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KISS’ “Crazy Nights” Hits Thirty Years (1987-2017)

Join me now as we return to the year 1987 when MTV was ruling the small screens of homes everywhere and teenagers and the not so much would tune in to see the top videos of the day. It was during this time that the band KISS would release what amounted to be their most commercial album yet with “Crazy Nights”. An album that celebrates its thirtieth anniversary today. By the time 1987 rolled around, it seemed like the makeup had been gone from the faces for so much longer and I guess this was due to the band having released three albums previously all without the famous face paint. “Creatures Of The Night” would be the last makeup years album and when Vinnie Vincent became an official member for “Lick It Up” it was gone. Then came “Animalize” and “Asylum” and new guitarists in Mark St. John for “Animalize” onto Bruce Kulick for “Asylum” where he would continue the role on “Crazy Nights”. At the time of this release Eric Carr (RIP) had become my very favorite drummer and despite being a super diehard for the legendary Ace Frehley, I was quite enjoying the skills that Kulick was bringing to the table. Before getting deep into thoughts on this one, remember that these are personal reflections to the best that’s possible and not line for line history since that is already on the Wikipedia entry. Here we go.

I bought my copy of “Crazy Nights” on vinyl from a store in my neighborhood called The Record Factory. It’s been gone for a very long time as I write this and now is one of the numerous cell phone providers sales places. A band friend of the time would join me in my first listen to the album over a couple of beers in my Sanctum Sanctorum basement headquarters in my parent’s house and while I had heard the single somewhere already was a tad concerned on just how commercial this seemed to be. According to interviews of the time the band had hired on producer Ron Nevison and he was tasked at giving the band a brand-new radio friendly sound. Nevison had worked on Ozzy’s “The Ultiimate Sin” and there were some hits on the release so KISS probably felt that his touch would do similar magic to their latest work. As my friend and I worked through the listen it was agreed that the second number was a killer one but “Bang Bang You” was junk. Too corny and lame we felt – with lines like “I’ll shoot you down with my love gun baby” – Please. I was pretty much a fan of KISS for the past ten years at this time and was feeling very let down by my favorite band as I worked deeper into the release. Below you can examine the full track listing and I’ll continue to share my favorites afterwards.
Continue reading KISS’ “Crazy Nights” Hits Thirty Years (1987-2017)

Metal Church @ Colos-Saal, Aschaffenburg, Germany (6/12/2017)

Artist: Metal Church in Germany
Venue: Colos-Saal, Aschaffenburg, Germany
Opener: n/a
Date: 6/12/2017
Label: Rat Pak Records

Three subways, a regional train from Hessen to Bavaria, one taxi, and ½ mile of walking, and I finally made it to Aschaffenburg, Bavaria. An intimidating trip to take alone as a stranger in a strange land, but well worth the trek.

Backwoods Germany is a strange place to see the very American Thrash legends Metal Church, but it was probably one of the most packed shows. Another group with the energy of fully functional teenagers. Mike Howe is back on lead vocals and has the same range that made his early albums with Metal Church classics. The other change in lineups since the last album/tour cycle didn’t slow the guys down as Stet Howland killed on drums and will, hopefully, be a permanent addition. Those only now following the bands activity should know that Howeland replaced Jeff Plate (Savatage, Trans-Siberian Orchestra) a few short months ago.

“Fake Healer” was an easy choice to get the crowd going and despite the remote location, this was a fair size audience for Church to hold Metal services. I was honestly shocked at how many enthusiastic fans came out to see them. At the end note of every song, the audience was screaming for “Metal Church” until the band relented and played their next hit. Seismic activity could probably be read as far away as London.
Continue reading Metal Church @ Colos-Saal, Aschaffenburg, Germany (6/12/2017)

Scorpions @ Hessentagsarena; Rüsselsheim, Germany (6/11/2017)

The Kat was continuing her Metal prowl across Germany and tossing back some views on truly great artists and sharing the skinny with us back home at the Metal Command HQ in NYC. As these came in I also made notes on where I will need to go should I ever get there and now we hear a quick summary of her Scorpions experience.

Artist: Scorpions
Venue: (Germany)
Opener: n/a
Date: 6/11/2017
Label: Universal Music

Written By: Katherine Wilson (copyright 2017) for PiercingMetal.com

After ditching me to see the historic Deep Purple, my dad thought we was going to enjoy a night of rest at home sans concert. Wrong. I’ve only seen Scorpions as a clueless and young kid with a lack of familiarity as to who the people with funny accents were talking with my father, so I was going to attend a show I would remember.

Germany has produced its fair share of hard rock and heavy metal, but no act has had the stay that the Scorpions continue to enjoy 50 years on! Every single member of this legendary outfit was running around the festival stage as if they were 18 again. I met 2 pre-teens who had never been to a concert before and all they could say was, “When is the next show?”. It was great to share this amazing experience with them.
Continue reading Scorpions @ Hessentagsarena; Rüsselsheim, Germany (6/11/2017)

Def Leppard To Release “The Def Leppard EP” For Record Store Day 2017

As you’ve noticed there’s been a lot on the Metal docket today and there’s much more to come so let’s not dance around and instead get right to the news about Def Leppard’s release of “The Def Leppard EP” for this years Record Store Day. The full press release is below and then I’ll close out with some thoughts.

The Press Release:
Def Leppard Announces “The Def Leppard EP” For Record Store Day 22nd April 2017

“This is the EP that shone a light on this fledgling bunch of wannabes and set us on our way to international stardom (eventually…)! Recorded at Fairview Studios, just outside Hull in North Yorkshire, a studio we were extremely happy to frequent as it had been used on numerous occasions by the late great Mick Ronson. It took 2 days to record and cost £148.50 – money borrowed from my Dad (a feat financially and time wise we would never get close to achieving again, EVER!!!!)” – Joe Elliott,

Def Leppard and UMC/Mercury are pleased to announce the release of “The Def Leppard EP” in conjunction with Record Store Day 2017. This release marks the start of a series of catalogue releases over the next few years for Def Leppard.

22nd April 2017 will see the band release their original first EPwith replica art and picture cover. This is a 12″ version of the EP playing at 45rpm – a one off special for Record Store day and the first time it will be available in that format. The release is fully supported by the band. Track listing is as follows:

1. Ride Into The Sun (2:57)
2. Getcha Rocks Off (3:44)
3. The Overture (7:56)

The EP was originally recorded in November 1978 at Fairview studios in Hull and self-produced by the band. Released in January 1979 through the bands own Bludgeon Riffola label, this was the EP that launched one of the most successful and critically acclaimed rock bands of all time.

Def Leppard continues to release new music, most recently with their self titled studio album that was released to widespread critical acclaim in late 2015. The band also recently hit #1 with their live concert DVD, “And There Will BE A Next Time…Live From Detroit,” released in February 2017. With more than 100 million albums sold worldwide and two prestigious Diamond Awards in the USA, Def Leppard – Joe Elliott (vocals), Phil Collen (guitar), Rick “Sav” Savage (bass), Vivian Campbell (guitar) and Rick Allen (drums) – continue to be one of the most important forces in rock music. Over the course of their career the band has produced a series of classic groundbreaking albums that set the bar for generations of music fans and artists alike. The group’s spectacular live shows and arsenal of hits have become synonymous with their name, leading Def Leppard to be heralded as an institution in both the music and touring industry. Most recently, the band won the fan voted Classic Rock Magazine Album of the Year award.

PiercingMetal Thoughts: Having been a fan of Def Leppard for a very long time, and I am speaking from around the time of “High and Dry” when it was first released on vinyl, I think something like this is super cool. I vaguely remember hunting down a Def Leppard item way back when with my rocker circle because one of the girls in our group was a huge fan. Though I am not sure about what we were hunting, it could have very well been this very album. Back then there were tons of record shops in the East Village and we went to quite a few of them without question. I thought that girl was super duper awesome and probably would have followed her to the moon if she wanted me to but I digress. Hopefully more bands will get on point and see to releasing this sort of thing for their fans because early day stuff is always such a treat. I also hope that sometime in the future they decide to put this on a CD since I don’t always get to play my vinyl and still need a new player for the stuff. What do you readers think about this one? Let me know down in the comments section below.

Official Website: http://www.defleppard.com

Bon Jovi Unveils Career Spanning “17” LP Boxed Set

Though I still need to replace my long non-functioning turntable, I still have most of my records and love to share the news about any artists who are re-issuing their catalog on high-quality vinyl. Speaking frankly, there are so many of my friends and inner circle music peeps who are vinyl maniacs who even go on excursions for Record Store Day each year in the hopes of finding something limited and eventually classic. This press release below lines out the massive news about a comprehensive career boxed set for the one and only Bon Jovi. Check out the full on scoop and the provided images. I’ll return at the close with a brief thought or two. I should warn you that since there are a LOT of albums in this set that the press copy is rather long. You might want to get a fresh cup of coffee before you begin.

The Press Release:
With over 130 million albums sold, an extensive catalog of hit anthems, and nearly 3000 concerts performed in 50 countries for over 35 million fans, Bon Jovi is simply one of the world’s most successful bands, ever. As their new album, This House Is Not For Sale, debuts at #1 in the US, Australia and Japan and in the Top 5 in 54 other countries, Island/UMe announces that a comprehensive vinyl box set of 25-LPs, entitled Bon Jovi: The Albums, will be released in February 2017. It will include all Bon Jovi albums and additional titles (as outlined below) for premium collectors. The box set release will coincide with the kick-off of the band’s This House Is Not For Sale Tour in North America. Check out the contents of the career-spanning box set in the unboxing trailer here and pre-order now: https://UMe.lnk.to/BonJoviBox

Alternately, Island/UMe has made every Bon Jovi album from the past thirty-two years available for individual purchase on high-quality vinyl now. Fans can purchase individual albums now at https://UMe.lnk.to/BonJoviLPs
Every vinyl album preserves the original look and sound of the originals – all LP jackets are exact replicas of the original album cover and songs have been mastered to the band’s specifications to ensure exceptional audio quality. There are also plenty of “firsts” – this will be the first time Bon Jovi’s albums from the 2000’s have been pressed in any territory before, others will receive their first-ever U.S. vinyl releases, while many are being pressed for the first time in decades.
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