Here Is The News: August 2018 Edition

NEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWSS!!!
Yeah, more events from the world of Rock/Metal, crafted for your pleasure.

METALHEAD FINALLY 'GETS' SYSTEM OF A DOWN

A man from Surrey who has spent the last fifteen years being a fan of classic Heavy Metal bands such as Iron Maiden, Megadeth and Black Sabbath has finally made the mental breakthrough needed to understand the music of System Of A Down. The man had been aware of them for some time but it was only recently that he listened to one of their songs and not recoiled in horror or disgust at their unique style of Nu-Metal.

System Of A Down (pictured left) are known for loud, traditional Metal riffing paired with screeching, operatic vocals as showcased in signature songs like "Chop Suey!" and "B.Y.O.B". The band aren't afraid to embrace aggressive wackiness either, particularly in songs such as "Vicinity Of Obscenity". It was this song that the man from Surrey listened to when he had his epiphany, realising that the band weren't just a bunch of angry clowns and actually had some talent in their musicianship and songwriting.

When asked about the experience, the man stated "I've never really been a fan of bands like System Of A Down or Slayer but after years of listening to Thrash Metal and building up a tolerance to fast riffing and progressively more abrasive vocals, my tastes have toughened up to the point that I can hear "Angel Of Death" and actually nod my head along to what I assume is the music. I never thought the same thing would happen with System Of A Down".

According to the man (not pictured right), he was casually listening to one of the Heavy Metal playlists on Spotify when he heard the SOAD track. He told us "It was supposed to be an 'Old School Metal' playlist but whoever made it clearly didn't realise what they were making, as it contained songs by bands like Rammstein and some random solo stuff from Metal musicians". He went on to say that he originally intended to change the playlist after sitting through the first minute of "Before I Forget" - Slipknot but was "too lazy". Eventually, the SOAD song appeared on the playlist, causing quite the shock to the man from Surrey.

"Initially, I enjoyed the music but once I heard Serj's voice, I couldn't believe that I was actually liking the song. I gave the song a full listen and ended up loving it!". Since then, the man has sampled music from other fairly contemporary Metal bands such as Dethklok and Five Finger Death Punch, finding that he isn't immediately repulsed in the same way he would've been upon hearing their music just a few years ago. When asked if he would go to a System Of A Down show, the man claimed that it's still early days and he doesn't want to rush into something like that without proper protection., although he's still eager to experiment with his newly adapted taste in Metal.

JUDAS PRIEST ANNOUNCE SECOND FAREWELL TOUR

Legendary Metal band Judas Priest have announced that they intend to call it a day after one last farewell tour next year. The 2019 farewell tour, entitled the "Sold Out Tour", will start in Argentina, moving across the planet to the Americas, down to Japan, around Europe, a few dates back in South America before finishing up with one show in the UK. According to the tour manager, it's the band's most "confusingly ambitious" tour to date.

Judas Priest (pictured left) have decided that it's time to call it quits once again after dwindling returns on their latest world tour to promote Firepower, the most recent album at the time of writing this article. Ian Hill, the band's bassist, has stated that he doubts Firepower will be their last album but despite this assertion, a press release on the band's website stated "The Sold Out Tour will be the last opportunity to hear new or old Judas Priest material. We really mean it this time".

The band were referring to their 2011/2012 Epitaph World Tour, supposedly a farewell tour after original guitarist K.K. Downing left the band to be replaced by Richie Faulkner. However, after the success of the tour and the demand for more Metal, Judas Priest decided to scrap their retirement plans and continue touring/recording new music anyway. This decision definitely came after the end of the tour and certainly wasn't planned beforehand in an attempt to increase ticket sales for what was essentially just a greatest hits tour after diminishing interest in the band's new music. It wasn't.

When asked for details on the band's Sold Out tour, the band's promoter Slim Chimbles (part time band promoter, part time owner of a second-hand car dealership) claimed "This tour will be the one to see! All the band are at the top of their game and are ready to wow audiences all over the world with fan favourites and some new songs that the band learnt for their last tour that they feel more comfortable playing live than old deep cuts. However, if you've ever wanted to see Judas Priest live, you'd better get your tickets now before you miss the chance to see Rob Halford performing whilst the rest of the band play "Breaking The Law". If you buy tickets now, you'll be in for a real surprise! Also, tickets are non-refundable and pre-purchases require a 40% deposit. Rock & Roll!"

The second farewell tour and, indeed, Judas Priest themselves have been criticised by some fans for what appears to be a hollow cash grab by an ageing band who are evidently more interested in making money than keeping Rock alive, designed to con a younger generation of metalheads who didn't have the opportunity to see Judas Priest in their prime whilst misleading loyal fans (who perhaps don't have the disposable income or time necessary to frequently go to gigs) to see them instead of a band who wouldn't openly lie about their intentions. However, many fans have criticised the band for other reasons too.

SOUTHERN ROCK BAND COMPLETELY LOSES IDENTITY

The Southern Rock band Devils And Angels have finally changed their name and roster of members so many times that none of them can remember what the band used to be called when they first formed in the early 70s. The (possibly super) group are halfway through touring America with Black Stone Cherry although it's unknown if people are going to see them because they want to hear material from the recently formed Devils And Angels or if they're hoping to hear classics from a long-gone Southern Rock band that one or more of the members may have been a part of several decades ago.

Lead guitarist Hughie Woodpecker had this realisation during a recent interview where a music journalist asked him if Devils And Angels planned on playing any of their "earlier work", prompting Hughie's eyes to glaze over as he desperately tried to search his memory banks for the band he started out in. Fortunately, the music journalist changed the subject and asked if he preferred his time playing in his original band or with Lynyrd Skynyrd (pictured left) in the 90s. Since Hughie could vaguely remember sharing a stage with the Lynyrd Skynyrd flag behind him, he answered the latter.

Other band members faced similar problems recalling their origins. Earl Downs II could've sworn he joined the band when they were The Allman Fogerty Project back in the 80s but couldn't recall whether they were The Allman Brothers Band, Creedence Clearwater Revival or a completely different entity before that. Similarly, members of other Southern Rock bands such as The Outlaws and .38 Special have since reached out to confirm that they were a different band to Devils And Angels, narrowing down the list of potential 70s Southern Rock groups they could have once been.

The mystery has become somewhat of a challenge for the Internet as tech-savvy Southern Rock fans have taken to forums to determine the very first incarnation of Devils And Angels. Many clues have been posted such as quotes from interviews implying memories of playing on stage with long haired guitarists, female backing vocalists and at least one man wearing a cowboy hat. Sadly, no definite answer has been uncovered yet but the last significant clue was a grainy photo of the band's guitarist and bassist sharing a stage with members of Blackfoot or Molly Hatchet (pictured right many years later).

Regardless of the band's origins, Devils And Angels continue to tour and play catchy Southern Rock numbers recorded over the last twenty years. The band still love playing live and have no intention of calling it quits just yet. Members of the band are still hoping to discover the truth behind their origin for a multitude of reasons although it's suspected that the main one is knowing whether or not they have to pay royalties for covering what could be their own material.

Stay tuned for more Tenology posts/news in the coming months!

Rapid Fire: Black Stone Cherry, The Offspring, Foo Fighters

Recently, I went to visit family and had to spend five hours driving from my house to theirs. Before setting off, I grabbed three CDs from my collection that I hadn't listened to for the car journey and once I arrived, decided to write a blog post discussing each album. So yeah, that's the theme for this month's Rapid Fire post. Not genres, not decades, just three albums I listened to whilst travelling alone on the motorway.


1. Magic Mountain - Black Stone Cherry

The first album I listened to was easily the best although don't mistake that for me saying it was a great album overall. Magic Mountain has some decent Hard Rock tracks but more often than not, the songs were built on uninspired riffs and generic Black Stone Cherry material. Album opener "Holding On...To Letting Go" starts off with a great rhythm and some decent riffing but regrettably the band make their classic mistake of letting things slow down for no good reason in the middle. It's a shame too as the guitar solo's pretty good, although changing the rhythm in the middle of a song by slowing it down rarely ever works unless you're a Prog Metal band and even then, it's never worth it.
The slower sections of the album come in the form of drug themed tracks such as "Peace Pipe", "Me And Mary Jane" and "Blow My Mind". Similar to some of the material off the latest albums by The Sword, I get the impression that the chilled, Southern Groove behind each of these songs sounds better when 'blazing up' as all the hip kids say. Since I was behind the wheel at the time of listening to these tracks, I can't confirm or deny that theory but what I can confirm is that unlike other Black Stone Cherry albums I've listened to, this album has songs I would love to listen to again such as 70s throwback and title track "Magic Mountain" and emotionally charged album closer "Remember Me", even if it does go on way too long.
The stronger aspects of the record, as always, are the dynamic riffs and heavy grooves whereas I felt myself tuning out during the slower, whinier numbers ("Sometimes") and gimmicky filler tracks straight outta shit-kicker, cousin-fucker county ("Hollywood In Kentucky"). All in all though, it's a complete album that didn't feel like it was playing it too safe or recycling material (unlike another album I'll be discussing lower down). I recommend Magic Mountain to fans of Hard/Southern Rock although don't set your standards too high.

1. Holding On...To Letting Go

2. Peace Pipe

3. Bad Luck & Hard Love

4. Me And Mary Jane

5. Runaway

6. Magic Mountain

7. Never Surrender

8. Blow My Mind

9. Sometimes

10. Fiesta Del Fuego

11. Dance Girl

12. Hollywood In Kentucky

13. Remember Me

ALBUM RATING - 6/10

Next up is an album by Pop Punk champions The Offspring!

2. Americana - The Offspring

Don't let the album artwork fool you; this album isn't even the remotest bit interesting. Released in 1998 and after the band's much better albums Smash and Ixnay On The Hombre (not to mention before Conspiracy Of One, also a better album), Americana is supposed to be the band's statement on life in America from the band's youthful perspective but ends up sounding like weaker versions of material we've already heard before. Album opener "Welcome/Have You Ever" has the same rhythm, the same guitarwork and the same basic vocal structure as your typical Offspring track only it lacks that special spark. Possibly because the band try to add more progressive elements to their aggressive Pop Punk and it simply doesn't work.

Whilst there are some instances of tracks working perfectly as they are ("The Kids Aren't Alright", "Staring At The Sun"), the majority of songs on the album trip and fall over themselves. For example, lead single "Pretty Fly (For A White Guy)" has an amazing chorus and some fine guitar/vocal work, not to mention decent Latin influences. Unfortunately, it's ruined by the obnoxious "GIVVIT TO ME BAY-BEEEE, UH-HUH UH-HUH" throughout. If that vocal melody was played on guitar instead, this would've been an album highlight. There's also album closer "Pay The Man", a song originally intended to be on the previous album but was left off because they felt like it didn't belong. That was a smart decision, unlike the decision to make it eight-minutes long and easily forgettable. That was a dumb decision.

Ultimately, you'll probably enjoy this album if you haven't heard their previous work, similar to how you probably think Die Hard 4.0 is awesome if you haven't seen the first or second one. Americana is surplus goods and the Pop Punk filler tracks are old news at this point. Even the singles are dull or flawed to the point that they're not enjoyable (apart from "The Kids Aren't Alright"). You don't really stand to gain anything from listening to this entire album that you couldn't get elsewhere and the fact that the band's next album moved towards more conventional Rock than their brand of Skater Punk tells you that at least one member of the band felt like Americana showed warning signs of the band going stale.

1. Welcome

2. How Are You

3. Staring At The Sun

4. Pretty Fly (For A White Guy)

5. The Kids Aren't Alright

6. Feelings

7. She's Got Issues

8. Walla Walla

9. The End Of The Line

10. No Brakes

11. Why Don't You Get A Job

12. Americana

13. Pay The Man

14. Pretty Fly (Reprise)

ALBUM RATING - 3/10

And last but certainly least, we have Dave Grohl "experimenting"!

3. There Is Nothing Left To Lose - Foo Fighters

I fucking hate this album. It's generic, depressing, repetitive and possibly worst of all, it feels like Dave Grohl knew exactly what he was doing. The first three songs are completely different to the rest of the album and unsurprisingly, those three songs are the ones that are (semi) popular Foos tracks. Album opener "Stacked Actors" sports a great riff, an explosive chorus, a decent guitar solo and some classic Grohl vocals. Following close behind is "Breakout", another proper Rock song with Dave letting loose throughout. However, once we reach "Learn To Fly", a mediocre but passable radio friendly song designed to sound as commercial as possible, everything goes downhill.

The rest of the album contains guitar riffs that sound like they were written in about 10 seconds ("Live-In Skin", "Headwires"), percussion that would nudge coma patients onto the next mortal plain of existence ("Ain't It The Life", "Aurora") and vocals with all the energy and passion of an insurance salesman humming TV ad jingles whilst waiting for a bus ("M.I.A.", "Next Year"). It's almost as if Grohl didn't have much confidence in what he was doing so decided to start the album off with his three favourite songs so that people would hear the first few tracks and mistake There's Nothing Left To Lose for a Rock album.

This is the kind of album I'd imagine pretentious, hipster douches listening to because of how sensitive and non-threatening this "Rock" music is; your Zach Braffs, your Simon Neils, etc. If you're one of them, go knock yourselves out. Literally, knock yourselves out because your taste is awful and unwanted. Do not listen to this album, there are literally hundreds of better modern Rock records that don't sound phoned in or misleading. I've criticised Queens Of The Stone Age material due to how the mix of soft vocals and aggressively fuzzy guitar/bass tones does not work but I'll take Josh Homme's audio jizzrag over Dave Grohl's, if this album's anything to go by.

1. Stacked Actors

2. Breakout

3. Learn To Fly

4. Gimme Stitches

5. Generator

6. Aurora

7. Live-In Skin

8. Next Year

9. Headwires

10. Ain't It The Life

11. M.I.A.

ALBUM RATING - 2/10

COMING SOON: Tenology posts and more NEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWS.

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.

Showdown: Southbound - The Doobie Brothers

I recently wrote a Showdown post looking at a 2009 album of rerecords and a few new songs by Spinal Tap. I enjoyed comparing the classics with the new material so figured I'd do it again with another collection of rerecords, although this time dealing with hits by Classic Rock group The Doobie Brothers. However, unlike the Spinal Tap post, these rerecords are of tracks from different albums across the band's career as opposed to just one.
The rerecords in question are all from Southbound, a 2014 compilation featuring a variety of guest musicians from Rock and Country backgrounds.

So here's how this works, for anyone unfamiliar with Showdown posts from the past. I go through the tracklist of Southbound, first writing about the original Doobie Brothers song before comparing it with the rerecording, ultimately offering my verdict on which track is "best". At the end, I'll tally up the scores and see whether I prefer the original songs or Southbound on average. It's as simple as that!
Below is a Spotify playlist containing all the originals and rerecordings. Normally, I'd embed the playlist at the bottom of the post but I feel like it's better placed here, since the only thing that can be spoiled here is the overall outcome of my verdicts (found at the bottom of this post), not the songs I've chosen to write about. Anyway, let's get listening!



ROUND ONE: Black Water
Original - Ahhh, what a great song to start with. I love "Black Water" and would call it my favourite Doobie Brothers track. Great mystical introduction, awesome acoustic guitar riff and when those drums come in? Damn, they sound great. I've heard rerecordings and covers of this song in the past where they fuck the drums up by going for power instead of quality; thankfully, the original still exists and makes for an underrated tune by the Doobs.
Rerecording - OK, introduction aside, this is a damn fine rerecording. The mystical sound is still there but the percussion sounds like it belongs in an R&B track, not this. Luckily, guest musicians Zac Brown Band prevent the song from nosediving and add some great slide guitar accompaniments, not to mention some damn fine vocals (I assume). It feels more like a Rock song than the original, something that some listeners will prefer and others won't.
VERDICT - To be honest, I was always gonna give the win to the Original purely because, as I said, it is my all-time favourite Doobie Brothers song. However, this is a damn fine cover. The introduction might be weak but they improved the "hear some funky Dixieland" section and truly made the song come alive with Southern flair in the outro. If you like "Black Water", I whole heartedly recommend seeking out the rerecording.

ROUND TWO: Listen To The Music
Original - I used to find this song a little generic...but then I played it on Rock Band and noticed all the great guitar melodies buried underneath the vocals. There's also a decent little solo at the end that reminds me of The Allman Brothers Band, although nowhere near as awesome to play/listen to. Much like "Black Water" and the lion's share of Doobie Brothers hits, it's a great Summer song that's perfect for driving down country lanes with the top down and the sun beaming down.
Rerecording - Not entirely sure how I feel about that intro. Reminds me a little of "Once In A Lifetime" - Talking Heads but once the acoustic guitar riff comes in, things start to sound a little more Doobie. Joining the band this time are Country musicians Blake Shelton and Hunter Hayes on guitar and vocals, presumably contributing to the more commercial sound the song has this time. It's a decent rerecord with some nice instrumentation and far superior production values.
VERDICT - I like both versions but I think I'm gonna give the win to the Rerecording. All the aspects of the song that work are either present or improved, from the vocal harmonies in the chorus to the extended guitar solo in the outro. Thumbs Up! Wait, that's the wrong post format.

ROUND THREE: What A Fool Believes
Original - Meh, I've never really cared for this song (even if it was co-written by Kenny Loggins). The piano and synth combo sounds like something from a show for toddlers and the vocals in the chorus from Michael McDonald are also a little off-putting. It's too close to Yacht Rock for me to enjoy it as much as other Doobie Brothers hits but this Captain & Tennille knockoff works as generic background Pop, I suppose.
Rerecording - Ugh, the piano introduction is even worse here. Luckily, guest vocalist Sara Evans makes this song work with the naturally higher pitched vocals that carry more passion than the male vocalist. His voice sounds laughable when paired with Sara's, although they could only work with the source material. This song is just utter shite, even when reworked with modern recording technology and additional instruments.
VERDICT - Both versions are terrible but I guess the crappy song recorded with better technology with a talented guest vocalist sounds better than the original. The win goes to the Rerecording.

ROUND FOUR: Long Train Runnin'
Original - I imagine this song was created after the success of "Listen To The Music" forced the band to write a similar track...or maybe I'm on my own in thinking this sounds a lot like "Listen To The Music" but either way, I'm not overly fond of this song. Don't get me wrong, I think it's OK but I would never choose to listen to it if given a choice of Classic Rock songs. Maybe it's the harmonica solo or maybe it's the choice of minor key the song's written in but yeah, not a highlight of the band's career in my eyes.
Rerecording - Another song with two guest musicians, although I actually know these guys! Toby Keith and Huey Lewis! Not only do they bring some great vocals to the song but Huey's harmonica solo is a bit more complex than the original, even if when all's said and done it's still a harmonica solo and therefore pointless. However, the biggest improvement is the change in key. Tuning it down makes it sounds much better.
VERDICT - Isn't it obvious? Rerecording wins it again.

ROUND FIVE: China Grove
Original - Whilst this song is still Summer-y, it definitely feels more like a Rock song than some of their acoustic-driven tracks. The guitar riff is the song's greatest strength although the piano sounds neat in the background too. Vocals are serviceable and the guitar solo's pretty sweet for a Doobie Brothers song, although the lyrics are a little flawed. Whilst the idea of a sheriff with a samurai sword may have tickled the band when they wrote it, they neglected to consider that samurais are Japanese, not Chinese. Way to go Doobs, you just outed yourselves as horrible racists and now have 24 hours to apologise on Twitter or face pain of death.
Rerecording - OK, I went into this round thinking "I like "China Grove", the original will totally win it"...but after listening to this cover, I'm not so sure. The delay on the iconic riff in the introduction followed by the punchier, stadium percussion really amplifies the Rock elements of this song for the better. I'm not sure exactly how much guest musician Chris Young added to the track, as his voice doesn't stand out as much as previous vocalists, but I'm still impressed over how awesome the band managed to make this classic of theirs.
VERDICT - God, it's tricky. If I could give it to both, I definitely would...well, I mean, I could give it to both since it's my blog and therefore my rules. But then I've created rules about awarding the point to both and I don't think I've done it before so I shouldn't really start here...although I guess there's nothing wrong with awarding the point to both, or neither. Where was I going with this? Oh fuck it, the Rerecording gets it again. It's as good if not ever so slightly better than the original.

ROUND SIX: Takin' It To The Streets
Original - I think the main reason I've never given this song enough attention is because it sounds like Yacht Rock from the start. Thankfully, things start to pick up a bit just before the chorus with the bit that uses a similar descending chord sequence to "10538 Overture" - ELO (I'm sure all of you will know exactly what I'm referring to with that comparison). Even if it does sound like the theme for an 80s sitcom of the same name, I still like this song. It's lively and has a decent if not slightly forgettable saxophone solo.
Rerecording - Of all the rerecordings I've heard so far, this one is probably the closest to the original. There are a couple of small differences here and there, mostly in the vocal department thanks to guest artist Love And Theft, but the piano intro is spot on and the guitars are still appropriately used...until the solo comes in. Turns out a guitar solo actually helps this song more than a saxophone solo, although there's no prizes for predicting that. It's a shame the outro doesn't have the organ from the original, although the bridge they added kinda works so it's not all bad.
VERDICT - You know what I'm gonna say. The Rerecording wins another round! If it's not apparent yet, I definitely recommend Southbound.

ROUND SEVEN: Jesus Is Just Alright (With Me)
Original - Lyrics aside, this song's pretty good. It comes from Toulouse Street, a brilliant album with many classics and great deep cuts, and even if the chorus comes across as a little tacky, the guitar riff used near the start and after the FIRST awesome guitar solo is straight out of a Blue Oyster Cult song. Combine that with the rest of the music and you end up with something like Santana only without the air of pretentiousness. I recommend listening to this song if you like Classic Rock with a Latin flair; worst thing that happens is you dislike the song but get a laugh at the line "Jesus is my friend" in the middle eight.
Rerecording - Normally, I'd appreciate the transformation of any song into a fully-fledged Rock track but I'm not entirely sure it works here. This might be because I've heard a lot of Southern Rock rerecordings so far and turning a song that stands apart from the Doobie Brothers' back catalogue into something relatively generic by the album's standards isn't the best decision they could've made. It's a solid rerecording, though. Guest musician Casey James gives the vocals some extra weight and the change in key gives the song a Bachman-Turner Overdrive quality, which I will always be happy about.
VERDICT - Despite the fact that the rerecording was a good listen, I'm giving the win to the Original this time. The guitar solos in the original are more significant to me and as I said, the musical variety from the band that actually works really well should be rewarded over playing it safe.

ROUND EIGHT: Rockin' Down The Highway
Original - Another great Classic Rock song by the Doobs. Great riff, fantastic chorus, fun little solo and all-in-all, a top notch track to enjoy. I would argue that this song is probably better than "China Grove" if you're after good old fashioned Rock, although "China Grove" does have a damn fine riff and solo. However, that doesn't change the fact that I really like this song and would definitely put it up there among my favourites by the band. Oh, and you know what album it's from? Toulouse Street. Totally an underrated album.
Rerecording - Oh man, this rerecording? This rerecording right here? I fucking love it. Not surprising when the guest musician is Brad Paisley, an excellent Country guitarist with his own unique sound and style. I love how the change in key and added backing vocals in the chorus make it sound like a Styx song (yeah, I meant that as a positive; deal with it), giving it that extra burst of energy. The only downside is the guitar solo; it's not bad but it's definitely not one of Brad Paisley's best. He lets loose towards the end but it kind of blends into the rest of the music rather than standing out.
VERDICT - As much as I love the rerecording, I'm giving the win to the Original. Again, comparing the talents of the band at the time of the original recording and rerecording, I feel like The Doobie Brothers gave more. They turned up the guitars and gave us some top notch Classic Rock whereas the rerecording has a partially phoned in solo. All in all though, I do really like both versions a lot.

ROUND NINE: Take Me In Your Arms (Rock Me A Little While)
Original - Another fun Classic Rock tune! The increase in production values in comparison to their earlier material really makes this song come alive, as there's no way this track would work the same without the backing vocals, brass and strings. But hey, let's look at the song from a creative perspective; the chorus is perfect, the guitar solo rocks and if your foot isn't tapping by the end, you're probably in a wheelchair...or just not into this kind of music, definitely one of the two.
Rerecording - Even if the gospel backing vocals are the only holdover from the original that isn't part of the standard band, this rerecording is still pretty good! I think the lion's share of this song's high quality comes from the addition of chords in the chorus alongside the vocal melody, as I fucking love that change. I'm assuming that change came with guest musician Tyler Farr but either way, I'm glad they did it. Meanwhile, the rest of the song is good although not quite as joyous as the original.
VERDICT - The rerecording definitely has more of a Country vibe to it, which will probably make it better to those who prefer that kind of Southern music. However, I'm giving the win to the Original for reasons stated above. Looks like the Doobs from the 70s are making their comeback!

ROUND TEN: South City Midnight Lady
Original - Back to the softer acoustic based Rock songs now. The music is soft and the melodies are perfect for relaxing in your back garden during the Summer, just how the Doobs should be enjoyed. It's not the kind of song that I'd get into but it's a nice little tune with some strong vocals and a great little outro. I suppose it's good that they chose a slower, more sensitive song to appear on the album to show off their versatility and to mix things up a little.
Rerecording - Another faithful rerecording enhanced with modern recording technology and guest musicians, this time Jerrod Niemann. Since I'm not a big fan of the song in general, it's not the kind of track I take pleasure in when it comes to seeking out all the little touches that make it enjoyable. That being said, it's a song that already had Southern Rock/Country elements so a cover on this album is either redundant or necessary depending on your taste in music. For me, it's redundant.
VERDICT - Yeah, the Original wins by a hair. I don't like either version that well but the rerecording doesn't add anything that makes it worth listening to, in my opinion.

ROUND ELEVEN: You Belong To Me
Original - More Yacht Rock, presumably stuck at the end because it's fucking Yacht Rock. I'm not entirely sure what The Doobie Brothers were thinking when they wrote this song; it sounds like it was put together in a couple of hours with Michael McDonald using it as an excuse to wail over the top of a few repeated keyboard chords. It's very easy to listen to this song without actually listening to it, if that makes sense.
Rerecording - Straight away, we have slightly heavier percussion and slower tempo before guest vocalist Amanda Sudano-Ramirez comes in...and Vince Gill helps. Unfortunately, the backing vocals in this song are still annoying (ARE STILL ANNO-HOY-II-ING) and the limp nature of the song hasn't been beefed up in the rerecording, once again making it a weaker choice than some of the previous tracks. But hey, I guess The Doobie Brothers only have so many hits and they're not gonne rerecord deep cuts.
VERDICT - Even though I hate both versions, I'm giving the win to the Rerecording because Amanda's voice works well and the fact that it's now an actual duet might make fans of generic Yacht Rock more inclined to listen to it.

ROUND TWELVE: Nobody
Original - One of the first Doobie Brothers songs and another one that I like quite a lot. It's got a Wild West vibe to it and acts as a neat little introduction to the band that would go on to write songs like "China Grove" and "Rockin' Down The Highway", as there's an electric guitar solo at one point. It's hardly a bold entrance onto the music scene but it's clearly a song that the Doobs are fond of, as Southbound isn't the only time they've rerecorded this track. They had another stab at it in 2010 for the World Gone Crazy album. It was good there too!
Rerecording - The last song on the album and even though the introduction (listed as a separate track for some reason) sets the bar high with a slightly slower, Bluesier feel, the actual song is a weaker version of both the 2010 rerecording and 1971 original. The final guest musician, Charlie Worsham, does what the majority of guest acts have done (very little of significance) but the guitar solo sounds good, if you're a fan of the original. All in all, it would've been neat to have that slower version to contrast with the 2010 version, even though the slower introduction is borrowed straight from the 2010 rerecording, but I suppose it wouldn't have been very Country now, would it.
VERDICT - If I was deciding between the original and the World Gone Crazy version, this might have been a tricky decision. However, as things are, the win goes to the Original and I highly advise you listen to that song instead of this disappointing end to Southbound.

FINAL SCORES:
Originals - 6
Rerecordings - 6

I guess some of the Original wins were a little generous but in a surprise outcome, it's a direct tie. Seriously, when I started this post, I was certain that the Rerecordings would win this with a landslide majority but here we are. In all seriousness though, whilst a lot of the originals are great, I cannot understate how fucking good Southbound is until the last three songs. I would rate it 8 or 9 out of 10 if it were a Shout Out post or flat out review but since it's a Showdown, I'm just gonna recommend it to you on the condition that you stop listening once you finish "Take Me In Your Arms (Rock Me A Little While)".

Family Tree - Black Stone Cherry

I know I said I probably wouldn't listen to this album but I keep hearing radio adverts for it so I'm taking that as the universe's way of telling me to not only listen to Family Tree but also to review it!

Unless it's prefixed by "Dr", I generally can't stand the term "feel good". I usually find that things carrying that term don't make me feel good in the slightest BUT I'm going to make an exception on this occasion. Family Tree by Black Stone Cherry is a feel good Rock album, not because it contains families owning brand new puppies or old people being the recipient of charitable acts but because it contains a tight collection of energetic, footstomping Blues infused Southern Rock from start to finish.
Unfortunately, much like many modern Rock albums at the moment, the highlights are in the first third of the album. "Bad Habit" is a great album opener that could very well open live Black Stone Cherry gigs for many years to come, although it's a shame they had to go and ruin it with a terrible guitar solo needlessly slowing the entire song down. Luckily, "Burnin'" is able to recover some of the momentum with its catchy chorus and *shudders* feel good vibe. It helps that it sounds like one of your typical Black Stone Cherry songs, albeit a bit more upbeat.
As I said 86 words ago, these songs that come early on in the album are easily the best. They're the kind of songs designed up ramp up crowds at live venues or create a positive atmosphere in pubs/comfort dining restaurants; non-threatening but still punchy, kinda like Nickelback without the negative stigma. This is fine if you're picking and choosing individual songs but when experienced as an entire album, things start to get a little samey. The same drumbeats, the same guitar tones and the same basic structure for 13 songs...well, OK, not all 13. There are some anomalies.

For starters, "My Last Breath" stands out as having slightly higher production values than the previous tracks. There are backing vocals and non-Hard Rock instruments like electric piano in the introduction that separate it from your typical Black Stone Cherry footstomper. There's also "James Brown", a track that contains a pinch of Soul to carry the weight of the song's name and lyrics, once again using the brass musical accompaniments and gospel-like backing vocals to enhance it, and "Southern Fried Friday Night", another slow song but with more of a heavier, gritty feel to it.
However, you could argue that the small differences in these songs are mainly there to mask the fact that they're still generic Black Stone Cherry numbers...or that they were included to spice up what the band believed were pretty decent tracks, it depends on how cynical you're feeling. But even if the band were being genuine, that doesn't redeem the fact that a lot of songs are similar and therefore forgettable if you're not absolutely in love with their brand of Southern Rock. The album sounds like it's aimed at fans and general audiences but the minute differences between each track are arguably too subtle for the casual listener, not to mention borderline pointless in some cases.
"Dancin' In The Rain" makes a somewhat big deal of the fact that Warren Haynes (Southern Rock guitarist) is featured on - you guessed it - guitar...except Black Stone Cherry aren't faltering in the guitar department and what Warren brings isn't any more impressive or significant than anything else the band have already thrown at you. Then there's "You Got The Blues", a song with a bizarre introduction like something out of 80s New Romantic before returning back to your regularly scheduled sludgy Southern Rock. If you've read my reviews before, you're probably waiting for the part where I say "these songs needed faster drumbeats" and whilst I would've preferred many of them with slightly higher tempos ("Carry Me On Down The Road" is a perfect example), I'm hesitant to say that the album "needed" them.

The drummer (John Fred Young) has a couple of moments towards the end of the album where he's allowed to let loose but there aren't any fast paced tracks with furious riffing and driving rhythms...but that's OK! That's not what Black Stone Cherry are about; they're not a Hard Rock outfit, they're modern Blues based Southern Rock. It's about the quality of the music and, to a lesser extent, lyrics; the percussion is merely the skeleton from which the fleshy guitar riffs and solos songs hang. Besides, the band do an incredible job of maintaining the energy and.......
Sorry, let me try that again.
The band do an incredible job of maintaining the energy and...........feel good atmosphere of the album all the way to the finish line so increasing the speed of a couple of tracks to add more energy would be a hat on a hat, generally speaking. However, that being said, there are a couple of filler tracks that bring nothing of value to the table and possibly should've been rewritten to sound a little bit faster to the majority of what we'd already heard up to that point, just to give listeners more to enjoy ("I Need A Woman", "Get Me Over You").
Overall, Family Tree is decent. It might not be my favourite album by any means but it's not a bad collection of tunes, so long as you don't mind the occasional bit of Rock monotony around the middle. I'm welcome to be proven wrong but the biggest problem with this album is that it lacks that one great track, increasing the likelihood that it'll fade away into the band's back catalogue over the years to come. Sure, "Burnin'" is decent but it's no "Blind Man" or "In My Blood"...or even "Remember Me". Consequently, I rate it a 7/10. Strong effort and good delivery but a little too bland at times and not enough risks taken, seeing as this is the band's 6th album which is usually where bands start to innovate and..............
Fuck, I can do this, hold on.
Where bands start to innovate and.....*gags in mouth*.....experiment.

Tenology: Weak Guitar Solos in Rock/Metal

I've been considering this blog post for a while but a) I didn't have enough songs with bad solos to write about and b) I didn't want it to basically be a rehash of this post where I talked about the Dos & Don'ts of guitar solos, listing examples of songs that fucked up with reasons throughout. Therefore, I've slightly adapted the title to include more solos by calling them "weak" instead of outright "bad". This means that solos with missed potential or a lack of ambition count, as well as ones that sound like pure dogshit.
As always, Tenology posts are mostly reflections of my opinions at the time of writing the post. This means that not only are there tracks with solos you may consider awesome but there may be songs with weak solos I haven't written about due to forgetting or not being aware of them. Also, in a previous post looking at terrible aspects of great songs, I listed the cover of "Rock & Roll Pest Control" - The Presidents Of The United States Of America due to being a great track with the absolute worst guitar solo of all time. This song will not be featured in this post due to already being mentioned there but that doesn't mean my opinion on the track has changed.

At the bottom of this post is a Spotify playlist of all the songs listed so you can listen along as you read my thoughts on each solo. As an added bonus, I put the time the solo starts next to each title/artist heading so you can skip to that part if you so wish. It is NOT the length of the solo; these aren't Joe Bonamassa songs.

1. "I Want To Break Free" - Queen (1:32)

It's hard to choose the right Queen song to include on this post when they have a fair few with pretty poor guitar solos. Don't get me wrong, Brian May knows how to write a catchy riff but his soloing is arguably the band's weakest quality for one of the biggest Rock bands on the planet. The only notable guitar solos by Queen are usually the ones where there's naff all guitar beforehand such as "Don't Stop Me Now" and "Bohemian Rhapsody" and even then, in comparison to other solos, they're not amazing (although I concede that "I Want It All" has some fucking great guitarwork).
In the end, I chose this instead of "One Vision", "Keep Yourself Alive" or "Hammer To Fall" because unlike those solos, this has more than one flaw. Firstly, it starts off by repeating the vocal melody which is both uninspired and kinda lame considering it doesn't hold a candle to the sound of Freddie's voice. Secondly, the synth tone used on the guitar makes it sound tacky and a little comical, like the voice of one of the droids in a shitty Star Wars cartoon. Finally, there are various parts throughout containing dead air, so to speak. Whilst the rhythm section of the song keeps playing, the lead solo remains silent until a few awkward sounding sustains before more silence. It's weak songwriting for a band that knocked it out of the park on a multitude of occasions.

EDIT: OK, I fucked up. After posting this, I found out that it's NOT actually a guitar solo. It is indeed synth that was pretty much improvised during the recording session and boy, does it fucking sound improvised. However, Queen have played this song live with Brian May playing the synth solo on guitar and it still sounds like dogshit for all of the reasons listed above, even if the studio original technically doesn't have a guitar solo.
With that in mind, I'm keeping this as the first entry as I still feel like each of my points still stands. If you like, you can pretend I'm slagging off "One Vision" or "Hammer To Fall" for starting off with screeching, horrible guitar sustains (and for being too short in the case of the former) instead if you feel like I'm cheating you out of one genuine guitar solo here.

2. "Sunshine Of Your Love" - Cream (2:00)

If I'm being totally honest, I fucking hate this song in general. The riff is dull and repetitive, the mix is pretty terrible, the incessant cymbal crashes become annoying as hell (and can't be unheard; sorry) and the solo sounds like it was made up on the spot. The end section of the solo picks up a little bit but by that point, the damage is done. Eric Boring Clapton has already wanked his way through it with tepid riffs that are somehow both syncopated and dreary. This isn't his only shitfest solo with Cream, as "I Feel Free" is another example of how his limited technical skill impeded the quality of the solo. Then again, I fucking hate "I Feel Free" too due to it sounding like a godawful 50s croonfest.
Before you argue that this is the kind of song that works better as a slow, melodic piece of music rather than one full of shredding or self-indulgence, have a listen to the Jimi Hendrix instrumental cover on the posthumous Valleys Of Neptune album. It might go on a bit too long and basically transition into a different song during the middle but the actual "Sunshine Of Your Love" sections don't sound too bad when sped up and energised a little.

3. "Pull Me Under" - Dream Theater (6:06)

I once compared this song's guitar solo to that of "Master Of Puppets" - Metallica due to the fact that it took way too long to build up without enough of a satisfying payoff. Whilst I've warmed up to this song a little bit over the years, I still think it's a bit of a wet fart compared to others by the band or Petrucci as a solo artist. Part of the reason behind this was likely to make the song more appealing to the commercial audience, as it's easy to rearrange without completely ruining it in the same way the single edit does to tracks like "My Sharona" - The Knack.
It's not a bad solo by any stretch but I would definitely call it weak in the sense that the band are clearly capable of so much more. It would've been cool if they'd extended the solo with another double time section, similar to the first verse. That way, Petrucci could've ripped into a furious payoff that still could've been edited out for the single version whilst giving fans of album versions something to get excited about during the first six minutes of this relatively average eight minute signature song.

4. "Living After Midnight" - Judas Priest (2:15)

Continuing with the radio friendly commercial material, Judas Priest's breakthrough album contained a couple of belters but unfortunately, many casual listeners picked up on this white bread, slowed down "American Nights" rip-off due to its accessible vocal melodies and simplistic riffs. This isn't the only example of a fairly basic but popular track in Judas Priest's back catalogue, as "You've Got Another Thing Comin'" also features minimalist guitar riffs and a fairly stripped back solo. However, the difference between these two is the latter song actually gives the solo some structure with complexity that slowly increases over time instead of phoning it in like they did with "Living After Midnight".
As for this song, there isn't an awful lot that could've been done to make a decent solo without turning it into a soulless shredfest like those Metal remixes of TV themes and public domain songs littering Youtube. However, as it stands, the solo sounds like the guitarists started to work on something that could've been cool but opted instead to take an early lunch and wing it when it came to recording the track. Fuck this song, fuck this solo.

5. "Razamanaz" - Nazareth (1:46)

I bloody love this song. It's a wild ride with a footstomping rhythm and a bunch of crazy guitar fills scattered throughout, not to mention some raw Rock vocals and a great chord sequence. Everything about this song is great...except the solo. The solo sucks. It has a good little bridge introduction but once the actual solo starts, it's just fucking sustains. Single sustains until the guitarist realises he can't get away with it and shreds the same string of notes until the end of the bar. Compared to other little shreddy sections throughout, the solo is complete rubbish and drags what could've been a Hard Rock staple down.
As for how it could've been improved...well, how about actual guitar playing? How about something a bit more creative than single notes for half of it? Maybe a mix-up in percussive rhythm just to set it apart from the fills throughout the rest of the track or something a little less choppy than we've heard so far. There are many ways it could've sounded better if you use your imagination just 1% more than Manny Charlton did when he recorded the solo.

6. "Misery Business" - Paramore (2:26)

Opinions on Paramore aside, I quite like this track. It doesn't make me think of teenage drama in the same way as their other material but it does have one major problem in the form of a bland guitar solo. In fact, can you even call it a solo? It's just Josh Farro playing the equivalent of a bassline with no passion or discernible skill. I'm not knocking his ability to play guitar, as the rest of the track has some great riffs, but it's seriously lacking in the solo department. It needed something fast and powerful that dominated the entire fretboard to make this song truly awesome.
How do I define "fast and powerful"? Listen to the solo for "Pull Me Under" - Winger (not Dream Theater) around the two minute mark. It might get a little repetitive but THAT kind of guitar playing would've been fucking great in the Paramore solo. Maybe mix up the rapid arpeggios a bit with some melodic riffs before ending on sweeping scales to end on a bang...or just strum a few notes if you're not talented enough to play a worthy Rock solo, I guess.

7. "Stranglehold" - Ted Nugent (1:56)

You remember that epic eight and a half minute song off Ted Nugent's debut with the boring verses and three minute guitar solo? Yeah, fuck that noise. The problem with guitar solos lasting longer than about a minute is that they start to stray into Blues Rock territory, meaning lots of pauses and jerking off on the guitarist's part. Ted Nugent might be a complete cunt but as a musician, he's top notch. However, his skills are in creating great riffs, not necessarily memorable solos. If you listen to most Ted Nugent songs, you'll remember the riff but find it tricky to remember anything about the solo.
This is one of the few times I'd advocate a shorter edit of the song in order to make the whole track tighter and less dull. There are so many moments where the bass riff is forced to carry the song and even though it's great at first, it gets tiring when you're constantly forced to listen to it whilst asking yourself when Ted will come back from his piss break. Shorter length, tighter guitar sections, some kind of appropriate progression throughout the track and then back to your generic Rock riffs. Ultimately, this song sounds like Ted Nugent going through the motions which no musician should be proud of on their debut solo album.

8. "I Love It Loud" - KISS (2:11)

Love or hate KISS, they knew how to write a good Hard Rock hook. The music in the verse and vocals in the chorus are perfect for Arena Rock, ensuring you'll get all the fans on their feet and belting out the lyrics. It's about as "KISS" as they come but sadly, it also contains a pathetic excuse for a guitar solo, even for KISS. The band have had their troubles with solos (or lack of solos when it comes to "Lick It Up" and "Rock And Roll All Nite") but if you're going to write an Arena Rock anthem, you need to bring the thunder in the solo. This guitar solo consists of a few weak sustains before awkwardly going back to the verse. Piss. Poor.
If it started off with a few sustains, it wouldn't have been so bad. However, it needed to go somewhere and progress into something for budding air guitarists to rock out to. That doesn't necessarily mean shredding or fancy techniques but it has to sound like something that takes time and effort to learn, or at least carry a melody of its own. Compare this solo to the one from "Love Gun" or even "Detroit Rock City"; the former containing some decent triplets and the latter being simplistic but memorable.

9. "Gimme Three Steps" - Lynyrd Skynyrd (2:20)

It's songs like this that make me feel the need to remind you this is a post about "weak" guitar solos, not just "bad" ones. Considering this band gave us "Free Bird", "Simple Man" and "I Ain't The One" on the same album alone, I guess it isn't surprising that there'd be at least one song where they phoned in the solo. However, that doesn't excuse "Gimme Three Steps" for having a boring solo to accompany a pretty boring song by their standards. It's just the same shit over and over again that actually manages to sound less interesting than the rest of the band.
The solo contains descending chords which sound alright at first, as they deviate from the chord pattern in the breaks between verses, but they get dull fairly quickly. The whole song is just a bit bland and I'm not sure a fun solo would make up for that but at the very least, it would give some people a reason to revisit nobody's favourite Lynyrd Skynyrd track.

10. "Seven Nation Army" - The White Stripes (2:02)

There were several songs I could've picked for this last spot (and I may write a sequel to this post in the near future if I find enough to make ten) but in the end, I had to go with the Shite Wipes. It pisses me off when everyone cites this band as the reason Jack White is an amazing guitarist. He can play some decent riffs but aside from that, he showcases next to no talent as a guitarist in this band and the solo for this song is proof of that. It's just the chord sequence but played higher up the fretboard with different tones to make it sound different. There's literally nothing else to it.
I accept that the band aren't really about guitar solos but when you try to play one, you should at least make it good. A proper guitar solo doesn't suit this song so honestly, Jack probably shouldn't have bothered. This is a good example of a song built entirely around a solid riff that falls apart when you realise a song needs more than a catchy tune. Obviously Meg White can't do shit and Jack's vocals/lyrics aren't enough to carry part of the weight held by the riff so you end up with something half-baked. But hey, they've done some other good stuff...sort of...


Did I miss any glaringly obvious weak guitar solos? Chances are I've either mentioned them on this blog before or I felt they'd be better for a follow-up to this post but feel free to tell me via the comment section or Twitter anyway, just in case.
Anyway, here's the Spotify playlist of songs listed above. Listen, don't listen, choice is yours.

Showdown: Live Versions

Time for another Showdown and this time, it's not video game related!
Last time I did a Showdown post, I covered songs that had been rerecorded by the same artist and, if you hadn't guessed by the title already, this time I'm looking at live versions of songs compared to the studio original.
It's fairly common knowledge that studio versions tend to be better than live versions when you're listening to the songs casually. However, even though most live versions are only awesome when you're there at the gig witnessing the band truly bringing the thunder to their well loved material, some are so incredible that they actually surpass the quality of the studio versions and become known as the greater track overall. I'll be discussing the studio and live versions of some of those songs along with a few I've thrown in that aren't as well known.
Whilst some live performances from random gigs throughout history may have been out of this world and easily trounce the originals, I'll only be counting songs from live albums that have been officially released to make it easier for you to find should you wish to listen along as you read. For the first time in a Showdown post, I've included a Spotify playlist link at the bottom of this post to make it easier for you to enjoy the music. As for the format of this post, it'll stay the same but I'll make a note of the albums (studio and live) I'm writing about in each round.
Right, let's get started!

ROUND ONE: "I Want You To Want Me" - Cheap Trick
Original (In Color) - Arguably the band's signature song and a fine piece of Bubblegum Pop Rock. It showcases the band's ability to take influence from The Beatles and still sound like their own entity but if we're being honest, it's a bit wet. It might have a catchy rhythm and all but fuck me, that guitar solo is just pathetic, isn't it? Fortunately the rest of the album has enough belters to make up for this one but how well did this song translate into a live Rock show?
Live Version (At Budokan) - Now THIS is what the song should've been. Chugging guitar throughout, a faster tempo, prominent bass and a proper set of guitar solos. The differences are small but the transformation is hugely effective, making this a perfect example of how to go off book with your live performance and make the song better instead of pissing off all the fans who just wanted to hear you play your best tracks without getting cute.
VERDICT - It has to be the Live Version, doesn't it? I mean, there's no way you can listen to the original and call it the superior version after hearing the band absolutely crush it at Budokan...ohhhh, that's where the name of the live album comes from!

ROUND TWO: "Old Man" - Neil Young
Original (Harvest) - I wouldn't call myself a fan of Neil Young by any stretch but damn, I love this song. Definitely one of Neil Young's strongest tracks and it deserves to be more well known than pretty much every other song of his you hear on the radio. The only part of the song I would consider weak would be the backing vocalists, as they're unnecessary in this recording. Everything else has a purpose and adds to the song in some way but the backing vocals arguably ruin what would've been an otherwise perfect mix.
Live Version (Live At Massey Hall 1971) - Fun fact, this live version actually came out before the studio version so I guess this is technically the original, huh...or rather the live at the BBC version is. Anyway, I chose this track to compare because I'd heard this is an excellent performance (even if it does start with Neil moaning at someone). I'm inclined to halfway agree with that sentiment, as Neil's playing is spot on and his vocals are far more passionate than they come across in the studio version. However, because it's part of an acoustic set, it's missing the crucial ingredient that the other instruments would've provided.
VERDICT - It's a tough call but ultimately, I'm going to give it to the Original. Vocally, the live version is superior but musically (where it counts, in my opinion), it comes as close as it can but doesn't reach the mark. If I could splice this version with one that has piano, bass and drums, I think I'd have the perfect "Old Man", as the casting agent said to the director.

ROUND THREE: "Lazy" - Deep Purple
Original (Machine Head) - A fan favourite and a great example of how fucking amazing Jon Lord & Richie Blackmore were. Deep Purple are mostly known for Hard Rock or a bit of Prog but this Bluesy number off one of their biggest albums shows each member of the Mk II band at their peak...well, except Ian Gillan. Presumably he was out having a crafty fag for the first half of this track but everyone else brings it. This song's definitely grown on me over time and whilst it's still not one of my favourite Deep Purple tracks, it's easily one of their strongest.
Live Version (Made In Japan) - Another popular live album from Asia that stands toe to toe with the band's studio material. The track length may exceed ten minutes and the first minute of that is what I assume to be the band trying to connect to dial-up Internet using a buggered fax machine and an amp BUT once the band stop tossing about and start to play the song, it becomes something special. With beefed up performances from each band member, this version is often considered the superior of the two, even if they do get bored towards the end and piss about for a bit.
VERDICT - I'm going against popular opinion here and siding with the Original. Whilst the live version has some excellent performances, I can't be doing with what's basically the band jerking off when there's a perfectly suitable and catchy studio version available. However, I can imagine the Made In Japan performance was fucking incredible to watch live.

ROUND FOUR: "Folsom Prison Blues" - Johnny Cash
Original (With His Hot And Blue Guitar) - Carrying on the Blues theme with this short number from Johnny Cash, many people will know this song due to the line about the man in Reno. They might also confuse it for "I Walk The Line" as they both have a similar guitar melody. Personally, I prefer this track's music and lyrics but it's a little too slow and basic for me to truly enjoy. Still, compared to other examples of Blues from the decade, this is a great song.
Live Version (At Folsom Prison) - I think the overall performance at the prison is more notable than this actual recording but as far as live versions go, this is pretty decent. Again, the tempo is sped up and musically the solos are a bit more energetic but otherwise, it's practically just the same as the studio version. Oh, and you know how the prisoners all cheer during the Reno bit? Yeah, that didn't happen. It was added afterwards. Still, makes for a good moment in the song.
VERDICT - If you couldn't tell, I'm not really gushing over either of them but it's a clear win for the Live Version here. I decide the victor mostly based on which version I'd rather listen to and if I could only choose one for the rest of my life, I think I'd get the most out of the one recorded at Folsom Prison...oohhhhhh, I just got the name for this album as well!

ROUND FIVE: "Rock And Roll All Nite" - KISS
Original (Dressed To Kill) - Considering this song was released in the mid-70s, can we really call this a Hard Rock track? It sounds more like Classic Rock to me, especially when compared to songs like "Hotter Than Hell" and "Detroit Rock City". Anyway, it's the band's signature song and it's dumb, in a word. It has a great guitar riff but it's built around the same sentiment that the Beastie Boys made fun of in "(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party!)". When the fucking Beastie Boys are giving you shit, you know you need to rethink things.
Live Version (Alive!) - As far as live versions go, this is damn near identical to the studio version except for one key difference; an added guitar solo. Once you listen to this version, you won't be able to enjoy the original again without feeling like it's missing something. It just fits in so perfectly and gives the song that much needed kick. In fact, it's what the WaveGroup Sound based their cover on for Guitar Hero 3: Legends Of Rock (discussed in this blog post).
VERDICT - Obviously the Live Version. If you could edit out the sound of the audience (the single biggest problem with live recordings), you'd have a pretty damn good Hard Rock song right there. With the sound of cheering still in, it's just good.

ROUND SIX: "Young Man Blues" - The Who
Original (The House That Track Built) - This is the second song on this list where the studio "original" isn't actually the original version of this song. It was included on a compilation album about four years after the live album this came from was released and since then has been featured on a Tommy deluxe reissue and on Odds And Sods as a shitty alternative recording. Most people probably don't even know that the studio version exists but I reckon everyone who's heard it knows that it's a bit fucking weak.
Live Version (Live At Leeds) - Possibly the best example of an awesome recording aided by Keith Moon going apeshit on drums and definitely the superior version of the song. Added guitar solos, a tempo that suits the rhythm, more passion in the vocals and some fine bass playing from John Entwistle too. If not the greatest live recording in this list then definitely top three. Shame I've yet to hear another live version of a song by The Who that didn't make me want to self harm.
VERDICT - Weren't you reading? Live Version takes the win. The only positive thing I'll say about the studio version is that there's some guitar playing during the vocals that sounds alright but other than that, it's live all the way!

ROUND SEVEN: "Sunday Bloody Sunday" - U2
Original (War) - I like U2 on occasion but sadly, this song doesn't make my cut. There's something about The Edge's guitar playing that annoys me and Bono's whining voice doesn't help and since this song is largely just the same guitar and bass riffs on a cycle, it doesn't do much to please me. However, for fans of U2, it's probably their most U2ish song and a good example of the band's songwriting capabilities; they weren't about flashy solos or power, they just wanted to make what they considered good music.
Live Version (Under A Blood Red Sky) - This recording is regarded as one of the best live versions of a song and what I want to know is what the fuck was everyone else listening to? It's all over the fucking place! Larry Mullen and Adam Clayton sound completely out of sync on drums and bass and they come across like a high school band that didn't practise enough before their big show. If I liked the song, I might have a better reception of this track but as it stands, this sounds like absolute tosh to me. At least Bono still sounds like Bono, although it's debatable whether or not that's something that should be praised.
VERDICT - I don't like either track but it's definitely going to the Original here. An absolute mess of a recording with inconsistent drums that may or may not change tempo throughout. In order to know for certain, I'd have to listen to the live recording again and I need some fucking time after hearing it once.

ROUND EIGHT: "Free Bird" - Lynyrd Skynyrd
Original ((Pronounced 'Leh-'Nerd 'Skin-'Nerd)) - I don't really need to say anything about this, do I? We all know the song, we all know that the solo is amazing and every time I mention it on this blog, I have to say the same things about the song over and over again. It's an awesome song, even if the slower first half does get a bit dull when you've heard all the other Southern Rock epics out there.
Live Version (One More From The Road) - I've discussed this entire live album before and still think it's one of the best collections of music out there for anyone who likes Skynyrd's music. Every song on it's great to listen to but the track everyone agrees stands out is their 13-minute rendition of "Free Bird". Apparently, this what stoked the flames for the trope of everyone shouting "FREE BIRD!" at live shows, since Ronnie Van Zant asks the crowd what song they'd like to hear before they break into it. It's a fucking fantastic performance too with possibly the greatest big rock ending to any song ever recorded.
VERDICT - Jesus, this is tricky. The original is like stonehenge; it's an artifact that will stand the test of time and probably still be around longer than anything released today. However, that live version is spectacular and I still get chills when I listen to their big finale. I'd like to give the win to both on this one occasion but if I have to pick a winner, I'm going with the Original. The lead into the main riff during the solo is brilliant and whilst the outro on the live version may be superior, the lengthy ballad section at the start goes on just a bit too long for me (cut to about 6:27 for the good bit).

ROUND NINE: "Whipping Post" - The Allman Brothers Band
Original (The Allman Brothers Band) - Southern Rock followed by more Southern Rock, that's just how I roll. It's hardly the most famous Allman Brothers Band track but it was one of their first big songs. It starts off with an ominous bass riff before introducing a Wild West guitar riff that still remains one of their best contributions to music alongside "Jessica" and the solo in "Blue Sky". It's a Bluesy Southern Rock number but it's still pretty damn good.
Live Version (At Filmore East) - Buckle up, boys. If you thought the last live version was long, you ain't heard nothing yet! This rendition of "Whipping Post", despite having a faster tempo, clocks in at over 23 minutes long. Whilst this is an impressive feat for any live band, the tragic fallacy is that people assume this is an incredible live version of a song when really it's a pretty poor version compared to the original. Sure, the first half or so is great but then the band run out of steam and start jerking each other off for a while without knowing when to bloody end. This is one of those few times where faster tempos can make a song worse (see also "Hocus Pocus" - Focus).
VERDICT - An easier decision this time; Original takes the win again. Granted the solos in the live version are something every Rock fan needs to toughen up and listen to all the way through at least once (even if they can probably stop around the ten minute mark), I know which track I'd rather listen to again. It's a shame The Allman Brothers Band couldn't bring this fretting fury to the studio but at least they managed to capture their raw talent at Filmore East.

ROUND TEN: "Do You Feel Like We Do" - Peter Frampton
Original (Frampton's Camel) - Did you know a studio version of this song existed? You'd think it was another "Young Man Blues" what with all the hype around the live version but we'll get onto that in a bit. The studio original is noticeably slower and obviously lacks the middle talkbox section, instead introducing the outro solo a lot earlier. It's actually quite a decent tune and I'd recommend checking it out if you've only heard the live version.
Live Version (Frampton Comes Alive) - Another looooong live song but luckily, this is just 13 minutes as well. Regarded as possibly the most famous live recording on this list, a large portion of this song is dedicated to the credits jam between Frampton and "Buck-Man" on the keyboards before they eventually break into the glorious outro solo. Some people consider "Show Me The Way" to be the better live recording off the album but there's always something to be said for the last song on a band's live album. They've fed off the crowd's energy and now they're ready to release it one last time, hence "Do You Feel Like We Do".
VERDICT - I feel like both deserve some recognition here too but the win's going to the Live Version for taking the material provided in the song and using it more effectively than the studio original. If I could speed up the original just a little bit, I'd probably prefer that version but goddamn, Frampton needed to come alive in the studio that fateful day...OOOHHHHHH, now I get the album name, it's because the Allman Brothers recorded At Filmore East! Fuck, that one took a while to sink in.


Well it's been an educational blog post for some but was there anything I missed? Did I fail to include an even greater example of where the live recording was greater than the studio version or have I absolutely fucking nailed it, once again? Let me know in the comments or via Twitter.

As promised, here's the Spotify playlist for this post and I apologise if any of the verdicts were spoiled for you in scrolling down to the bottom of this post.