Tag Archives: Pasha Records

The World’s Greatest Lie or: Ready to Strike (Eugeology Entry 17)

04 Thursday May 2017

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Salutations™!!

Last week’s selection was a bit weird for me. I liked it okay, but didn’t love it. That’s fine, it happens. Of course, Jon and Eugene are behind. They’ll catch up, probably. But, more of the Eugeology train…

KingKobra_ReadyToStrike

©Capitol Records

#17 – Ready to Strike by King Kobra.

All I ever knew of this band was the promo pics of Carmine Appice, in his cheesy tiger-striped spandex bodysuit and fu-manchu mustache, advertising either drums, cymbals or sticks. I thought it looked silly, even though I was into stuff like that. Something about Carmine that always made me not like him. I really don’t know what that is because when he was on That Metal Show he seemed like a genuinely cool guy. Anywhat!

This came up and I wondered why I hadn’t ever thought to listen to it. I guess it just wasn’t something I necessarily wanted to hear. That happens and preconceived notions are, sometimes, very restrictive. So, I kranked this up (see what I did there?) and let it fly. I thought I was listening to some Yngwie Malmsteen or something because of all the chiming synths and Gothic sounds. That, on its own, isn’t like Eugene, but on the whole, I have to think of the Alice Cooper, Kix and Kick Axe that he likes and, well, okay, it makes sense. I have been surprised by some of the poppy-happy albums that he puts on this list, though. Not disappointed in that, but surprised.

Carmine does a good job on the album. The guitar work on this album, that of David Michael-Philips and Mick Sweda, is at times really flashy. However, it’s all classy and not gratuitous. I really like the guitars’ tone on this album. It’s meaty and beefy and fills the whole album with sonic fullness. A then-unknown Johnny Rod (he later got some recognition with W.A.S.P.) does some sweet bass runs and glissando and holds that bottom end, deep. Musically this album is solid. But, as usual in these Eugeology albums, for me, the real highlight lies in the vocals.

Marcie Free (then she was known as Mark) has a phenomenal voice! It’s depth ranges from near-glass-shattering highs to ear-rattling power to heart-breaking emotion. She picks just the right attribute to use in each performance.  The only part I didn’t like from her was this crazy falsetto thing in one of the songs. I have gone back and now I can’t find it, but it’s not that important. She makes this album great. Spencer Proffer (and Carmine) do a nice on the production, too. It’s full and bombastic. What you’d expect from 1985, I’d say.

Some of my favorite songs on Ready to Strike are “Hunger” (written by Kick Axe – no wonder Eug likes this), “Dancing With Desire,” “Second Thoughts.” My absolute fave on the album is “Tough Guys.” It is awesome. There are a couple of songs that I don’t care for and I can’t put my finger on what they are. Those would be “Shake Up” and “Attention.” Well, I know what bothers me about “Shake Up.” Those lyrics are that whole “fist in the air/live for rock and roll” mess. I don’t like that. “Attention,” I guess, sounds like “Walk Like An Egyptian” on speed and then they switch to Tia Carrere’s version of “Ballroom Blitz.” I don’t know why I don’t like those, but I don’t. Two of the songs were co-written by Kick Axe, the aforementioned “Hunger” and “Piece of the Rock.” Spencer Proffer (Pasha Records – think Quiet Riot) is all over the song-writing credits, too. And someone that is named H. Banger, which to me, sounds like a pen name for someone. I’m pretty sure the “H” stands for Head. I find nothing on this person in my searches.

All-in-all, it’s a great album with but a few clunkers. I’d say that’s still a good thing. I want to read E & J’s takes on it. I may hear from them around Father’s Day on this one. I also want to hear from you, Dear Reader. What do you know/think of this album? I look forward to responses. What’s next, Eug?

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

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“Don’t ask why… Cause we all know that tough guys don’t cry. The world’s greatest lie is that all of us tough guys don’t cry” – “Tough Guys” (King Kobra/Banger/Proffer)

All the Rules Are Gone or: Vices (Eugeology Entry 4)

02 Thursday Feb 2017

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Salutations™!!

I knew this was coming. Not this album because I knew nothing about the group other

viceskickaxe

©Pasha Records

than they had a cheesy and remarkably cliche 80s hard rock (“heavy metal”) name. But, I knew the band would show up at least once. I am also predicting a Kix album, a Raven album, possibly a Saxon album and a Motörhead album in the next 46 entries in Eugeology: Eugene’s List of Hard Rock Albums and Possible Gems. That’s not a knock or a bad thing, just a prediction. I welcome them all. I do want to hear/read Jon’s take on this. We had a discussion this past week about the list and what we’re either getting out of it or what’s surprising us. He’s a different perspective than Eugene and I but, again, that’s the point. But, here we go:

#4 – Vices by Kick Axe.

(Note – There is a self-rebuttal to this at the end. I listened again, later.)

Well, if nothing else, this gave me a smile, a few chuckles and a lot of shaking of my head. Not that it’s bad. Okay, it is bad, but it has great comedic value. As per Eugene’s request, I listened to the album via headphones. I think that brought out the bass, which Victor Langen does a good job of when he’s not just pedaling; which thankfully isn’t a lot.

What it also brings out, though, is the tinny thinness of George Criston’s vocals. When he’s rough and gritty, there’s power; his screams are blaring if not screeching. Otherwise, I wasn’t impressed. The lyrics are quintessentially 1984. I mean, I can’t really make fun of it because I listened to stuff equally as cheesy (have you heard a lot of the lyrics on Animalize or Crazy Nights from KISS?), but when there are lyrics like “She’s cruel, sly and shameless and she’s always on the prowl. Looking longing, sets her sights and so she growls. Sinkin’ up inside, your hands run through your hair. Know just when to give in when she drags you to her lair,” I can’t take that seriously. In their defense, most of that genre was like that at the time.

The riffs aren’t bad, they have some decent merit here. Larry Gillstrom and Raymond Harvey hold down those duties fairly well. Their rhythms and solo work is above average and tasteful. The other Gillstrom brother, Brian, holds down the beat and is solidly on the beat (which I can’t really say for the backing vocals). None of the band are especially virtuoso-calibur, which I don’t think was their intention, anyway. They’re wanting to have fun and create a fun atmosphere, I believe. They seemed to have fun. I wish I could say I had more fun listening to it.

The overall production is oddly thin, yet partly muddy, which I found disappointed considering Spencer Proffer produced it and I really enjoyed what he did on Quiet Riot’s Metal Health and Condition Critical. Also, while this list, thus far, has reminded me how much I dug and have missed listening to hard rock, it also reminds me of the stuff that I didn’t like and why. This would be that. I mean no offense to Eug or the band, I just didn’t get into listening to it. There are a few good tunes, though: “Just Passin’ Through” is my favorite on the album. It’s really the only one I could name by name that I liked. There were pieces throughout that I dug, even in the songs that I didn’t care for. It didn’t suck, I just didn’t care much for it. I’ve enjoyed everything else we’ve reviewed, even the Skynyrd album (which I hang my head for even admitting to), this wasn’t not enjoyable, just didn’t move me, at all. Sorry, Eug.

I want to hear his take on this and I am very interested in Jon’s. Check them out and thanks for reading all of the entries.

*self-rebuttal*

Okay, upon the second listen, I have to change some of the things I wrote initially. I left the original writing in to show that I can reconsider my thoughts.

Criston’s voice is still annoying but mostly in “Dreamin’ About You.” He’s got more power than I heard the first time. I can’t explain why I was hearing it differently, other than I listened then with headphones in the studio and the second time at home. I do wish, too, that they would have done more with the 12-string motif at the end of “Stay on Top.” That sounded cool, the sonic quality was better and it was rich. I would have liked to have had that extended.

I double down on Victor Langen’s bass playing. He’s pretty good. I noticed a bit more keyboards the second time but there’s not listing for who’s playing it. It’s mostly ambience, though, so no big deal. I still keep hearing “Magneto” instead of “Maneater” in the song of the same name. So, overall, my feelings didn’t change much, but I wanted to give it another shake to be fair and do my due diligence. I liked it a little better the second time around. I did like “On the Road to Rock” and “Cause For Alarm” on the second listen.

I also rescind the “it is bad” part. It’s not. It’s not great, by any means, but it’s not bad. It’s not a bad listen, actually. Don’t know that I’ll listen again, but you never know.

*rebuttal over and out*

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Beyond the words of beauty and desire, a memory of you sets me on fire. Your voice was magic, your eye’s would paralyze. I fell under your spell, I was mesmerized. I wish you would make it real.” – “Dreamin’ About You” (Kick Axe?)