Villains - Queens Of The Stone Age

I had planned to make September the month of album reviews since there are at least three different records coming out that I plan on listening to/writing about. However, imagine my surprise when I discovered that another album I wanted to check out has just been released in August instead!

The last time we got a proper studio effort from the Queens Of The Stone Age was 2013 and, when all's said and done, it wasn't great. It had some decent tracks ("If I Had A Tail") but also a lot of droning Alternative shit ("My God Is The Sun", "...Like Clockwork", "Keep Your Eyes Peeled"). The good news for fans of that music is that Villains still offers tracks that could fit in with previous QOTSA albums but is definitely more of a Pop friendly record on the whole. You can thank producer Mark Ronson for that. Yep, THAT Mark Ronson. The one responsible for the ubiquitous crap known as "Uptown Funk" that ultimately made Josh Homme hire him for the purpose of making this album easier to dance to.
Album opener "Feet Don't Fail Me" introduces this blend of funky Pop with QOTSA weirdness quite well, although the track does begin with about 1:50 of atmospheric tedium that should've been its own track before jumping into this one (like "The Hellion" - Judas Priest or "Signs Of Chaos" - Testament). The rest of the track boasts a terrible guitar solo and Josh Homme doing a David Bowie impression but other than that, it's a fairly mediocre tune to start the album off. Luckily, the two lead singles from the album do a better job of mixing dance rhythms with Rock riffs.
"The Way You Used To Do" is a huge improvement over the depressing noise of ...Like Clockwork, even if it sounds more like Pop Rock or Indie/Alternative than some of the Hard Rock hits from the band's past. However, even with the synth sound effects and clapping rhythm, the band still sound like the band and the riffs are multi-functional, depending on whether you prefer to dance in your living room or air guitar in your bedroom. It's just a shame it ends on an unnecessary instrumental outro after the song finishes.

"The Evil Has Landed" is also a solid choice for the pre-release singles as it's still a guitar-driven track and firmly belongs in the Rock category with its Led Zeppelin riffs and Eagles Of Death Metal outro that probably should've been a different track to prevent this one from going on too long. Either way, this is the kind of material that I want to hear when listening to Queens Of The Stone Age; Rock that's a little bit different but is definitely still Rock. This album needed more songs like this for me to personally enjoy it.
I'm not saying the album's poorly recorded by the band or produced by Mr Boogie-Woogie (it pains me to say Mark Ronson is still a damn good producer, even if he's focused on a genre I don't care for as much). In fact, I have several good things to say about it too. For starters, regardless of your taste for Rock/Pop, it's definitely a different album to the last one without completely neglecting the progress they made in adapting their sound. There's also a very obvious direction the band wanted to go for and they made it without compromising the objective quality of the music; even if Josh Homme's Bowiesque vocals do start to feel less like homage and more like self-inflation as the album progresses, at least they're still appropriate for the music.
However, despite the occasional injection of humour and wackiness (particularly in "Head Like A Haunted House", my favourite track off the album complete with bass driven rhythms, aggressive guitar tones and Sci-Fi/camp horror effects similar to SpizzEnergi), there's something just a little bit pompous about the whole thing. Whether it's in small observations like the use of stringed instruments in "Un-Reborn Again" or obvious surface level ones like the name of the song itself, the album could've benefited from someone taking a step back and reminding Josh Homme that he's not the defining artist of a generation but I guess spending time with Iggy Pop will do that to you.

Granted it doesn't take itself quite as seriously as the last album (although tracks like "Domesticated Animals" show glimmers of self-inflation in the discordant, clunky melodies) but for what's clearly meant to be a more casual experience for listeners, there aren't a huge amount of easily accessible Pop Rock tracks. Tracks like "Fortress", "Hideaway" and "Villains Of Circumstance" sound more like twisted New Romanticism than Alternative or even conventional Pop Rock; they're less like tracks you'd hear at a fun concert and more like background music at a club where everyone has multicoloured hair and at least one plaid outfit in their wardrobe.
If you enjoy each of these genres covered across Villains then you'll probably like the experience of listening to it start to finish. If you're indifferent to any of them, I'd still recommend giving the album a try as it's all decent but not the kind of material you'd get great pleasure out of revisiting on a frequent basis. If you hate any of the genres I mentioned (particularly Pop based ones), give the other songs a go but don't expect to find your new favourite song. The album blends each musical flavour like ingredients in a sauce and you're not going to love the taste of bolognese if you can't stand onions.
I rate Villains 7/10 for containing a decent mix of tracks assembled by professionals in their field despite occasionally spreading themselves a little too thin for fans of one genre over the other. My only major concern for the future of this band is that Josh Homme's ego is starting to show. As long as he keeps the number of side projects under control and continues to make albums that are about the music instead of how great he is, he might just avoid becoming the next Glenn Hughes.

Rock Band 3

I know I said I'd try to hold off on video game posts until next month but I also said I might do a Guitar Hero/Rock band post that deals with actual music as opposed to video game tunes.
If you've read my posts on Guitar Hero 3: Legends Of Rock, Rock Band 2, Guitar Hero: World Tour, The Beatles Rock Band, Guitar Hero: Warriors Of Rock, Rock Band 4 and Guitar Hero: Van Halen, you'll know how this works already. I list all the songs in the game along with my opinions on them (based on song quality, how fun the guitar chart is and whether the song belongs in the game) before tallying all the Thumbs Up/Down at the end for a final verdict.
I've gone on record as saying Rock Band 3 has the worst tracklist of any main entry in the GH/RB series but let's see how bad it is compared to the others. It'll also be interesting on a personal level to see if any of these tracks have grown on me over time or if I still think they're shit after seven years.

"20th Century Boy" - T. Rex
Of all the T. Rex songs, this is probably one of the more fun guitar tracks. Sure, it was used in Guitar Hero 5 but compared to other well known T. Rex songs, this isn't a bad choice. Good song, great guitar chart (until the final solo), a well known hit by the band and a good inclusion due to the new keyboard and vocal harmony support. THUMBS UP.

"25 Or 6 To 4" - Chicago
I didn't know this song until I played it on RB3 and my God, did they pick a great song. It doesn't sound like much from the preview but as well as having a solid guitar chart during the verses, it's fucking loaded with fun solos. It's a great Classic Rock song that definitely belongs in rhythm games. THUMBS UP.

"Antibodies" - Poni Hoax
Aaaaaaand now we're into the RB3 soundtrack. When I think of RB3, I think of shitty Indie tracks that waver between painfully dull or horribly charted guitar to the point of amplified difficulty beyond the fun threshold. This is somehow a mix of both. It's absolute wank to play and I can only assume it was included because somebody on the HMX team really liked the track and it was cheap to license. It's not a bad track, even if it is a little repetitive towards the end, but it's the absolute worst in this game. THUMBS DOWN.

"Beast And The Harlot" - Avenged Sevenfold
If you're going to pick an Avenged Sevenfold song for your music game (and let's face it, you have to now), this is a solid choice. It's one of their bigger songs that hadn't already been used in Rock Band at that point and since it was used in Guitar Hero 2, music game fans who aren't familiar with A7X will probably be familiar with it (assuming there's such a thing as music game fans who aren't familiar with A7X). Decent guitar chart too so yeah, THUMBS UP.

"The Beautiful People" - Marilyn Manson
We all know Marilyn Manson sucks ass if you're not an angsty 12-year old and this song is no exception. Dull guitar and dull choice if you want Industrial or Nu-Metal, especially when there are Rob Zombie tracks yet to appear in RB. However, I guess they wanted an easy song for Pro-Guitar (another huge problem with the game's soundtrack). THUMBS DOWN.

"Been Caught Stealing" - Jane's Addiction
This song was pretty fun to play in GH:WOR, even if the song is as bland as most 90s Jane's Addiction songs come. Naturally, since this is a Rock Band chart, it's worse than the GH one and since it's an RB3 one, it's just an annoying chart in general compared to one that already exists on a much better game. However, I can't deny that it belongs in the game. Well known song, great pick by the band, still has a place in RB. If GHWOR didn't exist, it'd probably be a lot better so I give it a THUMBS UP for good intentions.

"Before I Forget" - Slipknot
Goddamn, this song is piss easy to play compared to the GH3 version. Once again, I can't argue that this song doesn't deserve to be in RB as it's a well known track of theirs and I think most of their other popular songs were released as DLC already. It may not be that fun to play but it still gets a THUMBS UP purely because there's no sensible reason to give it a Thumbs Down and I'm sure that argument won't come back to bite me in the arse.

"Bohemian Rhapsody" - Queen
...one song. Couldn't even make it one song without going back on myself. Yeah, this track sucks in RB. It's not even a case of being bored by the lack of guitar; when the guitar eventually does kick in, it's horribly charted and a fucking ballache to play. This might be a huge track and a significant part of the game's marketing but if you're going to pick a Queen song with keys, either make the guitar fun or go for something like "Don't Stop Me Now", seeing as how the other instruments will probably be as (if not more) fun on that song than this overrated anthem. THUMBS DOWN.

"Break On Through (To The Other Side)" - The Doors
Hats off to HMX for actually picking a good song by The Doors, unlike Activision who picked a right shitfest for GH:WT. Again, another song that played its part in the game's marketing only this time, it's brand new to rhythm games. It's short and sweet with some good HOPO sections, not to mention a big hit of theirs. Might not be the biggest hit but it's probably one of the most fun for each instrument. THUMBS UP.

"Caught In A Mosh" - Anthrax
I have no idea why this is Anthax's biggest song. It sounds like Punk (or, in other words, fucking shit) and the solo sucks. However, I have a feeling that certain Anthrax master recordings are unavailable so they couldn't pick one of the much greater songs off the Spreading The Disease album and instead went for the obvious choice from the Among The Living one. This song might have worked in RB2 or as DLC but it feels a little out of place in RB3 so I'm giving it a THUMBS DOWN as I can't say I enjoyed playing it or felt like it was a well thought out inclusion.

"Centerfold" - The J. Geils Band
Now THIS was a well thought out inclusion! Awesome party song, fun guitar chart, instantly recognisable chorus and vocals, not out of place in RB AND good use of all the new instruments/features added to the series. One of the easiest THUMBS UP I've ever awarded. Hey, remember when Activision made a Classic Rock pack for GH and it had "Freeze Frame" instead of this song? Remember how it was mostly keys charted on guitar and didn't really belong in the game and was probably chosen because ATVI knows fuck all about Classic Rock, likely hearing this song on the radio without realising it was the same band that did "Centerfold"? Good times.

"China Grove" - The Doobie Brothers
Not the most awesome Classic Rock song in existence but a good tune by this band. It's got a great guitar riff and a passable solo (not to mention piano and vocal harmonies), plus it's a fairly popular track so I don't really see anything wrong with it apart from it being a very run-of-the-mill choice. Then again, I'll take average over bad (especially when it comes to RB3) so THUMBS UP.

"Cold As Ice" - Foreigner
Not a huge fan of this song, if I'm being honest. It sounds a little tacky to me and it follows the RB3 pattern of dull chart with an annoying solo. However, of all the Foreigner songs to pick for the game, I'm glad it was this instead of one of their 80s power ballads. Then again, I would've preferred something like "Dirty White Boy". Ah well, it's not the worst choice for fans of Soft Rock. THUMBS UP.

"Combat Baby" - Metric
I don't know about you but if I was going to learn guitar, I'd want to learn by playing a bunch of shitty Indie Rock. Definitely helping to support the Rock star fantasy there! Anyway, another track that sounds OK if you're just listening to it but falls apart when you play it on RB. Boring guitar is one of the many things that gives it a THUMBS DOWN.

"The Con" - Tegan And Sara
Fuck no, are you kidding? This is Rock Band, not Pretty Little Liars. Get some music with balls and/or fun charts. Screw whoever championed this song's inclusion in the game (probably whoever was in charge of the money for licensing). THUMBS DOWN.

"Crazy Train" - Ozzy Osbourne
I'm conflicted on this one. On the one hand, it's a hugely popular Metal track with an instantly recognisable riff and is the kind of track that feels right for an on-disc RB track. On the other, the guitar chart is total balls. Fuck lanes and fuck the team responsible for making them suck. You probably know I think this song's a little overrated in the solo department and that most Ozzy Osbourne songs after this were basically just failed attempts to recreate this song but my brain says this song's a solid choice, even if it was executed in the worst possible way. THUMBS UP.

"Crosstown Traffic" - The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Around the time of this game's development, HMX acquired the rights to most of Jimi Hendrix's back catalogue because the Hendrix estate are hypocritical cunts who went from caring about preserving the Godlike image of Hendrix to preserving their bank accounts in the space of about a year. As a result, RB got a bunch of Hendrix DLC but this was the song they picked for the game disc. Not "All Along The Watchtower", "Purple Haze" or "Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)". This. This mediocre crap that you'll probably recognise but won't care about. This was the on-disc song and those were the DLC releases. It's not even worth discussing guitar charts as all Hendrix songs have average to terrible charting (except "Fire" on Lego Rock Band, that's actually decent). THUMBS DOWN.

"Dead End Friends" - Them Crooked Vultures
See, licensing modern music is fine if you pick songs like this. Rock songs with fun charts, not Indie crap. GHWOR got the more fun song but this one still has its moments, even if there are a few annoying little riffs now and then that can ruin an FC run. Either way, I approve of this song being in RB3 despite not being a hit single or Rock anthem. Gotta have filler tracks somewhere so you might as well make them count. THUMBS UP.

"Don't Bury Me... I'm Still Not Dead" - Riverboat Gamblers
Oh yay, Punk. Whiny modern Punk too, not that passable 70s or 90s Pop orientated stuff. If you know the guitar chart, you'll know I hate it so let's spend this time making fun of the song name. "I'm Still Not Dead"? Way to make it sound like you're fucking eight years old, guys. THUMBS DOWN.

"Don't Stand So Close To Me" - The Police
I like The Police and whilst all of their songs are easy to play, they're usually quite fun if you like simple guitar charts. This song's a fairly well known one of theirs and whilst it's not as fun as "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic", "Truth Hits Everybody" or "So Lonely", it's fun to play if you like the song. However, set your standards low to avoid disappointment. THUMBS UP.

"Du Hast" - Rammstein
I must've missed the meeting where everyone collectively decided Rammstein were awesome because to me, they're a fucking joke. This song sounds like a floor filler at a gay rave and even when the guitar comes in, it's still pretty lame compared to other Metal tracks that don't feel the need to add techno synth. By the time the vocals come in, the song's completely off the rails. Oh yeah, and it sucks to play. THUMBS DOWN.

"Everybody Wants To Rule The World" - Tears For Fears
Not a bad New Wave guitar chart and a well known 80s song too. Whilst I never would've requested this song to be playable in Rock Band, I'm kinda glad they went with it as it's quite fun to play if you're after a simple chart. I'm really glad they didn't use lanes for the HOPO riff too, as that would've easily ruined it. THUMBS UP.

"False Alarm" - The Bronx
I've heard exactly three songs by The Bronx. One from GH5, one from Saints Row IV and one from Rock Band 3. I like the first two but this one's kinda shitty due to the lack of fun guitar and noise that comes with modern Punk. Based on that statistic, I can only assume that The Bronx have better songs that could've been picked but instead we got "False Alarm", hence THUMBS DOWN.

"Fly Like An Eagle" - Steve Miller Band
What is it with Steve Miller Band songs that makes them so godawful as RB charts? GH can chart their songs properly, what beef do HMX have with Steve Miller? This song's not bad but the guitar chart's fucking horrific. Awkward strumming, poor HOPO placement and long periods of nothing, although that's mostly the song's fault. This song was likely chosen as on on-disc track because they knew nobody would pay money for it after watching the guitar chart on Youtube, although it could've been picked due to the funky keys and bass. THUMBS DOWN despite being a good Space Rock track.

"Foolin'" - Def Leppard
Props to HMX for getting a Def Leppard master recording that wasn't off a recent studio album. Not only that but it actually sounds like a Def Leppard Rock song, not a shitty power ballad. Whilst the logical choice probably would've been something like "Rock Of Ages" off the same album or one of the live recordings off the Mirror Ball collection like GHWOR went for, there's something to be said for getting a good track even if it has a poorly charted solo. Because of the solo and lack of popularity compared to other Def Leppard songs, it's getting a THUMBS DOWN but this was close to Thumbs Up, if not for typical HMX charting.

"Free Bird" - Lynynrd Skynyrd
The final boss of the game and by this point, it's a bit of an anticlimax. "Free Bird" had already been used in Guitar Hero 2, Guitar Hero: Smash Hits and Guitar Hero 5 as DLC with a different chart to the Smash Hits version so when it finally appeared in RB with a mediocre guitar chart, it had no real impact compared to "Painkiller" or "Green Grass And High Tides". Nevertheless, it's still fun to play if you can stand the opening half and like the song. It's also a more sensible choice than releasing it as DLC so I guess it gets a THUMBS UP, especially if the last one got Thumbs Down.

"Get Free" - The Vines
I remember this song being more fun to play on guitar than the GHWOR chart (only slightly) but it's still a two minute song with minimal guitar and rubbish vocals. Not really sure why The Vines are worthy of an on-disc inclusion for any game but hey, it is what it is and it is a song that gets a THUMBS DOWN for being the definition of dull filler.

"Get Up, Stand Up" - Bob Marley And The Wailers
Oh joy, Reggae. Just what we needed. But wait, it's not just any Reggae. It's Bob Marley! Woooooooo! Who cares if it's fucking boring, everybody loves Bob Marley! It doesn't matter if there are Rock songs that deserve a space more than some bland fucking Reggae jam, Bob Marley everyone, BOB MARLEY! He's the Reggae Man and Reggae is great now! I'm so stoked by this song that it gets an ironic THUMBS DOWN that totally isn't my way of saying "Fuck you" to this track.

"Good Vibrations (Live)" - The Beach Boys
Rock Band games tend to have at least one impressive artist that nobody would've assumed possible to get and you could argue that The Beach Boys are RB3's band in question. Thankfully, they picked the best Beach Boys song, regardless of whether the live version is better than the studio one (it isn't) although sadly, the guitar chart's a little dull. Plus, the keyboard melody is fucking terrible to listen to as you plonk along the chorus. Ah well, at least HMX tried although I feel like the setlist might have been a bit better if they hadn't. THUMBS DOWN.

"The Hardest Button To Button" - The White Stripes
I think it's fair to say the best songs by this rubbish band were released as DLC. This song's not just boring on guitar but also crap to listen to. It should've been DLC instead of one of the better tracks like "Dead Leaves And The Dirty Ground" but ah well, I guess they wanted more low tier songs for Pro Guitar players. Then again, if you're going to learn guitar, I'm surprised they didn't pick "Seven Nation Army" as a future on-disc track instead of this. THUMBS DOWN.

"Heart Of Glass" - Blondie
Speaking of bands with a limited number of great songs that have already been made into RB DLC, Blondie are a band that have had all their better songs released as RB DLC. "Call Me" and "Hanging On The Telephone" were released way before RB3 and I believe "Atomic" was released via the Rock Band Network. I suppose a modern Blondie track would've been good but I doubt anyone else would've been happy about that. Of all the Blondie tracks to pick, this would probably be one of the best choices although it's still a bad choice for Rock Band in general. THUMBS DOWN.

"Here I Go Again" - Whitesnake
It's a shame Whitesnake didn't get 1987 album DLC, as most of the tracks on that album would be fucking amazing in RB. However, they got this and later released "Still Of The Night", the better of the two main singles. This track is a sensible pick for the on-disc soundtrack due to its popularity and simple guitar, perfect for Pro Guitar. There's also the heavy synth, catchy chorus and "challenging" guitar solo. THUMBS UP.

"Hey Man, Nice Shot" - Filter
This song is all kinds of fun in GH:WT but they did take a few liberties with the guitar chart. Thankfully, the use of sustains within sustains provided a fun experience and that's before the track got to the HOPO section. Flash forward to RB3 and...yeah. It's an astronomical difference in quality. If you like realistic charting over fun, you'll love this. If, however, you're not fucking stupid and much prefer fun charts, stay away from this track. It might be awesome but it's possibly the biggest letdown of the game. It's weird too as HMX charted "Gasoline" - Audioslave to be more fun, even though it uses similar guitar effects. THUMBS DOWN.

"Humanoid" - Tokio Hotel
I don't know a lot about this band other than they used to appear in GH/RB way too much. It's sad to think that this song is some poor kid's idea of what Rock is. This whiny, affected horseshite that happens to use guitar, bass and drums in a completely uninspired and bland way. THUMBS DOWN.

"I Can See For Miles" - The Who
Fun fact: every Rock Band game has one song by The Who in it, the only band across all of GH/RB to have that honour. Unfortunately, this song is terrible. It's got some decent guitar now and then but as soon as it gets to the chorus and you've heard your 10th "AAAAAND MIIILES", you want to kill yourself. Of all the songs by this band to pick, it's a fucking shame they chose such a wankfest for the on-disc slot. THUMBS DOWN.

"I Got You (I Feel Good) (Alternate Version)" - James Brown
I know I gave the Reggae song shit but Funk definitely has a place in these games...unless it's this alternate version which sounds like a fucking Shreds video. What the bloody fuck were HMX thinking when they chose this song? If you can't get a good version of a track, don't bother and if you can't tell the difference between a good and bad version, you shouldn't be making music games. It doesn't even matter what the guitar chart is like, the song is so crap that it's an automatic THUMBS DOWN.

"I Love Rock N' Roll" - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
It might be a dull song and a boring guitar chart but it is an iconic Rock song with a low difficulty tier, perfect for Pro Guitar mode and easy songs early on. It's one of those cases where the song was picked due to its place in Rock history rather than because Joan Jett is such a great artist so there's no point in talking about suitable replacements. THUMBS UP.

"I Need To Know" - Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers
HMX released a bunch of live Tom Petty tracks as DLC with some absolute belters on it. Unfortunately, it meant we wouldn't be getting the studio version of "Mary Jane's Last Dance" or "Refugee" but at least the song they picked was still good. It's got a solid guitar chart and even if it's not as famous as songs that weren't released as DLC until long after RB3 came out, I'm glad they chose this instead of those ones. THUMBS UP.

"I Wanna Be Sedated" - Ramones
Jesus, I recently watched the piece of shit known as Terminator: Genisys which features this song a fair bit. Now whenever I hear this song, I think of that fucking film. Ah well, back to talking about this song in RB. It sucks. It's just chords and terrible "solos". I wouldn't even say it was a sensible pick as the better known Ramones songs are always a bit shit on guitar. THUMBS DOWN.

"Imagine" - John Lennon
An interesting on-disc choice, seeing as this song has absolutely no guitar in it whatsoever. Don't get me wrong, it's a brilliant song and definitely one of Lennon's best but I don't think it deserved a spot on the main setlist. It should've been DLC with the other Lennon songs and if anything, a George Harrison solo track like "What Is Life" would've been a better choice. THUMBS DOWN.

"In A Big Country" - Big Country
Strange how this version is noticeably different to the version used in Band Hero but at least the guitar is still fun. The song's still great as well, even if the intro sounds worse, and I can't think of a better song to replace it in the same vein. It's a solid Pop Rock song and it gets a THUMBS UP.

"In The Meantime" - Spacehog
I'd never heard this song until it was used in GH5 and I mistook it for "Where Is My Mind???" - Pixies but thankfully this guitar chart is more fun than that song. As for the song itself, I always find myself enjoying the intro with the "OoooOOOOOooooo" vocal melody and feeling annoyed that it never happens again. However, it seems like a fair choice for the game. Apparently, it was popular when it came out (?) and it isn't awful on guitar, although there are other 90s Alternative songs that would've been more fun that we still haven't got as DLC yet (insert song here). THUMBS UP.

"Jerry Was A Race Car Driver" - Primus
Another song on the Rock Band 3 setlist that sounds so fucking terrible that the charts are irrelevant. I never got the appeal of Primus as their songs always sound like somebody threw a bass guitar down a flight of stairs but apparently, they're quite popular in the world of rhythm gaming. Unfortunately, this song has terrible guitar and bass charts unless you love awkward chord HOPO sections and repetitive riffs so there's literally nothing redeemable about it. THUMBS DOWN.

"Just Like Heaven" - The Cure
Not the best Cure song but at the time, we'd only had this song and "Fascination Street" in GH:WOR with this song being the obvious winner of the two. The guitar's incredibly average but the song's a popular one of theirs so I don't have a problem with it being in the game. I would've preferred "Lovesong" or "A Forest" at the time but thankfully the former song has been released as DLC since then. THUMBS UP.

"Killing Loneliness" - H.I.M.
There are so many mediocre modern tracks in this game that it's hard to say unique comments for each of them. It's just another generic strumming track on guitar and if I had to pick a better H.I.M. song, "Buried Alive By Love" would've been my first and only choice. THUMBS DOWN.

"The Killing Men" - Echo & The Bunnymen
More generic strumming, this time in an 80s New Wave track. It sounds depressing as fuck and doesn't have any fun guitar sections to make up for it. I wouldn't even call it the best Echo & The Bunnymen track, as "The Cutter" sounds more fun to listen to and is as famous, I reckon..then again, it'd be mostly synth on that track. THUMBS DOWN.

"King George" - Dover
The fuck is up with this chick's voice? It sounds like someone doing karaoke but duff voice aside, the music's pretty good. Guitar's not bad either, although not as great as some songs. If you like easy tracks with a bit of semi-complicated strumming/chord sequences near the start, you're in for a treat. It's better than I remember, that's for sure. THUMBS UP.

"Lasso" - Phoenix
It's a shame HMX picked the Phoenix song that was on-disc in GH:WOR but at least it's a good song. I would've preferred "Lisztomania", even if the RB chart for that song as DLC was fucking awkward. Maybe that song should've been in GH and "Lasso" should've been in RB. Yeah, that makes sense. THUMBS UP.

"Last Dance" - The Raveonettes
Still haven't finished with the terrible Indie Rock yet. More strumming, more chords, more boredom and more THUMBS DOWN.

"Living In America" - The Sounds
Modern New Wave this time, what a twist. Oh wait, there are also large breaks in the guitar for periods of nothing. Totally game-changing! THUMBS DOWN.

"Llama" - Phish
If the GH track pack was anything to go by, Phish songs are usually quite fun and active on guitar. This song's definitely active, debatable as to whether it's fun. It's got a decent solo, I guess, but also a lot of awkward strumming and it sounds kinda shitty. If you want difficulty on each instrument, this song fits the bill. If you want a tough but fun Phish song, I can imagine there being a bunch of great live tracks or even a few studio ones. THUMBS DOWN.

"The Look" - Roxette
It might be 80s Pop Rock but damn, it's got a great guitar riff. It's also fairly well known thanks to advertisements for GTA IV DLC so it's not too obscure for the game (although the more obscure, the better by the looks of it). Funnily enough, the guitar solo for this song isn't actually charted as a solo (even though small guitar breaks in other songs are, for some reason) but it's still decent to play. This is the song I was most looking forward to when I bought the game and I still enjoy playing it to this day. THUMBS UP.

"Low Rider" - WAR
God, the guitar's so fucking dull in this track. It's a good thing the song is cool but I'm not sure it's cool enough to redeem the terrible experience of playing it. Boring, repetitive notes over and over and over again without any great HOPO sections or anything; low difficulty is fine if the chart's still fun, which it certainly isn't. At least the other instruments sound quite fun but I'm still not entirely sure it deserved to be an on-disc track. The other great WAR track was released as RB DLC, this should've been sold along with it in favour of some other great 70s Funk. THUMBS DOWN.

"Me Enamora" - Juanes
I wish this song had a better chorus. The guitar chart and solo are great but the chorus sounds so fucking bad I can't bring myself to play or listen to it. I guess it's good that HMX are choosing foreign songs for the game (maybe not for the vocalist, though) and it's certainly better than some of the GH:WT foreign tracks. THUMBS UP for diversity and variety!

"Midlife Crisis" - Faith No More
I'm not a fan of Faith No More and it took me a while to find a couple of songs of theirs I actually liked. Fortunately, this is one of them and the other was released as RB DLC after this game, even if the chart for that one kinda sucks. This guitar chart isn't much to shout about either but it's got a few good moments if you don't mind simple songs. It's heavy, it's a solid choice by this band and it's got my vote. THUMBS UP.

"Misery Business" - Paramore
You guys should know how I feel about Paramore by now but this song isn't too bad. I believe I said this in my write-up of the GH:WT soundtrack and I still feel the same here. I wouldn't swap this for any other Paramore track and I still enjoy playing it now and then so THUMBS UP.

"Need You Tonight" - INXS
If you don't know this song from the title alone, you will when you listen to the chorus. It's an understandable pick for the game, as it's a well known 80s tune and even if the guitar is repetitive, it's something people will enjoy when it comes to "OOOHHHH it's THAT song" moments. However, since I'm not a fan of the song and I recall hating playing it due to extreme boredom, I'm giving it a THUMBS DOWN. Sure, it's well known but so are plenty of great 80s songs that would've been more fun to play like "The Safety Dance" - Men Without Hats.

"No One Knows" - Queens Of The Stone Age
Of all the QOTSA songs that have ever appeared on the main disc setlist, this is probably the best. It's not a song I like that much but it's quite fun to play on guitar and it's a big hit for the band. However, since the QOTSA songs I like were released as DLC and ...Like Clockwork hadn't been released yet, I'm not entirely sure what track I would've replaced this with. With that in mind, I guess I have to give it a THUMBS UP.

"Oh My God" - Ida Maria
Damn, back to strumming and chords again. Luckily there's a small section involving mild fretting that prevents it from being as tedious as the other modern Indie/Alternative songs in the setlist but at the end of the day, it's still more of the same new shit without a tune good enough to make up for it. THUMBS DOWN.

"One Armed Scissor" - At The Drive-In
I remember this from GH:WT. THUMBS DOWN without further comment.

"Outer Space" - The Muffs
Whoopee, more chordfests and generic modern Rock. But wait, there's also a solo! A solo that sounds like dogshit but it's something. Sadly, it's not enough to stop this boring-ass song from getting a THUMBS DOWN.

"Oye Mi Amor" - Mana
Whilst I don't recall playing this song too often when RB3 came out, it seems quite fun based on the guitar chart. It might not have awesome HOPO sections or a memorable solo but the chord sequences and strumming isn't the same as about 50% of this game's soundtrack so far. By this point in the soundtrack, I'm willing to award a Thumbs Up to anything that isn't bog-standard New Wave or Indie shite so THUMBS UP for something different.

"Plush" - Stone Temple Pilots
About time we have some 90s material and I never thought I'd say that. It's a decent song by the band although the best STP material still doesn't come close to great music. This track goes on way too long and lacks any notable changes in the guitar chart, although it's not a bad choice for STP since a bunch of their better tracks were released as DLC. THUMBS DOWN as there are loads of better 90s Grunge or Hard Rock tracks that could've been picked.

"Portions For Foxes" - Rilo Kiley
I knew this song would be a boring Indie track from the name of the song and band alone; it's got that level of nonsensical pseudo-intelligence they all fucking have. Unsurprisingly, the guitar chart is dull as dishwater and even the fretting section is a snoozefest. THUMBS DOWN.

"The Power Of Love" - Huey Lewis And The News
One of the first songs announced for the game and definitely a solid choice. The guitar chart's a little boring until the solo but come on, it's the song from Back To The Future...well, not THAT one, the other one. The first one! It's a fucking classic and whilst there are better Huey Lewis songs for music games, this is probably the best choice for the on-disc setlist. THUMBS UP.

"Radar Love" - Golden Earring
Here we go, back to the fun songs. It may have a lot of guitar breaks but at least the frequent guitar sections are all fun to play, although not quite Devil Tier level so I'm not sure what HMX were thinking with that one. Anyway, it's a well known Classic Rock track with some cool guitar throughout so you bet your arse it belongs in RB3. THUMBS UP.

"Rainbow In The Dark" - Dio
Oh hey, another track that was announced early on. Fortunately, unlike "Crazy Train", this song's got fun guitar from start to finish. The main riff is a great little HOPO pattern and the solo's blistering shredfest provides even seasoned pros with a fun challenge, although might be a bit of a pain for those who aren't as experienced. Still, it's an undeniably great song and the best pick for a classic Dio tune. THUMBS UP.

"Rehab" - Amy Winehouse
What the fuck is this song doing in RB3? When I first played it, I think I actually muted the audio so I didn't have to listen to the joint worst song in the game. Fuck everyone who made this song popular enough to include on the main setlist. THUMBS DOWN.

"Rock Lobster" - The B-52's
When it was confirmed that The B-52's were in the game, we knew it would either be this or "Love Shock" and my God, am I glad it was this. Don't get me wrong, I like "Love Shack" but come on, there's no contest as to which is the better song. The riff alone earns it a THUMBS UP but the fact that they edited the repetitive bits on the album version out to give it more variety and plenty of fun fretting sections helps.

"Roundabout" - Yes
Wait a mo, this isn't modern Indie or New Wave! It's Prog Rock! Good Prog Rock too! Lots going on on each instrument with two guitar solos after some fun HOPO sections and dull sustains. Since there aren't many difficult guitar songs in this game, "Roundabout" is a solid choice from Yes as the tiers are high and it's one of their better known tracks before they went Pop. THUMBS UP.

"Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting" - Elton John
Easily the best song in GH5 but how well does it translate into RB3's engine? It's mostly the same guitar chart so pretty well, yeah! RB's had a few Elton John songs over the years but this is definitely the best one to play. Not only that but it's one of Elton's better known Rock songs so it's pretty much three for three, seeing as how it's also a great song to listen to. THUMBS UP.

"Sister Christian" - Night Ranger
I remember people getting annoyed when this song wasn't part of a Night Ranger DLC pack for RB2. Turns out it was being saved for a game with keyboard support, although that made for a very dull guitar chart. Think "Bohemian Rhapsody" but better. It's one of the few 80s power ballads out there that doesn't make me want to self harm and even if the guitar's not amazing, it's a good inclusion in my books. THUMBS UP.

"Smoke On The Water" - Deep Purple
When keys were announced for RB3, I thought "Awesome, we're definitely getting a Deep Purple track!". When Pro Guitar was announced afterwards, I thought "Oh. We're definitely getting "Smoke On The Water" as the Deep Purple track". It's the most famous guitar riff out there so learning it on Pro Mode was an obvious choice, even if that meant picking a dull track without a badass Jon Lord keyboard solo or Richie Blackmore masterpiece. Sure, "Child In Time" was released as DLC later on in the year but I can't help but feel we were robbed of amazing Deep Purple tracks during the RB3 DLC years. THUMBS DOWN.

"Something Bigger, Something Brighter" - Pretty Girls Make Graves
Bollocks, more modern Ind...hang on, this isn't the same as the others. It's actually...fun! It might start off a little depressing but at least it picks up later. Not just that but it also has an excellent HOPO intro that's perfect for guitarists at most skill levels. The song itself is alright and I'm not sure if this is a particularly popular Indie track but after the steaming shite we've had from that genre so far, it's about time we had one that was amazing. THUMBS UP.

"Space Oddity" - David Bowie
I've expressed my hatred for this song before on the blog so there are no prizes for guessing what rating I'm going to give it. David Bowie's released so many excellent songs and this track is so fucking dull to play. It might be a popular track of his but there's no way it deserves to be on the main disc setlist compared to some of his 70s material. THUMBS DOWN.

"Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before" - The Smiths
There are many great tracks by The Smiths and whilst this is probably one of the less interesting ones on guitar, it's still a good song. However, I probably would've preferred "Hand In Glove" or "What Difference Does It Make?" for the guitar charts alone. These songs are probably all as popular as each other (except maybe "Hand In Glove") and it's still OK on guitar, I guess. THUMBS UP.

"This Bastard's Life" - Swingin' Utters
Wow, you never would've got away with this title in GH. But yeah, this song's alright! Fun little guitar chart with decent chord progressions and short breaks. Never thought I'd ever be praising a Punk track with piano but there you go, it's a good fit for the game! THUMBS UP.

"Viva La Resistance" - Hypernova
Well here's that rapid strumming song the game was missing. It's not a bad track to listen to and if you don't mind strumming, it's a good track to play on guitar too. I recall it being a bit of a pain to play but it's still good to have some variety, even if it isn't exactly to my personal liking. THUMBS UP.

"Walk Of Life" - Dire Straits
This song was almost certainly picked because of the keys but it also happens to be a great track off Brothers In Arms along with "Money For Nothing" (the song picked for GH:WOR). It's a shame RB didn't get other Dire Straits tracks like "Lady Writer" with the brilliant guitar solo in the outro but at least they picked a fun Dire Straits song unlike the majority of others off Brothers In Arms. THUMBS UP.

"Walking On The Sun" - Smash Mouth
Smash Fuckin' Mouth, man. It might not be as meme-worthy as "All Star"  but it's a close second. It's also a sensible pick due to it being their other radio hit, even if the guitar is boring. However, it's a classic 90s track and the other songs off the Fush Yu Mang album probably would've been too annoying on guitar, due to all the Ska Punk. THUMBS UP.

"Werewolves Of London" - Warren Zevon
I bloody love this song but I despise playing it on RB for one simple reason; the final chorus. There's a little riff in the final chorus that's fucking torture to play and absolutely kills FC runs in an otherwise easy song. However, I still agree with it being included in the game's setlist. It's a classic track, it's got decent guitar throughout (including a solo) and the chart only gets horrible in the aforementioned outro chorus riff. THUMBS UP.

"Whip It" - Devo
Rock Band have got a couple of decent Devo songs but this is easily the most logical choice as it's their most famous song and it wasn't released as RB DLC with the other tracks for some reason. Guitar's OK, nothing special but that's to be expected. An acceptable New Wave track, which can't be said for most of this setlist. THUMBS UP.

"Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots Pt. 1" - The Flaming Lips
Our final song (thank fuck) and it's a bit of a weird one. Nice and gentle, yes, but it's also pretty boring. Aside from this song, my other experience with The Flaming Lips is that they released the absolute worst cover of "Smoke On The Water" you will ever hear. For that sin alone, I should say fuck this band but I actually don't mind this song. THUMBS UP because this soundtrack's taken a bit of a pounding in this post and I have nothing against this song in particular.


Well, look at that. 44 Thumbs Up against 39 Thumbs Down (although by the end, I was just awarding Thumbs Up for not being modern Indie/crap New Wave). Guess the soundtrack's not the absolute train wreck I thought it was, although I still believe it's one of the worst setlists we've ever had.
Album reviews coming soon!

Showdown: Shared Song Titles

Am I scraping the bottom of the barrel...or am I coming up with creative new posts as a way of introducing you to new music whilst discussing tracks we all know and love/hate/don't particularly care about?
Anyway, this blog post will be looking at two songs with exactly the same title by two completely different Rock/Metal bands. NOTE: these are NOT covers, these are two separate songs with identical titles. I'm not entirely sure why some of these artists choose to name their track after a much more famous song (especially if it's just a filler track on their album) but there are still bands out there with such limited creativity that they just happen to come up with the same combination of words.
Consequently, I won't just be looking at which track I think is superior; I'll also be weighing in on whether I think the copied song title was chosen because the latter band was trying to cash in on the name of a much more popular song or whether they simply picked the same title by accident. Right, let's get listening!

EDIT: Forgot to add this Spotify playlist containing each track (original and cover). Feel free to listen to it as you read my write-ups!


ROUND ONE: Heartbreaker
Led Zeppelin - Released in 1969, this song off Led Zeppelin's second (and best) album is known for its epic guitar riff and funky rhythm, not to mention the literal guitar solo. It's not one of their better known tracks in comparison to songs such as "Stairway To Heaven", "Immigrant Song" and "Whole Lotta Love" but it's definitely one of the better tracks for fans of Riff Based Rock and early 70s Classic Rock. A top song to start with!
Pat Benatar - About 10 years later, Pat We-Don't-Need-No-Menatar released this punchy Hard Rock hit with next to no resemblance to Led Zepp's track despite containing the same title. The track's built more around Pat's vocals than the solid riff but don't assume this isn't a belter on guitar. The song ends on a great guitar solo and proper Rock outro, arguably more suitable for a track with a name as aggressive as "Heartbreaker".
VERDICT - Since the song's title is a single compound word that isn't exactly uncommon, there was clearly no copying going on here (don't worry, this is the only single word track on the list). However, as for which track is the better song in my personal opinion, I'm going with Led Zeppelin. I'll take a badass Classic Rock riff over a mediocre Hard Rock one any day.

ROUND TWO: Young Lust
Pink Floyd - From one Hard Rock track released in 1979 to another! I gave Pink Floyd a lot of shit in my last blog post but this song isn't that bad or, even worse, dull. It's got a good riff, a decent solo that stands out way more than "Comfortably Numb" and a catchy chorus, even if it does sound a little bit more like Pop or, dare I say, Disco than Rock. However, when's all said and done, this is a great track!
Aerosmith - ANOTHER 10 years later, we were given one of Aerosmith's better Hard Rock albums with album opener "Young Lust". Highlights include the footstomping rhythm and the twin guitar action of Perry and Whitford in full force. Tyler's vocals are pretty much peak Aerosmith too with his screams of "YOUNG LUST!" throughout. I'm still undecided as to whether I'm fully on board with it but they haven't got on my nerves yet (although they've come close).
VERDICT - Both songs are good for their own reasons but I'm giving the win to Aerosmith. As I've said countless times, I like my Rock to actually Rock and the latter song easily prevails in that department. As for whether Aerosmith got their name from the former song...I doubt it. Aerosmith's audience was significantly different to Pink Floyd's back then so there's no real reason they'd want to piggyback on the name of a lesser known Pink Floyd song.

ROUND THREE: Money For Nothing
Dire Straits - I love this song and fucking adore the build up at the start with the drum and synth cressendo. I just wish the drums maintained that power after Knopfler's cruising riff as they sound absolutely pissweak for the rest of the song. It goes from stadium to dive bar in a matter of seconds which I guess is appropriate considering the song's lyrics but annoying as a fan of both musical styles. Anyway, this is definitely one of Dire Straits' bigger songs so anyone who knows their Classic Rock should know this song.
Lapko - Uhhhh...fucken who? Lapko are an Alternative Rock band from Finland who clearly didn't get a copy of Brothers In Arms when they visited the record shop for inspiration in 2015. The song's hugely different to the Dire Straits track and sounds like whiny teen Rock. The guitar's OK, I guess. It's got a bit of a kick to it but those vocals sound as weak as the post-intro percussion in the Dire Straits song.
VERDICT - Obviously Dire Straits take the win here. I doubt Lapko took the song's name intentionally but I do think they were oblivious enough to not know about "Money For Nothing".

ROUND FOUR: Shout At The Devil
Motley Crue - One of their most famous songs boasting some heavy riffs, this song could easily be considered Heavy Metal if not for the poor guitar solo and fade-out in the outro. It's still a great song but it feels more chart friendly than some of Motley Crue's better songs. Even so, it's still a good tune to listen to now and then if you want something straightforward from your Hair Metal music.
Diamond Head - I reviewed the new Diamond Head album last October but didn't actually dwell on the fact that they named the second song on the record after one of the most famous Motley Crue songs. I'm not sure why as the song can definitely stand on its own feet. It's arguably not as heavy as the former song, despite belonging to Heavy Metal instead of Hair Metal and being released over 30 years after the Motley Crue single, but it's a decent filler track.
VERDICT - It's got to be Motley Crue again. It's heavier, got more distinct vocals and packs more into three minutes than the Diamond Head does into four. Granted the Diamond Head song has more going on in the guitar department but overall, the Motley Crue track does more to grab your attention. Personally, I think Diamond Head may have known what they were doing when they borrowed the song title. It's not one of their B-sides and it's not a common expression, although it is a film from the late 70s so it could've been inspired by that.

ROUND FIVE: Turn To Stone
Joe Walsh (and Barnstorm) - Joe Walsh has a lot of great material and has been credited with creating (or being largely responsible for) the sound we associate Classic Rock with when he was part of The James Gang. This song is a little slower than their hits and a similar tempo to big singles in Joe Walsh's solo career but overall, it's pretty forgettable. There are lengthy guitar solos but they're all pretty weightless so there aren't many positive aspects to this track. Joe Walsh even rerecorded this song a couple of years later in 1974. Didn't improve it but it does sound a lot cleaner, if you're interested...anyone? Nope, guess I'll move on then.
ELO - This is easily the more famous version of the song. It's got the classic ELO rhythm with plenty of Jeff Lynne and his Beatlesque space-age sound effects and tones throughout. Since it's more of a Pop Rock single, there isn't much to the song other than the verse and chorus combo but thankfully, it's a damn good combo that lasts exactly the right amount of time (approximately three minutes, for future reference). It goes without saying that it's easier on the ears than the Joe Walsh track.
VERDICT - Whilst I prefer the Classic Rock genre to Pop Rock, it has to be ELO who takes the win for this one for reasons previously listed. Since there were a good five years or so between the initial release of Joe Walsh's "Turn To Stone" and ELO's, it's possible that Jeff Lynne may have been inspired by the former track. However, it's equally likely that the idea of turning to stone is a common one that multiple artists can think of without relying on each other. Gosh, this post's really nailing it so far, huh.

ROUND SIX: Don't Stop Me Now
Queen - I think this is quite possibly the first Queen song I ever heard, or at least ever attributed to Queen. It's built almost entirely around the piano and vocal combo with Brian May's guitar only coming in at the short guitar solo before the final chorus, although there is a version of this song that exists with guitar throughout the entire track (it's pretty meh but feel free to check it out!). Luckily, it doesn't need riffs and technical solos to be a fun little track that prove Queen can still knock it out of the park seven albums into their career.
Status Quo - Whilst the previous track was Queen at their best, this one was released around the time Status Quo was at theirs. Vocal harmonies are typical Quo and the guitars are fairly standard for their material too. It's a little bit heavier than some of their signature songs too so fans of bigger Rock bands might enjoy it more than "Sweet Caroline" and "Whatever You Want", although don't expect more than music that's catchy all round.
VERDICT - I really like both songs but the choice is easy. Queen win it for writing what's clearly the more fun Rock song. I find myself listening to their track frequently whenever I want a short but hugely enjoyable burst of music. Whilst it's possible that Status Quo picked this exact combination of words that happened to be popularised by Queen without knowing about the Queen song, I believe it's almost certain that Status Quo knew they were using the same title of a popular Queen track (potentially to sponge a bit of attention), even if it wasn't as popular as it is now thanks to Shaun Of The Dead and...well, Shaun Of The Dead.

ROUND SEVEN: The Way It Is
Bruce Hornsby & The Range - I'm not sure whether Pop Rock, Yacht Rock, Soft Rock or outright Pop is the best way to categorise this song from 1986 but either way, it's one of those tunes that you'll remember once you listen to the opening piano melody or chorus. I'm not sure if Bruce Hornsby ever wrote any songs heavier or more Rock orientated than this but between the emphasis on the lyrics, two piano solos and bass synth, it's a fairly average track that's decent in small doses.
Tesla - As far as 80s Hard Rock love songs go, this one's not bad. Great vocals, solid guitar, memorable if not relatively basic solos and a proper outro. It's no "Cumin' Atcha Live" or "Modern Day Cowboy" but if you like slower tracks that still pack a punch, I'd recommend checking this one out.
VERDICT - I've mostly been favouring the original and more famous tracks so far but I'm inclined to give Tesla the win here. It's no secret that I prefer Rock to Pop but to be honest, I'm not too fussy about the genre as long as the melody's good. The Bruce Hornsby single is good but the Tesla track has more going for it, despite also being a slower song. I can't imagine Tesla stealing the phrase "the way it is" from Bruce Hornsby to make their song more notable, although I reckon at least one member of the band knew of the song before they wrote theirs. However, since it's a fairly common expression, chances are they felt like using the same name was justified.

ROUND EIGHT: Bad Reputation
Thin Lizzy - I'm not sure if it's fair to call this a well known Thin Lizzy song. It's got an album named after it and it was chosen to be in Guitar Hero 2 instead of all the other classic Thin Lizzy tracks yet I feel like it's nothing more than a filler track with a decent solo. This song was released in the late 70s during the period where Thin Lizzy were transitioning from Classic Rock to Hard Rock a few years away from their second transition from Hard Rock to Metal, although this track is definitively Hard Rock.
Joan Jett - Most of you will probably know the cover of this song from the film Shrek but as far as female Punk songs from the 80s go, this one's damn good. It might have a dodgy key change and could do with something to deviate from the same verse/chorus structure (aside from that godawful guitar "solo") but in short bursts, it's a great little "Fuck you" song which is what Punk should be. Plus, Joan Jett's vocals sound just right for the song, unlike the loud, droning atonal shite most female Punk tracks have.
VERDICT - Yeah, Joan Jett takes it here. Compare the two tracks and the Thin Lizzy one just sounds boring, even if I will always prefer Hard Rock on the whole to Punk. Once again, the words "bad reputation" aren't unique enough to make me assume Joan Jett stole them for her own gain and I don't believe she even knew the Thin Lizzy album or track existed when she wrote her song. Besides, Punk bands thought 70s Rock groups were boring and shunned their works in favour of anti-establishment noise so copying one doesn't add up.

ROUND NINE: I'm A Believer
The Monkees - You know what? I like The Monkees. They're not a guilty pleasure or anything like that, they're just a good band in my books. They've got some great Rock tracks for a bubblegum Pop band and whilst this signature song of theirs does sound a little too safe to be "Rock" from that decade, it has a great chorus and a good little solo too; you can thank Neil Diamond for that, as he wrote this song. Oh hey, this song was also covered in Shrek, although this time by Smash Mouth. Small world, huh.
Giant - Back to 1989 with another Hard Rock track, I see. Opening with a passable solo before turning into a Bon Jovi song, "I'm A Believer" by Giant sounds nothing like The Monkees' hit and, therefore, reached nowhere near the same amount of success. It's an OK track too but I feel like naming it the same as a much more popular tune likely did more harm than good, as there's a line between piggybacking and dooming yourself that this song strides across, especially since most of the lesser known previous shared song titles belong to filler tracks as opposed to hit singles.
VERDICT - Well, to be fair to Giant, it's not a bad track. A little bland and too similar to much greater Hard Rock bands of the time but I don't mind listening to it. That doesn't mean it takes the win, though. The Monkees clear this one and I'm pretty sure at least one member of the band or producer knew about their song before entering the studio, hence why none of you know about Giant. Nice choice of band name too, fellas. Definitely didn't tempt fate there.

ROUND TEN: Danger Zone
Rainbow - Believe it or not, even this wasn't the first Rock song named "Danger Zone". Quiet Riot recorded one for the Metal Health album but I'm not entirely sure when that was released, as I'm pretty sure it wasn't on the original album. The Rainbow track, however, was and that came out in 1979. It's built around a pretty sweet riff (what else from Blackmore?) and Bonnet's vocals make this track great to Rock out to as well. However, I think we all know what's coming next so let's just cut to the chase, shall we?
Kenny Loggins - Song from Top Gun, classic chorus, simplistic guitar, awesome solo, fucking rocks, 'nuff said.
VERDICT - If you're ever faced with this decision and you pick anyone other than Kenny Loggins, your opinion is not valid. Pick another shared song title for your bullshit "I'm smart because I don't conform to popular opinion" hot take, The Log Dog will always win when you're in the Danger Zone!


I found quite a few songs with shared song titles so expect another one of these posts a few months or so from now. Likewise, if you have any requests for songs to be included in said post, let me know in the comments or via Twitter.

Tribute Bands: Dos & Don'ts

It's been almost a year since I wrote a Dos & Don'ts blog post but here I am, back and as strong as I was the last time I wrote a blog post (about five days ago). This time, I'm looking at Tribute Bands; bands that pretend to be bigger acts and play smaller venues whilst delivering an experience akin to stadium gigs, albeit condensed into the size of a pub stage.
Note that these aren't the same as Cover Bands; bands who play a variety of different tunes from other bands in their own particular style. Tribute Bands play material from one band, usually in small venues rather than festivals (although some festivals made up entirely of different Tribute Bands exist), but there are still clear Dos and Don'ts to follow if you are part of or wish to be part of one of these acts.
As always, this is the work of opinion and whilst some of these observations might be obvious, a few others could be argued either way. Feel free to do so in the comment section or via Twitter if you wish.

DO have a catchy name
The Iron Maidens. The Faux Fighters. Lez Zeppelin. Fake No More. Oasish. Queen + Adam Lambert. All great tribute bands have an even better pun-based name (apart from that last one) so if you and your friends fancy learning the greatest hits of Pink Floyd then you better come up with a witty name first. Then reconsider this career choice as the world has all the Pink Floyd music it could ever need without another bunch of 50-year olds recreating their bland, uninspired tosh.
Ah you know what, I'm being a little harsh. Queen + Adam Lambert are apparently pretty good.

DO sound just like them if you're playing it straight
Many tribute bands decide to get cute and play a band's back catalogue with a twist. Maybe they're playing music with different instruments or blending the music of two bands together (Red Hot Chilli Pipers and Beatallica respectively) but the majority of lesser known tribute bands play it straight and simply aim to entertain in the same way the actual band do. If you're going to be one of those acts, you need to make sure you sound not just a little like the actual band but EXACTLY like that band. If you're going to be a Rush tribute band, your drummer needs to be fucking incredible, your guitarist needs to have the identical tone as Alex Lifeson and your frontman needs to be able to sing, play synth and kick ass on bass.

DO know more than just the basics
You want to be in a Thin Lizzy tribute band? You've locked down those riffs and your vocalist sounds like Phil Lynott? You're calling yourselves Fat Lizzy? These are all fine but are you playing the songs as the band played them in the studio or as they played them in live shows? This is just an example but there's often more to recreating the live show experience than just reciting the material everyone knows. Sometimes fans want a little more and whilst there's nothing wrong with playing "Cowboy Song" just like the original, playing tracks like "Jailbreak" without the solo or other equivalent songs without certain improvements from live shows might take the audience out of the shared "illusion".

DON'T actually pretend to be the band
I can imagine some shows where this might work if there's a certain stigma attached to the band the tribute act are pretending to be but nine times out of ten it will come across as kinda tacky. The audience are there to hear the band's music and are willing to suspend disbelief during each song if you're good/they're drunk enough. However, once you stop playing, you're just a tribute band again; talk to the audience as a tribute band, not as an actor playing Mick Jagger or James Hetfield, and definitely don't refer to each band member as their fake counterparts. After all, the audience aren't children watching a pantomime...unless they're seeing a My Chemical Romance tribute band.

DON'T go overboard with selling merchandise
You've travelled all the way to the venue, played your show and the audience loved it; now it's time to make a bit of extra cash from fans who are happy to spend it to support you a little bit more, so what do you sell them? Most things are probably acceptable if you remember the fact that you're a tribute band. Keychains, stickers, mugs, that kind of crap. Don't sell T-shirts. Nobody wants to wear a tribute band T-shirt and selling clothing from the actual band comes across shady as fuck. Speaking of shady, avoid CDs too.
If they're full of live music, it's doubtful anyone will want to listen to poor quality recordings outside of one of the shows and if they were recorded in a studio, there's a bit of a legal/ethical issue with releasing what is basically a covers album of studio recordings without licensing any of the tracks. Most audience members won't care about that aspect of it all but record execs might and if you're lucky, their legal team will only tear you one new arsehole.

DON'T let the role get to your head
This is similar to "Don't actually pretend to be the band" but relating more to the way you act off-stage. You might not be a legendary Rock band but finishing a gig with cheering fans satisfied at the way you performed music by the actual legendary Rock band can make you feel like a God. As a frontman, knowing you've got pipes as gold as Bruce Dickinson's or fretting fingers like Jimi Hendrix might give you a bit of an ego and, if left unchecked, can evolve into something worse; an attitude. Your crew (which, being a tribute band, consists of bandmates and family members/friends) will start to get pissed off by your dickish personality and landlords/venue holders may be less inclined to book you again if they think you're a wanker. Always remember; you might be awesome but you're not awesome enough to have your own record deal so show some humility, even if you are getting standing ovations each night.

At the end of the day, we should all give a massive shout out to tribute bands and go see them before musicians everywhere are replaced by holograms for the most sterile Rock concerts since Pink Floyd.
Nah, I'm just kidding. Hologram shows will probably have some cool stage effects.