Showdown: Homages/Rip Offs 6 - Video Game edition Level 2

Is the title confusing enough for you?
Basically, two years ago I wrote a blog post looking at similarities between 10 Rock/Metal songs and 10 video game tunes whilst offering my opinion on whether the latter piece of music was a knowing wink to the original, a surreptitious copy of an existing track or a pure coincidence. Well, I'm doing another one! I'll also be giving my verdict on which song I believe is better based on personal taste, which came first and which tune sounds more appropriate for its medium.
Listed in each round will be the band and video game franchise, followed by the specific song and level or piece of music from aforementioned video game. I'll try to mention the game and (if I can find the information online) composer for said piece of music. There won't be a Spotify playlist for this as most of the video game tunes won't be available but I will include links to the video game music for you to listen to, if you want to compare as you read.
Time for another brawl!

ROUND ONE: Mega Man vs. Ghost
Dr. Wily's Castle - The theme from the final level of Mega Man 2 (released 1988) was composed by Takashi Tateishi and is considered one of gaming's most iconic themes. It's been remixed countless times by YouTubers and professional video game composers and is a pretty damn awesome piece of a music from a game full of great tunes. The galloping rhythm and melody played throughout is the focus here. Remember how it sounds, although anyone who's heard this tune probably doesn't need to try too hard to recall the melody.
Miasma - This is easily my favourite song off the most recent Ghost album, Prequelle. It's an instrumental featuring heavy riffs, synth melodies and a saxophone solo. However, after the percussion kicks in, we get treated to a guitar solo followed by the synth one. After the synth solo, we get a second guitar solo that contains a galloping riff incredibly similar to the main melody from Dr. Wily's Castle. There are subtle differences but the overwhelming similarities are undeniable. However, it's still an incredible song from what will almost certainly be the best album of the year.
VERDICT - Considering it's one small part of a great song and Ghost don't strike me as a band wanting to cater to old school gamers, I don't think they intentionally copied the theme from Mega Man 2 or intended it as a homage. It's almost certainly coincidence so the question now is which tune do I think is better? It's a hard choice but I'm gonna give the win to Ghost due to the quality of the instrumentation. Full band will always beat 8-bit and that's a fact.

ROUND TWO: Black Sabbath vs. Spider-Man
The Mob Rules - There were two Black Sabbath songs I could've chosen for this blog post but in the end, I went with this one. It's the title track off the band's second album with Ronnie James Dio as the vocalist, notable for its great guitar riff played throughout the song. However, unlike previous entries, we're not just focusing on specific part of the original track here. We're focusing on the riff, the percussion, the pre-chorus melody and the guitar solo.
Boss Theme 3 - This is the third Boss Theme from Spider-Man and Venom: Maximum Carnage for the SNES, released in 1994. Composers Chris Jojo and Tony Williams must've been big fans of 80s Heavy Metal as the comparisons to this tune and the Black Sabbath one stack up more than quite possibly any other example in these video game posts. Quite possibly most shocking of all is that the game doesn't even credit Black Sabbath for pinching their song, although I suppose it's a lot easier to deny plagiarism if you don't own up to it.
VERDICT - Absolutely a rip-off. Not just a rip-off but one done as a shitty MIDI file. The win goes to Black Sabbath for creating the song, making it sound awesome and for not getting due credit...although if it were a fist fight, Spider-Man would definitely win.

ROUND THREE: Surfaris vs. Spongebob Squarepants
Wipe Out - A classic Surf Rock tune with an iconic guitar riff and 12-bar Blues structure. It's also notable for the rolling drumbeat in between the riffs...and the vocal introduction of manic laughter followed by the words "wipe out", although we don't need to worry about that here. If the name of the song or band wasn't a dead giveaway, the sound should immediately make you think of surfing and having fun on the beach. It's a summer hit and the fact that it's mostly instrumental means it's easy to rework for video games.
Goo Lagoon - The beach level from Spongebob Squarepants: Battle For Bikini Bottom, a 3D platformer with music composed by Jimmy Levine. As I mentioned before, it's easy to be inspired by instrumental Surf Rock when writing video game music set on a beach where people surf (and presumably rock) so it's no real surprise that there are elements of "Wipe Out" here. Whilst it's not the most overt homage, the signs are definitely there.
VERDICT - I mean, I've already told you, haven't I? It's clearly a homage as none of the main riffs are directly lifted and the Blues chord progression is so damn common that it would be ridiculous to accuse Jimmy Levine of stealing the idea from "Wipe Out". That being said, I'm giving the win to Surfaris. I'd rather listen to "Wipe Out" than the Goo Lagoon level music, although I don't dislike it. The game actually has a colourful collection of fun tunes to listen to.

ROUND FOUR: Duran Duran vs. Double Dragon
Girls On Film - One of Duran Duran's biggest hits with a catchy chorus and, more importantly, intro riff. The guitar chords and their progression are key here, as that's what we'll be comparing. It's not a favourite of mine, even as far as 80s Pop Rock goes, but I don't hate the song. It's passable but it's no "Hungry Like The Wolf" or "Rio", that's for damn sure.
Intro Theme - The intro to Battletoads & Double Dragon for the SNES contains a similar sounding guitar riff despite being released in 1992, about 11 years after the Duran Duran single. Composer David Wise has acknowledged similarities to other 80s Pop Rock in his compositions (such as using the same equipment as "In The Air Tonight" - Phil Collins during a level from Donkey Kong Country 2, I believe) so this riff might be a little more than coincidence.
VERDICT - I think there may have been a cheeky bit of intentional or unintentional riff pinching going on, as this game seems to have very little to do with "Girls On Film" - Duran Duran so I can't see it being a homage or pure coincidence. Whilst the original song did come up with the riff over a decade before the game, I'm giving the win to Double Dragon as I prefer the heavier sound to it. If it was rerecorded with modern instruments, it'd definitely be the better tune.

ROUND FIVE: Alice In Chains vs. Doom
Them Bones - I've never been a big fan of Alice In Chains and the few songs of theirs that I generally enjoy listening to tend to need some form of modification (e.g. speeding up "Man In The Box" 25%) but I still know and admire aspects of this song. The guitar riff is heavy and evil, slowly ascending before plummeting back down again. It's the main riff and chorus that we're paying attention to for this comparison.
Bye Bye American Pie - Despite having spookier accompanying instruments and a less polished sound than the full band sound of Alice In Chains, the chords are seemingly identical in this piece of music from Doom 2 released just two years after "Them Bones". Composer Robert Prince didn't even credit Alice In Chains for this song either, another reason why I believe this is less of a homage and more of the other one.
VERDICT - This is another song that I reckon was a bit of a rip-off considering how similar it is without even crediting the original songwriters. However, if I had to choose which one I think fits its chosen medium better (90s Grunge vs. spooky song in FPS), I prefer the quality of the video game song. It sounds grittier and doesn't contain annoying vocals so the win goes to Doom.

ROUND SIX: Tina Turner vs. Super Smash Bros
Nutbush City Limits (The 90s Version) - Most people probably know the punchier version of this song from the 70s but in 1991, Tina Turner rerecorded this track with a slower tempo and a heavier emphasis on piano. The opening piano chords followed by the Dance Pop synthetic percussion and musical effects might sound familiar to Nintendo fans, as we'll discuss in a moment, but they also turn this song firmly into a Pop track. I debated including it here due to it not being a Rock song but hey, when you hear what I'm comparing it to, you'll understand why it needed talking about.
Targets! - Yep, the Target Smash song from Super Smash Bros. Melee sounds JUST like the 90s version of "Nutbush City Limits", what with the identical piano chords and synth accompaniments. Granted this tune is a little faster and has more guitar in it but it's pretty damn similar all the same. As the tracks progress, more differences emerge but the opening does all the damage necessary in my eyes.
VERDICT - I doubt composer Hirokazu Ando listened to Tina Turner before whacking out this tune so I'm chalking it up to coincidence rather than homage or rip-off. As for which song is better, I'm giving the win to Super Smash Bros simply because I have fond memories of Target Smash (and the Home Run Contest) thanks to this tune. Since it's a coincidence, I have no need to award Tina Turner the win for coming up with the song first and since it's a Dance Pop song instead of a Rock one, I'm not overly fond of the track itself. An easy decision.

ROUND SEVEN: Glenn Frey vs. P.O.W. - Prisoners Of War
The Heat Is On - The classic 80s Pop Rock tune with the saxophone riff and the awesome chorus, notable for its use in Beverly Hills Cop. However, since then it's earned the right to stand up on its own feet via radio play and use in other media. It might not be the most badass 80s Pop Rock song in existence but it doesn't need to be. It's fast, it's catchy and it's got a consistent rhythm that's perfect for car chases and whatever kind of antics you're bound to get into listening to this song.
Boss Battle 2 - Let's face it; not many readers here will know the game P.O.W. - Prisoners Of War on the NES from 1988 (a popular year in this blog post) but some gamers online have made the connection between the Glenn Frey single and a particular melody from the second boss battle theme in this game. It might not be the main focus of the tune but when it crops up, you know damn well that it was lifted from "The Heat Is On". I'm not sure which composer out of Kazuhiro Nishida, Toshikazu Tanaka and Yoko Osaka decided to borrow this melody but the deed has been done.
VERDICT - Definitely Glenn Frey. Whilst the tune in P.O.W. - Prisoners Of War is cute, it doesn't hold a candle to the 80s classic.

ROUND EIGHT: Pink Floyd vs. Rayman
Shine On You Crazy Diamond - This is a long-ass song that has multiple different musical sections but this Prog Rock epic by overrated Prog Rock outfit Pink Floyd contains a slow, four note guitar riff around the four minute mark. It also contains plenty of moody, atmospheric background noise that you usually hear during ambient sections in video games...but it's mostly the four guitar notes we're interested in.
The Bayou - Along with being one of the best 3D platformers in existence, Rayman 2: The Great Escape also contains a level with a long piece of music featuring moody, atmospheric background noise and four guitar notes played in a similar fashion. Composer Eric Chevalier has supposedly been inspired by other bands in his work before but I wouldn't be surprised if Pink Floyd was on that list too.
VERDICT - I don't think this was a rip-off or a homage, as the two pieces of music stand apart more than they stand together. However, I do think it's likely that Eric Chevalier was unintentionally inspired by Pink Floyd and composed a piece of music containing a similar riff. I'm giving the win to Rayman for creating a) the better assortment of creepy music and b) the shorter song.

ROUND NINE: Crash Bandicoot vs. Rob Zombie
The Eel Deal (Hidden) - In Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back, there are hidden sections in the sewer levels (The Eel Deal, Sewer Or Later and Hangin' Out) that have a thick, heavy bass riffing and percussion effects that sound a little like a clanging piano, not to mention the Techno sound of musical accompaniments. The comparison I'm going to make with the Industrial sound of this tune composed by Mutato Muzika might be a little bit forced but try to stick with me.
Never Gonna Stop (The Red Red Kroovy) - Rob Zombie is known for heavy Industrial music but the section that plays when Rob starts singing reminded me of the music from Crash Bandicoot, particularly the piano melody. As I said before, it's not quite as clear-cut as previous comparisons I've made and whilst there isn't a specific riff or melody that's been copied, it's more about the general sound of the song in comparison to the music from Crash Bandicoot.
VERDICT - Neither a homage or rip-off, absolutely a coincidence. Rob Zombie might be aware of Crash Bandicoot in some way or another but his song sounds closer to his own style of music than a hidden tune from a 90s video game. I'm gonna give the win to Rob Zombie for this one as I prefer his song to this specific tune from Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back, although on the whole I definitely prefer the music in Crash to the music on a Rob Zombie album.

ROUND TEN: Friendship vs. Mario
Let's Not Talk About It - This little known track from 1979 contains a piano riff that fans of gaming (or just anyone who's been alive within the last 20 years) will almost certainly recognise straight away. There's nothing else you need to know, just that this contains a series of notes played in a curiously specific way that sounds exactly like...
Underground Theme - ...the Underground Theme from Super Mario Bros! Video game legend Koji Kondo composed the classic melody which has stuck with the Mario series ever since it was first released in 1985. However, even though it contains a different string of notes after the initial six, the tune is identical and it's enough for me to raise an eyebrow at the very least.
VERDICT - There's no way Nintendo intended the Underground Theme to be a homage to a 70s band nobody heard of and whilst most people would consider it a coincidence, I also think there's a small possibility that Koji could've heard "Let's Not Talk About It" in passing and figured it was the perfect match for the game he was working on. That being said, I'm awarding the win to Mario as the Underground Theme has become one of Nintendo's iconic tunes and even if it was pinched from a lesser known Rock song, Nintendo certainly used the track in the better way.


COMING SOON (as in, within a month or so): A series of posts about the music from Spyro The Dragon and the Spyro: Reignited Trilogy, similar to ones I wrote about the Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy last year.

Showdown: Cover Versions, part 5

Part 5? Yeah, it's part 5.
More cover versions! This time, unlike the last two posts, we're going back to Rock/Metal covers of Rock/Metal/Pop songs; no WaveGroup covers this time. As always, I'll be writing about the original, then writing about the cover version before offering my verdict on which version is best and why. There's no real theme to this post. I'll try to pick famous cover versions or covers of famous songs (as usual) but other than putting the more well known covers first, it's a basically a free-for-all!
Also, underneath this post is an embedded Spotify playlist containing originals and covers so you can listen along if you want.

ROUND ONE: Bad Company
Bad Company - I think I've said this is "arguably" the band's signature song in the past but when your band literally shares the name of a song from an album that ALSO shares its name with the song, there's not really any argument to be had. It's a decent track, a little plain in comparison to some of their other tracks but if you want a vocally driven song with a catchy chorus and some nice piano melodies, look no further. It's just a shame the guitar solo in the outro is weak but you can't have everything.
Five Finger Death Punch - I'll admit that this song transitions well into a Five Finger Death Punch track and the band do a good job of knowing where to be heavy. The solo isn't as excessive as other contemporary Hard Rock/Metal covers (Black Label Society and Guns N' Roses could learn a thing or two) and this song has an actual outro instead of fading out during a solo. It's a great cover alright, although I'm still not entirely sold on it. Maybe I just dislike the sound of Five Finger Death Punch but even though I can't find anything wrong with it, I still don't want to listen to it again.
VERDICT - I'm really torn on this one because even though I'd rather listen to Bad Company's original, I feel like I have more positive things to say about Five Finger Death Punch's cover. I think I've got to go with my gut and say Bad Company take the win for having stronger (albeit fewer) positive aspects. Five Finger Death Punch still pulled out a great cover and it's not surprising that their version of this song is regarded to be one of their better tracks.

ROUND TWO: The Sound Of Silence
Simon & Garfunkel - As great as this song is, I feel like Arrested Development has kinda tainted it. I can't hear this song without thinking of "I've made a huge mistake" and Will Arnett but thankfully, those thoughts dissipate once the percussion comes in. Whilst this song might be overused in the media, it's still a brilliant vocally driven Classic Rock track. The lyrics were also referenced in "The Spirit Of Radio" - Rush ("and the words of the prophets were written on the studio walls, echoes with the sounds of salesmen") so it's got that going for it too.
Disturbed - Remember when the Internet went all fangirl over this cover as if it was the greatest fucking thing since that video of the cat saying "Oh long Johnson"? I'll admit, it starts off really well. The build up and use of piano to deliver the melody are fantastic, not to mention David Draiman's restrained vocals. However, there's something about this song that reminds me of those awful covers on The X Factor during "Rock week"; it just feels artificial, staged. Then it reaches the three minute mark and just becomes silly; Draiman starts growling and I completely lose interest. However, having listened to the whole song in one sitting after taking a break from the snippets I constantly used to hear over the radio, it's not bad.
VERDICT - Definitely Simon & Garfunkel. The introduction of percussion alone is better than any single part of the Disturbed cover and whilst Disturbed did try something interesting, I feel like they were just short of a perfect cover. But hey, at least I understand why people loved this cover so much now, even if I don't share the sentiment.

ROUND THREE: Am I Evil?
Diamond Head - There are many versions of this song but I think the one I prefer is the 1982 rerecording. You know, the one with the slightly slower intro (if it helps, I believe it was the one used in Guitar Hero: Metallica, NOT Brutal Legend). Anyway, the song is still awesome from start to finish. It's almost like an Ozzy-era Black Sabbath song but done properly, from the heavy "Evil" chords at the start to the chugging riff during the vocals. Easily the band's signature song and with songwriting talents like this, it's a shame we didn't get to see Diamond Head reach the heights of their contemporaries at the time.
Metallica - Metallica assembled and recorded many covers for Garage Inc. but arguably this is the most significant. They shot into the spotlight after playing a cover of "Am I Evil?" before they recorded Kill Em All and I've got to say, it's pretty damn good. They don't really change much about it yet successfully make the song sound like their own. It sounds like something they could have written themselves although if you heard the original first, you probably won't get much out of it.
VERDICT - Whilst it's not as night & day as the last round, the win goes to Diamond Head. Both versions are great and it probably depends on which one you heard first but in cases like this, I tend to favour the original. However, at least Metallica only have one official version of this track whereas Diamond Head have about three.

ROUND FOUR: Call Me The Breeze
J.J. Cale - This is a nice, easy going Blues Rock track by the guy Eric 'Boring' Clapton wishes he could've been. It's a fairly short little tune with a simple guitar solo and vocals throughout; nothing imposing and it fades out during the outro. Other than that, there's not really a lot to comment on. Moving on!
Lynyrd Skynyrd - I think a lot of people incorrectly assume this is a Skynyrd original in the same way people assume "Cocaine" is a Clapton original (it isn't and unsurprisingly, J.J. Cale's is much better). Lynyrd Skynyrd took the original and turned it ALL THE WAY up with a tasty guitar AND piano solo, not to mention brass accompaniment and an actual outro (which is pretty rare for Skynyrd's bigger songs). Every aspect of this song is better...so guess who's getting the win.
VERDICT - Lynyrd Skynyrd take a well deserved win right here. However, if we were comparing the J.J. Cale original with the Eric 'Boring' Clapton cover from a few years ago, J.J. would be taking home the win without a doubt.

ROUND FIVE: All Along The Watchtower
Bob Dylan - Did you know that this song was a Bob Dylan track before Hendrix covered it? I mean, you do if you played Guitar Hero 5 but yeah, here it is! Bob Dylan sounds like a comedian doing a Bob Dylan impression and the harmonica throughout gets annoying pretty fucking quickly. As for the acoustic guitar, it's basically an afterthought. In other words, this song is a little shitty although if you prefer Folk to Rock, you'll probably love it.
Jimi Hendrix - Arguably Hendrix's signature song and it isn't even his. However, the changes made to the overall structure and addition of all the guitar solos (not to mention Jimi's far superior vocal range) turn this into an iconic Rock song. Whilst I'm not hugely into the track in comparison to some of his other well known songs like "Castles Made Of Sand" and "Hey Joe", you can't deny that the opening chords that flow into the first guitar solo are just perfect.
VERDICT - Easily a win for Jimi Hendrix. Despite having a slower tempo and lasting a lot longer than the original, it's a straight up classic whilst the original deserves to fade into obscurity.

ROUND SIX: Back In Black
AC/DC - After Bon Scott died and the band found a replacement in the form of Brian Johnson, AC/DC wanted to come back with a powerful Rock anthem to show fans that they were still a pure Hard Rock machine. The band chose wisely with this song containing a wealth of epic riffs, sweet solos and raw vocals and whilst Bon Scott was truly the better vocalist, Brian's voice was at its finest at the start of his lengthy stretch with the band.
Living Colour - So you might be wondering why I chose this song/cover. To me, "Back In Black" is one of those iconic Rock songs that people will ALWAYS associate with AC/DC and to cover it is inviting disappointment...until I heard Living Colour try it. The guitar is spot on throughout and whilst the vocals get a little too screechy, I wanted to include this track in the list as a way of showing that good covers of this song can exist, not just tacky ones of AC/DC tracks that existed as alternatives to the original before the band became available on Spotify.
VERDICT - Even though I like the Living Colour version, I think we all agree that AC/DC knocked it out of the park with this track. If Living Colour's vocals weren't so abrasive, they may have taken home the win here but alas, it wasn't to be.

ROUND SEVEN: Helter Skelter
The Beatles - Music historians cite this song as one of the earliest influences for the Heavy Metal genre and whilst I can agree with that statement, anyone who calls this song Heavy Metal is a fucking idiot. At best, it's Hard Rock although even by Deep Purple standards, it's more like 60s Garage. Anyway, this song was about as heavy as The Beatles got with clashing symbols, screeching vocals and chugging guitar riffs. It's a decent track although not exactly in the band's wheelhouse. That being said, I'll take it over their trippy, psychedelic, circus nonsense.
Motley Crue - Fun fact: Motley Crue also toyed with the idea of recording a cover of "Paperback Writer", the far greater Beatles song, and did play that track live a few times. However, between the two songs, I'm glad "Helter Skelter" got the studio treatment. The Crue took the blueprints for a fine Hard Rock song and beefed it up a bit, transforming it into a decent Hair/Heavy Metal tune. It's just a shame that the lyrics about going down slides don't really make the same transition as the music.
VERDICT - Whilst I'd obviously pick The Beatles over Motley Crue for overall strength of music, I'm giving the win to Motley Crue here. Heavier song needs heavier music and The Beatles just fell a little short, although they came damn close to writing a full on Hard Rock song. Maybe in an alternate timeline where they kept going long after 1970, the band rerecorded it with the necessary power it deserves. However, until interdimensional travel exists, at least we've got Motley Crue's version.

ROUND EIGHT: Oops I Did It Again
Britney Spears - For years, I thought this and "...Baby One More Time" were the exact same song. Ya know, because they sound identical. Anyway, apparently this is a different song that uses other words? Either way, it's still a generic Pop song with piano chords, basic percussion, lyrics designed by a committee to make teenage girls want to be her and horny dads want to fuck her. Whilst I'm generally not a fan of Pop music (or Britney Spears), this song certainly isn't "Toxic".
Children Of Bodom - Children Of Bodom have done some great little covers over their years but I think this is the one that everyone knows.  A Melodic Death Metal cover of a Pop song. Vocally, this song is absolute shite outside of the chorus although I'm guessing that's kinda the point; it feels like it was performed sarcastically and you know what? I can dig that. Musically, it's one of the lesser Children Of Bodom tracks but they still managed to fit a solid guitar solo into it.
VERDICT - Children Of Bodom did something fun and unique with a bland song so they deserve a win. I also recommend their covers album Skeletons In The Closet if you want some other decent tunes of theirs, provided you like Melodic Death Metal.

ROUND NINE: Smoke On The Water
Deep Purple - One of the most iconic guitar riffs of all time and also one of the most basic Deep Purple/Richie Blackmore songs. Admittedly, it's a pretty great riff and there are some decent Ian Gillan vocals but other than that, it's an underperforming Hard Rock track. Weak guitar solo and goes on way too long but it's still an OK song if you haven't heard many other Deep Purple tunes. However, I bet there are bands who could do a fantastic cover of this song...
The Flaming Lips - ...just not these guys. If you haven't heard The Flaming Lips cover of "Smoke On The Water", part of me wants to recommend it just to hear how fucking terrible it is. It's the height of experimental hipster shit and once those vocals come in, you know you're in for something terrible. Similar to the Children Of Bodom song, this feels like a piss-take although unlike their Britney Spears cover, this just sounds awful.
VERDICT - I picked this song because I knew The Flaming Lips did a shite cover that you needed to know about. Obviously Deep Purple get the win and OK, maybe this entry is a little one sided so in the interest of balance, let's have a well known song with an amazing cover.

ROUND TEN: Cheap Sunglasses
ZZ Top - If you've been reading my blog for a while, you'll probably know my opinion of "Cheap Sunglasses" and indeed, early ZZ Top. Great songs but absolutely terrible mixes; flatter than day old coke and in dire need of a remaster. However, ignoring technical flaws, the song's bloody good. Great riffs, fun lyrics and a decent solo; an awesome Blues Rock track. If the mix was better, this would be the perfect Rock song.
The Sword - Now THIS is what I'm talking about. Proper dynamics whilst still keeping the grit and Blues aspects. Granted it's more like Heavy Metal than Hard Rock now but The Sword have taken this song and ramped it up. Hopefully ZZ Top will hear this and be inspired to rerecord/remaster their back catalogue one day. The Sword have also done a smashing cover of "Cold Sweat" - Thin Lizzy although because that was a B-side to one of their singles, it's harder to find online.
VERDICT - Definitely The Sword although I still like ZZ Top's original a lot.


As stated above, here's a Spotify playlist of all the songs discussed in this post so you can listen along and decide whether I'm making some good points or are just completely full of shit...or ya know, somewhere in the middle.

Rapid Fire: Scorpions, Testament, White Wizzard

Our final post of the month is a quick look at three albums released across different decades that all share at least one common factor. In this case, it's striking album artwork and what better genre to represent high quality album art than Heavy Metal.
The first album comes from a band known for controversial album artwork that often had to be replaced by a less offensive images. That's right, it's NOT Cannibal Corpse because fuck them. It's Scorpions.


1. Blackout - Scorpions

Of all the classic Scorpions albums I've listened to, this is probably my favourite. It also has the best album artwork with Lovedrive coming in at a close second. Anyway, when it comes to Heavy Metal from the 70s, Scorpions are arguably the gold standard. The perfect blend of Klaus Meine's vocals, guitar from one of the Schenkers and percussion from [INSERT DRUMMER HERE] (although Herman Rarebell's work on this album is a highlight) result in a sound that sounds a little more aggressive than typical Hard Rock but not quite as furious as 80s Metal; this is apparent from album opener and title track "Blackout", a fan favourite containing great riffs, a catchy chorus and an outro that maybe could've done without the scream.
From here, the album gives us a healthy variety of commercially oriented Pop Metal ("No One Like You"), slower power ballads that still rock ("When The Smoke Is Going Down"), chugging Heavy Metal ("China White") and fast paced bangers ("Dynamite"). This album has a good hit-shit ratio but the variety does mean fans of faster Heavy Metal might get a little bored during the more casual tracks like "Arizona". Likewise, listeners who want something to chill out to should probably find a different album (or genre) due to songs like "Now!" appearing and shaking you awake.
This album is an all-rounder and definitely a classic that I'd recommend to fans of the genre  although it takes its strongest step in the first half. The latter half is made up of deep cuts and afterthoughts that likely won't win anyone over if they hadn't heard any of the album's main singles that all happen to come from the first half. Blackout isn't the best Heavy Metal album in existence but it's certainly a strong contender for one of Scorpions' finest records; definitely one of the best out of their golden years (Virgin Killer to Savage Amusement).

1. Blackout

2. Can't Live Without You

3. No One Like You

4. You Give Me All I Need

5. Now!

6. Dynamite

7. Arizona

8. China White

9. When The Smoke Is Going Down

ALBUM RATING - 7/10

Next up is an album from 1990, the last year of the truly great Heavy Metal album.

2. Souls Of Black - Testament

When choosing music for this post, it was between this album and Spreading The Disease - Anthrax but in the end, I went with Testament because I've already talked about Anthrax in a Rapid Fire post. Besides, this album needs addressing. First off, we have a fucking great album cover. Along with Spreading The Disease and Peace Sells...But Who's Buying?, it's artwork that I could get lost in and catches your eye when browsing the Metal section of your record store. Then we have the album opener "Face In The Sky" after acoustic intro "Beginning Of The End". Both tracks do a great job of creating atmosphere before giving you some damn fine Thrash Metal to get stuck into.

The album contains some exceptional material that could easily go toe to toe with some of Thrash Metal's finest moments but unfortunately, there's one glaring fault that prevents Souls Of Black from being a shining star: the godawful, horrifically flat mix. When all's said and done, you can compare Souls Of Black to other Metal albums released in the same year like Rust In Peace and Painkiller and the difference in audio quality is night and day. Producer Michael Rosen should be fucking ashamed for ruining what could've been a damn near perfect record, although the producer credits also list Testament as producing so the fault could lie with them too.

Either way, there are a lot of great songs here that are sullied by the terrible mix (as proven by the far superior rerecording of "Souls Of Black" used in Rock Band 2) but if you can get past that, there are plenty of jewels to be found in this trash can. Even when the tracks slow down to take a breather, they still maintain the raw aggression and awesome riffs needed for top notch Thrash. Maybe one day the entire album will get the rerecording treatment instead of just the title track but until then, I guess we'll have to make do with this swing and a miss.

1. Beginning Of The End

2. Face In The Sky

3. Falling Fast

4. Souls Of Black

5. Absence Of Light

6. Love To Hate

7. Malpractice

8. One Man's Fate

9. The Legacy

10. Seven Days Of May

ALBUM RATING - 7/10

The last album is a fairly modern one (2010) but was clearly inspired by Metal greats from the 80s.

3. Over The Top - White Wizzard

White Wizzard are an American NWOTHM band that MAY have listened to a lot of Iron Maiden and Anthrax whilst growing up, but I'm not completely certain about that. Regardless of their personal taste in music, the band's amplified bass, falsetto vocals and galloping rhythm definitely conjure memories of 80s Metal as demonstrated in album opener and title track "Over The Top". It's a great introduction to the band if you've never heard of them before (which is highly likely) but the real heavy hitters come later on, especially if you're a fan of riff-based Metal and backing vocals perfect for singing along during gigs.

Even though there are more than a few comparisons to their sources of inspiration, the band are easily able to stand up on their own feet. In fact, I'd argue that there's a case to be made that White Wizzard have taken those factors and improved them. Whilst there's the occasional proggy deep cut ("Iron Goddess Of Vengeance"), there are also tracks with mildly progressive elements ("High Roller") that don't go on anywhere near as long as those in modern Iron Maiden or Dream Theater songs, meaning that fans of Heavy Metal that remains tight and energetic will have a lot to enjoy in this album. There's also the fact that vocalist Wyatt Anderson can hit those high notes without sounding too rusty, something Bruce Dickinson is starting to lose if live gigs are anything to go by.

The only main downside to Over The Top is that a great Heavy Metal album has plenty of variety between fast tracks, moderately paced sluggers and slower, more emotional material. This album lacks the slower songs that allow the band to show off their musical talent, instead opting to rewrite the same song ("Live Free Or Die" and "Strike Of The Viper"). As a result, you might feel like the band are a bit one-note if you're not a fan of the song they clearly love. Fortunately, I love that song so this is a great album for me. I definitely recommend it if you want some good old fashioned Heavy Metal.

1. Over The Top

2. 40 Deuces

3. High Roller

4. Live Free Or Die

5. Iron Goddess Of Vengeance

6. Out Of Control

7. Strike Of The Viper

8. Death Race

9. White Wizzard

ALBUM RATING - 8/10

Next month: Hopefully posts that don't all come within the last week, although it does depend largely on personal issues resolving themselves.

Tenology: Great Song Uses In Video Games

Yes, it's a video game post but no, it's not about video game music!
Video games have come a long way over the last couple of decades, not just in terms of graphics and gameplay but also music use. When game developers decided to license actual songs instead of relying entirely on music specifically made for the title, most of the time it was just to offer additional background music (see GTA radio stations). However, now and then, the game developers knew that certain gameplay moments couldn't be experienced without a specific track playing and that's what this post is all about; a celebration of those times when a song came on, the stars aligned and all was right with the world just for a few minutes.
These moments don't occur that often, which is probably what makes them even greater, but in no particular order, here are ten times that video games reached the next level (no pun intended) with their uses of licensed music and/or songs by real bands recorded specifically for a game. Note: I'm not including songs licensed just for the game's soundtrack that are heard randomly and without purpose; these songs have to be heard at scripted events to be counted. I'm also not including songs from rhythm music games (Guitar Hero, Rock Band, etc) and I'm aiming to only include one song per game franchise, so no repeat uses of Saints Row tracks.


1. "Children Of The Elder God" - Poets Of The Fall
Used in Alan Wake (2010)

Alan Wake is a game about a writer trying to survive an attack by vicious, possessed creatures in a dark wood. It largely involves a lot of walking, some gun play and a bit of psychological horror. However, one section takes you to a stage in the middle of the woods where the fictional band Old Gods Of Asgard used to play. The game then treats you to a level where the stage lights up and monsters attempt to attack you whilst this song plays from start to finish. Needless to say, it's fucking awesome (if not a little out of place). The song is technically by Poets Of The Fall although I believe the track is credited to their fictional name in the game. Either way, the combination of the great song, the fun level and the welcome break from all the creepiness makes this a highly memorable moment.


2. "Opposites Attract" - Paula Abdul
Used in Saints Row IV (2013)

Saints Row started off as a fun little GTA clone but soon evolved into something much, MUCH better when Saints Row IV came around (although I hear Saints Row The Third is also fantastic). There are many great song uses in this game, including a side mission where you do a pole dance to "Simply Irresistible" - Robert Palmer and escape from an alien mothership to "What Is Love" - Haddaway. However, my personal favourite is a little more low key than those. You're driving with your friend on your way to start the mission (some shooting/fighting affair, no big deal) when "Opposites Attract" comes on over the radio. Your character and your friend then proceed to sing along, playing both parts regardless of which gender or voice actor you choose to play The Boss. It's a particularly fun little section in a game filled with over-the-top missions and music moments...it also helped me get into this song and inspired me to learn all of the lyrics too, although let's not dwell on that.


3. "Painkiller" - Judas Priest
Used in Brutal Legend (2009)

This song was almost going to be "Children Of The Grave" - Black Sabbath or "Through The Fire And Flames" - DragonForce but then I remembered the final boss. Whilst those songs had great uses in this third person hack n slash/RTS inspired by the art and music of Heavy Metal, the final battle of the game is amplified all the more by this epic battle anthem. It's a shame the final boss itself is a lame battle on its own but this song takes it to far higher levels. Hopefully one day we'll get a Brutal Legend 2 before all the Rock/Metal musicians die and the tracks are too expensive to license but hey, at least we can always relive this game.


4. "Still Alive" - Jonathan Coulton
Used in Portal (2007)

Portal is regarded as one of the greatest video games due to its unique puzzle solving elements and humour, although I've never actually played much of it myself. I played a bit on a demo and can't say I cared for it but there is one thing I enjoyed: the song used in the credits. Another track written specifically for the game that sung from the perspective of the game's AI antagonist; a hauntingly optimistic look at the game's events that fans have praised for over a decade. Whilst my enjoyment of the song has faded since I first heard it, I still acknowledge that it's a necessary factor in what makes Portal such a memorable game. It's rightfully taken its place in video game Pop culture, much like "the cake is a lie"...although I prefer "Still Alive".


5. "Gone Guru" - Lifeseeker
Used in Dead Rising (2006)

Yep, I'm even including Hip Hop songs in this list. Whilst I couldn't give a shit about the rapping throughout, the opening guitar notes will always make me think of the prison inmates fight from Dead Rising. Basically, you're stuck in a supermarket overrun with zombies and somehow, a bunch of prisoners have not only escaped but acquired a military vehicle with a machine gun on it. They then drive to the park section of the supermarket where they proceed to spend the majority of the game driving around attempting to kill you instead of looting or, say, escaping. However, every time you enter the park with the convicts around, this song plays...and my God, it is chilling.
See, the zombies in this game are pretty easy to kill. The convicts, however? Pain in the arse. Not only that but they are lethal to any survivors you've got with you, making them a genuine threat to survival that you often have to navigate your way around rather than take head on. Oh, and they respawn. What this means is even after you successfully kill them, you can revisit the park and immediately realise that you're in for a challenge...all because of "Gone Guru" and those opening guitar notes. It's one of the game's scariest moments, all thanks to a single song. Well played, Capcom.


6. "Bad Voodoo" - Kreeps
Used in Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare (2010)

I'd probably be less inclined to include DLC expansions in this list if Undead Nightmare wasn't the single greatest DLC expansion to ever exist. Red Dead Redemption is a fun third person cowboy action game but Undead Nightmare mixes things up with the addition of zombies, completely changing the style of gameplay you might be used to and adding all new levels of fun to an already decent game. The music is creepy and atmospheric but towards the end of the game, you're tasked with riding to Mexico to seek someone out. You get on your horse, you start riding and BAM, this song comes in loud and proud. At first, it sounds like it could be part of the game's score but then the vocals come in as you storm across the fields of death. Most people claim "Far Away" - Jose Gonzales is a great use of licensed music in a game but I still love this song and use.


7. "She Changes Like The Weather" - Nic Armstrong
Used in Destroy All Humans! 2 (2006)

I loved this game when it first came out. Not just because destroying buildings and killing people as an alien was fun to a kid but the improvements made between DaH! and DaH!2 were phenomenal. New weapons, globetrotting locations, decent side missions, proper bodysnatching AND licensed music that sounded great. You'd think that a game taking place in the 60s would license a load of 60s Garage Rock but (presumably) to save on the costs, they instead went for modern music that SOUNDED like 60s Rock. One of the songs featuring prominently throughout the game is "She Changes Like The Weather", a sort of Beatlesque number with a catchy vocal melody. It can be heard near record shops AND towards the end of the game, it plays during a chaotic clash inside a moon base. Maybe it's just because the contrast of this peaceful sounding song and all the fighting going on reminds me of The Prisoner (they used "All You Need Is Love" - The Beatles during a gunfight in the final episode) but I loved hearing it during gameplay, even if it wasn't necessarily my favourite track licensed for the game. I also loved "Help You Ann" - Lyres playing during one of the side missions, although unfortunately that side mission can eat a dick.


8. "Ain't No Rest For The Wicked" - Cage The Elephant
Used in Borderlands (2009)

I'm not a big fan of FPS games but the intro to Borderlands was enough to convince me to give this a try. In the end, I gave it up because my PC couldn't handle it but enough about personal shit, let's talk music! The opening cinematic does an exceptional job of setting the tone, introducing the characters and giving us a snapshot of the world you're about to become a part of and it wouldn't be the same without the action choreographed to "Ain't No Rest For The Wicked". It's the perfect blend of gritty and wacky, just like Borderlands, and lyrically it's exactly the kind of message you need to understand everything you need to know about the characters. I've heard the second game has a decent use of "Short Change Hero" - The Heavy but this is the only game I've played of the Borderlands franchise, so this is the one that struck a chord with me.


9. "Mickey" - Toni Basil
Used in Lollipop Chainsaw (2012)

Another game with an underrated little soundtrack. Lollipop Chainsaw saw you playing as a cheerleader/zombie hunter who carried a comically oversized chainsaw and the still-alive severed head of her boyfriend as she aimed to save each member of her family from the undead. Whilst the game had several great licensed music uses (the Dead Or Alive song during the farm level was also a contender for this list), I never got tired of hearing "Mickey" play every time I powered up and entered sparkle mode or whatever the fuck it was called. It's a song that works not only as a cute little Pop number or the credits song but also as a battle anthem for tearing through zombies. Who knew?


10. "Get It Together" - The Go! Team
Used in LittleBigPlanet (2008)

I hated this game when I played it. I can't remember which level I got to but I remember the realistic gravity and 2D platforming did nothing but piss me off. However, there is one great thing about this game: the use of "Get It Together" - The Go! Team, a charming little Indie number used heavily in the game's promotion but also during some of the levels. The mediocre platforming sections are greatly improved by this quirky tune's presence and the fact that the song was previously associated with the game before appearing in a level makes the song feel like an accomplishment; you've earned the ability to hear this song as you play due to progressing to this point. Maybe I'm only thinking of it as an achievement because to me, playing the game for more than a couple of minutes was a slog, but either way I loved the track and am almost certain that this game...nah, it probably would've done well even without the licensed music.


Obviously there are other great uses of licensed tracks in video games that I've either neglected or simply didn't think were all that (yes, I'm aware of The Rolling Stones in Call Of Duty and yes, I've watched the introduction to Prey with "(Don't Fear) The Reaper"). If there are any music moments in games that you recommend and think I should check out, feel free to let me know in the comments or via Twitter.

Showdown: Back From The Dead - Spinal Tap

Last year, I wrote about Mock Rock band Tenacious D in a Rapid Fire post for April Fool's Day. Whilst I might be a week late, the first blog post for April will continue the celebration of Mock Rock by looking at a series of rerecords from 2009 by quite possibly the most famous and beloved Mock Rock band of all time; Spinal Tap.
This Is Spinal Tap is a classic mockumentary about the British Rock/Metal band Spinal Tap. It's also the name of the film's soundtrack and collection of most (if not all) of the band's memorable songs:

Yep, the famous black album cover from Smell The Glove is the album cover for the soundtrack, naturally. The soundtrack/album was released in 1984 (and a poorly received follow up album entitled Break Like The Wind was released eight years later, presumably to tie into an appearance on The Simpsons) but the aim of this post is to compare the classic original recordings with the rerecords off Back From The Dead, a 25th anniversary compilation album containing a few new tracks and fleshed out versions of tracks mentioned in the film like "Saucy Jack" and parts of the 20-minute free form "Jazz Odyssey".

However, I won't be talking about those new songs in this post. I'll just be looking at shared songs from both records. Also, no Spotify playlist for this post since it's just songs off the two albums rather than a compilation of various Rock/Metal/Pop covers that'd be harder to source.
So, time to turn it up to 11 and some other hacky reference from the film!

ROUND ONE: Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You Tonight
This Is Spinal Tap - I'm surprised this wasn't the 1984 record's album opener, considering how prominently it featured in the film. However, it's a fucking great track. It manages to blend awesome riffs with amusing vocals ("you're too young and I'm too well hung" is a line KISS were probably a year or two away from writing non-ironically). It's a shame the backing vocals are kinda shitty but hey, it's still a top notch song to listen to even if you didn't care for the film.
Back From The Dead - I guess Spinal Tap found a drummer as the percussion for this song is definitely better than the original. It also helps that the song's main riff still sounds awesome although I can't say the same for the vocals. Backing vocals from Nigel Tufnel (Christopher Guest) and Derek Smalls (Harry Shearer) are still too comical but sadly lead vocals from David St. Hubbins (Michael McKean) are a lot worse. It's almost like he's parodying his younger self which makes one of the few awesome Hard Rock songs on the album a little bit worse.
VERDICT - Got to give it to This Is Spinal Tap here. It might be a good rerecording overall with some small improvements but sadly the negatives outweigh the positives. If the vocals were identical in terms of silliness, it probably would've won.

ROUND TWO: (Funky) Sex Farm
This Is Spinal Tap - Wow, that opening riff stopped itself from being identical to the previous track, didn't it? Yeah, this is a fairly forgettable song from a Rock fan's perspective. Lyrically, it does a great job of lampooning forced metaphors and sexual language in Glam/Shock Rock but musically, there's something off about it. It sounds like one of those "shreds it" videos with riffs that sound incomplete or guitar harmonies that don't quite work.
Back From The Dead - So for some reason, the band decided to make this song sound less like a parody of bad Glam Rock and more like a parody of bad 70s Funk Rock, complete with added brass and softer guitar. I have to say, whilst I'm not a fan of the song, the corny Funk style definitely works better with the lyrics than the Rock style. I even prefer the brief Hip Hop interlude to the terrible guitar solo in the original.
VERDICT - Back From The Dead wins it for taking a chance and producing something that's still pretty poor but better as a parody track. I don't particularly like either but if I was forced to pick one to listen to again, it'd definitely be the rerecording.

ROUND THREE: Rock 'N' Roll Creation
This Is Spinal Tap - I guess this was their attempt at parodying Black Sabbath and other Heavy Metal/Hard Rock bands who use generic Biblical themes in their songs...it's OK, I guess. However, it needed to be taken a step further. It's not quite "bad" enough to be a good parody, if that makes sense? The lyrics needed to be just a bit more on-the-nose, although the music wasn't bad.
Back From The Dead - I actually quite like the music in this rerecord. They've amplified the better aspects (the chorus) and lessened the worse ones (guitar solos). Part of me would've liked to hear a version of this song where they actually changed the middle and made it sound more like an Arena Rock anthem than the original but at least this version isn't as bad.
VERDICT - It's another win for Back From The Dead for taking a mediocre parody and making it into a semi-decent song, although it still could've been improved with slightly more amusing lyrics.

ROUND FOUR: Gimme Some Money
This Is Spinal Tap - If I remember right, this is supposed to be one of Spinal Tap's earliest songs when they were a 60s guitar band like The Beatles or The Animals and God damn, it is fucking on point. It's lame, tepid Blues based "Rock" just like The Rolling Stones. It might not be a great song to listen to (unless you haven't heard Rock music before) but as a pastiche of Rock's early days, it's masterfully done.
Back From The Dead - A decent attempt at rerecording the original although the fact that it sounds so clean kind of works against it. The point of the song is to sound like a naff 60s Blues Rock track and this doesn't quite work. It would've been cool to hear a tarted up version of this track as a different period piece, like 90s Grunge or something. However, if you like the song, it's a great rendition of it.
VERDICT - Whilst the rerecording does have better sound quality, this is one of the few times where less is more. This Is Spinal Tap takes the win for being the perfect 60s Rock parody.

ROUND FIVE: Heavy Duty
This Is Spinal Tap - This is pretty damn close to Judas Priest for comfort! However, musically speaking, it's kind of plain with a poor mix. I don't remember this song from the film but I'm assuming it's supposed to showcase Nigel's guitar playing, as that takes centre-stage in this weak track. If the lead guitar tone was different, maybe I'd like the track more. As it stands, I'm not a huge fan.
Back From The Dead - Yeah, this is what I'm talking about. Better mix whilst retaining the better aspects of the track, plus some added keys from Keith Emerson during the solo. If I had to find flaws, I'd say that the vocals are a little too clear for a song that needs a grittier feel to it (and was previously ruined by the clean guitar in the original) but the track still works.
VERDICT - Another win for Back From The Dead. Could it be that Spinal Tap have pulled a Saxon and recorded a far greater collection of music 25 years after their original material?

ROUND SIX: America
This Is Spinal Tap - Songs about British bands travelling to America are a niche subject to parody and the film already covered the clashing of sensitive music with vulgar lyrics or themes with "Lick My Love Pump" (a song I would've loved to hear fleshed out as a precursor to Sensitive Axl Rose's material for 90s Guns N Roses albums) so I'm not really sure what purpose this song serves other than just a general Rock song. If that's the case, I guess it works. It's got some good riffs and great drumming, although it does sound a little like the band entered the studio after the first draft. A proper Rock band could've taken this material and done something great with it.
Back From The Dead - A relatively faithful rerecording but with far superior aspects; notice a theme emerging? Everything about this song is improved in the rerecording from the percussion to the passion of the vocals in the final verse. However, since they're rerecording the original material, it still suffers from sounding like they didn't do the necessary rewrites between verses to make crappier riffs sound better. At least this sounds like a good Alice Cooper song, unlike some of the originals.
VERDICT - I guess Spinal Tap really did resurrect what with all the wins Back From The Dead is getting!

ROUND SEVEN: (Listen To The) Flower People - Reggae Stylee
This Is Spinal Tap - Aaaaaand a perfect Psychedelic Rock parody from the late 60s now! It's almost scary how much I can imagine this song being used in some Vietnam flashback in a hacky action/comedy film with Seth Rogen and James Franco, if not for the lyrics...but I guess that's what makes the song work so spectacularly. If not for the forced Mozart riff, this would've been 10/10 on the Parodometer.
Back From The Dead - Remember how I said "Gimme Some Money" should've been rerecorded in a different style? Well, Spinal Tap did exactly that with this song! They rerecorded it as a Reggae song and once again, it works perfectly. The vocals are bang on the money and the music couldn't be better; if you were going to pick a new genre to mock with a song about the "Flower People", Reggae's a solid choice.
VERDICT - This is actually a really tough one. Both the original and rerecording do a spot on job of lampooning their respective genres so I'm going to have to give it to the song I preferred to listen to...which means This Is Spinal Tap gets the win because I will ALWAYS vote for Psychedelic Rock over Reggae.

ROUND EIGHT: Hell Hole
This Is Spinal Tap - This is one of few tracks Spinal Tap have released that could actually be a proper Rock song without being held back by silliness (which presumably explains why they made a music video for it). My biggest problem with Spinal Tap is that they're too far on the comedy side, meaning a lot of their music sounds like scrapings from the floor of Alice Cooper's recording studio. However, this song has a collection of great riffs, some ace backing vocals in the chorus and a sweet guitar solo. All in all, a strong song to start the original album.
Back From The Dead - A valiant effort but I guess the band were feeling a little insecure about this rerecording too, seeing as how it's been pushed way down the tracklist. At least the solo sounds great although none of that matters when you compare the backing vocals in this version to the original. Fuck me, they're terrible. Like, shite-awful. That alone is enough to give the win to This Is Spinal Tap.
VERDICT - Weren't you reading? This Is Spinal Tap get it for the superior backing vocals in the chorus and that alone, even though it has other positive attributes too.

ROUND NINE: Big Bottom
This Is Spinal Tap - A parody of bands that think they're lyrical wordsmiths when really they're talking out their arse, so to speak (once again, this film/soundtrack came out three years before Appetite For Destruction). Unfortunately, since its purpose is to showcase silly lyrics, the music is pretty dull and uninspired. So dull and uninspired that there's not much to say except it's a shame the percussion is the only thing lifting this song up.
Back From The Dead - Props to the band, they found a synth tone that was more comical than the one used in the original. At the end of the day though, it's still a dumb song that exists as a mediocre punchline. Whilst the elevated production values make the song quite amusing, it would've been funnier if they went even further with it. Imagining Def Leppard or even Michael Jackson level production values complete with 40-piece choir and orchestral accompaniments applied to a song called "Big Bottom" is funnier than what we got.
VERDICT - It's hard to say as both tracks are a bit shit so I'm giving it to This Is Spinal Tap for being a whole seven seconds shorter.

ROUND TEN: Stonehenge
This Is Spinal Tap - This is the song everyone knows, even if you haven't seen the film. It's also a perfect blend of funny lyrics and great music AND actually progresses the plot of the mockumentary in its own hilarious way. Whilst some lines ("No one knows who they were...or...what they were doin'") will always be funnier than others ("where the dew drops cry and the cats meow"), the highlight of this song is certainly the mandolin solo before the outro. It might get cut down in the film but hearing it fleshed out on the album is a real treat.
Back From The Dead - I think it's fair to say that I'm more familiar with this rerecording than the original due to my excessive playing of it on Rock Band but after comparing both, I definitely think this is the better version of the two. Tufnel's vocals in the intro sound perfectly clueless and the Rock elements are appropriately heavy. But hey, does the song master the mandolin solo? You bet your fucking arse it does. The original might be slightly more complex but the rerecording tightens up the imperfections into the perfect little melody. Fun fact: I learnt how to play this solo on the keyboard years ago. I doubt I can remember it now but it was still fun to play, even on a different instrument.
VERDICT - Back From The Dead, hands down.

ROUND ELEVEN: Cups And Cakes
This Is Spinal Tap - I really need to rewatch This Is Spinal Tap as I feel bad for being unable to remember any of these songs from the film. Anyway, it's a short little tune that's mostly strings. Probably not worth including on the soundtrack but here we are.
Back From The Dead - Oh...it got a rerecording too. That seems fair, I guess. It's basically the same as the original but with piano instead of strings so it makes sense to use as a fun little album closer, I suppose.
VERDICT - For the reason above, I'm giving it to Back From The Dead as it's the kind of song that would've been a hidden track on an album until digital distribution made those obsolete. It's a shame to end this Showdown post on such a meh song (especially after "Stonehenge") but that's the way the cupcake gets frosted!

FINAL SCORES:
This Is Spinal Tap - 5
Back From The Dead - 6

Well, there you have it. It's a close score but ultimately, Back From The Dead came out victorious! As for individual album ratings, I give This Is Spinal Tap a 6/10 (mostly for the parody aspect of it over musical quality) and Back From The Dead a 6/10 too, since there are a couple of new songs on it that I didn't discuss that are hit and miss. It's almost as if both albums are as good as each other and collectively, they come together to make the ultimate Spinal Tap album...you know, after Break Like The Wind, of course.

Showdown: Homages/Rip Offs 6

We're back with another look at songs that may or may not have been a bit too heavily inspired by previously recorded music from a different band. The last time I did a post like this that didn't involve video games or two songs by the same band was in August last year and since then, I've found some interesting comparisons. I've also found a couple that are probably hugely coincidental but fuck it, I've got ten again!
Similar to previous posts of mine, I've included a Spotify playlist at the bottom so you can listen along and decide whether you agree with my opinions on these songs or not...because that's what this is, the work of opinion and not an accusation of plagiarism for all of these tracks.

ROUND ONE: Jane's Addiction vs. Tesla
Mountain Song - If I had to place myself on either side of the taste spectrum without wavering in the middle, I'd say I dislike Jane's Addiction. Whilst I can admire some of the guitar solos and technical work behind the majority of their tracks that I know, I just can't get into their music in a way that I can with...well, Tesla or other bands. The vocalist sounds whiny and annoying, the riffs are usually quite repetitive without sounding awesome enough to justify it and there's a sort of grimy, mucky feel to each track. That being said, this song does start off with a pretty sweet bass riff. Not just sweet but easily distinguishable.
Hang Tough - Oh look, a song released about one year later that ALSO starts off with a sweet and distinguishable bass riff. Granted this one has been ever so slightly tweaked and sped up a bit but you cannot deny that these riffs sound similar. Fortunately, the rest of the song is hugely different to the Jane's Addiction one. I can actually listen to this and enjoy it, unlike the appropriately named uphill battle that is "Mountain Song".
VERDICT - Whilst Jane's Addiction did release their song first, I have a feeling that any similarity between their song and Tesla's is coincidental. Jane's Addiction released their song/album in August 1988, Tesla in February 1989. Tesla recorded the album in 1988, although no specific month is given suggesting they wrote and recorded it throughout the year. Whilst it's POSSIBLE that Tesla heard "Mountain Song" and used their bass riff as the backbone for "Hang Tough", I'm sceptical about that. Therefore, the win goes to Tesla for recording the better song. If news comes to light that Tesla DID do a bit of cheeky riff pinching, it'll go to Jane's Addiction.

ROUND TWO: Joe Walsh vs. Gary Moore
Rivers (Of The Hidden Funk) - Not one of Joe's better known songs but it's a solid little Classic Rock number, once again built around some great bass. However, the part of this track that we're looking at is the guitar in the intro. Specifically, the first four notes. They play a melody that I'm sure I've heard in a couple of different songs, including the next track. As for the rest of the song, it's OK. Probably not my favourite by Joe Walsh but it's a good tune.
Empty Rooms - Maybe there are better examples of songs to write about for "that riff" but in this song, around about the 9 second mark, there's a keyboard melody that sounds similar to the "Rivers (Of The Hidden Funk)" guitar intro. The rest of the song is typical of your Gary Moore ballad; lame and a waste of time for someone who was as talented as Gary Moore to be bothering with. And don't even get me fucking started on "Parisienne Walkways" and his fuckawful cover of "Don't Believe A Word".
VERDICT - Oh, easily Joe Walsh. Came up with the riff first, played it in the better song, even gave it a more memorable name. Easy win, no doubt in my mind, but did Gary Moore steal the riff? Probably not, it's a fairly common little tune and it's not like the rest of the song has anything to do with the Joe Walsh one. It's just another uninspired, generic power ballad from Gary Moore.

ROUND THREE: Fleetwood Mac vs. AC/DC
Oh Well - This isn't the first time I've mentioned this song and it certainly won't be the last! However, the song is easily recognisable from the opening guitar riff, one that's great to listen to and probably great to play too. Once again, we're listening out for that intro melody that's played on acoustic guitar of "Oh Well (Part One)". NOTE: In the Spotify playlist, the intro riff is played on electric guitar as I could only find live versions on Spotify. However, it sort of works in my favourite as it makes the next song sound even closer to this one.
Beating Around The Bush - These songs have been compared to one another in the past due to the opening guitar riffs. Not just the sound of them but their placement in the songs too. Some see it as AC/DC's tribute to "Oh Well", which I can believe. It's a well known song and this deep cut off Highway To Hell probably wasn't meant to be enjoyed at the same capacity as the title track and other big hits by the band.
VERDICT - I like both songs but I'm giving the win to Fleetwood Mac. Their track came first and is far superior to the AC/DC one, even if that song doesn't sound exactly like 90% of their material. Plus, as I already mentioned, I see this as a pretty definite homage; I doubt the band were unaware of "Oh Well" at that point in their career and were likely inspired to write their version of the opening riff.

ROUND FOUR: Electric Light Orchestra vs. The Hives
Don't Bring Me Down - A classic song from the band, notable for the chorus of "Don't bring me down, groos, don't bring me down, groos, don't bring me down, groos, don't bring me down" and the descending four note riff used throughout. As far as ELO songs go, it's a good track that sounds more like Jeff Lynne being Jeff Lynne than Jeff Lynne being the fifth Beatle. However, it's a little too white bread for me to enjoy as much as other songs of theirs like "Mr Blue Sky" and "Hold On Tight".
Go Right Ahead - The Hives are another band that have relied on writing the same song over and over again with slightly different riffs but this time, they chose to write someone else's instead. "Go Right Ahead" went right ahead with a riff that sounds identical to the ELO one although there is one slight difference between this and previous entries. The Hives have actually acknowledged that their riff sounds like "Don't Bring Me Down" and even though they didn't intend to steal it, they still contacted Jeff Lynne to ask for his permission to use the track. As a result, he has songwriting credit even though they supposedly came up with it without realising it already exists.
VERDICT - Whilst I commend The Hives for doing the right thing after realising their mistake, my win still goes to Electric Light Orchestra for coming up with the riff and writing a slightly better song that I'd rather listen to on an average day. However, if I wasn't such a fan of ELO (and if The Hives didn't sound so Poppy in this song), I probably would've given the win to The Hives.

ROUND FIVE: Dio vs. The Temperance Movement
The Last In Line - I've written about the similarities between these two songs in non-Showdown posts (and briefly mentioned it in one Showdown post) but hey, it's worth cataloguing here too. "The Last In Line" is the title track from Dio's second album and starts off with a slow, ascending guitar riff before some descending triplets. It's the weakest part of the song that, to me, only really gets good when the percussion comes in and it becomes a proper Heavy Metal track. However, the intro riff is arguably what makes the song stand out so I suppose it's not that bad.
Battle Lines - I seem to recall saying in my review of White Bear and other posts that I doubt The Temperance Movement consciously stole the intro to "The Last In Line" for the intro and structure for their song but it's still weird how they sound almost identical AND both songs contain a variant of the word "line" in the title. Anyway, this song's pretty good. If they used a different riff in the intro, I'd probably love it but sadly I can't unhear the Dio song when listening to this.
VERDICT - Both songs have the same positives and negatives so it's genuinely tricky to decide which I want to give the win to. As I said before, I don't believe they stole the Dio riff and any similarity is purely coincidental but if pushed for an answer, I also think Dio should get the win for writing this song decades before The Temperance Movement. Speaking of comparisons I've already made on the blog before...

ROUND SIX: Rage Against The Machine vs. Black Country Communion
Bulls On Parade - Of all the popular RATM songs, this is probably my least favourite. Dull guitar throughout (and Tom Morello is usually the only member of RATM worth listening to) in a vocally driven track with a forgettable bass solo. The riff might sound heavy but it's hardly imaginative compared to some of the band's previous songs from their debut album. Anyway, fans of the band will probably get joy out of it because it features Zack de la Rocha rapping away like the angry motherfucker that he is.
The Crow - I talked about a Black Country Communion song in my list of great songs from 2017 and compared this to "Bulls On Parade" there too. The intro bass riff sounds slightly similar but it's only when Joe Bonamassa's guitar comes in that the band flat out copy the RATM riff. However, unlike the majority of songs so far, I actually prefer the use of this riff and the rest of the song. It picks up the pace and grows some balls; heavier ones than the RATM song.
VERDICT - Isn't it obvious? Black Country Communion. "Bulls On Parade" sucks and "The Crow" is quite good. I don't mind that they intentionally or unintentionally borrowed the riff, they used it in the better way. Besides, I don't see anti-corporation, anti-establishment, anti-everything RATM filing a lawsuit against the theft of material, though I would like to see that happen just for shits and giggles.

ROUND SEVEN: Eddie Cochran vs. David Bowie
Three Steps To Heaven - Even though this song was released in 1960, this song pretty accurately captures a lot of what I hate about 50s Rock. The Spanish style guitar riff isn't that bad but I cannot stand the vocals. The way they sound, the style they're being sung in, the nature of the lyrics, it's like scraping nails on a chalkboard for me. Ignoring the horrific vocals, the guitar chords used in the intro and periodically throughout the track may remind you of a certain Glam Rock song by one of the most original, unique artists of a generation.
Queen Bitch - I like this song; it's got a good rhythm to it and even if it could've been improved with a guitar solo and a different chorus, I still like the use of the riff that Bowie has semi-admitted to re-purposing from the Eddie Cochran song (he went on to subtly refer to the song years later in "It's No Game"). Starts off acoustic, becomes electric and gets your head nodding along whether you want it to or not. It's a solid song from the 70s and probably one of Bowie's stronger Rock songs from the decade.
VERDICT - I think Bowie did borrow the riff from Eddie Cochran...BUT he improved it, with the help of Mick Ronson of course. So yeah, David Bowie gets the win for writing the better song with a slightly different and vastly superior riff.

ROUND EIGHT: The Jam vs. Weezer
Town Called Malice - I feel like this is a pretty well known song in England, at the very least. It starts off with a catchy little bass riff before breaking out the organ and percussion but, once again, it's the intro riff we're listening to. This riff isn't used in the verse and chorus but does crop up throughout the track and stick around during the fade-out in the outro. In other words, it's an iconic bass riff that isn't just casually used once; it's integral to the song and almost certainly single-handedly responsible for making The Jam relatively well known in this country...that and "Going Underground"...or "That's Entertainment"...recently "News Of The World" got some mileage as the Mock The Week theme...but I still think this is the song most people know The Jam for.
(If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To - Wanky title aside, this song totally uses the "Town Called Malice" riff, only on guitar instead of bass. The rhythm of the melody might differ slightly but all the fucking notes are there. What's more, the riff is an even stronger component of the song than the riff in "Town Called Malice" so Weezer used someone else's material to enhance their track more than the original band themselves. The chorus might not use the riff but by that point, the damage has been done...or whatever the reverse of damage is in this case.
VERDICT - The Jam came up with the riff first and I generally prefer their song (although neither are absolute favourites of mine) so they get the win. However, as to whether Weezer intentionally stole this riff, I doubt it. I'm unsure as to whether they knew that song even existed...although the riffs are VERRRRY similar. Makes you wonder but I'm gonna assume/hope Weezer aren't assholes.

ROUND NINE: Jefferson Starship vs. Aldo Nova
Jane - OK, so Jefferson Starship might be a somewhat black sheep in the Rock community as a super corporate, lame evolution of Jefferson Airplane, but they had some good moments. Take this song, for example. It's got a great riff, some sweet solos and some great vocal melodies in the chorus. It's not a bad tune which probably explains why it's the band's biggest hit (ignoring "We Built This City" - Starship, a band that evolved from Jefferson Starship into one hit wonders). If you're listening to these songs as you're reading, pay close attention to the guitar riff and piano chords in the background.
Fantasy - Once the minute of synthy shit is over and the guitar chords roar in, this song goes from 0 to Fucking Awesome in less than a second. Unfortunately, it uses the chords and a similar sounding riff to the one from "Jane". The song is just different enough to avoid any legal disputes although it was released just three years after the Jefferson Starship track, prompting questions as to whether Aldo Nova maybe did a little bit of cheeky riff pinching.
VERDICT - Even though there's no proof that Aldo Nova consciously reworked the riff from "Jane" for "Fantasy", I think it's possible he may have heard the song on the radio and been unintentionally inspired. That being said, I'm giving the win to Aldo Nova based on the fact that I fucking love their song and think they've done enough with it to separate it from "Jane".

ROUND TEN: Tommy Bolin vs. Ed Sheeran
Wild Dogs - I'll admit right now that I may be stretching a little bit with this one but I can't hear the second song for this round without immediately thinking of this track so fuck it, I'm including it here. This song off Teaser starts off with soft guitar riffs and background synth before the vocals come in. Unlike previous entries that have been largely focused around copied riffs, the comparison here is between the vocal melody and delivery. Once again, I concede that this comparison isn't as strong as others but I can't be the only one to hear similarities.
Thinking Out Loud - Ed Sheeran fucking sucks. He is a charisma vacuum guilty of writing bland, uninspired, trite love songs for idiots and teenage girls. He shouldn't even be in this blog post because nothing about him or his music "rocks" in any sense but the vocal melody introduced at the start of this song set off alarm bells in my head and reminded me of the Tommy Bolin track. I don't know if anything else in this song sounds like any other song in existence because I can't bring myself to listen to more than about 10 seconds of his shit.
VERDICT - Tommy Bolin will always win against Ed Sheeran, even if he did die of a drug overdose less than 24 hours after telling a friend "I'm going to be around for a long time". However, I doubt Ed stole the vocal delivery. Bolin's song isn't well known and Ed Sheeran looks like the kind of cunt who has no knowledge about Classic Rock in the slightest. This probably explains why some people think his song "Sing" shares similarities with "Long Train Runnin'" - The Doobie Brothers.


Here's the Spotify playlist of all the songs mentioned above you can listen as you read my ramblings:


COMING SOON: Another blog post to make up for one I missed last week. Not sure what it'll be about but probably not a music review, as all the albums I'm interested in at the moment are coming out in February and March.

Rapid Fire: Motorhead, David Bowie, Tom Petty

We're back! We might be back a week late BUT WE'RE BACK and we're celebrating with a Rapid Fire post all about DEEAAAATTHH!!! Yes, the first post of 2018 is looking at three albums by famous Rock/Metal musicians who sadly passed away in 2015, 2016 and 2017 respectively. I should probably open up with a less sombre blog post but fuck it, everything's going to shit anyway.
The first album I'll be briefly discussing is the most recent, coming out four months before the death of legendary Metal bassist and vocalist Lemmy Kilmister. However, before I start that, I should mention that whilst writing this blog post, original guitarist Fast Eddie Clarke passed away too. He may not have been involved with this album but he did record the classic riffs and solos for Motorhead's classic albums such as Overkill, Iron Fist and Ace Of Spades.
R.I.P. Fast Eddie Clarke.


1. Bad Magic - Motorhead

I'd been meaning to check out Motorhead's final album ever since the news of Lemmy's passing broke but, without meaning to sound disrespectful, part of the reason I'd been avoiding it was I'd already listened to a Motorhead album. In fact, before listening to Bad Magic, I'd listened to three separate records and a covers album. If there's one thing I can tell you from each of these albums all released in different decades, it's that Motorhead never changed what wasn't broken and the few times they did tinker with things slightly always reset back to its original condition like a JD and tobacco stained memory foam mattress. Bad Magic does absolutely nothing to mix up the formula, making it as much a Motorhead album as anything else in their back catalogue.
Album opener "Victory Or Die" pulls no punches and does a good job of pointing out what's on the tin so you can expect to get exactly what the rest of the album says, if you'll pardon the muddled metaphor. However, there's something missing from Bad Magic that prevents it from being a top notch Motorhead album; a truly great guitarist. Don't get me wrong, Phil Campbell is top notch at playing the thing, I'm just not convinced he's got the musical talent to keep creating excellent riffs for an extended period of time. When you're literally recycling the exact same riff from "Smiling Like A Killer" for "Electricity"or recording generic, interchangeable solos for each track, it's going to let the album down.
Fortunately, Lemmy's bass still rolls out hard and heavy and even though his vocals were beginning to sound noticeably more like those of later years Johnny Cash than early years Lemmy Motherfucking Kilmister due to his health problems at the time, they hadn't completely gone to shit like many Hard Rock outfits that have gone on just a bit too long (looking at you, Deep Purple). Plus, it means we get songs like "Till The End" where we have the pleasure of actually listening to Lemmy sing as well as a banging cover of "Sympathy For The Devil", a highlight of this and their recent covers album. As far as swan songs go, Bad Magic is arguably not the guns blazing celebration of pure Rock & Roll that you may have expected from Motorhead but it's far from a tepid whimper too.

1. Victory Or Die

2. Thunder & Lightning

3. Fire Storm Hotel

4. Shoot Out All Of Your Lights

5. The Devil

6. Electricity

7. Evil Eye

8. Teach Them How To Bleed

9. Till The End

10. Tell Me Who To Kill

11. Choking On Your Screams

12. When The Sky Comes Looking For You

13. Sympathy For The Devil

ALBUM RATING - 5/10

Next up is the oldest album of the three and almost certainly the most influential too from Glam Rock fashion icon David Bowie.


2. The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars - David Bowie

Much like the previous album, this is a record I'd been convincing myself to listen to for years before this blog post...and that's pretty much where the similarities end. The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Overly Pretentious Album Title is the story of a bisexual Jesus-like Rock star who learns of the Earth's impending doom from aliens but becomes one with them on stage because of the spiritual journey he's undertaken throughout the album. Oh, and this Rock star is represented by David Bowie because he was humble like that. Everybody loves this album but to me, it's a competent collection of things I personally hate about Rock that prevent me from getting the most out of it.

For starters, album opener "Five Years" is more of a symphonic grandiose overture than a Glam Rock track to set the tone for what is ultimately a Glam Rock album. It reeks of self-importance without keeping me engaged enough to ignore that facet of Bowie's musical persona. Allmusic called it one of the greatest album openers ever recorded, meaning they've clearly never listened to any Megadeth or they'd realise how fucking wrong they are. Secondly, Bowie's writing style is painfully present in many of these songs and it just doesn't fly with me. For those unaware, Bowie used the cut-up technique where he'd take sentences (or just words), jumble them up and rearrange them into poetic sounding lyrics. When you listen to tracks like "Moonage Daydream" and "Ziggy Stardust", they'll either sound like genius ahead of its time or sporadically assembled nonsense and, unfortunately, it's the latter category for me.

Finally, there's the knowledge that some of these songs probably could've been amazing if written for other bands. Most of us probably know that David Bowie wrote the hit song "All The Young Dudes" for Mott The Hoople around the time of this album (the lyrics actually refer to events in this album because a bit of cross promotion never hurt anyone) but many of those may be unaware that he actually recorded versions of the song himself. They all fucking suck. I can imagine songs like "Star" being incredible by similar 70s Glam or Classic Rock artists that weren't trying to intentionally be art but at least some tracks work with the Bowie touch like "Suffragette City".

Ultimately, my opinion of this album may change over time but my initial reaction to The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Fawning Music Critics (besides one of childish mockery) is that it's not bad. It's a tidy collection of meticulously assembled material that you can blast through in a relatively short amount of time and get some joy out of. It hasn't given me any insight on any of the touched upon themes, nor will it be a record that I feel I must own or even revisit in a year's time. I like a few songs on it and would recommend listening to the second half as if it's a plain old 70s Rock album...unless you're the kind of wanker that says "bravo" without sarcasm, then you'll probably adore it and will want to see copies of it in museums and on space probes and carved into cliff edges so the wind will play melodies from it for all eternity. That's probably what you think, you ponce.

1. Five Years

2. Soul Love

3. Moonage Daydream

4. Starman

5. It Ain't Easy

6. Lady Stardust

7. Star

8. Hang On To Yourself

9. Ziggy Stardust

10. Suffragette City

11. Rock 'N' Roll Suicide

ALBUM RATING - 7/10

Finally, we have the middle child released in 1989. Even though this musician had already released plenty of studio albums with The Heartbreakers, this was Tom Petty's first solo record and it's pretty damn great!

3. Full Moon Fever - Tom Petty

Tom Petty might have been guilty of frequently committing one of Rock's worst sins (fading out on a guitar solo) but damn, did he know how to make a great solo record. It's a well built collection of Heartland Rock; nothing aggressive, just a feel-good collection of gentle Rock with a couple of standout rockers. Album opener "Free Fallin'" sets the easy tone perfectly with a slow tempo, pleasant melody and cracking yet simplistic chorus; in other words, the thing iconic Soft Rock songs are made from.
One of the main differences between his solo material and a standard Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers record probably comes down to the production. Even though we had Tom Petty and Mike Campbell involved as usual, Jeff Lynne (ELO, Traveling Wilburys) also did his fair share of producing and songwriting so many tracks contain elements of those bands as well as Tom Petty's signature style ("Love Is A Long Road", "Depending On You", "Zombie Zoo"). However, there are also tracks where Tom lets loose and busts out the proper Rock riffs ("Runnin' Down A Dream", "A Mind With A Heart Of Its Own").
There's something for fans of all types of Classic American Rock here and whilst it's unlikely that every track will land with you on the same level, Full Moon Fever knows what its doing and is easily one of the most cohesive, well crafted Rock albums in existence. Whilst it might not be on my personal favourites list due to the softer nature of most tracks and the lack of complex or technical music work to enjoy, I can appreciate the talent that went into making it and would recommend it to pretty much anyone, even those who aren't really into Rock but don't dislike it.

1. Free Fallin'

2. I Won't Back Down

3. Love Is A Long Road

4. A Face In The Crowd

5. Runnin' Down A Dream

6. Feel A Whole Lot Better

7. Yer So Bad

8. Depending On You

9. The Apartment Song

10. Alright For Now

11. A Mind With A Heart Of It's Own

12. Zombie Zoo

ALBUM RATING - 8/10

There you have it. Three decent albums by three great artists/bands who are no longer with us. What a way to start the year!