Hard Rock Music Time Machine – 3/1/18

5-YEAR ANNIVERSARY EDITION

Each Thursday, Hard Rock Music Time Machine takes a journey back in time to feature a variety of songs that date back as far as the ’70s.

In addition to appearing on the embedded YouTube playlist below, all songs featured on Hard Rock Music Time Machine can be listened to individually by clicking on the hyper-linked song titles above each review.

 

 

ADAM WALDMAN – (Publisher, Hard Rock Daddy)

METALLICA – “Enter Sandman” (1991)

Today is the five-year anniversary of the launch of Hard Rock Daddy.  Life was much different back in 2013 in many ways, as was the site, which was originally intended to combine my passion for hard rock music with being a dad.  My kids were at an age back then where the stories were highly entertaining.  As you can probably tell from the moniker, the intention was to share those stories.  But that facet of the site didn’t last very long.  Once it started gaining traction as a music site, there was a shift away from the fatherhood angle.

You may be wondering what any of this has to do with “Enter Sandman.”  It was actually the title of the first post ever on the site.  CLICK HERE to read the original post from 3/1/13.

Since this milestone anniversary falls on a Thursday (the day that Hard Rock Music Time Machine is always published), I thought that it was appropriate to feature “Enter Sandman” as my first selection.

Truth be told, the story of the first post ever on the site is more compelling than anything that I can say about “Enter Sandman.”  Yes, it’s a Metallica classic that is a fan favorite to this day.  Yes, it was used as the entry music for (arguably) the greatest closer in baseball history (Mariano Rivera).  But what more can you really say about it?

Just as Metallica has influenced numerous bands over the years, their music also set the foundation for what would become Hard Rock Daddy five years later.  And for that, I am thankful.
 

 

KISS – “Tears Are Falling” (1985)

Ok, so we’ve gotten the recognition of Hard Rock Daddy’s five-year anniversary out of the way, time to get back to the music, right?  Well…not exactly.  Although the change of direction for Hard Rock Daddy came pretty quickly, there were a few hybrid stories that were born out of the original  theme.

Although Hard Rock Daddy was launched on March 1, 2013, the foundation was actually laid in the mid-‘70s when I discovered KISS.  Like many from my generation, this was the band that made me fall in love with hard rock.  I distinctly remember getting Alive II (on cassette) as a gift, along with a small boombox to play it on.  It was magical.

Throughout my youth, my bedroom walls were adorned with KISS photos, and the full-sized poster that came in the Dynasty album.  I never did get to see them with makeup in their heyday, but my first KISS concert – the 1984 Animalize tour – is still one of my favorite concert memories to this day.  There’s a long story about the concert that I will share at a later date.

Although the makeup years were over, KISS was still one of my favorite bands by the time that high school graduation came around.  When the time came for us to vote on the senior prom songs, we were given a bunch of lame, sappy love songs to choose from.  Although I knew that it wouldn’t win, the rebel in me chose to write in “Uh! All Night.”

By the time that I got to college, my love for KISS was still going strong.  Some friends and I actually won a campus-wide air band contest as we rocked out to “Detroit Rock City.”  We were legit.  No tennis rackets or brooms.  We had badass instruments made out of cardboard by an artist friend.  Dressed in full makeup, we fuckin’ rocked The Aquarium (the bar where the contest was held) with coordinated rock star moves.

Fast forward to 2013.  My college years well behind me in the rear view mirror, KISS once again had a prominent place in my life as a dad.  My post from March of 2013 entitled “Tears Are Falling” had nothing to do with the joys of becoming a dad.  The tears in question weren’t mine, but my daughter’s.  CLICK HERE to read the funny story that (amazingly) still holds true to this day.

Is “Tears Are Falling” classic KISS?  Not really.  Although I do love the song, there are numerous others that I would feature before this one.  It is definitely the softer side of the band, not only musically, but image wise also.  The cringe-worthy video ties in to the story about my daughter.

In some regards, we’ve come a long way since the launch of Hard Rock Daddy five years ago.  In other ways, particularly when it comes to parenting, I’m reminded of lyrics from Rush’s “Circumstances”…

“plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose (“the more it changes, the more it’s the same thing”).

Thank you all for being loyal readers of Hard Rock Daddy!  It is greatly appreciated!
 

 

 

KURT ARFT – HRD Music Scout

BOSTON – “Foreplay-Long Time” (1976)

I can honestly say that the debut album by Boston may be the best album ever.  There may be others, but from track 1 to track 8 there is not a drop off. Every one of these songs has been played on radio stations across the country from the time they came out in 1976 to today.  How many albums can you honestly say that you can listen to without hitting fast forward or skip?  I’d say not too many.

What Tom Scholz created is nothing short of a masterpiece.  For that masterpiece to be your debut album is pretty special.  You combine the music that Scholz created with the voice of Brad Delp (who without a doubt is one of the greatest singers ever in rock n’ roll), that my friends, is what you call magic.

Going through the track listing for Boston’s debut album was a really difficult task to pick one song to write about.  For me though, “Foreplay-Long Time” is my favorite for many reasons.

Reason 1: Delp’s incredible voice.  He hit notes that a man probably shouldn’t be able to, but he did it with conviction and ease.  The harmony vocals are even more insane.

Reason 2: Scholz.  He wrote or co-wrote every song on the album, with the exception of “Let Me Take You Home Tonight” (which was written by Delp).  His guitars sound badass.  The sounds that he created set the stage for guitarists like Tom Morello.  This is especially true on this song.  All of those little tinks and squeaks that you hear on “Foreplay/Long Time” is all him picking the guitar strings.

Reason 3: The recording process.  The music for this entire album was done in Scholz’s basement.  Delp’s vocals were recorded at Capitol Studios.  This is the equivalent of what musicians do today on laptops and pro tools, but back then there was none of that technology.

Reason 4: The music. I have always contended that the greatest music came out of the ‘60s and ‘70s.  Why?  Because the songwriting was amazing.  The singers could sing, the guitar players could play, they wrote memorable solos, and the rhythm section was off the charts as far as the backbone and the moving bass lines.  Let’s not forget the Hammond Organ.

Boston absolutely nailed it with “Foreplay-Long Time.”  All facets of this song are impeccable and memorable.  It still holds up today. That’s when you know you’ve done something special.

“Foreplay-Long Time” could have easily been the opening track on Boston’s debut album. It has all the elements of an opening track.  An intro, a slow, gradual buildup into the big explosion of sound. I mean, what is foreplay?  It’s warming up before the main event, right?  The band took a big risk going with “More Than A Feeling” as the opening track.  That’s another things that made this album so awesome.  Taking chances, thinking outside of the box, and not putting limitations on anything.

The main thing that came out of this for me is that it was real. This was truly a labor of love by Scholz. The demo had been turned down my every major label.  Then someone finally gave them an opportunity.  What an incredible story and legacy this band has left for us and for the future generations.  Believe me, this song will still be played on Classic Rock stations across the country long after I’m dead and gone.  Go back and listen to this masterpiece, and you will absolutely re-discover (or discover) just how great it is.
 

 

CINDERELLA – “Bad Seamstress Blues-Fallin’ Apart At The Seams” (1988)

Coming off their successful debut album, Night Songs, Cinderella started stripping away the glam element on their next effort, Long Cold Winter. Singer/Songwriter/Guitarist Tom Keifer started going back to his early ‘70s influences of The Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, and Bad Company on their sophomore effort.  Even after being smack dab in the middle of the ‘80s Hard Rock/Glam movement, Cinderella managed to craft an album in which Keifer’s ‘70s influences shined.  Long Cold Winter garnered four singles and firmly cemented the band in the rock n’ roll landscape as one of the favorites of the time period.

“Bad Seamstress Blues-Fallin’ Apart At The Seams” was not one of the four singles, but it was a great album opener.  The intro piece, “Bad Seamstress Blues,” features some great slide work on the guitar by Keifer, and that downhome southern vibe.  The segue into “Fallin’ Apart At The Seams” features a thunderous bass drum, and eventually the full band explosion rounded out by bass player Eric Brittingham and guitarist Jeff LaBar.  You knew right from the beginning that this was gonna be something different, but very cool.  It’s a hard hitting, bombastic start to the album.

Another element that I love about the song is the harmonizing, layered background vocals.  An interesting tidbit about this album that many may not know is that Fred Coury did not play the drums in the studio for the recording.  It was handled by the legendary Cozy Powell (The Jeff Beck Group, Rainbow, Black Sabbath), Denny Carmassi (Montrose, Heart, The Michael Schenker Group), and a session drummer named Joseph Starns.

The thing I’ve always loved about Cinderella (specifically Keifer, the songwriting machine behind the group), was the caliber of the songs that they wrote.  In a time where everyone was so focused on image, Cinderella played ball and got their foot in the door, and then used that opening to get their music out the way that Keifer wanted it to sound.

The ‘80s Hard Rock period always got a bad rap because of the whole “hair band” image.  Looking back, there was a lot of great music from artists that are still around today.  Keifer has transitioned from Cinderella into his own solo career now, but he still plays many Cinderella favorites.

I love great intro pieces transitioning into a full songs.  The building anticipation of what is yet to come is what makes it so exciting for me.  The fun thing for me in doing this is being able to go back and listen to these songs and really appreciate them again.  It gives me a newfound respect for these artists.
 

 

 

SUZANNE BRACKEN – HRD Music Scout

WOLFMOTHER – “Dimension” (2006)

One of the benefits that I have derived out of both of my daughters having participated in dance from childhood throughout college has been discovering new music and bands through their instructors.  Without a doubt, my favorite of these bands has to be Wolfmother.  From the minute that I heard their first album in 2010, I was hooked.  Since then, I have listened to the band regularly, and actually feel annoyed that I as late to the game in discovering them because rock radio generally sticks to the same old tired formula.

Wolfmother embodies everything that I love in a rock band…they are heavy, with loud, distorted guitars.  I especially love Andrew Stockdale’s unique vocals.  This Australian band has been compared to all of the bands that I grew up with, from Sabbath to Zeppelin.  They’ve been criticized for recycling the sound of their influences.  I, for one, strongly disagree with that sentiment.

While I can hear influences in their music, Wolfmother brings something completely fresh to the table.   When I listen to their songs, I don’t think “old school.”    I’m just thankful to any band for keeping rock alive these days.  They have a growing fan base worldwide, especially in their native Australia.  Obviously, Slash is a fan, having had Stockdale sing on his first solo album on the excellent track, “By the Sword.” 

I have yet to see Wolfmother perform live as each time they come to the States, I have had a conflict preventing me from getting there.  However, they are at the very top of my wish list (along with a few others).  I have watched their YouTube videos with admiration and hope for rock’s future.
 

 

JUDAS PRIEST – “Some Heads Are Gonna Roll” (1984)

I have been to hundreds of shows over the past 40 years.  Without question, my proudest metal memory was having been in the audience at the infamous Judas Priest concert in June 1984 at Madison Square Garden Show on the Metal Conqueror tour.

I attended the show with my (then) boyfriend, a clean-cut Catholic school boy from the Bronx who loved (and reignited my love for) heavy metal music.  Judas Priest was his favorite band so, of course, when the tickets went on sale, he waited patiently on line at the local record store.  That’s what we did in the pre-internet days. He was happy to have a girlfriend who loved rock and roll, and going to concerts.

Priest was at the height of their career in the States at that point, coming off of British Steel, Screaming for Vengeance, and touring in support of Defenders of the Faith.  They were mainstays on rock radio during this great era.  My boyfriend had every album, and knew the lyrics to every song.

We were having a great time at the show, and then, the craziness started.  It still boggles my mind to this day.  We were seated in the cheap seats (about $15 a piece), because that’s what we could afford on a college student’s budget. All of a sudden, literally out of nowhere, kids started ripping the cushions out of their seats and throwing them onto the floor of the Garden.  The kids sitting directly in front of us started joining in the insanity, proceeding to light them on fire and throwing them into the crowd. I had never seen anything so crazy before (nor have I since).

As scary as it sounds (and trust me, it was), the kids looked delighted with what they had done, as opposed to being angry or menacing. It was pure metal mayhem, experienced on a firsthand level.  Miraculously, and in true metal fashion, he band played on and completed the show, (including encores). Their set list from this show, found on setlist.fm, includes the following footnote: “Judas Priest were permanently barred form playing at Madison Square Garden after this show due to the crowd causing $250,00 worth of damage to the venue.”

Having been there, I would have actually thought that the amount would have been higher.  That night was as metal as it gets.  I’m glad that I was there, if for no other reason than to tell this legendary story to my grandchildren someday.