Sully Erna - Avalon

Metal Eddie was kind enough to write up a guest post for The Rock And Roll Guru. Some of my most recent antics with Metal Eddie can be found here: http://rockandrollguru.blogspot.com/2010/09/kiss-august-20-2010.html, here: http://rockandrollguru.blogspot.com/2010/03/wasp-march-12-2010.html, and here: http://rockandrollguru.blogspot.com/2010/02/kiss-with-buckcherry-october-10-2009.html.

Hello fans, this is Metal Eddie here helping the Guru out so he can get a little R&R. Today we will be talking about one of my favorite artists Sully Erna, and looking at his solo CD. You either love or hate Godsmack but there is no denying that you have to respect that band for the straight out, kick ass, rock and roll that they produce year after year. With seven albums under their belt and a new disc that hit stores this past spring, as well as a huge tour to support "The Oracle," Sully Erna and Godsmack are wrecking machines.

Sully has a lot on his plate to say the least. With the new Godsmack disc, a solo CD, and a worldwide tour, I don't know how he can breathe. I'm just not sure why he waited so long to release a solo disc. He did do a solo tour a few years back and I'm sorry to say that I missed it.

Sully Erna, born Salvatore Paul Erna (February 7, 1968)in Massachusetts, wanted to break away from the gangs and crime of Massachusetts. He had a hard childhood; involved with the "wrong crowd" until he found music. Growing up with a musical family, it came natural for Sully to develop into one of the greatest front men rock has to offer. Sully can do it all from playing the drums to singing. With that being said Sully just released a new disc called "Avalon". If you are looking for an extra Godsmack disc you will not find it here and I suggest that you keep cranking up "The Oracle" to get your fill.

Sully has help on vocals from a classically trained woman by the name of Lisa Guyer she really complements Sully's voice on tracks such as 7 Years and The Rise just to name two of them.

The production and arrangement on Avalon is amazing from the first note of the opening track to the last note of In Through Time. Sully did it and he did it right. He plays the drums, guitar and sings on this disc. My favorite track on this disc is My Light – The guitar bell chime that starts off the song as well as the flute that is in the song just takes me to another place. When I hear this song I think of my wife and son who are the reasons that I wake up and run the rat race every day. So if I am having a bad day or moment I throw this on. Other tracks that are mind blowing are The Rise it is upbeat but not in a rock and roll way but very cool.

Like I said earlier if you are looking for a hard rock record this is not the place to go. I would rate this disc a 9 out of 10, there is not a bad track on this disc and it is pleasant on the ears.


About me
I'm 40 years old, live in Mahwah NJ, married with a 22 month old son. I have been listing to rock n roll for at least 35 years. I start listening to Kiss in the 1st grade. Since 1st grade Kiss has been my all time favorite band. I have a 6 year old nephew who has been into Kiss for almost 4 years and has 2 Kiss concerts and 1 Kiss expo under his belt.

I met Ryo several years ago from a mutual friend. We hit it off and have gone to a ton of shows together. We share a love for music as well as good times when we hang out and I love his website. Keep on rockin Ryo!

On a final note support your artist and don't steal music. If we do this maybe the prices of concert tickets will come down.

Ryo’s Note: I never got into Godsmack. I appreciate one or two of their songs, but they are not a band that I go out of my way to listen to. Perhaps I should give Sully Erna’s solo CD a shot.

New Music Monday - Bruce Kaphan, Devotionals, and Paul Collins

Happy Monday! If your job is beating you down as much as mine has been lately, you may be in need of some great music to change your mood. Today, we’re featuring songs that will inspire, help you meditate, and provide a spring in your step.

Bruce Kaphan – Gleaming Towers (from the album Hybrid)
First up is Gleaming Towers by Bruce Kaphan. This San Francisco Bay area musician is quite a talent and his ability shows on this track. An instrumental (like all of the songs on the album Hybrid where it comes from), Gleaming Towers is mood music to start your day with. No loud guitars here. Gleaming Towers is soft inspiration that would be a perfect complement to watching the sun rise.

You can download Gleaming Towers for free by clicking this link: http://www.pavementpr.com/1.mp3s/BRUCEKAPHANGleamingTowers.mp3

Devotionals – Chest Like Expansive Wings (from the album Devotionals)
Next up is Devotional’s Chest Like Expansive Wings. A hauntingly beautiful song, Chest Like Expansive Wings centers on fantastic acoustic guitar work and a beautiful violin that could bring a tear to the eye. This is another morning inspiration instrumental that would be exceptional for meditation time. Chest Like Expansive Wings is a song that really gets the mind thinking.

You can download Chest Like Expansive Wings for free by clicking this link:
http://www.pavementpr.com/1.mp3s/Devotionals.ChestLikeExpansiveWings.mp3

Paul Collins – Do You Wanna Love Me? (from the album King Of Power Pop!)
And finally for today, we have a rocking track from Paul Collins. Layered with funky guitar chords, amazing harmonica riffs, and Paul Collins’ gruffly sweet voice, Do You Wanna Love Me? Is a toe tapping, fast blazing, hard rocking good time! Save this one for your ride to the office and you’ll have a little spring in your step even before your morning coffee.

You can download Do You Wanna Love Me for free by clicking this link:
http://www.pavementpr.com/1.mp3s/PAULCOLLINSDoYouWannaLoveMe_.mp3

U2 - June 22, 2001

2001 prior to 9-11 was a strange year for me. I was separated from my wife and close to finalizing my divorce. I was dating a new woman who was mentally abusive. And I was lost in my career, not quite sure of what I wanted to be when I grew up. Essentially I was going through my own quarter-life crisis as I dealt with my new non-married life and tried to figure out where to go next.

All the while I was dating Janice who wasn’t the most compassionate person I’ve ever been involved with. She was selfish, at times mean, and into creating drama just for drama’s sake. That got annoying quite fast.

While I was dating her, I would spend several nights a week driving back and forth between her place and mine, which was a good 40 minute commute. She would almost never come to my apartment (for her own selfish reasons), so if I wanted to see her, it meant that I did the driving. During those rides I listened to a lot of U2. Their new album, All That You Can’t Leave Behind had come out that year, and I spent many nights playing that album in my car. They were my road companions and the music spoke to me on a level that songs hadn’t touched me on in years.

Naturally, when U2 announced a June tour stop at the Continental Airlines Arena in my home state of New Jersey, I had to attend. Of course I invited Janice to attend with me and bought our tickets. We were all set to see U2 on a nice June night. It would be my first time seeing U2 in almost 10 years. The last time I saw them perform live, my girlfriend split up with me, so seeing U2 perform brought mixed feelings with it. However, I was excited to see them in concert after so long, and I was really looking forward to hearing the new songs.

PJ Harvey was the opening act and the only thing worth remembering about her was that she was really attractive and dressed like a stripper. Her music wasn’t that good, and I was basically waiting for her to get off the stage to allow the headliners to have the spotlight. I was excited. This was U2 and I couldn’t wait to see them.

My girlfriend was her typical cruel self. Taking shots left and right whenever she saw an opening. She teased a lot, placing a small jab here and a small jab there. Her comments ranged from making fun of my singing to laughing about my obsession with music. As hard as she tried, I wasn’t going to let Janice ruin my night. In hindsight, I don’t know how we stayed together for as long as we did. Ours was an on-again/off-again relationship, and it’s one that should have stayed off a lot sooner than it did.

U2 took the stage with a 1-2 shot from All That You Can’t Leave Behind. Elevation followed by Beautiful Day kicked off the night, and of course I sang along despite my girlfriend’s teasing. She wasn’t going to have me join in her misery. Until The End Of The World followed and sounded magnificent.



Classics and brilliant new tunes were performed in all their glory that evening. The band wisely avoided performing songs from their disappointing Pop, and they stayed away from Zooropa as well. They instead chose to perform greatest hits and new hits, a fans dream show. I Will Follow, Sunday Bloody Sunday, Desire, Bad, and 40 were all performed in between cuts from the new album.

All That You Can’t Leave Behind was well represented with 7 songs being played from that album. Bono and the band had a new record that they were proud of and they were out to show it off. That was all right by me, because I absolutely love All That You Can’t Leave Behind.



The last three songs of the main set were super packed hits that had me feverish with excitement. Of course, my sarcastic, wise-mouthed girlfriend had comments to make regarding my excitement, but by that point I had tuned her out. I wasn’t going to let negativity ruin my evening. Where The Streets Have No Name, Mysterious Ways, and one of my favorites, The Fly were all performed to finish the main set. The Fly was brilliant live and a perfect set closer.

The encore was astonishing as U2 just delivered a multitude of hits to close out the night. With Or Without You followed by (Pride) In The Name Of Love, followed by One into Walk On. Well, it just doesn’t get much better than that. It was an encore to end all encores and U2 had delivered a brilliant performance. I was glad that I had gotten the tickets and paid to see U2 for only the second time in my life.

My history of ending relationships shortly after a U2 concert would stay intact though. Not long after this show, Janice and I split up, although not for good. We would get back together later that summer and I would buy us tickets for the fall U2 concert where this pattern would repeat itself. Sometimes a guy just has to learn the hard way. Idiot!

Setlist
Elevation
Beautiful Day
Until The End Of The World
New Year’s Day
Kite
New York
I Will Follow
Sunday Bloody Sunday
Stuck In A Moment
In A Little While
Desire
Wild Honey
The Ground Beneath Her Feet
Bad
40
Where The Streets Have No Name
Mysterious Ways
The Fly
Encore
Bullet The Blue Sky
With Or Without You
Pride (In The Name Of Love)
One
Walk On

Friday's Rockin' Roundup - Dave Matthews Band Tickets Edition

In case you haven’t heard, Dave Matthews Band is going on a fall tour. And in case you’ve been living under a rock, DMB will not be touring in 2011, meaning this is the last chance to see them until at least 2012. Tickets for most of their fall dates go on sale this morning at 10AM including two nights at Madison Square Garden in November. Your Cousin Ryo has the direct ticketmaster link bookmarked, so at 10:00 AM, I can jump on and (hopefully) get great tickets. I still don’t understand why the band doesn’t just send me comp passes. For all the coverage I give them on my site, what the heck?

Here’s what rocked this week:

Stone Temple Pilots Are Taking A “Break”
On one hand, it’s really sad to see that Scott Weiland really hasn’t changed. On the other hand, it’s entertaining and hard to look away from, like a car crash on the highway. If Weiland doesn’t pull it together soon though, the man is going to go into a total relapse.

Another Number One Album For Linkin Park
Like the little band that could, Linkin Park grabbed another number one album. Sales for their latest release, A Thousand Suns, topped 241,000 copies in its initial week of sales. That’s pretty darned good. Who says that no one pays for music? Apparently people pay for Linkin Park.

The Rolling Stones Are Set To Release a 1972 Gem
A very rare, highly sought after, and very enjoyable Rolling Stones concert film is coming to a DVD near you. Ladies and Gentlemen…The Rolling Stones, is a 1972 concert filmed in Texas during the Exile On Main Street tour. With songs such as Dead Flowers, All Down The Line, and Bye Bye Johnny, how can you not add this to your Stones collection? Look for this one on October 12th.

Roger Waters Squashes A Pink Floyd Reunion
But he’s not against another one-off show. We can only hope that it would be a full concert (ala Led Zeppelin at O2). Even though it’s just Waters and Gilmour, it’s still magical.

For more news, reviews, ticket rants, rock and roll, and good times, you should follow me on twitter. www.twitter.com/ryovie

10 Things Listening To Muisc Has Taught Me

1. Nothing matters when you rock and roll all night and party every day
2. Never fritter and waste the hours in an offhand way
3. You can’t get romantic on a subway line
4. Don’t ever kill the bird of good omen
5. Sometimes it can feel like life is just sacrifice to a stranger’s bottom line
6. As soon as you have something, they send someone to try and take it away
7. Late night lovers promises don’t mean a thing
8. Every day has its way of being forgotten even birthdays
9. It ain’t no fun waiting around to be a millionaire
10. You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometime, you just find, you get what you need

There’s a free no-prize to the first person that can tell me the artist responsible for each line.

Comments are open. Feel free to post some.

The Morlocks - The Morlocks Play Chess

Are you a fan of hard rock music? Do you dig the blues? Did you ever wonder what it would be like to hear an exceptional hard rock band cover some classic blues songs? Well, wonder no more. The Morlocks have released The Morlocks Play Chess and the results are extremely entertaining.

Covering some all time blues classics, The Morlocks have cut these songs like they were their own. Each song has a stand out, signature hard rock style, while still remaining true to the original blues masterpiece. Songs like Killing Floor, Who Do You Love, and Back In The USA are all covered to perfection.

Lead singer Leighton Koizumi is the voice that powers this garage punk tribute to the blues classics. Never quite overpowering, and certainly not underwhelming, Koizumi’s vocals are just right for this project. Dark and growling, his voice sounds just the way most blues kings would like it to be. Koizumi sings with the passion that he’s been known for while band mates Mark Arnold (drums), Lenny Pops (guitar), Nicolas Jodoin (guitar), and Joe Baluta (bass) play with a ferocity that’s reminiscent of a band yearning to give their all for the fans. That’s exactly what The Morlocks do on this album, pouring their heart and soul into every classic blues cut.

The selection of great blues songs helps The Morlocks Play Chess stand out. Well known tracks like Who Do You Love and Boom Boom, are covered with love and deeper cuts like Promised Land, Feel So Bad, and You Can’t Sit Down get their proper due in the limelight. Every song on this album is a garage fueled inspiration to old school blues.

Overall, The Morlocks Play Chess is an excellent tribute album to the old classics. Performed in the modern punk style of The Morlocks, this is the perfect hybrid of old school blues, modern garage rock, and hard rock clubs. The Morlocks Play Chess is a tribute album worth paying attention to.

Ryo’s Rating: 7 (out of 10)

Track List
I’m A Man
Help Me
Killing Floor
Smokestack Lightning
Who Do You Love
Boom Boom
Promised Land
Sitting On Top Of The World
You Never Can Tell
Feel So Bad
You Can’t Sit Down
Back In The USA

Friday's Rockin' Roundup - New Season of Hell's Kitchen Edition

I didn’t think it was possible. After getting a spring season of Hell’s Kitchen, followed by a summer season of Master Chef, I thought that Fox was done with Gordon Ramsay for a while. Perhaps there would be a new Kitchen Nightmares, but other than that, I figured there would be nothing until 2011.

Well, during this week’s finale of Master Chef, Fox aired commercials for a brand new season of Hell’s Kitchen that starts next Wednesday night (September 22). Cousin Ryo is one very excited individual. Anyone who reads The Guru with any regularity knows my love for Gordon Ramsay and Hell’s Kitchen. Knowing that I get a fall season of it (the first one in the shows history) has me giddy. If you want to see some seriously enjoyable entertainment, tune in to Fox Wednesday night at 8:00 pm Eastern.

Here’s what rocked this week:

From Good Homes Playing December Shows
The reunion continues, at least on the band’s own terms. One year after their first official reunion show, From Good Homes is back at it. This December they will be performing two nights at the Wellmont Theater in Montclair, New Jersey. These shows will take place on Friday, December 17th and Saturday, December 18th and are guaranteed to be amazing. Tickets are dirt cheap (at $28) and go on sale this Friday (as in today) at high noon. Visit www.tickets.com to get yours.

The String Quartet to Pop and Rock Wedding Essentials
There’s a new tribute album out, but not in the typical fashion that we’ve grown accustomed to. This time around, it’s a tribute album to wedding essentials. With songs such as Elton John’s Your Song, Dave Matthews Band’s Crash Into Me, and Journey’s Open Arms given the string make over, it will be interesting to hear this album in its entirety. Visit www.itunes.com for more information or to purchase this album.

Vie’s Verses
Another edition of Vie’s Verses has published over at Hard Rock Hideout. This time around I was asking which metal package tour would you like to see next year. You can check out the column by clicking on the link above.

Bruce Springsteen Debuts The Promise Documentary
And finally, there’s this little gem: Bruce Springsteen debuted the documentary that will be included in the Darkness On The Edge Of Town boxed set that is due out in November (2 months and counting). The documentary will also air on HBO on October 7th. Looks like I’ll have to find a friend who has HBO.

For more news, reviews, quips, and good times, you should follow me on twitter. www.twitter.com/ryovie

Irving Azoff Needs To Shut His Mouth

After recently joining the ranks of Twitter, Irving Azoff, the Executive Chariman of Live Nation Entertainment posted this very unintelligent comment: “If you want ticket prices to go down, stop stealing music.” What an ass! Now, I can’t speak for everyone, but I can certainly speak on my own behalf. I don’t steal music and I encourage others to buy the music they are listening to as well. With that being said, “stolen” music isn’t the reason ticket prices are so high, and Azoff and everyone else in the industry knows this. No, Irving, if we want ticket prices to go down, you shouldn’t be giving these artists guaranteed contracts worth millions of dollars. It’s the same reason that live sporting events are so expensive now, guaranteed money.

Ignorant, insensitive comments such as “stop stealing music” are the reason that CEOs like Irving Azoff are hated in the industry by real music fans. He is light years away from the reality of this situation. His comment boils down to this (in its most simplistic form) if no one illegally downloaded music, ticket prices would drop to an affordable level. So, Mr. Azoff, you’re telling me that front row seats would now be sold for $20/ticket? Sorry, I don’t believe you.

As for people “stealing” music, that is a blanket statement for you to hide behind, because you know that the end results can never be tangibly measured. So here’s a nice counter-proposal: if you want people to stop “stealing” music, then lower the price of the albums. If a CD costs $10-$13 in a store, fully packaged with linear notes and a jewel case, then it should cost half of that online. There’s no packaging to pay for, there’s no storage fee to pay, there’s no shipping cost. Yet, greedy CEOs, much like yourself, refuse to lower the price because they can’t fathom lowering the price on anything. It would hurt their pride too much and they would feel like they are going against the corporate model. Yet, simple macro economics of supply and demand states that this is the time to lower your prices. Concerts, merchandise, albums, and even concessions should be lowered to affordable levels. Instead, the corporate greed of the Irving Azoff’s of the world have forced true fans to decide which concert they will see this season, instead of deciding which group of concerts they will see this season.

Back to the opening of this post; the stealing comment made by Mr. Azoff. Where is the statistical evidence that backs that statement up? How much money are you “losing” every year by people “stealing” music, and how does that directly translate into savings at a concert? Perhaps if you would take the time to show us the math and provide us with empirical evidence that you aren’t lying instead of joining twitter and posting ignorant tweets such as “if you want ticket prices to go down, stop stealing music,” you would see some positive results. My counter to your ignorant comment is this, if you want your concerts to sell out, then lower your ticket prices.

Comments are open. Feel free to post some.

New Music Monday - Subrosa Union, Zoe Scott, and Remy Zero

Up first for today’s edition of New Music Monday is Subrosa Union with “6th Street Beauty Queen.” This is an interesting rock song with a unique sound that is hard to compare with anything out there right now. It’s electronic rock at its best! Check them out and enjoy the free single!

6th St. Beauty Queen- SUbrosa Union by artofbroadcast

Female acoustic folk singer Zoe Scott has just released a video for “Black Roses.” This is an amazing song sung with feeling and power. A slow hard rocking ballad, “Black Roses” could be my pick of the fall season.



And finally, here’s Remy Zero with “Til The End.” This is a great, power/pop song that is highly enjoyable. I love lead singer Cinjun Tate’s voice on this song. Power and beauty combined for a perfect vocal.

Remy Zero - 'Til The End by popantipop

Have a happy Monday! Enjoy the free downloads! And if you like what you hear, you should support these artists and buy their albums.

Comments are open. Feel free to post some.

Rush - September 3, 2010

With the threat of a hurricane looming overhead, we witnessed one of the greatest classic rock bands perform Moving Pictures in its entirety with a slew of other hits thrown into the mix. That night, Rush gave a dazzling performance, chock full of great music and funny moments. It was the perfect end to the summer concert season.

Last week, I got to enjoy an evening with my uncle and cousin seeing Rush perform live at the PNC Bank Arts Center, in Holmdel, New Jersey. There was the threat of a hurricane all day and we had tracked that storm for a week, wondering if hurricane Earl was going to wreak havoc on our concert experience, or possibly shut it down entirely.

Driving to the Arts Center, a quick rain squall burst onto my car, and made me nervous that this would set the tone for the evening. It’s not that I mind watching a concert in the rain, I’ve done it enough over the years, it’s just that I would prefer not to see a live show in a torrential downpour.

I also played one of my favorite Rush games while driving to the parking lot. It’s a game called “count the women,” which is a long running joke for Rush fans. Rush is just one of those bands that guys love, but women are not very attracted to their music. It’s geek rock. Rush at the Arts Center was no different – Sausage fest 2010.

Walking through the entrance gates, my uncle, cousin, and I speculated about the weather. We then wondered what time Rush would take the stage. The tickets listed 7:30, but we knew that they wouldn’t take the stage then. My cousin guessed 8 and I was pretty confident in 8:15. So, after picking a spot on the lawn, we made a bathroom/beer/food run. At 7:50, while standing on line for beer, Rush took the stage. I was surprised to see them come on that early.

I grabbed the food and beer and high-tailed it back to my seat. Rush showed a comical movie as their intro, which led into the first song, The Spirit Of The Radio. I was floored. What a great opener! The crowd loved it too and showed their appreciation by roaring at the start of the song. As for sound, the band was impeccable. Geddy’s voice was a well oiled machine, and of course the guitar, bass, and drums were spot on perfect.

Time Stands Still and Presto were the next two songs, and at the end of Presto I turned to my cousin and commented how this was an excellent setlist so far. I love Presto and it has a special place in my heart as being the first Rush album that I bought new. I really got into the band the year Presto was released. Any songs played from that album were going to be a highlight of the evening for me. Unfortunately, the title cut would be all the band would play.



After Presto, Geddy greeted the crowd, “Hello, New Jersey!” He asked where the hurricane was, which drew a laugh and then commented “fuck the Hurricane!” That, of course, got a roar of applause. And once again the hype of the weather was much more disastrous than the actual weather.

One of the highlights from the first set was a new Rush song called BU2B. I had heard that they were playing two new songs on this tour, for an album that is rumored to come out next spring. BU2B was a great song and had me hopeful for a new Rush album. The song sounded like the band is advancing, but not straying too far away from their roots. And it’s definitely not the experimental rock of the mid-80s.

The second set started with another goofy little movie, filmed in the same fashion as the first one. This movie led us into Tom Sawyer and the performance of Moving Pictures had begun. It was an excellent idea to open the second set with Moving Pictures. The crowd was warmed up from the first set, and to come back and launch into the over familiar beats of Tom Sawyer was magnificent!

Moving Pictures was the first Rush album I owned, having purchased a vinyl copy at a yard sale when I was 10 or 11 years old. That album spoke to me and side one was particularly enjoyable. Red Barchetta, YYZ, and Limelight are all spectacular songs, and they sounded brilliant in their live setting. The real treat, however, would come with the performance of side two.

The Camera Eye is a song that Rush supposedly hasn’t performed live in 28 years. I don’t know if that’s 100% true or not, but man did the band nail it. Their performance was a note for note translation of the album version and the crowd was blown away. Witch Hunt was next, and I’ve never been a huge fan of that song, so I sat through it waiting for the big album closer, Vital Signs. It came next, and was superb live. And with that, Rush had given us Moving Pictures.

The rest of the night would continue to be fun, but couldn’t compare to that moment of hearing the album in its entirety. A new song, Caravan, would come next and then Neil Peart’s drum solo (which was as mesmerizing as ever). The night though, belonged to Moving Pictures.



Rush closed the second set with Far Cry, from Snakes and Arrows, which I found to be an odd choice for a closer. I would think they would choose a more well known song, but what do I know? The encore came in the form of La Villa Strangiato (which took me a minute to recognize) and the show closer of Working Man.

Working Man started in a slow, reggae sounding style, and my uncle, cousin, and I all looked at each other with curiosity. What the heck was going on here? Was this the Bob Marley version of Working Man? After the first verse, the song picked up the rhythm and kicked into its correct rock and roll style. Experimenting with a much loved classic is always a bit of a risk, and for Rush it was no different. As this was the last song of the night, I would have played Working Man straight up.

The band took their bows and left the stage, but the night was not over. A third and final film appeared on the screen. The guys from I Love You Man revised their roles as die hard Rush fans and they got backstage at the current Rush concert. Geddy, Alex, and Neil all have a part in the short film and it was funny to watch.

We dodged the Hurricane, we saw live Rush, and we brought the summer to a close, all on the same evening. My second time seeing Rush was an exhilarating experience, and should the band decide a tour is in order for next year, sign me up for tickets.

Setlist
First Set
The Spirit Of The Radio
Time Stands Still
Presto
Stick It Out
Working Them Angels
Leave That Thing Alone
Faithless
BU2B*
Freewill
Marathon
Subdivisions
Second Set
Tom Sawyer
Red Barchetta
YYZ
Limelight
The Camera Eye
Witch Hunt
Vital Signs
Caravan*
Drum Solo
Closer To The Heart
2112: Overture
2112: Temple of Syrinx
Far Cry
Encore
La Villa Strangiato
Working Man

Friday's Rockin' Roundup - National Football League Edition

Although the season opened last night with a game between the New Orleans Saints and the Minnesota Vikings, the rest of the season kicks off this Sunday with a plethora of football games for all to enjoy. As usual, I will be sitting at my local watering hole, eating hot wings, drinking beer, and watching the games. Football in September is an excellent experience of enjoyment and I am really looking forward to it this year.

Between college and the pros, there are a lot of good games to watch this weekend. This even spills into Monday night when the Jets open their season against the Baltimore Ravens. It’s going to be a great kick-off weekend and hopefully that will lead into a great season of fun football. And if not, there’s always hot wings and beer!

Here’s what rocked this week:

New Bon-Jovi Single Streaming On Their Website
Bon Jovi has a greatest hits album coming out this fall. The hits album will contain four brand new songs that were written specifically for this album. You can hear the first single, What Do You Got at their website now. Just click on the link above to be whisked away!

Aaron Lewis Is On The Road This Fall
Staind’s frontman is out on the road performing solo acoustic shows. The short tour kicks off in Massachusetts on October 7th and runs through November 2nd. No word on whether more dates will be added.

Guitar Center Announces Winner In Their 4th Annual King Of The Blues Contest
Thousands entered. One won. Congratulations to Randy Scott, who made his dream of being the King of the Blues guitarist come true.

Spears Former Bodyguard Files a Sexual Harassment Claim
What? Oh no! Britney Spears walked around me naked. Boo Hoo! Is this guy some kind of mental case? You’re her bodyguard and you can’t handle seeing her naked? This is why the world hates lawyers and their frivolous lawsuits. If this guy wins, I’m going to be sick. In the meantime, if Spears needs a new bodyguard, cousin Ryo is available.

For more insights, opinions, sarcastic wit, and true charm, you should follow me on twitter. www.twitter.com/ryovie

How Big Is Your Music Collection?

In a recent issue of Rolling Stone, I read how Atlantic Records CEO Craig Kallman owns a record collection of over 350,000 albums. While I’m quite proud of my collection (coming in around 3,000 and growing), 350,000 begs to question – when is it too much? How can Kallman (or anyone for that matter) thoroughly enjoy a record collection that large?

Perhaps it’s the minimalist in me, but a music collection of that volume would take years to listen to if played constantly for 16 hours a day. When can those albums be enjoyed? How would a decision even be made on what to listen to? Personally, I would be so overwhelmed by that many choices in my collection it would have a paralyzing effect on me.

When is it enough? At what point does your music collection stop being a fun hobby and become more of an archival museum? What is the number of albums that pushes the music collection over the threshold?

My only goal ever since I started collecting music was to surpass my father’s music collection and obtain 3,000 of my own albums. I have accomplished that feat, but I am still collecting. As new music comes out, my obsession kicks in and I have to have it. When new live CDs from my favorite bands are made available, I have to have them. And yet, there are some albums that I just had to have back in the day that haven’t been touched in years.

Case in point, The Pet Shop Boys, Actually. When What Have I Done To Deserve This was all over the radio, I saved up my allowance, found a ride to the mall, and bought that album. After about three or four listens, it went away with the rest of the albums I owned. If I’ve listened to that album 4 times since then, I would be surprised. However, the album still counts as part of my collection, but isn’t it overkill? It’s been so long since I’ve even seen that album, that I have to double check that I actually still have it. Is that the breaking point where too much becomes too much?

Music is a very subjective form of entertainment. How you enjoy it, how you listen to it, and how you collect it are open to mass interpretation, so there is no right or wrong answer here. For me though, I’ve always said that when I purchase an album that I already own (without realizing that I already own it), that’s when it is time to stop collecting. I would have to think that if I had a record collection of 350,000 albums that would be bound to happen.
What about you, dear readers? How many albums are in your collection? At what point do you intend to stop collecting and just enjoy what you have (if ever)? How large do you want to grow your collection?

Comments are open. Feel free to post some.

Iron Maiden - The Final Frontier

Iron Maiden is back with their 15th studio recording, The Final Frontier. The follow up to 2006’s A Matter Of Life And Death, The Final Frontier is a highly anticipated record that the fans have been waiting a long time for. Well, the wait is over, and Iron Maiden did not disappoint in their delivery. The Final Frontier is a great rock record that has the band going deeper and experimenting more than ever before. The results are amazing.

The album opens with the strangest song in Iron Maiden history, which is also the most innovative opening since the double drums on Where Eagles Dare. Satellite 15…The Final Frontier is actually two songs rolled into one. While it would have served Iron Maiden better to split these apart and make The Final Frontier a separate track, for some reason they decide to keep them linked, thus creating one complex song.

Satellite 15 opens with an odd guitar riff/drum pound that’s eerily reminiscent of Aerosmith’s Get A Grip. This opening groove goes on for over four minutes before it finally kicks into The Final Frontier. While highly different from anything Iron Maiden has ever done, Satellite 15 seems like a throw away song that somehow snuck onto the record. It may be cool to see this open their concerts, but it’s not particularly rewarding to have it open their album.

The Final Frontier portion of the song is a rocker. It kicks in with the heavy one kick drum beat (think A Different World and Wildest Dreams). One of the strongest tracks on the album, The Final Frontier is Maiden at their finest. Heavy bass, extreme guitars, Nicko ripping it on the drums, and of course Bruce’s voice in fine form. His vocals sound the best on The Final Frontier.

El Dorado, the first single from the album, is a song that takes some time to grow on the listener. While The Final Frontier pleases the ear immediately, El Dorado takes longer to enjoy, like an aged whiskey. Galloping bass lines, deep complex guitar playing with multiple layers, and rich, thought out lyrics take over this song, a theme that remains throughout the album.

Coming Home is one of the greatest tracks on this disc and one of the best Iron Maiden songs to be recorded in the past decade. This song has sing-along anthem written all over it. Fans are going to love the melodic, romantic feel to the song. Coming Home is full of slow power, much the same way Infinite Dreams was for 7th Son of a 7th Son. Coming Home is a powerful, deep, meaningful song of returning from a journey of self discovery and being better off for it. The solo that saturates the middle of this masterpiece is one of the best every recorded and will cause a tingling sensation of the skin upon the first listen.

The album closes with the magnificent epic When The Wind Blows which is very reminiscent of the Legacy (from A Matter Of Life And Death). Clocking in at 11 minutes and 1 second, this is one of the longest Iron Maiden songs ever recorded. The song opens (and closes) with a blowing wind that represents space or time. Beautiful guitar work spills over the wind and then Bruce’s voice drops into the song in a very Dance of Death (the song) style. This could almost be the slowed down version of Dance of Death, but that is not necessarily a negative. As Bruce tells us the story of the end of days, the listener is drawn into the story. Then 2 minutes in, Bruce’s voice explodes, and this quiet acoustic ballad turns into a heavier, epic rocker with a message.

While a fantastic album overall, The Final Frontier is not without its weak points. The seeming loss of power in Bruce Dickinson’s voice is immediately apparent, especially on the songs Isle Of Avalon and The Talisman. Where Dickinson would normally scream in an octave so high that it would split ears, there is now a low toned, throaty vocal being produced instead. Some of this may be from Dickinson’s voice deteriorating with age, but some of it may be from the mastering and production of the songs.

The length of songs is also a negative note on the band. Their songs have been getting longer and longer in recent years and while sometimes that yields great results (The Legacy, For The Greater Good Of God), it also sometimes yields less than stellar ones (Dream of Mirrors, No More Lies). It would have been grander for Maiden to include two epic length songs and then bombard us with short bursts in the vein of The Final Frontier. However, as this band ages, the epic songs are becoming more and more popular amongst the band mates, and when you have a history as rich as Iron Maiden, that’s permissible.

The Bottom Line: The Final Frontier is a very progressive album that will take time to grow on the listener. Due to the layered complexity of each song, this is not an album that immediately overwhelms with an exclamation of “Wow!” However, it is an exceptional album and money well spent that will yield a return on the initial investment.

Ryo’s Rating: 8 out of 10

TrackList
Satellite 15 … The Final Frontier
El Dorado
Mother Of Mercy
Coming Home
The Alchemist
Isle Of Avalon
Starblind
The Talisman
The Man Who Would Be King
When The Wild Wind Blows

Kiss - August 20, 2010

Prior to seeing Kiss live at Madison Square Garden in October 2009, it had been almost six years since I had witnessed the band perform in concert. So when a summer show at the PNC Arts center was announced, and my nearest and dearest friend, Tommy, confirmed that he was interested in going, well, there was no doubt in my mind. We were going to see Kiss.

A week or two after I got the tickets, Metal Eddie got in touch with me and said he was also going. He got a ticket for him and his nephew Matthew. Knowing how well behaved his nephew is, I knew it was going to be a fun night of rock and roll.

Tommy, Eddie, Matthew, and I all met up at the front gates just prior to the opening act going on. We had no desire to see any band on the bill (besides Kiss, of course), so we took the time to catch up and hang out. Matthew didn’t like this too much, as he was yearning to get inside and see Kiss. It’s hard to explain to someone so young that it was still hours before Kiss was coming on.

Eventually we did make our way inside and got settled on the lawn. We sat through both the opening act of Envy and the second opening act of The Academy Is… Neither of the bands did anything for me, and I actually thought that The Academy Is… was a very strange pairing with Kiss. They appear to be an emo, new wave band with a flamboyant lead singer who needs to come out of the closet. Not what you would call rock and roll with a fist pump.

When it came time for the band that we were all there to see, the old tingling feeling of excitement returned. It was a beautiful Friday night, I was hanging out with some of my best friends, and Kiss was about to take the stage. I can’t help it if I still act like a giddy little school boy, can I?

The familiar lines of “All right Holmdel!” filled the air. “You wanted the best! You got the best! The hottest band in the land… Kiss!” The curtain dropped, the fireworks banged, and Kiss came onto the stage to the opening notes of Modern Day Delilah. The song sounds even better live. I love the new album, Sonic Boom, and I love the song Modern Day Delilah. It was an excellent start to the night.

Classic Kiss would follow in the form of Cold Gin, Let Me Go Rock And Roll, and Firehouse. At the end of Firehouse, the patented Gene Simmons fire breathing incident occurred (as always) and Gene stood there, still the coolest guy in the room, even after all these years. Haters can say what they want, nobody is slicker than Gene Simmons.




On this current tour, dubbed The Hottest Show On Earth, Kiss is performing mostly early era classics and some new songs from Sonic Boom. One rare classic that they pulled out thought was Crazy, Crazy Nights. Honestly, this is a song that I thought I would never hear live. Kiss seems to completely ignore that album and Asylum like they never existed. So when the opportunity to hear Crazy, Crazy Nights live for the first time arose, I was jittery with anticipation.

Unfortunately, time seems to have caught up with Paul Stanley’s voice. While he sounded great on most of the songs he sang that night, Crazy, Crazy Nights wasn’t one of them. His voice was weak and crackly for this performance. It also didn’t help that the band really did not seem into playing this song. I wonder if this was something that Doc McGhee insisted they play for the fans. While I was happy to hear it live, I would have been happier if it sounded better.

Tommy Thayer did his Ace Frehley rip off of Shock Me, but he must be reading The Rock And Roll Guru (like every good rock band should), because he finally mixed the solo up and even incorporated Eric Singer into the act. After Tommy shot the rockets out of his guitar, Eric Singer pulled out a Bazooka and shot a rocket into the crowd. That was unexpected and totally wild!

Gene’s performance of I’m An Animal was exceptional and a highlight of the night for me. Another song that I love from Sonic Boom it was so great to hear it live. And while I thought that he was going to spit blood and fly during that song, he didn’t (that would come during I Love It Loud). I guess even Kiss can throw me a curveball once in a while.

The opening song of the encore upset me a little bit. Kiss decided to play the classic Beth and have Eric Singer sing it. This annoys me even more than having Tommy Thayer play Shock Me. Look, both Tommy and Eric have songs on Sonic Boom that they can sing. Eric can sing Nothing To Lose, he’s done it before and he’s done it well. There is no need to come out to Beth to open the encore.

That being said, the acoustic version of Beth that they played was pretty awesome. I know I sound like a total Brett Favre flip-flopper right now, but it was amazing. The band huddled in a circle at the front of the stage. Gene, Paul, and Tommy played acoustic guitars, while Eric stood out front and sang. It was a cool moment in Kisstory.

The encore continued with more classic Kiss. During I Was Made For Loving You, Paul flew into the audience and landed at a small stage (the Paul stage) that was already set up for him. It’s excellent to see him fly across the audience and play a song from that stage. After all these years, I still love it.




Kiss closed the night with the obvious choice of Rock And Roll All Nite, complete with confetti bomb blasts and a very loud, happy crowd. Although this New Jersey show wasn’t sold out, it was very close to full capacity. The confetti mixed with Rock And Roll All Nite, mixed with me, Tommy, Metal Eddie, and young Matthew singing as loud as we could made for the perfect ending to an amazing night.

Thank you, Kiss. Once again, you put on an incredible show.

Setlist
Modern Day Delilah
Cold Gin
Let Me Go Rock And Roll
Firehouse
Say Yeah
Deuce
Crazy, Crazy Nights
Calling Dr. Love
Shock Me
I’m An Animal
100,000 Years
I Love It Loud
Love Gun
Black Diamond
Detroit Rock City
Encore
Beth (Acoustic)
Lick It Up
Shout It Out Loud
I Was Made For Lovin’ You
God Gave Rock And Roll To You II
Rock And Roll All Nite

Friday's Rockin' Roundup - Labor Day Weekend Edition

Another summer comes to its unofficial end. Where did the summer go? I could have sworn it was Memorial Day only last weekend. Weren’t we just discussing the Rolling Stones release of the remastered Exile On Main Street and watching a video for Plundered My Soul? My, how the time flies!

For summer’s last gasp, Cathy and I will be attending a dinner party, and a barbecue. In addition to that, I will be seeing RUSH at the PNC Bank Arts Center tonight. I am looking forward to hearing Moving Pictures in its entirety along with some choice RUSH classics. It should be a fun-filled evening!

Here’s what rocked this week:

Bruce Springsteen To Release The Promise
As you already know if you read The Guru with any regularity, Bruce Springsteen is releasing a 6 disc box set for Darkness On The Edge Of Town. I personally cannot wait for this and I even have the money sitting aside in an envelope marked November 16th. November 17th may be a sick day at work for me.

Arcade Fire – Making Videos Cool Again
Talk about wild – Arcade Fire has unleashed an interactive video experience. In the video, the viewer can actually view their childhood home and write a note to their younger selves. As creepy as that is for some, it’s an interesting concept for me. What exactly would I write 12 year old Ryo? I’d probably say something like “Hey buddy, freaking grow a pair and ask Kristine out already!”

Vie’s Verses – What Album Should Kiss Perform Live?
That’s the question I pose over at Hard Rock Hideout with my latest installment of Vie’s Verses. With a lot of bands performing albums in their entirety, perhaps it’s time for Kiss to throw their hat into the ring and play one as well.

For more new release news, innovative tech talk, and nonsensical ramblings, you should follow me on Twitter! www.twitter.com/ryovie

Fall 2010 New Music Releases

Ahhh, the autumn is finally upon us. Gone are the long, lazy, hot days of summer. Creeping in are the crisp evenings, football, and of course, playoff baseball. Autumn also brings with it the inevitable fall CD releases and this fall there are a lot of good albums being released. Your cousin Ryo has rounded up those that perked my interest the most, and compiled them in a neat, monthly list. Please note that all release dates are subject to change without notice for any dumb reason whatsoever.

September
Jerry Lee Lewis – Mean Old Man – September 7th
James – The Morning After The Night Before – September 14th
Linkin Park – A Thousand Suns – September 14th
Robert Plant’s Band of Joy – Band of Joy – September 14th
Maroon 5 – Hands All Over – September 21st
Zac Brown Band – You Get What You Give – September 21st
Soundgarden – Telephantasm – September 28th
Eric Clapton – Clapton – September 28th
Gin Blossoms – No Chocolate Cake – September 28th
Ice Cube – I Am The West – September 28th
Pete Yorn – Pete Yorn – September 28th

October
Guster – Easy Wonderful – October 5th
Bob Dylan – The Bootleg Series: The Witmark Demos – October 19th
Good Charlotte – Cardiology – October 26th

November
Bruce Springsteen – The Promise: The Making of Darkness On The Edge Of Town – November 16th
Kid Rock – Born Free – November 16th
Pantera – Cowboys From Hell Remastered Box Set – November 23rd

Comments are open. Feel free to post some.