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A straight down, high quality, hard rocker. The Cult’s fourth album and most commercially successful; ‘Sonic Temple’ is a monster album. From the opening moments of ‘Sun King’ all the way through ‘Medicine Train,’ ‘Sonic Temple’ is a feast of excellent production, high quality song writing and pure, bad ass riffs. Not to mention the jam elements. And much of it is layered with a decent portion of groove. The Bob Rock produced masterpiece still remains the bands strongest effort. In a pretty long string of albums. Here’s a look at why it would suffice as a desert island album.

To start it’s a straight down album. Meaning there’s no track that you skip. Each song is strong and serves a purpose to heighten the album. ‘Sun King’ is one of the most bad ass album openers ever. A simple, yet effective song. It’s sly and sleek. Yet rocks hard in your face. And it’s statement opening track saying, ‘get ready, this album is gonna kick your ass.’ The follow up, ‘Firewoman’ is a nearly perfect single. The opening guitar melody is iconic for a reason. The album coasts on strength for the next tracks. Including the hit ‘Edie (Ciao Baby)’ and the sexy concert staple ‘Sweet Soul Sister.’

The back side of the album is just as good as the front. At times even better. ‘Automatic Blues’ is one of the catchiest riffs I’ve ever heard. It’s one of those all day riffs that you can listen to over and over again. Plus the groove gives the song a hot twist. Not to mention Billy Duffy’s guitar solo. Super glad the band have thrown it back into the setlist. ‘New York City’ is a high energy, straight forward rocker. And again, just a killer guitar solo. With a great instrumental jam in the background. ‘Wake Up It’s Time For Freedom’ has a pre-alternative hard rock sound almost. In fact, even though the album is recognized as an 80’s hard rock classic. It also has moments of where hard rock would go in the following decade.

What also excellent about the album is the production. It’s Bob Rock at his peak. It has that recognizable phat drum sound he is known for. And the bass is mixed in nearly perfectly. He captured The Cult at their very best. And The Cult at their very best is a force to be reckoned with. So celebrate this record in all of it’s excellence. As the band are on a 30th anniversary tour of the perfect album. I just wish they would release a 30th anniversary edition of the album with a live album from the tour attached.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETv_-_jAgYA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4v62SBN1d8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CwmlHJJ77k

Alright, I know I’ve been posting a lot about Van Halen lately. But I’ve been listening to this album and I feel like it deserves it’s due. Not only is it most likely the last Van Halen album of all newly written songs, it’s a misunderstood gem that gets thrown under the bus more often than it should. Don’t get me wrong, there are song really strange moments on the record that do not work well in any capacity. But there’s also some pretty sick moments on the album.

For starters, the opening track and lead single ‘Without You’ is a classic, funky Van Halen track. The riff is strong and AVH’s drums sounds crisp and phat. The prelude is a nice acoustic piece. But it doesn’t really serve too much. Particularly with the one, two, three, four punch of ‘Without You,’ ‘One I Want,’ ‘From Afar’ and ‘Dirty Water Dog.’ And honestly, those songs might not be completely up to par with some of the greats. But they’re a far cry from what people say about the album. They’re quality tracks. They sound like Van Halen. Eddie is using both is classic distorted and clean tone. And he puts it to good use.

The first real misstep of the album is ‘Once.’ It’s hard to explain. It’s a far far cry from a quality Van Halen ballad. It’s just not that good. And it really doesn’t feel like Van Halen. I think it’s tracks like this that drag the quality of what does work down. People hear songs like ‘Once’ and go, ‘this is awful, this isn’t Van Halen.’ And they certainly have a point. But the album recovers with the very overlooked ‘Fire In The Hole.’ It’s such a bad ass Van Halen classic. Excellent groove, feel good melodies and heavy riffs that dig under the funk skin. ‘Josephina’ is not a strong track. Again, dragging down what makes the album work. ‘Year To The Day’ is a hard song to pin point. The first movement of the song doesn’t really light any fires. But it does move into a killer, bluesy song with a pretty decent EVH solo. ‘Primary’ is an unnecessary interlude that doesn’t add anything to the album. But god damn if ‘Ballot Or The Bullet’ isn’t one of the most killer Van Halen tracks I don’t know what is. Don’t dismiss songs like this because it’s not DLR or Sammy Hagar singing. It’s so funky and heavy and really just what was all great about 90’s hard rock. Unfortunately the album ends on a very very low note. The piano ballad ‘How Many Say I?’ Sung by Eddie Van Halen. It’s just mindblowingly horrendous. Eddie can’t sing, the song arrangement is boring a bland, not only that it actually just sounds bad. The chords doesn’t work. The lack of melody is offensive. And the song lasts for six minutes!! It’s without a doubt Van Halen’s biggest misstep in their entire career. To the point that it pretty much ruined it. It’s the prime example how bad the album can be. And it’s red meat for the haters of the album.

That being said, it’s not Gary Cerone’s fault. He was a hired gun who did his job. And to be frank, he did it really really well. Just look at the live footage from the era. He can sing all of Van Halen’s discography flawlessly. And he’s also a great frontman. Watch some live Extreme footage from the Beacon Theater. Recorded in 1992. He slays. And he sings on one of the most overlooked hard rock albums of all time. And the proof is in the tour in the international markets. Examples below. Unfortunatly, due to the failure of the album in the American market, this would be Van Halen’s final album of all new songs.

What are some of your favorite tracks on the album?

The second collection in a series of four covers Def Leppard’s 90’s material. And there’s really some great gems from that decade from the Sheffield natives. Everything from traditional top tier albums like ‘Adrenalize’ to more experimental albums like the underrated ‘Slang.’ Yes, the second collection has the goods. And it’s delivered in excellent packaging. Complete with hardcover booklet with unseen photos and essays on each album. Plus there’s the three rarities discs added to the set. Really the only direct criticism I can think of is that they didn’t put an audio version of their full 1999 concert in Tokyo. Or a remastered audio of the massive Johannesburg, South Africa show from the ‘Slang’ tour. But I would say that if you’re a fairly big Def Leppard fan, the box set is worth the money. The remasters sound good. Some of the albums in the set haven’t received remasters, so it’s nice to get some higher bit masters.

Adrenalize

Really really good album. Not quite as strong as ‘Pyromania’ or ‘Hysteria.’ But it’s a very strong effort none the less. And as we all know it’s dedicated to the late Steve Clark. Phil Collen handles all the guitar parts seamlessly. And while some tracks travel into self parody (‘Make Love Like A Man’ and ‘I Wanna Touch U.’ Not to mention the music video for the smash hit ‘Let’s Get Rocked’), there’s a consistent strength in the songwriting. The riffs and grooves are top notch. The vocal harmonies are off the charts as usual. Particularly on the introduction to ‘Tonight.’ And, as always, the production is up to the classic Def Leppard standard. The albums centerpiece ‘White Lightning’ may be in Def Lep’s top ten tracks. I sure wish they’d play it more. ‘Personal Property’ and ‘Tear It Down’ keeps the hard rocking side of the band alive and well. While the ballads: ‘Tonight,’ Stand Up (Kick Love Into Motion) and ‘Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad?’ show that Def Leppard still have the sensitivity to capture the magic of ‘Headed For A Heartbreak.’

Retro-Active

This album serves a few purposes. First, it kept the momentum of ‘Adrenalize’ alive by being released a short year later. Which would prove to be imperative to the bands survival through the 90’s music scenes. Second, it introduced Vivian Cambell to the studio album world of Def Leppard. And third, it’s a compilation of strong b-sides along with unreleased and newly recorded outtakes. There’s certainly enough fresh recordings to call the album ‘new.’ Not just a rehash album. ‘Desert Song’ and ‘Fractured Love’ are one of the strongest one, two punches on any Def Lep album. Their cover of ‘Action’ is loaded with passion. ‘Ride Into The Sun,’ ‘Ring Of Fire’ and ‘She’s Too Tough’ hold the heavier side of the band down. The former being a track from their original Ep. Some of the best rockers of the post classic era. ‘Two Steps Behind’ was a hit ballad and is still a concert staple. ‘From The Inside’ has an interesting classical vibe to it. With excellent use of the mandolin and other classical instruments. ‘Only After Dark’ has a really killer vibe. Think of a heavier David Bowie. Just a great groove. A solid album that kept the band alive for the 90’s.

Slang

This album is without question the most underrated and misunderstood album in all of Def Leppard’s catalog. I honestly freakin’ love this album. It’s a near perfect record from top to bottom. Strong songwriting throughout. My only criticism is that it has one too many ballads. But one of them, ‘All I Want Is Everything’ ranks among one of Def Leppard’s best ballads ever. I think that some people didn’t know how to react to the more organic production of the album. It is the first album that Rick Allen played an acoustic drum set on an album since his accident. There’s a more raw production to the album that serves the band. Particularly in this era. The first five songs: ‘Truth?,’ ‘Turn to Dust,’ ‘Slang,’ ‘All I Want Is Everything,’ and the Vivian Cambell written ‘Work It Out,’ are one of the strongest starts to any Def Leppard album. The grooves, the melodies are all there. The back end of the album isn’t quite a strong. But the grunge like ‘Deliver Me,’ the hard rocking ‘Gift of Flesh’ and the enigmatic ‘Pearl Of Euphoria’ are enough to keeps the album among Lep’s strongest.

Euphoria

1999’s ‘Euphoria’ has the distinction of being what I would call the last great Def Leppard album. Sure, there’s some really good songs after this album on ‘X,’ ‘Songs From The Sparkle Lounge’ and the self titled album. But for the most part those albums, along with their 2006 cover album, just don’t hold up to the first nine records. ‘Demolition Man’ and ‘Promises’ really kick off the album right. A classic Def Leppard one, two punch. A hard rocking opener followed by a ‘Photograph’-esqe ‘Promises.’ The only low point on the album is ‘Back In Your Face.’ It’s just a little too polished. The clap snare is extremely annoying. But the album gets right back on track with the classic ballad ‘Goodbye’ and the Prince like track ‘All Night.’ The latter really sounds like something you might have heard Prince do on his Batman soundtrack. The incredible ‘Paper Sun’ follows. It’s pure gold Def Leppard. From the darker mood of the intro, verses and chorus, to the bad ass breakdown that comes out of nowhere. ‘It’s Only Love’ shows where the band would go on their next album ‘X.’ Then classic, blasting through your speakers, 80’s hard rock Def Lep blows the electricity. It’s one of the most overlooked songs in their entire catalog. Despite the elementary lyrics. ‘To Be Alive’ has a similar vibe to U2. ‘Disintegrate’ is a killer instrumental piece. Really just a great piece of music. ‘Guilty’ brings back the greatness of the ‘Hysteria’ era ballad. ‘Day After Day’ and ‘Kings of Oblivion’ close the album superbly. The bridge on the former is one of the tastiest Def Lep moments. And the latter closes the album with high quality energy. Yes, ‘Euphoria’ is truly Def Leppard’s last great album. And it truly is a great album.

Rarities Vols 2, 3 & 4

These are pretty much the reason to get the box set. The unreleased studio and live material. Like I said before it would have been better if they had attached an audio of their 1996 South Africa show or their 1999 show in Tokyo. But there’s enough live material to make it worth the purchase. Def Leppard have released audios of a plethora of live material in the past few years. And when you combine them in a playlist with the newly released live material consisting of performances from ‘Live…In The Club In Your Face,’ ‘Live in Singapore,’ ‘Live In Montreal’ and a few cuts from the 1999 Tokyo show. When you put them together it’s a pretty legit collection of live tracks. 19 in all, which is great because Def Lep is so good live. And it’s cool to see all the live eras of the band during the decade. The Montreal tracks offer a glimpse into the ‘Slang’ tour. One of the most interesting times for the band. The club tracks create an intimate surrounding without compromising the energy of a big show. Plus, there’s countless unreleased material, demos and other treats hidden in the set.

All in all the new CD/Vinyl collection from Def Leppard is absolutely worth the price of admission. It’s got some the bands strongest material on it. Complete with so much bonus material it’s almost worth the price for just those. What are your favorite Def Leppard albums and songs from the 90’s?

Ahhh the 4th of July. A touchstone, summer holiday full of the wonderous freedoms that we enjoy. Such as: Beer, meat, various styles of chips, rocket pops, fellowship and colored bombs that explode in the sky. It’s also a great day to jam out on your favorite hard rock and metal tracks. Even though metal was invented in England, it’s still a patriotic beacon in the music world for the United States. And it covers all sides of our countries political spectrum. While also being a fun, hard partying style of music. Depending on what band you’re listening to of course. Yes, hard rock and metal are the perfect genres for the 4th of July. Well, besides country of course. So here’s a look at the top ten hard rock/metal songs that are perfect for the 4th.

American Metalhead – Sebastian Bach

Starting this list off with a little heavy metal camp. Sebastian Bach’s 2007 debut ‘Angel Down’ is through and through a pretty damn good album. Certainly better than what Skid Row have been up to since his departure. The album covers various sides of metal. From heavier, more modern sounds like the title track and ‘Negative Light.’ To traditional classic metal such as ‘(Love Is) A Bitchslap’ and the fun ‘American Metalhead.’ The latter being a perfect, campy 4th of July track. It’s just pure, Harley Davidson revving hard rock. You can just picture a gang of bikers with American flags on the back of their jackets and motorcycles. There’s certainly a self parodying side to the song. Yet there’s a nice picture of unity painted in the lyrics. So crank this 4th classic and chug a beer! HORNS UP!!

Unafraid – Queensryche

What’s really great about Queensryche’s ‘American Soldier’ album is that the band used real soldier accounts of serving. And the album unbiasedly explores the consequences of war. Not to mention the superior song writing. In fact, it would be the last great Queensryche album. The track that represents the album best is perhaps the second, ‘Unafraid.’ With a heavy groove and samples of soldier interviews, it’s a great way to commemorate those who have sacrificed so much for this country. And it also makes the listener think about what goes through the minds of returning soldiers.

Politicalamity – Extreme

It wouldn’t be America without crazy ass politics. And after the essential shit show that was the first Democratic debates, I can’t think of a more perfect track for the 4th. It’s classic, mega funky Extreme. And on their third album ‘III Sides to Every Story,’ the band took a leap forward in maturity. Instead of writing about the perils of elementary school (Mutha Don’t Wanna Go to School Today) or porn (Pornograffiti), Extreme chose to write about heavier subjects such as the crap that happens in D.C., warfare and modern prophet martyring. The former, a song entitled ‘Politicalamity’ seems more prominent that ever with it’s subject material.

Which Way To America – Living Colour

Another funky ass political charger. This time though it comes from the point of view of experiencing racism in a country that supposedly the ‘Land of the Free.’ Living Colour are a black heavy rock band. And they use the genre, combined with funk, to make an aggressive, valid point. There were actually a few songs that would have worked on this list in one way or another. But I decided to go with ‘Which Way To America’ While it’s not the heaviest track, it’s the most well rounded. It explores a couple different points of view. One being that America is doing really well. The other that the country isn’t in as good of shape as our leaders would have us think.

Let Freedom Rock – Vinnie Vincent Invasion

Here’s a fun one. This song is probably the most ‘Spinal Tap’ of the bunch. After all, it is a product of the Vinnie Vincent Invasion. Although this song is a tad silly, it still kicks ass. Opening with a Bill & Ted sounding rendition of the national anthem. Then moving into a killer, driving riff. Mark Slaughter’s vocals wail. And Vinnie’s playing is in top form. An excellent, late 80’s, hot summer night rocker. A perfect track to accompany fireworks.

4th Of July – Soundgarden

Ummmm, I actually don’t really know what this song has to actually do with the 4th of July besides the title. But it’s Soundgarden and it kicks ass either way. Instead of painting a patriotic or political picture, Soundgarden use their dark intrigue to create a morbid version of the holiday. The riff is insanely sludgy, low and heavy. The mid tempo groove is infectious. And the song displays some of Chris Cornell’s greatest vocal acrobatics. The Black Sabbath influenced song displays the metal side to the grunge movement. And in my opinion, it’s one of Soundgarden’s best.

Pvt. Ledbetter – Tesla

Going back to the patriotic side of rock. This track is essentially a thank you letter to the dedicated members of the armed forces. A genuine, heartfelt ballad with a country twist. It’s a literal track that clearly lays out what the band is trying to say. Which is ‘thanks for serving, hope you’re home soon, we’re glad to call this the land of the free.’ And the music fits the lyrics really well. Tesla always had a knack of writing complete songs. With lyrics that match the mood of the music. Pvt. Ledbetter is no exception to the rule.

Generica – Winger

Winger is without question one of the most underrated and misunderstood bands in hard rock. They combine 80’s hard rock with 70’s prog brilliantly. And while the song ‘Generica’ from their 2006 reunion album ‘IV’ has a simple chord progression; there’s still an intrigue that’s possessed in the song. It’s somewhat of a haunting groove that calls out the hypocrisies of the United States. It’s also got a killer funk rock jam. What’s also cool about this song is that it displays that Winger can write about other subjects than sex and romance. Not that it’s the only track to do so. The song is an underrated call out to Americas double standard issues. This live version displayed below showcases just kick ass the band can be on their improv jams. Amazing guitar work, drumming and all around musicianship.

Mississippi Moon – King’s X

This song does such a great job of creating a mental picture of what the beautiful American South can be. This Ty Tabor led track paints a beautiful picture of how reflective states like Mississippi can be. Sometimes the lack of population can lead to tranquil self reflection. But the song doesn’t just cover that. It showcases a vision of the beauty of the region. Something that gets overlooked I think. The sunsets are apparently beautiful. And the weather is amazing during about 8 months of the year. Seeing blue and gold.

Shout It Out Loud – KISS

While there’s no direct patriotic message in the song, KISS’ ‘Shout It Out Loud’ gives off an American vibe like no other. You can just picture a midwest, middle class neighborhood. Full of lonely kids who don’t know what to do on the weekend. Then all of a sudden they all contact each other to ‘get the party started’ and the rest is history. It’s that imagery that made the song one of KISS’ biggest hits. And it’s still a concert staple to this day. Clearly for a reason. Because it showcases the potential of the party that can ensure during the summers of middle America. And not just that but the coasts as well. A quintessential American classic rocker. So ‘shout it out loud’ and ‘get the party started.’ Rock on and horns up!!

In a recent statement talking to Classic Rock Magazine/Website, Sammy Hagar made it clear that he has no interest in a reunion with Van Halen. In fact, the singer seems to be going out of his way to not contact Eddie or Alex Van Halen. Hagar has stated, ‘I don’t want a Van Halen reunion. I’m afraid that if I reached out and really tried to contact Ed and Al, they would think I was trying to get back in the band or I was trying to do a reunion and I’m not. I’m so content with my current band The Circle – we play the Van Halen songs I wrote with Ed as good as anybody, but I’m happy to have just five or six Van Halen songs in my set. It’s almost like I don’t want to be asked to do it because I’d feel like I have to do it, but I don’t really want to. I’m sorry I don’t.’

Well there it is. The statement that I personally always feared. It sounds like a Sammy Hagar Van Halen reunion will never happen. I understand Hagar’s point of view though. He does have a very talented band that kicks major ass. The Circle, consisting of: Vic Johnson (Guitar), Jason Bonham (Drums), Michael Anthony (Bass) and of course Sammy Hagar on vocals, is certainly a welcome addition to come into the fold of supergroups. But despite how well they play the Van Halen songs it’s still not the same. It just doesn’t have the same energy. Don’t get me wrong, they sound great. Their live debut ‘At Your Service’ is really an excellent live album. Particularly their rendition of ‘Poundcake.’ Their new album, ‘Space Between,’ is also pretty decent. ‘Devil Came to Philly’ is a great, old school, shuffle opener. ‘Can’t Hang’ is a slick, hard rock ballad with a country vibe that can’t be beat. ‘Trust Fun Baby’ is a classic sounding Van Halen track. ‘Affirmation’ just oozes road trip rocker. And ‘Hey Hey (Without Greed)’ closes the album with soul and hard rocking grace.

What’s really amazing though is how well Hagar’s voice has held up over the years. And with all the drama in Van Halen with DLR and then the Michael Anthony reunion going bust you just have to wonder; what the hell are the Van Halen brothers thinking? Sammy Hagar is 72 years old and he still sounds like he’s in his 40’s or even younger. The proof is in The Circle’s first album, the live ‘At Your Service.’ Granted that was four years ago, but still. Here’s a guy who can still sing all the parts. With the original bass player for Van Halen, Micheal Anthony, who still has all his chops and then some. You don’t want to think about the reunion (like Eddie Trunk said on his show), because you know it won’t happen, but you can’t help but think about it. And it really hard not to think ‘How the hell are Eddie and Alex not taking advantage of this?!’ Are they not hearing this? Are they not hearing all the complaints that David Lee Roth can’t sing anymore? It’s almost presented on a plate. And the tour would be so massive that the universe might explode. It’s not even about the money. Why would any of the members of Van Halen need any? It’s about honoring the amazing songs that were created with Sammy Hagar, Eddie Van Halen, Michael Anthony and Alex Van Halen. Four number one albums in a row Countless top ten singles. And tours beyond nearly every one of their peers.

But the likely chance of a Van Halen reunion with Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony seems nearly non existent now. No worries however, The Circle certainly kick enough ass to fill the void. And they deserve way more recognition than they’re getting.

On Friday several rock and other popular artists filed suit against Universal Music (the worlds largest distributer of records); for a fire that occurred in a warehouse in 2008. Not only for neglect of such a mass amount of archives, but for hiding the actual damage from the artists. And it wasn’t just 20 or so years that got destroyed in the fire. Decades and decades of music perished in the flames. From the beginning of copy written records in the 20’s all the way through the 2000’s. Pretty much all the way up to the fire.

An insane amount of archival material from deceased and current artists was lost. Which can really hurt the estate side of the business. Many bands, such as Soundgarden, are dependent on releasing live and unreleased material to keep their legacy’s going. If they can’t replace the deceased member, the next best thing is releasing live and unreleased tracks. It’s awesome for fans to get unreleased live and studio work. I for one, can’t wait for ‘Live At The Artists Den’ from Soundgarden in a few weeks. Entire box sets have been made out of unreleased material. Bon Jovi’s ‘100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Can’t Be Wrong’ comes to mind. And most of all the work of that ilk was destroyed in 2008 from the fire. Many artists have paid the price.

And now many musicians and estates from deceased , musicians are taking action. As well they should. Soundgarden, Hole, the Estates of Tupac Shakur and Tom Petty have all filed suit. And they are pursuing class action status according to an NPR report. The main claim is that Universal failed to secure archives in an adequate venue. In it’s place storing the material in ‘an inadequate, substandard storage house located on the back lot of Universal Studios that was a known fire trap.’ Not only that, but the company disclosed the actual loss of archival recordings. The direct quote is, ‘UMG concealed the loss with false public statements.’ Making statements such as ‘We only lost a small amount of tapes and other material by obscure artists from the 40’s and 50’s.’

This is major! How can an entire record company, much less the biggest in the world, be so negligent? At least they could have been honest about the loss of tapes from the inception of the fire. It’s a huge blow to the rock, punk, metal, pop, disco, hip hop, jazz and any other modern music community. Legacies that were once thought redeemable in an archival sense are now gone. And not just ‘obscure artists from the 40’s and 50’s,’ but many many decades of popular trends. But the worst part of all of it is what the fans are going to miss out on. And it’s a damn shame. Who knows what could have been unearthed from some of the greatest rock and pop acts of all time. All the suits are just in my opinion. Hopefully some justice will come out of this.

June 22, a somber day for the heavy metal and hard rock community. Vinnie Paul Abbot, co founder and innovative drummer for the legendary Pantera, was found dead in Las Vegas. His death due to an enlarged heart and coronary artery disease. Yet another unexpected death in a series of rock community deaths that started with Scott Weiland in December of 2015. The trend has slowed down a little bit in 2019, but for about three years it seemed like some sort of apocalypse for aging rockers. And it was just heartbreaking learning about Vinnie Paul. One of my biggest drumming influences.

One of the elements I liked about Abbot’s drumming was how he held his sticks; at the heads instead of the ends. Which is part of what made his sound so big. That combined with sheer power and superior production skills put Vinne Paul’s drums in the top tiers of drumming. His sound was so crisp and clean. Yet heavy and phat. Which gave even the most manic of Pantera’s songs structure. His ability to thrash and sit in the pocket simultaneously has yet to be matched. And while there were drummers using double bass pedal that proceeded him, Paul took it to the next level. Accuracy and speed unlike anything people had heard before. Yes, there were fast drummer before him. But songs like ‘Strength Beyond Strength’ and the live version of ‘Becoming’ display a cleanliness that’s rarely achieved. Even by the greats.

But what’s missed most is his larger than life personality. Always welcoming, always friendly. Legendary with the fans. He and his brother Dime truly cared about forming a community. And they were constantly smiling. Except for album booklet photos and all that of course. But the sheer joy they got out of playing what they loved together is forever inspiring. Vinnie’s heart was truly too big for this world. We’ll miss your talents and your much needed sense of community.

I know I’ve been doing a lot of these anniversary posts lately, but with this album I just couldn’t help it. It’s one of the most brilliant, crazy, wacky, deep, insane and any other adjectives in that realm of an album. It’s truly in every sense not like anything else that’s ever been released. And as time goes on the album ages better and better. Who knew if the members of Mr. Bungle knew that they were creating genius or not. But one thing is clear, the album is truly lightning in a bottle.

From ‘Sweet Charity’ to ‘Goodbye Sober Day.’ I dare anyone to find an alternative rock album so insanely diverse. And I don’t even know if ‘alternative rock’ is the right term. Actually, I’m not sure if there’s any term for what comes out of the speakers when the album is played. The Hawaiian influences on the album make it an instantly recognizable record. The third song, ‘Retrovertigo’ is such a goosebump raiser in it’s five minutes of beauty. I suppose it could count as an alt rock ballad. But it’s got the classic Mike Patton take on the genre mixed with Trevor Dunn’s sensitive songwriting. Not to mention Patton’s unreal vocals. ‘The Air-Conditioned Nightmare’ is a piece that combines many of the elements of Mr. Bungle. Inventive transitions, heavy/punk influenced moments. Mike Pattons vocal harmonies are brilliantly layered on top of one another. With the classic, Spanish overlay that’s sprinkled throughout the album.

‘Ars Moriendi’ is a centerpiece of the album. It’s hard to define exactly what the peak of the album is, which is why I used ‘a’ instead of ‘the.’ But this is one of the defining tracks on the record. Its middle eastern tropes are apparent throughout. But it’s the combination of that and alternative, progressive rock that makes the the track truly unique. Every note is chaotically and meticulously placed for maximum effect for each moment of the track. Similar to how classical music geniuses operated. ‘Pink Cigarette’ has a fun, crooning vibe. It’s clear once you get to this track that the album is appropriately titled ‘California.’ But then in true Mr. Bungle fashion, they throw a major curveball. ‘Golem II: The Bionic Vapour Boy’ actually has a very classic Mr. Bungle vibe. Probably because it’s written by Trey Spruance (guitars and engineering). What many people call ‘circus rock/metal’ is upfront and center on this bizarre, alt rock track. But it’s as catchy as it is bizarre. It’s hard not to nod your head in a spacey, goofy fashion. Similar to the mood of the piece. And that’s one of the great effects of the album.

‘The Holy Filament,’ next to ‘Goodbye Sober Day,’ may be the most ambitious song on the whole album. Even though it’s such a different track from ‘Goodby Sober Day.’ It’s a Trevor Dunn track so there’s a similar vibe to ‘Retrovertigo,’ the other Dunn written track. Dunn also contributes music to the next song ‘Vanity Fair.’ An old school doo-wap sounding track with slight industrial offbeat rhythms. But all the songs pale in comparison to the absolutely, other worldly brilliant ‘Goodbye Sober Day.’ The Clinton McKinnon (Saxaphone, horns and keys) and Mike Patton collaboration on the music is unmatchable. Taking a bong rip and turning it on while you go up is an experience like no other. There’s about six to seven different genres of world music happening in this song. All leading to this nu metal breakdown that crushes your head into the wall. And the middle eastern vocal harmonies that come before open the mind into what modern music really can be.

Overall it’s a hell of an album. A truly different kind of masterpiece. Of course, what do you expect from these high school buddies from the bay area? Mike Patton, Trevor Dunn, Trey Spruance, Danny Heifetz and Clinton McKinnon created something that is so out of the ordinary, yet accessible and enjoyable that it will forever gain traction. To this day more and more fans discover the album and it’s brilliance. And that deserves a celebration. What are some of your favorite tracks on the album?

One of the greatest sophomore albums in all of hard rock and heavy metal. Ratt’s ‘Invasion of Your Privacy’ was a step up from their strong and successful debut album ‘Out of the Cellar.’ Which sprung the band from the Los Angeles Sunset Strip into megastardom. They avoided the all too common second album slump. A trend that has happened since the dawn of popular music. Their second album shattered through the glass of the trend, solidifying a talented, killer band.

It lasted for about seven years. The peak of Ratt’s success. During the time of the hard rock and metal reign of popular music. And perhaps no band was more of the time than Ratt. The songs, the skills, the live shows, the outfits and images. All complete with an unlimited supply of drugs and women. But what made Ratt stand out from the rest of the pack was simply excellent song structure, a timelessness in how they constructed rock songs. And also not conforming to the all too popular synthesizer. No matter what they always stuck to their twin guitars, heavy bass, big drums and raspy vocals.

And their mega sophomore album ‘Invasion of Your Privacy’ may just be the best example of Ratt’s power. Riff after riff. Groove after groove. Guitar solos blending technical prowess and feel. Also, a monster Beau Hill production to boot. The first four tracks are a wham, bam, slam boom!! One of the strongest starts to any album of the genre. ‘You’re In Love’ starts off as a perfectly placed opener. The opening solo riff with the band drops make for excellent firework opportunities live. Then the huge boom of ‘Never Use Love’ blows the speakers out of the walls. Followed by thick, effective riffs; layered like a delicious cake. The smash hit ‘Lay It Down’ follows with it’s dark, mysterious groove. It’s sexy and gloomy at the same time. Which a rare find in 80’s hard rock. Actually, now that I think of it, a lot the album is that way. The next track ‘Give It All’ is certainly in that vain. It’s highlight is one of the most underrated guitar solos in all of rock. It’s just a slamming solo. Blending technicality and passion beautifully. ‘Closer To My Heart’ is a super gritty ballad with classic, crisp 80’s tropes. It’s the low point on the album in my opinion. But the heavy groove of the song keeps the album in the strong areas of the ballad craze of the 80’s.

The back end of the album is just as good the front. It maintains the darker edge with songs like ‘Between The Eyes’ and ‘What You Give Is What You Get.’ They’re great back to back tracks. Similar in flavor but not exact copies of each other. The albums track organization is undoubtably nearly perfect. The album quickly heads into party mode with the last three songs. ‘Got Me On The Line’ starts in perfect phone ring fashion. An awesome 80’s sample. The riff is so catchy. You can just listen to it over and over again. A prime example of how Ratt wrote superior songs than their peers. They were a big band. And if they had a proper reunion with what they have left’ they’re one of the only bands from the era that can do amphitheater tours. But I still feel like they really never got as massive as they could and should have been. Because there is a timelessness to their songs that a lot of 80’s acts do not possess. The next song ‘You Should know By Now’ holds the high standard of the album. With an earworm of a chorus and yet another explosively catchy riff. Not to mention the epicness of the cowbell/chorus breakdown three fourths of the way through. The record closes with ‘Dangerous But Worth The Risk.’ A song that really has bad ass, driving groove. Juan Crucier’s bass digs into the skin. Such excellent touch and feel. And Bobby Blotzer’s drumming is right with him. Yet another killer guitar solo fills the middle. Coupled with Pearcy’s fierce vocal attack and you’ve got an explosive song.

From top to bottom ‘Invasion of Your Privacy’ is a perfect album. And it’s worthy of recognition in the echelons of hard rock. Let’s celebrate a terrific album from top to bottom. A timeless classic released in an era of time capsule music. What are some of your favorite tracks on the the album?

It’s one of greatest albums of an entire decade. From top to bottom, the diverse selection of groove heavy melody and heart wrenching ballads is hard to match. Not only that but it solidified a band that was labeled a copy cat group from the ‘grunge’ era. But with their second album ‘Purple,’ Stone Temple Pilots embedded themselves as their own alternative hard rock band. The album varies from groove metal junctions to psychedelic hard rock excellence to epic ballads. The band knew that they had to differentiate themselves from the rest of their peers; being late to the party. And they did just that with 1994’s ‘Purple.’

‘Meatplow’ serves as a strong opener. The heavy, down tuned riff mixed with the heavy bass and drums says that this band isn’t going soft anytime soon. ‘Vasoline’ has become a legendary staple of the era. The syncopated groove is instantly recognizable. It’s a quintessential 90’s track that has set itself as one of the greats. But the album doesn’t really start to differentiate itself from the rest of the pack until the third song ‘Lounge Fly’ comes in. It’s one of the songs where STP took their own take on alternative hard rock to the next level. Eric Kretz’ thom beats fill the verses unconventionally. The chorus is a catchy vocal melody that’s infectious. Scott Weiland’s voice shines through and differentiates itself from the rest of the early 90’s rock singers. Much more than just a ‘yarler.’ The signature ‘Interstate Love Song’ is next on the album list. I mean, what can you say about it? It’s not only one of the most iconic songs of it’s era, but of all rock. And it made the band megastars. I honestly haven’t met someone who doesn’t like the song. It’s still a radio staple. But it’s not until ‘Still Remains’ that the record establishes itself as a consistent masterpiece. The passion the band exudes in the chorus is breathtaking. Yet another ear worm of a melody that burrows itself.

‘Pretty Penny’ gives an MTV Unplugged vibe. Which makes sense seeing as how the album was released in 1994; the peak of MTV Unplugged. It’s somewhat of a filler track, but a strong acoustic/vocal ballad none the less. The heavy metal comes back with ‘Silvergun Superman.’ It might be the song that resembles the previous album, ‘Core,’ the most. The riff digs itself under the skin, provoking slow tempo headbanging. The albums next gift is truly that, a gift. One of the greatest ballads ever written entitled ‘Big Empty.’ It’s an instant cigarette lighter tune that the entire audience will end up singing with. The MTV Unplugged version of the song is particularly legendary. Rivaling moments of Alice In Chains’ MTV Unplugged for greatest ever. The heavy, punk influenced ‘Unglued’ is a prime example of how early 90’s hard rock combined classic heavy rock and punk. A welcome addition to the album and something that could fit on many ‘grunge’ era records. ‘Army Ants’ follows the same vein. There’s more of a psychedelic hard rock groove to it though. A major head nodder. The album closes with ‘Kitchenware & Candybars.’ It has a vibe to it that’s comparable to ‘Where the River Goes.’ Which is the closing track for the first album ‘Core.’ There’s definitely a closing track pattern that the band is trying to establish. It’s also got an excellent melancholy overlay that permeates the song.

All in all ‘Purple’ is one hell of a record. A perfect album from top to bottom. Not only did it cement a bands career, it differentiated them from the rest of their peers. Which is what has made Stone Temple Pilots a timeless band. Without ‘Purple’ STP wouldn’t have been able to continue into the next decade and beyond. Even though Weiland has left us. May he rest in peace. A 25th anniversary box set will be available on Sept 13. It includes the full album remastered, a second disc with rarities, b-sides and remixes. And a third disc with a live concert recorded in New Haven, CT. So crank it, jam it and celebrate the 25th anniversary of a terrific album for the rockers, broken hearted and partiers out there. What are some of your favorite tracks on the album?