Tag Archives: David Lee Roth

Spinning Sunday or: The Haul 7/21/18

22 Sunday Jul 2018

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Salutations™!!

It was a big week from Underdog Records this time around. Not just yesterday but Friday as well. Jonathan had purchased a large number of records and immediately went in and pulled all the $1 records to go ahead and get those out for sale. I happened across them and snatched about 13 $1 records that I couldn’t let get past me. Here’s what we got:

Eat_Em_And_Smile_Cover

©Warner Bros.

  • Beastie Boys – Paul’s Boutique — #156 on the RS list. 3B is really into rap/hip-hop so I’m going to show him the stuff that happened before the current trend of mumbling that’s going on. New
  • Joy Division – Unknown Pleasures — The BCPF is a Joy Division fan. She wanted it and, by golly, I like giving her things she wants. Although I am somewhat familiar with Joy Division, I’d say this was like a cross between The Doors and Talking Heads with dark sprinkles on top. It was a great album, though. New.
  • Black Sabbath – Paranoid — #131 on the RS list. I never really cared for Black Sabbath, as a whole, but the more I listen, the more I like. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t dislike them, I just didn’t care one way or the other. I liked Ozzy’s solo stuff. I also liked the Sabbath “hits,” just not the album stuff. Or at least I thought that was the case. It wasn’t, ultimately. “Paranoid,” “Iron Man,” “Planet Caravan” and “War Pigs.” ‘Nuff said! New.
  • Talking Heads – More Songs About Buildings And Food — #383 on the RS List. I filled quite a few slots on that list this week. This isn’t my favorite Heads album but it’s not bad. I think my only frown on this is that it has the much-overplayed “Take Me to the River.” And, even that isn’t too awful. New.
  • The Beatles – Yellow Submarine — Trying to build up my Beatles collection, too. I also bought a copy of Rubber Soul but I’m going to take that back because it’s the crappy US version and I want the far superior UK version. The songs on this album are great, of course, because it’s the Beatles on drugs. That was the best period or at least my favorite period. I really think George Martin’s orchestrations on the second side are beautiful. VG+
  • Patti Smith – Horses — #44 on the RS list. I caught this one being graded by Jonathan and snatched it right away. It was a great album and we enjoyed listening to it. VG.
  • Cheap Trick – Heaven Tonight — Trying to get caught up on my Cheap Trick needs and this a step in the right direction. It doesn’t make up for my missing In Color both because it’s my favorite CT album but also because it’s on the RS list. But, that being said, this is a fantastic album. VG+.
  • Alice Cooper – Flush The Fashion — I always run my Alice acquisitions by Eugene because he’s my “Alice Guru.” I sent him a picture of this (and the next) and he sent back his approval. I told him that I’m upping my “Alice Game.” He was a happy camper. VG.
  • Alice Cooper – Alice Cooper Goes To Hell — As with the last one, Eug was happy, although less enthused about this as Flush. But, it’s another notch in my Alice collection. VG+.
  • After The Fire – ATF — You know I’m not afraid to buy an entire album for one song, especially when it’s $1 or $2. I did for this one. “Der Kommissar” is on this album and I love their version. It was VG.
  • Elton John – Greatest Hits — #136 on the RS List. Being as it’s a compilation, I didn’t listen when I did the list, but, I didn’t have to, I have had it on CD for many, many, many years. It’s jammed-packed with “hits” and darn good ones, too. VG/VG+.
  • Styx – Crystal Ball — I know Styx gets crapped on all the time, but you know what? I’m unashamedly a fan. Rabid fan? Nah. But, I dig their stuff. It was Tommy Shaw’s debut with the band and he sang the album’s only Top 40 hit, “Mademoiselle.” It was a $1 bin find and in fairly good shape. I’ll go with VG.
  • U2 – Boy — I believe this was one of my two favorite $1 bin finds of the weekend. It’s #417 on the RS list and is, of course, U2’s debut album from 1980. Even though it was in the $1 bin, it’s in really good shape. VG/VG+.
  • Starz  – Starz — Another one that I ran by Eug because he’s also my “Starz Guru.” He sent back “Excellent! Every Starz album is awesome.” So, I’m taking that as it is a win! $1 bin find and VG.
  • Greg Kihn Band – Rockihnroll — Another that I purchased for one song, “The Breakup Song (They Don’t Write ‘Em).” Again, it was only $1 so why not? VG.
  • Berlin – Pleasure Victim — I love Terri Nunn’s voice. That, plus this being a $1 pulled me to purchase the album, but it also has “Sex (I’m A…),” “Masquerade” and “The Metro” and you just can’t go wrong with those tunes. VG.
  • Chic – C’est Chic —  “Le Freak” for $1. Okay. VG.
  • Paul Revere & The Raiders – Paul Revere & The Raiders’ Greatest Hits — $1 bin find. VG.
  • The Raiders – Indian Reservation — $1 bin find. VG.
  • John Cougar – Nothin’ Matters And What If It Did — I don’t recognize any of the song titles on this 1980 album but it was $1 and it had Edith Massey on the cover which makes it something I can’t pass up. Massey played Edie the woman obsessed with eggs and the “Egg Man” in John Waters’ film Pink Flamingos. The BCPF considers this her favorite most hated film, ever. It’s in G+ condition.
  • Tom T. Hall – We All Got Together And… — I have really gotten into the country “crap” that I had to listen to from Ma Père growing up. Tom T. Hall was one of those. $1 and G+.
  • Tom T. Hall – For The People In The Last Hard Town – Same as the previous, it’s Tom T. Hall and it has “I Love” on it, so that helps. $1 and VG.
  • The Call – Reconciled — I’m familiar with the name The Call but not the music, at least that I know of. I do know they’re one of those mid- to late-80s pop bands that I like so much, so let’s try it out. It’s only $1 and in VG.
  • The Call – Into The Woods — As is the case with the last one, $1 and VG.
  • The Who – Meaty Beaty Big And Bouncy — Compilation album in which the outer sleeve is in dreadful condition. It looks like it had lain in the snow for an entire winter, all puffed and bubbly. The vinyl looks to be in decent condition but I’m rating it at about G+ and it was $1.
  • David Lee Roth – Eat ‘Em And Smile — The other that I am very excited about. I loved this album from the first time I ever heard it and when I moved to WSNC, it was the first time that I had MTV at my disposal and the video for “Yankee Rose” was one of my favorites! The whole thing was awesome and fun to listen to. It was in the $1 bin but I’m going with VG/VG+, even, because I think it is great shape.
  • Miles Davis – In Person, Friday Night At The Blackhawk, San Francisco, Volume I — Remember from many months back when I came across that bonus stack of records that I didn’t even know I had had for? This was part of that. There is still a huge stack of jazz and classical albums I haven’t even gone through, yet, but I am (very) slowly getting through that and this was one that I dug out for this week. I know nothing of it. I’m going with VG.

Whew! That was a large addition week. Jonathan is taking on some hired help to get Underdog Records up to the next level. He says he probably has tons of sellable inventory that he can’t get to because he’s stuck behind the counter and already works a shload of hours that he just can’t keep up with it all. I can’t wait to see what comes from his findings because I’ve gone through all the used stuff that he’s had for the last bit. But, it should bring in new customers when he (and I because I do a lot of advertising for him) starts advertising the stuff on Underdog Records’ social media platforms. So, be on the lookout!!

I didn’t add any Discogs Marketplace acquisitions this week but I did do some dealings with them. You’ll find out more about those when I get them. It will be good stuff. But, use it to keep track of your collection; it’s a great tool.

Until tomorrow, keep spinning!
Scorp out!

—
“I was on the outside when you said you said you needed me. I was looking at myself, I was blind, I could not see. A boy tries hard to be a man. His mother takes him by the hand. If he stops to think, he starts to cry. Oh, why? If you walk away, walk away, I walk away, walk away. I will follow.” – “I Will Follow” (Hewson/Evans/Mullen/Clayton)

This is Home or: Fair Warning (Eugeology Entry 45)

16 Thursday Nov 2017

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Salutations™!!

Last week was a bit difficult for me to put my finger on. Good? Yes. My thing? No. But, that’s okay. Eugene doesn’t expect me to like everything, but he does expect me to give it a fair shake. That, I did. Jon is in the ether somewhere. Let’s do this week…

#45 – Fair Warning by Van Halen.

Van_Halen_-_Fair_Warning

©Warner Bros.

 

Eugene says this is his favorite Van Halen album. I can see that. It is not my favorite Van Halen album, however, I do believe it is better than both its immediate predecessor and successor. Women and Children First was a decent album but kind of a departure from the same quality as the first two VH albums. Diver Down, to me, was David Lee Roth’s cover album; an appeasement. Both good but neither fall on my favorite list. This, however, is one that I can listen to over and over. The songs are inventive for Eddie and a good showcase for DLR. And, it was still “raw” for a Van Halen album. That, you will find, is low on my priority list but for this album, it really works.

One thing I noticed is that part of  the outro from “Hear About It Later” is, at the very least, an inspiration to the intro to 1984‘s “Girl Gone Bad.” And, time signatures? Don’t get me started. Well, actually, it’s not about the time signatures themselves, generally, it’s the fact that the band syncopates the living shite out of it. “Unchained” is a perfect example. Try counting that bad boy in 4/4 time. You can’t really until you get to the part where the drums and bass come in. And, going back after you find that time, you see that Eddie starts on the “four and” beat and alternates back and forth between the “four and” and the “one.” Sorry to geek out on the music theory there, but EVH is one that takes theory and rewrites it. It’s always an exercise in “suspending the musical theory disbelief.”

Another interesting and important thing in VH lore is the opening track, “Mean Street.” Eddie uses the intro to this tune in his solos, even if they don’t play the whole song. It’s innovative because it’s his famed tapping but in an even more percussive manner. Yes, technically tapping is percussive but this is more slapping the fretboard that gently tapping it.

This whole album is a bit of a departure from the “fun” that the first three had. I don’t mean that it doesn’t have its humorous moments. I mean, David Lee Roth is involved. It just doesn’t have that “party” atmosphere that, up until this point, was evident with VH records. It’s darker, for sure.

One thing that is an absolute is that if you are familiar with the first three VH albums and you didn’t know what you were about to listen to, you’d know right away that this is a VH album upon the first listen. Part of it is that you know Eddie’s playing and you know Ted Templeman’s production.

Not that Michael Anthony needed any “highlight time” but “‘Dirty Movies'” does get to showcase his bass abilities and man, no matter how good Wolfie (Van Halen, the current bassist for the band) is, he’ll not be able to emulate those backing vocals the same way that Michael does. His chops could almost rival EVH’s as he has to play the same riffs in places and he hangs the whole time. The whole album is splattered with his awesomeness.

What can be said about Alex Van Halen that hasn’t already been said? Nothing much. He is a showman, a wildman, and one of the finest drummers you’ll find. He’s flash. He’s definitely flash, but he can back it up. For most drummers, this could be chaos. But, he still keeps it all classy and it all fits no matter how much flash he displays. It’s always thunderous. I guess he’s the storm of the band.

And DLR, as much as I have my eye-rolling moments with him, he’s still one of the greatest frontmen, especially at this time, in rock and roll. Not the greatest voice, but definitely a distinct and unique voice. Not many people can break their voice in two like he could. He could harmonize with himself on the shrieks.

My favorite tunes on this album are “Mean Street,” Hear About It Later,” “Unchained” and “So is This Love?” Sure, they’re the main tunes on the album, but as I said, it’s not my favorite VH album, so I like the hits. Incidentally, my top 5 VH albums (in order)? 1984, 5150, Van Halen, Fair Warning, OU812. Don’t hate, I like what I like.

One last note, I got to listen to this on vinyl because I own it. I enjoy the ones that I have on vinyl. I never got to listen to most of this as a kid, at least in this way. Thank you Eug for having this one on the list. It was comforting to me to have something at least familiar. I know that’s not the point of this exercise, but it was still welcomed. Jon…

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Hey, you remember when that girl was prom queen?” – “‘Dirty Movies'” (Van Halen/Van Halen/Anthony/Roth)

Rock the Nation or: Montrose (Eugeology Entry 11)

23 Thursday Mar 2017

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Salutations™!!

I enjoyed last week’s entry, even thinking that I wouldn’t. Good surprise for me. Still waiting on Jon and Eugene‘s assessment of that one. So, let’s see how I like the selection this week.

Montrose_-_-s-t-

©Warner Bros.

#11 – Montrose by Montrose.

I like Sammy Hagar. I like the overplayed “I Can’t Drive 55” and “There’s Only One Way to Rock.” I like a few others of his solo stuff. My favorite stuff from him, though, is his days with Van Halen and that’s my favorite Van Halen. There, I said it. I like Van Hagar better than Van Halen. Do I think the songs are better? Well, I think they’re better written even if they’re not more mass appealing. I like that over the party cock-rock that DLR brought to the table. Don’t get me wrong, I liked Van Lee Roth, too, but enjoyed Sammy better. Anywhat! I got off the rail there.

This was Sammy’s “let’s rip off Robert Plant” phase. Sure, it sounds like Sammy but a lot of it sounds like he’s trying to be Plant. He was young and this was his vocal debut. I get it, he was finding his style. We all do that when we get into music. Heck, I still play like Gene Simmons. And, upon reading more about the album, it turns out that some refer to this album as “America’s answer to Led Zeppelin.” I can see that. It is, at least to me, mainly because of Sammy’s vocals.

Ronnie Montrose was a good guitarist. He had plenty of riffs on the album that were cool and his solos were on point. I feel at times his tone was a bit boxy, but it works for here. It’s not quite Tom Sholtz boxy, though. It was standard Les Paul tone for the time period. Les Paul through a Fender amp, worlds colliding there. I kid. I do like his pull offs and bends.

I did some digging on Denny Carmassi and like the fact that he played on the Heart album. I know it’s poppy cheese but I like it. He’s had a long and storied career that I never knew about (which isn’t surprising) and I enjoyed listening to his works, both post, and during, this production. Heavy beats, heavy playing. You can tell he’s pounding the snot out of the drums. I dig it.

I think my favorite part about the album is Bill Church. His bass lines are flavorful, tasteful and full. He literally fills the recording with his bottom end. Possibly taking up more than is needed. But, I’m a bassist and I don’t complain about those things. He went on to be Sammy’s bassist for most of his solo career. Great, solid bassist right there.

Even with all the components that I like (or mostly like), there’s something about this album that has left me just feeling “blah.” I’m sure I know what at least half of it is: that fast, rollicking “boogie blues rock.” I can’t stand that stuff. Precisely, I don’t like “Good Rockin’ Tonight” (not a Montrose song) and “One Thing on My Mind.” I really want to like “Bad Motor Scooter” and for the most part I do, but something about it, and I cannot put my finger on it, bugs me. I see from where Mötley Crüe got the intro to “Kickstart My Heart,” though. My favorite song on the album is “Rock Candy.” It also was the only song on the album that all four members got writing credit.

I listened to this album about seven times. That was easy to do since the whole thing isn’t but 32 minutes long. I listened over and over trying – nay, hoping – to get a better liking of it. I wanted to like it. I really, really did. And, I didn’t dislike it. That’s the thing. I wasn’t against it and I don’t not like it, I just didn’t like it. Other than this exercise, I probably won’t listen to it again. It’s a decent album that didn’t really grab me the way I wanted it to. That’s a shame.

I can’t wait to read Eugene’s memories of it and if Jon ever catches up, I’d like to read his thoughts on it. So, bring on the next one, Eug.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“But you’re rock candy baby. Hard, sweet and sticky, yes.” – “Rock Candy” (Carmassi, Church, Hagar, Montrose)

Going Back to Belfast or: All Hell Breaks Loose(Eugeology Entry 6)

16 Thursday Feb 2017

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Salutations™!!

The last album in the Eugeology series was so neutral to me it was Switzerland. Jon dug it and, of course, so did Eug since it’s his list. We get back to being able to pick a side this week. So, let’s do it!

#6 – All Hell Breaks Loose by Black Star Riders.

bsrallhellbreaksloose

©Nuclear Blast

Admittedly, I was never big into Thin Lizzy. This was much to Eugene’s chagrin. I know he wanted to slap me on numerous occasions and several times for this fact, alone. I’m not saying I didn’t like them, I just didn’t get into them. There was nothing wrong with them, just not something I got into.

Thin Lizzy certainly had their own sound and style for sure. Phil Lynott had a voice that stood out and you never wondered if it was him or not. Phil, sadly, passed away in 1986 after battling drug and alcohol dependency. The band officially broke up a few years prior, in 1984. Without Phil they couldn’t carry on, right? Well, long-time Thin Lizzy guitarist Scott Gorman reincarnated the band using the likes of John Sykes and several other contributors. In fact, the band still tours as Thin Lizzy sometimes. However, the band thought it was time to record a new album and tour with that, but something just wasn’t right for Thin Lizzy to do so without Phil. So, Gorman announced that the new album was going to be released under a new name and was going to be called Black Star Riders.

So, new material was released and this, All Hell Breaks Loose, is the debut album for that incarnation of the band. While the name is new and the songs are new, there’s no mistaking who these fine musicians are writing for and who they’re channeling in their writing: Thin Lizzy’s fans and Phil Lynott. It is so modern Thin Lizzy. And for that, I commend them. They did right by changing the name and I think they definitely did right by not changing what buttered their bread. Ricky Warwick, also an Irishman, just like Lynott, sounds remarkably like the original voice of the band.

Not every song sounds like Lizzy, though. The title (and opening track) song, to me, is a bit more modern and rocking. The same for “Valley of the Stones.” Great riffs throughout the album. The harmonies are impeccable and are slightly left of center when it comes to the interval. It’s not always the same harmonious recipe, they switch it up, but again, just like Lizzy. Now, don’t get me wrong, even the songs that I don’t get a full dose of Lizzy, I get sprinkles here and there. I’m not harping on that and I apologize if I am repetitive, but I find it quite enjoyable, regardless.

The phrasings of the vocals, the timbre, the melody lines, it’s familiar yet fresh. You suspect you’ve heard this style before and if you’re heard this album, of course you have heard that style. But, it will bring their roots through. The lyrics of the songs are bright and hopeful, yet still quite rock and roll. There’s hints of other genres, too, though. I thought “Before the War” was The Clash when I first heard it. Of course that didn’t last long. It got rocked up. I can’t really pick a favorite song on this, I think they’re all fantastic, and for different reasons. There’s a lot of hair-bandish riffs and solos, which are always okay with me. They’re tasteful and that’s what matters.

The band (on this album), really, is a supergroup. Each member has experience with other big names. Scott Gorham, of course, is the backbone being he has been with Lizzy from very early on. Ricky Warwick sang for The Almighty for a while and has done backing vocals with Def Leppard because he and Lep’s frontman, Joe Elliott, are chums. Guitarist Damon Johnson was co-founder of the 90s hard rock band, Brother Cane and later played with Alice Cooper. Drummer Jimmy DeGrasso has played with David Lee Roth, Ozzy, White Lion, Suicidal Tendencies and Megadeth. Bass player Marco Mendoza has played with Whitesnake and I saw him live when he was playing with Ted Nugent (yeah, I can’t stand the Nug, but Marco was great) when he opened for KISS. Their performances on this album was raw, yet near-flawless.

I recommend you pick this up, stream it, download it, purchase it, everything shy of stealing it, as it’s a fantastic rock record and it’s a very fitting tribute to Phil Lynott and the legacy of Thin Lizzy. I really want to read Eug’s assessment and Jon’s will be interesting, as well. He’s always the wild card; just the way it should be.What about you, Dear Reader, are you familiar with this? Once you hear it, I’d like to hear/read your thoughts on it.

Thank you Eugene for introducing it to us.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the fools. When all hell breaks loose.  All hell breaks loose. I walk a murder mile wearing deadman’s shoes. When all hells breaks loose. All hell breaks loose.” – “All Hell Breaks Loose” (Warwick, Johnson, Gorham, Mendoza, Wharton)