Feel The Balls Of Steel. A Steel Panther Concert Review.

It was Thursday night and as our work day drew to a close , we began putting the finishing touches on our outfits for the Steel Panther concert. My trusty sidekick Victoria and I had been looking forward to the show for weeks now. Last time I saw Steel Panther I had the first opportunity in two and a half decades to wear my much coveted leather lace up pants so the wardrobe bar was set pretty high! We decided to double the awesome factor with matching outfits. Fish net stockings, short shorts,  high boots and skull bandannas!! Where else but at a Steel Panther show can you dress up in your best eighties gear,  party like a rock star and no one bats an eyelash?! (Stopping for a bite to eat on the way there, however, was a completely different story!)

We drove to Toronto with the top down and our teased up, rocker hair blowing in the wind. It was a great beginning to what was sure to be a fun-filled night!!

We walked into The Sound Academy just in time to catch the opening act Hillbilly Herald. I'd looked them up on YouTube and they were just as I had expected. Loud and raunchy! They had that southern metal sound that doesn't necessarily appeal to me but if you like that sort of thing  I think they were pretty good. You only had to take one look at us to know we were only there for the headliners.  

For anyone who doesn't know Steel Panther, they are the Glam Metal equivalent to Spinal Tap. They are incredibly talented, enormously inappropriate, lyrically ridiculous and downright hilarious. Their story reads much like most moderately successful eighties hair bands. They payed their dues for years in the eighties playing night after night on the Sunset Strip and just missed their superstar calling. They are, in fact, a band who formed in 2000 under the name Danger Kitty and then Metal Shop, Metal Skool , and  finally Steel Panther in 2008.  Former members of  a Van Halen tribute band,  LA Guns and various other successful bands, they are each, in their own right, masters of their craft. They have an extremely loyal following and their fans are like no other. 

After Hillbilly Herald had finished their set, we decided to volley for audience position. We made it quite close to the front but having been to more than one Steel Panther show I was fairly sure we would be retreating to a safer location once the show started. My co-pilot is just shy of five feet tall and she was being swallowed into the crowd already. For now though, we stood our ground. 

The lights went down and Iron Maiden's Number of the Beast came blaring through the speakers. The crowd went INSANE!!!!! Still we stood our ground. It was time!!!! The recorded  intro "In The Future" blasted out into the darkness and suddenly the band exploded onto the stage in their spandex, leather, glitz, glamour and full on eighties regalia!! 

All hands were in the air with the symbolic Steel Panther three finger "Shocker" salute!! (Look it up if you're not easily offended.)

I looked at my brave little co-pilot and pointed to the left side of the audience, she nodded and I grabbed her hand and dragged her through the sea of flying beer cans and inflatable dildos to safety. 

Steel Panther were flawless as always both in their talent and their stunning good looks! Sexy  Lexxi Foxxx had a full sized makeup mirror positioned at left stage so he could ponder his pure perfection at any given moment. You could say it's a good thing Lexxi's pretty!! What he lacks in intellect he more than makes up for in girlish good looks which he he isn't afraid to credit Botox and Collagen for. 

No Steel Panther show would be complete without a ripping guitar solo by the insanely talented shredder, Satchel. 

He disappeared into a giant blanket of smoke during his killer solo which, along with his own stylings, was a kick ass medley of Maiden, Metallica, Rush, G&R, Black Sabbath, brought to a climax by a lovely little excerpt from The Sound of Music (Doe a Deer)

All the while Lexxi was stage left, destroying the ozone layer, applying lip gloss and practicing his best poses in his mirror. He doesn't get to speak much and when he does, you realize quickly that  he's merely there for his unequivocal beauty  and his ability to hold down the killer bass lines like a true glam metal rock star. 

They played all the crowd favorites. Death To All But Metal, Asian Hooker (as per usual a cute little Asian girl from the audience ended up on stage), Just Like Tiger Woods, Fat Girl (Thar She Blows), Supersonic Sex Machine, If You Really, Really, Love Me, and of course the beautiful acoustic ballad, Girl From Oklahoma (Suck My...well I'm sure by now you get the idea!)

The girls started throwing themselves onto the stage for Community Property and by the time the band  hit their encore of Seventeen Girls In A Row, the whole crowd was literally jumping and the stage was a hot mess of Canadian boobies and debauchery! 

And that, my friends, was that!! Another fabulous show in the city of Toronto and back to reality we head once again. Steel Panther are never a disappointment but definitely not for the faint of heart or the easily offended!! I'll go back to see them again and again!!

Until  next time...

SONG OF THE DAY 5/20

The song of the day is "Call Out The Warning" by Fifth Angel.

Episode 85 - Sight for Sore Ears

It may not be well-known but, according to the National Eye Institute, May is Healthy Vision Month. We thought we would help spread the word and enjoy some good music at the same time. Here's what the National Eye Institute wants to tell you:

"Millions of people living in the United States have undetected vision problems, eye diseases, and conditions. HVM is designed to elevate vision as a health priority for the Nation by promoting the importance of early detection and treatment, as well as the use of proper eye safety practices, in preventing vision loss and blindness.

One of the most important things people can do to protect their vision is to schedule a comprehensive dilated eye exam. In this painless procedure, an eye care professional examines the eyes to look for common vision problems and eye diseases, many of which have no early warning signs. A comprehensive dilated eye exam can detect eye diseases and conditions in their early stages, before vision loss occurs. Early detection and treatment can help to save your sight."

With that said, we thought we'd celebrate Healthy Vision Month by spinning some songs that refer, in the title, to sight/vision is some form. Here we go.

After deciding on the title for this episode, Chris' first choice came very easily. From 1977's Draw the Line album, we kick things off with Aerosmith performing 'Sight for Sore Eyes.'

Aaron starts his sight-related picks with a track from the oft-overlooked 1995 release from Dokken; Dysfunctional. This album marked the return of George Lynch. We spin the opening track, 'Inside Looking Out.'

Electric Six

Chris decided to do some digging in research for this episode. A nugget was found in the vast space that is youtube with his choice of the track 'Night Vision' off Electric Six's 2005 release Switzerland.

Aaron's next pick is 'Eyes of a Strager.' Wait, before you think it's the well-known Queensryche track, think again. This great sing comes from the appropriately-titled Visual Lies album from Lizzy Borden and is a great addition to the show.

We return from break one with a selection from Motley Crue's debut album Too Fast for Love. While filled with lots of great hook-y songs, Too Fast....sports one track that fits in with our vision-themed show as we spin 'Starry Eyes.'

Up next is Aaron's choice of a bonus track from Ozzy Osbourne's iconic Blizzard of Oz release. Featuring some seering Randy Rhoads guitar work, 'You Lookin' at Me, Lookin' at You' is a testimony to the strength of material being created by the gone-too-soon guitarist and the Prince of Darkness.

Chris keeps the Crazy Train on track as we segue into a double-dose of Ozzy with his choice of 'Looking for Tomorrow' from the classic Sabbath Bloody Sabbath album from 1973.

One band that doesn't get nearly the amount of recognition it deserves is Turbonegro. We try to alleviate that problem with Aaron's choice of 'If You See Kaye' from their Party Animals album.

We close out the show with Chris' choice of a KISS track that appeared on two different albums in the band's catalog with different personnel. 'See You in Your Dreams' was selected from Rock and Roll Over and features some powerful drumming from Peter Criss and a great solo from Ace Frehley.

Playing things out this week is a fantastic cover of a sight-related classic that's all about focus. Aaron's choice of At Vance's version of 'Eye of the Tiger' is a motivating way to finish things off.

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Aerosmith

Dokken

Electric Six

Lizzy Borden

Motley Crue

Ozzy Osbourne

Black Sabbath

Turbonegro

KISS

At Vance

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Now Hear This: Warlord - Deliver Us

Click song titles for links!

     Warlord was a band shrouded in mystery, its four members known only as Destroyer, Thunderchild, Sentinel, and Damien King. We now know they were Bill Tsamis (guitar/bass), Mark Zorner (drums), Diane Kornarens (Keyboards), and Jack Ruckner (vocals). Ruckner had previously sung for legendary late seventies rockers Alkana, whose incredibly rare Welcome To My Paradise LP is highly regarded.

     Warlord didn't really fit in with the L.A. metal scene at the time but they found a fan in Metal Blade's Brian Slagel, who opted to include a track by the band on the second Metal Massacre compilation (which also featured songs by Armored Saint and Trauma featuring Cliff Burton). Warlord's contribution was a stunning song called "Lucifer's Hammer." It's a monster track: killer riffs, kamikaze drums, and an epic chorus. World famous power metallers HammerFall credit the song with inspiring the band's name ("the hammer will fall on you...").

     Brian Slagel liked Warlord so much he also gave them a spot on the third Metal Massacre compilation ("Mrs. Victoria") and that same year (1983) released an astonishing six song EP by the band called Deliver Us. The EP cost a mere $800 to record. All six songs are great, Warlord's Deliver Us is definitely one of my favorite heavy metal releases of the eighties. The EP opens (appropriately) with a haunting track called "Deliver Us From Evil." It's an amazing song, masterfully written and recorded, riffs and melody woven together perfectly. Up next is a beautiful song called "Winter's Tears." Very few metal bands in the eighties made music this atmospheric and charming. The third song on the EP is a driving basher called "Child of the Damned." Tsamis' riffs are almost as intense as the vocals and melody. The fourth track "Penny For A Poor Man" is a deceptively simplistic rocker with emotional depth. As fantastical and macabre as some of the band's themes appear to be on the surface the songs still come across as heartfelt and honest. Warlord truly treated heavy metal as an art form. Once you get past the unfortunate intro fifth song "Black Mass" is another mesmerizing piece of work. The EP ends with a new version of "Lucifer's Hammer" which is great but I prefer the Metal Massacre II version (see above).

     Unfortunately Jack Ruckner left the band not long after the Deliver Us EP was released and he was replaced by Texas native Rick Cunningham (billed as Damien King II). With Cunningham at the helm and a new bassist (guitarist Bill Tsamis had previously played the bass tracks on the band's recordings) called Archangel Warlord performed for an empty theater to record a "live" album released as And The Cannons of Destruction Have Begun. Also in 1984 the band released a 12 inch single featuring two new songs, "Lost and Lonely Days" and "Aliens."

     Metal Blade released a compilation called Best of Warlord in 1989 that included all of Deliver Us, "Mrs. Victoria," and the two single tracks, plus a couple of songs that were only on the "live" album. Tsamis resurrected the band name in 2012 and started releasing new music.

     You can download a remastered version of Deliver Us HERE.

Meister Music #5 - U.D.O. Hit Me With A Steelhammer

Hello and welcome to my new segment called Meister Music.  I often get new music cross my desk from record companies or from my own personal musical searches and adventures.  I thought that this would be a good place to review and post my thoughts on some of this music, maybe turning you onto some new bands or reminding you about some old favourites.  Some of the albums may not always be to my specific taste in music, but I'll give you my honest opinions.  Some of it may not even be the most current as I try to introduce you to some lesser known bands that have crossed my path and become favourites of my listening rotation.  Like what I say or think I'm an idiot?  Please feel free to leave me comments and suggestions as you see fit, it would be great to start a discussion of some of these albums.

MEISTER MUSIC #5 - I'VE BEEN HIT WITH A STEELHAMMER!

German Metal King, Udo Dirkschneider is back to wage war on your ear drums and his weapon is the Steelhammer.  The former Accept lead singer is back with a new record called Steelhammer due out May 24th, 2013, but The Meister has it early and has already been spinning it for a few days now.

Udo formed Accept in Solingen, Germany with Wolf Hoffman and Peter Baltes in the late 1960's.  Accept rose to fame in the 80's with such hits as Princess Of The Dawn, Fast As A Shark (one of the first speed metal songs), Metal Heart and of course the smash hit Balls To The Wall.  In 1987, after seven studio albums, Udo left Accept to pursue a solo career.  While he did briefly re-unite with his Accept band mates from 1993-1996 to produce three more Accept records, his solo career has been in full force since his original departure.  Mr. Dirkschneider has released thirteen albums under the U.D.O. moniker to date with the fourteenth, Steelhammer due to drop on May 24th, 2013.  I've long been an Accept and U.D.O. fan, since hearing Balls To The Wall as one of my earliest forays into metal music and I have all of the CD's.  A long time dream came true for me last month, right around my birthday I might add, as I finally got to see U.D.O. perform when the Steelhammer tour made a stop in Toronto.  The show was everything that I expected and I put it up there with one of the best shows of the year so far.  Please check out my review of the night here: U.D.O. IN TORONTO.

In studying the album artwork, I once again reflected on the art form of the inner sleeves of a record, something that has lost it's importance in this day and age of downloading.  The cover, matching my tour t-shirt from the show, depicts the power of what one might imagine a "steelhammer" to inflict with a metallized fist poised to strike, as opposed to the general flaccidity of most of today's efforts towards album artwork.

I had already heard one of the tracks during the show in Toronto about a month ago now and as I received the much anticipated (by me, among others) newest U.D.O. effort, I sat down in my lazy-boy armchair in the dark with my eyes closed to listen to it.  The title track, Steelhammer leads off the latest assault from the German Power Metal King, containing everything that I would expect from an U.D.O. track.  U.D.O.'s growling vocals are in fine form here as we roll into A Cry Of A Nation next with a grinding riff.  Metal Machine sits in the third position.
This was the cut that I'd been treated to at the show in Toronto, the song came off well in a live set and the CD version does justice to the live version that's rolling around in my memory.  The foreign language of the verse and chorus doesn't take away from the enjoyment of the next track, Basta Ya, even though I don't understand it.  I think it's not German, but perhaps Spanish as I found on line that in Spanish basta ya means enough is enough.  Next comes 2:25 minutes of what I can only describe as an oddity and a deplorable tragedy!  I love U.D.O. and mean no disrespect, but singing a ballad is not something that he should do in my opinion.  Heavy Rain is shockingly just that as the piano is basically the only instrument to accompany Udo's guttural growl through this track (although the more I hear it, the more I become accustomed to it).  After the synthesised intro, Devil's Bite picks up the pace again feeling, as the title suggests, just like a bite from the devil as the riff chews through your speakers.  Death Ride follows and riffs hard
straight off the top as Udo's gravelly, throaty vocals remind me of Accept classics on this track.  The barrage continues with King Of Mean powering through and getting my hands air drumming with a couple of pencils as I chuckled a bit at the line "I'm a chainsaw".  The grinding, pumping riffs of Timekeeper surge the album forward, keeping the pencils twirling and reminding me of how Udo stepped away from the stage front during the show and held his eyes tightly closed as his head bobbed along and he felt rather than heard the music.  The chorus of Never Cross My Way echoes in my head long after the song dies away and I found myself singing it on more than one occasion at work as I flipped ribs on the grill.  I could definitely see this track played on rock radio as it has a bit of a commercial tinge to it, but don't get me wrong it doesn't detract from the song in any way shape or form!  The next track ramps up the energy again and is a fist pumping rocker called Take My Medicine, although with U.D.O.'s accent it sounds as
if he's saying "meda-seen"....lol.  Stay True just re-affirms that Udo's vocie is just as good if not even stronger than the old Accept days as he snarls out the lyrics.  When Love Becomes A Lie also broaches the commercial sound with it's pulsing rhythm beat, but maybe that's just my wishful thinking that a radio station would actually play an U.D.O. cut!  Light bongo drums lead into Book Of Faith, conjuring up the image of a belly dancer dancing for the tribe before it twangs in evoking mental pictures for a second of the wild west and the deserted street with tumble weeds as the hero enters the town.  But then it opens up and pumps or throbs along as the second longest offering on the disc and is just quirky enough to be my favourite on the whole record.  Book Of Faith's symphonic finish is a great closer to the song and the barrage that can only be called Steelhammer!

U.D.O.'s latest effort from him and his band consisting of ten year band mate Fitty Weinhold on bass, relative newcomer guitarists, Kasperi Heikkinen and Andrey Smirnov and Francesco Jovino on drums is a true metal blitzkrieg with the exception of the 2:25 minute ballad, Heavy Rain (which could be omitted).  That still makes thirteen solid rocking chants with the only other track clocking in under four minutes being the title track of Steelhammer  making the total album runtime of about sixty-one minutes.  Quite impressive again where many albums these days stretch to meet the standard ten song quota and many of those under the four minute mark!  Udo's still rocking hard and giving solid efforts on his records and out on the road, so really can I blame him for trying something like Heavy Rain....no, certainly not and I have to admit, now that I'm over the shock of it and I'm on my tenth or so listening, it's even growing on me.  A solid album here from The German Power Metal King and many of today's artists could learn a thing or two or take a page from U.D.O.'s book, I wish they would!

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ALL CONCERT PHOTOS BY:  THE MEISTER

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U.D.O.'s WEBSITE     U.D.O.'s TOUR BLOG (FACEBOOK)    U.D.O.'s OFFICIAL FACEBOOK

Cheers,
The Meister

Now Hear This: Holy Terror - Mind Wars

     Agent Steel were an L.A. speed metal band somewhat similar to early Helloween. The band's first album, the cleverly titled Skeptics Apocalypse, was released by Combat in 1985. At some point one of the band's guitarists, Kurt Kilfelt, and singer John Cyriis had a falling out and Kilfelt left to form his own band with singer Aaron Redbird, bassist Jeff Matz, drummer Joe Mitchell, and second guitarist Matt Fox. The band was christened Holy Terror and their first album, Terror and Submission, was released by Combat in 1987 but the band really hit their stride on their second album, Mind Wars, released in 1988.

     Kurt Kilfelt describes the band's intentions thusly:

"The idea was to make an epic metal record."

     They succeeded. Mind Wars was recorded over the course of seventeen days, and apparently a lot of drugs were involved. Kurt Kilfelt describes the creative process and obstacles the band were up against this way:

"We really wanted to get the old seventies type metal sound to it, this didn't go over very well with the label, they wanted what every one else was doing, hard panned right and left brittle processed guitars, no bass and really loud drums. My attitude was fuck 'em..."

 

    The band toured America with DRI and Kreator and Europe with Exodus and Nuclear Assault after the record was released. Holy Terror were better than all of those bands, in my opinion. I am not a huge thrash guy beyond the obvious albums (Master of Puppets, Rust In Peace, Sound of White Noise, etc) but Mind Wars is as good as it gets. This is not paint by numbers thrash metal, Holy Terror were a creative and ambitious group. The album opens with a Slayeresque basher called "Judas Reward." It's good but actually one of my least favorite songs on the record.

     The next song, "Debt of Pain," is amazingly melodic for a thrash metal tune. You can hear a distinct Iron Maiden influence but the band tweak it big time. The song is an artistic metal assault, brutal yet refined. The production on the album is a bit muddy but the quality of the songwriting more than compensates.

     Third track "The Immoral Wasteland" is a classic example of galloping heavy metal, conducive to headbanging but also wonderfully melodic. 

     Up next is an insane three part epic: a bruising burst of metal called "A Fool's Gold" segues into a plodding instrumental bit called "Terminal Humor" from which the killer title track bursts forth at about the 5:16 mark.

     Side Two hits us full speed ahead with a slamming track called "Damned By Judges." A brutal verse culminates in a great chorus. 

     The next song, "Do Unto Others," is a hardcore song with melodic moments. Holy Terror were an innovative group that refused to be pigeon-holed. It's fair to call this album thrash metal, but there's a lot more than that going on. 

     The second to last song on the album "No Resurrection" features a verse that vacillates between thrash and death metal but once again a melodic chorus arrives just in time. The key word for this album, obviously, is melody, a key component for me that was often missing from your run of the mill thrash metal tune.

     The album ends with a pounding track called "Christian Resistance." Play it loud.

     A few members of the band relocated to Seattle in the early nineties and formed a punk band called Shark Chum.

Meister Music #4- HIM's Tears On Tape

Hello and welcome to my new segment called Meister Music.  I often get new music cross my desk from record companies or from my own personal musical searches and adventures.  I thought that this would be a good place to review and post my thoughts on some of this music, maybe turning you onto some new bands or reminding you about some old favourites.  Some of the albums may not always be to my specific taste in music, but I'll give you my honest opinions.  Some of it may not even be the most current as I try to introduce you to some lesser known bands that have crossed my path and become favourites of my listening rotation.  Like what I say or think I'm an idiot?  Please feel free to leave me comments and suggestions as you see fit, it would be great to start a discussion of some of these albums.

MEISTER MUSIC #4 - HIM'S TEARS ON TAPE

Thursday May 9th, 2013 started out to be a fabulous day.  I found myself with an unplanned day off from work, so I puttered around the house completing several chores, looking forward to the night.  I had plans to meet with new Decibel Geek writer Kate to take in a concert at The Danforth Music Hall.  The band we were planning to see was Finnish love metal band HIM or His Infernal Majesty.  I had had some limited experience previously with HIM as a friend had turned me on to one of their albums, Greatest Love Songs Vol. 666 and I had rather enjoyed their covers of The Crying Game and Don't Fear The Reaper, but was not a rabid fan or anything.  Recently I acquired their latest release Tears On Tape for review.  How perfect that I would be seeing the concert around the same time.  Kate and I devised a plan to work on the article together, I would review the CD as I had already spun it a few times and it was growing on me and she would handle the show review portion.  As I headed out from my home north of Toronto for my trek to "the big city" for the evening's festivities I got a depressing call from Kate.  She had just seen a posting on Facebook that the show was off.  She called the venue to confirm and called me back within minutes bearing the sad news that the show was indeed cancelled.  Apparently the lead vocalist, Ville Valo has pneumonia.  I'm sure glad that she was heads up and caught the announcement before I got under way, thanks Kate!  Unfortunately this meant back home to more yard work........or maybe I'll just write my thoughts on the Tears On Tape record first....lol.

HIM is not a band that I gravitated to right away after listening to the album the first time, but my rule is to listen to something at least three times before formulating my opinion.  With some quick research I found that HIM had formed in 1991 with Ville Valo on vocals, Mikko "Linde" Lindstrom on guitars and Mikko "Mige" Paananen on bass in Helsinki Finland.  HIM is an acronym for His Infernal Majesty and the band has released a staggering (because I'd barely heard of them) eight studio albums so far and is the first Finnish band to have a gold record in the U.S. They also just won "The Most Dedicated Fans" award at the Golden Gods, so I'm probably going to be in trouble with them for my thoughts on the album.

The album starts off with a synthesiser, giving me more of a feeling that this would be along the lines of something Depeche Mode may release,  intro Unleash The Red.  After the 1:08 minute intro, All Lips Go Blue gets going sounding a little more like something I'm into.  The melodic vocals give the band a decidedly poppy sound to me.  Love Without Tears is next on the roster and sounds much the same as the previous track, however the vocal chorus is quite catchy.  Starting with a keyboard solo, I Will Be The End Of You picks up pace a little as it gets into the song.  The title track, Tears On Tape, is nothing different, being carried more with keyboards than guitars.  Into The Night starts off with a little guitar and the keyboards are not as audible until the chorus where the melodic vocals kick in again.  Hearts At War is one of the better tracks on Tears On Tape, in my opinion, with a catchy riff helping it to stand out a bit more from the rest of the selections.  Trapped In Autumn is a minute and a half of synthesiser sounds.  No Love starts off rocking and wakes me up a bit from the sleepiness of the rest of the album.  Drawn & Quartered blends into the background again, floating along.  I lost focus once again during Lucifer's Chorale, another minute and a half instrumental that followed no tune or anything and I fought to bring myself back for W.L.S.T.D. acronym for When Love Starts To Die.  Kiss The Void closes off the recording and my struggle to keep focused on the whole album with 2:25 minutes of synthesiser sounds.

This keyboard heavy music, proclaimed by vocalist Ville Valo to be love metal,  lacks punch to me and while it's not a bad album to put on in the background as you're doing something around the house, it will all meld or blend together, every song sounding much like the previous one.  My apologies to the dedicated fans, but this is not really my style and I prefer a little more crunchiness and balls to my music, whereas this is decidedly flaccid.

Cheers,
The Meister

SugarBoxx Rocks Ohio and soon the World

A few months ago I joined the modern world and opened a twitter account. Started following a few celebs, minus them Kardashian chics, and Bieber kid. I started following a man, Kevin ManDraken and his band, SugarBoxx. Born the son of a preacher, it was his mother, who was a fan of the Beatles and Elvis that would ignite the spark of music in young Kevin. She was the one who bought him his first guitar.

Don't be fooled by the name. These guys are not your average band. These guys know how to rock and they know how to put on a show. Formed in 2010, originally  started as a 80's cover band. "I wanted a heavier sound," ManDraken recalled. So ManDraken set out through Ohio to find those that shared his musical vision.

ManDraken recruited Scott Sherer (guitar), T.J. Sweet (bass) Dave Kesling (drums) to carry out his vision of mayhem and debauchery. Their first gig, however, said otherwise. "Our first gig was a local show. Not too many people were there," ManDraken recalled. ManDraken wanted a way to get those in the audience talking about the band, sort of a parting gift sort of and for this ManDraken drew inspiration from a local by the name of Marilyn Manson. 'I wanted to dip the bible I was using into fake blood, but the blood kept running off. So, I took the pages, ripped them out and made a cup out of them,dipped them in the bucket and drank the blood,"ManDraken recalled. The act, not only got people talking, but got some feathers ruffled also. Local clergy was not amused with the act. Many threatened protesting and boycotting of the shows, but ManDraken and the BOXX carried on.

The band went from playing to a few to bringing crowds. People wanted to see the man and the band that rocked and gave a little bit of a Alice Cooper meets Blackie Lawless feel to their shows. With the crowds came protests. Feminist groups also protested the shows due to the image they felt SugarBoxx was portraying for women. The guys, however took it in stride.

2011 brought a line up change. Out was drummer Dave Kesling, and in was a 17 yr old phenom Ryan  Quigg, the son of the group's photographer. "We were doing a local show when Ryan's mom was there taking pictures. She mentioned her son was a drummer. When it came time to look for another drummer, she mentioned it again, and just so happened she had a tape of him playing. He auditioned, and he was in,"ManDraken recalled. When asked about his young drummer and how it's working out, ManDraken 's voice beams with excitement. " It was like we won the lotto. He's a phenom. Ryan's got a bright future  ahead of himself. He's going to Georgia this summer for drum camp. He can play anything on the drums. It was like he gave us back our enthusiasm."

Like all bands, SugarBoxx has their own legion of followers, or BoxxHeads, as they are called. They follow the band from show to show, and their numbers are growing by the show. And the band has big plans leading them into the hot summer months. Their awaited E.P. is in final process now, set to be released either May or June. Their first single off that E.P. 'Monster' is set to be released May 7th.
"In July, we're planning on filming one of our concerts to help spread who we are," ManDraken said.
As we were coming to the close of our interview I asked what, if anything he could or would like to tell those faithful that come to see SugarBoxx play live, sometimes braving the snow (as we all know, spring no longer is a season, it's a myth).

"Thank you. If it wasn't for them, we couldn't do what we do. We love what we do, I love what I do".
SugarBoxx can be found on reverbnation.com. There you can get all their latest songs, show info and even booking info. The band even has a Facebook, yes they do. Just type in SugarrBoxx and click like. Or, if Facebook isn't what you care to use, the guys can be located on twitter, under SugarBoxx.

Episode 84 - Big in Japan

One thing we've definitely learned in the 2 years that we've been doing this show is that there's a great big world out there beyond our United States. While America tends to latch onto trends for a few years and then throw those artists away like yesterday's garbage when the next one shows up; other parts of the world seem to have a long-lasting appreciation for good rock and metal music.

With that said, this week we bring you the Big in Japan episode; an hour plus of music and discussion of artists that truly rock but have not attained the Stateside success that they deserve.

We kick things off with, quite possibly, the most underrated band of all time; Cheap Trick. It's no secret that Japan was an important factor in breaking the Rockford-Illinois born and bred band via their hugely popular breakthrough album Live at Budokan. Aaron's choice of a competitive rocker from Heaven Tonight is a great way to start off the show.

The Trews

Chris' first choice is an extremely well-known band......if you live in Canada. When we solicited suggestions from listeners on our Facebook fan page, one band that came up numerous times was The Trews. With the large amount of Canadian listeners, we trusted their judgement and spin a track from their 2012 EP ....Thank You and I'm Sorry that exploits the good side of alcohol consumption.

One of Aaron's favorite active rock bands today is Queens of the Stone Age. While they have certainly gained recognition in America in recent years due to the extra exposure from their ties to Dave Grohl, Europe caught on much earlier. We present a track from the fantastic Rated R album that helps expose what makes them one of the premier rock acts of today.

One of the biggest crimes in the American music is the ignorance of the public to the sheer genius that is Ginger and The Wildhearts. If it wasn't for Aaron Camaro and a few choice rock podcasts, Chris would have never known about this amazing talent that gets wrongfully ignored on American soil. The Japanese bonus-track that Chris play from the 2009 !Chutzpah! album buries lead singles by many well-known rock acts. Ginger continues to not get his due but he gets it on this show.

We return from the break with a very unorthodox choice by Aaron Camaro. You'd think that Chris would be the one to pick a song by Firehouse with his love for 80's and early 90's melodic rock. But Aaron did his homework this week and found a track off their 2003 Prime Time album that is deceptively heavy. Firehouse only had a couple peak years in America but are still a vital band in other parts of the world. This track shows you why.

One of the highlights of our 1979 Year in Review episode was the inclusion RIOT. This band was woefully unrecognized over the years in America and were on the brink of imploding back in the late 70's before British deejay Neal Kay started playing their tracks and, unintentionally, made them a part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. Chris' pick of a track from their Fire Down Under album features some searing riffs and powerful drumming.

A highlight for the Decibel Geek Podcast was getting to chat with Ugly Kid Joe's Whitfield Crane. In this conversation, Aaron Camaro made a plea with Whit to bring UKJ to the States rather than playing so much outside the country. Unfortunately, it hasn't panned out. So, with that said, we hope to motivate you to contact your local concert promoter/radio station/venue to bring them to the States as we spin a track from their 2012 EP Stairway to Hell.

One band that certainly got lost in the mix of the grunge transition was New York's Warrior Soul. Started on a bet from a promoter, singer Kory Clarke brought Warrior Soul to Geffen Records and have released 10 albums from 1990 through 2012. We check out a track from 1992's Salutations from the Ghetto Nation.

After the second break, Chris brings TNT into the picture. Formed in 1982, the Norwegian band has released 12 studio albums and gone through numerous lineup changes. We take a listen to a track from their successful 1987 Tell No Tales album.

Before we finish things off with Aaron's final pick for this week, we hear from Chiaki from the Metal Moment podcast. There's no better special guest for this episode as Chiaki is from Japan originally. He gives us his Top 5 Big in Japan bands with some tasty guitar work as well.

We finish things off with Aaron's pick from a band that stands tall among all others when it comes to the Japanese audience. Mr. Big is known, basically, as a one-hit wonder in America but in Japan they rival the Beatles with constant sold out arenas and large album sales. We close out the show with a track from their 2011 reformation album What If...




Buy Music!

Cheap Trick
The Trews
Queens of the Stone Age
The Wildhearts
Firehouse
RIOT
Ugly Kid Joe
Warrior Soul
TNT
Mr. Big

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A Cinderella Story: Tom Keifer's Big Comeback

     It's been twenty years since Cinderella's last album, Still Climbing, came and went with little fanfare, twenty years devoid of new material from the band's supremely talented frontman and chief songwriter Tom Keifer. That all changed on April 30th with the exultant arrival of Keifer's much anticipated first solo album, The Way Life Goes. It's been a long wait but if you're a big Cinderella fan like me you will not be disappointed. In my opinion Cinderella were one of the best rock and roll bands to come out of the eighties. Historical revisionism has not been kind to what is often snidely referred to as "hair metal" but assigning such an asinine label to a kickass rock band like Cinderella is a cultural injustice. Please, dear readers, stop using that term. Rock and roll is rock and roll. The cynical trend-hoppers and dancing lemmings of America seem to have lost interest in that once vibrant art form but those of us who still appreciate the real deal like Tom Keifer need to stick together in the name of rock.

     Cinderella began as a metal band and judging by the two discs worth of demos I possess they must have had three albums worth of material to choose from by the time they hit the studio to record their debut, Night Songs, which is an absolute classic of the genre. There's a reason it sold three million copies, it's great. The band shifted direction on second album Long Cold Winter, thoroughly indulging in a seventies rock vibe. Who would have thought they could top Night Songs, but they did. Long Cold Winter also sold three million copies and should be on any Rock Songwriting 101 syllabus. The band's third album Heartbreak Station upped the ante on the seventies rock thing and Keifer continued to astonish with ace compositions like "The More Things Change" and the beautiful title track. Heartbreak Station sold one million copies. 

     During the Heartbreak Station tour (I was lucky enough to see the band in Milwaukee with Lynch Mob and yes, Nelson opening) Tom Keifer damaged his vocal cords and was forced to undergo surgery to repair them. The band had a minor hit with their contribution to the Wayne's World soundtrack called "Hot and Bothered" but it took four years for them to release another album and the rock landscape had changed considerably in the interim. Their 1994 album Still Climbing went virtually unnoticed upon its release, I for one was a bit disappointed by the record. After Still Climbing tanked the band was in limbo for a bit but in 1999, thanks to John Kalodner's unsuccessful efforts to revive the eighties metal scene, they signed with Sony, unfortunately they were unceremoniously dropped by the label before an album was even released. They've  toured intermittently ever since but Keifer has continued to be plagued with vocal issues.

      That brings us to The Way Life Goes, Tom Keifer's brand new solo debut. One listen and it's apparent that Keifer poured his heart and soul into the record, he gave it everything he had. The album is very well-produced by Chuck Turner, Tom, and Tom's wife Savannah. It's clearly a personal and cathartic record and it is wonderful to witness such a stirring comeback. There is zero pandering on this record, no overt effort to sound relevant to today's version rock and roll, whatever that is. In all honestly, is there any version of rock and roll today in America? I mean real rock and roll? The mainstream American audience seems to have forgotten or forsaken the genre. We need Tom Keifer like we've never needed him before. America needs some real goddamn rock and roll again. The state of rock and roll in America has been an embarrassment for years. Finally an American rock record has surfaced that we can be proud of as American rock fans. Thank you, Tom Keifer.

     The album starts strong with "Solid Ground," a vibrant rock song very reminiscent of Cinderella but imbued with a rejuvenating spirit. It's a celebratory song about a struggle overcome. Second song "A Different Light" is a very inspired track, I was shocked on first listen when the unexpected and transcendent chorus unfolded from such an ethereal verse. The next two songs, "It's Not Enough" and "Cold Day In Hell," are driving, hooky rockers with punch and attitude. That pair of rockers is followed by a pair of striking ballads, the pretty piano-based "Thick & Thin" and genuine, country-tinged "Ask Me Yesterday." Next up are my two favorites on the record: jaunty "Fool's Paradise" is a skillfully arranged rock epic and "The Flower Song" is a wonderful acoustic ode to joy. Keifer's voice is in very fine form on both tracks as he delivers the beautiful melodies with deft precision. 

     Perhaps the heaviest song on the record is next, "Mood Elevator," a fast-paced kickass rocker. Next up is my least favorite song on the album and not coincidentally its most contemporary sounding track, "Welcome To My Mind," which is followed by an excellent ballad called "You Showed Me." A chunky southern rock ditty called "Ain't That A Bitch" follows. Apparently Keifer played all of the guitar on the record and he kills it. The last two songs are the bluesy title track and finally one of my favorites, "Babylon," a straight ahead trippy rock song with a killer chorus. 

     The Way Life Goes is a great album by a gifted artist and consumate professional. It's truly inspirational to hear such unpretentious, honest and heartfelt rock songs in 2013. The record should not make you feel nostalgic, it should make you feel hopeful. This music is not yesterday's news, it is very present and vibrant. No matter what they name their album Fall Out Boy are not going to "save rock and roll," but Tom Keifer might.