Ahhh, let’s keep y’all in suspense as you wait for the Top Five favorite bands.  Besides, I feel a bit snarky today and I’m in the mood for some short and sweet reviews so it’s time for another iPod shuffle round!

“Soulshine”, Gov’t Mule Live… With A Little Help From Their Friends

Yer darn tootin’ Gov’t Mule is an awesome band.  Led by monster player and soulful singer Warren Haynes and originally written when he was a member of the Allman Brothers, “Soulshine” is just a fantastic tune.  This live version was cut at a New Years’ Eve gig back in the late 90’s with the original band plus a fine coterie o’ friends that add an extra cool touches via additional slide guitar work, piano, and organ to send this into the stratosphere.

“Stop”, Lonnie Mack Live!  Attack Of The Killer V

A few posts back I lamented the late Lonnie Mack’s death, talking a little bit about my love for the man’s legendary guitar talents and huge voice.  “Stop” is more on that R&B side of things, a slow burner about a hurtful relationship that showcases that warbly Flying V tone and Mack’s smoky vocals.  Although he’s mostly known for his roadhouse rock n blues cuts, don’t ignore this one-  sit back and let it soak in.

“Fake Healer”, Metal Church Blessing In Disguise

Out goes former lead throat David Wayne, who forms a new band made up of  Mike Howe’s old band while Howe joins Wayne’s old band Metal Church as new lead throat (uhhhh… whaaaa?) .  Aaaat aaaany raaaate…  MC intros the new boy with this awesomely stomping thumper with it’s thudding, lurching riff perfect for Howe’s Halford-esque enunciations at the Mike (oh boy, these puns are just killing me…  Mike at the mic!  Ha ha… whatever).  “Fake Healer” is more solid, blue collar metal from these Washington metal mavens.

“Wearing And Tearing”, Robert Plant Live At Knebworth

So 1990 rolls around, Robert Plant is awarded the Silver Clef Award (for outstanding contributions to British music), and as part of the Knebworth gig brings out old pal Jimmy Page for a speedy rendition of (highly underrated) Zep ripper “Wearing And Tearing”-  Plant belts out a killer, revved up version here and Pagey does a great job keeping up with Percy’s much younger solo band.  And I must point out the late Michael Lee on drums…  that boy could PLAY and really does the John Bonham parts justice.

“The Toys Go Winding Down”, Primus Frizzle Fry

Les Claypool and his band of loonies drop an oddly disturbing one on us, led by that throbbing, insistent bass and overall goofy lyric sung in that weirdorama nasally tone courtesy of our favorite bass nutter.  And I mean all this in a good way because, you know, Primus SUCKS!  Ler’s guitar lines are noisy goodness, Herb’s rat a tat tat is in fine form, and Les even treats us to a brief bit of upright bass for those loooooww tooooones.  It’s pudding time, it’s pudding time!

“Mastermind”, Megadeth Cryptic Writings

Really a great mid-period Megadeth cut considering the band was moving away from the relentless, punky thrash of the early days into more of a solid rock unit that could write a simpler riff yet still show off their chops.  This one works as it sports a nice chunky, chugging riff and awesome solos but mostly due to the sinister ‘n snotty old school vocal from MegaDave Mustaine that hearkens back to those first couple of albums.  Ol’ Dave, the king of sneer…

“Rock Hammer”, Hellacopters Cream Of The Crap, Vol. 1

“Rock Hammer” is not fully representative of this band, this cut sounding a bit like some sludgy, loping, drunken mess at the end of a long night of practice.  Guitar riffs are sufficiently grungy but a bit wobbly, kinda like you left this record in the sun too long and now it’s warped.  Singing style reminds you a bit of Jim Morrison on a week long bender, which adds to the charm of this cut.  Cut was originally a B side to one of their early singles.

“The Gangster’s Back”, Steve Miller Band Rock Love

Before Steve Miller was flying like an eagle, he and his fellow band of space cowboys had a fine blues outfit in the “peace and love” era in the late ’60s.  “The Gangster Is Back” actually comes from an early ’70s half live/half studio album that features an entirely different cast of characters (Ross Valory, soon to be Journey man, on bass!) backing the Gangster Of Love.  Chase this with “Boom Boom Out Go The Lights” and you’ve got the start of a fun evening.

“(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay”, Sammy Hagar The Best Of

Yeah, ol’ Sam Hagar would bust out the occasional cover of rock/soul classics because, well, because he had the pipes (and probably the record company forced him into it).  I will admit that this version does not touch the original Otis Redding chestnut, but Hagar does a decent job.  A little too smooth and those seagull effects get a little old after awhile, but his backup band here includes the ultra cool Steve Cropper on guitar, who originally teamed with Redding to write this classic.

“Dimension”, Warrior Soul Salutations From The Ghetto Nation

Debuting in the late ’80s and born in the seedy underbelly of the gutters of New York City come Warrior Soul, with a style that was miles away from the hair that was festering in the LA music scene.  “Dimension” displays what these guys offered, a bit of that darker,  alterna-metal similar to the Jane’s Addictions/Saigon Kicks of the world that were just starting to emerge.  Unfortunately, these guys didn’t get their just due as grunge was soon to sweep the nation around the time that this album came out.

Some tough choices for the week, but I gotta go with this scorching version of “Wearing And Tearing” followed closely by “Stop”, “Mastermind”, and “Fake Healer”.

Ah yes dear readers…  you’ve had your share of my lists; well, let’s get down to business with a bit of a shorter one:  all time favorite bands.  Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately for you) I can only pick a top five and not really a full top ten.  If you put me up to it I have maybe seven bands that stand at the top but rounding out a top ten would be quite difficult, so top five it has to be.  As you’ll come to find out, most of the top five I’ve had a certain fascination for since my early listening days, although there is one that didn’t make their mark until maybe the mid-90’s once I discovered their catalog outside of their radio hits.  However, before I get into the actual list, lemme talk a little bit o’ criteria here.

So what makes an “all time favorite band”?  Surely this is subjective for everyone; many of us have shared experiences with friends and family as far as borrowing record collections, going to concerts together, discussing “last night’s top 10 playlist” on the local radio station, and so on.  But for me, it wasn’t just about “the song”:  it was much, much more than that- it was always about the whole package.  Sure, songs were very important but I was never just a singles guy relying on the radio to tell me what was popular.  Nah, it was always a full on discovery-  it was, “hey, I like this song.  What other songs do they have?”.  And if I heard at least two songs that I really liked, more than likely that was it and I just HAD to find someone who had the album or convince my parents that such and such album was what I wanted for my birthday or for Christmas or what have you.  Once that sweet piece of plastic was in hand (yes, I’m talking vinyl here), the discovery was on.  I’d spend hours on hours scanning the whole album, checking out everything from the artwork to the lyrics to the production credits.  And once I wore that album out, I’d patiently wait for the next album to come out or then go back and get more material from the band’s/artist’s back catalog, or even grab the latest music mag to read up on the band/artist.  It became (and it still is) an obsession.

So sit back and relax…  all will be reveeeeeaaaaalllled very soon 🙂

And that’s a hint…  a hint or a clue…  🙂

There are story songs, and then there are story songs.  Rumor has it that at one time, Richard Thompson’s “1952 Vincent Black Lightning” was THE most requested song in the history of NPR radio since it’s release in 1991 on his Rumour and Sigh album.  The subject matter is something we can all identify with:  boy meets girl and they fall madly in love until his dangerous ways catch up with him and he meets an untimely death.  On his deathbed he expresses his love for the girl with the “red hair and black leather” and gives her the keys to his beloved motorcycle, which was the centerpiece at the start of their relationship that sets the tone during the first verse of the song.

So if you’ve never heard this song before you may think I’ve spoiled it for you by giving you the whole story upfront.  It’s not just the story and the fantastic lyric to go with it, it’s the passion in the vocal and the incredible guitar work from Richard Thompson.  Normally I just put up a link to the studio version of these songs but in this instance I’ve decided to put up a couple of live versions just to catch the utter brilliance for your own eyes.  What is amazing to me is how someone can sing so passionately and also play with so much emotion and expression, not only handling his own rhythmic accompaniment in his finger picked style but with such rich melody lines as well.

Even though this feels like folk or Celtic music, it’s hard to pigeonhole Thompson solely into either of those styles as he also ably fits into more electric guitar environs as well.  The man has had a varied career since the ’60s as a member of Fairport Convention through his years performing with his wife Linda up until today as he continues to put out new material every few years.  Though he has a large body of work “1952 Vincent Black Lightning”, in my own humble opinion, ranks at the very top of that vast catalog.

Sometimes I have the feeling “it’s just me”, but…  I’ll hear something on the radio or on the internet or see a band in concert and think, “ahhhh…  I don’t get it”.  Or you’ve got friends that will tell you that X band is the greatest thing since sliced bread or you pick up the latest copy of a music rag and the cover states that “THIS IS THE HOT NEW ARTIST/BAND” but when you finally hear something from said artist/band it just doesn’t register- maybe it’s the hype, or maybe you just have an innate stubbornness to anything that popular media is all over this day/week/month.

However…  let me tell you a tale where this happened to this writer and how it changed my life for the better.  To the time machine!

The year…  probably late ’85 or early ’86…  as a young college freshman, I had very little funds to go out and buy new music.  My fellow dorm mates and I would occasionally share new tuneage with each other or we would all hop into a room collectively and run through each others’ album or tape collections or just sit around listening after a long day in class, which was always a cool experience.  And fortunately, I had two record stores within walking distance where I could go and trade in some of my collection or buy something fresh and new.

I still don’t recall exactly where I’d heard the name, but around this time I caught wind of a band called “Metallica”.  It may have been hearing a song (“For Whom The Bell Tolls” maybe?) or more likely that I’d read something where these guys were considered the new thing in metal.  Being a huge fan of bands like Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Dio, Van Halen, Ozzy, etc, I figured that if these guys were the hot new thing that I must check them out. One day after class I headed on down to the record store to check out what Metallica they had in stock.  First thing I see in the Metallica section is Ride The Lightning (at the time Metallica’s second disc)-  took a look at the cover, checked out the credits on the back and said to myself, “yep, this looks pretty cool.  Time to buy!”.  So I plunked down my hard earned cash for the album and started on my way back to the dorm (about a good 15-20 minute walk), all the while thinking…  what’s this going to sound like?  These guys look like rock dudes, the song titles are interesting…  I think we’ve got a winner here!

Shortly thereafter I arrive to my dorm room, put the album on the turntable, turned the stereo on, cranked up the volume, dropped the needle, and…  confusion.  Ummm…  what is this?  In my young, musically inexperienced mind I just could not comprehend what I was hearing.  To me, “Fight Fire With Fire” was just unfettered noise that didn’t really go anywhere; just distorted guitar going “BRRRRRRRRRRRRR” and a lead singer who more or less barked the notes.  So I lifted the needle to go to the next cut and experienced the same thing with something called “Ride The Ligthning”…  huh?  Okaaaay… life needle and play next cut…  “For Whom The Bell Tolls”…  this sounds a little bit better, but still…  lift needle, next cut… “Fade To Black”…  not bad either, but…  flip album over…. same thing.

So after giving the album a quick run through I was left scratching my head-  what am I not getting?  How are these guys the best new band on the planet?  Granted, there were some elements I did enjoy to some extent but many baffled me to no end.  In hindsight (and funny looking back on it) it was too fast, too raw, and too dark.  Not long thereafter, I actually saw Metallica open for Ozzy Osbourne to tour their Master Of Puppets album and I STILL couldn’t comprehend the love for the band.  Metallica T shirts were flying off the shelves and people were going bonkers for these guys, which left me shaking my head.  It wasn’t any type of outright disgust or hatred for the band; no, it was more like… am I missing something here?

By now, it’s late 1986.  My brother, who is also a huge music fan as well, picks up a copy of Metallica’s Master Of Puppets and also buys a copy of Anthrax’ Among The Living and plays them nonstop (keep in mind here that he’s still in high school while I’m starting my sophomore year in college).  At some point when I’m back home for the weekend he tells me that he’s bought these cassettes and that these guys are great, so I figured well, maybe this new album is better and we’ll see about these Anthrax guys.  But I’ll be damned…   I STILL DID NOT GET IT for Metallica and the same thing for Anthrax…  but…  the claws were starting to sink in to some extent.

At some point in early 1987 I borrowed the tapes from my brother so I could listen at school.  Both bands were heavy and both bands were different-  different singers, different lyrical content, different levels of musicanship, but I still could not grasp it.  Once I got out for the summer break my brother (bless his demented heart) would continue to play these things nonstop and little did I know that the claws were sinking in even more, ever so slowly.  It’s not that I wanted to like it because someone else did; rather, it was just because I’d not heard anything like it before although I had to admit to some level of excitement being there.  I just kept hanging in there until, shall was say, all was revealed on  June 12, 1987.

Nah, I didn’t have that date memorized (that’s what the Internet is for) but that is the date that kicked my love for music into an even deeper dimension.  I’d already been a big fan of the band Metal Church courtesy of their self titled debut album and the great “Watch The Children Prey” from their second LP The Dark.  These guys were co-headlining a tour of the States for that second LP along with that other band that I didn’t quite yet get… Anthrax.  Kicking off that evening’s festivities were Metal Church, who put on a fantastic, headbanging worthy show of epic proportions-  HEAVY drums, great guitar work, killer singing.  How could anything even get close to that?  Well, little did I know…

Anthrax just SLAYED!  Holy crap…  I suddenly GOT IT and was HOOKED!  The energy level was infectious, their sense of fun enormous, and their overall show was off the hook crazy.  Where that Metallica show was more heads down menace and brutality, the Anthrax show was almost a complete 180 degrees-  it was almost as if a comic book had come to life in front of my very eyes.  I don’t know if it was the members’ sporting crazy and colorful jams shorts or the whirling dervish that was guitarist Scott Ian, but the show was akin to an epiphany and one that has made a mark on my psyche forever.

Shortly thereafter, it was me that was playing Master Of Puppets and Among The Living nonstop and it was the both of us exploring other bands from the budding thrash movement, anyone and everyone from Testament to Megadeth to Flotsam and Jetsam to Sacred Reich to Exodus and even branching out to some of the punk rock bands that influenced the genre.  Thinking back to that time frame, I cannot thank my brother enough and I am happy to say our bond continues to this day as we share each others’ passion for music and frequently share the latest tunes and favorite artists/bands on an ongoing basis (Thanks Steve!).

Oh hang on a sec…  ” Hey!  You forgot about Slayer!”

Well… ha ha ha… Slayer scared the pants off us the first time we heard them but that’s a tale for another day…

“Here Today”, Paul McCartney Tug Of War

A real heart tugger here, Macca pens a tribute to Brother John and it’s a beaut with its fab melody, plaintive acoustic, and wonderful string accompaniment that hearkens back to the Lennon/McCartney glory days.  Released only two short years after Lennon’s tragic death, you can sense the sorrow in McCartney’s vocal as he reminisces on those special moments between the two musical icons that we fans will always link as one entity.  Production courtesy of the late Sir George Martin.

“No Lies”, Bruce Dickinson Tattooed Millionaire

Bruce takes a brief vacation from his day job with Iron Maiden to indulge in his AC/DC-esque fantasies as he pens more basic songs with the help of friend (and soon to be Maiden member) Janick Gers.  “No Lies” is a no nonsense rocker with a throbbing bass beat, good chorus, and whammy bar ending.  Think of this as the sister song to “Bring Your Daughter To The Slaughter” that Maiden would eventually take to #1 the following year.  Bruce gives up the “air raid” siren for a more guttural vocal.

“Kick Down”, Bad Company Rough Diamonds

Man, this Paul Rodgers cat can croon like no other.  A bit of an underrated cut from their last album before a long breakup/hiatus, “Kick Down” also features some great, great guitar work from Mick Ralphs and some cool piano and keyboard noodling from Rodgers.  Solid backbeat from drummer Simon Kirke as well, but man… that vocal and just listen to that watery guitar tone, Ralphs saying so much with so few notes.

“Voices Of Babylon”, The Outfield Big Innings: The Best Of The Outfield

The mid to late 80s really offered up some strong, pop laden bands that did a great job of mixing the rock formula with new wave tones.  “Voices Of Babylon” expanded a bit on The Outfield’s hit formula as it added a few more production touches to their usual strong pop sheen.  Sure, everyone remembers the band’s bigger hits but this is a strong one even though texturally it’s a product of its time (nothing wrong with that!).

“Running Back”, Brian Robertson Diamonds And Dirt

A really cool take on the underrated Thin Lizzy cut courtesy of that band’s Brian Robertson, who ranks high among my list of favorite guitarists (check out those posts!).  Robertson finally puts out something to his name after years of guest work on other artists CDs, and his version of this song is a bit more of a Seger-esque R&B soulful groove in comparison to the shuffle in the original.  Smooth guitar work and nice, understated vocal.

“Doctor Doctor”, Iron Maiden Best Of The B-Sides

I’ve always loved Maiden’s covers and this is a great one, featuring the unfairly maligned Blaze Bayley who really shines in this version as it’s right in his wheelhouse.  They don’t stray one whit from the UFO original and is pretty much dead on perfect short of some guitar fills.  And the always smooth Dave Murray does an excellent job in the Schenker role.  Trivia note:  Maiden ALWAYS has the original playing at every gig just before they hit the stage!

“Captain Nemo”, Michael Schenker Built To Destroy

Speaking of Michael Schenker, here’s an instrumental from the Mad Axeman on his third solo album.  “Nemo” features everything you love about the guy’s playing:  melody, note choice, tone to die for…  you name it, it’s a good one if you like this kind of stuff.  While we had Van Halen as the guitar hero in the States at this time, the Europeans were already knocked for a loop via Schenker’s playing since his days with UFO and brief tenure in The Scorpions.

“In The Naked Eye”, Greg Kihn KihnSolidation

The late 70s/early 80s were an interesting time in music as disco and punk were both on the way out and skinny ties and new wave were on the way in.  But there were some artists that fit in a bit differently and hearkened back to a 60s sensibility, like Greg Kihn.  Kihn wrote some great rock cuts, “In The Naked Eye” starting off with almost a reggae vibe before settling into a groovy backbeat.  A bit of an unheralded cut from the man’s early days before he hit the big time with “Jeopardy”.

“Game Face”, Gov’t Mule Dose

Man, the original Mule were something special before Alan Woody’s untimely death after album #3.  “Game Face” is a great example of their early rock prowess, drummer Matt Abts anchors the bottom end with Woody’s bass which allows the always excellent Warren Haynes to not only lay down some awesome guitar chunkery but he’s an underrated singer as well.  Dig the musical breakdown midway through the cut-  these boys played off each other so well as they take it to another groovy and slammin’ level.

“Blow Up The Outside World”, Soundgarden Down On The Upside

Soundgarden gets a little psychedelic and a bit Beatley here and there (and there ain’t nothing wrong with that).  I’ve always considered these guys in the top tier of grunge, far above Pearl Jam and Nirvana due to the solid musicianship and strong pipes of Chris Cornell.  “Blow Up” is a testament to their creativity as they blend their usual dark unsettling tones with a bit of quirky melody.  Glad these guys are finally back together and putting out music again!

Tough, tough choice for song of the week as all of these are strong in their own right, but I gotta go with the beautiful “Here Today” as the top cut from this post with “Game Face” and “In The Naked Eye” filling out the top three.

As I’ve gotten older my tastes, interestingly enough, have become more and more extreme and oftentimes are polar opposites of each other depending on my mood.  Sometimes I want to relax with something a bit more “out there” and atmospheric, and other times I’m in the heads down bullrush mode and want to bang my head to the most insane sounding stuff.  But dang it all, there are still those times where I fall somewhere in the middle and want to here something more melodic with its own sense of beauty.  “Without You” from Symphony X absolutely falls in this latter category.

I can hear the guffaws and hardy har har hars from some of you that are familiar with this great band and their material:  THIS SONG???  ARE YOU KIDDING???  It’s too mellow and soft!  There are waaaay better songs than this!  To that I say…  you’re right, but it depends on what I want to listen to at a given time.  Symphony X is an extremely talented band, exhibiting more musicianship than some of their fellow progressive counterparts (Dream Theater, Kamelot, etc) but the key diff is the versatile pipes of Sir Russell Allen.  Allen’s vocal talents are reminiscent of prime Ronnie James Dio during some of the heavier cuts but I actually prefer the timbre and tonality of his voice when he’s less aggressive and actually sings.  Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love those headbangers but his style is more unique and powerful during the band’s more melodic moments and his voice has become even stronger and confident over each passing album.

As a whole, “Without You” is one of those moments, an unparalleled bit of majestic beauty that ranks as a high watermark of melody in their lengthy catalog.  After kicking off with a few introductory power chords underlain with an acoustic pattern, Allen starts off with a beautiful vocal during the verse before the heavier chords kick in come chorus time.  The song continues to build in the second verse, eventually pushing the sonics into another atmosphere with a fantastic guitar solo from Michael Romeo.  And did I mention majesty and beauty?  Take a listen to that short passage immediately after the solo- just a beautiful symphonic tradeoff between piano, keys, acoustic guitar, and bass that lays a perfect bed of emotion for Allen to sing over and carry us back once again into the chorus as the band gradually segues to a close.

Take one part dramatic vocal, add a healthy dollop of heroic guitar rock, and toss in some tasty melody and symphonic moments in the mix and you’ve got a winner.  “Without You” does this in spades and then some.  Think Kansas/Foreigner mixed with Yngwie Malmsteen/Dream Theater/Rainbow and you’re in the ballpark.  Fantastic stuff.