1187. Def Leppard / Pyromania. 1983. 5/5

As has been stated on other episodes of this podcast when it comes to retro-reviewing Def Leppard albums, for a band that was spoken of as one of the early leaders of the NWoBHM movement, they shirked that title at every turn, and rather than go down that path they chose their own, which mainly looked to try and crack the American rock market. And given the brilliance of their sophomore album “High N Dry”, which made a few inroads in that respect but perhaps not the break they were looking for, there was no doubt an even bigger push to have that occur with their follow up album.
Writing and recording of “Pyromania” was again not a particularly easy process. Recording took up most of 1982 as the band, along with producer “Mutt” Lange, searched for the sound that would propel them to the success they were looking to achieve. And while Def Leppard, even in their earliest form, could not be classed as heavy metal, the faster and heavier tracks from “High N Dry” still had the band labelled as such in many quarters. What can be seen on “Pyromania” is a band in transition. There are still the faster tracks here that showcase what the band had been like in their earliest days, bFor ut there are also the tracks here that, while not being pop songs as such, were beginning to develop more into songs that radio stations would be happy to pull up and play on rotation, which in 1983 was still the best way to sell albums.
Along with this, Pete Willis, whose alcoholism had caused some ructions within the group for some time, eventually found he had run out of chances. Towards the end of the recording process he had laid down all of his rhythm tracks for the album, but the band had lost its patience, and he was fired before the album was completed. In his place came Phil Collen, who with the support of Mutt Lange was encouraged to ‘just be a lead guitarist, jump around and have fun’ as he competed the album by coming up with his own lead guitar pieces to complement the songs and bring them all together. And when you listen to the album, you can hear that fun inspiration in the songs because of that. Some may say… well, I may say… that the greatness of the tracks here is that scintillating lead guitar work from the man who came in and gave the album the kick that pushes it into greatness.

For me, there is a common misconception when it comes to Def Leppard albums depending on the era you grew up in. Those who were early Def Leppard fans feel that this album is a diverse change from the first two albums, and that it signalled the real change in the band’s direction, whereas later fans feel that change didn’t occur until the following album “Hysteria”. If you were to play the first four albums back to back, I think you will agree that there is a maturing of the material and the production of each album, but that essentially the songs on “Pyromania” can be collated much more closely with “High N Dry” than with “Hysteria”.
There are the obvious singles here on “Pyromania” that have either been purpose-written to find their way onto radio airplay, or just naturally occurred that way. But none of those four songs could be accused of ‘selling out’ or drifting away from the overall theme of the album. “Too Late For Love” takes on that role lyrically and with a greater concentration of the chorused vocals that would come to define the later sound that the band took, but all three initial singles – “Photograph”, “Rock of Ages” and “Foolin’” are no less hard rock than the songs that came before them. “Photograph” was the song that really broke them in the US, and it had repeated playings of the music video on those video shows as well. The follow up “Rock of Ages” also did well, and perhaps drew in another section of fans because it wasn’t a typical radio friendly song of the day.
But the ore of the album is still, for me at least, that great hard rock style that Def Leppard had produced on their earlier albums. “Die Hard the Hunter” finishes off side one of the album in style, while the triumvirate that completes side two – “Comin Under Fire”, “Action Not Words” and “Billy’s Got a Gun”, are just superb, played and sung with a passion that still gives me goosebumps when I put the album on and listen to, and sing out loud, these songs.
The biggest change on “Pyromania” then was probably the production of Mutt Lange. Whereas “High N Dry” still had that gritty hard rock, almost live feeling about most of the tracks, a lot of that doesn’t exist in the same way here. “Stagefright” is the closest song here to being felt like it was a live song (probably for the faux crowd being inserted onto the track), and I can attest that a song like the opening track “Rock Rock til You Drop” sounds amazingly better live, because it is written to be a live song, but it doesn’t always come across that way here. Lange and no doubt the band was looking for a showpiece to present to the world, and that is exactly how it was prepared, and how it comes across.

The 1980’s decade was where Def Leppard found their way through numerous challenges and blockades to find the fame and sound that they wanted, and the success that it then brought. Nothing was easy about it, and they made lots of fans along the way, and probably lost a few as well.
“Pyromania” came to me by way of my high school metal music dealer, back in 1986, which was before the hype of “Hysteria” drew in every kind of music fan to say “DEF LEPPARD!!! WHOA!!!” And I can assure you that I adored this album at the time, and there were a LOT of bands and albums that I was getting into at the time, and for this to find its way above water level to keep being heard was a feat in itself. And I guess it was also fortunate that, given I didn’t first hear this until over three years after it was released, it didn’t have any new Def Leppard music to compete against it, given the length of time that came between albums. But what always impressed me, and allowed me to fall in love with this album, was that while it wasn’t the traditional heavy metal of Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath or the thrash metal of Metallica that I was gorging on at the time, nor was it soft core. These songs have a great hard rock base, solid drumming from Rick Allen, an awesome bass sound from Rick Savage, sensational guitars from Steve Clark and Phil Collen, and those amazing unique vocals from Joe Elliott, along with the harmony backing vocals that a lot of bands I was listening to at the time just didn’t have. They mixed all of that together to have songs you cold sing along to at the top of your voice, and play air drums and air guitar along to, and make them so catchy that as soon as the album finished, you just had to put it on again to hear them all again. The momentum of the album is never bogged down, each song carries itself and is both wonderful it itself and as a part of the whole.
Having had this on my stereo in the Metal Cavern for the past two weeks on constant rotation, I am still not sick of it. I have it going right now in the background as I record this podcast episode. And it has again raised in my head the question “what is my favourite Def Leppard album?” Because whenever I listen to “High N Dry”, I think it is that album. And now? Well. Honestly. How can you go past this work of art as the best that Def Leppard has produced?

1186. Deep Purple / Who Do We Think We Are. 1973. 3.5/5

Deep Purple the band had barely stopped to take breath over the three years leading up to this album being written and recorded. The infusion of Ian Gillan and Roger Glover to the group had brought the Mark II line up to the fore, and on the back of three triumphant albums in “In Rock”, “Fireball” and “Machine Head”, along with the euphoric live album “Made in Japan” which had been recorded on the Machine Head tour, Deep Purple was riding the crest of a wave that never looked like stalling. However, the pace that was being set for them was one that always appeared as though it would eventually be the straw that broke the camel’s back. As has been said on earlier episodes of this podcast, where the albums “Fireball” and “Machine Head” were given the 50 year treatment, the band’s management and record company were pushing the band to its limits. Forced to write and record those albums on minimal breaks from their touring schedule, and then straight back on the road to continue to bring in the dollars, you can imagine just how tired the band members must have been getting.
The album was recorded in two sessions. The first was in Rome in July 1972, and the second in Frankfurt in October of that year. From the first session, only one song made the final cut for the album, the single “Woman from Tokyo”. The band was then back on the road, including the tour of Japan where the live album was recorded and then subsequently released. The band then went to Frankfurt, but was struggling on all kinds of levels. They were struggling to come to any agreement upon which tracks should be used or even completed, and various members were not even speaking to each other through the process. Indeed, many of the tracks were only completed and recorded by having schedules arranged so that they could record their parts separately and therefore not have to be in the studio at the same time as the other members of the band. This of course all came to light after the album had been released, and is something that is often quoted by critics when they like to suggest that this isn’t up to the standard of the previous albums that this line up had released.

You couldn’t ask for a better start to this album, especially given the quality of the few albums that preceded it. “Woman From Tokyo” is a great opening track, written about touring Japan and combining the best parts of Jon Lord’s organ and keyboards, Ian Paice’s drums and Ian Gillan’s smooth as honey vocals. It was a mainstay of the setlists both prior to the sabbatical and then once again after the reformation. That Ritchie Blackmore guitar riff along with Roger Glover’s bass line throughout help to make this one of Deep Purple’s classic tracks. This then flows into the beautiful “Mary Long”, a superb track that not only is fantastic musically, but cutting edge lyrically. Ian Gillan was quoted about the meaning of the song, saying, "Mary Whitehouse and Lord Longford were particularly high-profile figures at the time. It was about the standards of the older generation, the whole moral framework, intellectual vandalism – all of the things that exist throughout the generations… Mary Whitehouse and Lord Longford became one person, fusing together to represent the hypocrisy that I saw at the time."
“Super Trouper” holds that kind of form and continues down the line of easy listening 70’s rock. “Smooth Dancer” tends to lift the tempo in the middle of the album, with a concentration of Lord’s keyboards, that go from jaunty piano bar through the verse and chorus, into an orgasmic (pun intended) solo in the middle of the song. It’s quite noticeable how this is his song to dominate and shine on. “Rat Bat Blue” pulls back that intensity again to the mid-road tempo the album hides in, lyrically moving in the Gillan/Glover styled ‘girl meets boy’ theme. “Place in Line” is very much in an old blues theme, carrying many of the same characteristics of AC/DC songs that are in the same realm. The turn has begun to come. “Our Lady” completes the seven track album in much the same way, in a slow mannered way that tinges itself in the same sort of style.
Does "Who Do We Think We Are” take on more of a blues feel, as many critics suggest? I guess in a way it does, as there are no out-and-out hard rock tracks here such that had been prevalent on earlier albums, and the back half of the album definitely in mired in this, which is perhaps the first time Deep Purple had moved in this direction for some time musically. There is little doubt that this grated with Ritchie in particular who at that time wanted to continue down the hard rock path, whereas Gillan was less inclined. This had been an issue since the “Fireball” album, and it continued to fuel the fire here, and it can be easily seen why tensions flared during the writing and recording process.

Having conducted my Deep Purple upbringing with the album “In Rock”, “Machine Head” and “Perfect Strangers”, this album has always been a bit of a mystery to me. The opening is fantastic, and over recent days having put the album on again at home and listened to it in the Metal cavern, it is still terrific to listen to, taking in every part of each band members brilliance and what they contribute to the album in that way. The songs however? Well, if I was to sit here and pick them apart, then I would certainly not rank it in the top echelon of Deep Purple albums. It was never an album I grabbed and put on, that always fell to those three I mentioned earlier, as well as a few modern albums. And for me it IS the lack of momentum in the album and the tracks, the fall back to a slower tempo and less aggressive approach throughout. And once you factor in the trouble that went into writing and recording, and how exhausted the band must have been, and how they were certainly pulling apart, then it probably isn’t hard to understand how they got to this point. It didn’t stop the album selling all over the world. For me though, despite a couple of songs that are still favourites to this day, it doesn’t stand up to the best the band has produced.
Ian Gillan left the band following this album, citing internal tensions, which was basically reaching the breaking point that had been coming for some time with Ritchie Blackmore. It is interesting though that in an interview held when they reformed once again in 1983, Ian stated that fatigue and management had a lot to do with it, that if the managers and record company had just afforded them a three month holiday in order to rest and recuperate, then perhaps the band would never have exploded. Of course, that would have changed the entire history of the band, and we may never have had the legendary album that followed this one in just a few short months time.

1185. Ozzy Osbourne / Patient Number 9. 2022. 4/5

How the hell is Ozzy Osbourne still alive?! After the life he has led, and the substance abuse he has been a part of, it still boggles the mind that firstly he is still alive, and secondly that he is still able to perform on stage as well as he does, though that has certainly almost ceased in recent times. Indeed, following the reunification with Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler for the “13” album for Black Sabbath, it was felt that perhaps that would be the conclusion of his performing career. But no, instead he worked up to and into the covid pandemic period to produce the “Ordinary Man” album, one that utilised a plethora of guest musicians, and changed up his usual style of music. There was some chart success for the album, and also his collaboration on a single with Post Malone, and while this drew in some new fans to his music, it has to be said that many of the long term fans – myself included – felt as though it was a mixed bag, and that after several listens were happy to put it back on the shelves without too much thought of dragging it back out again.
So when it came to announcing this new album, it did come as a surprise. On top of his growing illness with Parkinson’s disease and everything else that he was working with, a new album, coming so soon after his previous one, seemed like a pipe dream. And it wouldn’t be unfair to suggest that my own feelings on a new album were mixed. On one hand, I’m always excited for the release of a new Ozzy album – how could you not be? On the other hand, most of his albums over the last two decades have been uneven, and in places just plain ordinary. You always hope for brilliance, but was there any scope for any of that to remain?
Once again, there were a lot of artists used throughout the album, though the bulk of the songwriting was done by Ozzy (presumably) alongside two other writers, producer, instrumentalist and song writer Andrew Watt, and Alexandra Tamposi who had co-written hit songs with many modern day pop artists. Other artists were then invited to submit guitar riffs and the like, from which they would then join in and help flesh out those riffs that the main writers liked into full songs. In the long run what this created was an eclectic album with different flavours and sounds, while still retaining a core within the tracks to ensure they fit well together on the album, which in my opinion made this album a much better listen than the previous album.

In my opinion, what makes this album an improvement on the previous album is that there has been a better quality of musician brought in to help write and perform on this album. Now that isn’t to decry those who were a part of the last album, but some of the guys brought in on this album KNOW how to write and play on an Ozzy Osbourne album. The number one in this category is Zakk Wylde, whose mysterious absence from Ozzy albums at times over the last two decades is noticed when it happens. It was definitely noticed on “Ordinary Man”. On this album Zakk is back, and plays on many of the songs and is heavily featured on four – the brilliant “Parasite”, “Mr Darkness”, the sensational solo section of “Nothing Feels Right” and “Evil Shuffle”. Ozzy has complained in the past of Zakk’s writing being ‘too Black Label Society’ for his albums, but when Zakk is shredding it feels like Ozzy is at his strength.
Then we have Tony Iommi who contributes to two songs, “No Escape from Now”, which sounds like it could have come straight off that Black Sabbath album ‘13’ with Tony’s solo, and also “Degradation Rules” which tries to hark back to the beginning, with Ozzy joining in on harmonica. It’s great to hear these two together again.
Beyond this, there are some other pretty handy axe wielders on show. Jeff Beck contributes on the first single and title track, as well as the later track “A Thousand Shades”, both excellent songs. Eric Clapton comes on board on “One of Those Days” and does a typically excellent job. And then take a look at the list of other guest musicians who contribute to these tracks. Drummers Chad Smith and Taylor Hawkins before his unfortunate demise, bass guitarists Rob Trujillo and Duff McKagen, as well as Josh Homme and Mike McCreedy. And not to forget the great violins in both “One of Those Days” and the terrific “Dead and Gone”.
All of this – the song writing partners, the amazing musicians involved – has created a wonderful portrait piece, one completed by Ozzy himself. His vocals are still just amazingly good, and how can you not love hearing Ozzy sing? There’s no shouting or screaming, there’s no missed notes or vocals a little off. Every song here sounds terrific, and Ozzy is absolutely on song in every way. And, as I’ve said before, for someone who has had his health issues and at the age of 73 is getting up there, his voice is still the one that many people think of as the best in heavy metal.

I was 50/50 going into this album when I heard of its imminent release. And I love Ozzy, but for me he hadn’t really done a truly Ozzy album since “Ozzmosis” back in 1995. Every album since has been flawed, boring, or pieces of both. He had moved away from the success of his early writing cohorts in Bob Daisley and Zakk Wylde, and gone with different sets of collaborators, and I felt that this harmed the success of those albums. He had even spurned Zakk from playing on some of those albums, and that didn’t feel right either.
But from the moment I hear the first single, which was the title track, it did feel and sound a lot more naturally like Ozzy Osbourne, and that gave me confidence going into the album proper. And I haven’t been disappointed. I don’t think there is a bad track on this album. Sure, there are a few that are a bit slower or go to other others that I am not entirely thrilled about when it comes to my music pleasure, but overall I think this is a triumph. And it is made by the players. It’s hard to dismiss Chad Smith, Rob Trujillo, Zakk, Iommi who are the main players here, along with all the other who make their contributions. The songs are written in the style that allows Ozzy to be himself, and be dragged along into the mix of the excellent musicianship and song structures that exist here. Whether you are a guitar lover, or an Ozzy lover, there is something for everyone here. It is undoubtedly the best album Ozzy has released in 25+ years, which is truly a remarkable achievement in itself, mirroring the recent success of Judas Priest’s “Firepower” album in channelling the past in a positive modern way.
Is this now the final hurrah for Ozzy? It seems almost impossible that he would be able to do any more live tours. But the excellence of this album so soon after “Ordinary Man” could perhaps suggest that, when it comes to releasing another album, or albums, then perhaps we have not heard the end of the great man. No matter what, this is an album to be listened to. In fact, for me, it is probably the album of 2022. And I never thought I’d be saying that about an Ozzy Osbourne album in the 2020’s.

1184. Skid Row / The Gang's All Here. 2022. 4/5

If you are as old as me, and were at that perfect age for when Skid Row first hit the music scene, and for a period of about six years stole the limelight and looked as though they had the world at their feet, then you have probably been waiting around for 25 years to see if they could ever regain those feet that appeared to come out from under them in the late 1990’s, with the somewhat acrimonious split with lead singer Sebastian Bach and drummer Rob Affuso.
In the years since, there has been a litany of lead singers and drummers who have populated the band, while the released work of the band has dried up to a trickle. Only two full albums, “Thickskin” and “Revolutions Per Minute”, were released in the years between 1996 and 2022, with another couple of EPs that tried to keep the flame alive beyond that.
Former Dragonforce lead vocalist ZP Theart had been with the band since 2016, and the talk of a new full length album began once again. However, despite the fact that Theart had a terrific voice, there always seemed to be a delay on just what was occurring with the band during this time. It was intimated that the personalities didn’t quite mix as well as they would have hoped, while it can be said that perhaps his vocals didn’t match the music either.
At the start of 2022 the band announced that Theart had moved on, and almost immediately they announced the recruitment of Erik Gronwall as his replacement. Little known outside of his native Sweden, Gronwall had won Swedish Idol in 2009, and gone on to a successful solo career as a result, and also joined the band H.E.A.T, with whom he recorded four albums.
At some stage Gronwall came on Skid Row’s radar, with many fans tagging them on social media about his vocals and how much they would suit Skid Row. There is little doubt that his range and voice do sound remarkably like original vocalist Seb Bach’s, but the band backed Theart despite this. Eventually though, the planets aligned, and the band decided to go with Gronwall, not only as their new lead singer, but to front the band on their first new album in 16 years.

If there was any real doubt as to why the band recruited Gronwall as their lead vocalist, the opening tracks to the album lay that to rest. From the opening strains of “Hell or High Water”, the similarity in the vocals between he and Bach is significant. “Hell of High Water” could almost have been dragged off the debut album such is its similarity across the board. The follow up title track of “The Gang’s All Here” ramps up the attitude, and utilises the best Skid Row has to offer – good backing vocals, nice guitars, and a happy feeling to the song. “Not Dead Yet” continues on in that vein, while “Time Bomb” has its moment but feels a little cliched amongst the first tracks.
“Resurrected” has that great attitude that the band’s best music has always contained, great guitar, terrific singalong lyrics and backup vocals that support Gronwall’s posing and pointed performance. It’s one of my favourites from the album. “Nowhere Fast” jumps between the mid-tempo range that modern Skid Row has adapted to, while also throwing in a bit of hard biting slow tempo drums to emphasise the chorus. “When the Lights Come On” changes things up again, visualising the kind of hair metal songs the band released on their debut all those years ago, focused on the same sort of subject matter and song highlights that they provided back in the day. This is one of the songs where Gronwall really sounds like the band’s first vocalist, in some places the resemblance is uncanny. And then there is the crowd chanting favourite “Tear it Down”, where you can imagine the crowd fist pumping and chanting along with the vocals in tandem with the band.
“October’s Song” is a long winded power ballad that for me is probably one that will sit well with the hard core fan base, but for my tastes doesn’t hit the mark. To be honest it doesn’t even work in a way of promoting the band on radio or those types of institutions, because at just over seven minutes in length it is too long. And really, if you are going to write this kind of song, make it four minutes maximum and get it over and done with. It’s not a mood killer, but it outstays its welcome well before the final chords are struck. “World on Fire” on the other hand fights back hard and sharp, and finishes off the album in the same way it started, with a fresh take on a band’s original sound and songwriting.

As I said in the opening, Skid Row came along at the exact right time of my life. All of those youth anthems that they wrote were aimed at my generation, and they were great years to be out there and listening to music and going to live gigs. I tried really hard to get into “Subhuman Race” but it just didn’t gel with me, and despite this and the changing of the guard, I still gave every Skid Row release a go and hoped it would be the one that rediscovered their mojo.
This is the one that has finally done it. Whether or not you want to call Erik Gronwall a Bach clone, it really doesn’t matter, because his vocals fit the band and the music they have written, and the band fits his voice. Some of the songs seem to be inspired by those early classics, without trying to replicate them. Maybe that’s just Erik’s voice, or maybe it was something that the band tried to achieve. Either way, what Skid Row does succeed with on this album is restoring the pieces to their correct order, and in many ways making them a listenable commodity once again.
I got this album on its release. Enough excitement had been built up with the initial selection of songs to whet the appetite, and I guess I was hopeful that everything would come together in a way that allowed this album to be as enjoyable as it could be. It isn’t about trying to make it sound like they did 30 years ago, it is about harnessing those memories and providing an output for them in the modern day. In all of those ways, the band has succeeded. I wouldn’t compare it to those first two albums, rather I would listen to it with the sound of those albums in mind, and allow that to swing the mood into this new era.

1183. W.A.S.P. / Live... in the Raw! [Live]. 1987. 4.5/5

It had been a wild ride for the band W.A.S.P. over the course of their five year existence at the point of time that this live album was released. Three landmark albums, chart selling singles, and increasing controversy over their stage antics, as well as having been targeted by the movement dubbed the PMRC, had given the band great publicity and a growing legion of fans.
It was on the tour to promote their third album “Inside the Electric Circus” that the idea came up to record the shows and release a live album from them. An initial recording in London at Hammersmith encouraged the band to do a serious run through once they arrived back in the US. Two nights were recorded in California in March 1987 at the end of the tour, when the band should have been at its best and the songs at their tightest. Which in many ways was the case, but there were also the other touring problems that crept into the recordings.
Tensions within the band were rife as they came to the conclusion of the tour, and throughout the time when this album was recorded. At times drummer Steve Riley and bass guitarist Johnny Rod had to be dragged apart, and fisticuffs ensued on a regular basis. It is interesting that in the linear notes for the remastered version of this album, Blackie Lawless actually suggests that Steve Riley was the one who was under pressure, because he had always had to try and live up to the band’s original drummer, Tony Richards, and that he couldn’t do that. Now, I’ve always thought Riley was a great drummer, which he also proved when he either quit or was sacked by Blackie following this tour, and he went on to join L.A Guns as they released their debut album. To be honest, there always appeared to be tension in W.A.S.P. whether they were on a successful roll or not, but it is interesting that there should have been problems within the band at this time, a time when change did seem to be coming, both in the band and in the style of music they had produced prior to this point in time.

As a representative live tribute to their first three albums, this album covers most of the bases. To be fair it would have been a difficult job in which to whittle down the songs choices available for a touring setlist, let alone then choosing which songs to use on the live album produced from it. In the end the band left out four songs from the shows that were recorded - “Sex Drive”, “Animal - Fuck Like a Beast”, “Widowmaker”, and “Shoot it from the Hip”, although all but “Animal” eventually made their way on to the remastered CD version of the album some years later as bonus tracks.
The coverage of the albums was fairly evenly spread, and contained most of the great hits from the band. “L.O.V.E Machine” and “I Wanna Be Somebody” were the big singles from their eponymous debut and are still live favourites to this day. “Sleeping in the Fire is still an underrated track, and one that also plays out beautifully live. “Wild Child” was the big single from the second album “The Last Command” and is another that still sits in the live set in the present day, and is joined by the other great single from that album “Blind in Texas”. And the best of the “Inside the Electric Circus” album on which the band was touring at the time is featured here too, with the opening title track, “9.5.N.A.S.T.Y” and the wonderful cover version of “I Don’t Need No Doctor”.
What makes this live album unique is that it has two songs specially written for this tour, songs that had not been recorded on a studio release before the tour, and in fact never received the studio treatment. Which means that the only place you can hear the songs “The Manimal” and “Harder Faster” is on this live album. And some people might find that to be unfortunate, but I’ve always enjoyed this fact. Both are your atypical W.A.S.P. songs of the era, and are good fun in the bargain. And, on top of that, make it essential to buy this album if you want to have the entire W.A.S.P. collection of songs, so that probably doesn’t hurt either. Topping it off is the addition of the song “Scream Until You Like It”, the theme songs for the movie “Ghoulies II”. The band didn’t write the song, it was written by those involved in the soundtrack for the movie, but the boys certainly make it their own in the recording process.

In my first year of University in 1988, I used to spend my five hour break between lectures on a Wednesday in town, strolling through the record stores. My favourite was Illawarra Books & Records, where there was plenty of used vinyl on offer at a price that a poor student could almost afford. On one magical day during the first semester, I walked into this shop, and found all three of WA.S.P’s first albums, along with this album, all sitting there, waiting for me to purchase them. And I did. 20 bucks for the lot, worth more back then than it is now, but still so much cheaper than they should have been. And I played them all to death, blunting the needle on my stereo in my bedroom several times. And they all got the same amount of listening, often back to back to back.
I always loved this back in the day, and I still do now in the present. It has a great vibe around it, and it still gives off the energy that I imagine the band did in those live shows of the day. More importantly, there is no backtracking or dubs to be heard, what you hear is what you get, which is not quite true of the band in the modern day. And it is still an interesting piece, because it is surprising how much work goes in to those early W.A.S.P. studio albums, and in some ways how difficult it is to represent them well in the live environment – especially in the vocals. But everything here is good, and it is an enjoyable album to listen to. And as a historical record of the first phase of the W.A.S.P. story it acts as a suitable conclusion. W.A.S.P’s sound began to mature in a different direction following this album, and the band itself blurred in many realities following this. But that’s a story for another day.

1182. Ozzy Osbourne / Speak of the Devil [Live]. 1982. 4.5/5

The fall and rise of Ozzy Osbourne during the years collating the late 1970’s and early 1980’s is one that we have covered a little already on this podcast. There are amazing accounts out there from former bandmates who have documented not only how difficult Ozzy could be to work with due to his vices, and how difficult his management team could be to work with.
Following on from the “Diary of a Madman” album and subsequent tour, the decision had been made by Ozzy and his management (ok, Sharon) that they would do an album focused purely on the songs of Ozzy’s first band, Black Sabbath. There were reasons stated for wanting to do it, which included that the previous publishing deal had now come to an end, which meant that by recording Sabbath songs all of the writers of those songs (which of course included Ozzy) would then reap the profits. It would also serve as a way of getting out of their current record deal in an easier fashion than writing another one or two albums to do so. What to me has always seemed to be the main reason, however, was that the current lineup of Black Sabbath had announced that they were putting together a live album themselves – without Ozzy on it – and there seems little doubt that this had created some angst for the previous lead singer of that band. And it always felt to me that in deciding to go down this path, especially when the band had just released two critically acclaimed albums that they could build upon, that the ONLY reason for it could be ego, and that Ozzy wanted to prove that he was the original and best.
Whichever way you want to look at the reasoning behind it, the tour and album almost didn’t eventuate anyway. When Ozzy announced to his then bandmates about the idea of playing a tour and releasing a live album of completely Black Sabbath material, the band as one revolted. Guitarist Randy Rhoads and drummer Tommy Aldridge both out and out refused to play on it. Both had already expressed their reluctance to play the Sabbath songs that were in their Ozzy sets, as neither felt as though they had anything in common with the style of music those songs sat in. Bass guitarist Rudy Sarzo, though not so adamant about it all, still stuck with his fellow bandmates. This caused Ozzy to go off in a drunken rage, apparently firing all three, but then the next day not remembering that he had done it. Eventually the three agreed to participate, though it is reported that this contributed heavily to Randy making the decision that he would leave the band once it was completed. Unfortunately, a few weeks later, Randy was killed in the accident of the light plane and the bus he was sleeping in, so we will never know what would have happened in that respect.
In order to move forward, Bernie Torme initially took on the guitaring role, but it was Brad Gillis, who was then working on the debut album for his band Night Ranger – an episode posted just recently on this podcast – who came in to take on the role for this live album, one that was still full of problems as they reached the recording phase.

Just to further complicate just how this album came about, imagine being the band – Sarzo, Aldridge and Gillis – and being asked to get together for rehearsals for the upcoming concerts, but being told that the lead singer wouldn’t be attending. I mean, how would you go about processing that? This is what the band was told, that Ozzy wouldn’t be attending rehearsals. They had five days to learn the songs and get them up to speed for a live recording. Which, they then did, apart from three – Iron Man, Children of the Grave and Paranoid – because they were told that earlier recordings of those songs with Randy on guitar would be used on the album. Ozzy didn’t show up until the soundcheck for the first of two shows being recorded, at The Ritz in New York, a club that held up to 1000 people. And, much like Ozzy, even at this point of his career, he had trouble remembering the lyrics. So, for both sold out performances, Ozzy had a chair at the front of the stage, with a book full of lyrics propped up on it, where he planted himself for most of the gigs, reading the lyrics off the pages. The guitarists also had to locate themselves closer to the drum riser to hear the drums as the monitors usually used were not available. And THEN, when they finally reached the time to play the three songs that were not going to be used for the actual album, the band loosened up and showed less care and precision, because they knew that these songs at least would not appear. That was, of course, until the decision was made to retain the Randy live versions for a possible release down the track (the afore-published episode on the “Tribute” album can be heard in season 2 of this podcast) and the band management indeed decided to use these versions, something that displeased Sarzo, Aldridge and Gillis. It was at this time that both Sarzo, who had been recording the Quiet Riot album “Metal Health” in secret at the time, and Gillis, who had been recording “Dawn Patrol” with Night Ranger, left the Osbourne camp to return to their other bands. The band had also recorded an extra day with no audience, to cover all bases in case of any audio trouble form the two gigs done live. All in all, apart from being quite the ordeal, the story seems almost Spinal Tap-ish in retelling. There is even more expansion of these stories, and to know it all it is worth checking out Rudy Sarzo’s autobiography “Off the Rails”, which really lifts the lid on an epic period of music history.

One of the really amazing parts of the Black Sabbath history was the lack of a truly representative live album. Sure, “Live at Last” was released in 1980, but without the band’s input or real knowledge. This was somewhat rectified with the “Past Lives” release in 2002 that utilised that material and other historical live recordings. There was “Cross Purposes Live” in 1995 with Tony Martin. And the “Reunion” live album in 1998 had all but Bill ward back in the saddle, but it was way beyond their prime.
And then we had “Live Evil” which was released a month after this album, with Ronnie James Dio and Vinny Appice, doing songs of both Mark I and II of the band. And that is a great live album – look out for that episode a very episodes after this one.
What I guess I’m getting around to is that, at the time, this album was your best bet to hear Ozzy singing all these classic Sabbath songs live on an album, and so even despite the torment behind getting it up and running, I always enjoyed it. I enjoyed the addition of Brad Gillis’s iconic guitar sound on these songs, and both Tommy and Rudy are terrific players. These versions sound great, and Ozzy sounds great if not a little unhinged between songs with his banter.
It wasn’t until four years after this was released that I came across it, and ironically also “Live Evil”, so I did the same thing as fans would have done on its release – compared it to each other. And I don’t really favour one against the other. They both have their charms, they both have their very slight downturns. It may have been a strange move at the time given the burgeoning success of his new material after leaving Black Sabbath, but it didn’t seem to upset the fans. To be honest, the retrospective look back of live material in recent years on the Deluxe Edition re-releases of some of Sabbath’s greatest albums, which have entire live gigs from that time, is a much better showcasing of Black Sabbath the band in their live days. But this album showcases Ozzy and his bandmates at their time, in 1982, and in that respect this album is still a fun listen, and worthy of many singalong moments of these great songs.

1181. Whitesnake / Saints & Sinners. 1982. 3.5/5

Whitesnake’s existence in its earliest form, as a blues-based hard rock band that combined half of the end pieces of Deep Purple and the recruitment of other excellent musicians and writers had become better and more popular with each year and album that passed. The core of David Coverdale on vocals with former bandmates Jon Lord on keyboards and Ian Paice on drums, along with Micky Moody and Bernie Marsden on guitars and Neil Murray on bass, formed what became the initial essential group, mixing blues based rhythm with the harder centre that had come from Purple. Each album, even going back now and listening to them in order of their release, shows an improvement in the music and the way the band gels with its writing and performing.
The band’s 4th album “Come an’ Get It” had produced the best reviews the band had received, and the band’s highest album position in the UK, and yet according to the band members they were still making relatively little money from albums and sell-out concerts. This was causing growing dissent within the ranks, such that when the band reconvened to write and record the follow up, tensions within the band was clear. Coverdale had already written much of what eventually became the “Saints & Sinners” album, something that was also a step out of the ordinary from previous band collaborations. The recording began, but before it could be completed, Moody quit the band at the end of 1981. This set off a chain reaction of events, including Coverdale deciding to put the band on hiatus while his daughter was sick. During this hiatus, Coverdale sacked the band’s manager, bought out many of the contracts he was tied to, and eventually decided to let go almost off of the remaining members in Marsden, Paice and Murray, claiming they lacked the enthusiasm needed to keep the band going.
Towards the end of 1982, Coverdale had contacted Moody, and asked him to come back and help him finish the album, which Moody agreed to. In the end most of it had been done, so it just required a few guitar pieces and backing vocals added to have it done, and producer Martin Birch then spent a few weeks putting it all together to complete the procedures. It had been a long hard road, and one where Coverdale was obviously angling to try and get a breakthrough in the US. And while some of the songs here seem skewed with that in mind, the progression from blues rock to hard rock is not as noticeable here as was perhaps thought to be the case when the album was initially released.

In many ways this is a conduit between the way the band had begun, and the way it ended up by the late 1980’s. Given that this was the final album to feature those main six players, the real change towards cracking the US hard rock market probably came on the follow up to this album, “Slide it In”. But this album does progress further down the path on the back of “Come an’ Get It” without totally giving up that blues and in places almost rockabilly style that early Whitesnake had garnered its support. “Rock an’ Roll Angels” is an upbeat blues trip with piano bar keyboards from Lord being a centrepiece. “Bloody Luxury” is in the same vein, it sounds like it is coming straight from an old blues bar, again with two great solo guitar pieces from Moody and Marsden with Lord’s own blues piano set between them. “Dancing Girls” is another catchy song that has Lord dominate the middle of the song in great style, while Moody and Marsden have their moments. There are also atypical Whitesnake songs in the mix, including the opening track “Young Blood” and then the mid-tempo “Victim of Love”. And you can’t go past those titles when it comes to a Whitesnake album, with “Rough an’ Ready” and “Love an’ Affection” and “Rock an’ Roll Angels”. And “Saints an’ Sinners”. All very good songs, don’t get me wrong, with typical Whitesnake hooks in the guitar riffs and Coverdale’s smooth yet biting vocals throughout. “Love an’ Affection” has a call back to Deep Purple days, while the closing title track is a get hard rock song to finish off proceedings in style. But what is it with dropping the ‘d’ in all of the ‘ands’ on the song titles? It’s a bit wanky isn’t it. It does date the album back to that period.
The two obvious standout songs on this album are ones that fans of any generation would know - “Crying in the Rain” and “Here I Go Again”. When the album was released back in 1982, they were the best of what comes here. What makes them unique here is that both were eventually re-recorded for Whitesnake’s 1987 album, with a more updated style that better reflected the style Coverdale wanted at that time in his efforts to break the American market. Comparatively, both versions of both songs hold up, and both versions reflect the time and audience they were written for.

1982 was some time before I began to find bands like Whitesnake. Indeed, like I guess most of my generation, I fell head over heels in love with the band with the 1987 album, it being one of the albums of playlist of that year. From there it was the “Slip of the Tongue” album, and more fanboying over that. Beyond that, I didn’t go back to find and appreciate this album until the 2000’s had arrived. And it’s a shame it took me that long, because the wonderful connections of Moody and Marsden and Murray on guitars in this era is quite spectacular, and I probably would say that it culminates at their best on this album. Which, given the history of the making of the album, ends up being rather strange. Apart from that small concession that all was not harmonious within the group, I have a great affection for the album. Each member plays their part. The guitarists as mentioned sound great. Lord and Paice are as noteworthy as always, and Coverdale’s vocals are sublime. I may not have gotten this album until quite late in the piece, but that hasn’t stopped me from enjoying it thoroughly, and the last couple of weeks have only helped me to appreciate it even more.
Whitesnake the band had more rough waters to navigate following this album and its tour, and the maturing of the band’s sound and the morphing of the band’s direction all contributed to that. Which continues to make this album a litmus test of the band’s discography, one that is generally well received by fans of all eras of the band.

1180. Sex Pistols / Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols. 1977. 5/5

For the layman in music, the Sex Pistols are a band that these days is shrouded in the mists of time. And given what is more or less seen as outrageous or accepted in music in the current day, the antics of the punk movement in the UK can sometimes be seen to be quite tame in comparison. Even the fact that there is some... gasp... swearing!... in a couple of the songs, barely even rates a mention given what occurs in POP SONGS in the modern age. So a lot of the shock and horror that the Sex Pistols created in their short span in the music scene would barely raise a ripple with the current trends.
Indeed they were a forerunner to so many music trends. Not only were they one of the leading lights in the fast burn of that punk scene, they were also born of an era where on occasions technical musicianship was less important than stage presence, something that fitted the Sex Pistols well given the way the band members started out and how they were drawn together to become the group they were.
To try and make this a history lesson into the birth of the Sex Pistols, and their place in the history of punk music in the UK, would stretch this episode beyond what it has set out to be. The drawing together of the initial quartet of guitarist Steve Jones (who famously is quoted that he taught himself guitar while on methamphetamine to keep his concentration over several days without sleep), drummer Paul Cook, bass guitarist Glen Matlock and lead vocalist John Lydon (better known under his stage pseudonym of Johnny Rotten) through the influence of manager Malcolm McLaren is an interesting story, along with Matlock’s eventual leaving of the band prior to the recording of their debut album even though he had contributed to the writing of most of it, and the recruitment of John Ritchie as his replacement, who is better known as Sid Vicious. Several documentaries exist of course, and a recent dramatization of their career in the six-part series titled “Pistol” is a fun way to follow those early exploits.

The band had already signed and been sacked by two record companies before Richard Branson came along and signed them up to his Virgin label, and the Sex Pistols had matured from a band that played cover versions of songs to writing and playing their own material. The band had recorded the single “Anarchy in the UK” for EMI in late 1976, but due to several controversies they were dropped by the label in early 1977 and not long after Matlock left the band. This left “Anarchy in the UK” as the only song on which Matlock played on the album, though its inclusion on “Never Mind the Bollocks” was not in line with what the band wanted. They had wanted all new songs on the album, and the songs they had released as singles - “Anarchy in the UK”, along with “God save the Queen” and “Pretty Vacant” - to be left off. Virgin and McLaren were having none of that, which, in retrospect was the smart move, as they are arguably the best songs on the album, and certainly the best known.
At the time, the Sex Pistols were reviewed and marketed as being ‘out there’ on stage, with crazy antics and sometimes incomprehensible musicianship, certainly in the case of when Sid Vicious joined the band as he was reported as being almost completely useless on the bass guitar. And that leads to the two things that make this album so interesting even in the modern day. Because, when the band was recording this album, Malcolm McLaren was given the task of making up excuses to keep Vicious unaware that the recording was occurring, and also then keeping him away from the studio, as the three other members of the band recorded the album on their own. There are two songs where Vicious has played the bass, on the songs “Bodies” and “God save the Queen”. However, those pieces were also tracked by Steve Jones on bass, and eventually Vicious’s bass was turned down so far in the mix that it is basically not heard at all. For the remainder of the tracks, Jones recorded the bass guitar, to make the songs sound listenable.
And that’s one of the main points about this album that doesn’t usually get mentioned. The music is not all over the place, out of time or unlistenable. The lyrics are not shouted of screamed or unintelligible. In fact, Jones and Cook are actually pretty awesome together, with drums and bass forming a great rhythm section, and Jones’s guitar chugging along perfectly, setting a terrific platform for each song. It is exactly what the Sex Pistols brought to the table in regards to their legacy to music. It is stripped back, basic power chords, tight 3-4 minute songs with catchy choruses and lyrics that create topical songs in an era where the times needed a push back. Chris Thomas and Bill Price as producers have done a sterling job on this album and in getting a great sound out of the band that, 45 years later, still stands up again everything that has come since this was recorded.

This album has always been one that the industry has held up as the main source of the UK punk scene, but is rarely referenced in recent years. Given the way modern punk affiliated bands have gone about their work, many of the songs here are felt to be tame in comparison. The songs that created such controversy at the time, such as “Anarchy in the UK” and “God save the Queen” are referenced as being simplified musically, and with lyrics that aren’t fiery enough to create the mayhem needed in the modern day. And there is little doubt, and I can’t say this from first hand experience, that this recorded version of their songs are quite different from the way they played them live in the clubs of those days, in front of rabid fans who had taken them to their hearts. They haven’t been stonewashed of their impact, but the producers have made sure that everything comes at you at the same level. Is this a good thing in regards to putting the band’s imprint on vinyl to share with the world? Obviously, to get the full impact, a live recording of the band performing their material would have been the ideal way to follow up this album. Of course, that didn’t happen.
Like most people of my generation through the 1980’s, I knew the main songs from this album. I even played a couple of them in my first band, no doubt to please one or two members who thought we were being the rebellious types at the time. “Anarchy in the UK” has been covered so many times over the years by all manner of bands that it has probably lost its sheen and meaning of the day. But other songs still come across as they must have in the day, such as “Liar” and “Submission” and “Pretty Vacant”, and there is still lots of fun in listening to “Holidays in the Sun” and “Bodies” and “God save the Queen”. Like I said, I think the album itself still holds itself up amazingly well in the modern age. And perhaps that is because it was the one and only that the band produced, with first John Lydon moving on during their tour of the US, and Sid Vicious overdosing a year later. In many ways it is probably this album’s saving grace, as there is nothing to compare it with after this. The band always seemed to be on borrowed time before they imploded, and while a second album may well have been bigger than this in sales and content, the fact that it is a standalone volume still makes it a unique experience to listen to. I’ve had it on constant rotation over the last six weeks, as well as having watched the mini-series on their lives, and it still has the power of its convictions.

1179. AC/DC / Live. 1992. 5/5

Live albums. They are an artform. Generally you wouldn’t think you could stuff them up, but when they are done well they are a pleasure to listen to. Prior to this album’s release, AC/DC’s only officially released live album was “If You Want Blood You’ve Got It” from back in 1978, with Bon Scott on vocals and recorded on the “Powerage” tour. It has an eclectic song selection that often annoys younger listeners even today, because it doesn’t contain what they necessarily believe are the ‘hits’ of the band from the time. That’s what actually makes it a really good live album. But I’m not here to talk about that album.
In the years since AC/DC had continued to write and record solid hard rock albums, coming up with occasional radio hits, but generally building their audience worldwide. When they finally toured Australia in 1988 after a long absence, they sold out shows throughout the country. Songs such as “Who Made Who” and “Heatseeker” had been popular hits, and on the back of “The Razor’s Edge” album, which had brought the big selling number one “Thunderstruck”, the band made the decision to record some shows around the world in order to release their second official live album. The double CD version of the album has songs recorded from eight different shows in six different venues, all put together from the setlist played over the length of that worldwide tour. And while some discussion can always be had over what was played and what was left off, what you can’t complain about is the quality of the performances of the songs they did perform.

When it comes to live albums, as I have said multiple times on other episodes of this podcast, you should get the best of the best, and therefore rate almost any live album full marks. You always have to play the ‘greatest hits’, which is difficult for a band with the longevity and success that AC/DC has enjoyed. There are often just too many to choose from. And you also have to play songs off the latest album, because after all that’s what you are touring to promote. So the balancing act is always a tenuous one.
Even all these years later, the set list is fun and still listenable. The songs from “The Razor’s Edge” are still worthy, with “Thunderstruck” starting off the album in excellent fashion, and is followed up throughout by plenty of other tracks from the album, “Are You Ready?”, “Fire Your Guns”, Money Talks” and the title track. Which is what you expect from a band on tour. Then you have the recent singles that had done well on the charts such that everyone knew the songs, such as the classic “Who Made Who” which really shot them back to the top after a period in the doldrums, and “Heatseeker” and “That’s the Way I Wanna Rock and Roll” from the “Blow up Your Video” album. So for the fan who had just come upon the band in those late 1980’s years, there is plenty here for them to enjoy.
Beyond that you delver back into the Bon Scott era with those legendary tracks, ones such as “Sin City”, “Jailbreak”, “The Jack” and “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap”, before the second disc includes great songs like “High Voltage”, “Whole Lotta Rosie”, “Let There Be Rock”, “Highway to Hell” and “TNT”. It’s a gluttony of that great era of the band. And finally we have the early Brian Johnson era where the band was able to revitalise following Bon’s passing, with the songs “Shoot to Thrill”, “Back in Black”, “Hells Bells” and “You Shook Me All NIght Long” from the “Back in Black” album, and the concert and album closer, the legendary “For Those About to Rock, We Salute You”. As you can see, there’s a lot to fit in to two discs and over two hours of live music.

So you obviously can’t argue with that track list for a double live album, can you? And the performances are top notch. The whole band is at the top of their game. Chris Slade, who had arrived on drums on this album following Simon Wright moving on to Dio, is terrific, and added a new dimension to these songs with his presence. And what can you say about Malcolm Young, Cliff Williams, Brian Johnson and Angus Young that hasn’t bee said before? They were at about their peak at this point in time, riding high on renewed success and still of an age where Angus could get away with the schoolboy uniform.
Is there a bone to pick? Perhaps a small one. “Flick of the Switch” and “Fly on the Wall” don’t have a song representing those albums here, and perhaps finding space for just one off each would have given this a collection a complete feel. It’s a small thing, but one worth mentioning.
I got this album on the day of its release 30 years ago, and played it a damn lot at that time. I had also been fortunate enough to have seen this tour when it hit Sydney, from the second row of the gig, which as just amazing. Great times and great memories. And that’s what this album offers. Great memories of one of the great hard rock bands of all time, playing their all time greats at the peak of their powers. For a live album, it’s pretty hard to stuff that up. And I can guarantee you that that isn’t the case here. This is a top shelf live album experience.

1178. Joe Satriani / Surfing With the Alien. 1987. 4.5/5

Sometimes I’m not sure what is Joe Satriani’s greatest claim to fame – the fact that he was a guitar teacher and instructor to some of the great guitarists of the last 30–odd years, or his own work in the music he has produced. There is an apocryphal story that he decided to take up playing the guitar at the age of 14, when he heard the news of Jimi Hendrix’s death. Whether true or not, he eventually went on to study and teach in Berkeley California. When it came to students that graduated from his classes, you’d have to say that they have gone on to reasonably bright careers, players such as Steve Vai, Rick Hunolt, Alex Skolnick and Kirk Hammett, just to name a few.
His first album was released in 1985, titled “Not of This Earth”, which tickled the fancy of those in the industry and made some noise in album sales around the world. For his follow up, he again went with drum machine to program all of the drums, except for one song, “Satch Boogie”, where the drums were played by Jeff Campitelli. Also, according to an interview with Satriani in 2017, the only solo that was worked out before beforehand was on “Crushing Day”. The cover art too has its roots in the Marvel Universe, depicting the Silver Surfer in all his glory. I guess if you are going to be a guitar nerd, you may as well be a comic nerd as well.

I still adore the first half of this album to this day. While people try to categorise this into several different genres, in the long run it is a guitar geeks album, and people who love almost any type of music genre can find something to love. My mother-in-law for instance has always been a fan of the quieter, more introspective track “Always with Me, Always with You”, and often played it on the public radio station she used to do a shift on. The lovers of hard rock and metal will tend to side more with tracks such as “Ice 9” and “Crushing Day”, especially in the parts that could be described as the solo breaks, if that is possible on an instrumental track. The title track and opening track “Surfing with the Alien” sets the album off on the right foot in an up-tempo freelance guitar hyperactivity. And “Satch Boogie” has Joe showing all the tricks he has learned over the years.
There are more tricks up the sleeve in the second half of the album, which remains terrific. “Echo” especially is good because we get to hear the bass doing some funky stuff without the focus being taken away by the guitars. Indeed, all of the tracks in this second half of the album have a much different style from the first half, showcasing the various skills that Satriani has. It isn’t as raucous as those first half a dozen tracks but they are enjoyable all the same, because of the magic that Joe has to offer.

I have no recollection when I first heard this album, nor when I first got a copy of it myself. As my own copy, sitting here in front of me as we speak, is the CD version, I can hazard a guess that I didn’t buy this until about 1990. I can dimly recall having this taped on one side of a C90 cassette, and if memory serves it was with Gary Moore’s “Wild Frontier” on the other side, which could well have dated this as not too long after it was released, but having gone through my extensive collection of cassette tapes prior to this episode I couldn’t find it, so it was either lost in time or destroyed by one of my old car’s cassette decks.
My earliest memories that survive of actually listening to this album is of the early days of the band I played in back in those days, and trying to convince our lead guitarist that playing the solo in “Crushing Day” would be a piece of piss, and that he should learn it so that we could play the song live. Being a drummer that only plays basic beats sometimes has its advantages. The playing it live part never eventuated.
This is still a great album to listen to today. The high velocity and energy in the first half of the album pumps you up, and the serenity of the back half allows you to cool off again. I can put it on at any time and enjoy it. I have been fortunate enough to see Joe live a couple of times, the first being on the tour for his next album after this, “Flying in a Blue Dream”, with the brilliant Jonathan Mover on drums and Stu Hamm on bass, so it was a spectacular concert indeed. And when indeed they played “Crushing Day” live, our protestations to Shane to learn the solo to that song started all over again.