Old School Album Of The Week For Feb.4th-9th

Old school album of the week is the debut release by Canadian metal band Killer Dwarfs from 1983. The band was led by singer Russ Dwarf, with Darrell Dwarf on drums and guitarists Ange and Bryce Dwarf rounding out the band. This is an album I had forgotten all about til just recently after going through the record collection looking for something to listen to. I had to give it a spin, and am glad I did. It's a fun album to listen to, it's got all the old school 80's metal cliches in it. It's not meant to be ground breaking, or political, just fun metal. It even has the requisite ballad, the last song of the record "Fire In Your Eyes", which is awful, worst song on the album. The stand out songs are,the opening song "Are You Ready" with it's classic metal riff and Geddy Lee (Rush) like voice, followed by the song "Can't Lose" with the opening lyrics "hard times and a bottle of jack, night train goin' off the track, I lost my money, got no fans, hard times come around again" how 80's metal does that sound. Side one end with the biggest song from this album "Heavy Mental Breakdown". I think every Canadian metal head from the 80's will recall hearing this song or seeing this video at one time or another. I remember this song being on the compilation album "Metal For Breakfast". All and all this album is a classic eighties metal album.



Killer Dwarfs were a fun band to see live as well, with lead singer Russ Dwarf being known to ride a tri-cycle around stage while performing.

My favorite memory of this album is the time back in 1987 when I was working as a dish pig at the restaurant Billy Budd's here in Edmonton, I was going to the front of the restaurant to get dishes when I spotted the drummer Darrell Dwarf and lead singer Russ Dwarf having dinner. The band was playing in town that evening at a bar, in which I wasn't old enough to get into at the time. I went back to the kitchen and called my Dad and asked him to go through my record collection and find my Killer Dwarfs record. If that's not funny enough, thinking of my Dad looking for a Killer Dwarfs album. I then asked him if he would be kind enough to bring me the record to my work as I wanted to try and catch them before they left to see if I could get my album autographed. Well, my Dad came through as he always does, but he brought me the record only, no album sleeve just the record. Oh well. I caught the guys just after they finished eating and asked them if they would autograph the record. Which they did, I had the chance to talk a bit with the guys, whom were both really nice. They were going to give me tickets for the show, but as I said earlier, I wasn't old enough to go. Nice gesture though nonetheless. I'm sure the guys left the restaurant wondering what the hell I was doing with a Killer Dwarfs album and the vinyl only in the kitchen. Good times!!!

Chris Robinson Brotherhood Album Review

Finally getting around to doing a quick review of the Chris Robinson Brotherhood album 'Big Moon Ritual' that came out last week. For those who don't know, Chris is or was the lead singer of the Black Crowes, whom seem to be on hiatus at the time ,yet again.

This is Chris' third solo album, but his first with this line up in which he is calling the Brotherhood. The album came out on his own label 'Silver Arrow Records'. I picked up the album on vinyl, thank goodness I knew what the cover of the record looked like, cause if you didn't, it would be a hard record to find. There is only the CRB logo on the cover, nothing on the spine of the cover and only in small print on the back of the record is there a web address for Chris Robinson Brotherhood. After tearing the plastic from the record and opening it, I found no song titles,no lyric sheet, and nothing on the labels on the records either.

I have listened to the record from start to finish and have to say I do like it. Being a big Black Crowes fan, I may be a bit biased, as I have always really liked Chris Robinson's voice, the man can sing the blues, much like I think Gregg Allman can.

The album is a mellow affair, with a big Grateful Dead influence. I believe some of the songs are old blues cover tunes, but I could be wrong. I haven't researched that fact yet. I am thinking this album would be great come down music from a hard night of being up to no good, or a good Sunday morning listening session. This is true hippy rock n' roll to the core. All and all, I am liking the album.

In September there will be a companion album to this called 'The Magic Door', looking forward to hearing what that will be like. Here is hoping the band can make their way up to Edmonton, doubtful, sure would be a treat to see them play here.

Lou Reed/Metallica- Lulu Album Review

Well I bit the bullet and purchased the Lou Reed/Metallica collaboration Lulu album, even though from what I had heard and read, it's an awful album. Because I have all the other Metallica albums on vinyl, I had to get this.

Here is what you don't wanna do, don't waste a Sunday afternoon, or anytime for that matter listening to this piece of shit album. Wow, it is just plain terrible. A total waste of time. I have nothing good to say about this album.

When I had first heard of this collaboration, I thought it was going to be interesting, I have always been a fan of Metallica, well there old stuff anyways, and have liked most of Lou Reed's stuff. I was really hoping this would be good. Well it isn't. Enough said. Save your money and don't bother.

Old School Album Of The Week Jan.16th-20th

Bringing back an old feature. Old school album of the week. And this week it is the Deep Purple album "Perfect Strangers" from 1984. This was the first new Deep Purple album I had ever bought, as it was their first new album in nine years. I had heard all there old stuff, but when this came out, I was super excited to get my hands on this. The album didn't let me down either. It rocks from start to finish, from opener "Knocking At Your Back Door" (nice song title, guess what it's about?), to the last song "Hungry Daze". This album had the classic line up of Ian Gillan on vocals, Ritchie Blackmore on guitar (last album he ever did with Deep Purple), Roger Glover on bass, Jon Lord on keyboards and Ian Paice on drums.

My favorite tunes and lyrics on the album are.

- Knocking At Your Back Door
"The log was in my pocket, When Lucy met the rocket, and she never knew the reason why"

- Mean Streak
"She drives me crazy gets inside my brain, She spends my money down a drain, So I roll over for my reward, How much can I afford, And she says, Just a little more"

- Perfect Strangers
I love the organ intro and the riff that opens the song.

- A Gypsy's Kiss
"John Wayne The Alamo, Crazy Horse Geronimo, I'll smoke a piece with you, Mind body heart and soul, We got rock n' roll, And there's nothing they can do"

- Hungry Daze
Again this song opens with an awesome riff and organ intro.
"Along the mountain road to do some drinking, and now we are mobile again, Different girls,laughing girls,forever girls, and it's so loud"

I have to say, I still think this album stands the test of time. Lovin' it, like I did back as a teenager when I used to listen to this while I delivered the newspaper at 5 in the morning. Good stuff!!!



In concert news...Deep Purple will be playing in Edmonton on Tuesday February 21st at Rexall Place. The line up for this tour is Ian Gillan on vocals, Steve Morse on guitar (been with the band since 1994), Roger Glover on bass, Don Airey on keyboards (in band since 2002) and Ian Paice on drums.

Flaming Lips Album Review

Thought I would finally write a short review of this awesome album by The Flaming Lips doing Pink Floyd's classic "Dark Side Of The Moon". Seeing as The Flaming Lips will be playing in Edmonton this Friday September 24th at The Edmonton Events Centre.

Not many bands could get away with covering this album, but I have to say The Flaming Lips do an admirable job of doing this album. I am very impressed. I now know what they say between some of the songs in the spoken word parts, as Henry Rollins does the speaking parts and is actually understandable.

If you are fan of The Lips or Dark Side Of The Moon I highly recommend checking this out. I give this a 10 out of 10.

Here is hoping The Flaming Lips do this album Friday night, that would be awesome.





Notice the way the centre piece label is covering the vinyl, shitty deal, makes that side of the album un-listenable. Thank god the vinyl came with a copy of the CD.

Album Review - Gaslight Anthem

It's been a while since I have wrote any record reviews. So without further a do, it's about time I did a review of the latest Gaslight Anthem album "American Slang",seeing as they will be playing here in Edmonton at the EEC on Wednesday September 8th. This album came out a few months ago now.

The album opens with the title song "American Slang" which comes off as a bit like a Springsteen song with more edge, a good rocking opener.
Song 2 is another rocker called "Stay Lucky" my favorite line in this song is the opening verse,
"It took so long to get me back on my feet
It takes so long to find the words and the beat
And Charlie's waiting on the end of the phone
To hear you call on him to try to recapture
But them old records won't be saving your soul
And them feelings got the reasons you know
That you've forgotten somewhere"

Song 3 is a slower one called "Bring It On" a song about losing his queen of the Bronx. Good song,good lyrics.

Song 4 is a song that sounds soulful called "The Diamond Church Street Choir" favorite lines in this song are,
"They'll find me beat down out in the universe
Though I'll never forget where I'm from
I might have moved away from home
And slept out there on my own
A million miles away in the stone
But the beat never leaves
And the temple's a relief
To my aching bones, rambling all over
And if I'm gone for too long
I can always hum along
So don't never forget what I told you
So don't never forget what I told you
Everybody singing"

Song 5 is another slower song but again sang with a soulful feeling called "The Queen Of Lower Chelsea" favorite line in this song is the first two lines,
"Did you grow up lonesome and one of a kind?
Were your records all you had to pass the time?"

Song 6 is called "Orphans" and the pace picks up again with another rocker. Favorite lines in this song are,
"Now that I'm left alone here to drive
But it's so hard to stand on your own
Against mirror of glass, hard and cold
But the clothes I wore
Just don't fit my soul anymore"

Song 7 "Boxer" another great song with great lyrics, love the chorus in this song,
"He took it all gracefully on the chin
Knowing that the beatings had to someday end
He found the bandages inside the pen
And the stitches on the radio"

Song 8 is another song that kind of reminds me of Springsteen, the song is called "Old Haunts",
"So don't sing me your songs about the good times
Those days are gone and you should just let them go
And God help the man who says
If you'd have known me when
Old haunts are for forgotten ghosts
Old haunts are for forgotten ghosts"

Song 9 is called "The Spirit Of Jazz" a song about lost love,
"Was I good to you, the wife of my youth
No other soul could love you
Like my rotten bones do
So I will wait on the edges in between
These New York streets
Where you and I would meet"

Song 10 is a song called "We Did It When We Were Young" it's the last song on the album, it's a slower bluesy soulful song.
"And I cannot hold a candle for every pretty girl
We were strangers many hours
And I missed you for so long
When we were lions, lovers in combat
Faded like your name on those jeans that I burned"

An awesome album overall, it's a shorter album running just over 30 minutes, so you never get bored or lose interest in listening to it from start to finish.They kind of have a classic rock feel to them, yet not a retro feel. This is a band that my brother Citrus got me into a few years ago, and have been a fan since hearing their very first album "Sink Or Swim". They remind me of a mix between Bruce Springsteen and Social Distortion, great playing and song writing. I highly recommend buying this album and seeing them live in concert. I have seen them twice before and am really looking forward to seeing them in a week.
I give this album a 10 out 10.

Tim Hus Album Review

This album from Calgary singer/songwriter Tim Hus is his 5th album. The album is called "Hockeytown" and was released a few weeks ago on Stony Plain Records. The album is the most Canadiana album I have heard since Stompin' Tom used to release albums on a consistent basis.

Speaking of Stompin', you can't help but compare Tim Hus to him. Tim's songs cover all kinds of Canadian subjects and his singing sounds a lot like Stompin' Tom. With song titles like "Canadian Pacific" about the CPR railway, "Hockeytown" which could be about any town or city in Canada. The title song is a great hockey song, there seems to be a few more songs being written about our national sport these days. It used to just be Stompin's Hockey Song, but now you have Mike Plumes "More Than A Game" song and now Tim's "Hockeytown" song, which is also a great song. Tim Hus covers a lot of Provines in his songs, like "Red River"(Manitoba), "Saskatchewan Son-Of-A-Gun" which is obvious with this hilarious opening line "The prairie is a place you can watch your dog run away for days" to this great chorus,

"I'm a Pilsner drinkin',whitetail huntin'
Purple burnin',stubble jumpin'
Slough boggin',prarie doggin'
Rod and reelin',snowmobilin'
Genuine big sky son-of-a-gun
From Saskatchewan"

Other songs about Provinces are the Newfie song "North Atlantic Trawler" about the atrocity of the fishing industry in said province, the Ontario song would be "Hamilton Steel" about of course the steel industry in Hamilton, the British Columbia song "Sasquatch Hunter" is another great song with a sense of humour about hunting for, well,Sasquatch of course. This verse in the song will give you an idea of how funny this song is,

"I tracked him up to the snowy peaks
Along the ridge and down to the creek
Beyond the fire lookout station
Right on through a marijuana plantation
I followed him to the Okanagan Lake
And I found the Ogopogo by mistake
The two of them were sittin' right there
Smokin' cigars and drinkin' my beer"

The Nova Scotia song would be "Home Of Hank Snow", The song "Country Music Lament" would be about the sorry state of country music, especially the shit they play on the radio. The album closes out with the Tom Wilson written song "Talkin' Saskatoon Blues" all and all a really good album. I would give this album an 8 out of 10. Good stuff!!!

In concert news... Tim Hus will be opening for Stompin' Tom Connors here in Edmonton on Tuesday August 31st at The Jubilee Auditorium. Tim has been touring with Stompin' for a while now, you can sure tell he has been hanging with him and his highly influenced Tim's song writing.

Old School Album Of The Week For May 17th-21st

This weeks album is an album and band my friend Buzzard turned me onto while sitting around his place swilling beers in the early 90's. It's the double live album "Waiting For Columbus" by the band Little Feat released in 1978 on Warner Records. They play a fusion of styles of soul/funk/blues/southern rock kind of music. This was a great album to pick to be introduced to the band Little Feat. I have found after listening to their live albums and studio ones, they were a band that had to be seen and heard in concert. Their studio albums are good but don't do them any justice compared to the live experience. The album comprised from seven shows, four in London and three in Washington.

The band is lead by the late Lowell George on guitar/vocals, Paul Barrere on guitar/vocals, Richard Hayward drums/vocals and Bill Payne on keyboards. The whole band shared in writing and singing duties as you would notice listening to the album.

While I like the whole album, my favorite songs on the album is the humorously titled song "Fat Man In The Bathtub", I love these lyrics in the song.

"Don't want nobody who won't dive for dimes
Don't want no speedballs 'cause I might die tryin
Throw me a line, throw me a line
Cause there's a fat man in the bathtub with the blues"

"Oh Atlanta" is another great song with some good boogie piano in it and a good bass groove through out.

"Spanish Moon" is a song that is about a bar called Spanish Room, sounds like it was an interesting bar. Lyrics like this, make you wish you could be there, well sorta kinda,lol.

"Well I Stepped Inside, and Stood By the Door
While a Dark Girl Sang, and Played the Guitar
There Was Hookers, and Hustlers, Filled Up the Room
I Heard About This Place They Call the Spanish Moon"

"Whiskey, and Bad Cocaine
Poison Get You Just the Same
And If That, That Don't, Kill You Soon
The Women Will Down At the Spanish Moon"
It's a good blues song with The Tower Of Power on the horn section, good stuff!!!

Side three of the album consists of only three songs, but not a bad song on this side. Starting with "Dixie Chicken"
"Yeah well, we made all the hot spots
My money flowed like wine
And then that low-down Southern whiskey
Began to fog my mind"

Next is the song "Tripe Face Boogie" a good blues boogie song with some weird, yet cool keyboard shit going on, that turns into a bit of a jam band kind of thing.
"You bring your guitar and I'll bring the wine
We'll blow out our speakers, just one more time"

The last song on side three is "Rocket In My Pocket", no guessing here what he has in his pocket.
"I Put On My Dancin' Shoes
We Headed Straight For the Rhythm and Blues
The Music Was Hot, But My Baby Was Not

I've Got a Rocket in My Pocket, I Said Rocket
Ya Fingers in the Socket
Fingers in the Socket, Fingers in the Socket"

Side four is actually awesome too, the album gets stronger as it goes on.It opens with the truck driver song "Willin", a slow moving blues song with some great lyrics by Lowell George.
"I've been from Tuscon to Tucumcari
Tehachapi to Tonapah
Driven every kind of rig that's ever been made
Driven the back roads so I wouldn't get weighed
And if you give me: weed, whites, and wine
and you show me a sign
I'll be willin', to be movin'

I've been kicked by the wind, robbed by the sleet
Had my head stoved in, but I'm still on my feet and I'm still... willin'
Now I smuggled some smokes and folks from Mexico
baked by the sun, every time I go to Mexico, and I'm still"

"Sailin' Shoes" is yet another great song.
"Lady in a turban, cocaine tree
Does a dance so rhythmically
She's cryin', and a singin' and having a time
and gee that cocaine tree look fine"

"You've got to put on your sailin shoes
Put on your sailing shoes
Everyone will start to cheer
When you put on your sailin' shoes"
Hmm, wonder if it's the shoes or the blow that make them Sailin' Shoes.

The album ends with the song "Feats Don't Fail Me Now" an all out boogie rock n' roll song. What an awesome live album. And the album cover art, wow, that's one sexy looking tomato,lol. Another really good Little Feat album worth checking out is Feats Don't Fail me Now. I am sure that will come up sometime as old school album of the week.

Old School Album Of The Week For May 10th - 14th

This weeks album is from an old school thrash band from Arizona called Flotsam and Jetsam, the debut album they released in 1986 called "Doomsday For The Deceiver" on Metal Blade Records. I forgot how damn good this album actually is. The band is lead by bass player Jason Newsted who later went on to join Metallica after Cliff Burton's passing. I didn't realize that all the lyrics on this album were wrote by Jason. Why the hell didn't Metallica let Jason contribute more to them. The two guitarists Edward Carlson and Michael Gilbert can sure shred as well. Overall a really good tight band.

The album opens with a real good scream starting with the song "Iron Tears" which is a love song if you can believe it, ya, a thrash love/relationship song, good shit,lol. The song is three minutes of four to the floor all out thrash, great head banging stuff. Other good tracks on side one are "Fade To Black" and "Hammerhead", the song Hammerhead made me laugh, as it is a song about picking up a metal chick. Checkout these lyrics,

"Come on now lady, show me how you rock,
I wanna get to know you.
I'm hot, so give me what you've got,
My turn to go you.
Faster than the speed of light,
Wham bam! I thank you, or...
All night pounding away, with more ways to please me.

[CHORUS]
Love for the taking, she talks with her eyes,
Wants me to give her a ride.
Spellbound she takes me way deep inside,
Hammerhead baby tonight...Hold tight"



At least Flotsam has a sense of humour in some of their lyrics which is something you didn't see in the thrash scene back in the 80's.
Side one closes with the nine minute epic title song "Doomsday For The Deceiver"

Side two opens with the song "Metalshock" another song with a sense of humour. The song being about the end of time, but when people do start to come around they are all metal heads. The chorus goes as such,

"Pounding Metal across the land,
Life-giving magic in his hands,
The power chords raise the dead,
People come alive banging their heads"

Next is the song "She Took An Axe" a song about the Lizzy Borden murders another great all out thrash song. The album closes out with the songs "U.L.S.W." and "Der Fuhrer" all and all a pretty damn good album in the thrash metal scene of the 80's.

Old School Album Of The Week For May 3rd-7th

This weeks album is the self titled debut album by Hollywood glam/sleaze rockers L.A. Guns that came out in 1988. I still pull this album out on a regular basis, as it is a fun rocking album. There really isn't a bad song on the whole thing.
This is probably their best album (their second album was quite good too) with the classic line up of Phil Lewis on vocals,Tracii Guns on lead guitar,Mick Cripps on rhythm guitar,Kelly Nickels on bass and Steve Riley on drums.
The album is balls out rock right from the get go starting with the opening song "No Mercy". I recall years ago working at my old job picture framing where a lady that we worked with heard this song and thought the chorus was "show your pussy" fuck did we laugh.



With titles like Sex Action,One More Reason,Bitch Is Back,Electric Gypsy,Hollywood Teaze it wasn't hard to tell what these guys were all about,sex, drugs and rock n' roll, oh the good ol' days of sleazy glam metal.

The band really never got the attention they deserved as they played second fiddle to Guns N' Roses for most of their career. And now L.A. Guns play as two separate bands lead by Phil Lewis in one of the bands and Tracii Guns in the other. C'mon guys, let go of the ego's and just get back together as the original L.A. Guns, especially now with GnR such a joke, you could really make a go of it again.

All and all this is a very good album and well worth pulling out and having another listen.

Old School Album Of The Week For Apr.26th-30th

This weeks album is one I have been looking for on vinyl for quite sometime and was lucky enough that my brother (Citrus) found a copy for me at record convention in Vancouver and sent it to me, thanks Bro. I have it on CD and cassette but really wanted it on vinyl and now am the proud owner of a copy.

The album is now 20 years old, hard to believe. It's called Here Comes Trouble by Long Island band Scatterbrain.
Been a while since I have listened to this album but have to say I still enjoy it as much as I did 20 years ago. It's a fun bass heavy album that I still can sing word for word to.

Opening with the bouncy album title song "Here Comes Trouble", a song I could relate with in my twenties. Next is a cover of the Cheech and Chong song "Earache My Eye", fun stuff. Then there is the song "I'm With Stupid" which is hilarious, a song about a little something growing on his shoulder, the lyrics are great. The second last song on side one is "Down With The Ship(Slight Return)" which is a song with all kinds of snippets from some classic rock songs, the ones I caught are Metallica's Seek And Destroy(I think), a couple of Zeppelin songs Dazed and Confused,The Ocean and Rock N Roll,Aerosmith's Walk This Way,Van Halen's Aint Talkin' Bout Love, The Doors Roadhouse Blues and a Billy Squire riff too, the song is just laced with awesome riffs. Check it out and see how many of the riffs you catch.


Side Two opens with the best penis song ever "Mr. Johnson And The Juice Crew" a fucking funny song.

Then of course there is the song they are most famous for "Don't Call Me Dude" which is a great video as well.

The album closes with the poetic song "Drunken Milkman" a short dramatic song.
"Drunken milkmen driving drunk,
Swerves on the curves.
Chevrolet heads his way...
A flash - A crash!
Milk and blood, blood and milk
Family of four, family no more.
Drunken milkmen driving drunk"
It's been a lot of fun getting reacquainted with this album. Still find it hard to believe that none of these songs got any air play back in the day. This is an album well worth searching out.

Old School Album Of The Week For Mar.29th - Apr.2nd

Here is an album I haven't listened to in a very long time. This was Ronnie James Dio's second solo album after leaving the Ronnie incarnation of Black Sabbath, this band was simply just called Dio. The album is called The Last in Line and was released in 1984 and also produced by the man himself. Back in the days of dungeons and dragons influenced metal.

The album opens strong with the song "We Rock" which it certainly does.Next up is the album title song The Last In Line another strong track. Another great track on side one is the speedy song "I Speed At Night" some great guitar playing by Vivian Campbell,Ronnie sounding good too, the band seems to be blasting on all cylinders in this song.

Side two opens with "Evil Eyes" a pretty good song as well. The next up "Mystery" which has a lot of keyboard in it, an alright song. "Eat Your Heart Out" is a good song with Ronnie sounding good. The album ends with the longest song of the album the epic "Egypt(The Chains Are On)" All and all I think the album starts strong but kind of goes down hill. Still a fun listen once in a while.

In other Ronnie James Dio news, he has been battling stomach cancer since November of 2009. here is hoping he makes a full recovery. Stay strong Ronnie!!!

"We'll know for the first time
If we're evil or divine
We're the last in line"

Old School Album Of The Week For Mar.15th-19th

This weeks album is one I still listen to on a regular basis and an album that should be listened to in its entirety, Roger Waters (bass player and singer/song writer for Pink Floyd) second solo album released in 1987 called Radio K.A.O.S.
It is a concept album, hence needing to listen to it from start to finish. There isn't a bad song on this album, very Floydish of course, yet modern for it's time.
If your interested in what the concept of the album is click here, as I don't have the time or patience to try and explain it. Or more like it, wouldn't know how to explain it.
The whole album is full of great lyrics, but here are a few that really stick out to me.
These from the song called "Who Needs Information"
"

Benny climbed up on a footbridge
And he teetered on the parapet
He said can you see the whites of their headlights
Are they coming yet

"
And then this rant about the dislike of fish from the song called "Sunset Strip"
"Californian Weirdo: I don't like fish.
Jim: You are listening to KAOS here in Los Angeles.
Californian Weirdo: I don't like fish.
Jim: Yes, we've established that. Ah! Do you have a request?
Californian Weirdo: Shell fish, guppy, salmon, shrimp and crab and lobster,
flounder.I hate fish, but I think most of all I hate fresh fish, like trout. I
hate fresh trout. My least-hated, favourite fish would be sole. That way you
don't have to see the eyes.
Sole has no eyes.
Jim: Oh no!
I'd like to be home with my monkey and my dog"
I fuckin' love this album and see it as a classic. How I wish I could have seen Roger on this solo tour.
I did get to see Roger on his 2007 tour when he did the Pink Floyd classic Dark Side Of The Moon in its entirety. What a fuckin' cool show that was. I went to that show with A-Bomb, while on psychedelics, good times with some awesome music. We ended up walking home from the Coliseum after this show as we were still buzzing.


One of my favorite memories from this album is my buddy Nerraw and I driving around allover town in his yellow VW bug (gutless thing) with a kick ass stereo , that I am sure was worth more then the car its self, anyways, we drove to all the record shops Sound Connection,Southside Sound,The Marquee and a few record stores in malls looking to purchase this album cause we had a dozen beers and a chunk of black and looking to bug out on some wicked tunes, well after hours of driving around, we eventually ended up at Southgate Mall and went into Zellers and found a cassette copy of Radio K.A.O.S. Of all the fuckin' places to find the album, that's where we ended up getting it. We then drove around and drank and smoked our faces off listening to it, that is of course after scouring the Southgate Mall parking lot looking for cigarette butts, so that we could roll our black with it, as neither one of us smoked. Fuckin' good times that was!!!!

Rumour is... is that Roger Waters is going to stage the Floyd classic The Wall again, not sure if it will be a full tour or just some one off shows, but that is something I will travel to go and see.
What I really wish, is that Roger and the remaining memebers of Floyd would bury the hatchet and tour together as Pink Floyd, now that would be cool.

White Stripes Album Review

This week The White Stripes release their first live album (Under Great White Northern Lights) which was recorded while on there Canadian tour in 2007 in which they played from coast to coast as well as dates in Whitehorse,Yellowknife and Iqaluit.It is basically a soundtrack for the documentary that also comes out this week. The album has 16 tracks on it which sound very raw and gritty and without a doubt no over dubbing on this live album. Sometimes it's hard to believe that it is only Meg on drums and Jack on guitar, holy shit can they make some noise for two musicians.
My biggest complaint of this double live album is that it doesn't let you know where any of the tracks were recorded. Would have been cool to know where they were recorded as A Bomb and I were at the Edmonton show on this tour. No liner notes or anything on the inside of album, kind of a bummer.
All and all a good live album. I would give this album a 6.5 out of 10.


As I said earlier in the album review, A-Bomb and I went to the show in Edmonton on June 30th at The Convention Centre. What a great fucking show it was too. All out rock n' roll very gritty and raw and balls to the wall rock. I would go out of my way to see them play live again for sure.

Old School Album Of The Week For Mar.8th - 12th

I pulled out an album last week that I haven't listened to in ages. Jimmy Pages only solo album he has ever put out released in 1988 called Outrider. It's surprising that this is the only solo album he has out considering how long he has been playing and how many artists he has played with, but this is it.
It's not a bad album but not overly great either, he doesn't do any of the singing on this album. he actually has two different singers on it, side one has John Miles on vocals while side two has a fellow named Chris Farlow. Both singers do a good job on the tracks they sing on. While Robert Plant appears once on a song called The Only One. John Bonham's son Jason plays drums on all tracks but two.
Jimmy plays some good guitar on the album but nothing that really stands out, it's mostly a blues album which should come as no surprise.
Stand out tracks to me are Wasting My Time,Hummingbird and Prison Blues.

Old School Album Of The Week For Feb. 22nd - 26th

Here is an album I haven't listened to in ages. David Lee Roth's first full length solo release after leaving Van Halen, Eat 'Em And Smile released in 1987.
This album is actually a fun album to listen to again. He had an excellent back up band for this release with Steve Vai on guitar, Billy Sheehan on bass and drummer Greg Bissonette. The album starts with the song Yankee Rose and Steve Vai's guitar mimicking Roth's vocals. My other favorite tracks on Eat 'Em And Smile are Shy Boy which rocks all the way through, Goin' Crazy is another good one and Bump And Grind is good as well. The whole album is quite good.
I remember getting the chance to see David Lee Roth on this tour in 1987 at Northland's Coliseum with Harlequin opening, whom basically got booed off the stage. The place was sold out and no one was there to see them play that's for sure. Harlequin actually was a last minute add on as Andy Taylor ex of Duran Duran was supposed to be the openers but were cancelled for some reason.
This was my first time see Roth in concert as I didn't get the chance to see him when he was in Van Halen. It was an excellent concert with Steve Vai and Billy Sheehan almost stealing the show. Roth sounded good and was his usual self, jumping and singing his heart out and of course being a ladies man. There were a whole lot of hot and skanky women at this show. I don't recall who I went to this show with, but I had row 4 on the floor for this show and had a really good time.

Old School Album Of The Week For Feb.15th - 19th

I really picked a winner this week. An album called The Right To Rock by Keel released in 1985 their debut album. My god, can't believe this is what I was listening to 25 years ago. The album was produced by Gene Simmons the bass player for KISS, maybe that's what made me buy this, being such a KISS fan, cause I really have no other excuse. There really is nothing good about this album, well, I kind of like the cover art, but the music is just some lame glam rock from the 80's.
Song titles such as the title The Right To Rock, lame lyrics,So Many Girls So Little Time,Easier Said Than Done which sounds just like 80's era KISS and then there is the god awful cover of the Rolling Stones song Let's Spend The Night Together. This was a hard album to listen to again and can't see bringing this out for another 25 years. And to think they have reunited for a 25th anniversary tour. give it up Keel.
But hey, you Got The Right To Rock. I just choose not to rock to this!

Old School Album Of The Week For Feb.8th -12th

This weeks album is a collaboration from Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson called Pancho and Lefty released in 1982. This album is a great morning drinking album from the veteran country outlaws. While only 3 of the 10 songs are actually written by either artist, what a great album this is. Both Willie's and Merle's voices are so distinctive, I like best when they duet together on a few of the songs.
The album opens with the country classic, album title Pancho and Lefty wrote by the late Townes Van Zandt. This song has been covered by many an artist and most recently Steve Earle.
The second song on side one is a tune called It's My Lazy Day, has my favorite lines of the album,
"A little deep thinkin'
Drives me to drinkin'
Hey I'm a takin' it easy, it's my lazy day"
Side one ends with my favorite song of the album wrote by Merle Haggard, a song called Reasons To Quit. Some great lyrics in this song.
"Reasons to quit the smoke and booze don't do me like before
And I'm hardly ever sober and my old friends don't come around much anymore
Reasons to quit below it always lower than the high
And the reasons to quit don't out number all the reasons why

So we keep smokin' and we keep drinkin' havin' fun and never thinkin'
Laughin' at the price tags that we pay
And we keep rollin' down the fast lane like two young men feelin' no pain
And the reasons for quittin's gettin' bigger each day

Reasons to quit I can't afford the habit all the time
I need to be sober I need to write some new songs that will rhyme
Reasons to quit they have no rhyme or reason when you're high
And the reasons to quit don't out number all the reasons why

[ guitar ]
We keep smokin' and we keep drinkin'...
And the reasons for quittin's gettin' bigger each day" Then side two of the album starts with the song called "No Reason To Quit" yet another great song.
Another song I like on the album, and in the spirit of Valentine's Day is a song called "My Life's Been A Pleasure", this song goes out to my most awesome fiance Janis.
"I still love you as I did in yesterday
Many years have gone by though it seems just like a day
It's no wonder that I love you you have been so kind and true
There will never be another it will always be just you
We've come along the way together when you've proved your love is true
My life's been a pleasure and it's all because of you
And to me you'll always be just as sweet as flowers in May
And I'll still love you as I did in yesterday

[ guitar - violin ]
I still love you as I did in yesterday...

And to me you'll always be just as sweet as flowers in May
And I'll still love you as I did in yesterday" The second last song of the album, a tune called "All The Soft Places To Fall" which has a great opening verse.
"Most of my life I've been runnin' around playin' and havin' a ball
And maybe I've been on a party too long these memories are fond to recall
You see we've got these thing about women smokin' and good alcohol
Now I'm lookin' for a homelife and clean smellin' sheets and all the soft places to fall"
Yet something else Janis has brought to my life,mmm, clean sheets on a regular basis.
So, that's the album of this week, a great country classic from Merle and Willie.
Merle Haggard will be playing two shows Saturday March 6th., a 5pm and 8pm show at The River Cree Casino.

Old School Album Of The Week For Feb.1st - 5th

This week I pulled out the awesome Black Sabbath album Born Again released in 1983 with lead singer Ian Gillan from Deep Purple. While this incarnation of the band only lasted one album, what a fuckin' album it is.
To me this album not only stands the test of time but is as good as anything that was released with Ozzy as lead singer. The album was panned by the critics when it first came out, everything from the songs to the cover were said to be awful, and as for me, I think the album cover,the music,vocals and lyrics are some of the best yet by Sabbath. How can you not like an album that starts with Ian Gillan screaming his fucking guts out from start to finish. Ian Gillan put a lot of heart and soul into this album.
The album saw original drummer (Bill Ward) back in the fold after Ronnie James Dio and Vinny Appice left the band.
There really isn't a bad song on the whole album. The album starts with Trashed which is a great drinking and driving song if there is such a thing. Check these lyrics out.
"I went back to the bar and hit the bottle again
But there was no tequila
Then we started on the whiskey just to steady our brains
'Cos there was no tequila
And as we drank a little faster at the top of our hill
We began to roll
And as we got trashed we were laughing still
Well bless my soul"
The next song is an instrumental which leads into the song Disturbing The Priest that starts with an evil laugh, then follows with some awesome lyrics.
"The force of the devil is the darkness the priest has to face
The force of the night will destroy him but will not disgrace
To get into his mind and to his soul you gotta set alight
The flames of doubt so deep inside inside
The devil and the priest can't exist if one goes away
It's just like the battle of the sun and the moon and night and day
The force of the devil, that's we're all told to fear
Watch out for religion when he gets too near too near"
Then there is the song Zero The Hero that has a really cool riff from Tony Iommi through out the song.
Other great songs on the album are Digital Bitch, Hot Line and Keep It Warm. The song Keep It Warm, to me, sounds like a song about a woman standing by her man through his ventures and travels and not giving up on him.
How I wish I had seen this version of Sabbath in concert. Over the past 15 years we have seen Black Sabbath get back together with both Ozzy and Ronnie James Dio, I sure would like to see the Ian Gillan era Sabbath do another album and tour. C'mon Rick Rubin, work your magic and bring these guys back together for another album.
Born Again is a very very underrated album.
Zero The Hero Video