1349. Halford / Live Insurrection. 2001. 4/5

For a decade, Rob Halford had fought to keep himself relevant in a world that continued to find ways to reinvent itself through the music of the 1990’s decade. Having moved on from Judas Priest when the band was at arguably its highest peak, and all through confusion and misinformation, Halford had meddled with different styles and formats in his own musical direction. As the music of the decade began its formative and chameleonic morphing, so too Rob made his way through projects such as Fight and 2wo, a journey that saw him go through some of his own personal challenges along the way. Eventually he arrived at the dawn of the new century, and with the help of another group of musicians, including the influential Roy Z, he produced an album that brought him back to the fanbase that he had curated from his Judas Priest days with “Resurrection”, an album which you can hear all about on episode 104 of this podcast. It was the album that truly brought him back to international recognition and saw his profile back on the rise once again.
To promote the album, Halford and his band went out on the road on a tour that included Queensryche, both in support to Iron Maiden, who were touring on their reformed line up that included Bruce Dickinson and Adrian Smith on the back of their comeback’ album “Brave New World”. It was a big stage to be a part of, a tour that saw huge numbers flocking to see the return of Iron Maiden, but also the return of Halford. No doubt to continue riding this wave into the shore, the decision was made to record some shows and release them as a live album. As it turned out, they did far more than that. They ended up producing a double album that showcased the majority of the band’s new album, some of Fight’s best material, some great Judas Priest classics and some new studio material that included some old Priest that had never been released. It was an ambitious release, one that befit the newly reinstalled position that Rob Halford found himself in. Was it also firing a shot across the bow of his previous band, who at the time was struggling to stay relevant? Maybe yes, maybe no. All we did know at the time was that, for those of us who did not get to see the tour live, this was our chance to see if Halford could still pull off his material live like he did in the studio. And that was one of the winning factors that came our way with the release of “Live Insurrection”.

Those of you who are familiar with the Judas Priest live album “Unleashed in the East” will be aware that it has had many question marks about it over the years, involving just how much of the album is from an actual live performance and how much was re-edited and re-recorded in the studio. As an album it doesn’t affect just how amazing and influential it has been, but the fact that it is not all completely lifted from a live performance of the band does tend to annoy certain parts of the fandom. And I get that. There is cause to confront similar accusations for part of this live album as well. In particular it can be referred to the track “The One You Love to Hate”, the song on the album “Resurrection” that had Iron Maiden’s newly instituted lead singer Bruce Dickinson as dual lead vocals. The live version that appears on this album is a hybrid, it combines the live version of the song as played by Halford live on a night in London with the soundchecks of both Rob and Bruce earlier in the evening. Sure, it sounds great, but it isn’t organic it is a meshing of two or three different moments, and it makes you wonder – was it necessary? Couldn’t we just have had the version that Rob sang each night WITHOUT Bruce? That is the reality, that’s what we want from a live album. If Bruce had gotten on stage with him to sing it one night – which he did, there are bootlegs out there of him and Geoff Tate doing it – and they’d recorded it, then okay. But I think as fans we would all have been just as happy having Rob sing it himself.
Then there comes four other tracks, all of which are for all intents and purposes studio tracks that have had live crowd sounds added to them to make them sound as if they are being performed live on stage. “Light Comes Out of Black” was a song that was from the ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ movie soundtrack in 1992, on which the music was played by Pantera and had Halford as guest vocalist. “Life in Black” is a song from Rob’s Fight days from the “War of Words” album, and “Hell’s Last Survivor” and “Sad Wings” are the Japanese bonus tracks from the “Resurrection” album. None of these four songs are listed on any set lists from this tour. Indeed, only “Light Comes Out of Black” is listed as ever having been played live by Halford, on the “Crucible” tour in Anaheim on two nights. But that’s it. So again, we are left with the question, why? Why add these songs to this album in this way? Because there are three songs at the end of the double live album which are simply studio tracks, in the same way Kiss did with “Alive II”. “Screaming in the Dark” is a leftover Halford song, while both “Prisoner of Your Eyes” and “Heart of a Lion” are leftover Judas Priest tracks. Are they all good songs? Sure! Do they sound great? Yes! But why put them on this album in this way. Was it necessary to have a double live album? Could it not just have been a single album? Or a live album and a studio bonus? It is all a bit of a mystery.
But hey, let’s try and get out of the negative here and talk about what is great about this live album. Because, overall, it sounds fabulous. And the remainder of the songs come from the variety that was available at that time. Seven of the songs come from the debut album, and all sound wonderful. The opening of “Resurrection” and “Made in Hell” hits just as hard as it does on that album. “Slow Down” is given a great powerful live blast, with Halford adjusting his vocals as necessary to do it justice without blowing out his voice. I have already mentioned “The One You Love to Hate” (which sounds great despite my problems with its addition), while “Saviour” rallies the battle cry that it deserves, and “Silent Screams” offers its wonderful mix of slow moody into metal anthem perfectly in the live setting. “Cyberworld” opens the second disc in scintillating fashion to conclude the new tracks showcased here.
Rob then rejuvenates the very best of his Fight project with three awesome tracks that light up the album – the brilliant “Into the Pit”, “Nailed to the Gun” and the aforementioned “Life in Black”. Then we have the classic Judas Priest songs that Halford and his band have chosen to scatter amongst their set list, and it's a who’s-who of greatness. Let’s tick them off - “Stained Class”, “Jawbreaker”, “Running Wild”, “The Hellion-Electric Eye”, “Riding on the Wind”, “Genocide”, “Beyond the Realms of Death”, “Metal Gods”, “Breaking the Law” and “Tyrant”. Far out, that’s a concert in itself! And Rob and the band perform them with the glory they deserve, and perhaps just another little nudge to his former band to suggest that maybe there was still life in the old dog just yet.

Following Rob Halford after his split with Judas Priest was a given really, probably even more so because Priest themselves didn’t really get going again for seven years after the “Painkiller” album, whereas Rob was out there with Fight and even toured Australia a couple of times with them. When he too climbed aboard the Roy Z bandwagon and released his album with the Halford band, it was a revelation. And something that was welcome. The hope was that he would tour Australia but that was probably wishful thinking all round, but when this live album was released, it was a reasonable substitute.
I realise I have gone down a bit of a rabbit hole with this review, but to me they were pertinent points to bring up. When it comes to this podcast the more information I can offer in an enjoyable way makes for a more interesting episode, which I think this provides. You have the breaking down and hard line review of the album in the preceding sector. And there are parallels between this album and Priest’s live albums of their past. However, much like those Priest live albums, I adore this album. What I know to be real and what I know to be doctored merges for me in a listening experience that continues to bring me nothing but joy. Yeah yeah, those certain songs have their unreality elements about them, but when I just sit down and put this album on my stereo, everything about it sounds wonderfully awesome. And I come back to something that is becoming a more regular response on episodes about albums like this. That no matter what the circumstances, if an album brings you joy, then it doesn’t matter if it has been altered, even slightly. And in this respect, I am not including the recent trend of AI inspired or produced albums, because they aren’t ‘real’, they are based on nothing but computers playing god. Some of the tracks here may not be live as such, with the crowd added in to give it the same atmosphere as the other songs, but the album to sit down and listen to is brilliant. Musicians played their instruments to create this album, even if editing may have enhanced them.
It was an interesting time in metal. Bruce and Adrian had returned to Iron Maiden, and the band was back on top of the world. Many felt at the time, with the success Rob was having, that it was only a matter of time before Judas Priest pulled a similar trick. The fact that it took so much longer to come after 2001 allowed us to have one further chapter in the album trade off between Priest and Halford, the success (or lack thereof) for both perhaps finally bringing the scales back in order. But that is a story for another episode.

1348. Gillan / Future Shock. 1981. 3/5

Ian Gillan’s progression as a musician following his departure from Deep Purple initially took on an interesting and unexpected form, in the appearance of the Ian Gillan Band, which went down the route of progressive jazz-rock, very much a departure from the heavy rock that Deep Purple had existed on. The band released three albums, “Child in Time”, “Clear Air Turbulence” and “Scarabus”, all of which came at the periphery of the punk rock movement in the UK. Though they found some popularity in Japan, their lack of major success anywhere else led their record company to drop them. On the back of this, Gillan decided to dissolve the band. He did however retain the services of keyboardist Colin Towns, and instead decided to create a new band, this time titled simply Gillan.
Picking up John McCoy on bass guitar and Steve Byrd on guitar, the band’s debut album could only find a distributor for Japan, Australia and New Zealand, but the album sold so well in the UK as an import, backed by positive reviews, that a further distributor was found for Europe for the follow up album, which became “Mr Universe”. For this album guitarist Bernie Torme came on board for Byrd, while Gillan’s former band mate in a band called Episode Six, Mick Underwood, came in to play drums. This line up, of Gillan, Towns, Torme, McCoy and Underwood came to be the best-known formation of Gillan.
“Mr Universe” re-recorded several track from the debut album, in order to give them exposure to the European market who may have missed that album, which meant the Australasian market got a slightly different format of this album. The follow up saw the band reach its zenith with the release of “Glory Road” in 1980, and album that not only showcased the best of the individuals in the band, but it also reached #3 on the UK charts. On the strength of this the band toured the US, and despite what was described as a long and difficult tour, they were unable to crack the US charts or draw the kind of reaction that they were back at home in the UK.
Everything was moving quickly for the band. Just five months after the release of “Glory Road”, the band returned to the studio to begin work on their fourth studio album, no doubt hoping to strike while the iron was hot, at least on the home front. The result was the only 8 months after their previous album was released, Gillan came out with a new album that they no doubt hoped would continue their successful rise, one with perhaps a title that foretold of this, by the name of “Future Shock”.

The opening of the title track is a frantic fast paced frenzy, kicking off the album on the front foot. The keys-soaked beginning that gives off a sci-fi effect to the track is hardened up by the great drum and bass guitar rhythm, which allows Bernie Torme to offer his class on the guitar to take control of the track. This is added by Gillan’s amazing vocal, doubled to add some urgency to the style at the end of each verse and into the chorus. The lyrics offer a dystopian tech-obsessed future for all, much as described in the book the album gets its name from by Alvin Toffler. At three minutes it is here and gone before you know it. “Night Ride Out of Phoenix” seems like a song lyrically at least that has its germination during the band’s US tour of the previous year before recording this album. Gillan offers his usual offbeat style of lyrical content here, mixing his descriptive pieces of the landscape with his visions of the wildlife and people taking their journey there. Though there is a blues feel to the track, Towns’ keys and synth keep it well out of that territory, and Torme’s solo is more authentical hard rock. This is followed by what has to be an autobiographical song “(The Ballad of) The Lucitania Express”. It a rollicking hard and fast paced tempo from the outset, perhaps matching the speed and bounce of the train ride being described in the lyrics. John McCoy’s bassline through the song comes through wonderfully well, offering a great context to the guitar and keys of the song. Torme riffs his solo from the hilt, almost gunslinging his way to the end of the song. This barrels along and is one of the highlights of the album.
“No Laughing in Heaven” drops things back a couple of pegs and gives off that blues barroom again in mood, piano keys and blues guitar. It also pushes Ian back to the front vocally and has him completely taking the wheel of where the song is heading, in his finest traditions of being able to tell a story in the middle of a song without skipping a beat. And lyrically it is superb. Ian tells his story over four verses – the man who ignores the warnings of living a bad life and heading to hell, to reforming to ensure he goes to heaven, to arriving in heaven and being arrested for being in the wrong place, to wanting to be having a good time in hell and not being able to get there. It is solidly tongue in cheek, skewering religious hypocrisy with humour, offering a song that is part-sermon, part stand-up routine (think George Carlin). It’s a great fun song performed in a way only Ian Gillan can. This is followed by “Sacre Bleu” with Gillan switching the story around when it comes to girl and boy and the consequential results, with another round of fast bursts of speed throughout the song. The first side of the album then concludes with “New Orleans”, a cover version of the song that was originally recorded by Gary U.S. Bonds. So this is where I question what is going on. This is an early 1960’s song, and this definitely sounds like it. And yeah, the band plays it well, and Gillan just riffs off and obviously loves the track. But I question why the band would have done so much terrific stuff here to this point in time, and then though that this was a good track to throw on here. Especially to complete side one of the album.
“Bite the Bullet” opens the second side, and returns to the rollicking style of most of the album, a tight and riff‑driven gateway. The rhythm section of Underwood and McCoy shines here, pushing the track forward with precision. Gillan’s delivery is sharp and urgent, matching the song’s theme of grit and perseverance. It moves in waves that grow and widen before crashing through the speakers. This is followed by “If I Sing Softly”, the album’s ‘as close as you can get to a ballad’ track. Slower, melodic, introspective. It barely sounds like Gillan singing in the first verses, until he breaks out into the chorus. He showcases that he still has the ability to sing this kind of track. It certainly isn’t “Child in Time”, but it differs from everything else on this album in that it offers the other side to his vocals. It’s fine, but I’ll take the faster songs on this album every day of the week.
“Don’t Want the Truth” - well, I just gave it to you, but in this case I am talking about the title of the next song – is a return to that more fabled style of music, the place where hard rock meets heavy metal with the heavy synth influence. Gillan gets forceful in trying to push away what is coming for him, and is helped along the way by that solid rhythm and Torme’s great guitar solo that is backed by the keys from Towns in a Deep Purple adjacent manner. The album then is brought to its conclusion with the atmospheric stylings of “For Your Dreams”. This acts as an attempt to draw a different mood to the closing track, one that moves through different styles, with Gillan’s vocals holding the key. It feels almost like a curtain call of a stage show. There is a progressive sound here, leaning more on the keys banging away. Perhaps it works, perhaps it doesn’t. I am still very much on the fence as to whether or not I like it or think they may have overstepped the mark.

My history with this album is, as it turns out, very short. I had known of Gillan the band, but had never really listened to them at all. I loved Ian in Deep Purple, and had his solo albums “Naked Thunder” and “Toolbox” from when he had been on exile from Deep Purple from 1989 to 1992. In fact, I had seen him live on the solo tour to promote “Toolbox” in Wollongong at Waves in February 1992 (where he played almost the entire “Toolbox” album, and also “New Orleans” from this album, which I remember to be the worst song of the night) and had even had two beers with Ian after that gig. Now that is a great story, but one for perhaps another episode. So I knew Ian Gillan and his solo albums well, but pretty much nothing of his career between his Deep Purple gigs of 1973-1983. So a little over 12 months ago I decided I should start tracking down those albums and start listening to them. Because, come on, its Ian Gillan. They can’t NOT be good! I initially found a copy of “Glory Road” at that time, and just adored it. And about six months ago, I also found this album, an original print, being sold on eBay for 20 bucks. Thank YOU!
I can therefore confirm that my history and listening numbers of this album does not correspond to the 45 years since this album was released. Trackify tells me I have listened to it 8 times at work over the last week and a half, and I know I have played the album 3 times at home in the Metal Cavern in that time period. Before that, when I bought it, I listened to it another three times. So that is 14 times in my life, all very recently. So as an album as a part of a podcast titled Music from a Lifetime, this one has been listened to less than once for every year of its existence. And to be fair, I could easily have bypassed this album on this run through, and perhaps caught up with it in five years time on its 50th anniversary (assuming this podcast is still running then). But I think this album gets a unique point of view for me, because it really is almost like a new release album. I have had only tens of listens, not hundreds, over a period of years. It is all quite fresh, without the ability for me to have my opinion fester over that time. Perhaps my opinion would change over the next five years – and maybe we’ll find out then. For now though, I like this album. Not as much as “Glory Road”, I think that is special, but for the most part, as you will have heard, this also stands up well.
More change was to come for the band following this album, another very quick follow up album, and then the journey into a new band that no one ever expected Ian Gillan to head down. But for now, Gillan was proving to be a force in the UK music world, and it gave everyone the chance to continue to hear those amazing vocals of Ian Gillan soar.

1347. Tygers of Pan Tang / Spellbound. 1981. 3.5/5

Tygers of Pan Tang is a band that always come up when the conversation turns to talk of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. They were of course one of the bands at the forefront of the movement, a part of the first wave that found their way to prominence. They had supported bands such as Iron Maiden, Scorpions and Budgie on the way to signing their first record contract, from which had come their debut album “Wild Cat” in July of 1980, album of which you can learn all about by listening to episode 112 of this podcast. This helped to raise the band’s profile even further, and along with increased touring saw their name beginning to create a success. It was during this period that they brought in a second guitarist which would help replicate the twin guitars that appeared on the album live on the stage. For this job they were able to recruit former Streetfighter guitarist John Sykes to fill the role. Yes, THAT John Sykes, the one that went on to become so influential during the 1980’s decade. His addition to the band brought on a whole new dimension, and along with his vocals gave the band a true boost to their sound. It was around this time as well that lead singer Jess Cox had a falling out with the rest of the band, and as a result he quit. In his place, the band recruited Persian Risk lead vocalist Jon Deverill. In Sykes and Deverill, the band had hit gold. Both were noted songwriters, and Deverill’s stronger and melodically controlled vocal style gave the band a real leader both in the studio and on stage, while Sykes’s added technical ability on guitar to band leader Robb Weir brought in a player who was already showing off the skills that would see him become one of the decade’s most talked about guitarists, and his serious backing vocals also brought added depth to the band.
The band once again had up and coming producer Chris Tsangarides in the studio to produce their follow up to their debut album, and with “Spellbound”, the Tygers of Pan Tang were looking to move up from their position of promising newcomers in the New Wave of British Heavy Metal bands to becoming one of the leaders. The member recruitments gave them every chance of fulfilling that promise.

Opening with a burst of energy, “Gangland” immediately showcases the band’s evolution from the debut album. The riffing of the guitars is tighter and more melodic than on “Wild Cat”, and Deverill’s vocals add a sense of urgency and style. The chorus is catchy. The jump into the solo section brings John Sykes to the fore for the first time, and it is immediately noticeable what he brings to the band in this respect. The rhythm pushes the track along and Deverill, like Sykes, showcases the improvement that he brings to the band with his presence. From this great start the album moves into “Take It”, which dials back the pace slightly but not the tempo, the rhythm locking into the groove immediately and driving it along. Deverill is sublime in coercing his vocals to meet the demand, moving easily from the range he usually deals in to dive down into an almost Bonnet/Turner vocal groove in the chorus. The trade off in the solo section between Sykes and Weir is perfect and provides the best example of why the twin guitar attack works for this band.
The short, almost superfluously separated 22 seconds of “Minotaur”, which could so easily have just been added as the start of the following track, then segues straight said next track of “Hellbound”, which opens with a cracking guitar riff and kicks off in a fast and aggressive fashion. This song contains everything that is great about the best songs of this era. While the guitars drive the track from the outset, the rhythm of drum beat and the prominent rumbling bass line keeps everything in check and running smoothly, while Deverill shows off the best of his vocals here, taking centre stage and producing the performance that proves he is the right man for this job, of promoting this band in their best light on the biggest stage. “Hellbound” captures the greatest essence of Tygers of Pan Tang – speed, melody and attitude, with more great solo play off between the dual guitars. It’s a ripper.
Just for good measure, depending on which way you look at it, they then turn things and head to the other end of the spectrum with “Mirror”, which acts as the more atmospheric and introspective of the songs here. The first half of the song is more of a quiet interlude, but halfway through Deverill really piles on the full range and power of his vocals while the guitar of Sykes offers a complex yet melodic shift, something he brought to all of his bands through the 1980’s decade. For a song that starts out as though it might head down into the power ballad territory, it ends up coming through as a surprising and importantly mature offering of the Tygers of Pan Tang puzzle. A return to upbeat, melodic metal comes with “Silver and Gold” with a riff that isn’t incredibly unlike that on “Hellbound” but at a lesser pace and a more melodic interpretation. Once again, the rhythm sets the pattern and sticks to the road ahead, offering the guitars the chance to create the drive of the track. Then “Blackjack” follows with its short sharp burst, a traditional type of track of the era but done with the flair and excellence that this band and its current line up could produce. It’s a straightforward hard rocking heavy track, with punchy riffing and great vocals from Deverill. The beauty of this track is that although it might be structurally a basic track, the energy and excellence with which it is performed is what sets it apart from others of this era.
Then comes “The Story So Far”, a song that comes out of nowhere, the style changes up to a more melodic and mainstream track, something that on initial reflections sounds and feels completely out of place. The lyrics too are very basic, and it sounds very much like a track that was written to gain radio airplay. Everything here is simplified from what has come before. It is a little like the sore thumb of the album; it stands out for the wrong reasons. “Tyger Bay” draws us back to a more level footing, the bottom end of drums and bass is back and providing the sure footing. Sykes and Weir complete the feeling of returning to normality with a trade-off of licks and solos, and the album’s standing is restored. “Don’t Stop By” then brings the album to its conclusion with another slight change up to the album’s basic tenants. There is a more melodic exchange between the guitars here and also Deverill’s vocals, both of which draw from a different well musically than they have for the majority of the album. It looks to be a mood changer, one that offers a different perspective from the style that the majority of the album offers. Does it work? Each person’s perspective will be different. For me, it makes the mistake of drifting away from what had worked on the album, the harder and faster styled tracks that gave the album its best sound. To me it weakens the impact that the band had set up along the path of this sophomore release.

My true discovery and dive into this band did not come until well after their initial foray into the music world. There were songs that I had heard during my initial discovery of the heavy metal genre, but that was about it. In those latter days of high school and early days having escaped that institution, I would only truly find and listen to bands if friends or acquaintances also listened to those bands and had albums that they could offer to record for me on cassette. As none of my friend group had any music from Tygers of Pan Tang, they remained a band that I knew the name of, that I was aware of their influence in the early days of the 1980’s decade, but that nothing came from.
It wasn’t until many years later, when I began a quest to go back in time, and discover the bands of that bygone era, and track down their albums, and listen to them all in order to conduct my own research on the music of the time, that I finally got around to seeking out the band’s first four albums. And although I was listening to all of them at the same time, along with albums from other bands such as Angel Witch, Praying Mantis, Venom, Holocaust and Diamond Head, there was still one particular album from Tygers of Pan Tang that stood out immediately. And it was this one, “Spellbound”. And there were two main factors that made this album bounce its impact from the others, and that was the twin guitars and the vocals. The difference that both of these things make from the debut album, and indeed the next two albums as well, is calculated. Not only here is the play off between the two guitarists much brighter and more exciting, the solos and melodic pieces, it is the impact that John Sykes makes immediately on this album that is the winner. Robb Weir’s guitaring on “Wild Cat” is great, but here with Sykes added, it just makes everything better. And John Deverill’s vocals are a step above what Jess Cox offers on that first album. You can understand why and how Deverill’s career has gone the way it did on the first listen to this album.
On listening to this album again this week, nothing has changed for me. I still enjoy this album whenever I put it on, and not without a little surprise still each and every time. As a follow up to their first album it has all the improvements a band needs to double down on their first effort. And I won’t deny that two songs here still do disappoint me, but not to the overall detriment of the album itself.
While “Wild Cat” had reached #18 on the UK charts on its release, “Spellbound” topped out at #33. There had only been a nine months turnaround between the two albums, and there would be only a seven months turnaround to the follow up. Tygers of Pan Tang were in a hurry. Perhaps they knew they were on borrowed time. Whether or not this is true, “Spellbound” remains an album that offers you some of the best that this era had to offer in the metal genre.

1346. Angel Witch / Frontal Assault. 1986. 2.5/5

The journey of Angel Witch through to the release of their third studio album is one that many bands from their era had to tread. In fact, many of the bands of their ilk failed to ever reach the point where they would record a second album, let alone a third. Angel Witch’s self-titled debut album quickly became a cult hit, but this did not translate into mainstream success or big dollars for the band. The band then spent a curly four years winding its way through the potholes and pitfalls of changing band members and line up, management issues and a changing musical landscape before they finally came around to record their second album “Screamin’ n’ Bleedin’”. There is a school of thought that the band was too melodic for the underground and too dark for the mainstream. With heavy metal moving in two major directions, the commercial hair metal route and the brooding and dark thrash metal route, Angel Witch found themselves between a rock and a hard place with their more traditional heavy metal style.
The band’s second album had seen guitarist and founding member Kevin Heybourne continue as the leader of the band, with new members bass guitarist Peter Gordelier and lead vocalist Dave Tattum joining him. The replacing of Heybourne on lead vocals with Tattum had been a polarising decision, with Heybourne deciding to concentrate on his guitaring duties was the best option for the band. Tattum’s vocals after Heybourne’s beloved versions on the debut album made the second album one that met with a little resistance as a result.
Coming into the follow up, drummer Spencer Hollman came in to join this trio. Given that it had been almost five years between the band’s first and second albums, it was more than surprisingly that it took only seven months for the follow up album to appear. It was comprised of completely new material, with none of the songs brought in coming from earlier in the band’s career. Perhaps the quick turnover gave the band some momentum to work with, by bringing more new material out quickly it offered fans something to grab onto, as well as saying “we aren’t going to leave you wondering when our next album is coming out, here it is!” And now, all that had to be determined was this – given the very short turnaround between albums, was the material that the band (in essence Heybourne) had composed strong enough to make this album a better experience than the previous one? All would be revealed as Angel Witch released their third studio album titled “Frontal Assault”.

 
The title track “Frontal Assault” opens up the album. It jumps out of the blocks immediately without any chance to prepare for what is to come. The tempo jumps immediately into a pleasing double time and forceful style. The driving riff from Heybourne and the mostly single toned vocal line from Tattum tend to combine the darker and thematically musical tones of the band’s early work with a slightly brighter and faster pace to bring it into focus for the age the album was recorded. It acts as an excellent way to begin the album and set the focus for what is to come. This is followed by “Dream World” which begins with a great guitar riff before Tattum’s vocals join in quickly once again. The bass line from Peter on this track is excellent and nicely positioned in the mix to give it the added focus it deserves. The addition of Heybourne’s contribution to backing vocals during the chorus draws attention to the two contrasting styles of Angel Witch’s vocalists. It is an interesting decision to combine them both here in this way, given Heybourne’s higher vocal range that brings about the point of difference with Tattum’s very one tonal level throughout. Heybourne’s solo again dominates the track and gives the song the exclamation point it needs. There’s a bit of everything on this song that makes it interesting and fun with the more melodic and brighter sound.
“Rendezvous with the Blade” begins with the best sounding start to the song, inducing a real injection of energy into the music, it bounces along, continuing the desire to combine the sounds like a true Angel Witch song into a desire to bring a modernisation to the album. The strong riff and excellent solo from Heybourne bring the real strengths of the band to light here. Tattum does not over extend his vocal lines and there is a drive from the bass line and drums on the song. There is also a nice melody in the vocals during the atmospheric backing. Heybourne’s guitaring on this track is the defining quality, and offers a true dive back deep into the band’s core sound of its early days. Following this is “Religion (Born Again)”, where Heybourne leads us off again with the start of the track. A great heavy riff and drum beat elicit a bobbing of the head in time to the song. Tattum's vocals are at their best in this environment, not trying to stretch beyond what they are capable of, and in the process creating a great sounding track. Lyrically it plays out with a great solo play from Heybourne. It’s a decent song, delving into topic of the cycle of religious belief and disbelief, combining spitting lyrics with a solid musical backing to close out the first side of the album.
The second side opens up with “Straight from Hell”, where the band returns to a straighter heavy track, a great riff from the outset and Tatton again sticking mostly to his range where he sounds at his best. It’s the basics that are performed well here. You can’t argue with the great riff from Heybourne, the rhythm is doing their job by creating the bottom end of the track, and the vocals are some of the best on the album. It’s a solid punchy style that brings back the heavier aspects of the band’s music. Angel Witch head into their epic song phase with the follow up song “She Don’t Lie”, one that tells the story of a girl messing with black magic and in the process stabbing her lover to death. Well played! There is a much more melodic feel to this song as a result of the story, changing up the music and the subject matter, and creating a song where the two don’t match, but in the process creates a song worthy of what it is. It is an offbeat tragic love story mixed with dark forces, and the way the music is composed to tie in with the lyrical content suits it perfectly. Tattum’s vocals here also suit everything that surrounds him.
Back into the fiery pit we go with "Take to the Wing”, from the outset the tempo increases frantically, a great speed set by the rhythm and guitar. Angel Witch the band are at their very best on tracks like this, where the pace is brought up to the top of their game, and Heybourne’s cracking guitar solo through the middle of the song electrifies it even further. Tattum charges along on this track, taking control vocally and seemingly enjoying the ride he is taking. This breaks the mould in some facets for the band who have not always dealt in fast paced almost thrash like tendencies, but this remains one of the band’s best songs through their catalogue. That may just be because of my preference and penchant for speed in music, but I think they found a winner on this song. Immediately though on the following track “Something Wrong” we are back into the tempo and mood that Angel Witch like to surround itself with, a track with a more introspective mood, with a sense that recalls the band’s earlier work. The pacing is measured, allowing the vocals and guitar phrasing to take centre stage. Thematically, it deals with internal struggle and disillusionment while the guitar solo is one of the album’s more expressive moments, adding depth to the song’s reflective tone. If you would like me to choose between the two styles of which these last two songs have been performed, I will have “Take to the Wing” every time.
The album closes by returning to a more urgent musical and thematic focus with “Undergods”. Drawing on the core music of the debut album once again, this is a compact and intense track, with a driving rhythm and momentum. Heybourne offers even further proof of his ability to create a riff and solo that captures the ears. It gives the album a closing track that befits what has come before it.

For those of you who have an interest in the band Angel Witch, I highly recommend that you check out the podcast Feckin’ Metal Podcast, hosted by the wonderfully entertaining and informative Ferghal. In 2025 he and his guest host the equally entertaining George did a deep dive retrospective of the band over several episodes, discussing the band and all of its releases. In particular, episode 106 concentrated on this particular album, and it is more than worth your while going back and listening to – along with everything else on that podcast. It is one of the best out there.
Some years ago now, once we had come to the years of file sharing, I had set out on a quest in or to track down all of the albums of all of the bands that I had heard about from the years between 1979 and 1982 that made up what has been dubbed as the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. I wanted to not only discover some new bands and music, because those that I had been listening to now for 20 years were getting old and in some cases running out of good music to offer, and I wanted to know more about those groundbreaking years and the bands that were a part of it. One of those main ones was Angel Witch, whose debut album I discovered quickly and enjoyed immensely. That album you can listen to on this podcast on episode 174 if you are interested in its story. I then started tracking down the other albums of the catalogue, which began with the predecessor to this one, “Screamin’ n’ Bleedin’” from 1985, which you can also check out on episode 131 of this podcast. And then came this album.
It is negligible as to how much I listened to this album when I first tracked it down. During this experimentation period I got a LOT of albums I’d not heard before, and so I was trying to fit a lot in t a very short listening space that I had. So I know I listened to it a few times before moving on to the next, and that at that time it hadn’t grabbed me enough to make me want to listen to it more. A few years later though, about ten years ago when I was beginning to ferry around the kids to various after school activities, I would often have an hour or so to kill while waiting for them, and I began to recycle back through those NWoBHM albums, and THIS time, this album caught my ear. And perhaps that was surprising. But there was enough in the music here that reminded me of what I enjoy about Angel Witch, and I spent a happy few weeks of this being my go-to in the car a couple of times a week.
Finding a copy of this album that is anywhere near a price I am willing to pay to buy it has proven elusive, and it is nowhere on streaming services, so my burned CD copy remains my way to listening to the album (though like most things you can find it on YouTube). And having pulled it out again this week, I have enjoyed having it back playing in the Metal Cavern. There will always been a couple of disappointments with this album, at least until the Heybourne pulls his finger out and remasters and rereleases all of the albums from the band, because the first one is the production. Obviously, there was little money in the budget to give this the kind of polish that would really lift it. Because the songwriting overall and instrumentation is very good. The other point is that Kevin Heybourne, having been the lead vocalist on the debut album, had Dave Tattum singing here on the previous album and this album. Now he does offer some vocals on this album in places, but the chance to have both men singing on this album complementing each other is a missed opportunity. Despite this, I still enjoy this album to this day. I think it has some great material, and while the vocals may well be an acquired taste, I still think that once you listen to the album a couple of times and are used to Dave Tattum’s style they are effective enough and pleasant enough to listen to.
Angel Witch went through an interesting phase of their career following this album. Tattum was moved on shortly after the release and tour of this album, and the band played sporadically as a three piece for some time afterwards. It wasn’t until many many years later that a follow up album emerged, something that will hopefully be discussed on a much later episode of this podcast.

1345. Whitesnake / Come an' Get It. 1981. 3.5/5

The road for Whitesnake had been a difficult one since its formation in the dissolution of Deep Purple through the late 1970’s. Coming off the mega success that that band had had, it must have been a difficult thing for band leader David Coverdale to take on. There would have been high hopes that his initial foray into a solo career that then led to the creation of this new band would have quickly been able to siphon off many of the Deep Purple fan base into following this new entity. But the take up was slow, and the build of the integration of the band’s sound and makeup took some hard work. The debut album “Trouble” reached #50 on the UK charts, and its follow up “Lovehunter” made it to #29. Neither album was able to crack the US charts, something that would soon become a goal of Coverdale’s to address.
In May of 1980, the band released their third album, “Ready an’ Willing”, an album that you can discover and hear all about on Episode 64 of this podcast, and it was also an album that saw the lead off single of “Fool for Your Loving” that captured the music listening public’s attention. It reached #13 on the UK singles chart, as well as charting for the first time in the US where it reached #53. The single propelled the success of the album, which reached #6 on the UK charts, and cracked the US top 100 for the first time, reaching #90. It was a breakthrough for the band, which then saw the release of the live album in November 1980 titled “Live... in the Heart of the City”. This was a double LP showcasing two performances separated by two years, and showcased the band’s live sound to a growing audience. It reached #5 on the UK Charts, continuing to promote the band and its identity.
The band now had momentum to pay with, and had actually recorded most of their follow up album in the middle of 1980, with some extra touch ups added during January of 1981. As he had for the band’s two previous albums, Martin Birch came on as producer. The band had the same line up for its second album in a row, with three-fifths of the final Deep Purple line up of Coverdale, Jon Lord and Ian Paice joined by guitaring maestro's in Bernie Marsden and Mickey Moody and legendary bass guitarist Neil Murray. Everything seemed in place to create an album that could build on the progress they had made together as a group, and produce the next step in the band’s legacy. That step perhaps came to be a prophecy, or maybe just a hope, with the album titled “Come an’ Get It”.

“Come an’ Get It” offered a glimpse of the hard working ethic and drive that Whitesnake had during this first phase of their career, given that it was the band’s fourth studio album they had released in a period of 2.5 years, as well as the live album. Five releases in 2.5 years. That is an incredible achievement, backing up a constant touring schedule and writing regime as a result. In this instance, given the rising sales of the band’s releases, it seems like a pertinent move.
One of the things to consider with the band’s sound overall and certainly this album in particular, as it is the one we are concentrating on for this episode, is that it is very different from other music that was being produced in the UK at the time. The punk and disco genres had reached an impasse, the New Wave of British Heavy Metal had exploded but was quickly retreating back into itself, and new wave was the sound that was generating itself into chart success. Whitesnake however continued on their course, a blues rock background driven into a harder core on occasions, attempting to channel those glory days of Deep Purple.
The album opens with the title track “Come an’ Get It”, a solid blues based track that sits straight into the mid tempo that the band made their own during this time, a riff that struts its purpose and the rhythm locking in immediately with Paice’s drums and Murray’s bass line taking the main stage. Coverdale tracks in with his vocals in their best low key attitude, while Lord’s organ sound offers the final warming touches. This is followed by “Hot Stuff” that lifts the tempo and energy from the opener, Paice’s double time drumming driving the song to greater heights and performing the platform along with Murray and Lord that gives this song a bigger attitude throughout. Coverdale’s vocals are more energised and in the picture, while Lord’s classic organ solo brings back great memories of albums past. The guitars of Moody and Marsden almost channel that old Purple sound as well. “Hot Stuff” by name and by nature. This is tracked on by the beautiful moody Whitesnake standard “Don’t Break My Heart Again”, again purposefully started and composed by the drums, bass and organ, before being joined by the guitar riff and eventually Coverdale’s classic vocal lines. Those vocals are at their very finest here, that moody bluesy smooth singing that send shudders down the spine when listening to him in this capacity. The backing from Marsden and Moody through the bridge and chorus brings it all together. The solo through the back half of the track matches the mood of the track perfectly. This was the first single released from the album, reaching #17 in the UK, but most importantly, it is the very mold of the great Whitesnake songs of this era of the band. It doesn’t rise or fall out of the boundaries that has been set for it, no one overstates their place here, and everything just fits together like a snug puzzle. This showcases the best of everyone’s talents in one track.
“Lonely Days, Lonely Nights” remains in the album’s general tempo and mood, channelling the blues rock that this version and period of the band produced so well. Both Marsden and Moody on guitars excel during this song with their flourishes being the mainstay of the track, some great licks and riffs that keep the interest up with the rhythm stuck solidly in the lower tempo the track has been composed in. Side A is closed out by the blues track of the piano variety, with Lord’s organ moved aside for the more traditional piano keyboard style. “Wine, Women an’ Song” eventually develops into a modern sounding blues backed track after the opening, and the duelling guitars in the middle give Marsden and Moody a chance to shine. There is more bar-room rock to this song than blues, but the sewing together of the two traditions here offers a n upbeat conclusion to the first half of the album.
It is Coverdale’s vocals on “Child of Babylon” that proves the winning point of the opener to side two, as the mood and tempo sit back again, and give the lead vocalist the chance to emote into a higher and more passionate range. The bouncier style of the band returns with “Would I Lie to You”, with a slightly (very slightly) faster tempo, and the bright melodic chorus that, to be fair, pretty much just repeats the name of the song. There is nothing outstanding offered here by the band, the song just acts as you hear it, a chance for Coverdale to lather his honey vocals over some simplified lyrics and give a simplified chorus the opportunity to be sung along with by the listener, even if it isn’t the most exciting track available. And, as it turns out, the same could almost be washed, rinsed and repeated with “Girl”, which performs a similar role to “Lonely Days, Lonely Nights” musically, and “Would I Lie to You” lyrically. Again musically, the song gets stuck in sort of a rut, where the band seem to sit in the same tempo and play the same thing for the four minutes of the song. They all sound great, but they are almost all superfluous, they could have played eight bars and then put it on a loop.
“Hit an’ Run” starts off at a faster clip, but soon devolves back into the basic rhythm tempo of the album. There is more punch to this song, a more determined drum beat and guitar riff that pushes it along when it is in danger of stalling. Then comes the final song, “Till the Day I Die”. Opening with the clear and acoustic guitar backed by Lord’s organ, this song soothes along in its quiet demeanour until just after the two minute mark, at which point it crashes into life with the addition of the harder riffing guitars and beating drums, and the mood changes swiftly. Lord is offered another opportunity to produce an organ solo from his salad days in the latter part of the track, as the song plays out with emphasis and fades to complete the album on a dose of energy.

Like many of my generation, my first experience of the Whitesnake phenomenon was with their seminal album “1987”, one that contained all of the glitz and glitter of the enveloping heavy genre that it was aimed at on its release, the commercial exploration that David Coverdale was looking for, and which was exactly the kind of thing I was looking for at the time as well. When it came to all of the Whitesnake albums prior to this, that was more of a journey. It was just a matter of getting down the road to doing it. I went through the Deep Purple discography prior to that, and in doing so discovered each of “Burn, “Stormbringer” and “Come Taste the Band” that are in some ways a forgotten branch of music and yet are so wonderful in their own right, and of course are the forerunner to this band. So when I came to discover the early Whitesnake albums, I wasn’t as underprepared as I could have been when it came to their sound. Well... that’s partly true.
When discovering the band’s early discography, it was inevitably “Slide it in” that I came to first, followed by “Saints and Sinners”. Both are very good albums (in my opinion), and having experienced those two first, when I then came to this album I was better prepared for what it offered. And I guess when I first heard it, having heard the two albums that come after its release, I guess I was expecting something different. Something perhaps a bit more revelationary. And it took me a while to work out why I didn’t think that was the case. Eventually – some years later as it turned out, once I realised that these albums were all composed and released in very quick succession – I came to the conclusion that there were similar focuses on the music hear because they were happy with their direction and their increasing success, so don’t try and muck around with the formula too much. And that’s why I think that there is a slight stall on this album. One that was rectified over those next two albums.
Flash forward to the present day, and my CD goes into the stereo, and although I get similar vibes initially, I find that on closer inspection there is a bit more here than perhaps I have given this album credit for in the past. “Don’t Break My Heart Again” in particular is a song that I enjoyed in the past but didn’t give much more thought to, but over this past little bit I have been indoctrinated as to the beauty and craftsmanship of the track itself and its performance. Beyond that, it has been the performers themselves who I now hear play an enormous part on this album. It is easy to name Paice, Lord and Murray because their work is always sublime and special. But truly, Ian Paice is a master craftsman on the drums. And he is exceptional on this album once again, almost the star as far as I am concerned. How he continues to play so brilliantly every album is beyond me. His combination here, firstly with Jon Lord and his organ, is particularly good – and Lord is offered a couple of nice places to showcase some of his amazing talent – and also with Neil Murray’s bass is sensational. These three create the foundations of the album, that give Bernie Marsden and Mickey Moody the chance to do what they do best. And Coverdale of course is as wonderful as always.
Overall, this is another good solid album from this version and line up of the band. I will once again state for the record that I like this album, I just don’t love it. It is great to listen to, and it has several excellent songs. Here endeth the episode.

1344. Led Zeppelin / Presence. 1976. 3.5/5

On the back of their album “Physical Graffiti”, an album that had been released in 1975 and was reviewed for this podcast on episode 17, Led Zeppelin reached what could be regarded as their zenith on the tour that followed. The album was a huge commercial success, a success that saw their entire back catalogue to that point in time return to the album charts around the world. It also led to a review of the album in Rolling Stone magazine that said that the only bands Led Zeppelin had to complete with for the title of World’s Best Rock Band were the Rolling Stones and The Who. “Physical Graffiti” went to number one in the UK and the US, the band embarked on huge tours of Europe and the US, and finished off with five sold out nights at Earls Court Arena in London, at the time the biggest venue in England. Following this, the band went on a scheduled break, before planning to reconvene for two outdoor gigs in San Francisco in the northern hemisphere autumn.
This all went on hold in August 1975, when Robert Plant and his wife Maureen were involved in a serious car crash on holiday in Greece, where he suffered a broken ankle and his wife required a blood transfusion. With all touring put on hold to enable his recuperation, they went to the Channel Islands for eight weeks before relocating to Malibu in California. During his time in the Channel Islands Plant composed lyrics that pondered his own current position and thinking about the future. In Malibu he was joined initially by Jimmy Page, and the two decided that to fill in time when they were unable to tour that they should put together a new album. Between the two of them they put together enough material to put to John Paul Jones and John Bonham, who then joined them in the studio to rehearse that material into songs.
From here, the band relocated to Munich which the band felt had the best facilities to record in. Plant was still recovering from his injuries and so had to sing during these sessions from a wheelchair. It also meant that Page was left to take care of most of the responsibility of the production at the sessions. The entire recording was completed in just 18 days, mainly due to the fact that the Rolling Stones had the facility booked to begin their new album. The album release itself was delayed by problems with the album sleeve, and there was eventually thoughts from band and critics that the album felt rushed. Despite these thoughts, it didn’t stop the public’s anticipation for the band’s seventh studio album, titled “Presence”.

Coming from the diverse style of song on the band’s previous album, crashing straight into the 10.5 minute epic of “Achilles Last Stand” from the outset here is a strong motive. The almost immediate entry of the rollicking drum beat and Jones’s machine gunning bass guitar sets the tempo from the beginning. Plant’s vocals come out strong, and Page’s guitar is forthright without getting over complicated. His solo pieces, backed by the wonderful rhythm here is magical to the ear. The rolling tempo of the track is where it is at its best. The song features some of John Bonham’s finest drum work, he is perpetually busy in the background of the track, a leading light that continues to barrel onwards even when Page’s guitar strums and is allowed to ring out to its natural next phase. The driving nature of Bonham’s drumming is generally when Led Zeppelin is at its best, and you cannot argue that he is at the top of his form on this song.
“For Your Life” drags back to the basic blues that the band’s roots originate from, with a stop/start bass guitar riff accentuating the slower tempo of the song, and Plant’s vocals doing the same with his very best bluesy croon throughout. Page mentioned in interviews that this song was created very spontaneously in the studio, and perhaps the foundation of the track being what it is does showcase that. This is followed by “Royal Orleans”, the only song here credited to all four members. It is a short sharp burst; under three minutes' worth compared to the 17 minutes that came from the first two tracks on the album. It has a jivy attitude about, almost ‘N’Orleans’ in character, and closes out the first side of the album in an upbeat way.
The opening track of Side 2 is another of these Led Zeppelin re-arranged songs from other artists that they don’t necessarily give proper credit to. Music is full of them of course, but Plant and Page were perhaps somewhat negligent on occasions as to what credit was given in regard to writing and composing on some tracks. “Nobody’s Fault but Mine” is adapted from Blind Willie Johnson’s original from 1927. Heavily adapted mind you. This is a power based electric guitar slinging version of that standard blues slide guitar song. Page had wanted to do his own version of this song and in the process composed a new musical arrangement, while Plant then retained some of the original lyrics while also composing more of his own to suit the modern day and the rearrangement of the music by Page. In essence, it is a different song based on the original, and if you weren’t aware of the history of the track you would never imagine it was an old blues standard from back in the day. Like Led Zeppelin were able to do because of their wonderful musicianship, they manage to make a song that they spent a great deal of time managing its precision to sound as though it is an off the cuff jam session. Brilliantly, one might add. This is followed by “Candy Store Rock”, a song that was not only released as a single in the US (which failed to chart), but also one that Robert Plant in retrospect some time later would say was the ‘saving grave of Presence’. It is an interesting track that mixes vocals and guitar and rhythm, none of which truly seem to match the other. It’s tempo and rhythm seem to be trying to draw from the band’s earliest singles, the ones that drew the fans to the band, but the guitar and vocals are on a different plane entirely. “Hots on for Nowhere” actually feels as though it carries on in the same tempo and rhythm from the previous song, a guitar line that sways dangerously close to that line as well, but Plant’s vocals have been brought back into line singing in a style much more reminiscent of what we are used to. And the closing number, “Tea for One”, reverts back to the slow blues standard style that offers the band its lifeblood, here at its base level. In the same style as “Since I’ve Been Loving You” from “Led Zeppelin III”, the music very much depicts the lyrics of the song, with Plant reminiscing and brooding over his feelings about being separated from his family due to writing and recording. As with the opening track, this is almost ten minutes in length, as it slowly moves along like thick molasses down the inside of a tall glass, in no rush to reach its destination. Lovers of the blues will love this song, with Page’s interspersion on his lead guitar being a highlight.

Despite their tremendous history in the pantheon of rock music, the influence that they have had and, like The Beatles before them, the reasonably short career space with the defining number of albums released, Led Zeppelin has never been one of my favourite artists. I knew who they were, I knew those same half a dozen songs that everyone gets introduced to in their teenage years, but I was never what I would call a fan. None of my friend group really had a crush on them, and neither my parents nor their friend group listened to Zeppelin. So there was no urge or need for me to really jump into their music. It wasn’t until the release of their wonderful greatest hits package in 1990 titled “Remasters” that I really discovered their music, and though that perhaps I should look into their albums more seriously. That became a project that took many years, slowly collecting each album on the basis of where I might see it in a record store at a price that I was willing to pay to indulge in it. With “Presence”, that was some time ago, but I couldn’t tell you where or when. My Led Zeppelin collection is one that I have slowly come by, but not one that commits itself to my memory. And it can be said as a result that a lot of Led Zeppelin all seems to merge into one big melting pot when it comes to listening to their music.
Still, there was always something that stood out for me about this album, certainly compared to those that were released around this. Because those all tended to have some amount of experimentation about them, a varied variety of styles of tracks that incorporated different and exotic musical instruments that created different styled tracks as a result. But what has always struck me about “Presence” is that this is pretty much just the four boys, playing their instrument, and that’s it. Just Bonham on drums, Jones on bass, Page on guitar and Plant on vocals. And the songs are carbon copies of each other, the moods and swings and deep blues pieces all come into it. It is really just the four piece rock band, coming at you. And I really like that.
Listening to the album again this week, this has struck me most all over again. There are no keys, or the very barest amount. Plant plays harmonica where needed (something that does sound great in “Nobody’s Fault but Mine”, where Page then mimics it on his guitar). I really enjoy how the band is back to just the four and their instruments. I love Bonham’s drumming on this album, and while John Paul Jones might be a little minimised on this album I still think he combines beautifully with what is written. And Page and Plant are at their best, offering the best moments that they usually combine to do.
For me it is interesting that this is apparently the band’s lowest selling album. Does that relate to the time that it was recorded and released? Were the fans, or the casual fans, LOOKING for that diversification of the music that the band had begun to drive toward? Did they WANT the acoustic rock or the differing instrumentation that had come before this album and would again after it? Listening to this album in isolation once again this week, I find all of the strengths that this foursome possessed, and for me in their best environment. Sure it isn’t as groundbreaking as earlier albums had offered, but for me it is a refreshing return to the band they once were. As I’ve admitted Led Zeppelin isn’t one of the bands I follow with fervour. But this was and still is a terrific album.

1343. Thin Lizzy / Jailbreak. 1976. 4/5

At times when you look back on the history of Thin Lizzy, it is hard to believe that they initially came together in the very latter stages of 1969, with the first announcement of a band by this name coming in February 1970. The main trio of bass and lead vocals from Phil Lynott, guitar from Eric Bell and drums from Brian Downey had stuck together until 1974, at which point Bell left citing ‘ill health caused by the band’s lifestyle’. Now there is a metaphor I would like to have used sometime in the past. After a brief flirtation (again) with Gary Moore as his replacement, Lynott and Downey recruited two guitarists to join the band, Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson. This quartet became the ebst known and arguably most successful line up of the band, storming through the mid-to-late 1970’s with a vigour that revitalised the band. They released their first album together “Nightlife” in 1974, and a follow up “Fighting” in 1975. While “Nightlife” was an album where the new formation was still coming to terms with what they were supposed to do when it came to writing and performing with two guitarists, “Fighting” saw this come together is a much better package, with the composing and performance of the songs on that album feeling more comfortable and intuitive. And yet, despite this, the critics were not favourable to either album. More importantly to their record label, the albums didn’t sell either, and Vertigo Records more or less gave the band an ultimatum as they moved into the final month of 1975 – give us an album that will sell, and be popular with the masses, or your contract won’t be renewed. Tough times at the Thin Lizzy ranch, one would suspect.
With Lynott leading the writing, being involved as a composer on every track of the album, there was more input coming from the other three members of the band, each being a co-composer on one track each with Lynott, and the closing track “Emerald” being credited to all four members. It offered a more rounded feeling to the album as a result. Though, even here, not everyone was happy in retrospect. Though Lynott was happy with the choice of John Alcock as producer for the album, both Gorham and Robertson ended up being less than impressed. Both felt that the speed that the album was completed at adversely affected its quality, and that they were unable to explore their own styles on their guitar parts due to the rigidity of the recording process, and that neither was overly happy with their guitar sounds on the finished product.
Despite this, the band moved forward and released the album and single that are arguably the ones that Thin Lizzy is most remembered for, the hard rocking moments of “Jailbreak”.

Aside from the album’s two big hits, the ones that open each side of the album, there is a lot to like about the songs on “Jailbreak”. It offers a diverse range of style of songs that all add to the flavour of the opus, offering each member of the band the opportunity to showcase their wares (though obviously Gorham and Robertson don’t necessarily agree with that). “Angel from the Coast”, which follows the opening title track, is Brian Robertson’s co-write on the album, and it does incorporate the driving guitar riff as the main attraction which is masterfully filled with the deep bass sound to mirror it, giving the song the musical depth it needs. It is a brisk and breezy track dictated through the verses, and the combination of guitars in the middle of the track from Gorham and Robertson is fantastic. It flows along in a constant motion that follows up the opening excellently. This is followed by “Running Back”, with added keys and a very soul filled melody that gives it a unique sound on the album. Robertson was particularly infuriated by what was done with this track, where Lynott and Alcock brought in session musician Tim Hinkley to add more commercial elements to some tracks to produce a hit single. Those elements are very highly noticeable on this track. The original version of the song was in a blues format, with his own additions on guitar and piano, but they were scrubbed. Robertson later said that he was offended at the changes, and quoted: “I couldn't understand why they'd pay this guy a fortune just for playing what he did. Listen to it and tell me it's not bollocks.”. He refused to play on the completed version of the song, and while Lynott himself really liked the song, suggesting it was influenced by Van Morrison, Hinkley was later quoted as saying: “Robbo and Scott were not keen on it at all, but they were overruled”. Initially considered as the possible first single to be released off the album, saner heads prevailed. It does appear out of place here.
“Romeo and the Lonely Girl” follows with a similar composition though devoid of the additional features. It moves in its melodic form, again motivated by the fast strumming clear based guitar riff through the tempo of the song, that meld into twin guitar harmonies through the middle of the track. Downey’s drumming on this track is deceptively superb, often going unnoticed but easily tracks the fast paced rhythm required without taking away from the other three members and their pieces. This was apparently another song considered for single release, though Gorham was quoted afterwards as saying “nobody was overexcited about it”, perhaps due to the feeling that it does feel as though it overstays its welcome, a tricky thing for a song that is under four minutes in length.
The closing track on Side A is “Warriors”, the song co-written by the other guitarist in Scott Gorham. The difference in style comes through immediately. This SOUNDS like a guitar players song. A harder guitar riff (slightly reminiscent it must be said of ‘Massacre’) and tougher vocal from Lynott combine to get the head and feet moving again. Downey’s drumming picks up again; his kit being hit harder and driving the song forward. He leads the rhythm with Lynott to plant the base of the song early on, and leaves Gorham and Robertson to charge through with rhythm riff and duelled solos that bring the back half of the song to life, along with Downey’s superb drum rolls to complement it all. It’s a great way to close out the first half of the album, the bookended tracks here doing their job.
After the opening monster of the B side, we have “Fight or Fall”, a song that breaks that momentum and drags everything back to the reflective, slow tempo pace, giving Lynott the opportunity to fall back to his dulcet tones that he is wonderfully brilliant at highlighting in his vocals. It pulls on all of its mid-1970's imagery and musical disposition, bring a soul element back to the album that survives here without the addition of other instrumenst as was utilised on the failed single hope of “Running Back”. “Cowboy Song”, with help from Brian Downey as co-composer, does offer similar features to “Romeo” from Side A of the album, even to the point that the lyric here of “Roll me over” almost sounds like Lynott is again saying “Oh sweet Romeo” from that track. Here though, both Scott and Robbo are giving their head when it comes to their solo spots and harmony between them as well. It lifts this song above the average, and really showcases that when this foursome come together in a real hard rock scenario, utilising their talents to create the true hard rock tones of songs, that they are one of the best examples of this from this time period. The album then closes with “Emerald”, a great hard rock infusing of their Irish Celtic rock tones and the best of their hard rock entreaties. The verses and the music underneath them are some of the best of the album, with driving riffs and drum beat throughout. This song actually highlights everything great about this band, and certainly this line up of the band. As the closing number, it does complete the deliberation that this foursome, by the completion of their third album together, has unlocked what makes them Thin Lizzy, and what draws the best out of themselves and as a band.
There is, of course, the little matter of discussing the band’s two biggest and well known tracks, and having left this until the end of this review perhaps makes it seem that I am doing so deliberately so that I can fawn over their greatness and brilliance. But in truth, it was to be able to highlight the rest of the album, rather than make them the major part of this album review. Because you all KNOW “Jailbreak” and “The Boys Are Back in Town”. I shouldn’t HAVE to tell you all about them, and their place in the Thin Lizzy pantheon. Rather than rave about them, I wanted to show that this album isn’t just about those two tracks, there is more hear to discover.
And if you DON’T know those two songs... what the hell have you been doing with your life?

Thin Lizzy came to me, inevitably, through the song that propelled this album’s sales and became the band’s most recognisable song. Years of hearing it turn up on radio stations all over, whether they be the local Wollongong pop-based stations or Sydney rock-based stations, brought me a love of the track. Furthering my eventual desire to track down the band came from my exposure to Gary Moore, as his friendship and camaraderie with Phil Lynott brought us the tracks “Parisienne Walkways” and “Out in the Fields”. There were other tendrils that came to me that drew me to the band itself, but these were my strongest lures. Despite this, the closest I got to buying or hearing a Thin Lizzy studio album came from my purchase of the “Lizzy Killers” CD in 1991, which was a greatest hits compilation. It wasn’t until 2000, while watching a comedy movie that had nothing to do with Thin Lizzy, that I was finally motivated to move to getting this particular album. It was “Detroit Rock City”, a movie that talks about four kids trying to get o see a Kiss concert that night. It’s a fun film if you haven’t already seen it. But what tipped me to this album was the insertion of the song “Jailbreak” into a scene from the movie, and I thought to myself ‘wow, I’d forgotten how good that song is! I really should track it down!’ And, as it turns out, “Jailbreak” also had the one song everyone knows from the band on it, so that was a noteworthy element of finally finding the album.
OK. No doubt you have already guessed that not all of the album is awesome for me. I could pretty much side with Scott and Robbo on thoughts in regard to parts of the album. “Running Back” doesn’t work for me at all. “Fight or Fall” doesn’t work for me either. Those tracks are so far away from the rest of the album in particular, but also my own enjoyment of music, that it makes it a difficult sell. As it turns out, this is a typical thought process when it comes to almost every Thin Lizzy album for me. There are pretty much always two songs that don’t work for me on a song-by-song basis. And that does not stop me from listening to the album from pillar to post, but it becomes more obvious in this setting. On “jailbreak” in this instance, for this review, by going through track by track and describing the songs and my loves – or not - of them, these differences in opinion will come to the surface. And I say that especially here. Because I have had this album out again this week, playing it well over a dozen times, and I have enjoyed it as much as I always have. Those two songs that I mentioned as being ‘less good’ here do come up and are noticed, but as a part of the album as a whole as I am listening to it, they blend in and don’t raise any problems for me. Only when turning on the blowtorch to crack open each track individually do you get the responses I have offered.
So yes. I still love this album. I love this line up of the band. The guitars of Gorham and Robertson here are superb, they fit together so nicely. Downey’s drumming is fabulous again. And the smooth amazing vocals of Phil Lynott along with his incredible sounding bass guitaring tops off the whole experience. Is it their best album? Honestly, I don’t think it matters if you believe it is or not. There are several that could fight for that award. What matters is that, for me at least, this is where the band found their magic, and brought together a number of tracks that must be considered as their very best. Led by this one.

1342. Split Enz / Corroboree. 1981. 4/5

It would have literally been impossible to grow up in Australia and New Zealand in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s and not know who Split Enz was or know the tracks that were plastered all over the radio. It had been a slow burn in regards to the band’s popularity, building through several line up changes and eventually to the band’s fourth album in 1979 titled “Frenzy”, one that saw the band begin to move away from the band's early progressive/art rock style, towards high-energy, guitar-based power pop that they became known for, especially on the back of the single “I See Red”. This led into their next album “True Colours”, released in January of 1980. It was here that Neil Finn, younger brother of band found Tim Finn, who had come into the band in 1977, began to become more creatively involved in the writing for the album, contributing three songs including the hit single from the album “I Got You”. This, along with tracks such as “Shark Attack”, “I Hope I Never”, “Missing Person” and “Poor Boy”, brought the band’s biggest success to that point in time, with the album reaching number one on both the New Zealand and Australian charts, 38 in the UK and 40 in the US.
Looking to follow up on this success, the band began to collaborate on songs for their next album. Though Tim Finn was still the band’s major writer, penning five of the ten tracks on the new album, Neil again contributed four and keyboardist Eddie Rayner the two instrumental tracks of the album. It helped to give the album a more rounded sound and one where all of the best elements of the band were utilised.
The band’s original concept for the title of the album was give it a native name for each country it was released. Called “Waiata” in New Zealand, which a Maori term for song and singing, their idea was to have the album in each country of its release relate to a native name of that country that corresponded to song and singing. For what we can only assume are obvious reasons, the record label did not go through with this idea, and the name was retained as the title for all countries – except one, where in Australia it was named after the first nations people’s word for song and singing, that word being “Corroboree”.

The album moves off on a sure footing with Tim’s “Hard Act to Follow”, a brisk and punchy song with Tim’s vocal driving the song onwards and upwards. The bass line and keys provide the major basis of the track giving it a softer tone as a result with the guitar sitting in the background. Lyrically the song can be read in general terms though it certainly feels as though the subject may have come up when it came to trying to create an album that would be the equal of their previous effort “True Colours” which had performed so well. This is followed by Neil’s first composition on the album, “One Step Ahead”, the first single released from the album and also the song that proved the band had nothing to worry about when it came to following their previous album. Neil’s sweeter vocal fits beautifully in the softer music he composed for the song. The bittersweet melody and the emotional hesitation of the lyrics create what has become one of the band’s best known and most beloved tracks. And then the album moves into “I Don’t Wanna Dance”, a song that again picks up the pace to move out of that style, and Tim’s in his head-wobbling lyrical kind of frenzy that mimics the style of Split Enz song he produces so easily and comfortably. He sings in melancholy about the loss of his girl, and of not wanting or being able to dance without her. You can read deeper here to take more meaning from the song, but musically it offers up a wonderfully emotional aspect while still creating a song that is trying to get you to move around despite itself. This is one of the album’s best songs and one of the bands most underrated gems. The opening three songs on the album combine together beautifully in every aspect.
“Iris” is another quieter Neil Finn new wave ballad state of affairs, and is followed by “Wail” which is Eddie Raynor’s first instrumental of the album, combining the sounds of the band’s past with a modern new wave polish. The band’s art-rock roots all seem to get a chance to re-establish themselves herein Raynor’s piece, with lots of layered keys combining with a solid bass line and the interjection of guitar. The first side then closes out with Tim’s “Clumsy”, another of his songs that channel the style that made Split Enz stand out from the crowd. Its quirky nature brings back the memories of the band’s best eccentricity. Musically it touches the heights of mania, each instrument pushing tiself beyond the normal to incorporate a touch of zaniness about it, and in doing so creates a sound that is quintessentially Splitz Enz.
“History Never Repeats”, the third of Neil’s songs, opens up the second side of the album, and the brightness and energetic shine of the music and his vocals make this such an easy listen, and
“Walking Through the Ruins” has a touch of The Police about it, in the way it moves from a moody introspection to a faster and more frenzied approach, including the Stewart Coupland like drums from Malcolm Green, the bass line from Nigel Griggs and guitar from Neil Finn. It offsets against the previous track by moving through those different corridors, all motivated by Tim’s vocals that express the undertones of the lyrics. In some ways it might be tied to the era but overall it offers a great impass to the style of the album.
“Ships” is Neil’s final track of the album, one that shares a more melodic sound and offers a swaying motion that mimics the title of the track. The dual vocal of the Finn brothers comes together here beautifully to give the nautically themed song a vision that is matched by the vocals. “Ghost Girl” moves along in an eerie atmosphere, one motioned by wailing guitar set in the background to the keys and synth of Eddie Rayner. Tim’s vocals soar and wail as he rides the waves of the music presented, and produces another song here much like the previous track that does amazingly offer up a musical piece that has you imagining the images that the lyrics are offering. The album then concludes with the second Rayner composed instrumental “Albert of India” that completes another beautifully toned album from the band. The album moves comfortably along in the new wave era that had come with the commencement of the 1980’s decade, with the Finn brothers in particular taking on the movement and infusing it deep into their music on this album. The immediately noticeable tracks are the ones that appear to have been composed for a commercial setting, and they do so without affecting the quality or the output of the remainder of the album.

Growing up in Australia, Split Enz was a band that you would hear on the radio on occasions, depending on if a song had been recently released. More appropriately, they were a band that you saw on the ABCTV music program Countdown on a Sunday night, dressed up and regaled in their outstandingly garish outfits and make up, jumping around the stage and miming with intense energy and fun whatever song they were currently promoting. And that’s who they were, a fun and energetic band whose performances and songs were infectious. And in Australia and their native New Zealand, they were as popular as any other band going around.
I had copies of this album and “True Colours” and at least one other that I can’t remember now through the mists of time, and once the band broke up and the plethora of greatest hits albums came out, I definitely had that. Still do, as it turns out. The albums didn’t always all agree with me, but I still enjoyed them.
In recent times I have made an effort to try and restock my Split Enz collection on vinyl when I attend the various record fairs that now pop up around the place. This album was one of those, about a year ago, and when I first listeneed to it again I was mesmerised. There is so much on this album that identifies with the era of music when it was released. The new wave scene of our part of the world still drew on the same influences as the UK and US, and some of those sounds are definitely still here. In particular, as I mentioned here, The Police and their sound is certainly prevalent in places. But more than anything else, it is the Split Enz sound that still comes though in many places that pricked up my ears. It isn’t there on every song. Indeed, it mostly comes from the Tim Finn composed and sung songs than those of Neil Finn. Neil is already at this point in time showcasing his own style, one that he would fully develop in the band he formed after the conclusion of this band. But the combination of the two is what gives this album a terrific sound, melding between one Finn to the other, and able to do so without compromising the sound and style of the band or this album.
Over many listens again this week, I still find everything I love about this band covered here. The upbeat and positive fun tones that often cover the underlying mood of the lyrics. And then vice versa, the moodiness of the music that belies the positive lyrics. They were an incredible band, the New Zealand band (one of many really) that Australians called their own. This still stands as one of their finest albums in a loaded catalogue. And 45 years on it still has that freshness and vitality that make it worth listening to still.

1341. Kiss / Unplugged. 1996. 3/5

One of the more remarkable music stories of the early to mid-1990's, with the changes that occurred in popular music during that period, was that Kiss was still a going concern as a band in the limelight. Much of this could be drawn from their 1992 release “Revenge”, which took on a distinctly harder edge to the music, offering a sound that could mix with the direction some music genres were heading. It didn’t deviate from the Kiss template lyric-wise (something that makes it a little cringey in places in the modern day) but musically it was able to hold its own where other bands from the 80’s were struggling to find their place in the new decade. They followed this with their third live album, inevitably titled “Alive III” that covered the band on that tour, and showed they still had enough in the tank to continue their career on their own terms.
In 1995, the band released its 440-page book ‘Kisstory’, and then embarked on a Worldwide Kiss Convention tour, all day events that included massive Kiss memorabilia displays of outfits and instruments, performances by Kiss cover bands, a Q&A with the band, and a live acoustic set played by the band, which often included fan requests on the day. The whole convention tour was a smash hit with fans, and the first event even included an appearance and performance with Peter Criss, the band’s original drummer, and the first time he had performed with the band in 16 years.
Later in 1995 – August 9 to be precise – Kiss joined the list of artists who had appeared on MTV’s iconic program ‘Unplugged’, probably a given as they had been playing acoustic sets during their convention run. The surprise point of the evening however came when for the final four songs, former members Peter Criss AND Ace Frehley appeared on stage to play, marking the reunion of the original four for the first time in 16 years. According to Peter Criss, it was the success of his appearance at that first convention that brought about the idea of inviting the two former members to appear at the performance.
While this aired on MTV, it was not released as an album until seven months after the initial performance, and by that time the wheels had been slowly in motion as to where the band was heading in its immediate future. And all of this made the release of the “MTV Unplugged” album something that created a bigger splash than you would normally have expected to occur.

Here’s the thing about the MTV Unplugged show itself, along with the performances that it brought and the releases that followed it. For me, there is not a lot of relevance to it all. For a start, it’s a bit rich calling it unplugged if the guitars are still all miked up and playing through amps, in order to be able to be broadcast to the audience and recorded. Kurt Cobain famously ensured his was running through his amp to get the sound he wanted for his guitar. MTV Acoustic might have been a better title, but that also isn’t necessarily accurate either.
When this came out, I really thought that it was a stitch up, or at the very least, the next money-making idea for the band that has made a business out of doing so. And in retrospect I have had to retract that, because at the time I was unaware that they had been playing acoustic sets at their conventions, and thus this was an obvious next step.
The album contains a setlist that covers most of the eras of the band, and many songs that don’t always get a chance to shine in the live setting. All three of the opening tracks fall into this category. “Comin’ Home” is given great life, in the main from the guitaring of Bruce Kulick and the vocals of Paul Stanley, which at least draws you in to experience what else they have to offer. Gene’s “Plaster Caster” is always a great up tempo track which sounds surprisingly good here, and is then followed by “Goin’ Blind”, the Wicked Lester song that was transformed into the Kiss ballad. And if you are going to play a song like this, I guess it may as well be in an unplugged setting.
My favourite part of the album follows, starting off with “Do You Love Me?”, a great song in any setting, but it does sound particularly good on this version. Paul always manages to make songs sound good, and his attitude here is as always, the winner. Then comes a great version of “Domino” from the then current release of “Revenge”, one where Gene carries the track with his vocal. And completing this excellent trio of songs is the classic “Sure Know Something” that never fails to delight.
The third section of the album again is replete with songs that don’t often see the light of day, and while this makes this album unique and offers you a point of difference when it comes to what you hear when you buy the album, various tastes of the music may collate in a different fashion. “A World Without Heroes” from “Music from The Elder” kicks it off, and again I would stress that if you are going to compose and release a song like this, then perhaps the unplugged environment is the best option to do so. The same could be echoed for the opening passage of “Rock Bottom”, though once the song jumps into gear we get a more energetic performance from the band. Perhaps the most surprising song here is “See You Tonite” which is from Gene’s 1978 solo album, not because of the style because it makes complete sense to be found in this format, but because it was from the solo pickup era of 1978. More surprising is the epic hard focus of “I Still Love You”, one that I would NOT have expected to be here. It’s a little funny to hear the overplayed drums from Eric Singer that should be the booming belligerence of the track, here in a muffled undertone so as not to damage the situation. And rounding out this section of songs is “Every Time I Look at You”, which still sounds so much like a Def Leppard song that it is hard to disassociate itself from that sound and image. There are even ‘unplugged’ keys utilised. Except they aren’t unplugged. Ah, what a time to be alive.
The final four songs are where Ace and Peter come out to play, initially as just a four piece with Bruce and Eric relinquishing their spot and allowing the other two to move in. It allows Ace to sing “2000 Man” as his contribution, and Peter of course to sing “Beth”. Bruce and Eric then return, marking the only time ever that all six appeared on stage together, and completed the evening with “Nothin’ to Lose” which both Peter and Eric sang, and then “Rock and Roll All Nite” as the closer, with Gene and then Ace and Peter doing the vocals. It was a nice touch of nostalgia to add to an event that, to be fair, probably needed something to make it into something that drew it apart from the everyday Unplugged performance.

It may not surprise you to know that I did not rush out to buy this when it was first released. I know I watched the performance about a year or so after it was first shown, when it was aired on MTV on repeats, at a time I had cable TV and MTV was a part of it. And it was OK, but it really was at a time that I was of the belief that Kiss was winding down and that I had other bands I was more interested in following. More to the point, when you compared what was offered here compared to the performances of Nirvana and Alice in Chains in this format, there is a great deal of difference in quality. Hell, even Midnight Oil lit up the stage with their performance on MTV Unplugged, it was fabulous. In the end, what really drove me into watching this was the reappearance of both Ace Frehley and Peter Criss, which although was the shining light of this performance, had already begun to fade in a reason to watch it again, because the catalyst had become reality with the reintegration of the original four members into the reunion that included falling back into full makeup and stage gear. Like I said, it was fine, but I didn’t really need to invest in it. I did revisit it when the band released “Alive IV” which they recorded in Melbourne with the Symphony orchestra, but that was generally about it.
As it turns out, I have only just recently bought the CD of this album. It is one of my rules as such, that I must own the album that I am reviewing, and it does help to complete my Kiss collection by doing so. And when I first put it on to listen to it, I was surprised by how good it sounded. Certainly better than I remembered the concert looking and sounding from MTV. Even the tracks that I have a problem with enjoying SOUNDED really good, and the performance itself sounded great. The same problems still arise with the concept. I mean, Kiss is not an unplugged band. Even if they have songs that can be suitable in that arena, they are not that band. They need to be loud and bright and outrageous, on stage and on album. They aren’t really either of those things here. But I won’t lie to you, this has been fun to revisit. I would without doubt have listened to this more over the last two weeks than the rest of my life combined. And now that I have finished this episode, it will return to my CD shelves, where it could well sit for the remainder of my days. Probably not – there will be occasion at some stage in the future to listen to it again – but it isn’t one I’m going to consider playing under normal circumstances. It isn’t Alice in Chains after all. But I’m glad to have finally rectified a gap in my Kiss collection. That in itself makes this worthwhile.