Great Rock Albums of 1983: Molly Hatchet- No Guts No Glory

 

One Southern Rock band that did still get some attention up North in 1983 was the great Molly Hatchet. What excited many Hatchet fans north and south of the Mason-Dixon Line was the return of lead singer Danny Joe Brown to the band to record the "No Guts No Glory" album. For those who are new to 80smetalman, it might be a good idea to have a crash history lesson. Danny Joe Brown left Molly Hatchet after the magnificent "Flirtin' With Disaster" album, actually he was kicked out because of his drinking, and replaced by lead singer Jimmy Farrar who sang on the next two albums, "Beatin' the Odds" and "Take No Prisoners." While there was nothing wrong with either of those albums and Jimmy Farrar is a very capable singer, there seemed to be something missing from those albums. It was hoped that Brown's return would re-ignite the chemistry that brought them fame with "Flirtin' With Disaster."

The old chemistry certainly does return on the "No Guts No Glory" album from the very first song. Things definitely feel very upbeat on the first two songs and at the time, I wanted to scream, although I did inwardly, "Welcome back Danny!" While the first two tracks set the pace for the entire album, it is the third track that propels things into the ionosphere. "Sweet Dixie" is one of those Southern rock boogie tunes that has me bouncing in my chair whenever I hear it. Unless I'm walking, then it makes me quicken my step. Even when I returned north after I got out of the service, the lyrics reminded me of the good things about being down South.

"Just give me those stars and bars, Willie on the radio

A good cold beer and that rebel cheer

And man I'm ready to roll

That sweet sweet Dixie music really gets into my soul

So Mr Deejay won't you play that Southern rock and roll."

Of course the guitars of Dave Hlubeck, Duane Roland and Steve Holland are all over that song as well as the entire album but the song where they really shine is the best known song from the album, "Fall of the Peacemakers." Written as a lament over the murder of John Lennon although I always saw it as an anti- war song, the three guitarists lay down some killer solos in the style of "Freebird" or "Highway Song" on the final five minutes of it. "Fall of the Peacemakers" has been said to have been Molly Hatchet's own "Freebird." The guitars are certainly good enough.

Having originally bought "No Guts No Glory" on vinyl, actually my first vinyl purchase upon leaving the service, the songs mentioned were side one. Side two is definitely not filler. There are five awesome tracks on it that keep the party going very well. Of those five, the standout for me is "Kinda Like Love." They do throw in something a bit different at the end as the closer, "Both Sides," is an instrumental. Some more great guitar work on it to end the album just right.

Other interesting facts about the album are the fact that this is the only Molly Hatchet album not to portray a Franzetta painting on the cover. Another is the use of keyboards. Danny Joe Brown was wise to bring John Galvin over from his Danny Joe Brown band to play on the album. The album also features a completely new rhythm section with Riff West on bass and Barry BB Borden on drums. They work very well here.

Track Listing:

1. What Does it Matter
2. Ain't Even Close
3. Sweet Dixie
4. Fall of the Peacemakers
5. What's it Gonna Take
6. Kinda Like Love
7. Under the Gun
8. On the Prowl
9. Both Sides

[caption id="attachment_3121" align="aligncenter" width="276"] Molly Hatchet[/caption]

Danny Joe Brown- vocals

Dave Hlubeck- guitars

Duane Roland- guitar

Steve Holland- guitar

Riff West- bass

Barry BB Borden- drums

Additional musicians:

John Galvin- keyboards

Jai Winding- keyboards

*Note- Steve Holland would leave the band during the tour for the album and John Galvin would replace him and become a permanent member

Thanks to the return of Danny Joe Brown, many would say that Molly Hatchet was back. I know they never really went anywhere but the "No Guts No Glory" album in my mind, returned them to former glory.

Next post: Talking Heads- Speaking in Tongues

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

Great Rock Albums of 1983: Blackfoot- Siogo

 

Further evidence to support the fact that Southern Rock was becoming a non entity north of the Mason-Dixon Line is to be found with Blackfoot's 1983 album, "Siogo." It's also yet another reason why I was glad I got to spend three months in the South. In the years running up to 83, Blackfoot had been slowly but surely gaining attention in the North thanks to their three best known albums, "Strikes," "Tomcattin'" and "Marauder." However, when I did return North in the middle of the year, it seemed that no one had known they put out a new album and it was fortunate I had bought it in North Carolina because it would have been tougher to find it in New Jersey.

"Siogo" marked a slight change of direction for Blackfoot in the sense that they acquired keyboards player Ken Hensley. Many metalheads and hard rockers normally panic when a band known for hard power chords from the guitar adds keyboards. There is the belief that said band is selling out, going commercial or whatever and Van Halen in 1986 proves that point but that story is for another time. Well, you can all rest easy because when I first heard the single from the album, "Send Me and Angel," I thought the keyboards went well with the hard crunching guitar that Blackfoot was known for. Everything else associated with Blackfoot was in place, the great guitar solos, Rick Medlocke's unmistakable vocals and the rhythm section provided by Walker and Spires.

Let me get right to the point, "Siogo" is a great album and it's unfortunate it has been overlooked so long. It also proves that the addition of a keyboard does not destroy the sound of a hard and heavy band if employed properly. Dio is the ultimate example but again, that's for another time. Proof of this with this album lies in the track "Goin' in Circles." You can hear the keyboards in support at the beginning when the guitars pound in on the intro to the song. They add flavour to it and then go on a support role as the song gets into full gear and there's a killer guitar solo on it. If you want to hear Hensley at his keyboard best, then the track "We're Going Down" is the one. His keyboard solo is the highlight of a song that is no less rocky. The rest of the album is more old school Blackfoot if there is such a thing. Full of trademark intros, see "Teenage Idol" and "Crossfire" here and straight forward, blow your eardrums hard rock music. I said it before but it still applies with "Siogo," Blackfoot could be called "Southern Metal."

When I first looked at the track listing and saw a track called "Sail Away," I thought that this was going to be some sort of ballad. After all, there are plenty of songs with similar titles that are. However, the song that bears the title on this album is nothing of the sort. Okay, maybe the first two notes of the intro may give that impression but the rest of the song just rocks! And don't be fooled by the lyrics of "White Man's Land." It's nothing racist, the song, at least to me, is a dig at the rat race and I can definitely see where they're coming from here. Besides, the song reminds me a little of the classic "Train, Train."

Track Listing:

1. Send Me an Angel
2. Crossfire
3. Heart's Grown Cold
4. We're Goin' Down
5. Teenage Idol
6. Goin' in Circles
7. Run For Cover
8. White Man's Land
9. Sail Away
10. Drivin' Fool

[caption id="attachment_3114" align="aligncenter" width="200"] Blackfoot[/caption]

Rick Medlocke- lead vocals, guitar

Charlie Hargrett- guitar

Ken Hensley- keyboards, backing vocals

Greg T. Walker- bass, backing vocals

Jackson Spires- drums, backing vocals

I'm afraid that I'm going to have to say, "Damn Yankees" for the fact that this album has been overlooked up North. Fortunately, I was in the South so I didn't miss out on it, to which I'm glad. "Siogo" is definitely a Blackfoot album that deserves a mention when you say the band's name.

Next post: Molly Hatchet- No Guts, No Glory

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

Great Rock Albums of 1983: Doc Holliday- Modern Medicine

 

Here's another reason why I was glad that I spent my final three months in the marines down south. Nantucket headlined the Mayfair Festival that great day in May, 1983 and were fantastic but the band on right before them was just as good. On that day, Doc Holliday reinforced what I have always loved and continue to love about Southern Rock. If I hadn't been there, I would have missed them because like I said previously, many people up North had moved on from Southern Rock in 1983. That is why my only album experience of Doc Holliday to this day was their 1983 "Modern Medicine" album.

The band being from Atlanta, Georgia, their album has all the trademarks of all things good about Southern Rock but that doesn't stop Doc Holliday from putting their own personal stamp on things. All of the above is evidenced in the very first song on the album, "City Nights." The keyboard at the beginning rams home the 'these guys are a bit different' feeling before quickly going into more harder southern boogie guitar work complimented by typical Southern lyrics about partying and getting drunk. "City Nights" sets the rest of the album perfectly.

Other songs go a bit harder after that for most of the songs. "Rock City," "Hell to Pay," "Gimme Some" and "No Relation to Love" are all hard rocking scorchers. But if you are looking for ballads, then "You Don't Have to Cry" fills that bill very nicely. It's a good Southern love song with some rather impressive guitar work. It provides a kind of break in the action between all the harder songs mentioned above so it's not out of place. "You Turn Me On" sounds almost like a 1970s funk tune but Doc Holliday pull it off perfectly. It is my conclusion that those damn Yankees up North shouldn't have been so quick to abandon Southern Rock because many of them missed out on one hell of a band.

Track Listing:

1. City Nights
2. Dreamin'
3. Gimme Some
4. You Don't Have to Cry
5. Rock City
6. Hell to Pay
7. No Relation to Love
8. You Turn Me On
9. We're Not Alone
10. You Like to Rock

[caption id="attachment_3110" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Doc Holliday[/caption]

Ric Skelton- guitar

Bruce Brookshire- lead vocals, lead and slide guitar, synths

Eddie Stone- synths, piano, backing vocals

John Samuelson- bass, backing vocals

Herman Nixon- drums

Thank God that in 1983 I got to go to the Mayfair Festival and witness this band. If I hadn't, I would not have experienced the "Modern Medicine" album because Doc Holliday's fame never spread to New Jersey. That is a shame but at least I got to hear them and can tell you how great they were and hopefully, you will give them a listen on Youtube.

Next post: Blackfoot- Sirrocco

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

Great Rock Albums of 1983: Nantucket- No Direction Home

 

One thing I am grateful for as I reflect back on 1983 was the fact that I got to spend my remaining three months in the marines in North Carolina. If I hadn't, I might have missed out on some great stuff from a few of the great Southern Rock bands that were around at the time, Nantucket being one of them. By 1983, Southern Rock was once again contained to the South. Many people from the North had moved on from listening to what for me was a great sub-genre of rock. In the case of Nantucket, it was most unfortunate, because the world didn't get to hear what a great band they were.

Memories came flooding back as soon as I listened to the album, "No Direction Home," after so many years. I remember the single, "Hiding From Love," which was written by Bryan Adams getting a good amount of airplay on the local station in North Carolina. While Bryan's influence can be heard on the song, Nantucket certainly make the song their own, adding that Southern boogie vibe that all great Southern Rock bands are known for.

A criticism that was being aimed at Southern bands in the mid- 1980s was they were abandoning their roots to sound more mainstream. There is some sign of this with "No Direction Home," with the fore-mentioned single and the cover of Marvin Gaye's "Ain't That Peculiar." Saying that, Nantucket still stamp their authority on both songs and that's where any thoughts of mainstream ends. That point is made crystal clear with the hard rocking opener. The second song, "I Don't Want to Lose You" is more of a blues based song and it's done very well. Following the two songs already mentioned that they didn't write, there are some steaming rockers, "Morning, Noon and Night" and "Ready For Your Love" before slowing down to the ballad "Come Home Darling." That is as good a power ballad as any. The album finishes on a very high note with three more rockers with the closer, "Tennessee Whiskey," being everything you've always loved about Southern Rock. A massive heart pumping rocker about a favourite Southern past-time, drinking whiskey.

Another disservice to Nantucket is the lack or respect to the guitarists, Tommy Redd and Mark Downing. These two deserve to being mentioned among the great names of Gary Rossington, Allen Collins, Rick Medlocke, Duane Rowlands and Dave Hlubeck. They're that good! Nantucket offer a unique feature as well in the form of saxophonist Eddie Blair. I'm going to go out on a limb and say he's as good as Clarence Clemmons of Bruce Springsteen fame. In evidence, I ask you to listen to "Girl I Got Your Number."

Track Listing:

1. No Direction Home
2. I Don't Want To Lose You
3. Hiding From Love
4. Ain't That Peculiar
5. Morning, Noon and Night
6. Ready For Your Love
7. Come Home Darling
8. Never Felt This Way Before
9. Girl I Got Your Number
10. Tennessee Whiskey

[caption id="attachment_1322" align="aligncenter" width="472"] Nantucket[/caption]

Gary Uzzell- lead and backing vocals

Tommy Redd- guitar, backing vocals

Eddie Blair- keyboards, saxophone, backing vocals

Mark Downing- guitar

Richard Gates- drums

David 'Thumbs' Johnson- bass, backing vocals

I had the fortune of seeing Nantucket live two months before I left the service on tour supporting the "No Direction Home" album. (The above photo wasn't taken at that concert). They headlined a local festival called the Mayfair and I remembered they were brilliant, though I wish I wasn't so partied out by the time they hit the stage. While they were great in the South, I still think they were cheated out of their chance to gain wider attention.

Next post: Doc Holliday- Modern Medicine

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

Great Rock Albums of 1983: Thomas Dolby- The Golden Age of the Wirless

 

In many musical circles, Thomas Dolby is considered a one hit wonder, only known for his classic song, "She Blinded Me With Science." Me personally, I've always liked that song, always having loved humour in music and there is plenty of it to be found in "She Blinded Me With Science." What I loved best is the background voices that hilariously repeat the title or just say, "Science!" Furthermore, the keyboards in it are played very well. However, for those of us who take our music slightly more seriously, Thomas Dolby is not a one hit wonder. As I reflect back to 1983, I think that he represented the crossroads between progressive rock and the synth pop that made up much of the 1980s. I also know that I wasn't the only metalhead who liked Thomas Dolby, so for any of my metal brethren out there, don't be afraid to step forward and admit it. There's nothing to be ashamed about.

The trademark keyboards that I mentioned on the hit single can be found throughout the entire album. Some of the tracks are quite trippy bordering on space rock. "Weightless" and "Windpower" are two of these. I could easily listen to both of those songs along with Hawkwind or a Paul Kantner solo album and they wouldn't be out of place. Dolby's vocals add to the trippy feeling. He doesn't try to make any of these songs sound commercial, barring "She Blinded Me With Science" but it's the humour that makes that song for me. "Commercial Breakup" goes more in a traditional progressive rock direction while at the same time having a reggae feel to it, nicely done. What Dolby does on "The Golden Age of the Wireless" is employ the modern technology of the time into his music but he does so without compromising any of his musical integrity.

Track Listing:

1. She Blinded Me With Science
2. Radio Waves
3. Airwaves
4. Flying North
5. Weightless
6. Europa and the Pirate Twins
7. Windpower
8. Commercial Breakup
9. One of Our Submarines
10. Cloudburst at Shingle Street

 

[caption id="attachment_3093" align="aligncenter" width="209"] Thomas Dolby[/caption]

Thomas Dolby- vocals, synthesizers, wave computer, piano, kalimba, monk voice

Kevin Armstrong- guitar, backing vocals

Dave Birch- guitar, monk voice

Bosco- percussion

Mark Heyward Chaplin- bass

Justin Hildreth- drums

Simon House, Tim Kerr- violin

Simon Lloyd- leadline brass, flute

Daniel Miller- synthesizer

Andy Partridge- harmonica, percussion

Dr Magnus Pike- voiceover

Matthew Seligman- moog bass

Further backing vocals provided by: James Allen, Les Chappel, Judy Evans, Lesley Fairbairn, Mutt Lange, Lene Lovich, Miriam Stockley, Brian Woolley, Akiko Yano

I should have included "One of Our Submarines" in with the songs that stand out for me since it does. My conclusion here is what I have always thought all these years. Thomas Dolby was not a one hit wonder but a very underrated musician. Although many of them might not admit it, I think many of the synth pop bands that came after him would site him as an influence. For me, he was more than synth pop or a one hit wonder.

Next post: Nantucket- No Direction Home

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

Great Rock Albums of 1983: Billy Idol

 

I didn't think I was ever going to post about this album. Twice it was up for next post but other things beyond my control meant that I needed to post about other albums. At least because of the delay, no one either picked up on my mistake or was too diplomatic to bust my chops over it. When I first announced that the 1983 album from "Billy Idol" was going to be visited, I put the album down as "White Wedding." Ah, duh, I should have known better. The album is actually self titled with "White Wedding" being the song Billy is best known for. My mistake now takes away any right of mine to bust those who call Boston's classic self titled album, "More Than a Feeling." Okay, I now will stop feeling dumb.

"White Wedding" was the song that got my attention. When I first heard the song in May of 1983, I thought this song was really cool. There was that catchy riff with the guitar that made the song for me. Unfortunately, I can't recreate it in print but those who've heard the song will know what I am talking about. I also liked this punk image, which was something the Marine Corps really hated and with less than two months to go in my enlistment, it was one way I could stick the finger up at them.

The already mentioned song turned my head to Idol but I have to say that I was and still am rather impressed with the debut album. "Hot in the City" is the other single and its not bad but I much prefer "White Wedding," although both songs show that he does have a rather unique voice. Oh yes and I apologise for going off track for a moment but the version of this album I am speaking about is the 1983 re-issue and not the 1982 version. The reason why is so I can include the additional track on the album, which was released as a single later that year, "Dancing With Myself." I do like that song too.

"Billy Idol" is a good hard rock album and it's no surprise that, with his image, so many people branded it punk. I don't give a flying fart (I'm going to use that expression a lot now because it impressed mikeledano) if it is punk, it's a good album. Other tracks that definitely impressed me are "Dead on Arrival" and "Hole in the Wall" and "Nobody's Business" is pretty good too.

Track Listing

1. Come On, Come On
2. White Wedding
3. Hot in the City
4. Dead on Arrival
5. Nobody's Business
6. Love Calling
7. Hole in the Wall
8. Shooting Stars
9. It's So Cruel
10. Congo Man
11. Dancing With Myself

[caption id="attachment_3089" align="aligncenter" width="194"] Billy Idol[/caption]

Billy Idol- vocals, guitar

Steve Stevens- guitar

Phil Feit- bass

Steve Missal- drums

In 1983, Billy Idol gave me the different thing I was looking for because with only a few weeks left in the service, I was looking forward to becoming an individual again. This album helped provide that for me.

Next post: Thomas Dolby- The Golden Age of the Wireless

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

Great Rock Albums of 1983: Paul Kantner- Planet Earth Rock and Roll Orchestra

 

It figures that my weird mind would notice that Paul Kantner's very recent passing would occur right when I was going through the music history of 1983, the year his solo album was released. I was going to visit his album "Planet Earth Rock and Roll Orchestra" further along down the road as it didn't come to light until near the end of said year. Actually, I remember the opening title cut getting some airplay on radio back then. Mind you commercial radio didn't completely suck in 1983. Like I said last post, I always preferred the songs Kantner penned on Jefferson Starship albums, so it was a no brainer that I would get this one.

What I never knew was that this album was written to be a soundtrack for Paul's second novel "The Empire Blows Back," which was a sequel to his first "Blows Against the Empire." Listening to the album again, I can see how it fits. "Planet Earth Rock And Roll Orchestra" or PERRO for short is a mixture of hard, progressive and space rock and it's nicely done. Many of the musicians who appear on the album were current or former members of Jefferson Starship and Jefferson Airplane. Grace Slick does lead vocals on two songs and backing on many of the others. Furthermore, Craig Chaquico works his guitar magic as does Pete Sears with the keyboards, just like all three of them do on Jefferson Starship albums.

The album starts out in a fine hard rock form with the first three songs. The title cut opens things very well and I'm very impressed with track 2, "(She is a) Telepath." "Circle of Fire" was originally meant for the "Winds of Change" but it fits very well here. The next few tracks go very spacey and I think that possibly when these tracks are listened to, maybe one should partake of the same substances they would if listening to a Pink Floyd album. "The Mountain Song" combines both hard and space rock and to me has the typical trademark of a Kantner song. I have since learned that Paul co wrote it with Jerry Garcia so that may explain a lot. Then , out of the blue comes the very amusing track, "Declaration of Independence." Sung by Paul and Grace's daughter China Wing Kantner, the song is almost country with Paul playing along on the banjo, a very amusing song to say the least. China, who was only 12 at the time, provides the perfect vocals for it sounding like a little girl. The last two songs end things very well, especially the closer, "Let's Go." I remember once when listening to the track "I Came Back from the Jaws of the Dragon" off Starship's "Winds of Change" album, my ex wife commented that it sounded like Godspell. Yes, Paul had a thing for harmonies in that style on many of the songs but on "Let's Go," it concludes the album in masterful form.

Track Listing:

1. Planet Earth Rock And Roll Orchestra
2. (She Is a) Telepath
3. Circle of Fire
4. Mount Shasta
5. Lilith's Song
6. Transubstantiation
7. The Mountain Song
8. Declaration of Independence
9. Underground (The Laboratories)
10. The Sky's No Limit
11. Let's Go

[caption id="attachment_1600" align="aligncenter" width="178"] Paul Kantner- Jefferson Starship[/caption]

Paul Kantner- vocals, guitar, banjo, harmonica, synthesizers, lead guitar on "Underground"

Grace Slick- vocals, piano on "The Mountain Song" and "The Sky is No Limit"

Jack Casady- bass

Chiam Wing Kantner- vocals on "Declaration of Independence" and "The Sky Is No Limit"

Alexander Kantner- vocals on "Underground"

Craig Chaquico- lead guitar

Pete Sears- piano

Aynsley Dunbar- drums

Scott Matthews- guitar, harmonica, synthesizers, pedal steel guitar and Linn drums

Ron Nagle- piano and vocals on Transubstantiation

Ronnie Montrose- lead guitar on (She is a) Telepath

Flo & Eddie- vocals

Mickey Thomas- vocals on Circle of Fire

David Freiberg- synthesizers and vocals on Circle of Fire

The problem with "Planet Earth Rock and Roll Orchestra" was that it wasn't mainstream enough. That's why it go only limited airplay on radio. Even if it didn't I believe that I would have eventually discovered it and bought it anyway. This is a cool album and I think it would be only fitting to honour Paul Kantner by listening to it.

Next post: (Hopefully) Billy Idol

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