Hendrix Mix

If you're a music nerd like I am, you of course are familiar with our national holiday in Record Store Day. Launched a few years back to get people back in record stores by offering up collectors items and limited releases of records, it's been rather successful. I've made it a point to go these past few years, both in April and on Black Friday, as there have been some good releases. Plus its kinda fun to see what record stores get what. Waiting in line for a few hours, well lets just say beer helps. So I decided to close out this year with some Jimi Hendrix record store day releases. Few 7's and a bootleg of sorts. All good stuff.

Jimi Hendrix released a mere four records during his career. Since then a boatload of post humorous albums have been released. Some poorly put together trying to cash in and the majority released by the Hendrix family. Which in recent years seems to be uncovering new material every year. So with that in mind, lets dive into some of the releases.

First up is 'Live At Clark University'. This came out in 2010 for Record Store Day. This at best is a cleaned up partial bootleg. Record at Clark University in Worcester MA on March 15, 1968 during the second show. Recorded under the Jimi Hendrix Experience moniker, the LP is 5 songs. Side A is "Fire", "Red House" and "Foxey Lady". Side B is "Purple Haze" and "Wild Thing". The album like I said is pretty much a partial bootleg with some hiccups along the way. Some are more noticeable then others. This is pieced out into Side A and Side B on the rip. Released under Dagger Records (88697-64873-1) in 2010, this is the first time the LP was played.

Next up is the 7' of 'Fire'. This 7' was released in 2011 to go along with the release of the box set 'West Coast Seattle Boy'. Side A is "Fire" record at Olympic Studios in London on February 8, 1967. This mix is a previously unreleased alternate take from the 'West Coast Seattle Boy' boxset. Side B is a previously unreleased track called "Touch You". Recorded in the same studio on December 20, 1967. Released under the Hendrix Legacy Label (88697-858551-7). This is the second time this 7' was played.

Third in the list is a release from 2013. This is the 7' for 'Hey Joe'. These are the original Mono mixes. Side A is "Hey Joe" and the B side is "Stone Free". Both of these songs are in the Mono format have been unavailable since their first release in 1966. This was a limited numbered release. Released in 2013 under the Hendrix Legacy Label (887654-84807-9). This is No. 4872 (Gold Stamped). This is the second time this 7' was played.

Lastly is a release from this year's Black Friday Record Store Day. This is the 'Fire' 7' released to go along with the 'Miami Pop Festival' LP. Side A is "Fire" and B Side is "Foxey Lady" both taken from Hendrix's performance at the Miami Pop Festival on May 18, 1968. This as well is a limited release. Released in 2013 on the Hendrix Legacy Label (888837-91727-8). This is No. 4809 (Gold Stamped). This is the second time this 7' was played.

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Saw You Drown

I was flipping through the collection to see if I could find something that perhaps fit the doom and gloom of December. I did stumble upon some Katatonia and thought it's somewhat fitting. This is a bit of a treat too. Something a little rare that I'm not sure I've played before. So enjoy a little 10' slice of Katatonia with the '05 release of 'Saw You Drown'.

Katatonia is and for a lot of people, a tale of two bands. Starting out as teenagers in the Swedish Doom/Death scene before undergoing some changes and emerging as a Depressive Metal giant later. The band released their first demos in 91/92 as a bunch of teenagers. And by 93 had released their first LP. Starting out as a Doom/Death metal band the band released a few more records in that genre, including releasing 'Sounds Of Decay' which featured a vocalist change to Opeth frontman Mikael Akerfeldt. 1998 marked a change to the bands sound. Gone were the growls of frontman Jonas Renske, replaced by what would some would argue a more progressive depressive sound and clean vocals. 'Saw You Drown' marks a dawn of a new band and the beginning of an evolution. The EP is 4 songs and clocks in just under twenty-five minutes, but provides a window into what the sound of a new band was going to be. Depressing and moody the album is what Katatonia has been known for in the recent years, making depressing music sound really good.

I got into the late period Katatonia before the really Doom/Death stuff. Not to say I don't like the earlier material, but I'm partial to the latter releases. Albums like 'Tonight's Decision' and 'Last Fair Deal Gone Down' are masterpieces in their own rights. Beautifully haunted pieces of music. The band continues to release outstanding work. Take in this years release, 'Dethroned & Uncrowned' a stripped down remixed and reworked effort of their last record 'Dead End Kings'. I was lucky enough to catch Katatonia earlier this year as thr direct and only support for Opeth. Two Swedish Metal giants with ties to each other over the years. I got to see them after only flying in a few hours earlier from California and still dealing with the loss of my Grandfather who had passed earlier in the week. Exhausted and still emotionally frail, maybe depressing metal wasn't what I needed, but it was exactly what I needed to pick me up. Amazing live show. While there is always sorrow, there is always hope.

I mentioned this was a rare one for me. The album was originally released in 98 to 1,500 copies. Long out of print it was sought after as a collectors item. In 2005 the band decided to release it on a limited edition 10' Blue Vinyl. So this is it, the rip of the LP. Here's the specks; 2005 Release by Infinite Vinyl (Imprint Of The End Records) on Blue Colored Vinyl. Limited to 1,000 copies. This is #65 of 1,000. Record IVS010. There is a bit of skip at the end of the LP and some crackle as is normal with some of these colored pressings. This I believe is the first time I've played this LP, at worst it's the second time.

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Cream

There have been many a supergroup that have come and gone. There have been many influential power trios as well. But one band can claim to be both. Cream was just that band. Taking their name literally, the were the Cream of the crop at the time. Consisting of Bassist/Vocalist Jack Bruce, Guitarist/Vocalist/God Eric Clapton and Madman Drummer Ginger Baker, Cream existed for a short period. 2 years to be exact, 66-68. Think about that, in that time they released 2 studio albums and essentially 2 live albums, 'Goodbye'  was a mix of live and studio cuts. Oh and toured quite a bit too. So for the LP rip I dug into the vault and pulled out 'Disraeli Gears'.

1967 in America started what turned out to be the Hippie Movement. New and groundbreaking artists that were making noise in the UK were making a splash in the US finally. Acts like Hendrix, The Who, Big Brother And Holding Company, Otis Redding and Cream. The band broke through in the states with their 67 release 'Disraeli Gears', which contained hits like "Strange Brew" and the ever catchy "Sunshine Of Your Love", which in time Hendrix would actually cover and occasionally play live. The album took a mere three days to record. A feat that is now unheard of. Also this was in the days before technology, that's pretty damn impressive. Also the record was produced by future Mountain Bassist, Felix Pappalardi. This is a prime example of music in 67. The blues influence mixed with the cutting edge of rock that was happening at the time. Some would even to go as far as crediting Cream as one of the first Heavy Metal bands. While it's disputed, you can definitely hear the influence in future Metal bands.

Cream sadly broke up many years before my existence. Sadly the band never ended on good terms and everyone went on to do their own thing. Clapton of course went onto a nice career with Derek And The Dominos and then a solo career. Bruce went onto a solo career and occasionally played with Baker. Baker of course went on to play again with Clapton in Blind Faith and pursue a solo career and a career is pissing people off and getting kicked out of countries. Seriously the man is a living bad ass who can play the hell outta the drums. The band hasn't followed suit like many older bands and reunited much over the years. Playing a handful of reunion shows in 05 was about all we were ever gonna get. However both Baker's and Bruce's kids carry on the legacy and play under the moniker Sons Of Cream.

Vinyl info, this is a rip of the original American release on ATCO Records, SD 33-232. I picked this up a while back down here in STL at Vintage Vinyl for a mere $5. The album has very slight wear, but sounds so good.

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Ghost Ver. 2.0

Since I finished up the A-Z blog post I've kinda wondered where to go with things. I want to continue to bring music to the masses and share stories in the process. So I decided to go with some Vinyl rips. Basically I've got some old vinyl sitting around and thought why not give people the Vinyl experience. So what I've done is ripped an album outta my collection and what you have is the Vinyl transfer. Now the issue is track splitting, so I've split the LPs into Side A/B etc. Another issue is of course some of my Vinyl isn't in the best shape, hisses and pops and the occasional skips, but I think these enhance the experience. So enough rambling, let us get into this.

I posted about Ghost BC, (read Ghost), a while ago. I though why not bring the doom and mysterious sound from this band back. For those of you not familiar with the band, it's a Swedish outfit with a cult like Pope in Papa Emeritus and the nameless Ghouls. Speculation about who is really in the band is widely a discussed topic. Dave Grohl (Nirvana/Foo Fighters) has played Drums on occasion for the band, so there's that. Musically speaking it's Blue Oyster Cult meets Mercyful Fate. It's a delightful mix of music. Their first LP wa released to critical acclaim. So with the follow up, 'Infestissumam' the band continues on with the mystery and Satanic overtones from the first album.

About the rip. This is taken from the Red Colored Gatefold LP that was released when the album was released. There are a few cracks and hisses here and there. This is only the second time the record has been played.

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Zappa

Time to finally end the A-Z run that this blog has had. I'm gonna end it with Frank Zappa's 'rock opera', "Joe's Garage". Originally released as three separate records in 79 and later released as a box set in 87, this album dealt with the like of censorship, free will, the government and wondering why it burns when you pee. Somewhat of a tongue in cheek mixed with a cautionary tale, this album continues with the maddening genius that Zappa was. There's really no way to describe the record. It's bizarre, funny, overtly sexual and childish in parts. This is just one of those albums you really have to listen to. For me it ranks up with some of his best work.

Zappa was a creative genius on so many levels it's almost not believable. In his career Zappa released 62 albums. That alone is from 66-93 alone. After his death the family to date has released 32 albums. That's 94 total records. Let that sit in. That's insane. And it's not like he made the same record twice. He mixed plenty of styles of music, even going as far as recording classical music towards the end of his career. Not to mention he's played with some incredible musicians over the years, such as Captain Beefheart, Terry Bozio, Steve Vai and many more. Oh yeah and he testified on the Senate about the good ol PMRC. Plus he named his kids some whacked out names. In short Zappa was a mad genius.

Zappa I think has and always will be one of those artists that you either like or you don't. Almost like you get it or you don't. The music and the topics are just out there enough to draw you in. For me as a rather impressionable teen, finding Zappa's music was like finding gold. I think for me the point where I really got Zappa was listening to "Apostrophe". Still to this day I love that record front to back. And that is my goal with this blog, to find an album that you love, share it with the masses and hope you can find people that appreciate it as much as you do.

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Slowhand Unplugged

Time to resurrect this blog in some way. It's been a rather long time since anything was posted here. Trying to fix that. Work and life tend to interfere more and more daily. But tis no excuse to bring forth some quality records. Decided to go with some Clapton for this post. "Unplugged" has been gaining some attention again of late due to the fact of the newly released reissue. Not to mention I stumbled across the actually old Unplugged performance tonight on TV. So let's highlight this monster of a record.

Originally released back in 92, "Unplugged"  became a smash based on two songs alone. The popular ballad about Clapton's sons tragic death, 'Tears In Heaven' and the stripped down version of the classic Derek & The Domino's epic 'Layla'. To put things in perspective, a few facts about how big this album was. Six Grammy's, RIAA certified Diamond, for those unaware, that's over 10 million copies sold in the US. Oh and the guitar he played, that nice old Martin sold for $791,500 at auction in 04. All this while the guitar God grieved and went through the pain of losing a child. Simply put this album put Clapton back on the radar.

This is probably in the top five of MTV Unplugged ever. Top three in reality. Clapton was almost on the verge of becoming a forgotten guitar hero. His last album prior to "Unplugged" was 89's "Journeyman", an album that started a comeback of sorts for the trouble rocker. This album showed what a stripped down rocker could do with some old classics and blues numbers. Start to finish this is a beast of an album.

Many moons ago when we had moved up into the desert of California, we finally joined the tech craze and bought a CD player. Keep in mind this is like the mid 90's. We were behind the times. But also this is the time were everything was released on cassette as well. This was one of the first CDs we had bought. And to this day despite a few moves later, still has it and breaks it out on occasion. I can never put my finger on it, but it seems as the weather changes and the leaves begin to fall and I make the switch to Stouts, I have to break this album out. There's so many good memories of just hanging around, watching the leaves fall or the weather change and this album being played in the background. With a nip in the air and the impending Winter coming, it seemed like a good time to dust this classic off.

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Rust Never Sleeps

Closing things out with an album that features a song that many regard as one of Neil Young's best. Released in 1979 as a somewhat Live album "Rust Never Sleeps" is what some may consider his last good record before things went a little crazy. The majority of the record was recorded at The Boarding House in San Francisco during the 78 tour. The album is half acoustic and half electric, closing with the song "My My, Hey Hey (Out Of The Blue)". Overdubs were added to cut out the majority of the crowd noise, although some can still be heard. Young would later release "Live Rust" to accompany the album and movie. The album was a play on the Rust-Oleum spray paint. You can credit Mark Mothersbaugh of Devo for that. Few people know that Devo and Neil Young worked together during this time period. While this doesn't really count as a true Live album, it's one of the better 'shopped' ones of its time.

My Dad used to joke this was one of the worst Neil Young albums ever. The ongoing joke was that Neil was to messed up to play his own material. It might have been true. While it's far from the worst album in the catalog, it is one of the more relevant ones. 'My My, Hey Hey (Out Of The Blue)' features one of rock musics best lyrics in, "It's Better To Burn Out, Then Fade Away". That line would famously be quoted nearly two decades later in Kurt Cobain's suicide note. Even Sex Pistols frontman Johnny Rotten isn't quite sure why Neil references him in the song. In any case it is one of musics more well known lyrics and song. Neil would later dedicate the album "Sleeps With Angels" to Cobain and even thank him in his Rock Hall Of Fame speech. The song itself was inspired by Devo actually. Just goes to show how many genres music can cross and have an impact.

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Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere

Taking it back to some early Neil Young for this post. Neil has played with various bands throughout his solo career. Probably none more famous or well known than Crazy Horse. 1969 marked the first time Neil would record with the band Crazy Horse. "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere" was the beginning of a long standing working relationship. This album also was the first of what would become classic Neil Young albums over the years. The album would feature songs that would remain staples in Neil's live shows over the years. Songs like 'Cinnamon Girl', 'Down By The River' and 'Cowgirl In The Sand' all became fan favorites and radio hits. While the record is almost 45 years old now, it sounds as fresh as it did when it was first released.

For some reason this album was a late addition in our collection back home. I think for whatever reason it was kind of hard to find. I think I may have found it on vinyl before CD even. The vinyl is spinning right now and it sounds great for the age. My dad used to reference the title of the album every so often. Usually when we founds ourselves in some small town. For some reason I didn't really get into this album like I did say "Harvest" or "After The Gold Rush", but I found as time has gone on I've really gotten to enjoy this album. 'Cinnamon Girl' is a great opener and it's great that a metal band like Type O Negative could cover it. Deep cuts like 'Cowgirl In The Sand' and 'Down By The River' are just great examples of how Neil could craft a story around a great melody. There's also something about this record that when you're in a down mood really fits, but brings you out of the mood. It's amazing what music can do to us.

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Freedom

Moving forward in this story arc if you will, I will focus on Neil Young's 1989 album "Freedom". This album in a way may have relaunched Neil's career. After about a decade of odd records being released, Neil tapped into what was to become the grunge movement. This record is best known for the hit "Rockin' In The Free World'. the rest of the album is an eclectic mix of grunge, rock, and country, oh and an odd cover of the classic 'On Broadway'. While the album was diverse it set in motion the style for Young's next few records. As the 90's progressed and grunge took over, Neil was dubbed 'The Godfather Of Grunge' for his playing style. He even worked with grunge giants Pearl Jam on his album 'Mirrorball'.

For me I become fixated on the song 'Rockin' In The Free World', in fact it still remains one of my favorite Neil Young tracks today. I remember seeing Neil play with Pearl Jam at the 93 VMA's. It was one of those moments where you knew something great was going to happen. And it did, it's a great performance. I hadn't really gotten into harder music quite yet. I was slowly uncovering the grunge scene right as Cobain died. I was exploring bands like Guns 'N Roses, who by 93 were falling apart and bands like Nine Inch Nails, who I wasn't sure what the hell was going on there. I got into the grunge movement eventually, listening to bands like Nirvana, Soundgarden, L7, 7 Year Bitch and Pearl Jam. But by this time alternative was riding high and nu metal began to rear it's ugly head. All the grunge bands kinda faded out with the exception of Pearl Jam, Alice In Chains and Neil Young. Neil has always done things his way and I'll be damned if it hasn't worked. It's no a bad way to live your life either.

 

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Harvest

Continuing on with a weeks run of Neil Young material and how certain albums influence me, we roll on with the 1972 classic "Harvest". This album became the crowning point of Young's career up to this point. Changing directions somewhat from the previous "After The Gold Rush" album, Young decided to make a Country Rock record with some local Nashville musicians. The band was dubbed The Stray Gators. The record was a massive hit, spending time atop the Billboard chart as well as producing a number 1 single in 'Heart Of Gold'. Not to mention the album featured the likes of Young's old band mates in CSN, as well as James Taylor and Linda Ronstadt. The album today is still as strong as it was when it debut. In fact the popular cartoon Futurama plays off two references of this album. In one episode depicting a folk rock concert, the departing bus shows the heads of Neil as well as fellow Canadian Folk giant Joni Mitchell. In addition at one point Leela quotes a line from 'A Man Needs A Maid'. In the end this seems to be the definitive Neil Young record.

One question I get asked a lot is about my chops. My sideburns have been a part of my identity for the better part of fifteen years now. People seem to be surprised that, one, I can grow them and they looks decent and two like it's something they've never seen. There's reason behind why I have them and I like having some mystery behind them. Many years ago when I found Neil Young, I really didn't know what the guy looked like. By this time we had settled in the desert and for once in my life I had cable TV. Doesn't sound like much, but it was a big deal for us. So one night we were flipping through the channels and Neil Young's Unplugged was on. You remember when artists used to play on MTV, yeah it's a foggy memory. There's an epic story behind that Unplugged too, but alas that's another story. So for those of you who have seen Neil, you realize for the majority of his career he's had long hair and chops. I, wanting a change in my tired old hair style, decided to grow the chops. The hair thing still really hasn't worked out, I'm sad to say. So in the end my chops are simply an homage to Neil Young and my appreciation for his music. So much for the mystery.

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Harvest Moon

Time to resurrect this beast of a blog back from the dead. For those of you wondering where it went, the short answer is nowhere really. Things happened, life unfolded some more and this sort of took a back seat. The goal is polish of the A-Z thing and focus on some lesser known bands and other albums that tie into who I am. The blog did kind of get away from what I had envisioned, but it's time to get things back on track. So I'm short on the Y bands, but I've had a lot of time to think about things in general and decided to go with a weeks worth of albums from an artist who has shaped me in a few ways. So strap in for a week on Neil Young albums.

For those of you not familiar with Neil Young outside the reference to him in the classic Skynyrd track 'Sweet Home Alabama', Neil has been making music for many a decade now. Hailing from the Great White North that is Canada, Neil has been called everything from a Folk Rock pioneer to the Godfather Of Grunge. Playing in a band or as a solo artist since the mid 60's, he's played with the likes of such greats as Joni Mitchell, Rick James (Yes, That Rick James), David Crosby, Graham Nash, Stephen Stills, and Pearl Jam, just to name a few. Releasing a wide range of albums over the years, Young has released some classic genre defying albums. Some of which I'm gonna feature and how the relate to me.

My earliest memories of hearing Neil Young probably date back to me as a kid in middle school. I just started finding my taste in music thanks to my Dad's old cassette collection. Hendrix, Clapton, Rush, Young, all the greats and some underrated bands were all in there. About the time we had settled up in the desert in California, my Dad picked up a copy of "Harvest Moon", which was released back in 92. So by now the record is five years old, but still new to me. The album was seen as a somewhat follow up to the classic 72 record "Harvest". I remember listening to this record every weekend it seemed like for months on end. I knew the opening riff to 'Unknown Legend', the folksy tale of 'Old King' and perhaps became a bit of a 'Dreamin' Man' myself. The music was stripped down and yet still told a story. Showing me that everything doesn't always need to go to 11. This became my introduction to Neil Young. Some years later my Dad decided to actually upgrade and spring for the CD copy of the album. By now I think the cassette was worn pretty bad. We put the album in the rotation seemed like in the Fall and it stayed there. We knew the music, the lyrics, but never grew tired of it. In 09, Neil put out as part of his Archives, "Dreamin' Man", which was the album Live from various stops from that tour. It came out about a year after my Dad's passing. It's one album I'm sure we would've worn out.

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X-Ray Spex

We jump across the pond for the other X band. And unless you're a Punk junkie, you may have not heard of this next band. X-Ray Spex were a London Punk band that formed in 76. During their initial lineup the band in three years released one album and five singles. Perhaps what set X-Ray Spex apart from the othe UK Punk acts at the time was that they were led by a female, Poly Styrene and the band happened to feature a Saxophonist. Yes you read that right, a Saxophonist. In addition Poly's voice was unmistakable, at times sounding like a wailing banshee. Plus who ever heard of a Saxophone in a Punk band? The band played in and around the UK until 79 when Poly tired of touring left the group. The group briefly reformed in 88, 91 & 95 to play gigs, but never recording any new material. The band did reform and play their entire album 'Germ Free Adolescents' in 08. The album was recorded live and released. Sadly any future reunions were cut short when Poly passed away in 2011 due to cancer. The band remains somewhat of a cult favorite and can be seen as a precursor to what became the Riot-Grrl movement in the early 90's. The band didn't have a whole lot of material, but the wonderfully done 'Let's Submerge, The Anthology' captures the band fully. The album includes the album and the singles, along with their John Peel sessions and some live material from 77. An interesting band that deserves a listen.

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X

It's been a bit since I've updated this blog, so in rummaging through my collection I realized I was a bot short on the X bands. So it's a quick double shot of Punk bands. First up is the iconic Punk band X. Formed in Los Angeles in 77 by Billy Zoom and John Doe, X were among the first wave of American Punk bands that shaped the scene. The band scored a record deal with Dangerhouse records in 78 and released their first single 'Adult Books'. As the band gained attention in the LA scene the band caught the attention of Slash records and somehow managed to get former Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek to produce their debut album 'Los Angeles'. While the album gained some minor success in the mainstream media, the underground grabbed a hold and didn't let go. The band would continue to release material through the mid 80's before taking several hiatuses. The band continues to play live as a band as well as in solo projects. While initially shunned by mainstream critics, 'Los Angeles' today is revered as one of the best Punk albums ever released. I've gone ahead and uploaded the deluxe version which features the Dangerhouse Records cuts as well as some demos.

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Worm Ouroboros

Closing out the W's is Bay Area band Worm Ouroboros. The band plays what could be described as Atmospheric/Doom/Shoegaze metal. A trio by nature the band is comprised of members of Ludicra and Agalloch. Led by two females in Bassist/Keyboardist, Lorranie Rath and Vocalist/Guitarist Jessica Way, the band is rounded out by former Ludicra and current Agalloch drummer Aesop Dekker. Released in 2012 'Come The Thaw' is a solid album, but not one that's for everyone. This is a bit more turned down, dark and deeper metal you wanna throw on during a dark night. While dark and somewhat mysterious, the songs are quite lengthy but still manage to keep you listening intently without being bored senseless. Worth a listen if you're looking to expand your listening pleasures.

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Woods Of Ypres

From Sweden we venture to the great white north of Canada for the next post here. Woods Of Ypres were a Melodic/Doom Death Metal band that hailed from Canada. Having somewhat of a reputation in the underground, drawing comparisons to bands like Agalloch, Fen and Ulver, the band released five albums in a decade before the tragic death of frontman David Gold. Each album possess its own unique sound a vibe and sometimes a tongue in cheek song or two. But the foreshadowing on the final album 'Woods 5: Grey Skies And Electric Light' may have been a bit to eerie. Songs like 'Career Suicide (Is Not Real Suicide)' and 'Kiss My Ashes (Goodbye)' remain the standout tracks on the album. David's passing was unexpected and tragic and unfortunately meant the end of the band. However tribute shows and a forthcoming tribute album keep his memory alive. Note this is the advance copy of the album that was released by Earache Records shortly after David's passing.

I got into this band not long before David's passing. I found the comparisons to Agalloch to hard to ignore and after a few listens to 'Woods 4: The Green Album' I was hooked. Songs like 'Wet Leather' and 'I Was Buried In Mount Pleasent Cemetery' were both tongue in cheek and epic all at once.I'm not sure a lot of people got this band, but the stories about what a great guy David was are all too much to ignore. Truly a great band that sadly ended before they reached their full potential.

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Witchery

Time to speed things up with some Blackened Thrash Metal from Sweden. Witchery has been somewhat of a cult metal band since the late 90's. Formed out of the ashes of Satanic Slaughter and featuring members of The Haunted and Mercyful Fate, the band plays what can be best described at a Blackened Thrash approach to Metal. Releasing five albums and an EP since 98, the bands latter release have been years apart, with their last effort 'Witchkrieg' released in 2010. The band had a pretty solid lineup until recently with a drummer replacement and two vocalist changes, the band rarely preforms live. Legend has it though the early shows were really intense. The albums have always been fairly solid and featuring numerous guests musicians along the likes of Hank Shermann (Mercyful Fate), Kerry King (Slayer) and Gary Holt (Exodus), the band continues to remain a cult favorite. I decided to go with the EP here though. 'Witchburner' is a short and sweet EP featured four covers songs from Accept, WASP, Black Sabbath and Judas Priest in addition to a few original tracks. This EP is what sold me on the band. From the opening scream in 'Fast As A Shark' to the last shrieks of 'Witchburner' this album is 25 minutes of pure metal worthy of your time.

Witchery were actually one of the first extreme metal bands I got into. I had heard some material off their record 'Dead, Hot And Ready' and really dug it. From there I got into The Haunted and and I was already into Mercyful Fate and the more darker side of Metal. Funny story about the band though. I actually own the shirt for 'Dead, Hot And Ready' and it's a somewhat obscene shirt. For those not familiar with the cover art go Google it. The back of the shirt says "Dead Hot And Ready" in large letters. I happened to be out in LA at the time visiting the Natural History Museum of all place when I had a school teacher with a group of prolly 5th grader come up to me and compliment the shirt. I walked off laughing, she seemed sincere about it too. Anyways it's a shame this band never got real big. The reviews are always great and we always want something new from them.

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Steve Winwood

A while back I did a post that featured the band Traffic. Well this post can be seen as somewhat of a continuation of that previous post, as this one will focus of the Traffic frontman Steve Winwood. Maybe best known for his work in the Spencer Davis Group, Traffic, Blind Faith or even his solo career, Steve Winwood remains one of rocks legendary vocalists. While as a student he would back blues greats when they toured the UK and by 14 he was a member of The Spencer Davis Group. After leaving the group in 67 Winwood formed Traffic and became somewhat more well known across the pond. In addition to playing in some great rock groups he's also played with some other well known musicians on some famous records. Playing with the likes of Jimi Hendrix ('Electric Ladyland'), Marianne Faithfull ('Broken English'), and George Harrison's self titled album. It's hard to solo out any one album he's done or played on, so thankfully there's the '20th Century Masters: Best Of Steve Winwood'. While this focuses mainly on his work in The Spencer Davis Group and Traffic, it highlights some of his best work.

Traffic for me still remains as one of my favorite bands of all time. That's one band I can throw any record on from them and just relax or jam out to. I've had the pleasure to see Winwood twice now, once with Eric Clapton and once solo with his band. Both shows have been nothing short of amazing. It's rare to see someone who's been in the music business for so long still continue to perform at such a high level and continue to tour year after year. Sure it happens occasionally but rarely is it ever on this level.

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Soulville

Time to move into the W bands this week and I'm behind so here's what to expect, a lot of interesting material. Starting off the W's with some Jazz though. Ben Webster was one of the early influential Tenor Saxophonists to come out of the Jazz scene. Nicknamed 'The Brute' and 'Frog' Webster along with Coleman Hawkins was considered to be one of the giants in the swing tenors. Early in Webster's career he played along side such legends as Count Basie, Benny Goodman, and Cab Calloway before landing a gig playing with Duke Ellington. While he continued to play through the 40's and 50's, Webster eventually settled down and called Denmark home. He died in 73 follow a cerebral hemorrhage. While revered in America, in Denmark the Ben Webster foundation is dedicated to spreading the Jazz throughout the country. One of his biggest albums came in 57 with his Quintet. 'Soulville'  is a recording of a session with the Oscar Peterson Trio. Regarded as one of his finer albums through his golden run in the 50's, this album remains a fan favorite.

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Working Man

Closing out the Various albums with a tribute to Rush. 'Working Man: A Tribute To Rush' was released way back in 96. Put together by then Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy. An early tribute album that featured well known musicians from the Metal scene. Artists include, Sebastain Bach (Skid Row), Jake E. Lee (Ozzy Osbourne), Mike Portnoy (ex Dream Theater), James Murphy (ex Death), George Lynch (ex Dokken), Billy Sheehan (Mr. Big), and Devin Townsend (SYL). This is a pretty solid tribute record, minus the horrible cover art. Worth a listen if you are a Rush fan.

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We All Love Ennio

Time to switch things up a bit and veer away from the metal and the heavy stuff and go to a lighter classic note. The name Ennio Morricone may not ring any bells at first, but chances are you've heard a piece by the Italian composer. If you've ever seen 'The Good, The Bad and The Ugly' then you've head of Morricone. 'We All Love Ennio Morricone' is a 2007 tribute to the composer. The album features a diverse group of artists including Metallica, Yo-Yo Ma, Quincy Jones, Celine Dion, Bruce Springsteen, and Roger Waters. This really is a great collection of tunes here they pay homage to the legendary producer. Grab it if for anything the nifty proper cover of 'The Ecstasy Of Gold' from Metallica.

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We're A Happy Family

Haven't had a Punk compilation here yet, so high time to put one up. 'We're A Happy Family: A Tribute To The Ramones' was released in 2003. Headed up by Johnny Ramone, the artwork done by Rob Zombie and the liner notes by Stephen King, the project is one of the better Ramones tribute albums out there. Featuring bands like the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rob Zombie, KISS, U2, Eddie Vedder, The Pretenders, Green Day and Metallica, this album doesn't lack the star power at all. Each band does make the song their own unique version which is always a plus. Grab this if you are a Ramones fan or a fan of any of the bands on here, very much worth your time.

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Tribute To The Beast

Time for another covers compilation album. This time it's Iron Maiden. There are quite a few Maiden tribute records out there. There are some decent ones and 'A Tribute To The Beast' is one of those. Released by Nuclear Blast was released in 2002 and features bands like Six Feet Under, Children Of Bodom, Sinergy, Dark Tranquillity, Rage, Cradle Of Filth, and Opeth. Some good covers on here, some not no great. Maiden is one of the trickier bands to cover. Once again worth a listen for the Maiden fans.

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Sucking The 70's

Final week of Various stuff before I finish up with some X, Y and Z bands. Again a varied mix of material this week. Starting off with the compilation album 'Sucking The 70's'. Released in 2002 on Small Stone Records, this two CD compilation features Stoner Rock/Metal and Southern Metal bands covering some classic 70's tunes. Bands included are the likes of Clutch, Fireball Ministry, Alabama Thunderpussy, Five Horse Johnson, Porn (The Men Of), and Scott Reeder. Very interesting take on the tracks here, this is really a good compilation record even if you are not a fan of the Stoner Metal scene. Worth a listen though.

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SIN-Atra

Wrapping up this week of oddness is some more oddness. Tribute albums are always interesting for many reasons, but this one makes you wonder what gave them this idea. Let's take one of America's best loved crooners in Frank Sinatra and let's give his songs a metal twist. Oh and we'll get singers like Devin Townsend, Joey Belladonna (Anthrax), Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple), and Dee Snider (Twisted Sister). Oddly enough this sort of works. Not everything here is great though. Obviously the Devin Townsend track is a bit tongue in cheek as things tend to be with Devy. The album does have one bit of interest, it does feature the late Warrant singer Jani Lane, which to date is his last recorded track. Overall this album is good for a laugh or for the die hard fans.

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Rockabye Baby

Today's post is geared as somewhat of a joke as well as towards those of you who may be parents. That's right it's time to break out the raffy tape, Metal style. 'Rockabye Baby! Metallica' is a kid lullaby friendly CD full of classic Metallica songs. In fact the series features over 50 bands to date, everything from the likes of Rush, Muse, The Police, Radiohead, U2, The Ramones and The Beatles. The music is lullaby versions of the original songs, so needless to say it's very different. It's a good album to throw on for the wee ones or something if ya can't sleep.

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Roadrunner Allstars

Today's post is a bit odd as it features a collection of past and present musicians who have been associated with the RoadRunner Records label. 'Roadrunner United' is an album based around four captains. The captains chosen were Joey Jordison (Slipknot/Murderdolls), Matt Heafy (Trivium), Dino Cazares (Fear Factory/Brujeria) and Robert Fylnn (Machine Head/Vio-Lence). Released in 2005 the album boasts 57 musicians from 45 past and present RoadRunner acts. Vocalists range from the likes of Howard Jones (ex Killswitch Engage), Glenn Benton (Deicide), Dani Filth (Cradle Of Filth), Matt Heafy (Trivium), Mikael Akerfeld (Opeth), and King Diamond. The 'backing' bands feature members of the like of Slipknot, King Diamond, Coal Chamber, Trivium, Annihilator, Death, Stone Sour, Soulfly and many many more. Musically it's a pretty solid collection of original material. This was a really well thought out project. Well worth a listen if for anything the quality of musicians on this record.

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Re-Machined

Time for a Deep Purple tribute record. Released in 2012, 'Re-Machined: A Tribute To Deep Purple's Machine Head' is just what the album title says, a tribute to one of Rock's best albums. The album features the likes of Santana, Jacoby Shaddix, Chickenfoot, Black Label Society, The Flaming Lips, Glenn Hughes, Iron Maiden and Metallica. There are tow very different takes on 'Smoke On The Water', the more straight forward version with Carlos Santana and Papa Roach frontman Jacoby Shaddix and then there's the wtf version that The Flaming Lips do. Which after thirty seconds of listening will have you wondering why it's on here. Most notably though is Metallica's choice to do a B-side from the album in 'When A Blind Man Cries', which is the last new thing Metallica has released of late. All in all this is a pretty good tribute album with some rocking cuts. Worth a listen, just skip over that Flaming Lips track.

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Monterey Pop

Back with some more Various stuff from the depths of my collection. How bout some Festival love? The Monterey International Pop Festival was held on June 16-18th 1967 in Monterey California. The festival featured such acts as The Association, The Mammas & Papas, Canned Heat, Ravi Shankar, Buffalo Springfield, The Who, Otis Redding and many more. The festival is considering the starting point for the Hippie movement which ended with Altamont. The festival is also a turning point in music as it's the introduction of Janis Joplin who played with Big Brother And Holding Company and also the introduction stateside if you will of Jimi Hendrix. Hendrix of course is most remembered here for lighting his guitar on fire before smashing it. The festival was filmed and later turned into a movie directed by DA Pennebaker which showcases some of the artists. The festival was seen as a precursor to Woodstock and remains one of the more successful and memorable festivals of the time. So here's a 2 CD collection that features just about everyone on the bill. Great performances here by some great bands.

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Power Up!

Dust off the dust the blog is back. Some what at least. Been a few weeks, moving around and the likes. So this was supposed to cap off the last week of Various crap I had posted, but never got around to it. So flashback to the 80's and most of you were playing the NES, well least the cool kids. 'Power Up! 8 Bit Mutations and Variations' is a collection of Power Metal themed NES songs. Granted it's pretty tough to turn MIDI tunes into something worthwhile. Really more of something to get you in that nostalgic mood. So dust of the NES and pop in some Zelda cause it's time to save the ol girl.

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King Diamond Tribute

Again a few weeks back I posted the Dwell tribute to King Diamond. Again sub par tribute. This time around I'm posting the Necropolis Records 'Tribute To King Diamond'. Some more well known bands on here including Dark Funeral, Ancient, and Usurper. The music here is a lot more polished and while retaining their own sounds, tend to sound more like the originals. This is the better tribute of the two released.

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Metallic Storm

Time for a NWOBHM compilation. 'Metallic Storm' was released by the tiny label Ebony Records back in 82. The album featured a collection of unknown bands at the time. In fact the only bad to gain attention off the label is Mercyful Fate. This record features the first recording of "Black Funeral" by the band. Different versions would appear on 'Melissa' and 'The Beginning'. The album if anything is somewhat a sought after record. This is a vinyl rip of the record, so quality is a bit off. Perfect for the NWOBHM fan though.

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Tribute To ABBA

Another tribute album here and perhaps one of the more bizarre ones. In 2001 Nuclear Blast released 'A Tribute To ABBA', which features some hard rock and metal bands covering the mighty ABBA. Now you might question how well this works. Well on some levels really good and on others it's quite laughable. For the most part there's only a few big named bands on here, Therion, Sinergy, Flowing Tears, and Helloween. The rest is filled out by underground bands that never really went very far. Worth a download if you are really an ABBA fan or just really curious.

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Metallic Assult

Another week and some more compilations and what not. Starting things off is a tribute to Metallica entitled, 'Metallic Assault: A Tribute To Metallica'. This is a tribute album that featured musicians from many different bands covering some Metallica classics. Musicians include the likes of Scott Ian and Joey Belladonna from Anthrax, Jon Oliva (Savatage), Robert Trujillo (Metallica), Mikkey Dee and Lemmy from Motorhead, Bruce Kulick and Eric Singer from KISS and loads more. The covers aren't too far off from the originals, but they maintain their own identity. Stand out track for me is the cover of "Nothing Else Matters" featuring Jon Oliva and Lemmy. Worth a listen if you're a Metallica fan.

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Metal Massacre

Closing out the week with Metal Blade Records most famous release perhaps. 'Metal Massacre'  was the compilation album that brought a little band called Metallica to the masses. Originally released in 82, the album featured bands, Steeler, Bitch, Malice, Ratt, Avatar, Cirith Ungol, Demon Flight, Pandemonium, and Metallica, who were actually listed as Mettallica incorrectly. The track "Hit The Lights" was the bands first real recording and featured Lloyd Grant on Guitar. The album was reissued again in 84, this time with some slight tweeks. The Ratt track was omitted and the Steeler track was replaced by Black 'N Blue. In addition "Hit The Lights" was reworked and now featured Dave Mustaine on lead Guitar. Up for sampling is the 2nd pressing of the album. Nice slice of the early days of Heavy Metal.

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Mercyful Fate Tribute

Few weeks back I posted a Mercyful Fate tribute from Dwell Records. Not the best tribute album, but there were some stand out tracks. This time around I have another Mercyful Fate tribute, this time around from Listenable Records. Released in 97 by the French label, this tribute features some more well known acts covering Mercyful tunes. Featured here are bands like Emperor, Dimension Zero, Dark Tranquillity, Immolation, and former Mercyful Fate drummer Snowy Shaw. This tribute focuses solely on material from the bands first few releases. A little more darker and evil is this tribute, but musically it's done very well all the way around.

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Maiden Heaven

Another tribute album from the lads over at Kerrang!. This time it's an Iron Maiden tribute. 'Maiden Heaven' was released in 2008 with Kerrang Issue 1219. This tribute album features the likes of Metallica, Avenged Sevenfold, Black Tide, Dream Theater, DevilDriver, Coheed and Cambria, Machine Head, Trivium and many more putting their spin on some Iron Maiden classics. This is a pretty solid tribute through and through here. Metallica covering 'Remember Tomorrow' properly this time around instead of goofing on it during live shows like they have done in the past. This is one of the better Iron Maiden tribute albums out there. Worth a listen in my books.

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Kerrang! Presents Remastered

Time for another tribute album, this one a little more true in the sense of the word. Kerrang! Magazine has been a fine magazine in the UK for many years and recently have starting doing tribute albums. Released in 2006, 'Remastered: Metallica's Master Of Puppets Revisited'. The album features bands such as Mastodon, Funeral For A Friend, Machine Head, Bullet For My Valentine, Chimaria, and Trivium, playing a track from Metallica's landmark record 'Master Of Puppets'. Nothing really special here, a good idea for a tribute record though.

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Judas Priest Tribute

Back with some tribute albums this week. First up is a Judas Priest tribute. 'A Tribute To Judas Priest: Legends Of Metal' was released in 97. There are two volumes that were released, up for grab is the first Volume. Released by Century Media stateside the albums features bands like, Mercyful Fate, Devin Townsend, Testament, Saxon and Fates Warning covering some of Judas Priest's classics. Some really good cuts here including the live version of 'Sinner' by Devin Townsend and the not found anywhere else cut of Mercyful Fate's take on 'The Ripper'. Somewhat of an overlooked tribute album that is worth a listen.

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Identity

For years Century Media would release a collection of artists in a series they dubbed 'Identity'. These came out ever year or so and featured a who's who of artists and bands that were currently signed to the label. Fans could pick up the album for under $5 and it was never short of good music. Some years back the series was discontinued, I think 'Vol. 8' was the last one in the series. Nevertheless I dug out 'Vol. 2' for your listening pleasure. This features some of the older acts on the label. Some bands like Only Living Witness, Stuck Mojo, Trouble, Chum, The Gathering, Punky Brusster (Devin Townsend's short lived joke Punk side project), Eyehategod, 454 Big Block and Emperor. 18 tracks in all here that harken back to the early days of a great label.

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God Of War

Time for some Video Game related release. God Of War is a popular video game on the Playstation network, so it makes perfect sense to release a Metal EP in conjunction with their God Of War 3 release right? Released in 2010 it's an EP of RoadRunner artists including Killswitch Engage, Dream Theater, and Opeth. While nothing special 'God Of War: Blood & Metal' does feature some tracks not featured anywhere else. Nothing special really here, worth a listen if ya wanna hear some one off tracks.

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Gigantour

Far behind on the postings so here's some to keep ya held over. First up is the Dave Mustaine created festival Gigantour. Founded in 2005, the touring festival has toured sporadically through the US and overseas. The festival features bands hand picked by Mustaine that showcase guitar playing as well as high energy performances. Over the years the lineup has included bands like Megadeth, Dream Theater, Overkill, Opeth, Into Eternity, Arch Enemy, Fear Factory, Life of Agony, Nevermore, Motorhead and Lacuna Coil. There have been releases of the first two Gigantour tours on CD/DVD. I decided to go with the Vol. 2 here which features, The SmashUp, Sanctity, Into Eternity, Opeth, Arch Enemy, Overkill, Lamb Of God and Megadeth. Solid mix of songs from all the bands here. Worth a listen for some live cuts that weren't released anywhere else.

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The Concert For George

Continuing on with another benefit show. This time around it's 'The Concert For George'. This show was held on the anniversary of George Harrison's death. Organized by George's wife Olivia and son Dhani, under the musical direction of Eric Clapton and Jeff Lynne. The concert took place at Royal Albert Hall on November 29, 2002, with proceeds of the show going to the Material World Charitable Foundation. The album was split into two parts. The first part containing more of an Indian music flair with Ravi Shankar's daughter Anoushka playing a few numbers. After a interlude, the band kicks into high gear playing some of George's hits. The band included the likes of, Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Billy Preston, Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty, Dhani Harrison, Albert Lee, Joe Brown, Jools Holland and Jim Capaldi.Again one of the better live shows that you will ever hear, this is simply a must listen to.

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The Concert For Bangladesh

Starting off the week with a bit of Beatles like benefit concerts. First up this week is the legendary 1971 concert 'The Concert For Bangladesh'. Organized by former Beatle George Harrison and Sitar master Ravi Shankar, the concert was staged in order to promote the war ravaged and poverty stricken county of Bangladesh. Recorded live at Madison Square Garden on August 1, 1971, the concert featured in addition to Harrison and Shankar, Leon Russell, Ringo Starr, Billy Preston, Eric Clapton, and Bob Dylan. The album features both Harrison's solo works and some Beatles songs. Rumors swirled that the concert would feature a Beatles reunion, but neither Lennon or McCartney were on board with the idea. The album was produced by Phil Spector and was originally released as a triple LP, the album got the remastered treatment in 2005 and included two bonus tracks. Proceeds of the album continue to go to the George Harrison for UNICEF fund. A landmark in benefit concerts as well as live albums, this is truly a must listen.

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Curse Of The Demon

Next up is the Dwell tribute to Mercyful Fate. 'Curse Of The Demon: A Tribute To Mercyful Fate' was released in 2000 and feature some more well known bands covering Mercyful Fate. Once again like the tribute to King Diamond, there are some odd choices for songs to cover, i.e. 'At The Sound Of The Demon Bell' and 'Torture (1629)'. This one spans covers from the 'Nuns Have No Fun' EP up to 'Dead Again'. Bands on this one include, Soilwork, Vital Remains, Memory Garden, Acheron, Morta Skuld, and Dan Swano. Musically this is a little better. There is a Mercyful Fate connection here with the band Hemsifear, as current Mercyful Fate guitarist Mike Wead plays guitar in the band. Overall again, nothing great, but worth a listen for the dedicated fans.

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Church Of The Devil

Finishing off this week of various albums with a double shot of tribute albums from the label Dwell. Dwell was a label that really specialized in metal tribute records featuring up and coming or unknown bands. At one point they did have a small roster that included Soilent Green. However we will focus on the King Diamond tribute first. 'Church Of The Devil: A Tribute To King Diamond' was released back in 2000 and features a few bands that you may have heard of. The album features songs from 'Fatal Portrait' up until 'The Graveyard'. There are some odd choices for songs to cover here, i.e. 'The Poltergeist' and 'The Wedding Dream'. The bands feature on here are for the most part unknown and now split up. Perhaps the most known bands are here are Ion Vein, Prototype, Estuary, and Black Witchery. The covers in general are a bit rough in spot, some are a bit better than others. It is rather hard to cover the King after all. Not one of the better tributes, but still worth a listen.

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Century Media Covers

Continuing on with the Century Media label in today's post, we jump ahead to something the label put out to celebrate their 20th year anniversary. 'Century Media - Covering Twenty Years Of Extremes' is an interesting double album. It's all Century Media bands covering songs from current and past Century Media artists. This is really a unique idea for a compilation album. You have a lot of great bands on here paying some respect to some really great bands. Few examples include, Arch Enemy covering Dream Evil and vice versa. Dark Tranquillity covering Sentenced. The Agonist covering Dark Tranquillity. In This Moment covering Lacuna Coil. Cryptopsy covering Strapping Young Lad. Firewind covering Nevermore and the list goes on. As with most cover albums, some are good, some not so much. Good stuff overall and worth checking out.

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Century Media

There are a few decent Metal labels still around today that really stand behind and promote their artists. Century Media is one of those labels. In fact they've been doing it for over Twenty years now. The label always puts out samplers and the likes to promote their artists. I have a number of these, but I decided to go with the bonus disc from the 'Tenth Anniversary' box set. Originally the box set was a 3 CD set that covered some of the past and present bands signed to the label. Released in 2001, the box set was a limited release and is somewhat of a rare find nowadays. The last CD in the set was a collection of rare B-sides and Live tracks. At the time of release unless you were a collector most of these tracks were pretty hard to find. However in the modern digital age where the majority of classic albums are getting the deluxe treatment, most of these are probably not so rare anymore. In any case featured here are B-Sides and Live cuts from the likes of, Grave, Samael, Unleashed, Nevermore, Moonspell, The Gathering, Sentenced, Tiamat, Arch Enemy, and Dark Tranquillity. This is a solid collection of tunes, and worth a listen if you dig the B-Sides like I do.

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