The Official Hard Rock / Classic Metal Music Discussion and Memorabilia Thread!

[Lowdz]

I can't say I'm interested in another VH reunion. I like them well enough, both eras (the .Cherone album was shite on first listen, never been back), but Eddie has run out of any inspiration in the early 90s.

Unless spammy is full of shit any reunion would need Michael Anthony involved.

[wolfking]

Update from TMac;

Hello my friends, I would like to say hello to you all and wish you the best during this holiday season. Regardless of whether you are near or far, this is the time of the year that brings friends and family together.

It has been a while since I have had the energy to write, so I will take this time to give you an update of sorts, a small window into some of my daily activities at this point.

Two months after my surgery on August 28th, I have been strictly following the course of these excellent Doctors of Medicine, and progress is being achieved at a rate they as well as I am encouraged by. It is a difficult routine that I must endure for many more months that involves a very intense series of drug therapies and constant analytical procedures that are overwhelmingly draining because of their brutal side effects, but my eyes and heart are on the big picture which is recovery.

More often than not the biggest hurdle is knowing that after you engage yourself in this fight - this battle on a weekly schedule - you still must reserve some energy to think positive, as that is a very important and necessary mechanic in this healing process.

Your prayers, messages and positive energy are not going unnoticed, and although I have quite a long road ahead, it is not traveled alone, as I have all of you there for support. And I thank you all for that!

I will touch base and give you further updates soon.

Tony MacAlpine

Don't know what to make of it.  Sounds like he's in a rough way.  His mind is strong and I really hope he can get through this.

[bl5150]

It doesn't sound great - hopefully his positive attitude in combination with the treatment and everyone getting in his corner will add up to a positive outcome.

[wolfking]

Yeah, let's hope so. 

[bl5150]

Only just noticed.........happy 100th page guys

[TAC]

[TAC]

Getting through the second half of the podcast this morning.

I have never heard of Mark Free. Brent, was he the original vocalist for KK? I never even gave them a chance. Sampled a little back in the day and it seemed a little generic. It seemed like Camine Appice's lame attempt to cash in on what was going on at the time.

It's great to hear Tony Martin. What the hell has he really been doing all these years?

That Nation tune was awesome. After listening, I was waiting to hear what band it was. That's two songs that didn't disappoint. Had some cheesy vocals in the chorus but that musical break was outstanding. Brent, you may be getting an email on them.

I actually saw Love/Hate open for AC/DC.

[bl5150]

I have never heard of Mark Free. Brent, was he the original vocalist for KK? I never even gave them a chance. Sampled a little back in the day and it seemed a little generic. It seemed like Camine Appice's lame attempt to cash in on what was going on at the time.

Yes............Mark was the original. The first album Ready To Strike was pretty rockin stuff .   I like the second one too but it's quite different and more AOR/melodic rock ,so perhaps that's where you stumbled onto them - that album had the song Never Say Die (Iron Eagle) from the movie soundtrack and it was all very commercial.

Even that Soldiers of The Night song from Black Roses is overly cheesy , but I put it in there so you could hear some of the powerful highs he hits.................killer singer.

[TAC]

I know I did not give the first album much chance. There seemed to be a whole ton if bands coming out at the time and I was pretty skeptical. Maybe include a track from it next time.

[bl5150]

Okay........just to be clear the track I played on the last show was from the debut (title track). Will put another in the next show for you.

[TAC]

Okay........just to be clear the track I played on the last show was from the debut (title track). Will put another in the next show for you.

It was OK. It isn't something that would've appealed to me back then.  No need to do another track on my behalf. 

[Lowdz]

Getting through the second half of the podcast this morning.

I have never heard of Mark Free. Brent, was he the original vocalist for KK? I never even gave them a chance. Sampled a little back in the day and it seemed a little generic. It seemed like Camine Appice's lame attempt to cash in on what was going on at the time.

It's great to hear Tony Martin. What the hell has he really been doing all these years?

That Nation tune was awesome. After listening, I was waiting to hear what band it was. That's two songs that didn't disappoint. Had some cheesy vocals in the chorus but that musical break was outstanding. Brent, you may be getting an email on them.

I actually saw Love/Hate open for AC/DC.

I thought the Nation song was a giant hodgepodge of different bits all stuck together in one song. Just when I thought I knew what was going on another bit came in that bore no resemblance to what was going on. I sort of liked all the bits but it was a bit busy...

[wolfking]

The Nation song was alright, but nothing special IMO.

[TAC]

The Nation song was alright, but nothing special IMO.

I loved the musical break in it. The only thing I didn't like was the cheesy vocals in the chorus, but everything else was great.

[jjrock88]

The first King Kobra album, Ready to Strike, is a very rocking release.  I only heard the second one once, and it was pretty light and fluffy if I remember.

Mark Free had a sex change and became Marcie Free.

[wolfking]

The first I ever heard or saw Mark/Marcie Free, was the Very First Time video from the last Unruly Child album.  Didn't know a single thing and saw that video.  I gotta admit, I loled pretty hard and couldn't believe what I was seeing.  It was pretty weird.

[jjrock88]

Mark had one of the defining 80s rock voices IMO.  Didnt have a lot of success, but should have been bigger. 

Black Roses is a classic/cheesy horror movie/soundtrack.

[bl5150]

First full track from Nordic Union

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3v636I5HHew

Sounds like what it is I suppose..........a bit of a hybrid of Eclipse and Pretty Maids.

[wolfking]

Could Martensson come up with anything more recycled and uninspired than this, especially when he has such a great singer at the helm?  Ronnie makes this listenable, but this is just a fille WET or Eclipse track.

I'm still excited for the album and I'm sure I'll like it, but come on.

[wolfking]

Check that Nordic Union song, then check this;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZVuvKattHM

[bl5150]

Yeah,...........and I remember the first time I heard that W.E.T. song actually and I thought to myself "If I hear Soto sing one more song about Walk Away, Don't Walk Away etc............"     Just going through the motions.  I really miss Talisman as they generally didn't write stuff that sounded like it was off a production line. 

[wolfking]

The first WET album was so fucking good and the second was actually really fucking bad.  I'm easy to please with this sort of stuff but that album sucked.  I hope there is better songs than this though, Ronnie sounds great.  He deserves more exciting songwritiing than this.  Not really good enough.

[jingle.boy]

Could Martensson come up with anything more recycled and uninspired than this, especially when he has such a great singer at the helm?  Ronnie makes this listenable, but this is just a fille WET or Eclipse track.

I'm still excited for the album and I'm sure I'll like it, but come on.

Damn... I don't even want to check that link out now.  I had some decent hopes for this.  Guess not now.

[Lowdz]

I guess it's hard to be awesome when you're churning out so many songs for so many projects. I thought the song was ok.
Frontiers are diluting their pool of great stuff. They need more bands, not projects.

[jingle.boy]

I guess it's hard to be awesome when you're churning out so many songs for so many projects. I thought the song was ok.
Frontiers are diluting their pool of great stuff. They need more bands, not projects.

Word.

[jingle.boy]

First full track from Nordic Union

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3v636I5HHew

Sounds like what it is I suppose..........a bit of a hybrid of Eclipse and Pretty Maids.

Well, now... this wasn't terrible.

[wolfking]

Okay, so why have I only listened to this song once yet the chorus and guitar riff thing keeps popping into my head.

First full track from Nordic Union

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3v636I5HHew

Sounds like what it is I suppose..........a bit of a hybrid of Eclipse and Pretty Maids.

Well, now... this wasn't terrible.

No, it's actually very decent, and Ronnie still makes me excited for this project.  But my main initial issue was that Martensson has basically become as stale as Tolkki when it comes to recycling riffs and song structures and ideas, only the quality is at a high standard instead of no standard at all.

Once I get my head what we're getting here, I'll enjoy it.  Maybe I expected something new with this, but that idea has been squashed.  I guess Martensson will never recreate the magic with the songs he wrote for the Toby Hitchcock album.

[TAC]

I get so skeptical about all of these projects that guys do. To me, just make an album with your own damn band.

So I wasn't expecting much here, but this song is actually pretty good. I like Atkins here. A lot.

[wolfking]

I get so skeptical about all of these projects that guys do. To me, just make an album with your own damn band.

So I wasn't expecting much here, but this song is actually pretty good. I like Atkins here. A lot.

He makes this recycled generic song very very good actually.

[TAC]

He really does, and I'm not a huge Atkins fan.

[jjrock88]

I liked that tune as well!

[wolfking]

He really does, and I'm not a huge Atkins fan.

I've only been into them since the time Pandemonium came out and it's unreal how much his voice has improved.  The old stuff is pretty cool, but listening to some of the early 2000 albums, his voice on those albums sound weak to me.  I'd like more re-records like Louder Than Ever.  They seemed to have stepped up everything from vox, guitars, production, everything in their sound from Pandemonium .

[jingle.boy]

I guess given that I don't know all of Martensson's stuff helps me not hear this as 'recycled' the way you do Kade.

[Big Hath]

from podcast #1 here are the songs I rated 8.5 or higher that I didn't already know (basically half the show!)

9.5
Pretty Maids - Until it Dies
Armored Saint - Tainted Past

9.0
Running Wild - Rolling Wheels
Judas Priest - A Touch of Evil
Europe - Break Free

8.5
Vanden Plas - Push
Guardian - Time and Time Again
Nation - Nation
Lizzy Borden - Voyeur
Firehouse - Reach for the Sky
Destinations Calling - Revolution in Mind
Vicious Rumors - When Love Comes Down


Are these songs fairly representative of their respective albums or are some of these outliers on an album with a lot of dreck?

[BlobVanDam]

You included Europe - Break Free? Great song, great album.
I still haven't checked out these podcasts yet!