On Meeting Michael Schenker - A Rock Guitar Daily Remembrance

I remember the first time I met Michael Schenker. Strolling down Lankershim Boulevard in North Hollywood one afternoon, I looked up to see a very familiar face walking towards me. I had heardthat he was in town recording, but I was still surprised to see him walking towards me on a sunny Sunday afternoon. I said hello, he nodded and we went our respective ways.

A month or so later, and as I was walking through the Guitar Center store I'm managing in Sherman Oaks, and I notice one of my salesmen was having a rather animated discussion with a dapper Englishman. I sidled up, poked my nose in, and asked what was up. It seems the Englishman was wanting to rent a four track recorder - something we didn't do. The salesman was very courteously explaining this when I decided to ask the rather well-to-do looking chap why he didn't just buy one. He claimed to only need it for a night or two, and it wasn't even for him, but rather his employer. That piqued my curiosity, so I asked, "Who is your employer?" I'll never forget how he said it, "A certain Michael Schenker."

I arranged for the store to memo loan him the recorder, and told a certain Mr. Treadwell that if there was anything at all we could do for him, or his employer, to not hesitate to ask.

Two weeks later, being a man of his word, he promptly returned the recorder, and asked to speak to me personally. I ventured down to the front counter to see what he wanted. He asked me if perhaps I might know someone who would be interested in joining the band's entourage as a guitar technician. I asked him what the job would entail, and what I could tell someone it paid. After he revealed the details, I responded that, in fact, I knew just the man for the job. Treadwell asked if a meeting could be arranged - I told him it already had, and that I was his man. We talked a bit further, and I accepted the job. I arranged for a leave of absence the next day.

My first day on the job, I was instructed to meet the band at the Santa Monica Civic Center - they were performing a brief set at a benefit show, but I was to speak with no one except the band, and I was instructed to simply meet all the fellows, and to not talk about exactly why I was there.

When I arrived I parked my car and started looking around for a familiar face. Sure enough, Michael himself pulled up and parked right beside me. I briefly introduced myself, and told him that Mick Treadwell had told me to come meet the band. I asked him if he would like me to carry some of his gear, and he looked at me very suspiciously, when suddenly someone spun me around, picked me up, and gave me a huge bear hug.

"Motherfucker, how the Hell are you doin'?" Ted Nugent was never a subtle man, but he is always extremely friendly, and not a shy person. "Michael," he said, "You know this motherfucker? He's a good man!"

Honestly, I had only met Nugent several times - he was formerly the employer of a guitar tech named Bobby Oberdorsten, and through Bobby, I had done the Nuge a minor favor, or two. Still, he never forgot a face, or a good deed done, and he was always graciously appreciative.

However, this was enough to relieve Mr. Schenker of any apprehensions about the stranger who had just barged into his space. We made our way into the arena, and we both got past the guard who took Ted's word when he said, "They're with me!" Ted's band, Damn Yankees, were the evening's headliner.

Once inside, I met the band, and rather uncomfortably avoided the topic of just who the hell I was, and what I was doing there. There are two funny details I remember, however, about the end of the night when the band had left the stage. When the band came off, they were pretty ecstatic - they had played a killer set, and left to a huge roar from the crowd. Schenker, however, seemed a bit miffed. First, he somewhat disgustedly said that he had missed four notes. Mind you, he had hit another several thousand dead on, but he wasn't happy about the four he had noticed missing. The other thing was that he looked at his guitar tech and growled that he had told him not to change the brand of batteries in his Cry Baby wah pedal. The tech demurred, but Michael insisted that a change had indeed been made, he could clearly hear the difference.

The next day, I appeared at the band's Burbank rehearsal studio only to be told to wait in a broom closet while the battery changing guitar tech was discharged of his duties. Several days later, I was relegated to looking after everyone onstage except Michael - his management had decided that the guitarist's stature was such that they hired Zeke Clark to look after Michael. Zeke Clark, of course, was Eddie Van Halen's tech for many years, and had also worked for Prince during the Purple Rain years. A guitar tech superstar - my feelings were not damaged, as the fact still remained that no one touched Michael's Flying V besides Michael, he even changed his own strings. Actually, he didn't even have a back up guitar - he only had his long time black and white companion, until Clark arranged the loan of a back up Flying V from Quiet Riot guitarist Carlos Cavazo.

So you may be wondering why a suit and tie music store manager would up and leave a job that paid scandalously well to basically join the circus?

Because I was a fan. Michael Schenker's amazing musicianship had captured me at the age of 16, back in 1975, when I discovered an album called Force It, by a group named UFO. His melodic, incendiary way of playing lead guitar was something I had never experienced, and I was instantly enthralled. By the time I was 18, I could play the entire UFO catalog, and played in a cover band that featured a good handful of nuggets from the band that later went on to become poor via making Columbia rich.

The opportunity of having the pleasure of hearing my guitar hero play every night was too much to resist. There would always be music stores to manage, but this was a once in a lifetime offer. My favorite part of every day on that tour would undoubtedly be sitting on the tour bus, and listening to Michael play for a few hours each morning.

It is my opinion that Schenker is the finest hard rock guitar soloist to ever walk the planet. I also know that this is very subjective, and simply a matter of taste and one's own views.

Michael has dedicated his life to the art of the solo - the lead guitar breaks in many Schenker songs are generally very strong compositions of their own, and quite often uniquely different from the body of the tune. His solos are incredibly melodic, and filled with musical passion, prodigious technique, and fiery chops. He has been revered by a huge variety of rock guitarists over the last 30 years, many who claim him as a major influence. One of his signature guitar fueled anthems is a classic UFO cut off of their Phenomenon album, entitled Rock Bottom. Rock Bottom is a one of a kind treasure, much like Schenker himself. The wicked ricochet of a riff that services the intro and the verses is unlike any in the pantheon of heavy rock. When it's time to solo, the German whiz unleashes a thrilling roller coaster ride that remains a sonic signature to this day. Throughout his years with UFO, Schenker and the band's live shows became legendary, and eventually resulted in the recording of their seminal live album, Strangers In The Night. After leaving UFO, the guitarist became a high charting, festival favorite around the world with his own band, the Michael Schenker Group.

There is, of course, another side to the legend of Michael Schenker - it reads like a supermarket tabloid, filled with debauchery, drunkenness, unreliability, and train wrecks. Unfortunately, to varying degrees they are all true. I don't feel a need to re-hash or revisit this, as it is well known and it remains part of the story, but not so much the story I'm writing. We're here to talk about music, and music making.

Michael is a very fascinating character. He is easily misunderstood, simply because he is much less complicated than you'd gather from the stories. He is above anything else, a guitar player - he has little, if any interest in discussing the past, or even the future for that matter. Schenker is an artist, he is given to his art and lives very much in the moment.

I recently caught up with Michael, and I can't much argue with the claim made by a friend, who happens to be one of the country's best known guitar journalists, that Schenker is the worst interview in rock. What may be more important, however, is to realize why this may well be true. The interview is a part of show business - not a part of creating, not a part of being an artist. It is a sales tool used for purposes of business. This process is of little to no interest to the guitarist. Think of it like this - Rembrandt would have been a lousy interview - the man was an artist, not a public relations person.

Unfortunately, Michael Schenker's handlers have often been much more aligned to what Michael could do for them as opposed to what they could do for his career. I vividly remember hearing the tale of UFO returning home after a typically long drawn out tour of the United States, only to find that when they were dropped off at their homes by the limos that their houses had been sold, and there were new families having dinner at tables once belonging to the band members. Same thing with their all of their cars, vehicles, and possessions. Or the tour of America set up for MSG that had to be canceled when it turned out that their manager had failed to obtain the proper work documents for the band to enter America.

I asked Michael about the trials, tribulations, the missteps, and the consequences.

"I think that happens to all of us. We need hurdles in life, for exercise and development. I think it is easier when you believe, and realize this. Recently, out of the blue, I suddenly started to enjoy playing live shows. I have no idea why, after all these years. I guess it is my development! I also started to understand that metabolism slows down as you get older, so I eat what I need to keep me in good shape."

Keyboardist and guitar player Wayne Findlay has been working with Michael Schenker for over 13 years - I asked Wayne to comment on the ups and downs over the years:

Wayne Findlay, "Yeah, there have been some ups and downs over the years. I always try to stay calm and to defuse any situations, as they occur. I'm pretty laid back, so that really helps. Michael is a perfectionist, and so am I, so I can absolutely relate to him. It has given me great inspiration, both as a musician and as a person. It has enabled me to make many of my dreams come true - such as traveling the world, and playing in front of huge audiences. There is so much that Michael has given me on deeper levels, it is really hard to express in words. We have the same birthday, so we are similar in some respects. He is a great person, and is sometimes misunderstood. He also has a great sense of humor!

"Plus, I don't try to out step my boundaries. I never forget who's the boss. Which is really easy not to do - I'm playing on stage with Michael Schenker! A true legend, and my biggest mentor!"

Michael Schenker now appears to be in the best shape of his life. He is thin, clear eyed, and is actually smiling on stage, something that rarely happened in the past. For many years he dealt with a combination of stage fright, career pressures, chemical dependency and the frustrations of reproducing an accurate depiction of the sounds he hears in his head within the constraints of arenas and clubs. I can remember overhearing many discussions between Michael, and sound engineer Davey Kirkwood, regarding Michael's desire to hear the sound he captured on record, and the very different sound he was hearing on stage in large theaters. His sole concern was being able to play what he felt without being disturbed by added ambience, anomolies, and noise.

Temple of Rock is Michael's first album of new material since 2008. He is joined on the record by an all star cast that includes his brother Rudolf, Leslie West, Doogie White, Robin McAuley, Herman Rarebell, Carmine Appice, Elliott Rubinson, and singer/producer Michael Voss. The record contains some of the sharpest riffing, heaviest guitars, and sizzling solos to grace a Schenker album in many years. Once again, Michael has refused to rely on old formulas and is pushing himself into new territory as a player. 

For the recording of the album, Schenker was also reunited with one of rock and roll's truest stars, bassist Pete Way. Way also joined Schenker's band on stages across Europe this past summer, sharing the bass playing duties with Elliott Rubinson. Years of overindulgence in the rock and roll lifestyle of drink and drugs have wreaked havoc on the man many consider to be one of the best bassists and songwriters in the history of hard rock. I asked both Michael and producer/singer Michael Voss about Pete, and how he is doing these days:

Michael Schenker, "Pete is an amazing spirit, with a very pure expression. It shows in his playing and performing when he is clear. I very much hope that someday he will be able to find enough peace in his life to shine once again. He has been taken advantage of a lot, due to his generous personality, but I think he is getting better step by step."

Michael Voss had this to add about Way, "Yeah, when Pete hits it, he hits it! He is a wonderful person, and he has loads of ideas and great hook lines - it is nearly like he is singing with  his bass. It was amazing to have him join us on the album. What a sweetheart."

Voss has joined the Schenker entourage in a big way, by producing Temple of Rock alongside the guitarist, writing most of the album's lyrics, and singing the lion's share of the vocals on the record.

"Well, I've known Michael for a few years now." Voss stated, "It all started with the acoustic album, Gipsy Lady (a Schenker/Barden Acoustic Project record from 2009). We stayed in touch, then he asked me to book some time in my studio for recording new demos for a project with Herman Rarebell, and Pete Way. We started recording, and I offered to sing Michael's vocal ideas. He liked it, so we kept the ball rolling!"

I asked Voss how it was to wear hats as both the producer, and vocalist.

Voss said,"Mikey produced me and my vocals, and I took care of his performances. After that, we concentrated on the mixing and mastering. Recording Michael's guitars was a great pleasure! We searched a long time to find a good guitar sound that suited Michael, and then we collected and recorded guitar solos - some of the ideas were improvised, and others were worked out and composed by the master himself. It all went pretty easy!"

  

Temple of Rock is an interesting album. It may be the heaviest and most complex album that Schenker has ever recorded. Every tune is filled with interesting twists and turns, and the maestro is simply on fire. That being said, it is not that immediate - it took me several listening sessions to acclimate myself to some new territory and surroundings. Voss's production is excellent, and captures a vast amount of players, singers, and sounds in a very coherent fashion - something occasionally missing on projects with multiple cameos, and rhythm sections.

The record also has the guitarist joining forces with several vocalists, including long time band-mate and business partner Robin McAuley, on the track, Lover's Sinfony, and ex-Rainbow belter Doogie White, on what may be the album's standout cut, Before the Devil Knows You're Dead.

Doogie White is one of the best and busiest hard rock singers in Europe, and graciously took my call to answer some very last minute questions, which goes to show you why he gets the calls to work with so many acts - he is a pro's pro, and a classic voice:

"Chris Glenn (Ex-MSG bassist) is a mate of mine, so he and Micheal asked if I would sing with MSG in London. I did Doctor Doctor, and that was that. Then Michael's management asked if I would be interested in writing and singing a song on the new album.

White said, "Michael Schenker, on a train ride, wrote the music for Before The Devil Knows You're Dead," as he wanted me to be on the album. I just really felt the music and wrote the song in 25 minutes. Both Schenker and Voss thought that it worked very well, and that is the tale of the song!

"Michael Voss sent me the backing, and I added my vocals and harmonies, working them into the tracks. He is a splendid producer with very cool ideas, and he gets great sounds! The song itself just came out. Sometimes it just happens like that. The vocals on the song were done with a Shure SM58 hand held microphone, with me dancing around my vocal studio in London. I later re-did them on an over-priced mic, but they went with my original take, and I sang my backgrounds around that one. Michael has pulled amazing performances from everyone on the record, and put it all together - plus, he sings very well!"

I asked the veteran about the interesting lyrics to the song:

"Well, I never believe in giving an explanation of lyrics. Different day, different meaning. Take what one will from them. Just remember to be in Heaven before the Devil knows you're dead. Let's face it - we all sold our souls at some point for rock and roll."

Before the Devil Knows You're Dead is one of the album's best cuts, featuring some epic keyboard work by Wayne Findlay, and a brutally good rhythm track provided by bassist Elliott Rubinson and Whitesnake drummer Brian Tichy, but it's White's vocals and Schenker's careening guitars that sell the track so effectively.

Herman Rarebell plays a very key role throughout the record - the ex-Scorpions timekeeper is featured on half of the tracks, and his instantly recognizable style gels wonderfully with Schenker's lockstep rhythms. Maybe it's all those years of working with the Schenker bloodline, but these guys sound very good together.  I asked Herman about the record, and I'll simply print exactly what he said:

"We met in Brighton, and decided to do a band with Pete Way, and Michael Voss - out of this came one song, called Saturday Night, and we were going to call the band Strangers In The Night."

I asked the drummer about playing with Pete Way.

Raraebell said, "It was great fun with Pete. We are old friends, and that's how it felt, like two friends getting together once again."

I asked the drummer several other questions, and here is how Herman summed it up:

"In regards to playing with Uli, Matthias, Rudolf, or Michael? It depends on what I get offered on a song, and I play to that. Really, I just had fun playing - I think they are all great songs."

I asked how working with Michael was different than it may have been twenty years ago:

Herman, "Well, right now he is completely straight, and that is the first time I have seen him like that, and he is playing better than ever!"

Producer Voss did an excellent job fitting some excellent keyboard tracks into the songs, and it's great to hear Schenker reunited with such great players as Don Airey, and UFO/MSG band-mate Paul Raymond. Wayne Findlay does his usual great job on the four tracks that feature his ivory touch.

So....what can I tell you?

For close to 40 years, I have been a huge fan of Michael Schenker. So much so that I once left an amazing job, just to have the opportunity to listen to him play every day and night. I have taken the whole ride, as all of Michael Schenker's fans have done.

Temple of Rock is a very good record that may require a few listens to completely sink in. But I have found the investment very worthwhile. Schenker is playing extremely well, and continues to expand his considerable horizons. After 40 years of recording, he is still developing as a player and a writer.

Everyone who worked on this record is very anxious to talk about it. Why? Because they feel that they have done good work (and they have!), and they want to support this musical genius who has given us all so much pleasure. So should you.

Michael himself sums it up very well: 

"The Temple of Rock is within me where I create since I was introduced to the amazing invention of the distorted Guitar which is for me the most enjoyable and the best possible way to express myself. The Rock Guitar Sound that I fell in love with, mostly expressed as Lead break, is what I have nurtured and treasured all of my life. Combined with the infinite spring from within and the amazing musicians around me I keep expressing an ongoing development of my Art(Being). With Temple of Rock I am entering a new stage of my life, a new level of existence enjoying life more than ever, reaping the joy of all sorts of developments from the past.

Also, it seems to me that collectively, with true expressive makers of Rock Music, we have been building the external Temple Of Rock for many years and have now come to the point of putting on the roofing and celebrating the almost completion of the Temple. All generations of this period are meeting all over the world on one stage it seems celebrating an Era of 'Hand Made Rock' which will never be the same again due to invention of new technology but of course New Temples and New Wonders will arise to enjoy expressions in new ways."

I would like to thank Michael Schenker, Herman Rarebell, Michael Voss, Doogie White, Wayne Findlay, everyone at Inakustik records, and Clint Weiler at MVD Entertainment Group for all their kind and generous help.

Thin Lizzy - In Defense of Mssrs. Gorham and Downey

The last few years have been very good to fans of Thin Lizzy. We've seen the re-remix re-releases of classic albums Jailbreak, Johnny The Fox, and Live and Dangerous. The digitalization of almost every piece of recorded history has blessed us with innumerable Lizzy nuggets in the way of live clips, demos, and interviews. Maybe the coolest thing is that Lizzy stalwarts Scott Gorham and Brian Downey have managed to keep a very vital, and viable version of the band's greatest hits on the road.

About once a month I read a remark on the Web that states - without Lynott there is no Thin Lizzy, and that's that. Well, it's just not that simple. Granted - Phillip Lynott was one of life's true geniuses. Blessed with rock star cool so cool it killed him, a voice that oozed soul as thick as brown ale, and a pen that was perhaps sharper than Van Morrison's, but just short of Bobby D's. I would be the first to say that no being, living or dead, could replace Phil. However, I would also be the last to say that Gorham and Downey have no right to play the material they originally played, or no right to call it Thin Lizzy.

Here's how I see it.

This is about rock and roll ethics - pay attention. Let's look first at the contribution of the aforementioned Gorham and Downey.

Drummer Brian Downey's case is crazy easy to make. He played every snare crack that ever appeared on a Thin Lizzy record, and in a spectacular fashion that has me listing him alongside Bonham, Moon, Starr, Watts, and Ian Paice as stickmen whose bands would not have been the same without their brilliance. The man is one of the most musical drummers ever to grace rock and roll. He's still performing brilliantly and dependably in Thin Lizzy 2011. For my money, Brian Downey could take a kazoo band out and call it Thin Lizzy. Worry not, the man has always made sure that anything he participates in is top notch.

Scott Gorham is one of the co-creators of arguably the most recognizable twin lead guitar sound that any band ever developed. This much loved style of lead guitar harmonization and lead/solo trade offs came after the band heard a single track guitar solo being repeated in harmony via a tape delay, created by an engineer in the studio. The timing of the echo created by the tape delay resulted in the repeated notes being in harmony with the original line. Many bands have followed in Lizzy's footsteps with dual lead players, and harmony parts, but none has shown as brightly as the teams that were always one half Scott Gorham. Scott has been in Thin Lizzy since 1974 - he has flown the flag proudly - never short selling the band's legacy, or scrimping on the cost or quality of players hired to fill the roles left open by no choice of his own. Every version of Thin Lizzy that ever played a show played it with the best people available for the jobs.

For someone to say that Gorham has no right to the name Thin Lizzy would be on the same level with making a happily married widow surrender her dead husband's name. The widow earned the right, and so has Scott Gorham. He has always performed with excellence, and honor. I cannot see how anyone can fault the man in any way. You can bet that he has spent more than a few nights knowing well that Phil's fate could easily have been his as well. They both played hard, and paid dearly. Currently, he's playing brilliantly, and being generous with sharing the guitar star opportunities with whichever excellent player is in the historically rotating second chair. He's been a damned good steward.

In June of 2009, John Sykes decided to depart Thin Lizzy for the final time. One thing that the Internet has done for classic rock bands has been to not just keep, but to even greatly escalate their legends. Demand for viable versions of classic bands has seldom been greater on the concert circuit. When Sykes decided he's had enough, Scott Gorham decided to keep the ship afloat, and discovered that it was easier to hire both a singer and another guitar player than try to find one person who could adequately replace the blonde wunderkind.

He chose Ricky Warwick, best known previously as the frontman for Scottish rockers, The Almighty. The singer is a close friend of Def Leppard's Joe Elliott, who recommended the vocalist for the band while he and Gorham were handling the re-mixes and packaging for the re-release of the classic Lizzy records mentioned earlier. If you have not heard, or purchased any of the re-packagings, you should. These classic albums were remixed, remastered - each contains a remastered version of the original disc and a second disc of rare bonus tracks. "Live and Dangerous" is a two disc set and a third disc DVD. They all sound fantastic, and are worth a new consideration.

Warwick has grown well into his position as the onstage spokesman of one of rock's greatest franchises. Granted, he's not Phil, but then nobody else is, either. What he is, though, is a bona fide Scottish hard rock story teller - and there is much to be said for that if a guy is going to sing Emerald, or Whiskey In The Jar. He's got a great edgy rock and roll voice, and he has gotten much better with the slow stuff. He's doing an honorable Still In Love With You, and a killer version of Don't Believe A Word. This can't be the easiest job in the world, in fact, I give the guy loads of credit for even trying. He's done very, very well, and continues to get better with every tour.

Replacing the second guitar slot has certainly proven to be tougher. This has to be a stressful part of Gorham's job, to replace someone he must work with very closely three times in a couple of years.

First up was Vivian Campbell, on hiatus from his day job with Def Leppard. Campbell was a great choice, as he's wanted to be in the band ever since he was in the running for the job when Sykes joined the band way back in 1982. His playing mixed very well with Gorham's, and his love of cracking open the old wah pedal fit like glove, allowing him to inject some of his own style into his solo moments. However, all too soon it was suddenly Def Leppard's big touring season, and he had to report back to his regular job, one that he has held now for almost twenty years. Captured on the band's home brewed live release, Live In London 2011, Campbell acquits himself very well, especially on the epic Black Rose.

Campbell's departure led to the arrival of Richard Fortus, another hired gun, whose day gig is with Guns & Roses. I didn't know all that much about the guitarist when I heard he had been chosen for the Lizzy gig. He had been listed as rhythm guitarist on Chinese Democracy, and had a great reputation as a New York Sessioneer. I was completely unprepared and shocked when I heard him with the band at this summer's Hellfest in France. Actually that performance may have ruined me for any version of the band in which Fortus does not play. His is simply the most recognizable guitar voice to hit the band since Gary Moore. This isn't a knock on Sykes, either - John is a magnificent player, but I always felt him a bit too metal for Thin Lizzy, and better utilized in Whitesnake, Blue Murder, and his solo career. However, Richard Fortus sounded incredible and very in-context with the Lizzies. His playing was exuberant, filled with passion and mad chops, and his tone....well, his tone may actually as good as any hard rock tone I've ever heard. The entire set from Hellfest blew my mind. It just kept getting better, and better. This is the guitarist I would love to see recording new music with the band, should that at some point occur (I wish it would).

Alas, once again the primary employer returned to production, and Fortus left the fold all too soon.

Joining Thin Lizzy for their 2011 Fall Tour of America as opening act for Judas Priest (and doing select headlining dates) is Damon Johnson, straight off a long stint with Alice Cooper. I have only seen a few clips of this latest version of the band, but Johnson seems to be doing a great job, which again points out that Gorham is doing the best he can to keep top shelf players in his band. I'll know more when I see the band next month in Cincinnati - I'm really looking forward to seeing it go down in person.

What about a new Thin Lizzy record?

Now this is a whole other can of worms, and it's where I have some serious concerns. This is a tough call. I do believe that the band has every right to record new music, and to release it under the Thin Lizzy name. However, to release new music under that name is a huge responsibility, and has not been done since Phil died. That being said, it would be very ballsy, as no one currently in the band has released any original music that is even close to the standard set by Lynott. It would come with a tremendous amount of pressure, and a dim view from a great many music fans. Personally, I would love to see them try it. Send Warwick back to Scotland for a couple of months, with nothing but pen, paper, and a busman's wages. Take some of the dough that's been made on these recent tours, and hire a ball busting producer who loves the legacy. Then make the best Thin Lizzy album that can be made. If at the end, it isn't up to snuff? Bury it. Deep.

I would like to think there's some more great Thin Lizzy music to be made, but it can't be less than what came before. Let's face it, not every Thin Lizzy album was a classic, there were many ups and downs with the band at even the best of times. They were a great band - they were a gang, they were rock and roll. No reason they can't be, once again. They've earned the right after producing consistently great shows, and keeping the quality high in hard times. Whatever the future brings, I congratulate Gorham, and Downey on what they have accomplished - they have done their duty with grace, and great honor. Don't dislike these guys for doing what they do - they didn't kill Phil, but they have managed to help keep his memory alive.

In the meantime, get out and see the band if you have the chance - it's a bunch of great musicians playing a bunch of the best rock and roll ever written.

Voodoo Highway - Broken Uncle's Inn - A Fabulous First Album

I don't exactly remember how Voodoo Highway entered my consciousness, but I do remember that they hit it like a ton of bricks and wearing a big grin. It was some sort of social media meeting, and I immediately decided that these upstarts were the best all new hard rock band to hit the world scene in several seasons. Busting out out of Italy (Italy?) this band wears its influences like a badge, but they do it damned honorably, and with some balls.

Here is a bit of what the world is saying:

"The new movement of heavy metal has arrived! This band is the next Deep Purple!" (Craig Gruber, former bassist from Rainbow, and Gary Moore)

"Just one word for this band: "Brilliant"!" (VH1 Channel)

"Best thing to come out of Italy since Super Mario!" (Classic Rock Channel)

Personally, I call them the best thing to come out of Italy since Gina Lollabrigida, but I get it. I agree with all of the above, and actually think that these guys are just getting started. They are a young band, and I expect that their next long player will blow this one away, but let's not get ahead of ourselves, let's talk about Broken Uncle's Inn, which is one hell of a good hard rock record.

Much has been said about the obvious Deep Purple connection as the band's key influence, and that is certainly no mistake. This album would have fitted rather nicely in between Blackmore's exit, and the entry of Tommy Bolin. Had these guys have hit the states in 1975 they would now be legends. They would have had their own Starship, and a trail of groupies from here to there, and back again. They exhibit none of the whiny shit I hear from today's radio rock, and all of the chest beating beauty of the classic English hard rockers. However, I must say that while they use the Purple template, it never comes across as plagiarism, but rather like genuine love and respect.


Opener Til It Bleeds is a great example. The band pulls every shade of Purple out of their playbook, and you've never been happier to hear the return of a familiar sound in a new wrapper. From a beautifully wailing Hammond organ to the staccato Strat/Marshall intro of the guitar solo, they certainly show that they learned their lessons well. Everyone in the band pulls their weight brilliantly, especially lead vocalist Federico De Marco, who keeps things from getting too influenced by the past - he has plenty of power and a great range. 

Anthemic power rock is on tap with The Fire Will Burn Away, and I can see arenas full of pumping fists along with a huge sing-a-long chorus. This is much less Purple and more 80s riff rock. Yeah, these fellows would have been high up on past bills at Reading and Donington, and I hope they hit the European festival scene hard next summer. This music will blow away fans of classic rock and metal. Guitarist Matteo Bizzarri tears this one up with scorching hot riffs and a lovely wah fueled solo.


If there was ever a song that kept an album out of Walmart, it would have to be J.C. Superfuck! While incredibly politically incorrect, the rock on display here is amazingly correct. This tune sounds like a slightly pornographic, and hugely blasphemous version of Chinn/Chap bands such as, The Sweet, who owned the British charts for much of the early 70s. The tones and dynamic interplay at work here is right on the mark - Voodoo Highway is always on the mark with what they deliver.

The band never sounds like upstarts - they consistently display great taste in what they play, and how they interact. The keyboards are always driving things, along with a splendid performance by now departed drummer Lorenzo Gollini. This is more rock solid riffing than virtuosity, and they wisely kept things focused on the songs and arrangements for their debut. I'm guessing in the future we'll see more histrionics, but believe me, their is plenty of great playing going on in every cut. Bassist Filippo Cavallini supplies great playing on every track, and also provides fantastic vocals throughout.

Window kicks off with some nice keyboard wizardry from Allesandro Duo', whose playing across the whole of the album is nothing less than superb - the best straight up rock and roll organist since Jon Lord. This one almost encroaches upon prog rock, but with a thunderous drum track that keeps it in the realm of harder rock. A great fucking tune. Di Marco's vocals are acrobatic and always very melodic. This might show the band off better than any track here, and I'd guess this is where the band's true strengths may lie.

YouTube is the new rock hit radio, and Running Around is the band's 'hit' at this point, and it's immediately apparent why. This is just cool, cool rock and roll. It's a fast paced rocker that will have you singing along on the first go 'round.

If Steve Harris had hired an organ player instead of a second guitarist, the album's title track, Broken Uncle's Inn would have been perfect for Iron Maiden's first album. Sophisticated changes and another strong melody - these guys do some great vocal work, and they make it sound easy and natural every time. A young band with great songwriting chops, what's not to like?

Heaven With No Stars is another fabulous showcase for keyboardist Alssandro Duo', as well as a masterful vocal performance by Di Marco, who shows on this piano based ballad that he has skills that extend beyond big rock vocalizing - much of this tune is reminiscent of early David Bowie, no small compliment. The arrangement is sensational in it's scope and it also features a lovely acoustic guitar solo by Bizzarri. Voodoo Highway is much more than just an exceptional crotch rock ensemble, they have a great many tricks up their sleeves, and this bodes very well for their future.

A seriously slamming swing between the bass and drums opens up Gasoline Woman, and it's back to the rock - and yet another new flavor. This is big and expansive riffing, with Di Marco wailing in the upper register of his range. Slick production lifts this up, and the band keeps the groove rolling and the melodies flowing. They have a certain style, yet they never get mired in it, and there is much to differentiate the tunes. Here we see Duo' throwing down an beautiful solo that establishes his place amongst the Aireys, and the Lords of the world. Great work by the whole band - another mind blower which will be something to see on stage in a live setting.

In Fact It's The Worst brings the album full circle, and they're back in Blackmore territory, be it DP or Rainbow. A very strong Strat/Marshall riff carries this, and the entire band is in full, open throttle mode as they ride out one of the finest debut long players that it has been my pleasure to hear for some time.

While not as virtuosic as their predecessors perhaps, these guy can play and sing their collective asses off. This record is all keeper, and no filler - I couldn't be more thrilled by Italy's latest export - a brilliant first showing.

Hey America - buy this record, so we can get this bunch over here for some shows this year. We need all the great hard rock we can get!


My thanks to Axel Wiesenauer - Rock n' Growl Management and Promotion, all of the members Voodoo Highway.

Beth Hart & Joe Bonamassa - Don't Explain - Instant Classic

Kevin Shirley has become the Alchemist of Rock and Roll. His not so secret ingredient is super-guitarist Joe Bonamassa, and Shirley has once again created magic by combining the talents of his ace in the hole, blues rock superstar with chanteuse Beth Hart to make Don't Explain, the best old school rhythm & blues record to see the light of day in decades.

The death of the record business has created one thing that is wonderful, and that is the possibility of established acts combining to make great music without the encumbrances that kept artists from working together at will for so many years. This has availed Joe Bonamassa, a solo superstar in his own right, to partner up first with the legendary Voice of Rock, Glenn Hughes to form Black Country Communion in 2010, and now to join forces with Beth Hart to record Don't Explain, an outstanding set of re-worked R&B classics. These synergistic combinations are a tremendous boon to artists and audiences alike.

In early 2010, the guitarist caught a Beth Hart show in London. "It was killer," says Bonamassa - and suggested they do a project together. 

Joe continues, "I was up late one night, I couldn't sleep.  I was playing songs on my iPod from the reissue of The Rolling Stones' Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out, which included all the opening acts from that Stones show," he recalls. "As soon as the Ike & Tina Turner tracks came on, I just said out loud, 'Beth Hart.'  I emailed Kevin, saying, 'Let's do a soul covers record with Beth,' and he replied back, 'Actually, that's a great idea.'"

Thankfully the creative team of producer Shirley, Hart, and Bonamassa selected a set of standards, but avoided the obvious maneuver of choosing lowest common denominator super hits, and went with mostly deep catalog classics by stalwarts such as Etta James, Aretha Franklin, Tom Waits, Billie Holiday, Bill Withers, and Melody Gardot.

Beth Hart is no shrinking violet - she manages to own these tunes with a sultry style that harkens to a great many soul divas, but her stamp is indelible. One problem I always had with most soul records was the fact that once you got past the hits, there often was little left to excite the listener. This bunch has avoided that brilliantly, and the album has no filler, it's all prime cuts, and Hart turns in incredible performances from beginning to end.

Joe Bonamassa continues an impressive winning streak - he has recorded and toured relentlessly over the last few years, and has not made a single misstep. In fact, he keeps getting better. His playing keeps improving with every project, every road trip. This is fairly uncommon - historically, most guitar slingers have seen decreased creativity with an increased workload. This may be due to the fact that Bonamassa plays a pretty clean game, with none of the typical excesses that have traditionally been stumbling blocks for so many great players. Joe seems to be oblivious to any pressures (another benefit of largely running his own show?), and just keeps delivering the goods. His phrasing, tone, and note choices are sublime across the whole of this record, from wobbly and dark tremolo'd arpeggios to passionate single string solos - he is on it.

As a guitar enthusiast, I was always a bit disappointed by the lack of six string excitement in the rhythm & blues field (especially on records by female singers) - rest assured that this is the record we always wanted to hear coming out of the American South, one filled to the brim with the influence of Gibson and Fender. One listen to Bill Wither's For My Friends and you'll be convinced. Bonamassa infuses the tune with a thick, clavinet tinged bit of riffery that lands the smooth California soul somewhere in the realm of Kossoff, Rodgers, and Free. Hart throws in loads of non-lyrical bits and pieces throughout the tune that will have fans of great singer/shouters smiling from ear to ear.

Sinners Prayer gets quite an update - the original take, by Ray Charles and BB King, is driven by Charles' piano, with King supplying largely stock licks. Bonamassa wisely chose a different route by introducing a slide guitar signature lick that wraps the listener engagingly around Hart's plea for compassion and forgiveness. As always, Bonamassa's long standing studio band of bassist Carmine Rojas, drummer Anton Fig, keyboardist Arlan Scheirbaum, and multi-instrumentalist Blondie Chaplin is rock solid, supplying a perfect platform from which to launch the incendiary performances of the two main attractions.

Tom Waits has a long history of supplying amazing songs for singers brave enough to tackle his challenging prose and idiosyncratic melodies, and Chocolate Jesus gets the full treatment as Hart and Bonamassa take it down to bourbon town with a jazzy beat and some cinematic underpinnings from the band. Bonamassa's tone is drenched in a damp bit of pitch shifted reverberation - just right for the strangeness required from Mr. Waits tune. Hart reaches deep here and pushes her vocals with a sophisticated, thick vibrato and some very earthy belting. Great phrasing from the singer on this one.

Covering Melody Gardot is a pretty ballsy act for a female singer, and Beth Hart knocks Your Heart Is As Black As Night out of the park by taking it down a path that suggests she's spent some time with a Nina Simone record, or two. Producer Shirley does a great job on this with some great subtle strings that peak around corners and wrap themselves around the arrangement. Bonamassa solos with tone, taste and sweet, sweet melody. It gets not much tastier than this, really.

Don't Explain is a Billie Holiday classic that has Hart respectfully matching the tone of the Queen of the Blues, but with a warmer, slightly less reedy tone. The arrangement is not quite as complex as on the original, but you get the bonus of Bonamassa sounding a bit like Jeff Beck blowing a sax. The six stringer evokes just the right tone on everything here, never being obtrusive, but filling his slots with sublime playing, and consistently keeping things interesting with his choices of axes, and effects.

I thought I'd rather go deaf than hear yet another version of Etta James' I'd Rather Go Blind, but again I'm pleasantly surprised to find that Shirley's inspired pairing comes through with a tasteful reading that reminds exactly why we have always loved this number. Bassist Carmine Rojas shines on this number, reminding me of the legendary Jerry Jemmott - if you're unaware, look him up. Jemmott played with most of the artists being covered here, and Rojas's tasty playing tips the hat to the fellow known as 'The Groovemaster.'

Something's Got A Hold On Me covers the rougher side of Etta James, and this one jumps and swings. A very different groove - this is has a bounce that suggest Otis Redding and Wilson Pickett. This one will get you moving and breaking out your old Stax box sets for sure.

Prepare to lose your heart to Beth Hart when you hear her treatment of I'll Take Care Of You, a song the singer says originally had her scrambling to find the pocket:

“At first, I couldn’t find the pocket, anyplace to rest my voice. The more I listened, though, I really liked how the song’s got a dual personality, a blend of confidence and broken spirit,” she says. “I loved the humanness of it, how you can experience opposite feelings at the same time. And the melody is gorgeous.”

Indeed it is, and when Hart finally found her groove, she managed to transcend any previously recorded version of this spiritual tale of promise and pain. Her melodic healing will have you feeling better in no time, and you'll be glad she found the heart of this great song. Her vocal chops are astounding, but her delivery is so natural and unforced that only occasionally will you realize the depth of her incredible skills. Just when you think it's over, Anton Fig unleashes a tremendous bit of stick work that rings in Bonamassa's best solo on the record, one that sees the ghost of Gary Moore smiling with love in the shadows.

Someone finally had the good sense to throw a microphone in front of Joe Bonamassa for a treatment of Delaney & Bonnie's Well, Well. The last few seasons has seen Bonamassa go from being a passable blues belter to being a world class singer. I can't give the guy too much credit here. How often does anyone become a great vocalist? It's a rarity, I can tell you that much, and Bonamassa has put in the work and developed his voice to become as impressive as his massive guitar skills.

The pair end the album with a soulful take on Aretha Franklin's Ain't No Way, and it is a lovely way to ring out a wonderful record. A sensitive rendering that has Joe B supplying some very tasteful swells, and bends that harken back to Santos & Johnny's Sleep Walk via Jeff Beck. He plays some astoundingly cool and subtle licks under, over, and around Hart's beautiful vocal. A truly inspired finish.

Soul records for me always suffered from a certain few things, as I stated earlier - generally not enough guitar fire power, and an absence of depth of material. Beth Hart and Joe Bonamassa, along with Kevin Shirley and their powerful backing band have done an amazing job of delivering a truly stunning set of soul classics with all the emotion, passion, and fiery performances anyone could ask for. Did I mention that they recorded this in four days? Amazing.

Tracer - Spaces In Between

Homegrown rock out of the land down under, Spaces In Between, the new album by Tracer promises to become the biggest Aussie rock export since the Young brothers paraded AC/DC out for the world to see. Not too surprisingly, Tracer is fronted by the two brothers Brown, Leigh and Michael, who have been knocking out the rock together since early in this century. These fellows certainly do sound as thick as thieves - as if they've carved out a chunk of granite and made it home.

Everything I've heard concerning the band seems slightly off the mark - many comparisons to the desert fueled fires of Kyuss, Queens of the Stone Age, and then jumping to nineties grunge - I hear much more primal metal, a slight nod to Budgie styled boogie, and classic 80s crotch rock. They exhibit none of the tentative sloppiness that hounded every band that emerged from America's Northwest in the 90s, and damned little of the ADD inspired structure changes and forced complexity that has left me scratching my head at many of the Stoner ilk. Tracer are as tight as tight can be - an even cursory listen will have you humming, nodding, and seeing quite clearly where these guys are coming from, and where they're going. They're going on tour, they're going to rock the world, and they are going to get laid. Let's just hope that along the way, they sell some records, sell out some shows, and get paid.

Too Much is a great lead track, firing off with an insistent riff, and a vocal that is mixed perfectly to punch through the dense drums, and the Brown brothers' riffery. Reminds me a bit of the effect Def Leppard's first album on me, many years ago -  it's instantly obvious that these guys came to play. The track jumps out of the speakers, and takes you exactly where the band wants you to go. Michael Brown's wah soaked solo will have the guitar fans' attention - these guys can play. No, this isn't the depressed, pissed off nineties, nor the vagueness of most stoner rock - Tracer goes directly and effectively for the target.

Smart boogie? You bet. It happens every so often that a band will inject a dose of danceable boogie onto a track, and not come off sounding hokey, or unintelligent. Foghat did it in the seventies by whipping out dual slide guitars that proved slides were not the sole property of the American South, and throughout the nineties, Raging Slab did it with ferociously cool guitars, and some seriously good songwriting. Tracer bring some serious swing to the album's second cut, Push, but they transcend the pitfalls of the genre, and move it on from the southern funk to some silky metal moves in time for the chorus, which features a killer riff that moves under the vocals fantastically. I'm guessing the Brown's are big fans of the King of The Riff, Black Sabbath's Tony Iommi. They've learned their lessons well.

Walk Alone is a huge riffer that will have audiences loving these guys live. It tromps along quite nicely before it slows down into a thoughtful psychedelic break that is filled with great tones, notes and fills from both of the Browns. Michael's guitar drives the band through most of the turns, but his brother Leah's bass is never far away, adding interest and a ton of muscular support. Andre Wise provides a rock solid foundation on the drums - he's flashy and  hard hitting, but always right for the song.

The vocal on Louder Than This will have you thinking Ian Gillan, but the Browns avoid further comparisons as the tune itself is just more inventive rock writing - the art of writing a riff is one of rock's toughest tasks, make no mistake about it, and these fellows write great riffs. The changes here aren't jarring or a surprise, instead they are subtle and at times almost subliminal in their transparency. They just sneak up on you, and you smile. There are myriad examples of the bands' creativity on every track - they never play it dumb, and they keep it interesting and stimulating all the way through.

Devil's Ride is a fairly standard sounding chunk of hard rock, made more interesting by some clever background vocals.

Powerful, straight ahead rock continues with The Bitch. They have the decency to never say "the bitch" anywhere on the tune, which redeems the weak title. The song is the one place on the record in which I'm reminded of the Seattle sound, as the vocal has a definite Chris Cornell vibe, but the Northwest kids were never this succinct, or as competent with their instruments. Leigh Brown's background vocals on this tune are awesome - he sings very well, and maybe even more importantly, he's very creative with the parts he chooses to add. I would have turned him up a bit in the mix, in fact. He always brings something interesting to the party, and it should be heard!

Voices In The Rain sees Tracer slowing things down, and again the band's chops and arranging skills do much to prop up what is a rather straight ahead rock radio sort of song. The rhythm section move things around nicely, and the refrain from The Rolling Stones Gimme Shelter keeps easing into my brain, though they suggest it more than they parrot it.

The album's title track gets things back on track, beginning with a whip-snap riff that is razor sharp, which then is replaced by a wonderfully fuzzed out bassline that drives the verses. Michael Brown's strong vocal moves things along briskly as the band adds horsepower at every turn. There's more instrumental discourse on this than any track yet, and here the band shines as the tune breaks into a Mid-Easterm motif before returning with a brutal dose of noise rock. The Spaces In Between is exactly where this band shines. Their excellent use of background vocals, great guitar layering, and inspired ensemble playing keeps them a head above the herd.

Leigh Brown's bass line rings in Dead Inside, as brother Michael weaves a tale of deception with no redemption in sight. The band builds loudly alongside the singer's anger until he brings it back down with a more pensive guitar solo, then returns with a final anthemic verse and chorus to wrap things up.

Tracer makes a lot of noise for a three piece, that is for sure. They clearly have put their all into writing a record that avoids the traps that haunt three piece rock bands - boredom and repetition. Never more so than on Save My Breath, which sees the band doing what they do best, taking basic riff rock and making it both interesting and compelling.

All In My Head is a great track - kind of a rock bolero thing, with a slinky, sophisticated guitar melody that underpins the verses nicely before the big chords come back in for the chorus. Michael Brown's guitar playing on this one is exceptional, as he changes tones, styles, and tempos without ever sounding forced. This is Tracer at their most melodic, and their most creative - greatness lives on this track.

The album wraps up with a strong rocker, Won't Let It Die (Run Mary). The band pulls out every trick they've turned, and after a slight dip through the mid-section, they're solidly back on track, and you're again thinking that this is a damned fine band which just could become a great one.

Spaces In Between is a winner, of that there is no doubt. These guys are doing it right, and I'm guessing they're about another year of touring and writing to land themselves in the bigs. In the meantime, if you like you're rock on the classic heavy side, you can't go wrong here.  

Thanks to Peter Noble and Tracer.

Spaces In Between - Out October 3rd on Cool Green Recordings/Mascot Group
To Pre-Order - http://mascotlabelgroup.com/mlg/releases/spaces-in-between/?reload

The London Souls - Sensational Synergy

The London Souls are a much needed breath of fresh air. For much of the last few years, most everything I've been writing has been in regards to bands and artists that have been around for nearly as long as I have. This New York City three piece writes cool songs, sing well, play the hell out of their instruments, and sound as if they spent a great deal of time diligently working out arrangements for their excellent debut release.

Led by guitarist/vocalist Tash Neal, the band plays like they've not left the rehearsal studio since they met. Joined by the incredible Christ Saint on drums, and bassist/vocalist Kiyoshi Matsuyama, The Souls are a tight, and exceptionally dynamic aggregation. They spent three years gigging before they laid down their first long player, and it shows. Recorded at Abbey Road Studios by Ethan Johns (yes, that would be Glyn Johns' son - yes, Glyn Johns, who recorded and engineered The Who's Who's Next), the record is a wonderful reminder of the studio's grand history, yet is completely contemporary in tone and mood.

The London Souls - what an appropriate moniker for a bunch of upstarts that sound as if they were nourished and nurtured by the voice of Stevies Marriott and Winwood, the guitars of the James -  Hendrix and Page, and the rhythm section of the aforementioned Who.These boys destroy the faux posturing of so much fake reverence for vintage rock that appears these days, and show how to properly pay homage, without being some mass marketer's transparent puppet. This is no phony fantasy, this is real rock.

She's So Mad opens the record with a holy communion of Zep-like riffery married to little Stevie Winwood's childhood glory, I'm A Man. They push and pull the beat around as if they defy it to get out of control, with bassist Kiyoshi, and drummer Saint jousting to see who can do a better job of keeping Tash on his game. It's a glorious mash of classic rock that suggests what The Yardbirds may have accomplished with decent sonic capabilities. Tash Neal doesn't have amazing chops, but what he brings to the table as a guitarist is an incredible knowledge of rock history, and taste. You'll find yourself smiling and happily agreeing with the choices he makes throughout the record.

A swaggering rock intro rings is Someday, before Christ Saint arrests the beat and slides into a ska-scape that has Neal loping through the first verse, only to return smartly to straight swagger for the pre-chorus and refrain - these guys play it as smart as a Brooks Brothers suit on Wall Street. These arrangements are so good they piss me off. So young, so good. I bow in gracious appreciation.

If Curtis Mayfield had ever written a song with Sir Paul, the result surely would not have been far from She's In Control. The walls of Abbey Road surely shuddered with a nod to the past when this bassline was laid down. Did the studio bring on this Taxman re-write, or did these guys bring it with them? Either way, it sounds great, as they obviously borrow, but without being crass - they do it right, and add lots of their own artistry - Christ Saint is the best new drummer I've heard in ages, and he excites me tremendously. He is a fabulous dervish of energy and creativity.

This bunch clearly have worked their collective asses off to keep things interesting, and moving. Parts and song sections combine elegantly and sympathetically - Future Life winds through change after change without ever tripping, or sounding stilted - it breathes as it strolls by, including some wonderfully complex vocal sections and harmonies.

Old Country Road comes out choogling, with a loving nod to Fogerty's CCR, but they only suggest the past, never quoting, only paraphrasing. This song swings and struts like crazy as again the rhythm section is once more magical - these guys play with time like they own it. They manage to sound casual as they display musicality far beyond the reach of normal mortals.

The ghost of McCartney past again raises its head on the wistful acoustic number, Six Feet. From the fingerpicked underpinning to the loping bass line, this wouldn't sound at all out of place on an early solo Paul outing, with a happy dose of Ronnie Lane's days in The Faces thrown in. Even here, Saint and Kiyoshi never let down their guard for even a single verse. You won't find a single tune on this disc with a static, staid rhythm.

A great mixture of Southern soul and 70s stadium rock is up next. Stand Up shows signs of the righteous soul poetry of James Brown and the grandstand antics of Grand Funk Railroad. Cool twists and turns have this one whipping around like an amusement park ride. Tash Neal rips off some really greasy leads and fills as he keeps abreast of Saint's stop and go drum display - this sounds like a lot of fun was had in the recording of this romp. Nothing tentative to be found here, The London Souls strut.

Sequencing an album is hard work. When to speed up, when to slow down, when to not break a mood, when to break up a mood. Between producer Johns and the band, they pretty much nailed it. This record flows so easily that if you told me that this was a band that had been making records for twenty years, I would not doubt it for a second, or bat an eye. I truly love being this jazzed by a new band - great stuff.

Tash Neal is an incredibly musical individual. As a guitarist he relies on smart changes, slick double stop fills, and an admirably encyclopedic knowledge of rock guitar history. He's learned all the lessons and assimilated them into a unique style which never sees him succumb to overindulgence. His vocal prowess is equally skilled - he is melodic and clever with his phrasing - he's no belter, never gonna be a Plant, or a Daltrey, but he's a great songwriter who delivers his message with creativity and confidence.

His playing and singing on Easier Said Than Done is a grand example, as he plays killer rhythm and sings a melody that is both catchy, and intelligent. When he gets to the bridge, he introduces an change in tempo and interesting melodic chord changes that suggest he's listened to his share of XTC and Cheap Trick - this is good, good songwriting. He breaks it all down with a reprise of the chorus that becomes pianistic and choral before he whips the tune back into his rhythmic intro and a stutter stop ending.

I Think I Like It brings the band back to bombastic rock before slowing down for an impassioned verse with call and response vocals that are instantly endearing and will have you singing along whether you intend to or not. Nash tears it up with a brief, slashing solo, then the band rejoins with a refrain that rides out the tune. This is certainly to be sang by audiences for a long time to come.

Abbey Roads raises its history again as some Sgt. Peppery keyboard flourishes appear on Dizzy, another slice of pop/rock that sees Christ Saint worship at the alter of Keith Moon - this guy is the coolest rock drummer to come down the pike in a while, and is alone worth the price of admission.

The album wraps up with a couple of arena rockers, Under Control, and The Sound. The latter may just be the coolest track on the record, with more call and response vocals from Tash, and Matsuyama, and some stunningly sweet and clever harmonies. I can't say enough about how impressed I am with the time they have taken to put together an album that could have easily ridden on the strength of the songs alone -  but this crew went way above and beyond what has become acceptable, and have delivered an album worthy of the grand room in which it was recorded.

A stunningly good debut, and a band that is going to be one to watch. Buy this today! 

Chickenfoot III - Keeping Carter Happy

When I first heard that Sammy Hagar and Joe Satriani had formed a band, I had this notion of what I hoped it would sound like. Quite selfishly, I had Hagar singing in a lower, more resonant register, and Satch boogieing in a less technical, more song oriented style. What I wasn't prepared for was a second studio outing (Chickenfoot III being released September 27 in the US) that delivered my dream in spades and far transcended my hopes for this group.

Chickenfoot III is a great band album - filled with satisfying songs that speak directly to our times, and ensemble playing that finds everyone in the band contributing not just equally, but sympathetically. Maturity is a beautiful thing, especially when applied to virtuosos who have been historically very heavy on the gas. Hagar has transformed his persona into that of a gracefully aging superstar who has turned his attention from the high life to the realities of 21st century America. I never thought that I would hear myself say that Sammy has written a lyrically important record, but he's done just that.

If the idea of Sammy Hagar singing vitally crucial and world weary rock in a soulful, smoky voice is a surprise, wait until you hear perhaps the most sophisticated guitarist in rock ease off the accelerator  and deliver spare, muscular riffs, and melodic and often brief (but wonderfully exciting and melodic) solos. Without question, Satriani is a remarkable musician - he's been consistently pumping out incredibly complex, and original instrumental rock since arriving on the scene with Not of This Earth in 1986. His playing on III is still filled with surprising turns, and stunning solos, but for all his amazing technical prowess, here he sounds like simply a great guitarist, playing great songs on a great record.

Before I get into the songs, I have to speak about the rhythm section of Chili Pepper Chad Smith, and the soul of Van Halen, bassist/vocalist Michael Anthony. Michael Anthony sings with the voice of an angel, and his high pitched background vocals are as distinctive a sonic signature as exists in all of rock history. They are completely unique and he's a master of placement and style - he somehow manages to never wear out his welcome, nor appear cliched. His partner in the pit, Chad Smith supplies a powerful engine that keeps things roped in and rock steady. He's super solid, plays what is needed with great energy and enthusiasm, yet none of the over playing that too often has become a fixture in heavy rock drumming. Their performance throughout the disc is superlative - perfect for the task.

The hard charging Last Temptation jumpstarts the album, as Satriani manages to channel everything that was cool about guitar playing in the early 80s - this isn't Free-styled simplicity, and it steers away from any sense of overindulgence.This mid tempo stomper will immediately have you hooked. Hagar could easily have over-sang this. He could easily have turned to his trademark over the top wailing, but his strong tenor sounds superb - no shortage of lung power or range, and a more controlled, both feet on the ground, kind of performance. Producer Mike Fraser's mix is a thing of beauty - great presence, separation, and superb tones. He got the absolute best out of the band on this record.

Alright sees Satch channeling himself from 1988, when he toured with Stone alone Mick Jagger. Smith counts it off, and who would have ever thought there would be a brilliantly Stonesy Chickenfoot number? Hagar and Anthony nail the chorus with vocals that remind me of Mick and Keith doing Motown. Come solo time, Satriani sounds like he spent some serious time wood-shedding the Band of Gypsies catalog, and he abuses his wah pedal superbly before he cuts loose with some melodic sizzling that leads beautifully into an elegant and majestic bridge that sees Sammy rapping out a little Jagger-esque commentary to his resisting lover. The writing far transcends the first Chickenfoot album, and sounds like these guys are now living in the same neighborhood in terms of marrying lyrics to riffs and melodies.

Chickenfoot music emerges. Different Devil sounds like Chickenfoot, and nothing else. It's a lovely, commercial piece of rock that has Hagar and Satriani sounding completely in sync, and then Sammy and Michael Anthony deliver a chorus that sounds both new and familiar - you know the sounds, but the melody is new - sincere, and synergistic. Satriani turns the composition around with a new set of sweet chord changes for his fuzz drenched solo, which actually leaves you wanting more. Different Devil is unapologetic commercial pop, but it is well written, well played, sung beautifully, and produced perfectly.

This is Chickenfoot as I had envisioned, and hoped for when I heard they were throwing in their collective lots. They have combined all of their obvious benefits, tempered their histrionic tendencies, and surrendered none of the fire that gave their past's such passion and acclaim.

I'm calling this review, Keeping Carter Happy. John Carter was Chickenfoots' founding manager, and he passed away in May of this year at 65. He assisted Hagar in originally putting this band together, but before that he had been an industry legend for over forty years. Carter’s career began in 1967, when he wrote the lyrics to Incense and Peppermints by the Strawberry Alarm Clock – a group he renamed by picking words from song titles on the week’s Hot 100 chart. He later went on to be integrally involved in the careers of Bob Seger and Steve Miller when they were at their biggest. He produced much of Tina Turner's huge comeback, including the mega-hit Private Dancer.

Up Next is Hagar's tribute to Carter, and it marks a return to big rock. Featuring a great purplish, hazy, modulating riff by Satriani, the rhythm section stomps hard on this one, as Sammy proselytizes on marching to the beat of your own drummer, and being your own man. Hagar is convinced that he is taking his act right on up to heaven, and checking in. True to the intent of Hagar's lyrics, Joe Satch tears off a solo that reminds you that he is Joe Satch - whammy bar wizardry and heavily effected hammering, combined with some fantastically imaginative mixing that will have you grabbing your headphones and listening to this repeatedly, wondering how he does it. Carter is smiling....

For all their firepower, you wouldn't expect Chickenfoot to do a number that would not sound a bit out of place on a mid 70s UFO album, and yet Lighten Up would indeed not be out of place as a long lost Schenker/Mogg track. I've a huge love for the creative team that made UFO one of the greatly undervalued hard rock bands of all time, so to say this is not to damn with faint praise, but rather to sing some glories. Satriani sounds like a combination guitarist/organist throughout, and Sammy is singing in a strong, confident tenor that makes it sound much more impressive when he does choose to go to a higher register. Satriani riffs like a classic Brit-rocker, and Smith and Anthony make like a Panzer tearing through the desert. Just goddamned good rock.

A troubled love song for our times is next on the queue, and while walking a difficult path in difficult times is not what we have come to expect as Hagar's forte, Sammy has stepped squarely on the American Zeitgeist with Come Closer. Singing in a smoky, soulful baritone, the red rocker turns troubadour, and he wears it like a crown. A poignant bridge again has Anthony singing amazing harmonies, and it all leads to a Satriani solo that has the six stringer beautifully arpeggiating synth-like lines. Michael Anthony's bass work is languid and loping, a magnificently sizzling and sexy underpinning.

Sammy Hagar constructed the verses of Three and a Half Letters from actual correspondences he has received from downtrodden and suffering fans, who did their part for a country that chose not to return the favor. If this doesn't move you, you are one cold mother. I have not been able to hear it without choking up as of yet. The song ends with Hagar singing, "The last letter said, 'I'm nine years old and I'm homeless.' Fuck!" Satriani's solo is perfectly angst ridden and angry, and again the band nails the vibe beautifully. This should become an anthem of our times.

Sammy Hagar has never sounded better, or written with anywhere near the emotion and empathy that he delivers throughout this record. In an interview with Music Radar (http://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/joe-satriani-on-chickenfoot-iii-new-album-preview-493500), the issue of both Hagar's vocals and Stariani's guitar playing were discussed:

"During the initial stages of writing, Satriani issued a directive to Hagar - sing differently: 'I had my reasons,' the guitarist says. 'It struck me that, whenever we would work together on songs, just the two of us, Sam would sing in a lower register. It was intimate, so full of soul. I thought, Wow, nobody has ever heard this quality in his voice before. He and I agreed that the new material would allow him to explore those other sides to his range.'"

At the same time, Hagar turned things around to Satch and told him that he wanted the guitar virtuoso to play his instrument in a new way. 'He wasn't as specific as I was,' says Satriani. 'But we did agree to take our creativity somewhere else. For me, it was something of an open canvas. It was hard at times, but ultimately it was very rewarding.'"

Big Foot began as a working title of one of Joe Satriani's demos for the record, but Hagar kept it, and built his lyrics to fit the concept. For me, this is the track that borrows the most from the band's past glories, and will keep longstanding fans in line for tickets. It's the one song on the record in which the singer can still not drive 55, and he's in fine classic red rocker form here.

Sophisticated, simmering blues is on tap with Dubai Blues. Driven by Chad Smith's super solid back beat, and Anthony's pumping bassline, the tune features Hagar singing a classic tale of the blues, that has the protagonist singing that he has everything in the world that he could want, but not the love that he needs. I absolutely love to hear this band groove with such muscle, and skill. Mike Fraser is a master in the realms of record production, and he makes this sound like an instant blues rock classic. A fabulous display of the incredible skills at play on this one.

Acoustic guitars, banjos....what do these have to do with Chickenfoot? I'll tell you. They wrap up an album that solidifies the fact that Chickenfoot is a band, not just a super-group project. The title is Somethings Gone Wrong, but the song is all right. If harkens back to the days when Paul Rodgers would own a room with his soulful pipes, and here the band have embraced that tradition, and added a few tricks of their own. Satriani plays against character here, but I believe that it may be just another facet of the same rock, one that has taken some time to ripen.

To say this album shocked me is an understatement. I read the interview on Music Radar, and Satch made it sound so interesting and good that I had to give it a whirl. These guys have made a great record, and have become a great band. They are now all they hoped to become when they joined forces. Indeed, Carter would be pleased....


You can pre-order Chickenfoot III at iTunes now.