solo stretch in the middle of the track. Hey! It’s not the worst closing track of all time. Indeed, it does the job as has been prescribed by the songs that come before it. It offers that same style and structure that the band nails down from start to finish, and if you are a band beginning to push your way into plain sight, if you have something that works, you hold onto it for dear life.

Saxon is a band that I didn’t really listen to until I reached the early 2000’s, when I reached a point at which I decided to go back and try and find music from all of the NWOBHM bands that I had missed on my way through my discovery of the heavy metal genre. As per usual this was not a deliberate thing, and I of course KNEW of the band themselves, but as none of my friends had any Saxon in their collection either, it just wasn’t something I gravitated towards. Eventually I found an opportunity and a desire to go back and find these bands and their albums, and that was when I first began to listen to Saxon the band. And while I got the first four albums and live album all in one hit, I still worked my way through each of them in a methodical way. So, I wasn’t overly enamoured by the first album, this one was different from the start.
Why? Because it SOUNDED like an album from 1980, and that was pretty much what I was looking for. I wanted to seek out other albums of that time in music history from the UK in particular, that found their mark in the rising force of what was going on. I went in with an open mind, and though I didn’t find that on the self-titled album, this one hit the mark. That opening side of the album is electrifying from an historical point of view. It channels everything that was best about the era of the music and puts it down on vinyl. It is a leap forward from their first album, with songs and music that makes you sit up and take notice. Those four tracks - “Motorcycle Man” (which I had first heard on Lars Ulrich's ‘79 Revisited best of collection of the NWOBHM era), “Stand Up and Be Counted”, “747 (Strangers in the Night)” and “Wheels of Steel” is a terrific opening half of an album, a standard that the second side doesn’t quite match but still has very good moments on it. Even today, it still holds up pretty well.
And that is what I have gotten from the album over the past couple of days, having put it back on a listen for the first time in a few years. It immediately brings energy to the fore, a tempo that catches the ear and makes you think “oh yeah, that’s right. Saxon!” My first listen was at work, and from the first ten seconds I had already been dragged in. Even though I didn’t hear this album until the new century, it immediately takes me back to what that scene must have been like in the UK in 1980 where so many bands were either about to make their mark or were in the process of reaching that point of their career. And for Saxon, this is their first true mark. It’s hard to argue against that. This album went to #5 in the UK album charts, a remarkable achievement given what was happening around them at that time.
Last year as I record this, Saxon released their excellent and underrated latest album “Hell, Fire and Damnation”. It was one I listened to at the time and was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Listening to this album again over the last couple of days, I have had the same kind of reaction. It’s a little surprising because I know the album and know I have enjoyed it in the past, but it was not one that I thought I would enjoy as much as I have on this reflection. Music is a funny and wonderful thing at times. In the case of “Wheels of Steel”, it is a pleasant one as well.

1288. Vixen / Rev It Up. 1990. 4/5

The late 1980’s was a period in music that was just made for a band like Vixen. Hair metal, glam metal, hard rock, whatever you want to call it, this was a style of music that lent itself to being interpreted by an all girl band who looked the part but could also play music. And that is what Vixen was during that period. Indeed, it is hard to believe that lead guitarist and band founder Jan Kuehnemund was 35 years old when the debut album was released, and that she had been in bands for almost 20 years by the time it was released. The band Vixen was first formed in 1980, and went through a rotational doorway of band member changes through the years. By 1987, the band had settled on the four piece that would take their music forward – Kuehnemund on lead guitar, Janet Gardner on rhythm guitar and lead vocals, Share Pederson on bass and Roxy Petrucci on drums. All three of the other girls were almost a decade younger than the vastly more experienced band leader. Thus in 1988, with glam metal at the height of its popularity, Vixen was signed by EMI and recorded their debut album. Coming on board to champion their career, among others, was Richard Marx, who had already had success as a songwriter and whose own singing career was about to take off. Not only did he co-produce the album, but he co-wrote the lead off track and first single from the album “Edge of a Broken Heart”.
Vixen spent the next year touring the world, supporting acts such as Ozzy Osbourne, Scorpions, and Bon Jovi, as well as headlining their own shows. The videos of the singles were on constant rotation on MTV and other music video programs. Their exposure to their primetime audience was significant. All that was required now was to write and record a follow up album that could take full advantage of the place they had arrived at. Whereas the first album had had several producers and guest writers to craft the perfect album to showcase the band, meticulously planned to take advantage of every asset the band had, this time around there was one producer, Randy Nicklaus, and the girls themselves had a much more hands on approach with the writing of the songs. The result was their sophomore album “Rev It Up”, one that could be seen to be the make or break album of the band’s career.

“Rev It Up” operates in the main on two separate writing partnerships – not solely, but in the main the two partnerships orbit the spectrum and are the ones that create the tides that flow through the album. The two songs that buck this trend are the two power ballads, both of which have different writers from the core group. “It Wouldn’t Be Love” is written by Dianne Warren, best known for those other dreadful power ballad tracks “If I Could Turn Back Time” by Cher and “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” by Aerosmith. This song is either one of her throwaway songs that was offered to the band on the back of her reputation, or the band fails to find the kind of energy needed to make this a memorable addition to the album. Coming in as the penultimate track it is the most disappointing offering on this album. It would be far better without it. The other is “Love is a Killer” which was released as the second single from the album. This is written by drummer Roxy Petrucci and Harry Paress. This is a truer power ballad and offers a great insight into Roxy’s writing capabilities. Unlike “It Wouldn’t Be Love”, you can hear the passion exuding from this song, mostly from Janet Gardner’s amazing vocal performance which gives it the gravitas to lift it from an ordinary power ballad into something that at least offers something to hold onto. Jan Kuehnemund’s atypical power solo fits the bill nicely.
One of the two main songwriting partnerships is between Janet Gardner and bass guitarist Share Pedersen, and they contribute five tracks to the album. The opening title track is the first of those, on which Ron Keel also contributes to the writing along with Steve Diamond. It has a solid opening guitar riff, an inbuilt crowd participation bridge and chorus, and nice solo spot from Kuehnemund through the middle section. “Not as Minute Too Soon” is a stock standard hard rock track from the point of view of the girl who is trying to stop making bad decisions in love but of course the hero of the story is making himself appear, and not a minute too soon. Nothing extraordinary here, but one of the solid core of songs an album needs to be a good album. “Hard 16” follows the excellent “Streets in Paradise” and continues with the great energy that track emits. Sure, the lyrics are a familiar story, of the teenage girl leaving home to escape her parents and find a new life, but the song does it justice. The vocals, especially the rise through the last minute of the song from Gardner and Pedersen gives it a deserved great finish. More of the same lyrically follows in “Only a Heartbeat Away”. There aren’t any barriers being broken with the lyrics or musically for that matter, but it is being done n a fun way. Their final contribution is the closing track “Wrecking Ball”, which picks up the pieces of the ballad “It Wouldn’t Be Love” and gives the album the finish that it deserves, a party song that leaves the boy and girl storylines behind and just concentrates on having a great time.
The other writing partnership comes from band leader and lead guitarist Jan Kuehnemund, who has her fingers in the other four songs of the album. The first two are co-written with Jack Conrad and Steve Plunkett, better known for the band Autograph. Both of these songs are the best this album has to offer. The first is the first single from the album, “How Much Love”, a cracking hard rock song made for the times, showcasing all four band members in their best light, with great drumming from Petrucci, perfect rhythm in Gardner’s guitar and Pedersen’s bass and the lead from Kuehnemund herself, not to mention terrific vocals from Janet again with support from her bandmates. The second is “Streets in Paradise”, a rollicking track that picks up the pace of the album and makes all the necessary correction to launch the album once again. You can hear the contributions of Plunkett in both of these songs, but it is the four girls who make these tracks as good as they are. “How Much Love” is a karaoke bar track, “Streets in Paradise” is an arm out the window while driving the car song. "Bad Reputation” is co-written with Janet Gardner and is typical of the tracks they did together on the debut album, bouncy and punchy and with the right amount of attitude to keep the song fun. And finally, “Fallen Hero” is co-written with Petrucci and is driven by her drum beat and Janet’s vocals in a party anthem style that helps flavour this album as the fun time it is to listen to.

I’m sure I must have seen the music videos that proliferated the airwaves from Vixen’s debut album, but I don’t recall them out of hand. At the same time as Lita Ford’s breakthrough self-titled album was creating waves for its style of candy flavoured hard rock and hair metal, Vixen had done the same with their Richard Marx composed “Edge of a Broken Heart”. For me though, I didn’t really discover the band until my fateful first journey to Bali in mid-1991, where I purchased a hundred cassettes for practically nothing of bands I had never thought to check out because the price was too high back home. Here though, I loaded up and brought home a plethora of albums to listen to. And two of those albums were “Vixen” and “Rev It Up”. And when I got around to picking up this album, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I couldn’t even tell you what it was that I enjoyed about it. In the long run, it was just the whole package of the catchy songs and great vocals that were a counterpoint to the much heavier stuff I was listening to at that time that perhaps made the difference. I mean, the music world was changing, and my own listening had narrowed significantly to those heavy metal and thrash metal bands that I loved more than anything else. So finding this album – and quite a few others, which I will get to down the line of this podcast – was actually a circuit breaker, something that gave me music that I could go to on occasions when I didn’t need to listen to those other albums for the thousandth time.
And I won’t lie to you, Vixen have been a guilty pleasure band of mine for those 30-odd years that have passed since that Bali trip. And probably this album in particular. OK, you can toss out “It Wouldn’t Be Love”, it is below the standards of this band and should have been left off the album entirely. But the absolute high calibre of “How Much Love” and “Streets in Paradise”, along with “Rev It Up”, “Love is a Killer”, “Hard 16”, “Bad Reputation” and “Wrecking Ball”, still make this a great listen for me every time I choose to take it out of the CD racks.
When I again brought this out for this episode, I wasn’t sure just how I was going to feel about it, or review it. C’mon, there would be very few people out there who are going to openly admit that they are a huge fan of Vixen’s music. But I am one of those people. And every time I have listened to this album over the past few days, I have been singing along (sometimes far too loud) and air drumming on my work desk. For me, it still hits the right places. If I’m down, it absolutely brings me back into equilibrium. And I know that sometimes I only want half of the tracks here, so I will use the skip button. But when I put it on just because I want an album to listen to, there is no need. Not even for “It Wouldn’t Be Love” ... though that would still be preferable.
Vixen spent the year following the release of this album touring, including headlining their own shows and supporting acts such as KISS and Deep Purple. Unfortunately for them, the music world was in upheaval, and their style of music was facing an eradication on a global scale. While both albums had charted in the US and the UK, the success was not great enough for their record label who was starting to chase the ambulances heading directly for Seattle and the grunge movement, and Vixen were soon dropped and forced to disband. It was not to be the end of their story, but their short rise with their original grouping had come to an end. One might just ask... how much love is it gonna take...

1284. Stiff Little Fingers / Nobody's Heroes. 1980. 4/5

In February 1979 Stiff Little Fingers had released their debut album “Inflammable Material”, an album that had been heavily influenced by the band’s experiences growing up in Belfast during The Troubles. And yet, with only half of the songs that directly referenced that political situation, it showed that the band was not just a punk band that talked about political turmoil, that they could sing about other topics as well, something that immediately allowed them to stand out from the crowd.
On the back of the success they were experiencing, the band decided to move to London, which saw the departure of drummer Brian Faloon and the recruitment in his place of Jim Reilly. They recorded a new single called “Gotta Getaway” and went out and headlined their first ever tour, playing 21 dates around the UK and Ireland. Jim Reilly was quoted in Roland Link’s book “Kicking up a Racket – The Story of Stiff Little Finger 1977-1983" as saying:
"Of all the shows, one of the best, without doubt, was the first time we headlined Belfast's Ulster Hall, on the ‘Gotta Gettaway’ tour. At the height of the Troubles we packed the place and then some, and staring out at that seething mass of young people just enjoying themselves and having a great time to the music, was something that has remained a treasured memory for me all these years. That night I realised we were doing something that none of the politicians were able to do. In that hall, in the midst of a city gripped by sectarian violence, killing and hatred, we brought together the people of our hometown, regardless of religion"
The band entered Olympic Sound Studios in London on January 21, 1980, for ten days of recording time. The album was recorded by what many people consider the classic SLF line-up of Jake Burns (guitar and vocals), Henry Cluney (guitar), Ali McMordie (bass) and new drummer Jim Reilly. It is never easy to follow up a debut album, especially one that has met with a fair amount of success and which the fan base had loved. The album cover was a peculiar barcode-type design, which was supposed to say Stiff Little Fingers if you held it away from you at a certain angle. To this day there are few people who can say that they have actually seen this in evidence. The album was released just five weeks after the recording process had been completed, and was released under the name of “Nobody’s Heroes”.

Prior to the album being released, the band had already brought out two singles, “Gotta Gettaway” and “At the Edge”, both of which were re-recorded for the album. The new version of “Gotta Gettaway” opens up the album, complete with opening guitar and drum beat, before leaving Ali to play the bass riff into the true start of the song, with the other instruments joining in to push the upbeat conglomerate of the song. Track two is “Wait and See”, a song which basically tells the story of the band, and how original drummer Brian Faloon left just at the point where things were taking off for them. Lyrics such as “you’re not good enough to be a dance band, they told us, but we’re not giving up, we’re not giving up, we’re not giving up, we’ll show them!”. Some bands make a career out of dissing former members, but this one is a solid statement about a decision from their former bandmate that didn’t sit well with the other members. Next is the anthemic “Fly the Flag”, which is sung in reference to the era of Thatcherism in the UK, and is more about the masses flying the flag of freedom and justice than political parties flying their flag, with lyrics such as “Gimme a nation where people are free, Free to do and free to be, Free to screw you before you screw me, Gimme gimme gimme gimme gimme”. That era in the UK offered plenty of ammunition for punk bands and their songwriting, and this is another example of that.
The second single “At the Edge” is next, and now the band turns their frustrations and anger not against authority as such but from a young man’s perspective against their parents. It’s a real anthem for the youth of the day, with lyrics like “Think of something that you want to do with your life, Nothing that you like that's not allowed, I've no time to talk about it, All your stupid hopes and dreams, Get your feet back on the ground son, It's exams that count not football teams”. There’s plenty of revolution in the opening track of the album, but this one hits pretty hard. In an interview at the time the album was released, Jake Burns was asked what his parents thought about the song, to which he replied “I don’t know, I don’t think they’ve heard it yet. I’m sure we’ll have a conversation about it at some stage”.
The first side of the album concludes with the title track “Nobody’s Hero”, where Jake and frequent lyric composer George Ogilvie try to exhort the masses to “Get up, get out, be what you are”, to be yourself and live by your own ideals, and not live vicariously through your heroes. It’s a nicely written song, simple in output but against with the anthemic quality to steers this punk band away from the usual suspects.
OK, so the first side of the album is almost flawless, and the band has put together an amazing run of songs that are powerful lyrically and barnstorming in the best traditions of punk musically. And then you hit side two of the album, and you wonder what the bloody hell has happened.
“Bloody Dub” opens the proceedings, and is basically what the title suggests, a dub reggae instrumental. And it is so unnecessary given the amazing things they have done on the first half of the album. I’ve never really understood the fascination that punk has with reggae, and to me it just completely blows up an album when it becomes incorporated in it. After the fist pumping and chest beating of the first side, this halts and destroys all of that momentum that has been built up. Worse yet, the song that they choose to follow it up with is “Doesn’t Make It All Right”, a song which Jake merrily confesses “we stole from The Specials”. The ska revival band were on the same label and had included the song on their debut album “Specials” a few months earlier. Jake, who at the time had had nothing positive to say about The Specials, was quoted about why SLF decided to cover one of their songs. “Hmmm, yes, well it’s not exactly a cover version. It’s more than a bit different to theirs. It was exactly the opposite to admiration. We thought, ‘Jesus that’s a good song, they’ve fucken wasted that’. So we went out and decided to show everyone how it should be done, but because The Specials are everyone’s pet band we suffered for it. But again, I think given time that track will stand up easily enough on its own.” But the problem was, it doesn’t. It is awful and it further allows the second side of the album to sink in the mire. It’s such a shame.
“I Don’t Like You” brings the album back into equilibrium, rising back into the music this band does best, and back to biting lyrics that express exactly what the band wants to say to a certain breeding of people, but all without a swear word in sight. Instead we have “If a thought came into your head, It would die of loneliness, You rate absolute zero, No more and not even less. Look at you Oh, what a state? Next to you Short planks are underweight. You oughta scratch from the human race, You are a waste of a name, A waste of time and a waste of space, You've only one claim to fame, I don't like you”
“No Change” sees guitarist Henry Cluney take on lead vocals, and addresses people’s changing attitudes to the band when they went back to Ireland, which they had left for London as they sought to make it in the music industry. And the album comes to its conclusion on a high note with the excellent “Tin Soldiers”, released as a double A-side single with “Nobody’s Hero”, and remains a popular live set closer to this day. The lyrics talk about a fan who signed up to the army “He joined up for just three years, it seemed a small amount, but they didn’t tell him that the first two didn’t count. At the age of 17 how was he to know, that at the age of 21 he'd still have one to go?”. This is a great song, with Jim Reilly’s drumming, incorporating a marching beat that further emphasises the lyrics, being a highlight.

My introduction to the Stiff Little Fingers was from a mixed tape that was put together for a mate in high school by his older brother who was very much into the punk scene at the time. This tape, full of bands such as the Sex Pistols, the Birthday Party, The Clash, Dead Kennedys and others, was one I first heard at an end of year school camp in 1985, and the song I first heard was the instrumental “Go for It” that came from the album of the same name that followed this one. It was also the song that a group of my friends mimed and ‘air-band’ to at the end of camp Talent Night, to much applause and cheers. From here, the only actual album I got of the band around that time was the live album “Hanx!” that was released after this album. Eventually when I reached university and went on one of my Wednesday arvo saunters to Illawarra Books and Records, I bought the double LP best of called “All the Best”, which suited me for that period of time. Eventually, there came a time when I collected the first four Stiff Little Fingers albums and was able to not only enjoy the songs that I knew but the ones I wasn’t familiar with.
I’ve always been most endeared with the band’s debut album “Inflammable Material”. I’m not really sure of the reason. It probably comes from it being the first of their albums I owned, and that it does have two of their greatest songs that bookend the album. And yet, this album really does have more. Well, let me be clear – the first side of this album is basically superior to anything else that Stiff Little Fingers produced. It has the angst and anger, the anthemic lines and music, the call to arms and the fuck you attitude that the best punk rock has and that the time was breeding. The band has taken on everything they had learned from recording their first album, then moved to London to get wider exposure and then come into this sophomore effort with all metaphoric guns blazing.
There is a far better use of Ali McMordie here on bass guitar, the sound he gets from his instrument and where it lays in the mix on “Nobody’s Heroes” is far better and the band is all the better for it. Jim Reilly’s drumming is excellent, clean and crisp and adds to the flavour of songs like “Tin Soldiers” and “At the Edge” with its succinct rhythm. And the dual guitars of Henry Cluney and Jake Burns are forthright and chugging. And Jakes vocals with their raspy quality here leave you in no doubt of the emotion of the track as he sings it.
The second half of the album is, for the most part, a disappointment though. The first five songs are electrifying, and then the second five, apart from the excellent “Tin Soldiers’ just can’t carry a candle to them. To me, it was a mistake to include a dub reggae track and a cover of what is a ska track. It doesn’t work and really cools off the album after a terrific opening half.
I have thoroughly enjoyed having this album back in the rotation this week. It has brought back lots of great memories, not only of old school days with old friends, the majority of whom I still see often to this day, but of seeing the band live. I feared I would never see them live in concert and finally did for the first time at Soundwave in 2012. Better yet, I’ve seen them on all of their three tours since, and they never fail to deliver.
Ranking the ten Stiff Little Fingers albums is not an easy task, but the top two is not difficult. It is however hard to choose a number one from those two, and on any given day there is every chance it could change. But the lacklustre second half of this album always eventually has me ranking it at #2 behind “Inflammable Material”. And nothing much has changed this week to make me change my mind.
True punk had a small window where it was the king of the world. This album was still in that window, and it thrived as a result. With just a couple of small changes, this album in my mind could have been absolutely legendary. It instead sits in the top echelon of punk albums, a spot reserved for very few.