Great Metal Albums of 1983: Twisted Sister- You Can't Stop Rock and Roll

 

What better way to build up the excitement on the eve of Bloodstock than to post my favourite album from one of my all time favourite bands who will be headlining on the Friday night? Words can't express how pumped I am to see Twisted Sister's farewell UK gig. Yes, I'm aware that this might be a hype, after all, Ozzy has had three farewell tours but that doesn't lessen my excitement.

"You Can't Stop Rock and Roll" is the second album from Twisted Sister, though it was the first one I heard. I probably said this when I posted about "Under the Blade," but that album was only available as an import until 1985. Having seen them at Donington that summer, getting this album was a no brainer. Cliches aside, when I got it home and listened to it, I was even more blown away.

I think what I like most about Twisted Sister was many of their lyrics seemed to speak to me personally back then. Starting with the opener, "The Kids Are Back," okay, I'm only one person but I had only been out of the service a few months and I did walk the streets as a one man tattered army. I too asked myself about others who didn't appear to be having fun, how could I stop it. Most people back then couldn't understand that I was able to work hard and play hard. That made the fourth track my response to people. "I am, I'm Me!" and I didn't take seriously those who looked down on what I believed. Then comes "We're Gonna Make It." That song was my driving force come exam time when I was in college. Especially as I found in the service and out that life was mostly a case of "It's not what you know but who you knowin." To cap it off, my favourite Twisted Sister track of all time closes the album out and it's what I say to all those who have a problem with metal, "You Can't Stop Rock and Roll."

Maybe the other tracks weren't quite so personal to me but they are all great metal tunes. From the power riffs of "Knife in the Back" to the more ballad like "You're Not Alone (Suzette's Song) this album just rocks, plain and simple! I think that Jay Jay French and Eddie Ojeda play some of their finest guitar solos on this album. Now some have said that "You Can't Stop Rock And Roll" was the beginning of Twisted Sister's decent into more commercial sounding metal. Maybe be it's me but I never had that impression then nor do I have it now. This album for me is just amazing.

Track Listing:

1. The Kids Are Back
2. Knife in the Back
3. Ride to Live Live to Ride
4. I Am I'm Me
5. The Power and the Glory
6. We're Gonna Make It
7. I've Had Enough
8. I'll Take You Alive
9. You're Not Alone (Suzette's Song)
10. You Can't Stop Rock and Roll

[caption id="attachment_2918" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Twisted Sister[/caption]

Dee Snider- lead vocals

Jay Jay French- guitar, backing vocals

Eddie 'Fingers' Ojeda- guitar, backing vocals

Mark 'The Animal' Mendoza- bass ,backing growls

A. J. Pero- drums, percussion

When I saw Twisted Sister at Bloodstock, they played three songs from this album, "You Can't Stop Rock and Roll," "The Kids are Back" and "I Am, I'm Me." These are all great songs but since this is their farewell tour I would love for them to play more from it. Definitely, I would love for them to play "Knife in the Back," "Ride to Live Live to Ride" and "We're Gonna Make It." Then again, anything they play from this album will have me screaming loudly as it is my fave. Being the Twisted Sister fanatic that I am, an entire post will be dedicated to their time on stage. We'll I'll be off in the morning.

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

Great Metal Albums of 1982: Twisted Sister- Under the Blade

 

From great EP's often come great albums. Three of the four songs featured on Twisted Sister's EP, "Rough Cutts" would go on to be recorded on their debut album, "Under the Blade." Many people have said that the earlier the Twisted Sister material, the better and you can't get much earlier than this album. Although for me personally, their best album was yet to come but that takes nothing away from just how great "Under the Blade" is.

Having seen Twisted Sister live five times, two of those as headliners, one thing I founnd disappointing both times was that they don't play enough songs from their first two albums. Obviously, they will play more songs from their most successful album but I would have loved to have heard them play more from this album. The songs that were played were the title cut and "Shoot'em Down." Both are fantastic songs, but I would have loved to hear "Run For Your Life" as well as my favourite track on the album "Bad Boys of Rock and Roll." That's one I like singing to myself whilst moving around the house. Furthermore, the closer "Day of the Rocker" would have been a mindblowing song to close the show. I don't know if it's Eddie or Jay Jay who play the guitar solo on this one but it's a killer. Whenever, someone casts doubts upon the guitar playing of French and Ojeda, I immediately think of "Day of the Rocker" as a counter. Any other song would have been great to hear live and at the moment, both "Run For Your Life" and "Tear It Loose" come to mind especially.

Before 1985, this album was only available in the US as an import. I did see it in a music store once but had no money on me at the time. When I went back a few days later, it was gone. I had to wait until 1985 when it was re released on Atlantic Records to get it. That version has the very amusing single "I'll Never Grow Up Now" on it. Back in the day, that was something I was feeling quite a bit  but it's another song I like to keep singing after it has long since ended.

Track Listing:

1. What You Don't Know (Sure Can't Hurt You)
2. Bad Boys of Rock and Roll
3. Run For Your Life
4. Sin After Sin
5. Shoot'em Down
6. Destroyer
7. Under the Blade
8. Tear It Loose
9.                                                                   I ll Never Grow Up Now
   10.                                                                    Day of the Rocker

[caption id="attachment_2918" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Twisted Sister[/caption]

Dee Snider- vocals

Jay Jay French- guitar, backing vocals

Eddie 'Fingers' Ojeda- guitar, backing vocals

Mark 'the Animal' Mendoza- bass, backing vocals

AJ Pero- drums

"Under the Blade" is such a great album. It's raw and shows a band that were lean, mean and hungry. Every track is an absolute winner for me and it just so happens that Twisted Sister have one more chance to show off this album. They will be playing their farewell concert at Bloodstock next summer and I have every intention of making it there to witness this important piece of history. Let's hope that they will play a few more songs from this iconic album.

On the same day at Bloodstock, two slots before the great Twisted Sister, Venom will be invading the stage. Therefore, in respect to that, their 1982 album will be my next post.

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