Artist: Motley Crue Title: “Saints of Los Angeles” Label: Eleven Seven Music Release Date: 6/24/2008 Genre: Heavy Metal/Hard Rock Rating: 3.5/5
Given the fact that 2008 was often being referred to as “the year of the comeback release”, it almost made sense that the four original members of Motley Crue would deliver their first studio album together in over a decade. The question that would be on everyone’s mind was could the release possibly capture the wild insanity that drew us all to Motley Crue so many years ago? Let’s examine that shall we? The album is called “Saints Of Los Angeles” or “SoLA” from this point on for the purpose of brevity and it comes to us care of Eleven Seven Music and as of this writing, Crue bassist Nikki Sixx is actually the president of the label but I digress. The recording starts off with and dramatic intro piece entitled “L.A.M.F.” and I found this to be an attempt to capture the initial excitement that we had hitting us on “Shout at The Devil” when that album opened with “In The Beginning”. Of course the times being different and myself a little older I found this intro didn’t set it up at all before the band broke into the rousing “Wango Tango” – oh wait a minute here, the song is actually called “Face Down In The Dirt” but there can be no mistaking that familiar Ted Nugent riff when it comes down to it. I’m sure this was coincidence more than a bite of Uncle Ted, but guys you should have thought this one through a little more. Otherwise the track is on the good side despite the one or two cheesy lyrical portions that I found. Continue reading “Saints of Los Angeles” by Motley Crue→
Artist: Carmine Appice Title: Ultimate Guitar Zeus Label: Escapi Music Release Date: 8/15/2006 Genre: Hard Rock/Metal Rating: 3
Carmine Appice’s “Guitar Zeus” and “Guitar Zeus 2” have been compiled into “Ultimate Guitar Zeus”. Drumming legend Carmine Appice teams up with old Blue Murder cohorts, Kelly Keeling vocals and guitar and Tony Franklin on bass. Boasting a long list of killer guitar players, Including Slash, Brian May, Zakk Wylde Yngwie Malmsteen, Richie Sambora, Mick Mars, Pat Travers, Steve Morse and more. Continue reading “Ultimate Guitar Zeus” by Carmine Appice→
Artist: Motley Crue Title: “Carnival Of Sins Live” Label: Eleven Seven Music Release Date: 10/23/2007 Genre: Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Rating: 3.5/5
Released almost two years to the day that the DVD bearing the same was we find the audio only version of the highly acclaimed Motley Crue reunion tour concert – step right up and enter “The Carnival Of Sins” and leave all hesitation behind. When the tour began in 2005 it became one of the top grossing events of the year and the Crue was truly on top of their game for the performance that was captured on video and this CD that we are reviewing. This was a reunion that excited me very much because Motley Crue was always such an interesting band for most of their career and they epitomized the Hollywood Metal music lifestyle that so many of us longed for or emulated back in the day. They were heroes to some and hated by others but through it all Motley walked the streets in the manner they felt like and when they announced a reunion of the four original members the shows became one of the hottest tickets of the time. The show that I caught in New York’s Madison Square Garden was incredible and it was a tour that just begged for a release in some fashion so I was happy to see it eventually released on DVD from their show in Grand Rapids, MI. Now the circle is complete as we have the audio version of this same sold out concert to complete our Motley Crue collection. It’s nice to have an audio release for the stereos or car in the event that you are someone who is not really fond of DVD concert films but with this one I have to say that you should get over the hesitation because it’s really worthy of purchase. As a concert this show was chock full of Motley Crue hits and the material that was performed over those two hours reached back to their beginnings on “Too Fast For Love” and brought the audience to the present with the new songs that were recorded for the “Red, White & Crue” compilation. Six of the performed songs come from “Shout At The Devil” and I was cool with that since it was actually my own first Motley Crue purchase so many years ago and therefore holds a special place in the music library. I’m sure many fans are nodding their head in agreement with me on this. Some Crue fans will probably find fault that a select number or two are not included on this and it took me awhile to realize that “Smokin’ In The Boys Room” had not made it to the set but with the amount of great tunes that are present its easy to let the band slide for leaving out one or two. Continue reading “Carnival Of Sins Live” by Motley Crue→
Title: “The Dirt: Confessions Of The Worlds Most Dangerous Band” Author: Motley Crue with Neil Strauss Publisher: Harper Collins Publishing Release Date: 7/1/2002 Genre: Hard Rock Rating: 10/10
If you were to take all of the musical tomes available today you will find that this one will stand out substantially higher than the rest of them. It makes sense when you consider the often turbulent history of Motley Crue themselves for as a band their music was as volatile as their offstage personalities. Truly Nikki Sixx, Tommy Lee, Vince Neil and Mick Mars were Rock Stars to the very essence of the word. By now it’s safe to assume that most fans of the band have seen the VH1 episode of “Behind The Music” which delved into their chaotic history but since it’s only a one-hour program how can it do anything more than touch upon some of the most famous points. The 448 page book is broken up into chapters that are lined out by each individual member. You might start off with Tommy speaking on something and then it catches Sixx around the same topic and so forth. This made it a fascinating read as it came off much like an in-depth interview as well as a biography of the notorious musicians. I found that with the group having such a level of input into the content of the book that this made the read far more gripping and pure. When you reach the more poignant moments such as when Vince’s daughter succumbed to cancer it pulls at the very heart strings and you will find yourself reaching for the Kleenex. The book begins historically at the earliest recollection and leads up to the actions of only a couple of months before print of the book. It even features sections by their replacement members and this makes it more on target. Everything you had ever heard about Motley Crue the band and the members is in here, the good times and the bad, the lives and the deaths that surrounded them and when you close it you will wonder how any of them are still alive. Continue reading “The Dirt: Confessions Of The Worlds Most Dangerous Band” by Motley Crue with Neil Strauss→
Artist: Motley Crue Title: “Carnival Of Sins” Label: Clear Channel Entertainment Home Video Release Date: 10/25/2005 Genre: Hard Rock Rating: 8/10
When they announced that Motley Crue would reunite and tour I was faced with a couple of different opinions on it. The first was my belief that there was no way that these four could be in the same room together much less be on the same stage for any length of time. This had come to me based on all the consistent in-fighting and solo projects that the various members were involved in. Nikki Sixx had the Brides Of Destruction while Tommy Lee had project after inane project that strayed so far away from his Rock roots that many lost interest in what he was up to altogether. There was always discussion of a “real” reunion that not only placed the four together but also would be a career encompassing show yet for awhile it was all talk. Luckily this came to fruition very early in 2005 where it seemed as though only weeks after the seal of approval on it that tickets were being sold and shows began to sell out in legendary venues like New York’s Madison Square Garden. This DVD documents a performance in Grand Rapids Michigan before a sold out crowd where The Crue delivers over a two-hour set. Presented as two DVD’s you will find the complete concert on DVD1. If you look over the set list you will that it includes a little bit of everything from their first album “Too Fast For Love” up until their recent Anthology release “Red, White And Crue”. I believe that even the most critical of fans will find something that they want to hear and see in this list. I enjoyed the early years of the Crue the most and remembered the show being as thrilling as the DVD reminded me. I did have a couple of minor criticisms as while the larger aspect was enjoyable I felt that the Tommy Lee drum solo left a lot to be desired. He was always one of the more creative of Hard Rock’s drummer elite but his solo was ridiculous samples and things that resembled street performers more than something a player of his caliber could have delivered. Given this almost retro nature of the show he should have pulled something else out of his history and done it again. Nikki’s solo was more interesting on video than I found it in person due to my proximity when it happened. Yet through it all the band performs admirably and every song sounds on target with a tighter sound than one would expect in such a short span of time they had to rehearse this. Out of all members it seems that Mick Mars is to be commended the most for his illness has really placed him in a rough spot. He can hardly move and looks very gaunt yet through it all he does not miss a note. As this DVD was filmed later in the tour Vince did sound a little worn vocally but still gets through everything like a pro. The audience reaction during all the songs is incredible. Continue reading “Carnival Of Sins” by Motley Crue→
