Rock n Rolodex - Ep178

After having full intention of recording a new Year in Review episode, life got in the way but something more fun came from it; talking to you!

Aaron and Chris call an audible this week. Instead of an intended Year in Review show (don't worry, it'll still happen), the guys get on the blower and talk to you! In this hour-plus interactive episode, your hosts have quick chats with friends of the show including listeners, musicians, and hosts of other great podcasts; all answering one important question. 

You'll hear from folks including Mitch Lafon (One on One with Mitch Lafon), Victor Ruiz (Mars Attacks Podcast), Joe Polo (Podcast Rock City), Ian Wadley (Rock and Metal Combat Podcast), Roch Vallaincourt (Radioactive Metal Podcast), Ryan Cook (Big Rock Show/Hair of the Dog), Chip Z'nuff (Enuff Z'nuff), and many others including numerous Decibel Geek listeners. This was a bit of an experiment but it was a lot of fun to record. We hope you enjoy Rock n Rolodex!

Calls in Order

Jeff “Crippler” Daniels – Nirvana ‘Dumb’

Andrew Jacobs – Beatles ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’

Warren Money – Van Halen ‘Top of the World’

Jack Broad – Beatles – ‘Helter Skelter’

Billy Hardaway – Iron Maiden – ‘Stranger in a Strange Land’

Ian Wadley – Van Halen ‘Romeo Delight’

Brian Ingbretson – Iron Maiden ‘Powerslave’

JTB - Elvis Preley – 'Promised Land'

Mitch Lafon – Metallica – ‘Creeping Death’

Ryan Cook – KISS – ‘100,000 Years’ 

Bill Wang – Rush – 'Cygnus X-1'

Joe Polo – KISS – 'Creatures of the Night'

Nicholas (wrong #) – Pearl Jam – 'Black'

Victor Ruiz – KISS – 'All Hell’s Breaking Loose'

Ben Mitchell – KISS – Take it Off

Trevor McDougall – KISS –'Unholy'

Roch Vallaincourt – KISS – 'Let Me Go Rock n’Roll' 

Chip Z’nuff – Beatles – Dear Prudence

Geeks of the Week:

Todd Cunningham, Joe Royland, David Alpizar, David Stonich, Marc Alden Taylor, Jeff Hogland, Warren Money, James Brendon Dunn, Joel Hebensperger, Jay Barth, Chris Karam, Ian Wadley, Shane Hebert, Wally Norton, Derik Novak, Corey Nowlin, Ben Mitchell, Trevor McDougall, Robert Foster, Matt Bradshaw, Joe Lascon, Mark Lo, Brent Tibbets, Brent Walter, Andrew Jacobs, Howard Tate, Sit and Spin with Joe, Dave Shirt,  Greg “Woody” Embry, Mark Edwards, Jimi Love, Brandt Cattell, Chad Pollock, hoops, Rock and Roll GPS, Dave Stell, thekissroom, hkcollectibles, Billy Hardaway, Hot Metal Magazine, RAW Magazine, Faces Rocks Magazine, Loudmouth, Daniel Chaput, Jack Broad Viking Girl

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KISS

Beatles

Iron Maiden

Elvis Presley

Van Halen
Rush
Nirvana
Pearl Jam
Metallica

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Demolicious - Ep175

Sometimes it's best to just start at the beginning; and this week we're doing just that.

Aaron and Chris return this week to present Demo-licious; an hour-plus of the original inspiration for tunes from some of your favorite bands. You'll hear unreleased songs from bands like KISS, Motley Crue, Cinderella, and Ace Frehley. You'll also get the original demos for tracks that would take shape later down the road from bands like Van Halen, Guns N' Roses, and some interesting situations involving demos from Black Sabbath and Metallica. Enjoy Demo-licious and SHARE it with a friend!

Geeks of the Week:

Mike Blount, Warren Money, Marc Alden Taylor, Bakko, Todd Cunningham, Robert Foster, Trevor McDougall, Ian Wadley (Rock and Metal Combat podcast), Jeff Hogland, Wally Norton, Derik Novak, Andrew Jacobs, Joe Royland, Brent Walter, Matt Syverson (Paperback Rocker Podcast), Chad Pollock, Brian Knapp, Darren Parkin, West Side Dave, Sit and Spin with Joe, Enoch Tsarion, The Mooger Fooger, DC, Viking Girl, Billy Hardaway, hoops, Joe Royland

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Black Sabbath

Ugly Kid Joe

KISS

Cinderella

Motley Crue

Judas Priest

Guns N' Roses

Metallica 

Van Halen

Ace Frehley

Def Leppard

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Happy.New.Year - Ep170

What better way to ring in a new year than by taking it as a literal directive?

Chris and Aaron kick off 2015 by taking the phrase "Happy New Year" quite literally. This week has the guys picking some of their favorite songs that have the words "Happy,""New,"or "Year" in the title.

You'll get great tracks from Hanoi Rocks,Wolfmother, Them Crooked Vultures, Iron Maiden, KISS, and more! We even spin a couple listener suggestions. Drop down from the chandelier, take that lampshade off your head, and listen to some great rock with us this week.

Geeks of the Week:

Gino Ames, Mike Blount, Matt Ashcraft, Scott Olinger, Brad Kalmanson, David Alpizar, Billy Hardaway, Derik Novak, Robert De Pasqua, Wally Norton, Justin Ace Sixx, Jeff Hogland, Shane Hebert, Paul Stamm, Matt Syverson (Paperback Rocker podcast), Joe Lascon, Joe Royland, Warren Money, Jason Thomas Broadrick, Corey Nowlin, Chance Foster, Rich Dillon, James Brendon Dunn, The Riff of the Day, Brian Knapp, Sit and Spin with Joe, JTB’s Groovy Record Room, Chad Pollock, Anthony Pool, Rockspecialite, Ana Maria Mateus Vilva, Aneta Samborska, Heavy Rock, Devin Fox, Brent Tibbetts, Bakko, Wally Norton, Loudmouth Column, Faces Rocks Magazine, RAW Magazine, Hot Metal Magazine, Adam Cox, John Sturm, MusicMagsAndWax, Vega, Steve Conte, James Bukowiec, playball66, The Method, RivalSonsFansUK, Barrisite, glimmergirl, chris vaglio, The Mooger Fooger

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(click artist name to purchase!)

KISS
Iron Maiden
Wolfmother
Guns N' Roses
Them Crooked Vultures
60 Ft. Dolls
Yardbirds
Love/Hate
Hanoi Rocks
Vinnie Vincent Invasion

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God Of Thunder Thighs

“Even the best chicks can only last a couple of hours.”

I was years away from my first sexual experience when I first read that quote from David Lee Roth.  Yet despite my inability to truly comprehend what he was saying, something about that comment resonated with me.  That comment and the ability to come up with it seemed to embody everything I wanted to be.  In my pre-pubescent brain, it was quite possibly the coolest thing to say.  It oozed with confidence and dripped a sexual overtone that came with being a rock God.  That was before he became a caricature or a punch line to some lame 80’s rock joke.  No sir.  This was Diamond Dave in all his high kicking, spandex sporting Rock God glory.  And everything I wanted to be. 

As much as I found myself in awe of the bands I saw in Hit Parader and MTV, I was never star struck.  What I felt was more like desperate separation.  Like “If these guys only knew me, we’d be best friends.  I’d be the one dorky teenager they’d want to hang out with.”  I longed to be part of something out of my reach and I was frustrated.  I saw my surroundings as something I couldn’t put behind me quick enough.  I was a boy out of place.  An rock n roll astronaut stuck on earth.  A devil in the church.  I looked at rocker’s like Diamond Dave and dreamed of what it would be like to be them.      

But that’s just it isn’t it?  When you’re 15, rock stars seem ageless.  Old enough to do all the cool shit but not old like your stupid parents.  Parents are lame.  They eat three meals a day and go to church every Sunday.  Fuck that.  Do you think David Lee Roth is worried about the 4 food groups?  There’s no way Gene Simmons has ever gone to church.  He was born evil.  Right?  Or so I thought anyway.

I'll clean your chimney after this song

Ah but 25 years later things have changed.  Gene Simmons is just an old Jewish man who’s gotten a bit fat. And Diamond Dave?  More like Dingbat Dave.  He’s just an old man.  He isn’t even kind of cool.  He’s a hokey vaudevillian type.  A Vegas act and a cheap one.  In fact both Gene and Dave have taken their talents to Vegas.  Turns out, they were never as cool as I once thought they were.  In reality nobody is.  Cool is façade.  Cool is an illusion.  An outfit.  Shoes and makeup.  Lighting and cheap fabric.  Behind those serious faces of musicians who glamorized binge drinking and groupie sex were guys running on treadmills and avoiding alcohol to preserve their voices while making sure their tour riders included plenty of fresh fruit.  Lyrical reference’s to drugs and neck tattoo’s portray an image that often masks reality.  (Insert Buckcherry reference here) 

Ok so not all of them were healthy eating monogamous phonies but plenty of them are.  And I find it interesting the way our rockers age.   You can tell how successful a musician was and how relevant they still are by the way they look.  If you ran into Chuck Billy and James Hetfield at a San Francisco bar in 1988, you wouldn’t see the stark difference in appearance you do now.  Chuck Billy looks like he ate himself while Mr. Hetfield has on a pair of jeans and a t shirt that combined probably cost more than Chuck’s monthly rent on his apartment. 

Chuck Billy. Living the Dream

By 1992 Metallica were beginning their run as the biggest rock band on the planet while Testament was already into the downside of their career cycle.  20 years later they are both still going.  Only one of them strong.  When Metallica fly’s their private plane to their next show, I don’t think the in flight meal is Big Mac’s and Dilly bars.  And when Testament is playing some 400 seat club in New Mexico, I doubt their rider has top end, low fat catering.  More like 6 tombstones and a case of diet coke.  Look at current pictures of U2, Metallica, and and compare them to current pictures of bands like Testament and Exodus.  You can tell who’s staying in the better hotel’s. 

Alas we all age.  Some better than others.  But Rock Gods are supposed to stay golden.  Finding out they don’t is like discovering the whole Santa Claus cover up.      

God Of Thunder Thighs

The silver lining of course is that when it mattered to me, the illusion worked.  When I was popping pimples and jerking off 7 times a day, it all seemed so real.  So awesome.  So cool.  Right around the time I realized most of the musicians I inspired to be were either horribly boring or just horrible people, I no longer cared.  And for some reason, I didn’t feel betrayed.  I look back with fondness at the way dreaming of Rock Stardom made me feel.  And while it can never be the same I miss it.  There is a small window of time where horror movies are something you can watch and find scary.  And if you never watch horror movies during that time you will never know that feeling.  That same sentiment is why I don’t feel like I was lied to.  The feeling I had was real.  And that is what really matters.

HATE MAIL



 

Review: Lite Roast - Sammy Hagar & Vic Johnson (2014)

Coffee. Most of us, if not all of us, drink it. There's no better way than spending a nice relaxing Sunday morning than with a cool breeze, some music playing and enjoying a fresh cup-o-joe. If this is the perfect scenario for you, grab yourself a copy of Sammy Hagar and Vic Johnson's new album Lite Roast.

An acoustic retrospective spanning the years he was in Van Halen then to his post-VH Solo Career and his work with The Waboritos the songs here are stripped back to their core. For most of the album this is a fantastic way to hear these classic hits and deep cuts and  unless you are a true believer, a few of these songs will be brand new. According to Sammy, “It was just me and Vic live in the studio with no overdubs. Just two guitars, sometimes one guitar, sometimes just one voice, sometimes two voices.”

Love him or just like him, Sammy Hagar knows what he is doing. Whether the world is ready for it or not, it doesn't matter. He knows how to make relaxation into an art-form.

Starting from the top - here is the tracklist:

1. Red Voodoo - (with Andre Thierry on Accordion)

Kicking it off with the title track from the album of the same name, Red Voodoo sounds pretty much the same as it did the first time around, but this time without the help of the rest of the Warboritos. An uptempo song, this rocker is a great way to get off on the right foot.

2. One Sip

Spending a lot of time in Mexico has influenced not only Sammy's suntan but also his musical palate. Sounding like a later-day Jimmy Buffett with a dash of Dean Martin, the song eases into a groove and sticks in your head - but in a good way.

3. Finish What Ya Started

In 1988 I was given two CD's for Christmas. I still have one of them - Van Halen's OU812. To say I was listening with a biased ear would be fair. Without Eddie Van Halen this song never really gets off the ground - in any version. Here they abandon the lead riff in favour of bashing out a few chords and a couple of harmonies. Not great.

4. Eagles Fly

Or Toilet Break time as it is sometimes referred to, is a step in a better direction. Featuring all of the things that make this song a stand out acoustically, it always seemed to come off a little flat on the Van Halen - "Live: Right Here, Right Now" concert DVD. Here the song soars and lifts the mood of the album.

5. The Love

Perfect for the acoustic treatment, The Love has a killer riff and Vic Johnson plays it perfectly. Not a note out of step, the song shines and so does he.

6. Father Sun

Arguably the stand out track on 2013's Sammy Hagar & Friends, Father Sun is an ode to the big old ball in the sky. Coming off a little hippie, the song packs a mean punch and while I'm still not sold on the line about solar power, I love this song and what they've done here.

7. Dreams

Now the biggie. Is it as good as the original? No. Is it as good as the Live: Hallelujah CD? Well there's less waffle but no. Is it perfectly suited to this album? YES. I got the goosebumps when I heard this version for the first time. Sure the vocal melody is down an octave but do I care? Nope. For the first time in a long time I actually listened and HEARD what it was Sammy was saying in this song. Beautiful.

8. Deeper Kinda Love

The first time I ever heard this song I pressed skip about 10 seconds in. Then one night I heard it on shuffle on my iPod and I started to get into it. Now it's a must listen. It grows on you and it's a song that feels like it's always moving. Great version.

9. Who Has The Right?

A political song, Who Has The Right? still resonates it's themes today just as it did in 1997. Dealing with a lot of unpopular social issues and self reflection, this song finally has the ability to shine. The last few deliveries of the chorus sent shivers up my spine.

10. Sailin'

Laid back and easy is the best way to put it when talking about this song. It's a mellow tune that sounds about the same as the original does.

11. Halfway to Memphis (with Andre Thierry on Accordion)

This is probably the 5th time Sammy has recorded this song. Stripping it back has done wonders for this tune. It's a song he should be proud of but I think he can stop here. It's a definitive version. If he records it again it'll go down as the Rock and Roll All Nite of his career (an albatross).

If you like your music just a little mellow with a little funk, a lot of soul and a hint of blues, then seriously consider giving this a spin. It's not all wine and roses, the vocal ad-libs are getting a little long in the tooth and the whole album would have benefited from a shaker or two.

On the whole it's a great way to kick back and relax. Just don't forget the coffee, lite roast of course.

Get it here:

AMAZON

ITUNES