Tenology: Great Guitarists In Rock/Metal

Another post, another subject that it's taken me way too long to write about.
I've written about overrated trends in Rock/Metal that have included musicians but I've never actually dedicated a blog post to musicians I admire. In this post, I'll be looking at ten guitarists firmly planted in the Rock/Metal genre that may or may not be personal favourites of mine.
As always, I'm hesitant to say "MY TOP TEN FAVOURITE EVER GUITARISTS" because I feel like there are probably some guitarists out there that I'd rate highly if I knew more of their work. As it stands right now, these are just 10 guitar players whom I'd like to shine my own personal spotlight on. Some will probably be hailed as exceptional guitarists all over the web and others may not get the love they deserve but ultimately, it's all down to my opinion and any notable absences aren't a reflection of my opinion on those specific guitarists...except Randy Rhoads, he's deliberately left out.


1. Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser

This is a good picture. Thanks for ruining it, gettyimages.

Despite the fact that I'm not a huge Blue Oyster Cult fan, Buck Dharma is probably my number one favourite guitarist due to his ability to create epic riffs, sweet solos and sing decent lead vocals too. Whilst his guitar playing doesn't stand out as much as guitarists with iconic sounds such as Brian May or Richie Blackmore, the band could boast some of the best riffs Rock has to offer thanks to this man. Songs such as "Cities On Flame With Rock And Roll" and "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" proved he could write amazing single-note riffs (much better than Joe Perry, in my opinion) whereas songs like "Godzilla" and "7 Screaming Diz-Busters" showcased his talent for guitar solos and Classic Rock shredding.


2. John Petrucci

You know he's serious because he's got a knee up

You could probably choose any Rock related forum with Dream Theater or John Petrucci involved and find at least one comment praising his work...and with good reason too! Whilst each member of the band is shit hot at their chosen instrument, Petrucci shoots the band into the stratosphere of awesome Rock thanks to his excellent playing. At the first listen, his solos may sound like bog standard shredding but unlike other guitarists who are so focused on complex scales/arpeggios that they forget to add soul (not saying a word), each melody is well crafted and incredibly well executed. However, Petrucci isn't afraid to let loose and as a result we get songs with epic riffs and blistering solos like "As I Am" and "Constant Motion".


3. Eddie Van Halen

That's the face he has to pull to stop it from melting

I've dedicated several blog posts to writing about the original lineup Van Halen albums and one of the strongest attributes from all of them is the fretwork of EVH (along with Lee Roth's vocals). He's often credited with inventing two handed guitar tapping but some guitarists were doing it long before Van Halen's debut came out. He did popularise the technique and fire it into the mainstream, inspiring future guitarists for decades to come, but none of them quite mastered the skill of iconic riffs and solos like EVH. Not only that but during the early years, Eddie wasn't afraid to challenge himself and adapt his sound with each album rather than coasting on one specific skill. He might be known for "Eruption" but to me, "Spanish Fly" is the stronger song.


4. Dave Murray

I should've posted some pics of guitarists in different positions

Iron Maiden have had many guitarists over the years but the only one to appear on every studio album (and my personal favourite) is Mr Dave Murray. Currently one of three six-string wielding amigos with the band, Dave's guitar playing can be recognised by the soft yet high pitched sound that you tend to hear in most Iron Maiden solos. Adrian might be the main driving force behind the band's great riffs but Dave's the one bringing the thunder in the solos. Again, I've written about all of the band's studio albums on the blog before but I couldn't write this post without mentioning my favourite guitarist from my favourite band.


5. Gary Rossington

This man's single-handedly keeping Lynyrd Skynyrd alive

One of the founding and the last original member of Lynyrd Skynyrd, known for his slide guitar and clean sound. Lynyrd Skynyrd might only be known for a handful of songs but those songs have some damn fine guitar. "Sweet Home Alabama" has one of Rock's greatest riffs and I don't need to tell you about how fucking awesome the "Free Bird" is again. The band's back catalogue is full of great tunes containing excellent riffs ("Simple Man", "The Needle And The Spoon") and some underrated solos ("Call Me The Breeze", "I Know A Little") but to me, Rossington really showed off his talents on the band's exceptional live album, One More From The Road, where he took the band's existing material and turned them up to 11.


6. Tom Morello

I'm no expert but I'm pretty sure he's flipping off some dick in the audience

In my recent post on Audioslave's debut album, I praised Chris Cornell's vocals and Tom Morello's guitar playing. In a not so recent post, I wrote about crap songs saved by one standout amazing feature that I affectionately named after this guitarist in reference to his role in the band Rage Against The Machine. Without Tom, they'd be another mediocre modern Metal outfit but his playing amplifies the rest of the band. His riffs are heavy and his solos sound unlike any other guitarist due to his unique playing styles (the same can be said for certain Audioslave tracks like "Gasoline"). Now and then, he brought out the big guns in RATM songs like "Know Your Enemy" but even if he isn't showing off with great solos, one thing you can count on with his playing is that it rarely (if at all) sounds boring.


7. Dave Mustaine

Said it before & I'll say it again; has anyone ever seen this guy and Donald Trump in the same room?

Dave Mustaine's made waves in the past with some questionable political opinions (many of them being featured in Megadeth's lyrics) but as a guitarist, this guy fucking gets. it. done. He may not have been responsible for one of my favourite solos ("Tornado Of Souls" was largely written by Marty Friedman, another great guitarist who nearly made it to this list) but he was responsible for popularising the spider chord playing style you frequently hear in Thrash Metal. Plus, for all the rage and dickishness Mustaine showed in his early days, to create a band as great as Megadeth out of it with a massive collection of great Metal tunes is quite impressive. Just a shame he has the appearance of a dad who's used all his three genie wishes to become a Rock star.


8. John Frusciante

Pretty sure the photographer captured the exact moment John levelled up

Up until 2009, John was the guitarist for Red Hot Chili Peppers but that wasn't his first time leaving the band. His clean tone is synonymous with the band's sound and whilst the band's riffs/solos are fairly straightforward, John was a clear believer in less is more. I've said before on the blog that I prefer softer Alternative RHCP songs to heavier Funk ones and that's mostly down to John's playing style. However, I will say that songs like "Suck My Kiss" and "Can't Stop" that ARE heavy tracks by the band are only as good as they are because of their solos and riffs respectively, and that's all John. That's all I really need to say on the guy but I'd be remiss if I didn't highlight one song in particular; "Snow ((Hey Oh))". A friend of mine who's seen them live reported that John played the riff perfectly without looping it all the way through, which is fucking impressive. It's not an easy riff to master and John makes it sound like "Smoke On The Water", so hats off to the man!


9. Eric Johnson

It was a choice between Johnson, Satriani, Vai or Malmsteen...I think I made the right choice

To me, one of the strongest attributes a musician can have is to be able to alert everyone to their presence with only a few notes. Eric Johnson has that absolutely nailed. His music always sounds so dreamy and magical, even when he's shredding away. He might not be as technically skilled as virtuosos such as Satriani or Batio but it's not all about how fast you can play. To me, Johnson's music is stronger on the whole than most of the music of those artists because of his unique melodies and combination of different styles to make exceptional Rock music. He's also pretty adept at other instruments too, although he's here entirely because of his guitar playing.


10. Slash

Be honest, how many of you saw this coming?

The ultimate image of a badass Rock guitarist. I don't know what your opinion of Slash is but I've seen several sources claiming he's overrated. I would agree if I hadn't seen him live but watching him flawlessly bust out an 18 minute solo during "Rocket Queen" in front of me eyes without showing any signs of fatigue thirty years after his "peak" performances shows stamina that I'd like to see any of those naysayers match. Not just that but come on, his riffs are fucking great. Guns N' Roses stuff is what he's known for (even if I personally think the "Paradise City" riff sounds a little janky) but his solo material contains way better guitar songs, as you'd expect. Definitely better Hard Rock albums than anything GNR put out; it's just a shame him and Axl patched it up, as he's genuinely much better without that shit awful excuse for a vocalist.


Do you agree with my list? Again, this isn't a Top 10 list and I know there are other amazing guitarists out there that are absent and may appear on a sequel to this post if I feel like writing one but who would you rank highly in your own personal collection of great guitarists and why?
In future, I plan on writing similar posts for bassists, drummers and vocalists too so if you have anyone you believe deserves some love, let me know here or via Twitter.

Brutal Legend: Mouth Of Metal

After writing about the music in the Guardians Of The Galaxy films, I thought about more soundtracks from films, TV shows and non rhythm/music games I could blog about. Naturally, one of the first games that came to mind was Brutal Legend, an action/RTS game based around Metal music, Metal musicians and Metal mythology. In other words, if you like gaming and Metal, it's a must have.

It's a decent game with some dodgy elements but that's not the focus of this post; the soundtrack is. It's 107 songs of Metal and various Metal related subgenres, such as Hair Metal, Thrash Metal, Speed Metal, Industrial Metal, Power Metal and Hard Rock. The soundtrack was crafted with two main goals in mind: to give players a selection of awesome tunes to listen to whilst playing the game and to not completely piss their money away on licensing fees...so yeah, if you haven't played this game before, don't expect any Iron Maiden or Metallica.
Luckily, you can expect some Black Sabbath, Megadeth, Scorpions, Motorhead and others. Unfortunately, you can also expect some Marilyn Manson, Lita Ford and Mastodon so it's not all great. As with any soundtrack, there are hits and misses but none of the choices are offensively bad and some of the better songs are used perfectly (e.g. "Painkiller" - Judas Priest for the final boss battle and "Through The Fire And Flames"- DragonForce for a driving mission involving fast escape from monsters that can kill you in one hit).
As far as the mix between gameplay and music goes, it's almost as good as it can get. You can filter out songs you dislike and skip/replay music you've unlocked through your car's stereo (named the Mouth Of Metal, in case you were wondering what the title of this post was all about) to help craft the perfect playlist for mowing down raptor elks and racing demons. There are plenty of great music moments and unlike certain films and shows that butcher the original songs with poor edits (such as "Mr Blue Sky" - ELO in the Guardians Of The Galaxy, Vol 2 intro, a point I neglected to mention in my post about it), this game absolutely nails the edits perfectly.

Some tracks have certain moments that are designed to be heard during specific gameplay moments but if the songs are allowed to carry on in their natural length, the moment would be ruined by poor timing or poor gaming. For example, the first mission uses "Children Of The Grave" - Black Sabbath to introduce Eddie Riggs (protagonist) to his new surroundings. The mission progresses when you reach an axe that's been placed in a church but whilst you're making your way down the stairs and away from the evil monks, the song's intro is playing.
However, it's not until you reach the axe that the percussion and epic riffs come in. You're then able to start hacking away at the monks with your new weapon all to the sweet, sweet music of Ozzy-era Sabbath. Granted there are some missed opportunities but there's only so much you can do with the music you're allowed to license. Plus, whilst some music might give Metal fans tingly feelings down below, they felt a bit forced and unnecessary to me.
During one of the cutscenes explaining why one of the characters has turned evil, the song "Mr Crowley" - Ozzy Osbourne starts to play. Naturally, the organ intro accompanies the opening and the main action starts when Ozzy's vocals kick in. I don't mind the song being used in the game but it didn't add anything to the cutscene for me. Plus, there's the danger of not paying attention to the cutscene because you're too busy waiting for "MISTER CROW-LEYYY!!" but I'm nitpicking now.

It's a shame Brutal Legend had to have such a weak RTS section of gameplay that hindered its popularity, as a sequel with an even better soundtrack is currently occupying the space of one of my three wishes should I ever discover a magic lamp. As it stands, Brutal Legend's soundtrack is incredibly solid with some excellent tunes to discover and awesome Metal hits to rock out to. It could've done with some Iron Maiden but if we ever get a Brutal Legend Remastered edition for PS4 (which we might in 2 years time for the anniversary, provided Double Fine get their shit together with music licensing), at least we can use Spotify for extra Metal.
But the main point I'm getting at is that the music is great. You should definitely give the full soundtrack a taste if you're into Metal (using this handy link here) and if you've got a last gen console, the game's probably pretty cheap now too. Once you've done that, thank your lucky stars that Tim Schafer didn't let meddling executives get in the way of his creative vision, as some publishers wanted the game to be themed around Country or Hip Hop instead of Metal. Can you imagine how fucking shite that game would've been?

Rapid Fire: Soundgarden, Audioslave, Chris Cornell

By now, the news of Chris Cornell's tragic passing has probably had time to sink in and whilst he wasn't in my personal list of amazing vocalists, I can't deny that he was one. With an instantly recognisable voice and pipes that could deliver the exact amount of passion and emotion the song required, it's a shame that it took his death for me to finally get around to writing a blog post dedicated entirely to him.
As you'd probably guessed by the list of bands in the post title, this Rapid Fire is dealing with three different albums across three different decades belonging to three different genres that feature notable work by the same man. However, this isn't going to be some nostalgic, dick-sucking celebration of self-importance masquerading as a tribute. I'm going to discuss each album as if Chris was still with us, flaws and all, starting with Soundgarden's biggest album.


1. Superunknown - Soundgarden

Some artists question the label Grunge when applied to Soundgarden, as they feel that the true scale of the band's songwriting and musicianship get lost in the categorisation. Personally, I think it's half right. There are definitely Grunge elements in Superunknown, notably in the sludgy album opener, "Let Me Drown", one of the more forgettable "good" tracks, and the biggest single, "Black Hole Sun", a tiresome dirge that is enough to turn any casual listener away from this band. However, the stronger material takes Grunge elements but improves them with Hard Rock. This is where songs like "Fresh Tendrils" and "Fell On Black Days" come in; songs built around a strong riff, heavy bass and moody vocals.
Then you've got flat out Hard Rock tracks, definitely the best ones on the album. "Spoonman" has everything required of an iconic Rock song from epic riffs on both guitar and bass to vocals perfect for belting out with a stadium full of like-minded fans (not to mention a drum solo that doesn't leave you fatigued, an impressive feat in its own right). There are also lesser known tracks like "Kickstand", a punchy interlude that could've done with another minute and a half to make it a proper song, and title track "Superunknown", another testament to the band's strength as one cohesive unit as opposed to a shining star surrounded by permanent stand-ins.
If I did have to single out specific performances, Matt Cameron on drums comes to mind. Similar to vocalists having a recognisably awesome voice, Matt's drumming has a distinct sound in this album (something I reckon Lars Ulrich tried to copy with St. Anger but totally fucked up) and doesn't just fall into the category of generic Rock drums, which we'll be listening to in the next album. Overall, Superunknown showcased the band at their best. There are a few dull moments here and there but it's still a proper Rock album with lyrical and musical depth, something not many bands can pull off.

1. Let Me Drown

2. My Wave

3. Fell On Black Days

4. Mailman

5. Superunknown

6. Head Down

7. Black Hole Sun

8. Spoonman

9. Limo Wreck

10. The Day I Tried To Live

11. Kickstand

12. Fresh Tendrils

13. 4th Of July

14. Half

15. Like Suicide

ALBUM RATING - 7/10

Next up, we have the debut album from supergroup Audioslave consisting of Chris Cornell and 3/4s of Rage Against The Machine.

2. Audioslave - Audioslave

It's always telling when one member of a band is replaced and the quality of the music vastly changes. In this case, Chris Cornell replacing Zack De La Rocha transformed a one-note Rap Metal act into a solid Hard Rock band with some decent tunes to shout about. However, unlike Superunknown, Audioslave's eponymous debut is not amplified by the group effort of the band; it's very much down to Chris Cornell and Tom Morello on vocals and guitar respectively here. It's fair to say that whilst Brad Wilk gave it everything he had, bassist Tim Commerford was basically tagging along for the ride.

The pairing of Cornell and Morello has to be one of the most perfect combinations in Rock music. Whilst Morello's the one who hooks people in with his innovative playing style and epic riffs, it's Cornell who keeps listeners entranced with his raw vocals ("Cochise", "Gasoline", "Set It Off"). The band definitely knew how to deliver a powerful Rock song and, yes, this was partly down to Brad Wilk's drumming. If you've read my review of 13 - Black Sabbath, you'll known I'm not a fan of his work but if there's one thing the man can do (and I believe there is just one thing the man can do), it's powerful drumming. There are a few moments here and there where Cornell must've pumped some cocaine into his morning cuppa ("Show Me How To Live") but it's mostly just slow rhythms from start to finish.

It's a good album with some great tunes but it could've done with a bit more musical variety. Audioslave seem to have two settings: Powerhouse and Sensitive. Both settings have their strengths ("Exploder" and "Like A Stone" spring to mind) but they're the result of two musicians who are masters at those styles and little else. A third talented artist could've helped guide the band into a third great style...or they could've been the cook that spoiled the broth. Either way, what we got was a collection of passable Rock songs with a few gems fronted by half of the band.

1. Cochise

2. Show Me How To Live

3. Gasoline

4. What You Are

5. Like A Stone

6. Set It Off

7. Shadow On The Sun

8. I Am The Highway

9. Exploder

10. Hypnotize

11. Bring Em Back Alive

12. Light My Way

13. Getaway Car

14. The Last Remaining Light

ALBUM RATING - 6/10

Finally, instead of forcing myself through Temple Of The Dog, we have Chris Cornell's last solo album, released a couple of years ago.

3. Higher Truth - Chris Cornell

If you were expecting an extension of Soundgarden and Audioslave's material, boy did you come to the wrong place. This isn't the kind of album I'd usually talk about on this blog, as it really stretches the definition of Rock, but that doesn't mean I didn't like it. It's a bittersweet collection of music that trades heavy percussion for soulful guitar melodies and piano/keys. In fact, album opener and lead single "Nearly Forgot My Broken Heart" is probably as heavy as the percussion gets and even then, the remaining instruments are far from your typical Rock sound. If anything, they sound like Indie Pop, only not as breathy and shite. You can thank Chris Cornell's vocals for that.

Sure, there are a few tracks with a bit more energy ("Our Time In The Universe") but the album is firmly built around delicate music aided by hearty vocals. Even when songs are slow and melodic, Chris keep them from devolving into your typical moaning vehicles of self-pity that modern Alternative Rock bands can't stop trotting out. He sings with purpose and passion ("Worried Moon", "Murderer Of Blue Skies") and I'm sure some twat's already proof reading their reflective piece about how this album should've told us Chris was suicidal but to me, there's still hope in the lyrics. It's just a shame that about halfway through, the sensitive tracks all sort of blend into the same material ("Through The Window", "Josephine") so you're left with little options if you're not invested in it.

Much like my opinion of Chris Cornell's talents as a vocalist, Higher Truth isn't an album that I would rank highly on my own personal scale but I can recognise well written music of the genre and this is it. I'd recommend it to fans of modern Alternative who want something better than the shit they're used to but if you like your riffs heavy, your drums pounding and your Rock rocking, this isn't the album for you. Whether or not his previous solo albums deliver in that sense, I couldn't tell you but even if they didn't, they don't need to. He's done Rock already and he's done it bloody well.

1. Nearly Forgot My Broken Heart

2. Dead Wishes

3. Worried Moon

4. Before We Disappear

5. Through The Window

6. Josephine

7. Murderer Of Blue Skies

8. Higher Truth

9. Let Your Eyes Wander

10. Only These Words

11. Circling

12. Our Time In The Universe

ALBUM RATING - 6/10

RIP Chris Cornell.

Showdown: Homages/Rip Offs 5

Yep, looks like there are more songs that sound sort of similar to each other! This time, instead of comparing two different songs by two different bands, I'm looking at comparisons by the same artist. This is a rule I've followed whilst making all the previous Homages/Rip Offs posts but for the fifth edition, I've decided to mix it up a bit. Did bands want to pay homage to their popular material or did they run out of inspiration and unintentionally (or intentionally?) copy some of their earlier work?
There are several posts online about bands that all sound the same and it would've been easy for me to scour them and pick a bunch of tunes out. However, whilst this post does contain some well known bands that are historically adept at releasing the same album over and over, it also contains a few of my own picks that I've heard over the years. It should also be noted that this post (and all previous/future ones) are the work of opinion. Despite my language, I'm not categorically stating that a band did rip themselves or anyone else off. Right then, let's get started!

EDIT: Forgot to add a Spotify playlist containing each song (original and cover) at the bottom of this post. Feel free to listen to it as you read my write-ups!

ROUND ONE: Stevie Ray Vaughan vs. Stevie Ray Vaughan
Pride And Joy - I fucking hate this song. Generic Blues played by an incredible guitarist is still boring as fuck and no talented fretwork can save that. This song has it all: bland Blues chord progression, uninspired lyrics, forgettable solos and the rest of the band doing fuck all of merit. The final turd on this shit mountain is that the song came out in the 80s, just under thirty years after the rest of the music scene realised Blues Rock was getting a little stale. For some reason, it's a fairly well known song in the world of Rock but not many people know about the next track.
I'm Cryin' - It's the same fucking song. The exact same structure with the same bland guitar solos off the same fucking album. Don't get me wrong, there are some belters on the Texas Flood album but was SRV so unimaginative that he couldn't even write a different melody for his band to fill one more space on the setlist? Some might defend this track by mistaking it for a reprise but they need to realise that this is an entirely different song created by SRV just before the end of the album. I can understand one of these songs existing, not both.
VERDICT - The fact that both songs are more or less identical (right down to the outro) makes me think this can't be lazy songwriting. It feels to me like this is a really stupid attempt at a Homage but even if you like "Pride And Joy", why the hell would anyone want the same song twice but rehashed with new lyrics and a few tweaked solos? If you're going to copy yourself as blatantly as SRV did here, either pull a Bon Jovi and change it enough so that it is a new song ("Blaze Of Glory" is a rewritten "Wanted Dead Or Alive") or wait a couple of years to rerecord/remix it.

ROUND TWO: ZZ Top vs. ZZ Top
Got Me Under Pressure - You could probably argue that a song as average as this could be compared to lots of ZZ Top songs, since they weren't exactly the strongest bands when it came to Riff Based Rock or even technical work. They just released solid Southern/Blues Rock and whilst this isn't one of the best songs off Eliminator, it's a decent little tune with a notable little riff in the chorus. It's that riff that we're paying attention to for this next song.
Planet Of Women - Same tempo? More or less. Same sound? Yup. Same song? No. There are enough differences in the intros for both songs to justify their existence...until the verse starts and that familiar little riff comes in again. It took me a few listens when I first heard these songs to realise that ZZ Top had repackaged that melody but once you play them side by side, the similarities are undeniable.
VERDICT - Oh this is a Rip Off. As I said earlier, ZZ Top aren't the greatest songwriters and I can imagine their desire to replicate the success of Eliminator with their follow up, Afterburner, may have led to a bit of cheeky riff pinching. To say these albums were released consecutively, it's no wonder ZZ Top are relying on their greatest hits nowadays.

ROUND THREE: Disturbed vs. Disturbed
Indestructible - Disturbed are one of those bands that manage to get away with releasing the same material over and over again so really, I could've picked any two songs for this list. As a result, I've chosen one of their popular songs that contains their typical rhythm and riffing combined with stabbing vocals in sync with the percussion.
The Vengeful One - OK, so the drum intro is a bit different but as soon as that guitar comes in, you know it's a Disturbed song. I should say that whilst the comparisons are clear, these songs are still great. You can argue "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" but to me, the best songs Disturbed released are the ones that broke the mold. "Perfect Insanity" and "The Infection" still sound like Disturbed but they don't rely on the standard Disturbed rhythm, if that makes sense.
VERDICT - It's a tricky decision as I feel like both Homage and Rip Off could apply here. On the one hand, Disturbed clearly have a sound that they're trying to recreate with their singles but on the other, it's kind of lazy to listen to the same rhythm time after time after time. If I had to choose one, I'm going with Homage as I imagine it's a case of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" rather than poor songwriting. The fact that they can still record covers like "The Sound Of Silence" shows they are willing to try new material out but they also want to make music for their fans.

ROUND FOUR: The Kinks vs. The Kinks
All Day And All Of The Night - I prefer this song to "You Really Got Me". Better riff and better solo, even if the other song's a bit heavier. It's a standard riff that carries the entire song but thankfully the band were great enough to add some strong vocals into the mix too. As far as 60s Garage Rock goes, it's pretty damn good. Problem is The Kinks are one of those bands that were strongest in their youth and by the time the 80s rolled around, the pool of ideas was a little shallow.
Destroyer - This song starts off alright but it doesn't take long until the riff from "All Day And All Of The Night" creeps in. Not only that but the vocal melody from the former song's chorus is copied almost identically in the bridge before the chorus (albeit with different lyrics). If you haven't heard "Destroyer" but like "All Day And All Of The Night", I'd recommend giving it a listen as it's still a good tune.
VERDICT - The Kinks have acknowledged that "Destroyer" is a Homage to their previous work, especially since the song contains lyrics about Lola. It's a shame that the riff pretty much had to carry this song but there are worse songs The Kinks could've turned to for inspiration, like "Waterloo Sunset".

ROUND FIVE: Ramones vs. Ramones
Blitzkrieg Bop - Another band that released one incredible track and fucking coasted on it for the majority of their career. Punchy rhythm, monotone vocals and lots of chords; all staples of a good Ramones song. Ramones might be one of Punk's greatest icons but when you compare their material to what Punk stood for, it all sounds a bit tame. It's also quite telling that this song is used in adverts for a company that sells kitchen supplies now, further proof that Punk is and always will be a joke genre.
Rockaway Beach - Whilst all the standard Punk tropes are there, I think I prefer this song to "Blitzkrieg Bop". The verse and chorus may be mediocre but there's a little bridge that contains an awesome riff, one that a better band would've turned into a backing melody underneath a guitar solo.
VERDICT - Once again, I could've picked any song by the Ramones to compare to "Blitzkrieg Bop"...except some of their stuff from the late 80s that nobody really cared about, but all their hits stem from one popular song so I reckon that's a good cause for the Rip Off label. At least Ramones had some positive influence on the world, as they were a big inspiration to Lemmy. Speaking of Lemmy...

ROUND SIX: Motorhead vs. Motorhead
Ace Of Spades - Motorhead's most famous song and, as always, not one of their best. However, it is generally the song that everyone compares the band's other material to. Fast tempo, furious bass, grumbling vocals and relatively forgettable guitar solos. It's a good song that acts as a test for whether or not Motorhead are the band for you but it's important to note there are other songs in the band's discography that are even better with all the same beats.
Iron Fist - Such as this one! I think I've talked about this track on the blog before when discussing rerecordings (as the 2008 version used for Guitar Hero: World Tour DLC has much better guitar AND it doesn't fade out!) but if I'm comparing it to "Ace Of Spades", I will say that the solos are probably stronger in this track. The guitar melody might be a little bit better in "Ace Of Spades" but I love the chorus for this song. If I really took each song apart, I'd probably come to the conclusion that I love both songs equally but until that day, "Iron Fist" is my favourite.
VERDICT - Unlike Ramones and Disturbed, Motorhead were never about releasing hits. Lemmy just wanted to play Rock & Roll and each album reflects that. Granted most albums are pretty fucking similar, almost to an AC/DC level, but I reckon Homage best describes this comparison. Lemmy wrote music that he wanted to play for people who wanted to listen to it, hence the band's typical sound.

ROUND SEVEN: Cheap Trick vs. Cheap Trick
I Want You To Want Me - Another song I discussed in a previous post (live versions)! You don't need to hear me talk about it again; blah blah bubblegum Rock blah blah At Budokan is better. What we're listening to here is the bouncy rhythm and the song's title. I'd tell you to commit them to memory but since you're reading the text in front of you, your hippocampus can sit this one out.
How Are You? - Once the soft piano intro has passed, the bouncy rhythm kicks in. To me, this in itself doesn't warrant a valid comparison but about two thirds of the way through, Robin Zander sings "I want you, need you, love you, want you to want me", even throwing in "remember?" before the next line. Cheap Trick knew that this song had similarities to one of their biggest hits and not only carried on regardless but went ahead and shined a light on it. A ballsy move but does it pay off?
VERDICT - To me, yes. "How Are You?" is a much better song that feels like the band's second studio attempt at "I Want You To Want Me" before they rerecorded the whole of In Color anyway. However, there are still many, many differences between both songs so I don't think it's a simple Homage. I think the band added the aforementioned lyrical reference after the song was written as a way of lampshading their Rip Off. Still a great song, though.

ROUND EIGHT: Rise Against vs. Rise Against
Prayer Of The Refugee - I have no idea why this band are so fucking popular. It's angsty teen Rock that sounds heavier/better than angsty teen Rock but worse than actual Rock. Anyway, Rise Against are another band that the Internet reckoned were guilty of releasing structurally identical songs between albums and after listening to a few choice tunes, I'm inclined to agree. This song starts off slow but kicks it up a notch during the chorus with heavier guitar, screaming vocals and a faster tempo (not to mention a shit guitar solo).
Savior - Slow intro, increased tempo with heavier guitars, screeching/"more passionate" vocals as the song progresses and generally dull guitar throughout. I guess this music is closer to what Punk should be rather than the Ramones but it still feels a little too "stadium" to me. The structure is too well composed to represent the voice of a rebellious generation; it sounds like music written to sell shirts and arena tickets to teenagers, defeating the entire purpose of Punk. But enough ranting, let's look at the verdict.
VERDICT - Basing my decision off the same reasons as previous entries, I feel like Rise Against deserve the label Homage here. I may not care for their music but this is a clear case of the band that's found its perfect style and is running with it, not one that's musically uninspired.

ROUND NINE: Ozzy Osbourne vs. Ozzy Osbourne
Crazy Train - I'll admit that this comparison is probably just me but I'm interested to see if anyone else agrees. "Crazy Train" is easily Ozzy's most popular song and whilst I'm not a fan of it personally due to Randy Rhoads' crappy solo/Ozzy's rubbish vocal melody in the chorus, I fucking love the main riff and can appreciate why people adore this song. However, the style of guitar playing in the verse might sound familiar to people who've listened to Ozzy's later work. Lots of strumming punctuated by the odd chord.
Bark At The Moon - I chose this track to compare but honestly, there are a bunch I could've picked. "I Don't Know", "Miracle Man", "Over The Mountain", "Let Me Hear You Scream"; all released across a variety of albums but all containing that similar guitar rhythm. This is probably one of the reasons why I feel Ozzy's a little bit overrated as a Metal artist; some of his stuff's great but it also feels like he's trying to recreate "Crazy Train" over and over.
VERDICT - It might just be that Ozzy likes songs with that particular rhythm or it might be that there's only so much creativity the Prince Of Darkness has. Either way, I'm going with Rip Off on this one as each track stands far enough apart from each other to rule out the possibility of Homages. That's my theory and I know it's probably an unpopular one...so I'll end this post with one that the Internet has unanimously agreed on.

ROUND TEN: Nickelback vs. Nickelback
How You Remind Me - I don't completely subscribe to the herd mentality that Nickelback are the worst band in the world but I will admit to fucking despising this song. It's as bland, safe and generic as you can get in the world of Rock with no redeeming features. A strong statement but I'm not the only one who thinks so; there was a story a while ago about a man who realised that "How You Remind Me" and the next song contain the exact same structure and sound, putting his findings on the Internet to the delight of millions of anti-fans.
Someday - Listening to this song on its own is dull enough but when you compare it to the former track, the comparisons just keep on coming. Same beats, same sound, same performance from every member of the band. Both tracks even end with a solitary guitar outro too, which is usually the final piece of evidence I require. Nickelback have commented on the similarities, claiming that their music will sound the same because they write all their songs with the same goal in mind or some horseshit, but I don't think they could've said anything to save themselves from the online mockery.
VERDICT - Nickelback have released plenty of songs that hail from the same dull cosmos of Rock/Wood but sound different so it's a little suspicious that these two songs have the same structure as well as the same sound. I'm going with Rip Off here but not because I don't like Nickelback (you can judge me all you want but "Burn It To The Ground" fucking rocks).


I might write another post of Homages/Rip Offs by the same artists in the months to come so if you have any recommendations, let me know. The only thing I will say is that I'm not looking for similar songs by different bands with at least one member that's the same, e.g. Richie Blackmore in Deep Purple and Rainbow with guitar solos in "Stormbringer" and "Stargazer".
Anyway, here's the Spotify playlist if you fancy hearing each song as you read/reread this post!