Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage

Especially owing to my current status as a probationary Canadian, it’s good to see one of the ‘local’ bands getting the recognition that they deserve. http://www.alliancefilms.com/en/89/details/display/12402/

Plus, I love Rush. I’ve loved them since a friend played me 2112 way back in the ‘70s.

I know I will be checking out this movie when it comes to Halifax (Nova Scotia) next weekend, for a 2 night run at the Empire. http://www.empiretheatres.com/movie/rush-beyond-lighted-stage

For those unfamiliar with the band, just the following list of studio albums will give some idea of their longevity:

• Rush (1974)
• Fly by Night (1975)
• Caress of Steel (1975)
• 2112 (1976)
• A Farewell to Kings (1977)
• Hemispheres (1978)
• Permanent Waves (1980)
• Moving Pictures (1981)
• Signals (1982)
• Grace Under Pressure (1984)
• Power Windows (1985)
• Hold Your Fire (1987)
• Presto (1989)
• Roll the Bones (1991)
• Counterparts (1993)
• Test for Echo (1996)
• Vapor Trails (2002)
• Snakes & Arrows (2007)
• Clockwork Angels (2011)

Here is a super-play list of the 18 released studio albums care of Spotify – http://open.spotify.com/user/toxicmusic79/playlist/33s6jyepkX23qfqLI5jfRi

And, for you young tykes, here is a list of more ‘recent’ similar artists (well they have been going a while):

• Dream Theater
• Spock’s Beard
• Marillion
• Porcupine Tree
• Transatlantic
• The Flower Kings
• King’s X

Take it away RUSH!

The Runaways

We’ve just been to see The Runaways movie at the cinema. So, now I am back in front of the computer I could not resist tracking down some live clips of The Runaways in action.

Here they are in Japan, doing Queens Of Noise.

 

I also found a couple of clips of The Runaways, sans Cherie , with Joan singing on the BBC’s OGWT (Old Grey Whistle Test).

Here they are with Wasted.

 

Same show, with School Daze.

Enjoy!!

Thin Lizzy Legend Phil Lynott Named One Of Ireland’s ‘Greatest’

Following 12 days of public voting, from a shortlist of 40, the Top Ten people on the Ireland’s Greatest list have been revealed on ‘The Tubridy Show’ on RTÉ Radio 1.

Read more here – http://www.rte.ie/arts/2010/0406/irelandsgreatest.html

Thin Lizzy have always been one of my favourite bands. Here are 5 favourite tracks:

Still In Love With You

Don’t Believe A Word

Waiting For An Alibi

Cowboy Song

Emerald

Jimi Hendrix – Valleys of Neptune

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the death of Jimi Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix on November 27, 1942 and died on September 18, 1970). As a commemoration of Hendrix’s death, Legacy Recordings (the catalogue division of Sony Music Entertainment) will be releasing a new CD, Valleys of Neptune, on March 9th. This will be the first album containing previously unreleased studio recordings in more than a decade. It’s the result of a deal between Enterprise Hendrix (the company that overseas his musical estate) and Legacy Recordings that should see other Hendrix related releases/events to follow. For example, re-releases of classic titles, a tribute tour and a Hendrix version of the Rock Band video game.

Track listing for Valleys of Neptune:

1. Stone Free
2. Valleys of Neptune 
3. Bleeding Heart
4. Hear My Train a Comin’
5. Mr. Bad Luck
6. Sunshine of Your Love (instrumental Cream cover)
7. Lover Man
8. Ships Passing Through the Night
9. Fire
10. Red House
11. Lullaby for the Summer
12. Crying Blue Rain

Hendrix was a mere 27 when he died as a result of drinking heavily and consuming some of his girlfriend’s sleeping pills (it is thought that Hendrix was unfamiliar with this particular stronger German brand of pills).

One result of his relatively short life is that the amount of posthumous releases far exceeds those released while he was alive. It is often easy to forget that he released only three studio albums during his career, such is the volume of exploitative material available both legally and illegally. Here is a list of the recordings issued while he was still alive:

Studio albums

• Are You Experienced? (UK, May 12, 1967 – Track)
• Are You Experienced? (US, August 23, 1967 – Reprise)
• Axis: Bold As Love (UK, December 1, 1967 – Track)
• Axis: Bold As Love (US, January 15, 1968 – Reprise)
• Electric Ladyland (UK, October 25, 1968 – Track)
• Electric Ladyland (US, September 16, 1968 – Reprise)

Live Albums

• Band Of Gypsys (US, March 25, 1970 – Capitol)
• Historic Performances Recorded at the Monterey International Pop Festival (US, August 26, 1970 – Reprise) [Side 1 – Jimi Hendrix / Side 2 – Otis Redding]

Compilation Albums

• Smash Hits (UK, April 16, 1968 – Track)
• Smash Hits (US, July 30, 1969 – Reprise)
• Electric Jimi Hendrix (UK, August 16, 1970 – Track)

Singles

• Hey Joe / Stone Free (UK, December 16, 1966 – Polydor)
• Hey Joe /51st Anniversary  (US, May 1, 1967 – Reprise)
• Purple Haze / 51st Anniversary (UK, March 17, 1967 – Track)
• The Wind Cries Mary / Highway Chile (UK, May 5, 1967 – Track)
• Burning of the Midnight Lamp / The Stars That Play with Laughing Sam’s Dice (UK, August 19, 1967 – Track)
• Foxy Lady / Hey Joe (US, August, 1967 – Reprise)
• Up from the Skies / One Rainy Wish (US, 26 February, 1968 – Reprise)
• All Along the Watchtower / Burning of the Midnight Lamp (US, September 21, 1968 – Reprise)
• All Along the Watchtower / Long Hot Summer Night (UK, October 18, 1968 – Track)
• Crosstown Traffic / Gypsy Eyes (US, November 21, 1968 – Reprise)
• Crosstown Traffic / Gypsy Eyes (UK, April 11, 1969 – Track)
• Stone Free / If 6 Was 9 (US, September 15, 1969 – Reprise)
• Fire / Burning Of The Midnight Lamp (UK, April, 1969 – Track)
• Stepping Stone / Izabella (US, April 8, 1970 – Reprise)

Looking at the list above it appears that the release window for Hendrix’s recording was from late 1966 to mid 1970, however those 4-5 years had such an impact on so many different genres of music and not just guitar based, as it’s important to remember the musical legacy of some of the studio techniques/tricks used on various recordings.

Priestess – Prior To The Fire

Track listing:

1. Ladykiller
2. Raccoon Eyes
3. The Firebird
4. Murphy’s Law
5. The Gem
6. Communicating Via-Eyes
7. Lunar
8. It Baffles the Mind
9. Sideways Attack
10. We Ride Tonight
11. Trapped In Space & Time

Priestess’ long awaited Prior To The Fire must be a blessing to those within metal and heavy rock circles who wish everything heavy from around Glam Metal and beyond had just never happened, you know, basically nothing past early NWOBHM. This album demands to be played loud, very loud. You need to be able to riff along with this so get out your hockey stick, tennis racket, or whatever other substitute you use. This is old school head-banging, no kung-fu kicks, picking up change, or ‘windmills’ here. If you spend a month playing nothing released in metal/hard-rock past 1980, you’ll get a feel for how it feels to be old-old-school again. Or, you could just play this at a volume where the plaster starts to fall off the walls. That’ll do the trick!! 

Find Priestess stuff on Amazon

Reviewed at:

Chart Attack – http://www.chartattack.com/reviews/75935/priestess-prior-to-the-fire

Way To Loud – http://www.waytooloud.com/2009/11/09/priestess-prior-to-the-fire-2/

Blog Critics – http://blogcritics.org/music/article/music-review-priestess-prior-to-the/

Pop Matters – http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/119221-priestess-prior-to-the-fire/

The Gateway – http://thegatewayonline.ca/articles/arts-entertainment/2009/11/26/album-review-priestess-prior-fire

Band Information:

Website – http://www.priestessband.com/

@MySpace – http://www.myspace.com/priestess

@Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/pages/Priestess/288833030222

@Twitter – http://twitter.com/___PRIESTESS___

@Wikipedia – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Priestess_(band)

@Tee Pee Records – http://teepeerecords.com/bands/priestess/index.php

 

Aerosmith, without Steven Tyler?

It has been reported on The Guardian’s music  section of their website that Steven Tyler may sue if Aerosmith replace him. http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/feb/02/steven-tyler-aerosmith

Apparently, lawyers who represent Steven Tyler have sent out a ‘cease and desist’ letter to the Aerosmith management. This follows on from reports that the band is looking for a replacement singer. It has been reported that Skip Miller (Tyler’s attorney) has accused Howard Kaufman (Aerosmith’s manager) of “playing band-members off against one another” and pointing out the danger in a strategy that “could destroy Aerosmith”.

The current situation seems to have come to a head around Tyler’s current spell in rehab, where he is receiving treatment for addition to painkillers. Over the years, stage performance has left him with severe chronic pain and this was made worse when he fell off a stage in 2009 and broke a shoulder.

Mix into this the possibility of surgery to alleviate leg and foot pre-existing problems has obviously let to speculation as to Tyler’s availability to contribute fully to Aerosmith over the next year or so. 

According to reports, names that have been banded about as "substitutes" including Billy Idol, Paul Rodgers, Chris Cornell and Lenny Kravitz. How long term this could be is open to speculation.

Mmmmm. Aerosmith, with Paul Rodgers…. Sounds familiar.

This story has been running for a while now and you can check out the various articles, on The Guardian site, below:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/feb/02/steven-tyler-aerosmith

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/jan/22/aerosmith-hold-auditions-steven-tyler

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2009/dec/27/prescription-drugs-stars-fall-victim

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/nov/12/aerosmith-steven-tyler

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2009/nov/09/aerosmith-steven-tyler

 

30 Seconds To Mars – This Is War

Track listing:
1. “Escape” — 2:24
2. “Night of the Hunter” — 5:41
3. “Kings and Queens” — 5:48
4. “This Is War” — 5:27
5. “100 Suns” — 1:58
6. “Hurricane” — 6:12
7. “Closer to the Edge” — 4:34
8. “Vox Populi” — 5:43
9. “Search and Destroy” — 5:39
10. “Alibi” — 6:00
11. “Stranger in a Strange Land” — 6:54
12. “L490” — 4:26

On the epic This Is War, 30 Seconds To Mars manage to distill the essence of  noughties Rock. It is as if some mad scientist has taken U2, The Killers and My Chemical Romance, extracted their Factor-X and then injected it into 30 Seconds To Mars. I remember Pop Rock band Roxette doing this sort of distillation of clichés within their field, and getting slated for it. Well I actually enjoyed it, and I enjoy this stuff. Cranked to the MAX, of course!

Reviewed at:

All Music Guide – http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:fbfuxzraldhe~T1

Slant Magazine – http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/music_review.asp?ID=1945

The Guardian – http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/dec/04/30-seconds-to-mars-this-is-mars

Spin – http://www.spin.com/reviews/thirty-seconds-mars-war-rca

Dot Music – http://uk.launch.yahoo.com/091216/33/2224n.html