“Sheer visceral force is one thing, but originality is another, and the still-amazing thing about Van Halen is how it sounds like it has no fathers. Plenty other bands followed this template in the ’80s, but like all great originals Van Halen doesn’t seem to belong to the past and it still sounds like little else, despite generations of copycats. Listen to how “Runnin’ with the Devil” opens the record with its mammoth, confident riff and realize that there was no other band that sounded this way” (Source: Allmusic.com)

AMG rating:

Download (Size: 83428 KB)

Only something that really appeals as an art form to people of my generation, slightly older, is the music video.  A bit pointless in concept the execution these days is pretty much on par, useless “performance” and fashion videos put out by the likes of Rihanna or whoever else is “good” these days.  Better are some artists, creating videos of such quality and concept they’re sometimes better than the songs themselves, or even the artist themselves.  In this issue of Dig, Dug, Damn! you reap the rewards of my deep digging, bringing you what I feel to be the top 25 music videos of all time (in random order).  Then, after, I post some follow-up videos that didn’t make the list (I’m only posting a single video by a band, so some artists would otherwise have multiple entries).  Let’s rock!

Artist: Stabbing Westward Song: Shame

This was one of the most simple decisions on the whole list.  The video has everything from band performance to a virtual breaking of the 4th wall, and the story itself is very devious and fun, tying perfectly into the lyrics.  I love the concept so much, and for when it came out, it’s really ground breaking.  (Directed by Paul Cunningham)

Artist: Michael Jackson Song: Thriller

I’d say something about the video but everything in the world that could be said has already been said, and recently.  (Directed by murderer John Landis)

Artist: The Smashing Pumpkins Song: Tonight, Tonight

This is an obligatory selection, and obviously so.  Directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, later of Little Miss Sunshine fame, and based on the classic 1902 film Le Voyage Dans la Lune by Georges Méliès, the video is a technological masterpiece and a simplistic dream come true shot entirely with backdrops and a stationary cameras.  PS: The Smashing Pumpkins are my favorite band ever.

Artist: A-Ha Song: Take On Me

Ripped from the pages of history, this video is every bit successful as it is ambitious, every bit amazing as it is a delight to watch.  The story fit with the song, the animation was excellent, and it should be immediately apparent why this is hailed as one of the best by most every source you can find on the topic.  (Directed by Steve Barron)

Artist: New Order Song: True Faith

An old favorite of mine, New Order are every bit as fresh as ever, and this video was amazing to me as a child.  Honestly, it’s even more intriguing to me now with the strange, almost metaphoric performance art going on all throughout, mostly rhythmically.  If that doesn’t sell you on watching I don’t know what will.  (Directed by Philippe Decouflé)

Artist: Björk Song: Bachelorette

One name: Michel Gondry.  The director of films such as Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind and The Science of Sleep has a way with visuals that is almost like being a puppeteer of humans and a painter of theatrics.  He’s directed many great videos, especially for Björk, and I feel this is the broadest and most impressive of her bunch.  His work appears numerous times on this list.

Artist: Eric Prydz Song: Call On Me

Steve Winwood never sounded so good (probably because he rerecorded his vocals for the Sweedish DJ and producer), and music videos have never been so sexy.  Eric Prydz hit a high note with the song, and director Huse Monfaradi hit all the correct notes with the visual, making something fun, energetic, and envelope pushing.  I mean, former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair has gone on record about it, that’s how scandalous it is.  Oh, and just so you know, I really like the red head in the black and yellow top (barely shown) and the blond (pink top) PS: The video has a sequel that is also awesome, which is near the very bottom of this post.

Artist: Aphex Twin Song: Windowlicker

One of the longest, funniest, sexiest, scariest, and strangest music videos ever.  And quite offensive too, first harshly mocking rap and hip-hop culture then paying homage to Michael Jackson and David Lee Roth’s “California Girls”.  I don’t recommend watching this for the first time if you’re intoxicated in any way.  Or is it the other way around?  (Directed by Chris Cunningham)

Artist: Weezer Song: Buddy Holly

As if it needs saying, Spike Jonze is a brilliant man.  This video was a favorite in my teens for the retro motif in visuals and lyrics, the fun and boppy nature of it all, and for being such a seamless insertion into, of all things, Happy Days.  The Fonz makes everything cooler.

Artist: The Foo Fighters Song: Everlong

Michel Gondry, again, makes an entry on this list, this time with vanilla flavored musical act The Foo Fighters, in what is one of their best songs and, by far, their best video.  The video makes little to no sense, like, what kind of drugs were they on, why the huge hand, why two men in an implied heterosexual relationship, where did the nunchucks appear from?  The list goes on, but it’s such an awesome video regardless.

Artist: God Lives Underwater Song: From Your Mouth

This is probably the only video on the list that will make you hungry.  I didn’t think about that when I chose it, but now it’s extra earned it’s spot because these things don’t usually inspire the munchies.  I very much enjoy some God Lives Underwater so when the video was released I didn’t need any additional info.  I didn’t know how great it’d be, watching an Asian attack a personal buffet in reverse, then having the band there, just looking cool and stuff.  If I were in a band I’d do a similar gimmick.  (Directed by Roman Coppola)

Artist: Röyksopp Song: Remind Me

It’s kinda scary how well the song and video go together, the main chorus and the beautiful and simplistic dissection of every day life.  Like being reminded, it’s the most basic component of a complex machine or system that becomes glaring, and multiple viewings of this video will prove different each time, different aspects of the animation and the items within standing out, a mathematical equation, almost, proving the lyrics true.  (Directed by H5)

Artist: Toni Basil Song: Hey Mickey

Directed and choreographed by who is in my eyes the original riotgrrrl, Toni Basil herself, the song is infectious and the video is iconic with the plain faced, average bodied cheerleaders and an incredibly upbeat tune for a song that is basically a huge middle finger to the titular Mickey.  I’m not going to lie to you- I find the video sexy, and I find old school Toni one of the most delicious curiosities ever.

Artist: No Doubt Song: New

While it’s not particularly deep or telling, No Doubt’s video for their entry on the Go soundtrack is one of the best “party” atmosphere videos ever.  I do prefer more difficult concepts as a starting point, but it sometimes says something in not being slightly new or different but in taking something as old as dust and improving upon it, breathing a new life into something established.  Gwen Stefani looked awesome as hell here, too.  (Directed by Jake Scott)

Artist: Skinny Puppy Song: Pro-Test

This was a struggle to pick for the list as there are lots of greats out there, but, like the Aphex Twin entry, this takes stereotypes and stands them on their heads, and I’m a huge fan of both stereotypes and standing them on their heads.  The concept is simple, the dance moves are, for all practical purposes, impossible, and message is clear: People dressing differently than you doesn’t mean they don’t have the same, exact interests.  (Directed by William Morrison)

Artist: The Cardigans Song: My Favorite Game

This video puts a smile on my face, and for more reasons than Nina Persson and her many exquisite qualities.  The song is great and the devil may care attitude of the video is refreshing, all others being about caring bunches and tons.  The humor is unexpected, as is the rock, car crashes, and crumpled bodies, and I don’t care who you are or what your name is, those things inspire a chuckle or two.  (Directed by Jonas Akerlund)

Artist: The Prodigy Song: Smack My Bitch Up

Like the last video this one is directed by Jonas Akerlund, but is the much more disturbed older sister with truly no concept of sanity or safety.  It took a a risk with the disgusting nature, first person POV, and quick, manic cuts, but the song matching intensity, vivid colors, and phenomenal twist at the end send this vid to the stratosphere, and does so with a APB out on it and a sexy, sexy partner in the bed with it.

Artist: Pat Benatar Song: Love Is A Battlefield

Another classic video, another I first became acquainted with as a child (I would only ever watch Nickelodeon and MTV) and loved for the story telling aspect mixed with the obvious cheese that comes with being from the year 1984, which creates a teen angst rock opera so irresistible you’ll want to shake your cans at a scummy pimp the next time you see one.  (Directed by Bob Giraldi)

Artist: Fiona Apple Song: Criminal

Scandalous for no reason other than low amounts of brain activity in the general public, what is actually just a sensual and cool video had an unrequested but welcome intensity tacked on it, and though being good a great video does not make, add Fiona herself with the sultry vocals and fantastic song (the whole album is killer) debuting herself to the world, and yes, this video is tops.  PS: I’d like to exhaust her with my sex.  (Directed by Mark Romanek)

Artist: Metronomy Song: A Thing For Me

How did it take so long for this to happen?  Yes, put the lyrics on screen.  Yes, help us keep rhythm.  Yes, make visual jokes with it.  I adore this video, the cute girls in the video, the clever shots, the awesome song, and everything about it.  I’m not too hot on much else the band has done, but like how it takes only 1 thing to tear something down, it sometimes takes only 1 thing to build something up.  (Directed by Megaforce)

Artist: Yeah Yeah Yeahs Song: Maps

A real work of art, director Patrick Daughters did the smartest thing humanly possible for a struggling band, and that is make the most basic video possible while still being visually interesting.  No special effects, no random story, no quick cuts to make the band look as cool as possible, nothing!  It is just 2 dudes and a chick on a stage, playing a song.  They’re not even moving around erratically or trying to be fashionable with their instruments, because it’s always easier to add than it is to take away, and where the simple  nature of the video leaves the song bum rushes in and really paints the canvas here.

Artist: Kissing Tigers Song: So Stay In Love

I would honestly be shocked if anyone reading this has ever seen this video, or even heard of the band for that matter!  Well, they’re an excellent band and the video is endearing and adorable and yes, it’s great.  The reveal at the end is awesome, I think, and while it’s not the first time a band has made a cameo in their video by playing a show at some juncture in the tale, I think this video took a budget and got 5x the quality as another band or director would have.  (Directed by Jeycob Carlson)

Artist: DJ Shadow Song: Six Days

Beautiful, seductive, and trippy, this video is more than just a sampler of director Wong Kar Wai’s prowess.  In fact, this is probably the only video on the list that could be swapped out for another, because the lyrics of the song wrapped in the “Love Is A Battlefield” visuals lends quite well to Pat Benatar.  Really, though, what a gorgoeous and fitting motif for the song, and my how lovely everything looks!  Also, Bruce Lee quotes?  Yes.

Artist: Lisa Loeb Song: Stay (I Missed You)

The face, the body, the glasses!  Yeah, my main girl Lisa may seem like a pop culture blip on many less discerning radars out there, but in reality she is an amazing performer second to her being an amazing song writer.  This video in it’s single shot brilliance feels more like a diary entry than an invitation inside the desolate apartment, but once there the end result is the same- you’re smitten as hell, and happy to be so.  (Directed by Ethan Hawke)

Artist: Jamiroquai Song: Virtual Insanity

“What the h. is wrong with you?!” I ask anyone who doesn’t think this video is as amazing and groundbreaking as it obviously is.  I mean, maybe you don’t like the song, okay, but the technology of the room being walked about is both deceptively simple and stunningly pretty, and at the core of things that’s really what you want in the visual companion to a piece called “Virtual Insanity”.  I know I’m not wrong.  “Ground breaking” is the first two words I’d use, and my third would be “Jealous!”  (Directed by Jonathan Glazer )

Now, without any further ado, the videos that, in spirit, also made the list.

Artist: The Smashing Pumpkins Song: 1979

(Be sure to also check out the sequel video, Perfect)

Artist: The Smashing Pumpkins Song: Ava Adore

Artist: The Hughes Corporation Song: What A Feeling

(This is the sequel to the Eric Prydz video above)

Artist: Yeah Yeah Yeahs Song: Y Control

Artist:  Björk Song: Hyperballad

Artist:  Björk Song: All Is Full Of Love

Father and son, together again. And again.

They said it wouldn’t last between David Lee Roth and Eddie Van Halen, and they were right.

In a statement released today, Van Halen has announced it’s parting ways with on-again, off-again lead singer David Lee Roth and is hiring yet another new lead singer.

“After much discussion, it’s once again become aware that there are far too many creative differences for David and Eddie and Alex and Wolfgang to peacefully co-exist in the band,” Eddie said, in a statement prepared by his wife, Janie Liszewski-Van Halen. “We wish him well and hope his solo career is just like paradise.”

Sources say Roth’s deteriorating voice is the main factor for the split. Reportedly, in one recording session for the band’s upcoming album Encore, Dave was so off-key that he shattered the three-inch thick plexiglas window that separates the main studio from the room where Alex lays down his drum tracks.

“The glass went everywhere and cut up Wolfie pretty badly,” Janie said about her stepson. “Thank goodness for that first aid kit we keep in the 5150 studio.”

With Dave gone, Eddie and Alex have decided to make the band a three-some and entirely Van Halen.

In other words, Wolfgang Van Halen will now be the bassist and the lead guitarist.

“We think he can pull it off,” Eddie said. “He has the Van Halen genes for music and the Bertinelli genes for performing.”

Of course, Eddie’s referring to his ex-wife Valerie Bertinelli, who co-starred with Bonnie Franklin and MacKenzie Phillips on One Day at a Time and has a long list of TV movies to her credit.

Van Halen is still planning to have out its new album, Encore, by October 2010.

Van Halen – 1984 [Remastered] (2000, Warner Bros. Records)
Original Release: 1984, Warner Bros. Records

1. “1984″ … 1:07
2. “Jump” … 4:04
3. “Panama” … 3:32
4. “Top Jimmy” … 3:00
5. “Drop Dead Legs” … 4:14
6. “Hot for Teacher” … 4:44
7. “I’ll Wait” … 4:45
8. “Girl Gone Bad” … 4:35
9. “House of Pain” … 3:19

Band:
David Lee Roth – Lead Vocals
Eddie Van Halen – Guitar, Keyboards, Backing Vocals
Michael Anthony – Bass, Backing Vocals
Alex Van Halen – Drums, Percussion

Producer: Ted Templeman

What can I say about this album that hasn’t been said over the last 25 years plus for this diamond status (that’s 10 MILLION plus albums sold) album? It’s an undisputed rock classic and essential Van Halen (though I wouldn’t say it’s their best). It opened a lot of doors for rock ‘n’ roll to become even more mainstream and with keyboard-heavy songs like “1984″, “Jump” and “I’ll Wait”, the band blurred the line between hard rock and pop music than they ever had before. Not that that’s a bad thing.

Every song is great except one… “Top Jimmy”. That one has always been filler to my ears. I don’t hate it, it’s not even one of the band’s worst songs, but it really pales in comparison to the rest of the album. “House of Pain” sounds like something that would fit right in on Fair Warning and if “Drop Dead Legs” or “Girl Gone Bad” were released as singles, they would’ve been huge hits. Then again, at this point, pretty much anything with the band’s name on it would have been a hit.

It’s hard to pick an absolute favorite from this album. The four singles (“Jump”, “Panama”, “Hot for Teacher”, “I’ll Wait”) are the best. That’s the easy part, but I can’t say which of those four is superior. It’s like trying to choose your favorite child!

Though this was the peak of commercial success for the band, it was also one of their most tumultuous times internally and egos eventually forced David Lee Roth to quit the band and pursue a solo career in 1985. What’s funny about this is that a contributing factor to Dave leaving was that he apparently wasn’t happy with the poppy sound of the album and Eddie relying on keyboards so much but then in his own solo career he relied on covers of songs like “California Girls” and “Just a Gigolo” and turned in a number of pop rock albums.

Highlights: C’mon, it’s 1984! Everything is a highlight… except “Top Jimmy”!

www.van-halen.com

I received this game for free in the mail a few weeks ago. It came as a promotion for purchasing Guitar Hero 5; a stellar game.

The Good:

It’s Guitar Hero. If you like pressing five colored buttons and strumming really quickly, then you will probably be pleased to have some new songs to play.

Some of the later songs are quite difficult which is essential for seasoned players.

If you love David Lee Roth era Van Halen, then you should be happy with the track list.

All songs come unlocked.

Shredding on Eruption was the high point of the game.

The Not So Good:

The graphics are dated.

The character models look uninterested and awkward. Graphics don’t make the game in Guitar Hero, but this version is still a noticeable step back as compared to Guitar Hero 5.

"Gee Dad, we sure look like shit!"

Some of the non-Van Halen songs are downright odd. The Offspring’s Pretty Fly (for a White Guy), and Fountain of Wayne’s Stacey’s Mom standout as the oddest songs in the game. Why they are included is beyond me.

The Ugly:

If you were hoping for some Sammy Hagar era Van Halen… I’ve got nothing for ya. Not a single Van-Hagar track in the game.

Guitar Hero Van Halen feels hollow, like no one from Activision or the Van Halen camp gave a crap about it while it was in production. No love, no heart, and no fun unless you have particular attachment to the songs in the game.

The Bottom-line:

I received this game for free and I didn’t want to play it for more than twenty minutes. It’s completely uninspired.

When you compare it to a refined game like The Beatles Rock Band, it looks even worse. The Beatles Rock Band was created with the utmost care and love. It’s creators carefully covered all of the band’s eras, and paid homage to their history.

Guitar Hero Van Halen leaves out significant portions of Van Halen’s history, ignores tons of great songs, and mixes in music that is remarkably out of place.

I got what I paid for. If you plan to shell-out money to get this game, do yourself a favor and buy something else.

Guitar Hero Van Halen is a steaming pile of poo.

The Geek Whisperer Review of Guitar Hero 5

Star Maker Machine Report:

Click here to go to SMM to check the Kinks “You Really Got Me”

Originally aired March 21, 2009.

All you need is some … beautiful girls?! Not necessarily. At least not in David Lee Roth’s artwork. David Lee Roth seems to have other muses.

Actually, don’t laugh, the singer’s artwork is not bad. Hey, I would grade it better than Ronnie Wood’s. Here is a sample:

Go to www.davidleeroth.com for more … stuff.

What’s going on in that B&W sketch? Pretty provacative. DLR continues to amaze me.

Rock God Cred Report:

Click here to check Van Halen’s “Mine All Mine”

Buy “OU812″…time to revisit some of these cuts.

Ein Freund hat mich gestern auf ein sehr eigenartiges, schreckliches und doch wunderbares Schicksal gestoßen: Das von Gitarrist Jason Becker. Lest hier seine Geschichte:

Mir war dieser Name seit längerer Zeit bekannt. In den 80ern hat er an der Seite von Marty Friedman in der Instrumental-Band Cacophony für Furore gesorgt. Songs von einem seiner Soloalben habe ich bis gestern aber nie gehört.
Jason wurde 1969 geboren und entdeckte das Gitarrespielen sehr früh für sich. Schon mit 16 Jahren spielte er das erste mal mit Friedman zusammen. 1988 jedoch verließ er die Band, um sich seiner Solokarriere zu widmen. Das erste Resultat war „Perpetual Burn“ welches im gleichen Jahr herauskam. Allgemeines Kritikerlob und Lorbeeren in Form von der Berufung in die Band David Lee Roths ließen nicht lange auf sich warten. 1991 spielte Becker Gitarre auf „A Little Ain’t Enough“ welches schnell nach seiner Veröffentlichung Gold-Status in den USA erlangte.

Man könnte meinen, dass es für Jason nicht besser hätte laufen können. Doch dann das: Eine Woche nachdem er bei David Lee Roth angeheuert hatte, wurde bei ihm Amyotrophe Lateralsklerose – kurz ALS – festgestellt. ALS ist eine degenarative Erkrankung, die das motorische Nervensystem angreift. Patienten mit dieser Diagnose haben meist nur noch an die 5 Jahre zu leben. Es gibt keine Heilung und die Ursachen für diese Krankheit liegen im Dunkeln. Somit war es für Becker unmöglich an der Tour zur Platte teilzunehmen; schon für die Aufnahmen musste er spezielles Equipment benutzen.

Man muss sich diese Grausamkeit des Schicksals einmal zu Gemüte führen. Wie oft fühlt man sich benachteiligt weil man an der falschen Supermarktkasse wartet oder im Regen stehen gelassen weil die U-Bahn einem gerade vor der Nase wegfährt. Wie häufig erwischt man sich dabei wegen kleiner Unzulänglichkeiten vieles in Frage zu stellen? Geschichten wie die von Jason Becker lassen einen doch über verschiedene Aspekte und Situationen, vor die einen das Leben stellt, ganz anders denken.

1996 passiert dann ein kleines Wunder. Mit der Unterstützung befreundeter Musiker spielte Jason Becker das Album „Perspective“ ein. Er komponierte die Musik mithilfe eines eigens für ihn entwickelten Computers, da er über die Jahre beinahe die komplette motorische Gewalt über seinen Körper verloren hatte und ihm somit Gitarre spielen in keiner Weise mehr möglich war.

Das RockHard schrieb damals in seinem Review über „Perspective“:

„Herausgekommen ist dabei ein vielschichtiges (Beinahe-)Instrumentalwerk, das ein Maß an Tiefgang und Spiritualität ausstrahlt, wie es heutzutage im Rockgenre nur selten der Fall ist.“

Dieses Votum kann ich nur teilen. Von dem Intro des ersten Songs „Primal“ bis zum Closer „Meet Me In The Morning“  (ein Bob Dylan-Cover) lädt das Album dazu ein sich in seinen sphärisch-verspielten Untiefen zu verlieren.

Im Laufe der Zeit verlor Jason gar die körperliche Kraft zu sprechen, sodass er mit einem von seinem Vater entwickelnden Augenbewegungssystem mit Menschen kommuniziert. Und ob man es glauben kann oder nicht: Der heute 40-jährige hat nicht mal seinen Humor verloren wie man unten im Video sehen kann.

Darüber hinaus hat er noch zwei weitere Alben herausgebracht, die ich aber leider noch nicht kenne. Doch vor allem: Er lebt noch!

»ALS has crippled my body and speech, but not my mind«,

hat Jason auf der Rückseite von “Perspective” vermerkt.

A Steven Tyler le buscan sustituto

La legendaria banda Aerosmith se encuentra en estos momentos en una etapa de crisis, debido a que su cantante Steven Tyler se encuentra prácticamente en el limbo, tratando de poner orden a su vida, por lo que prefirió salir de la banda, aunque existen rumores de que volvió a recaer fuertemente en las drogas.

Por su parte el guitarrista Joe Perry comenzará una gira en Canadá con su banda Joe Perry Project, abriendo para los Mötley Crüe, durante enero y febrero del 2010.

Por otro lado se habla que Aerosmith está buscando un nuevo cantante para seguir vivos, pero la historia de esta banda comprueba que cuando han tocado sin sus integrantes originales de plano son un real fracaso, aunque también la mala relación que han llevado, más sus problemas con los estupefacientes, también ha provocado que su gran nivel musical  baje a la más pura mediocridad.

Así que pensar que Aerosmith sobreviva sin Steven Tyler, cuando su voz  es prácticamente el sello del grupo, es una idea que sus fans podrían considerar ridícula  y provoca cuestionamientos serios sobre el juicio de los demás integrantes de Aerosmith. 

Aerosmith sin Tyler, sería como los Rolling Stones sin Mick Jagger  o Metallica sin James Hetfield, sin embargo ya comienzan a decirse nombres de quién podría sustituirlo y aquí les damos algunas opciones.  

Tom Keifer, quien fuera el frontman de Cinderella, podría ser un sustituto con afán de revancha, porque seguramente conoce al dedillo el material de Aerosmith. Recordemos que Tom se vestía igual de Steven Tyler y hasta tomaba de la misma forma el micrófono. Sería un renacer para este talentoso cantante y compositor, pero esto es sólo un deseo de Inquisidor71, ya que las últimas noticias que se tienen de este talentoso músico es que perdió la voz, debido a unos nódulos en sus cuerdas vocales.

John Corabi fue brevemente el cantante de Mötley Crüe, en la etapa en que esta banda quiso cambiar su sonido radicalmente, pero sin buenos resultados. A pesar de todo, la calidad de este cantante es incuestionable y podría musicalmente dar el ancho en la música de Aerosmith, pero no es tan dinámico en sus movimientos;  nadie baila como Tyler.

Chris Robinson de The Black Crowes podría ser otro candidato ideal, ya que domina esa mezcla de blues-rock con maestría. Quizás tendría que dejar de lado un poco la banda que lo ha hecho famoso para probar qué se siente subirse  al escenario con esta gran banda.

Stephen Pearcy ex cantante de Ratt, modernizó con esta banda, el hard-rock  de los años 80’s. Aunque muchos los comparaban con Def Leppard, la realidad es que su mayor influencia era Aerosmith, sólo que eran más dinámicos en las guitarras. La voz agresiva de este cantante haría un efecto interesante en la música de la banda que dirige Joe Perry.

Sebastian Bach es un intérprete que a pesar de salir de Skid Row hace varios años, ha mantenido su fama con participaciones en series de televisión y en realitys, así como con participaciones en Broadway, así como en uno que otro disco solista.

Su voz ha sido considerada una de las mejores del heavy metal, pero ahí está el problema, no se identifica mucho con el rock-blues, pero seguramente se pondría a ensayar con todo para ser adorado por los fans de Aerosmith.

Josh Todd de Buckcherry es dinámico en el escenario y tiene una voz rocanrolera de primer nivel, quizás sea el que más se adapte a las necesidades de Aerosmith. Por algo los lectores de la revista Rolling Stone lo tienen ubicado como el principal candidato para sustituir a Steven Tyler.

David Johansen quien fuera el frontman de New York Dolls también es otro candidato favorito para entrar a Aerosmith, sin embargo no creo que logre el nivel por el cual se hizo famoso. Sin embargo, si conserva su dinamismo en el escenario podría salir adelante en esta hipotética empresa.

Axl Rose fue influenciado tremendamente por Aerosmith, sino chequen su versión en vivo con los Guns N’ Roses de “Mama Kin”. Y en realidad es el único que lo veo adecuado para la música de esta banda, ya que tiene una gran voz con perfectos  agudos y graves, así como un estupendo manejo escénico. Pero si fuera invitado, su ego probablemente se lo impediría.

Cormac Neeson de la banda hard-rockera The Answer también es mencionada por algunos medios como un ideal sustituto, aunque en mi particular punto de vista no podría mantener el ritmo dramático que impone Tyler en vivo.

David Coverdale, líder de Whitesnake le cambiaría la cara a Aerosmith. Si con Jimmy Page cantó como Robert Plant, por qué no podría hacerlo como Steven Tyler, además su manejo en las vocales del blues-rock y del hard-rock es de grandes ligas.

Nota: También se menciona a David Lee Roth,  a Iggy Pop  y a un tipo que participó en American Idol, llamado Adam Lambert, pero sobre este último, a pesar de su talento, quizás su homosexualidad no sea del agrado de los legendarios Aerosmith.

Rock God Cred Report:

Click here to check a 90’s gem from David Lee Roth “Sensible Shoes”

Buy “A Little Ain’t Enough”

Advice from the GrowThink Blog

Ever wanted to have David Lee Roth on your answering machine? Well this site might be able to do the trick.

L.A. Library Event

Happy 11 11

Van Halen or Van Hagar?

Fair Warning

Van Halen

1981

Warner Bros. Records

 Van Halen, one the most influential, popular bands of the ’70’s and ’80’s, has been an on-again, off-again project for who knows how long.  Original singer David Lee Roth left in 1984, Sammy Hagar left in 1996, Roth came back briefly for two songs, Gary Cherone came for an album (the worst album ever), had a reunion with Hagar, and now a reunion with Roth again, although bassist Michael Anthony has left.  Whew. 

This album, back in 1981, marks the beginning of possible problems within the infrastructure of the band.  Fair Warning is an album that was recorded during heavy binges of alcohol and cocaine use by Eddie Van Halen.  He and Roth apparently were also at odds about the content of the record, the former succeeded in having more seriousness rather than a poppier mood.  The album is a lot darker than most Roth-era Van Halen, yet it still possesses a sense of humor that unfortunately is lacking in their later works.

“Mean Street” opens the album with a fade-in of one of Eddie’s complicated guitar tapping lines.  The riff than changes to a funk-based rhythm.  Roth’s lyrics and vocals dominate with an attitude only hinted at before.  He sings of “searching for the latest thing, a break from this routine”, and he continues the line with “I’m talking some new kicks, ones like ain’t never seen” (Ah, remember the times when you could sing the phrase “new kicks” and not be ironic about it?).  After a verse or two and the following choruses, the band kicks into an even funkier guitar solo.  The required Van Halen break-down is even thrown in.  It’s an awesome song to kick the album off.

“”Dirty Movies”" (I feel so stupid typing that, for the song has quotes already) is the second song leading in with Alex’s drums and some slide guitar.  The song’s about a Prom Queen turned into a Pornstar, pretty much a normal topic for David Lee Roth and his obsession with pretty girls.  The verse sounds have rapped, and Eddie’s slinky riff in the back fits the sleazy mood perfectly.

“Sinner’s Swing!” is the most kick-ass song on the album, probably in the top three kick-ass VH songs ever (followed by “Everybody Wants Some!!” which is just sheer ass-kickitude).  The riff is pure hard-rock, and sounds so awesome.  The lyrics have a lot of attitude, (“She looks so fuckin’ good, so sexy and so frail”) and Roth even brings a little “My Generation” style vocals into the second verse with some stuttering (the sign of a real bad-ass song).  The drop-d tuning of the guitar lends a heaviness to the song that could’ve been offset by the actual catchiness of the chorus (“G-get get get get get out and push!”).  The solo is particularly inspired, which isn’t saying much because almost every Van Halen solo is amazing.  This gets my vote for best song, which can only be disputed because of the next two.

“Hear About it Later” could be Van Halen’s best arranged and written song.  It starts off slow with tasteful single notes outlining chords.  Pay attention, as the song progresses, the tempo quickens, which creates a desperate demeanor to the song.  The lyrics are decent, somewhat serious for Roth, and he sings them with a conviction not heard on other songs (there’s even a major lack of his quirky yelps, maybe only one or two, if any).  The solo also sets the song apart from others.  Instead of adding the guitar on top of everything else like normal and keeping the song’s flow intact, the continuity drops out, changing the song to focus on the eclectic guitar which sounds like it doesn’t really know where to go.

The biggest single of Fair Warning is “Unchained”, the fifth song.  Again, the drop-d tuning accentuates the poppiness while also grounding the song.  The riff during the verses serves almost as a bass, with the guitar playing on the lower strings.  The lyrics are completely nonsensical (“Thought you’d never miss me ’till I got a fat-city address”?  What the hell does that mean?), but by now, Roth has earned it and it just sounds cool coming from him anyway.  I think he even knows it is as the breakdown borders on self-parody.  Dave has his little “Hey, man, that suit is you!  Whoowhee!  You’ll get some leg tonight for sure!” crazy half-sung, half-spoken, sexual-innuendo-laden speech, only to be interrupted, “C’mon, Dave, give us a break”.

“Push Comes to Shove” is a laid-back blues.  The drums rely heavily on hi-hats, and the bass has a jumpy line to follow, so the song sounds different from other’s in the Van Halen repertoire.  Overall, it’s a rather weak song, but it shows the band trying something relatively new, which is very respectable.  It’s not a bad song, just doesn’t feel up to par with the rest of the album.

“So this is Love?” starts strangely, with a drop in the volume.  However, it kicks back up in time.  While not an outstanding song at all, it does show a good arrangement.  The verses are refined, content with keeping back, only for the chorus to break forward electrically.  It’s a catchy song, good guitar solo, and has crazy Dave vocals at the end.  While not pushing any boundaries like others on Fair Warning, it at least serves as a foil for them as it’s the most regular Van Halen song on here.

“Sunday Afternoon in the Park” is a dark, bass and drum heavy instrumental that serves as little more than an intro into “One Foot Out the Door”.  “One Foot” is a very short song (even shorter than “Sunday Afternoon” strangely) at 1:56.  It’s the darkest song on the album, but it offers little more than being a throwaway.  the lyrics are only about leaving one’s lover as her husband is coming home.  The song is depressing to end with, solely because it does not reflect the mood of the album at all.  Instead it’s one part weird effects, one part bad lyrics, and one part Eddie solo (which is still awesome, no doubt, just doesn’t work as being half the damn song).  If they couldn’t have written a better tune in time for the release, the least they could’ve done is throw these two songs halfway through the album to be more cohesive.

In conclusion, Fair Warning shows Van Halen developing their sound and trying new things.  While it’s not their best album (Some still say their first album, others say 1984, I particularly like Women and Children First), it has great moments, with some of their best written songs.  Needless to say, anyone saying Van Halen was better with Hagar could still be shown this album be told to shut up (if not executed.  I’m pretty sure it’s illegal to think such a thing in most states).  With the three songs “Sinner’s Swing!”, “Hear About it Later”, and “Unchained” on it, Fair Warning is definitely worth repeated listenings, and will still instill one with the ability to air-guitar on the instant.

Buy this Album

Official Site

Popdose Report:

Click here to go to Popdose to check Rush “The Spirit of The Radio”, “Closer to The Heart”, “Limelight”, “Tom Sawyer”, “Big Money”…also check some Rossington Collins Band “Don’t Misunderstand Me”, and David Lee Roth “Goin’ Crazy”, “That’s Life”, and “Stand Up”, Mitch Ryder covers Prince “When You Were Mine”…plus more tunes from other genres.

I’ve been buying tickets for over 30 years and in that time I’ve come to consider that I might have been abused more as each year passes. I know how much I’ve paid as I have a collection of programmes including ticket stubs and I can tell you that a Wembley Empire Pool concert cost £4 a ticket in 1978 and a heck of a lot more these days. What I find really disconcerting is not the price of the ticket but the add ons that seem to increase in both value and number as time passes.

At one time as I remember you would get charged a fee that then became a fee per ticket and then started to increase in value. You then had postage added onto the cost as a further extra and now you can add “to your door before the kettle boils” for another fiver.

Last night I bought tickets to see Billy Connolly with Ticketmaster and had two options, post for a fee or a link for the same fee. I chose the link and have received it by email. What this allows you to do is to print off your own tickets and take them to the concert. I’ve been involved in a concert with paper tickets and it is really scary. Some people have a normal looking ticket and you have a piece of A4 paper. I didn’t apply for them so when I was handed my piece of A4 I was ready to go home but we walked in without any trouble – in fact it was as easy as when I saw David Lee Roth at Hammersmith and we walked in through the main entrance – having paid a tout – without any tickets at all behind a member of the show security, making people with tickets wait whilst we got in, to stand in the stalls.

The more I think about it the more it occurs to me that the link is more effective but also close to a con. Surely I am using my own paper and toner cartridge to print this ticket and depending upon the colours it might cost me more to print it off than the fee I’ve paid. So it boils down to whether the link is cost effective? If its price mirrors the cost of postage then clearly not, but then again it is Ticketmaster so you expect premium pricing.

I’ve also noticed that certain ticket prices have shown a huge hike recently. Possibly because a lot of the artists I consider seeing are getting on a bit and their pensions aren’t doing too well on a 0.5% base rate but then again maybe not. Surely the industry wants to get its act together and look at setting a reasonable price for the event to include all these disbursements so that we the general public don’t feel cheated when buying tickets to see them.