1984 Ends in Metal Tragedy

 [caption id="attachment_2403" align="aligncenter" width="292"] Hanoi Rocks[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2427" align="aligncenter" width="290"] Motley Crue[/caption]

History can never debate that 1984 was the golden year of heavy metal. So many great albums from so many great bands and they even played metal on the radio and MTV. Never again would the genre get so much commercial exposure. However, even with all the great metal, the year would end in a very tragic anti- climax and mean the death of a drummer and his band and another similar tragedy would nearly claim the life of another drummer.

On December 8, members of the bands Hanoi Rocks and Motley Crue had been engaged in a massive drinking binge that had been going on, according to reports, for four days. More booze was being called for so Motley Crue's Vince Neil, eager to show off his new 1972 Ford Pantera, volunteered to make the run even though he was well over the legal drink drive limit and took Hanoi Rocks drummer, Razzle, with him. At 6:38, Neil lost control of his car, (driving 65 in a 25mph zone might have had something to do with it) while swerving around a stationary fire truck and careered into oncoming traffic hitting two other cars. The driver and a passenger in one of the cars was seriously injured and taken to hospital while the driver of the second was miraculously uninjured. Vince himself only suffered cracked ribs and cuts to his face. Things weren't so fortunate for Razzle, he was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

The loss of Razzle would spell the end for Hanoi Rocks, the band would break up shortly after. Vince Neil's troubles were only beginning as he would have to pay $2.6 million in compensation to the victims, do 200 hours of community service and serve time in prison, albeit a mere 30 days! People are still talking about the leniency of that sentence still. Like I said when I posted about Hanoi Rock's last studio album, I got the chance to see this band about three weeks before the tragedy happened at a small New Jersey night club. That's why this tragedy continues to weigh heavy on me.

If the loss of Razzle compliments of Vince Neil wasn't bad enough, further tragedy would happen on the final day of the year. Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen would lose his arm in car accident. While trying to overtake another car at high speed, Rick lost control of his car, hit a dry stone wall and entered a field where he was thrown from his car because he didn't have his seat belt properly fastened. His left arm was severed and though doctors reattached it, had to re-amputate it on account of infection. Rick's girlfriend also suffered head and neck injuries as well as a concussion. Although this was a tragedy at the time, Rick would be one of the greatest 'overcoming of adversity' stories in all of music.

When 1984 proceeded to 85, a few misguided individuals used these tragedies as some sort of symbol that heavy metal was on its way out. Fools! Yes, heavy metal would never again enjoy the commercial airplay it had in that year, but it would never go away. The lack of radio and MTV play would do nothing to halt record sales and sold out concert attendances.

Next post: My 20 Favourite Power Ballads- 11-20

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

Great Metal Albums of 1984: Hanoi Rocks- Two Steps From the Move

 

Coming to the final month in 1984, just when I thought that the year of metal might be coming to end, I get news of a band shown on MTV coming to a local club. That band just happend to be, yes you guessed it, Hanoi Rocks. Previous to their appearance, I did happen to catch the video to their single, a cover of the CCR classic, "Up Around the Bend." The video impressed me enough to go to the club and to make a long story short, I was rather impressed. In fact, I sometimes wonder if I should have included that gig in "Rock and Roll Children." My reason for not doing so was because KISS came to Philadelphia that evening and I concluded that the main characters would have gone to see KISS instead. However, I do mention in the story that Bob's older brother Mitch goes to see Hanoi Rocks.

Hanoi Rocks's performance on that memorable evening further motivated me to get their then latest release, "Two Steps From the Move." Another decision I have never regretted because this album is very good. I would be lying if I didn't say that "Up Around the Bend" is my favourite track on it. I had always liked the original version and what Hanoi Rocks did was take a great classic and totally metalize it. However, the album is full of great metal jams. The ones which stick out especially are: "I Can't Get It," "Underwater World, which has a good guitar solo and "Million Miles Away" is as good a power ballad as any. The hidden gem on the album has to be "Boulevard of Broken Dreams." The energy on that song is simply phenomenal! Definitely one to blast driving with the window down and "Boiler" is quite amusing. On the other hand and as cliche as this sounds, all the songs really kick ass. If I were to nit pick, it would be that "Don't You Ever Leave Me" should have been the closer of the album but that's a tiny technicality.

Track Listing:

1. Up Around the Bend
2. High School
3. I Can't Get It
4. Underwater World
5. Don't You Ever Leave Me
6. Million Miles Away
7. Boulevard of Broken Dreams
8. Boiler (Me Boiler 'n' Me)
9. Futurama
10. Cutting Corners

[caption id="attachment_2403" align="aligncenter" width="329"] Hanoi Rocks[/caption]

Michael Monroe- lead vocals and saxophone

Andy McCoy- lead guitar, vocals

Nasty Suicide- guitar, vocals

Sam Yaffa- bass, vocals

Razzle- drums, vocals

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9qHE9P8tHE

In 1984, Hanoi Rocks were on the threshold of international stardom. Unfortunately, just a few short weeks after I saw them obliterate a small club in New Jersey, tragedy would strike the band which would lead to their eventual break up. While it's no secret what that tragedy was, I thought it would be better to go into more detail next post. Right now, focus on the band's happier times with this great album.

Next post: 1984 Ends in Metal Tragedy

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

Great Metal Albums of 1983: Hanoi Rocks- Back to Mystery City

 

It took me a couple of listens before I finally was able to get into Hanoi Rocks' 1983 release, "Back to Mystery City." At the time, I hadn't heard of them and it would be another year before I actually did when they played a small club in New Jersey. On the other hand, it's been fun delving into their backlog of albums, even this one. It might have taken a couple of listens but I can say now, "I like it."

The weird thing was that Youtube has this album backwards. The actual first track on the album is the last one on Youtube and vice versa. So, I ask myself, would my listening experience have been different if I had listened to the album in the correct order? My answer: I don't think so. The order doesn't matter here. The short instrumental opening, "Strange Boys Play Weird Openings" could have been called "Strange Boys Play Weird Closings." it's inter-changeable.

Before I get further obsessed with the order of the songs, let's look at the songs themselves. There are a number of good ones so I'll start with the one I'm least impressed with, "Lick Summer Love." It's not a terrible song, nor even a bad one but it doesn't move me either. Hanoi Rocks tries to introduce a calypso feel to the song but it doesn't quite work. Again, I don't hate the song but it is at a level below the others on "Back to Mystery City." Then again, Michael Monroe wrote the song when he was seventeen and has since said that he hated the lyrics.

Now let's go to the positives and there are many. I can't say a bad thing about the rest of the album and it has been difficult for me to pick a favourite track. Each one seems as good as the last one. For example, after riding the mid tempo "Until I Get You" which has been said to typify the band's seventies glam rock style, I get pounded with "Sailing Down the Tears." Now that I have had a moment to think, if I have to pick a favourite, it's going to be "Tooting Bec Wreck." This is more up tempo for me and works on so many levels. Maybe it's me but I do hear a slight influence of the famous Sweet song, "Ballroom Blitz" on it. Plus it's the best song for appreciating Sam Yaffa's bass skills. Then there's the one single from the album, "Malibu Beach Nightmare," which Andy McCoy wrote while smoking hashish. Maybe certain drugs can influence creativity, lol. It was originally recorded in calypso fashion as a joke but the band decided to record it as a rock song, good decision in retrospect. "Mental Beat" is quite a cool song too.

Track Listing:

1. Strange Boys Play Weird Openings
2. Malibu Beach Nightmare
3. Mental Beat
4. Tooting Bec Wreck
5. Until I Get You
6. Sailing Down the Tears
7. Lick Summer Love
8. Beating Gets Faster
9. Ice Cream Summer
10. Back to Mystery City

[caption id="attachment_2403" align="aligncenter" width="349"] Hanoi Rocks[/caption]

Michael Monroe- lead vocals, saxophone, harmonica

Andy McCoy- lead guitar

Nasty Suicide- rhythm guitar

Sam Yaffa- bass

Razzle- drums

Hanoi Rocks were putting out solid albums in rapid succession and beginning to find more commercial success in 1983. "Back to Mystery City" was a good stepping stone in that direction.

Next post: Riot- Born in America

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

Great Metal Albums of 1982: Hanoi Rocks- Self Destruction Blues

 

First of all, no one spotted the mistake in my last post. Boppinsblog came close as he pointed out that "Live At Budokan" was a Cheap Trick album, so one 80smetalman gold star awarded there. But that wasn't the mistake I was referring to. Boppinsblog was close though because the mistake had to do with the quote from Wayne's World. See, the quote I used on the last post was from Wayne's World 1 while the photo below it was from Wayne's World 2. I'm afraid that no one gets the grand prize this time.

Now onto the second album in 1982 from Finnish glam metallers, Hanoi Rocks. When I visited the predecessor, "Oriental Beat," I commented on what a great feel good, party album it was and I stick by that. I won't be so flowery about the second album, "Self Destruction Blues." The album just simply bloody rocks!

Just about every track on this album is an absolute corker and one thing that it has in common with its predecessor is that each songs seems to improve as the album progresses. Except for maybe "Whispers in the Dark," that's not quite as good as the others. However, putting it first wouldn't be a good idea because "Love's an Injection" is such a great opener. If you think that "Problem Child" was a cover of the AC/DC classic, it is nothing of the sort. It's still a cool song.

What I find about most of the songs on this album is that the titles of the songs hardly appear in their song. "Desperado," my favourite track, is only sung once. If I didn't have the title in front of me, I would have thought it was called "Ten Thousand Heartaches." Nevertheless, the song is just brilliant so full marks to the band for that little twist. The same can be said for such other cool tracks like "Beer and a Cigarette" and "Kill City Kills." Again both are great tracks. The title track is actually done in a blues fashion and it's good to hear Michael Monroe's voice stretching out a bit. Full marks to the band again. The closer, "Dead by Xmas," in my mind is a case of Bon Jovi meets The Clash. I mean the piano sounds very similar to that on the first Bon Jovi single "Runaway." Then when the song kicks in, it sounds very much like The Clash but it's well done. In fact, I think the humour that went into the album, along with some fine songs, make "Self Destruction Blues" a fantastic album.

Track Listing:

1. Love's an Injection
2. I Want You
3. Cafe Avenue
4. Nothing New
5. Kill City Kills
6. Self Destruction Blues
7. Beer and a Cigarette
8. Whispers in the Dark
9. Taxi Driver
10. Desperado
11. Problem Child
12. Dead by Xmas

[caption id="attachment_2403" align="aligncenter" width="317"] Hanoi Rocks[/caption]

Michael Monroe- lead vocals

Andy McCoy- guitar

Nasty Suicide- guitar

Sam Yaffa- bass

Gyp Casino- drums

After the recording of the album, Gyp Casino would leave the band and be replaced by Razzle

Another fun hard rocking album from Hanoi Rocks in 1982. Had I been more aware of this band in the year, I would have concluded that Finland must be a place to rock because albums like this one certainly give that impression.

Next Post: Saxon- The Eagle Has Landed

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Great Metal Albums of 1982: Hanoi Rock- Oriental Beat

 

Hanoi Rocks didn't come to my knowledge until 1984 and there is a story behind that which I will tell when I get to the year, but as far as 1982, they were a complete non entity. Even though I was travelling around Southern Europe at the time the album, "Oriental Beat" was released, it still escaped my attention. I don't ever recall seeing it in that record store in Toulon, France. It became another album I had to trawl back through Hanoi Rocks's backlog for. Upon hearing it, I definitely don't regret it.

Now I don't want to brandish the term "party album" around too liberally, since I have used the term to talk about other albums but I have to say that it definitely applies to "Oriental Beat." This an album that would get everyone at a party just pumping their fists high in the air and singing along to all of the catchy choruses. It's easy to say that the band doesn't take itself too seriously, especially when I hear the lyrics of "Lightning Bar Blues" but there seems to be a vibe in the music that says that they do want to be taken seriously, at least a little bit. I get it most when I hear the closer, the ballad "Fallen Star." Plus, there are some good intros, like the opener, "No Law, No Order" and "MC Baby." Maybe that's what is so good about "Oriental Beat."

I have only met two people from Hanoi Rocks's native Finland and they were both ladies. I did think that with one, our meeting might lead to better things but, sadly, it wasn't to be. They both told me that all types of music are popular there and they both heard of the band. Though they didn't venture forth an opinion on them. As I listen again to the albums of Hanoi Rocks, I'm getting the impression that maybe Finnish people do like to have fun and maybe music like this helps them to do that. BTW, I do remember meeting another Finn but he was only eleven. Still, he was one hell of an ice hockey player.

1. Motorvatin'
2. Don't Follow Me
3. Visitor
4. Teenage Outsiders
5. Sweet Home Suburbia
6. MC Baby
7. No Law No Order
8. Oriental Beat
9. Devil Woman
10. Lightning Bar Blues
11. Fallen Star

[caption id="attachment_2403" align="aligncenter" width="265"] Hanoi Rocks[/caption]

Michael Monroe- vocals

Andy McCoy- lead guitar

Nasty Suicide- rhythm guitar

Sam Yaffa- bass

Gyp Casino- drums

Next time you host a party, put this album on. I'm sure that if your guests are like minded about their music as you are, the party mood will be greatly enhanced. While, this might have been a retro album for me, I still enjoyed it quite a lot.

Next post: Motorhead- Iron Fist

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

Great Metal Albums of 1981: Bangkok Shocks, Saigon Shakes, Hanoi Rocks

Here's yet another metal band that didn't come to my attention until they had a few albums under their belt. Unfortunately, I never heard of Hanoi Rocks until 1984 when I saw them play at a small club in New Jersey, almost exactly one month before the tragic event that would eventually cause the band to split up shortly after. I'll go into more details about that when I get to 1984 but they way I'm going, even with two posts a week, it looks like that's going to be quite awhile. Right now, it's their debut album "Bangkok Shocks, Saigon Shakes, Hanoi Rocks" which came out long before Razzle joined the band.

I was already familiar with the opening and best known track from the album, "Tragedy," which I have on a compilation CD and so, that song gave me a bit of optimism when I listened to the album. It is a really good song, arguably one of their best. When I hear it, I want to regress back to my youth and jump around my living room playing air guitar. However, the rest of the album has a good number of rocking tracks too. "Stop Cryin'" has a very ear catching intro and the next three tracks, "Don't Ever Leave Me," "Lost in the City" and "First Timer" are all really good rockers on their own. Come to think of it, "Cheyenne" is also a stand out track. My conclusion is that this was another album I regret missing back in the day but am glad that I did get to hear it eventually.

Track Listing:

1. Tragedy

2. Village Girl

3. Stop Cryin'

4. Don't Ever Leave Me

5. Lost in the City

6. First Timer

7. Cheyenne

8. 11th Street Kids

9. Walking With My Angel

10. Pretender

[caption id="attachment_2403" align="aligncenter" width="265" class=" "] Hanoi Rock[/caption]

Michael Monroe- lead vocals, piano, saxophone, harmonica

Andy McCoy- guitars, backing vocals

Nasty Suicide- guitars, backing vocals

Sam Yaffa- bass

Gyp Casino- drums

In 1981, heavy metal was still developing but even then, it was grabbing people's attention all over the world. Hanoi Rocks is Finland's most successful band and with their debut album I can certainly understand why.

Next post: Riot- Fire Down Under

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