Great Metal Albums of 1983: Kix- Cool Kids

 

In some circles, it's been said that American rockers, Kix, were the first of the glam rock, hair metal movement. While I won't enter that debate, I do remember that when I first saw their photo in 1983, I wanted to grow my hair like them after having to wear a crew cut during my four years of service to my country. However, I heard their music before I saw what they looked like in the form of the single from the 1983, "Cool Kids" album, "Body Talk." It got enough radio play to catch my interest although I'm glad I don't recall seeing the cheesy video for it where the band cavorts with ladies in full workout garb.

"Body Talk" isn't the best song on the album and apparently, Kix only recorded the song to appease their label. However, the rest of "Cool Kids" is better. Even the first two tracks, which sounds in similar mode to the single are better and the title track is better of those two. "Love Pollution" is the first true metal song on the album in my view but it's sandwiched between songs that are not. "Body Talk" follows right after and even after thirty-three years, I still don't know what to make of "Loco-Emotion."

The second half of "Cool Kids" makes up for the faults of the first half. "Mighty Mouth" is a good rocking tune that starts off with a scream from lead singer, Steve Whiteman, which I don't know how seriously I should take. Still the song does rock! It also turns the album up a gear and progresses throughout the remainder of the album. "Nice on the Ice" and "Get Your Monkeys Out" are both good tracks. I do smile at the opening line to "Get Your Monkeys Out," which goes: "I live in the jungle" and the line from the chorus, "You got to let your monkeys out." Then things go slower with a country sounding ballad, "For Shame." This song is so country sounding that I found an acoustic version of this song on Youtube. I even want to do a "Yee hah!" during the guitar solo on it. However, I don't think the band is serious on the song. Fortunately, things return to more metal pastures with the closer, "Restless Blood," which sounds to me like fore runner to one of Kix's best know songs, "Yeah, Yeah, Yeah." Maybe it's the "hey, hey, hey" that's sung several times in the song that makes me think that. Still, "Restless Blood" does conclude things on a positive note, even with the slow down part in the middle of the song because that's rapidly followed by the best guitar solo on the album. A great way to end!

Track Listing:

1. Burning Love
2. Cool Kids
3. Love Pollution
4. Body Talk
5. Loco-Emotion
6. Mighty Mouth
7. Nice on Ice
8. Get Your Monkeys Out
9. For Shame
10. Restless Blood

[caption id="attachment_3590" align="aligncenter" width="239"] Kix[/caption]

Steve Whitemann- lead vocals, harmonica, saxophone

Brad Divens- guitar, backing vocals, talk box

Brian 'Damage' Forsythe- guitars

Donnie Purnell- bass, backing vocals, keyboards

Jimmy 'Chocolate' Chalfant- drums, percussion, backing vocals, co-lead vocal on "Body Talk"

Kix got my attention in 1983 and though I can't say that I've always been a die hard fan, I know that the "Cool Kids" album is cool. Although I did try, I couldn't quite grow my hair like any of them.

Next post: Hanoi Rocks- Back to Mystery City

To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com 

Great Metal Albums of 1983: Anvil- Forged in Fire

 

It's probably a psychological thing with me but whichever album I hear first from any given band tends to be my favourite one from that band. This is most likely the reason why my favourite Van Halen album is Van Halen II, my favourite Twisted Sister album is "You Can't Stop Rock and Roll" and my favourite Lynyrd Skynyrd album is "One More From the Road." The same principle applies to Anvil. "Forged in Fire" was the first Anvil album I listened to and it is my favourite. However, I tend to believe that even if I didn't hear this album first, it still would have been my favourite Anvil album.

Why is "Forged in Fire" my favourite Anvil album other than it being the first of theirs I listened to? The answer is quite simple, there are just so many great songs on it. The title track alone, which I first heard on a metal compilation album, was enough to capture my interest. I loved the pounding guitars on the song and after over thirty years, I'm not sure whether or not to take the lyrics to "Forged in Fire" seriously. Still, it doesn't matter because I love the song so much. I mean who couldn't be amused at these lyrics:

"Power blasted streams engage the injection
The mechanism reacts with affection"

If I were to levy one criticism at the album, it would be the placing of the first two songs. I know Anvil albums open with the title track and even though I love the title track on this album so much, I can't help thinking that the second track, "Shadow Zone" should have been the opener. That is definitely an ear catching speed metal tune that would wake up the dead. However, this is just me thinking too much.

The rest of the album carries on with one great song after another. All tracks are great metal tunes that can stand on their own. Back then, I took the lyrics of "Free as the Wind" to heart as that was how I felt after leaving the marines. Even the change in momentum when Dave Allison sings lead on "Never Deceive Me" only seems to make the album sound that much better. Many of the songs are might be considered speed metal like "Shadow Zone" as they are played very fast and ferociously. I find "Hard Times and Fast Ladies" a very interesting song and while I might mentally debate which song should be the opener, there is no question that Anvil made the right choice for the closer with "Winged Assassins."

Another reason why I like this album so much is that Steve 'Lips' Kudrow really goes to town on the guitar on just about all of the songs on here. His most noted ones are on "Free as the Wind" and "Winged Assassins" but there are noble efforts throughout. Therefore, I will be expecting the same when I go to Gloucester this Tuesday evening as see Anvil in all their glory. That's right, I'm finally getting to see these guys live and why I posted the album now. I wonder how many songs from "Forged in Fire" they'll actually play.

Track Listing:

1. Forged in Fire
2. Shadow Zone
3. Free as the Wind
4. Never Deceive Me
5. Butter-Bust Jerky
6. Future Wars
7. Hard Times, Fast Ladies
8. Make It Up to You
9. Motormount
10. Winged Assassins

[caption id="attachment_2368" align="aligncenter" width="226"] Anvil[/caption]

Steve 'Lips' Kudrow- vocals, lead guitar

Dave Allison- guitar, lead vocal on "Never Deceive Me"

Ian Dickson- bass, backing vocals

Rob Reiner- drums

Following "Forged in Fire" tragedy would strike for Anvil. For many, this would be considered their last album as they would descend into obscurity and wouldn't be heard from again until the documentary would be released about them in 2008. As a result, I have made an executive decision and will visit the so-called obscure albums they made in the late 1980s. However, "Forged in Fire" is definitely a great album to go out in style to.

Next post: Anvil Live in Gloucester

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Great Metal Albums of 1983: Krokus- Headhunter

 

Like Quiet Riot, Krokus were another heavy metal band in 1983 who will forever be considered one hit wonders by the so called mainstream music world but boy what a song it was. Whenever I hear "Screaming in the Night," I am blown away by it now as I was back then. The way the lead guitar comes in supported by bass and drums on the intro just sounds ear catchingly eerie. It used to send a chill up me and Marc Storace's vocals added to that eerie feeling.Then when the guitars kick in, things just explode into metal euphoria. It is definitely in my top five of all time metal songs. I think that the only reason it's not number one is that the guitar solo lets it down. Only slightly but enough to keep it off number one.

Now, as I said for probably the 710,534th time, one song doesn't make an album, so the question is: Does the rest of "Headhunter" measure up? Obviously, there are no songs on it that stand up to the big single. Still, the rest of the album is pretty cool. The title track may only be a mediocre opener but "Eat the Rich" more than makes up for it. The two tracks that follow "Screaming in the Night" are more classic metal tunes and of the two, I prefer "Nightwolf." There's almost a Judas Priest vibe on it but the weird thing is that Rob Halford does a guest backing vocal on the other track, "Ready to Burn." However, after those two tracks comes my second favourite song on the album, "Stayed Awake All Night." This two was released as a single but is not as memorable as the first one. Maybe it's because the song is more melodic than the others, sounds a bit like The Who, but all I know is that I like it. The final three tracks carry "Headhunter" out very well. "Stand and Be Counted" is a strong track and the instrumental, "White Din" is interesting. Unlike the opener, "Russian Winter" is a very nice closer, if not one of the better tracks on the album.

At the time, what impressed me the most about Krokus at the time was the fact they were Swiss. Back then, I naively thought that all the best metal bands came from the US, UK or Canada, the Scorpions being the exception. I was glad that a band came from another country because fast forwarding to now, we can say that heavy metal is truly world wide and it may have just started here.

Track Listing:

1. Headhunter
2. Eat the Rich
3.  Screaming in the Night
4. Ready to Burn
5. Nightwolf
6. Stayed Awake All Night
7. Stand and be Counted
8. White Din
9. Russian Winter

[caption id="attachment_3557" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Krokus[/caption]

Marc Storace- vocals

Fernando Von Arb- lead guitar

Mark Koehler- rhythm guitar

Chris von Rohr- bass, piano, percussion

Steve Pace- drums

Additional Vocals:

Rob Halford- backing vocals on "Ready to Burn"

Jimi Jamison- backing vocals

Unfortunately, in spite of a cool album with a great single, like Quiet Riot, Krokus would fade from mainstream attention for the same reason. Their follow up albums wouldn't be a great as the ones they made in 1983. That's all the more reason to enjoy "Headhunter." For me, it's Krokus's best album.

Next post: Anvil- Forged in Fire

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Great Metal Albums of 1983: Quiet Riot- Metal Health

 

Here's one reason why I was so excited about music in the Autumn of 1983. In the months leading up to when my household finally acquired MTV, we were still relying on the late night, half hour programme called "Video Rock" for our television musical feed. One video got a lot of play on that show, though I liked it and the song from the very first viewing. Sorry, no 80smetalman points for guessing it because I think you all know that it was "Cum On Feel the Noize" by Quiet Riot. Seeing this video and hearing the song, sometimes on radio, it was no wonder I was so pumped up when I went to see them open for Black Sabbath in the November. Black Sabbath/Quiet Riot is definitely in my top ten of concerts I've seen in my life. However, I didn't have to buy the album, "Metal Health" back then because my sister did. Of course, I borrowed it quite a lot.

Some misguided rock officianadoes, at least they think they are, have marked Quiet Riot as one hit wonders because later albums weren't as commercially successful as "Metal Health" and the follow up single, "Mental Health," only reached 31 in the charts. Hey, who gives a stuff about that? Obviously, these so-called experts never sat down and listened to the album because if they had, they would have been completely blown away. I know I was.

While the two singles lead the album, there are so many great metal tunes on it and a couple I wouldn't call metal but are good nonetheless. Take "Don't Wanna Let You Go" for example. There is definitely a funk infusion on this song that is definitely not metal but is good anyway. Plus there's the tribute song to the late Randy Rhoads, "Thunderbird." It is slow and there is a piano in it but I think Randy would have still approved of it. Another observation is that lead singer Kevin DuBrow's singing style is the same on those two songs as well as the more metal ones on the album. In fact, I think he would sound the same if he sang country/western.

What raises "Mental Health" to the precipice it stands upon is the great metal tunes on here. Everyone I know agrees that "Slick Black Cadillac" is a great metal tune and the harmonizing is done so well. I can hear a Black Sabbath vibe in "Life's a Bitch" at the beginning of the song while "Breathless" is a straight forward in your face metal tune as is "Run For Cover." "Let's Get Crazy" goes more on the anthem side of things but trust me, when they played it live, it had me ready to jump out of my seat. Guitarist Carlos Carvazo is more than sufficient throughout the album but he does get his time to shine on "Battleaxe." As far as I can remember, this was the second time I heard a track where the guitarist was just given the chance to show his stuff and Carlos rises to the occasion. "Eruption" was the first.

Track Listing:

1. Mental Health (Bang Your Head)
2.    Cum On Feel the Noize
3. Don't Wanna Let You Go
4. Slick Black Cadillac
5. Life's a Bitch
6. Breathless
7. Run For Cover
8. Battleaxe
9. Let's Get Crazy
10. Thunderbird

[caption id="attachment_3552" align="aligncenter" width="272"] Quiet Riot[/caption]

Kevin Dubrow- lead vocals

Carlos Carvazo- guitar, backing vocals

Rudy Sarzo- bass, synthesizer

Frankie Banali- drums, backing vocals

Not only was did "Metal Health" propel Quiet Riot onto the metal and commercial world stage, it gave a  famous British band from the 1970s its big break in the US. Once people learned that "Cum On Feel the Noize" was originally recorded by Slade, many people like myself investigated said band further. That would mean big things for Slade with their next album, which I'll get to in time. Besides, Mrs 80smetalman met Slade back in 1979. Like, "Pyromania" by Def Leppard, "Mental Health would be considered on of THE albums of 1983. In fact, here's a piece of useless information my strange brain managed to retain: "Cum on Feel the Noize" squared off against "Photograph" on the MTV Friday night video fights. From what I remember, "Photograph" won by a landslide.

Next Post: Krokus- Headhunter

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Great Metal Albums of 1983: Black Sabbath- Born Again

 

The first concert I saw at the Philadelphia Spectrum after getting out of the marines was Black Sabbath. Having heard the album they were promoting on the tour, "Born Again," I already knew that former Deep Purple lead singer, Ian Gillan, would be fronting them. However, I still thought it was a bit strange that when they came out for the second encore, they played "Smoke on the Water." Actually, that strange feeling lasted only for a few seconds because the song worked as did Gillan singing some of the more classic Sabbath songs. I thought he did a particularly good job on "Heaven and Hell."

This begs the question, if Ian Gillan sounded so good for Sabbath, then why did so many of the so-called rock critics slate it and why isn't this album considered one of their best? Let me address the second point. When I hear "Born Again," I don't immediately start pining for the more classic Sabbath albums like "Paranoid" or "Heaven and Hell" but I won't put it on the same level as those more memorable albums either. It's a great album but not a classic. As for the critics, well, what do they know?

Ian Gillan's Deep Purple influence comes out immediately on the album. "Trashed" could have been a Purple song. At least until Tony Iommi goes into one of his trademark guitar solos in the middle of the song. Plus, I can say the same thing for "Disturbing the Priest," although the instrumental track in between those two, "Stonehenge" tries too hard to copy "E5150." My hypothesis here is that Tony and Geezer let Ian sing according to his style and bent their guitar and bass playing styles around the vocals. Personally, I think they do a damned fine job of it as well. This really shows through on the track "Zero the Hero." Unlike some critic, I don't find the song embarrassing, I quite like it, especially how Tony Iommi nails the guitar solo on it.

My favourite track on the album has to be "Digital Bitch." I love the way, they take Gillan's shrieks and Tony's guitar and fuse them together. The title track is a more slower bluesier number. Black Sabbath have been doing these for years except in the past, they did it with a much heavier guitar. They don't do that so much with this one except for the chorus. At the time, it was believed that this would be the closest Black Sabbath would come to a power ballad. Ian Gillan's voice suits the song well but then he is definitely if not the best, one of the best vocalists in rock or metal.

Now I haven't forgotten to mention the interesting album cover. After all, I had it on a t-shirt. I always thought it very amusing even if the American religious community didn't. Now, I wish I still had that shirt.

Track Listing:

1. Trashed
2. Stonehenge
3. Disturbing the Priest
4. The Dark
5. Zero the Hero
6. Digital Bitch
7. Born Again
8. Hot Line
9. Keep it Warm

[caption id="attachment_3547" align="aligncenter" width="299"] Black Sabbath[/caption]

Tony Iommi- guitar

Ian Gillan- vocals

Geezer Butler- bass

Bill Ward- drums

Note: Bill Ward would not tour with the band for this album. Replacing him for the tour was former ELO drummer Bev Bevan

I wonder what would have happened if Ian Gillan had stuck around with Sabbath for a few more albums. Would musical history as we know it been changed? Hard to say. As we know, Ian would leave Sabbath after this and rejoin his mates Ritchie Blackmore and Roger Glover from Rainbow and reform that band they were in together during the early 1970s. Ian Gillan might have only recorded one album with Black Sabbath but it is definitely one to remember.

Next post: Because they supported Black Sabbath when I saw them, I thought it right that it be Quiet Riot- Metal Health

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