Great Metal Albums of 1983: Vandenburgh- Heading For a Storm

 

Thinking back in the annals of history, one might be inclined to believe that 1983 might have been a pivotal year for Dutch bands. First Golden Earring proved they weren't one hit wonders with their "Cut" album which featured the hit, "Twilight Zone." Then later on that year, I stumbled into my local bar just in time to see this band called Vandenberg on MTV. I can't say that I was totally blown away by them but I did very much like what I saw and heard and it compelled me to investigate more. A friend of my sister ranted about their album "Heading For a Storm" and I would later learn that Vandenberg supported Ozzy Osbourne on tour. What further incentive was needed?

"Heading For a Storm" is yet further proof that in 1983, the dam had truly burst and heavy metal was flooding the world whether it liked it or not. The album starts out with three straight ahead rockers. "Friday Night" might sound cliche these days but it's still a good opener and the next two tracks get progressively better. "Different Worlds" is a typical power ballad but you can't fault it one bit. Besides after that comes my pick for the album, This is War." On this song, lead singer Bert Heerink is at his best on the vocals backed up with some great harmonizing from his band mates. But what makes this song and the album as a whole is the guitar work from Adrian Vandenberg. If anyone has any questions as to why he was picked to join Whitesnake four years after this, then have a listen to the album and the track, "This is War," in particular.

AV's guitar work doesn't end with that song. Afterwards, the album holds that level my favourite track takes it to. I really love the opening metal riffs on the title track and after some more good harmonizing, Adrian nails another great guitar solo. "Rock On" sounds a bit new wave with its opening chords but it goes more metal with AV putting in some cool guitar breaks during the verses and the song has a cool chorus. All of that takes the album out fine with the closing track.

Track Listing:

1. Friday Night
2. Welcome to the Club
3. Time Will Tell
4. Different Worlds
5. This is War
6. I'm on Fire
7. Heading For a Storm
8. Rock On
9. Waiting For the Night

[caption id="attachment_3655" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Vandenberg[/caption]

Adrian Vandenberg- guitar, backing vocals, also designed the album cover

Bert Heernik- lead vocals

Dick Kemper- bass, pedals, backing vocals

Jos Zoomer- drums, backing vocals

 Let me say one thing here! While I might gush over the guitar greatness of Adrian Vandenberg, the unsung hero of the album is Bert Heernik. I have always had tons of respect for any singer who sings in English when it's not their first language. On "Heading For a Storm," he does a grand job and credit should be given where due. After all, "Heading For a Storm" is an album that definitely deserves accolades.

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

Great Rock Albums of 1983: Golden Earring- Cut

 

Here goes my memory haunting me again. The major attribute about the band Golden Earring I have constantly forgotten over the years is the fact that they are Dutch. I won't bore you by preaching to the choir that this is further proof that good music isn't limited to any one nation, but you know. What my forgetfulness is forcing me to do is to change the post I wrote several months ago about my choices for National Anthems. For those familiar with the post, I chose the song "Down in the Silver Mine" by Diesel for The Netherlands. That is still a great song but there is a far better and more deserving song to represent Holland. That song is none other than "Radar Love" by Golden Earring. So, if nobody has any objections, I will go back to that post and amend this.

Unfortunately, many people, including a good number in the rock and metal world have Golden Earring down for being one hit wonders. They only know "Radar Love." While I never had them down for that, I didn't realize that they have an extremely rich discography which I am salivating over having a listen to. Some will argue that they are two hit wonders because of the single from this album in 1983, "Twilight Zone." Believe me, the "Cut" album alone is too good to dismiss Golden Earring as such.

Without any of the flowery wording, let's just say that "Cut" is a very good hard rock album. One could go as far as to say that they are melodic hard rock in respect to the album. The horns in the opener, "The Devil Made Me Do It" remind me slightly of their all time classic but there is some good rock to be had. The next three tracks are all melodic hard rock tracks with "Baby Dynamite" being the best of them. "Lost and Found" is more of a straight forward rock tune with some decent harmonizing by the band. I think "Chargin' Up My Batteries" influenced later new wave artists but I can't quite put my finger on who would sound like the song and "Secrets" is just simply a good closer.

Normally, I get a little nervous when the hit single is the best track on the album. If you heard "Twilight Zone" back in the day, please forget the shortened down radio/MTV version. The proper version is nearly eight minutes long and with some really cool long guitar solos. It makes a catchy radio oriented song that much better. Hey, there's even a bass solo in it. A great song but while it is the best track on "Cut," it doesn't stand so far above the other tracks that it diminishes them. What this combo does is make the album that much better.

Track Listing:

1. The Devil Made Me Do It
2. Future
3. Baby Dynamite
4. Last of the Mohicans
5. Lost and Found
6. Twilight Zone
7. Chargin' Up My Batteries
8. Secrets

Golden Earring

Rinus Gerritsen- bass, keyboards

Barry Hay- guitar, vocals

George Koomans- guitar, vocals

Robert Jan Stips- synthesizer

Ceasar Zuiderwijk- drums

Not long ago, I commented on another blog that Golden Earring's famous hit, "Radar Love," appeared as a driving song in "Wayne's World 2." That is a great cruising song apart from being a classic rock tune. However, Golden Earring were never one hit wonders as the "Cut" album proves.

Next post: George Thorogood and the Destroyers- Bad to the Bone

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

Great Rock Albums of 1981: Diesel- Watts in a Tank

The same friend who first introduced me to The Fools and U2 in 1981, also introduced me to this album by Dutch rockers, Diesel. I instantly identified with the big Top 40 hit "Sausalito Sumernight," because the rambler they were singing about in the song could as easily have been the beat up 1973 Chevy Nova I was driving at the time. Trust me. However, even if it wasn't for that, I still would have liked the song for its humorous approach and the guitar solo at the end. What was more fortunate was that this friend played the entire "Watts In a Tank?" album and I could see that the rest of it was pretty good too.

Back then I was also a big Dungeons and Dragons player too. Hey 1537, maybe we should get together for a game sometime. Anyway back to this album, one evening shortly after, while playing said game, all of the characters in the party where at an inn when the Dungeon Master (DM) announced that the evening's entertainment would be provided by Gimli and the Dwarves. Next thing, we were treated to "Down in the Silvermine" from this very album. Since, I was playing a dwarf character that night, I stated that he immediately got up on the table and started dancing to the music. Note: the character did this, I didn't do it myself. Ever since then, that song has been my favourite Diesel song.

There are some other great tracks on the album as well and some that have some personal meaning to me. I listen to or think of the track "Good Morning Day" on the morning after there has been some change in my life. "Going Back to China" has a humorous nod to it as does  "Remember the Romans." Both songs are really well played. "Alibi" is another stand out track. "Watts in a Tank?" falls somewhere between hard rock and power pop and that's is probably why it had some chart success in 1981 and probably why I like it. Going back to "Good Morning Day," there are some decent power chords in that one. The same goes for the closer "Bite Back" that takes the album home very nicely.

Track Listing:

1. Sausalito Summernight

2. Going Back to China

3. Alibi

4. My Kind of Woman

5. All Because of You

6. Down in the Silvermine

7. Good Morning Day

8. Ready For Love

9. The Harness

10. Remember the Romans

11. Bite Back

[caption id="attachment_2268" align="aligncenter" width="259"] Diesel[/caption]

Rob Vunderink- guitars, lead vocals

Mark Boon- guitars, lead vocals

Frank Papendrecht- bass, backing vocals

Pim Koopman- drums, keyboards, backing vocals

I once heard chart show host Casey Kasem say in 1981 that the Dutch bought more records per capita than anyone else in the Western world. So, it's easy to imagine a Dutch band making it in the US. (Not sure how they did in the UK that year.) Fortunately instead of giving the world another trendy plastic bubble gum pop boy band, they gave the world Diesel and "Watts In a Tank." That's something to thank the Dutch for.

Next post: The J. Geils Band- Freeze Frame

To buy Rock and Roll Children, go to: www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/RockAndRollChildren.html
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