Tag Archives: Trixter

Now Normal Chronicles or: Not Holy

18 Monday May 2020

Posted by in KISS, Video

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Salutations™!!

Today is the 27th anniversary of KISS Alive III. Does this “live” album give me the same feelings that Alive! and Alive II gave me? Well, yes, actually. But, in a totally different way. As I’ve said before, I didn’t get to see any concerts until 1990 (right before my 20th birthday) and it was KISS on the Hot in the Shade tour. That was Eric Carr’s last tour.

For the Revenge album that came out in 1992 (its anniversary is tomorrow), KISS came to Charlotte and Fayettville in NC for that tour, but I missed both of those. So, my friend Fred “Seven” Goza and I drove to Greenville, SC to see them on “Election Day” in 1992. That day Bill Clinton beat Bush I. I had joined a band called The Blue the week before this, Fred was in that band.

Fred and I rode down without buying any tickets ahead of time. We got to the Greenville Memorial Auditorium, which was actually kind of small with only a 7500 person capacity, stood in a long line to get to the ticket counter, wondering if we’d even be able to get tix, and then when we got there, got two GA (that’s general admission) tix for the floor for $10. Heck, the fees for tix today is twice that.

Trixter and Jackyl were the openers. It was the only night for the whole tour that Jackyl was the second band. Two nights later, in Atlanta, Great White joined Trixter as the openers. Three nights prior it was Faster Pussycat and Trixter. I would have much rather seen either Faster Pussycat or Great White than Jackyl. I have never been a fan of them or Jesse James DuPree. Oddly enough, I had to sit through JJD when he opened for Queensryche in Raleigh several years later. Anywhat! I was bored with Jackyl. Trixter was pretty good, though. And, oddly enough (again) with that, two members of Trixter is now in a non-makeup KISS Kover band in which I played their “debut” song in Friday’s video. Heck even before all of that Danger Danger was the opener in the second part of the tour. I loved them on the first show I saw KISS. I’d have dug seeing them.

KISS came on and rocked the house. Alive III was recorded Black Friday weekend in Cleveland, Detroit and Indianapolis. Just a few weeks after I saw them. I kind of wished they would have done what they did with the first two live albums and only had the songs in which fit the era they were in. But, I get why they didn’t. They had to have stuff to appease the “purists.” I think these are very good performances, overdubbed or not. On that, to my knowledge, the only song we know wasn’t “live” was “I Was Made for Lovin’ You” which, like “Hard Luck Woman” and “Tomorrow and Tonight” were recorded during soundcheck with crowd noise laid on top. I don’t care, it still rocked.

Do I think it is as good as the first two? Maybe. Did it have the same energy? Certainly not as raw as the first and not at their height like II, but its own groove. Do I think I am in the majority? Nope. But, remember, my KISS tastes are weird compared to most others’. Anywhat, this is the song I chose for today. It is one of my favorite post-Alive II songs from one of my favorite post-Alive II albums. This is from one of those recorded shows, although I don’t think this is the version (unedited) that ended up on Alive III. Enjoy!

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“I am the incubus. I lay the egg in you. The worm that burrows through your brain. But you are the beast that calls me by my name. You send your children to war to serve bastards and whores. So now you know, you created me on the day that you were born.” – “Unholy” (Simmons/Vincent)

Reaching the Beach or: Shipping Up to Boston

03 Thursday May 2018

Posted by in Life as We Know It, Travel

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Salutations™!!1tix

Here’s the phone conversation:

The BCPF: “Hello.”
Me: “So, baby… I love you!”
The BCPF: “Um… I love you.”
Me: “I fixed the shower (it had been leaking really badly (I was proud of myself – that’s another conversation)).”
The BCPF: “Yay! Thank you.”
Me: “And… I love you!”
The BCPF (with trepidation): “I love you…?”
Me: “So, I made a little purchase today.”
The BCPF: “Okay…?”
Me: “You know how we’ve gone to several concerts to see your bands and you told me it was my turn next?”
The BCPF (cautiously): “Yeah…?”
Me: “Well, I purchased tickets to something. And, it’s on our anniversary weekend.”
The BCPF: “Okay…?”
Me (after a pregnant pause): “And… it’s in Boston.”
The BCPF: “WHOA!!!”
Me: “I LOVE YOU!”
The BCPF (stutteringly): “Wha… er… um…  Okay, so, two questions…”
Me: “Okay. I love you!”
The BCPF: “First: who is it?”
Me: “The Fixx.”
The BCPF: “Really!?”
Me: “Yep.”
The BCPF: “Okay… Second: how are you paying for this?”
Me: “I had a bit from a new sponsor.”
The BCPF: “So, I don’t have to pay for it?”
Me: “Nope. I’ve already done it.”
The BCPF (still stutteringly): “Wha… er… um… ”
Me: “I LOVE YOU!”

So, that’s almost word-for-stuttering-word the conversation. I partially blame Doug Davis, yes, that Doug Davis for it, although, it’s a good blame. You know, Dear Reader, how I post all these records that I listen to on my Instagram/Facebook/Twitter almost daily? Well, I posted one on Tuesday that was The Fixx’s Phantoms. Doug mentioned that they were still doing gigs with the classic lineup and that they were touring but nowhere around here. I said, “ROAD TRIP!!”

And, apparently, I wasn’t kidding. I went online, as one does, and looked up their tour. There was one in Nashville and some all across the country but here this one was on Labor Day, September 3. Our anniversary – you’ll remember because I don’t dare allow you to forget it – is on September 2. It just so happened to be in Boston. There were four tix left. I bought one. The venue, City Winery, only seats about 200 people it appears so it will be intimate.

We have both mentioned, several times, that we wanted to go to Boston one day. We are also the couple that will talk about doing stuff but won’t actually pull the trigger on making big plans until we “have reason to.” We haven’t been anywhere for our anniversary since our honeymoon and serendipity says that those two stones could be knocked out by one bird. That bird (or Bee-man) was me.

We agreed, once she was able to breathe, that we’d just have to tighten up and save for some stuff. Turns out, I had some Sky Miles with Delta and was able to book roundtrip tix from GSO to BOS for only $56 cash (travel insurance and all). Plus, I still have some Sky Miles to use later. So, that was taken care of. A reason and the transportation.

Now, just to find the right accommodations. I scanned my known inventory of hotels (no I’m no longer a travel agent, but I know where to look) and found something that I know that The BCPF would love (she loves classic “old” places) and settled on the Omni Parker House in the “North End (or just right outside of it)” which is about 2 blocks from the inspiration for Cheers (one of our favorite shows to watch together) and about that far from the venue to see the band. It’s on the “Freedom Trail” and we will get to do a lot of exploring of the “cradle of American civilization (as I call it),” Boston.

The hotel itself has a rich literary history involving both Edith Wharton and Charles Dickens (her two favorite authors) and other literary figures, plus it is where (allegedly) the Bostom Cream Pie was perfected and the Parker House roll was invented. There are about 30 more things I found about it but will save that for when I travel. It was also the least expensive in that area but still a 4-star hotel. We will be there for five nights.

As for The Fixx. I know that I like them. I love what I have heard, which is actually more than what they play on the radio, still. I have three albums by them and really, really dig them. They will be playing Reach the Beach in its entirety which celebrates its 35th anniversary in 12 days (3B’s birthday).  This is the album with “Saved By Zero” and “One Thing Leads to Another.” It’s also the farthest I’ve ever traveled to see a band. The previous record was driving to Greenville, South Carolina to see KISS, Jackyl, and Trixter. You’d think if I was going to do this it would be for my favorite band or at least one that I identify as a “fan” of. Like I said, I love what I have and will learn even more before September. I promise that! So, it looks like we’re going to have fun in Boston.

I know a good bit of you have been to Boston. What would you recommend? I know that she already has most of the trip planned already (not really) but I’d like to hear some “must see,” especially food places and beer places (yes, we’ll probably go to Samuel Adams). Thanks in advance for that!

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Crying parents tell their children, ‘if you survive, don’t do as we did.’ A son exclaims there’ll be nothing to do to. Her daughter says she’ll be dead with you. While foreign affairs are screwing us rotten, line morale has hit rock bottom. Dying embers stand forgotten. Talks of peace were being trodden. Stand or fall. State your peace tonight.” – “Stand or Fall” (Curnin/West-Oram/Woods/Greenall/Barrett)