Mad Bomber Society w/ The Chokeouts Feb.25th 2012

Saturday evening my buddy Hurl and I braved the 17 centimetres of fresh snow that had fallen during the day and ventured to The Pawn Shop in Edmonton to catch a couple of local bands. This show was an album release party for the ska band Mad Bomber Society.

The night started with openers The Chokeouts a band I had never seen before. They are a five piece high energy punk rock band consisting of three females in the rhythm section Maz and Jenny on guitar and Karlin on bass rounded out by Dustin on drums and Chris on vocals. A very energetic band with screaming vocals with Maz and Jenny doing shout out background vocals and once in a while taking over on lead vocals. I found it hard to understand a lot of the lyrics, but one of the titles I caught was interesting and gives you an idea of what they are about "I'm Not Homeless (But I Drink Like It)" which is what they opened with. They were an alright punk rock band,but not really my thing.

The Chokeouts.













The headliner of the night was local ska band Mad Bomber Society. They were celebrating the release of their new album "Butchers,Stompers & Cheats" that has been six years in the making. This is only the second album that they have put out since forming in the 90's. The band consists of Rich "Bomber" Liukko on lead vocals and guitar, Jason "Bomber" Zazula on drums and vocals, Mike "Fourfingered Bomber" Johnson on trumpet and vocals, Smooth Bomber on bass, Nate "Bomber" Connelly on trombone and Jonny "Bomber" McCormack on saxophone. Rich Liukko is also an owner of a local record store here in Edmonton called Freecloud Records.

The Pawn Shop was a great venue for this show, as the place was packed and everyone in a good mood and ready to dance there asses off, which is what happened through out the hour plus show. They mixed it up with both new songs and old songs from their first release, 2001's "Atomic A-Go-Go". Mad Bomber Society don't do a lot of live shows, so to see them perform is always a treat. This was only my second time seeing them live, the first time I saw them was in 1998-99 with Let's Go Bowling.

All and all it was fun night out with great tunes and some old school skanking. Good times!!!

To hear some songs from there first album click here.

Mad Bomber Society.





















T-shirt front.



T-shirt back.



The new Mad Bomber Society CD.

Dave Mustaine Book Review

Having been layed up for three days fighting a nasty cold, I have found all kinds of time to read,that is after waking up from an off and on NyQuil coma. This week I read the Dave Mustaine book called "Mustaine: A Heavy Metal Memoir" wrote by Dave with Joe Layden. Of course any fan of heavy metal will know Dave Mustaine is the lead singer,songwriter and guitar player of his band Megadeth. The band he created after being kicked out of the metal band Metallica in the early 80's.

I have never minded Megadeth, especially there first three albums, but really never got into getting to know much about him or his band. As it always seemed he was mouthing off about something or someone, and it just got old. That and he could never keep the same band members together for any length of time.

Well, this turned out be a really good read. From his early childhood growing up with him Mom whom was a Jehovah Witness, and then leaving home at an early age and getting in to alcohol and drugs and music. I figured the book would be pretty one sided considering it was he who was writing it. But he actually takes a lot of the heat for his misfortunes with not only Metallica but all the members that have been in and out of his band Megadeth (18 to be exact). He could be quite a rude and obnoxious guy, especially on the booze which usually came after doing drugs of all sorts. He had been in and out of rehab too many times to count before he finally found god. Ya, god, I thought great, here comes the preaching. But he actually never does get in to preaching at all. Just tells how it has helped him and good for him. It was after a mishap in rehab where he had fallen asleep on a chair with his arm hanging over the back of the chair. When he awoke, he couldn't move his arm and ended up he had damaged a nerve in his arm (a freak accident) that left his left arm useless. Which is no damn good, when you are guitar player,especially. And considering this is all he really knows how to do, being a musician, this was big wake up call for him. He was told he would never play again. But through lots of hard work and getting his shit together, he prevailed and continues to run his band Megadeth to this very day.

He has gone through a hell of a lot between drugs,alcohol, problems with members in his own band and disagreements with managers, other bands, women and more. He tells his story honestly and a great way where the book never gets boring or preachy. The man no doubt has a huge ego, which hasn't helped him much, but then I think most band leaders do. He is a very demanding guy, and should sometimes listen to his own advice, but nonetheless he has found faith in god and it seems to have made him a better man.

This is a book well worth reading if you are fan of heavy metal or the band Megadeth.

Deep Purple Live In Edmonton Feb.21st

And to think I almost blew this show off because of a damn cold I have been fighting. If it hadn't been my first time seeing British legends Deep Purple live and the awesome seats I had (row 2 on the floor) I think I would have stayed home and nursed this miserable cold. I had tickets to see them back in 1984-85 on the Perfect Strangers tour, but they cancelled that show. Nonetheless, I sucked it up and went to the show with my buddy Hurl.

This was Deep Purple's first time through Edmonton in about 4 years, last time having played the Convention Centre. Last nights show dubbed the "Smoke On The Nation Tour", being the 40th Anniversary of "Smoke On The Water" was played at Rexall Place here in Edmonton to a small crowd of about 3500 appreciative fans in a concert bowl setting, an older audience it surely was.

We missed the opening act "Jonas and the Massive Attraction" from Montreal. We did manage to hear a few songs them from the concourse of the Coliseum by the time we got there, but they didn't sound like they worth checking out at all. generic rock is what it sounded like to me, so no loss there.

After grabbing a few drinks, we settled in to our most excellent seats in time for the opening of the Deep Purple set that started with the scorcher "Highway Star". The line up for this edition of Deep Purple included original members, lead singer Ian Gillan, bassist Roger Glover and Ian Paice on drums, the rest of the band was filled out by Steve Morse on guitar(member since 1994) and Don Airey(member since 2002) on the organ. The band came out full steam ahead, sounding tight and Ian Gillan singing his heart out (all the while in a walking cast on his foot). He may not quite have the pipes that he used to, but the man can still sing. I liked that the band really looked like they were enjoying themselves, something I like to see in a band. The band played lots of classics from there catalog, songs like "Hard Lovin' Man","Space Truckin'", "Strange Kind Of Woman", "Woman From Tokyo" and of course "Smoke On The Water" in which they brought out the guitar player from openers Jonas and the blah blah blah. I have to say, the guy looked pretty stoked to be on stage with the mighty Deep Purple. Each member had there solo, which is a little boring to me, but each did well, Don Airey on the organ made some cool sounds from the old Hammond. While Steve Morse on guitar is no Ritchie Blackmore, he still held his own, bass player Roger Glover looked and sounded good and was having a blast. Ian Paice's drum solo was well, boring, as I find most drum solos to bore the hell out of me. All and all great show. I even managed to catch two guitar picks from Steve Morse. For two hours I forgot all about this damn cold that I am still fighting. Good times!!!

Setlist for the show.

Highway Star
Hard Lovin' Man
Maybe I'm a Leo
Strange Kind of Woman
Rapture of the Deep
Woman from Tokyo
Contact Lost
When a Blind Man Cries
The Well-Dressed Guitar
The Mule
Lazy
No One Came
Perfect Strangers
Space Truckin'
Smoke on the Water

Encore:
Hush
Black Night

Some pictures I took at the show.



























Buddy from Jonas the opening act performing "Smoke On The Water" with Deep Purple.







Steve Morse guitar pick I caught at the show. I actually caught two of them and ended up giving Hurl one.

Front.


Back.


T-shirt front.



T-Shirt back.

Woodstock Revisited Book Review

I just finished reading this 240 page book called "Woodstock Revisited, 50 far out,groovy,peace-loving,flashback-inducing stories from those who were there", the book is exactly what the title says. A book of 50 stories about people's Woodstock experiences. It's an alright book, good to read just before bed, as they are all 2-3 page stories, read a story or two a night. After a while all the stories start to sound the same, got stuck in traffic,lots of mud and drugs. I was hoping to hear a bit about people's acid trips and what they experienced while tripping, but it's not like that at all. Not a great book.

KISS Collectible Of The Day Feb.12th

Today's KISS Collectible is the third part of the Archie Meets KISS comic series. This issue was titled "Rock N' Roll All Fright!". Yet another really lame comic in the series. I guess I never was into comics and now I know why. Terrible. For collectors only.

Jimi Hendrix Memorabilia

I thought I would show off this little piece of Jimi Hendrix memorabilia I got about 10-12 years ago. My sister had gone to Las Vegas for a holiday and brought me back this twenty-five dollar Jimi Hendrix poker chip from the Hard Rock Hotel in Vegas.

My Brother happens to be in Las Vegas right now, here is hoping he brings me back something cool.

Thanks Kim for the Hendrix chip. I cherish it.

Front of Jimi Hendrix poker chip.



Back side of Jimi Hendrix poker chip.

Duff McKagan Book Review

Just finished reading the Duff McKagan autobiography "It's So Easy and Other Lies". Duff was the bass player in Guns N' Roses during their hey days, he also played bass in Velvet Revolver and his own solo band Loaded, as well as many punk bands in his early days in Seattle. Which is where this book basically starts.

This book is well written, as he wrote it himself unlike the other books by Slash, Steven Adler and then there is also the Axl Rose book wrote by Mick Wall. Duff comes off as a smart man, very energetic and now sober. But the book is like most other bio's about musicians these days. Hungry musician, gets a decent band, makes great music, gets fame, gets addicted to drugs and alcohol and then cleans themselves up. It an old story, but is always interesting to read about the early days of struggles in the music business, and then all the stories about parties and such. It's neat to read several bio's of the musicians in the same band and try to piece it all together. Each has there own story about where things go wrong.

I found the book a great read, it was hard to put down for the first three quarters of the book, but then he goes on about how he got sober and why. I guess when you start to lose your hair, and your nose is blown out from blow, and your skin is turning yellow, it might be time to put a stop to your alcohol and drug abuse. In which he partook in big time. His unique story of getting himself sober by riding mountain bike and martial arts. The book starts to get a tad boring. Kudos to him for getting his shit together though. Overall I found it to be a good book, he is a great writer, seeing as he also now writes articles for ESPN and Seattle Weekly. The man is driven that's for sure. He also is a financial advisor for other musicians.

I thought there might be a bit more about his involvement in Velvet Revolver, he does get into it a bit about lead singer Scott Weiland's drug problems and trying to get him on the straight. Seems like a lost cause with that guy. It was interesting to read about his encounter with Axl Rose in London after not talking to each other for 14 years, both were staying in the same hotel and with suites right next to each other. Sounds like them two can still get along, now if only the rest of the band could do the same and tour together as the real Guns N' Roses. All and all not a bad book at all.

KISS Collectible Of The Day Feb.3rd

Today's KISS Collectible is part two of the Archie Meet KISS comic series. This one is titled Creatures Of The Night, which of course is a title of the 1982 album that KISS released. Overall I find the comic to be really lame, but then what would you expect from an Archie comic. The series is a four part er, two more to come.