Tag Archives: Poison

OMG! or: LWTCDI!

02 Friday Aug 2019

Posted by in Silent Sunday

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Salutations™!!

Today is the 33rd anniversary of what I call the beginning of “hair metal.” 33 years ago, Poison’s Look What the Cat Dragged In was released. I liked it and I don’t care if you don’t. Great. Don’t listen to it. But, before you completely poopoo on the whole thing, listen, at least, to this cover. Enjoy!

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

–
“You know I call you, I call you on the telephone. I’m only hopin’ that you’re home. So I can hear you when you say those words to me and whisper so softly. I’ve gotta hear you, ’cause baby we’ll be at the drive-in, in the old man’s Ford, behind the bushes ‘til I’m screamin’ for more. Down in the basement, lock the cellar door and baby, talk dirty to me!” – “Talk Dirty to Me” (Michaels/DeVille/Dall/Rockett)

Spinning Sunday or: The Haul 5/4-5/18

06 Sunday May 2018

Posted by in Records, Silent Sunday, Spinning Sunday

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Salutations™!!

First off, notice I changed the title of this one. It seems my Sunday posts are a bit verbose at times, and they’re usually about records. Neither of which really lends to the “silent” aspect of Silent Sunday. So, I think I’m changing the “haul” posts up a bit. I’ll still do Silent Sunday for non-record posts.

500x500

©A&M

 

Well, this is a little different in the record category, as well. I went to Underdog Records, three different times from Friday to Saturday. I went on Friday because I didn’t think I’d get there Saturday because of a party we were having with a dear friend of ours. That included a bus and beer. Yep. Bus. Beer. And, also, on Friday, I was given a few records by a friend of mine. She said, here you can have these. Some of them ended up crossing off a few entries off the RS List. So, here’s what we got:

  • Poison – Open Up and Say…Ahh! – Yeah, I know it’s cheesy “hair metal” but I don’t care. I love this album. I think Bret Michaels sings perfectly well for what they were. Still, when people talk hair metal, I’d say 17 out of 20 would say Poison first. This was a reissue, so new.
  • Dr. Dog – Critical Equation – A new album from a band that, to me, sounds like a mixture between Robert Smith of the Cure and Bob Dylan. It’s right up The BCPF’s alley and that’s why I picked it. New.
  • Liz Phair – Exile In Guyville – #327 on the RS List, this was a reissue on 180g vinyl to celebrate its 25th anniversary. It’s a great album. She’s ballsy for a chick. That’s a good thing. New.
  • Bob Dylan – Desire – #174 on the RS List. It was there in the used bin and in VG condition.
  • Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Welcome To The Pleasuredome – Yep, this is the “Relax” album, which is all most people know about. My second favorite song from the band is also on this album, “Two Tribes (For the Victims of Ravishment).” VG
  • Ella Fitzgerald – Ella Fitzgerald Sings The Johnny Mercer Song Book – Ella. ‘Nuff said. VG+.
  • Crosby-Nash – Live – Another rendition/combination involving any or all members of CSNY. Jonathan said it’s great so well see. VG+.
  • Stephen Stills – Stephen Stills 2 – Another in the CSNY shuffle.
  • The Motels – All Four One – “Only the Lonely” is on this one. I love that song and I want to hear more from them. VG+.
  • Bruce Springsteen – Nebraska – #226 on the RS List, it was a little more on the subdued side. That’s okay. I think I gave it a neutral review on the list. VG+.
  • Journey – Infinity – The first with Steve Perry singing and the last with Aynsley Dunbar on drums. I’d say “Wheel in the Sky” was the big hit on this one. VG+.
  • Stan Getz – Stan Getz I hope this is as good as the other Stan Getz things I have. I love his stuff. VG.
  • Squeeze  – Cosi Fan Tutti Frutti – I like Squeeze. It was there. I grabbed it. Done. VG+.
  • Fleetwood Mac – Heroes Are Hard To Find – Pre-Buckingham/Nicks Mac with Bob Welch still in the band. I like Bob Welch. Let’s see what we got. VG+.
  • The Alan Parsons Project – Eve – Another in the Alan Parsons Project cannon! VG++.
  • 10cc – Bloody Tourists – I love the song “Dreadlock Holiday” which is about reggae. I think it’s a great song. We’ll see what the rest of it sounds like. VG++.
  • Supertramp – “…Famous Last Words…” – I see a few of my friends talk about this album as something special. I like Supertramp, let’s see. NM.

These are the ones that were “gifted” to me:

So, a pretty big haul there. Thanks, Lori for the gifts. And thank you Underdog Records for providing me a “candy store” to be proud of. And thanks to Discogs for providing such a great place for me to catalog my stuff!

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Winter is here again oh lord. Haven’t been home in a year or more. I hope she holds on a little longer. Sent a letter on a long summer day. Made of silver, not of clay. I’ve been runnin’ down this dusty road.” – “Wheel in the Sky” (Schon/Fleischman/Valory)

Dis Go Dat Way or: Another Mother Further (Eugeology Entry 31)

10 Thursday Aug 2017

Posted by in Music Review

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Salutations™!!

The last time I liked two in a row from Eugene, the streak was broken. I did like the last two, one surprised me. The other I didn’t know what to expect. Eug and Jon are both still behind but I’m trudging along. Here’s this week’s entry:

Mother's_Finest-Another_Mother_Further

©Epic Records

 

#31 – Another Mother Further by Mother’s Finest.

I had heard of this band and do have one of their albums on vinyl, but not this one. I wish I did have it, though. The first thing I hear when this starts up is “Custard Pie” “Mickey’s Monkey,” a song that first appeared 14 years prior to this version from Smokey Robinson and the Miracles and sounds very different, as well. So, there’s the question. Who was copying who? I know Led Zeppelin gets a lot of flack for “stealing” songs but in their defense, “Custard Pie” doesn’t really sound like Smokey’s version of “Mickey’s Monkey.” But, MF’s version of “Mickey” does have the same bones as the original but sounds a lot like the Zep tune in tone and form. The Zep tune came out two years prior. I have listened to both back to back and there’s certainly some copying going on. But, I like both so who cares, right?

This album has everything. It has hard rock. It has funk. It has soul. It has disco. It has slow jamming R&B. In some ways, it reminds me of a harder rocking Sly and the Family Stone and I love me some Sly. If you’re not familiar with Mother’s Finest, first, shame on you, and shame on me, because I did know about them, just not that they were this good. Anywhat! They are a rock band (some even call it “metal” although we don’t use that term much on this list) comprised entirely of African American musicians. They were worried they’d not get their hard rock cred because of their ethnicity so they didn’t put pictures on their albums. This was the 1970s and I can see their conundrum. But, I don’t care if you’re burnt umber, polka-dots and plaid, good rock is good rock. This is great rock. And, with the other elements they bring, that makes it even better. Ask The BCPF what happens when some 1970s or 1980s slow jams come on the radio. I get my soul on and I’m not afraid to admit it.

So, “Mickey’s Monkey” isn’t the only cover on this album. They do a kick-arse version of Elvis’ “Burning Love,” too. I like this version better; it rocks just right. And, these aren’t even my favorite songs on the album. My absolute favorite is “Thank You for the Love.” That’s just an awesome tune. But, I also really dig “Baby Love,” “Hard Rock Lover” and I especially dig “Dis Go Dis Way, Dis Go Dat Way.” I love the riffs and disco feel. Groovalicious!

I prefer the vocal stylings of Joyce “Baby Jean” Kennedy over Glenn Murdock but both are fantastic and their harmonies intertwine perfectly. Gary “Moses Mo” Moore’s riffs on the guitar are tasteful, clever and he shows he can hang with his contemporaries. Mike Keck’s keyboards are what fill all the cracks and his clav work is so 1970s but so juicy. I think the clavinet can be annoying when used willy-nilly and Keck uses his powers for good on this album. Drummer Barry “B.B. Queen” Borden has some serious chops. Listen to “Hard Rock Lover” and see what I’m saying. But, he can also pull back and add a simple back beat that completely brings out the soul in the music, rocking or not. The bass stylings of Jerry “Wyzard” Seay are not only perfectly laid down, but that tone is amazing. So lush and rich but still cuts through. My biggest complaint with most recordings is when the producer, as well as the band/performer, allow the bass to become background noise. That is certainly not the case here. I love listening to his playing.

Speaking of producers, Tom Werman had a lot to do with some fantastic albums from the 70s and 80s ranging from Cheap Trick (including In Color, Heaven Tonight and Dream Police my three faves by them) to Molly Hatchet and Blue Öyster Cult to Twisted Sister, Kix, Stryper and Poison and more. He’s got some big guns in there. Crisp, clean and easy to hear all that is going on. That’s exactly the case here, as well. And, coming in just under 35 minutes the album is jam packed yet easy to get through.

So, to answer the unasked question: yes, this time, there were three in a row that I liked from Eugene. Thanks so much for introducing this to me, Eug and I await your review and Jon’s as well. This is going on my “want list” for both Underdog Records and Discogs.

Until tomorrow, happy funky listening…
Scorp out!

—
“You give me good feelings. You give me good feelings. You give me good feelings. Ooh, I want to thank you for the love. Thank you for the heartaches. Thank you for the tears I’ve cried. Thank you for all those lies.” – “Thank You for the Love” (Mother’s Finest)