In celebration of the day, BMG has premiered a new animated video for the band’s cover of Metallica’s timeless single, ‘Enter Sandman.’ The video actually steps up the original video, giving even more life to the story in the song as a young man faces nightmarish and hellish creatures in his sleep.
As the evil creatures try to take the boy, Motorhead’s “Warpig” mascot comes to life and defends the young man from the dark entities, banishing them back to where they came from. This all happens as the band’s take on Metallica’s hit single plays over the visualization.
The cover, which according to information about the video’s premiere, was originally included in a music compilation for Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) in 1998, stays largely true to its source material. The main difference is the placement of front man Lemmy Kilmister’s vocals in place of Metallica front man James Hetfield. The overall sound is even richer (not in a bad way) than the original, thanks to the song’s production.
More information on Motorhead’s new video for its cover of ‘Enter Sandman’ is available along with all of the latest Motorhead news at:
Motorhead fans will get another live recording from the band’s surviving members this year.
The band is scheduled to release Live at the Montreux Jazz Festival 2007 June 16 through BMG. Audiences can pre-order the recording now and check out the band’s performance of Thin Lizzy’s ‘Rosalie,’ which was part of the concert’s set list here.
The concert featured in the recording was captured July 7, 2007 during Motorhead’s “Kiss Of Death Tour.” It featured the lineup of its legendary front man/bassist Lemmy Kilmister, drummer Mikkey Dee, and guitarist Phil “Wizzo” Campbell.
The band’s 19-song set list includes not only its cover of Thin Lizzy’s ‘Rosalie,’ but also songs, such as ‘Ace of Spades,’ ‘Over The Top’ and ‘Stay Clean.’ The set list is noted below:
Tracklist :
1. Snaggletooth
2. Stay Clean
3. Be My Baby
4. Killers
5. Metropolis
6. Over The Top
7. One Night Stand
8. I Got Mine
9. In The Name Of Tragedy
10. Sword Of Glory
11. Rosalie
12. Sacrifice
13. Just ‘Cos You Got The Power
14. Going To Brazil
15. Killed By Death
16. Iron Fist
17. Whorehouse Blues
18. Ace Of Spades
19. Overkill
Live at the Montreux Jazz Festival 2007 will release on separate 2 LP and 2 CD platforms and digitally. Full details of the recording and its platforms is available here.
Live at the Montreux Jazz Festival 2007 is just the latest Motorhead recording released through BMG. The company most recently re-issued Motorhead’s 1982 album, Iron Fist in September 2022.
Silver Lining Music followed up its release with the re-issue of the band’s 2015 album Bad Magic (the band’s 23rd and final record) in February in the form of Bad Magic: Seriously Bad Magic.
Early this month, veteran power metal band Sabaton took on Motorhead’s classic song, ‘1916‘ with its own take of the tune. The song is included in Sabaton’s new EP, Stories from the Western Front.
More information on Live at the Montreux Jazz Festival 2007 is available along with all of the latest Motorhead news at:
Veteran power metal band Sabaton released its new EP Friday.
The seven-song record, Stories from the Western Front, lifts from three of the band’s albums for its body — its latest album, The War to End All Wars (2022), The Great War (2019) and The Art of War (2008). The record is the finale in Sabaton’s Echoes of the Great War trilogy and also includes a cover of Motorhead’s ‘1916,’ the title track from the band’s 1991 album by the same name.
Sabaton’s take on Motorhead’s already moving song builds on the emotional depth of the original with its trademark power metal approach while also keeping the arrangement so subdued. The use of the snare and slow, steady bass drum alongside the string arrangement and layered vocals plays largely into the emotional impact of the cover.
Even as the guitars come into the composition, Sabaton’s members still maintain the song’s subdued, solemn approach to give it so much power in its simplicity. It makes the song comparable to works from the likes of Sabaton’s power metal counterparts in Manowar.
Fittingly, the surviving members of Motorhead join Sabaton in the song’s video, marching through the streets of wartime London, carrying a picture of the late great Lemmy Kilmister. The video also features the “ghosts” of the young men who fought for freedom during World War I on the front lines as the song plays over the whole. The combination of the video and emotionally powerful musical arrangement will leave not a single eye dry by the presentation’s end.
More information on Sabaton’s new EP, single and video is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:
Motorhead’s 1982 album, Iron Fist, is among the more important entries in the band’s expansive catalog of studio recordings. The band’s fifth album, it was the last that featured the band’s original lineup of front man Lemmy Kilmister, drummer Phil “Philthy Animal” and guitarist Eddie Clarke. It was also a presentation that has come to be known as one of the band’s more controversial records. That is because of the back story of its production. Originally produced by Vic Maile, its production would eventually be completed by Clarke. The discussions on the changeup have shown different thoughts and explanations on what happened, but even Kilmister himself said in 2000 of the record, that it was among his least favorite albums because of the production. Now four decades after the album’s release, it has received another re-issue, its second following one re-issue in 1996 through Castle Communications and a second in 2005 through Sanctuary Records. This latest re-issue comes through BMG. It is accented by two discs of bonus content and new liner notes. This will all be addressed shortly. While the bonus content featured in this new re-issue anchors its presentation, the production of the original album really does prove somewhat problematic, proving Kilmister right. It will be addressed a little later. The various platforms on which the record has been made available are of their own note and will also be discussed later. Each item noted is important in its own way to the whole of this re-issue. All things considered they make the 40th Anniversary re-issue of Motorhead’s Iron Fist an interesting presentation that most of the band’s fans will find worth adding to their libraries.
BMG’s new 40th anniversary re-issue of Motorhead’s Iron Fist is a presentation that casual fans and the band’s most devoted fans will find worth adding to their libraries. The presentation here is anchored by the bonus content featured with the re-issue. The bonus content is being marketed as being previously unreleased, but that is not entirely the case. Some of the bonus content featured here was previously released in the album’s 1996 Castle Communications re-issue of the album. Among the bonus content carried over from that re-issue are ‘(Don’t Let ‘Em) Grind You Down’ (Alternative Edition) and ‘Young and Crazy’ (Alternative take of ‘Sex & Outrage’). ‘Lemmy Goes to the Pub’ (Alternative take of ‘Heart of Stone’) is also included here, carried over from the Castle Recordings re-issue. ‘Same Old Song, I’m Gone’ (Alternate take of ‘Remember Me, I’m Gone’) is also here along with ‘Remember Me, I’m Gone,’ which was also a Castle Recordings bonus track. The previously unreleased content comes primarily in the form of the instrumental tracks, ‘Spongecake,’ ‘Ripsaw Teardown’ and the ‘Peter Gunn’ theme song. That track is quite interesting in itself. The amped up take on the popular song is a fun, rocking composition that stands out strongly on its own positives. The same can be said of ‘Spongecake.’ The gritty sound of the bass and guitar together alongside the drums gives the song such a great garage punk sound and style that anyone will appreciate. When it, ‘Peter Gunn’ and ‘Ripsaw Teardown’ are considered together, the trio of instrumentals make for plenty of engagement and entertainment in their own right. When they are considered along with the other previously released bonus tracks, that collective makes the bonus content all the more a positive for this presentation.
Another bonus that comes with the album’s new re-issue is a “media booklet” that comes with plenty of liner notes and pictures. Sadly the booklet was not included with media copies of the re-issue so that item cannot be examined.
While the bonus content that accompanies the album’s latest re-issue is important to its presentation, being the likely difficulty in finding the previous re-issues, the overall presentation is not perfect. As noted earlier, Kilmister noted in an older interview that he was not overly happy with the final product that was Iron Fist because of the production. In listening to the original album that is part of the overall presentation, the production is questionable. Klimister’s vocals are washed out in comparison to the instrumentation. It honestly sounds like his vocals were recorded at a distance while the instruments were quite airy in their own right. Simply put, the production here is less than perfect. The thing is though, as questionable as the album’s production is, it serves, to a point, as a historical point for the band. It shows the band’s growth in terms of that aspect of its records. So again, while the production is hardly perfect, hearing the problems with this item makes for more appreciation for how far the band came over time following that record’s release. It is clear that the band learned an important lesson from the album’s production, and in turn improved from one record to the next in this aspect.
Knowing that the production of the album itself does not doom the record, there is still one more item to examine here. That item is the overall availability of the re-issue. According to information on the band’s official web store, it is available as part of eight separate packages. Among those packages is the presentation of the re-issue in a 2-CD set with media book, a 3-disc vinyl set with media book, 2-CD/media book set with t-shirts, and even a complete deluxe set that includes the re-issue on both vinyl and CD, as well as the t-shirts and media book. The deluxe set is listed at $253 while the simplest package (the 2-CD set) is listed at $20. The vinyl set is listed at $60. The 2-CD set with media book and t-shirts is listed at $79. This is all important to note in that even with shipping and handling, that means most audiences who are likely to buy one of these sets, will pay less than $100 for the complete set. What’s more, the 2-CD set without the tour t-shirts averages at $22.23 through Target, Walmart, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble Booksellers. Amazon and Target each list the 2-CD set below that average at $19.79, so even with shipping and handling, the final price will still be just over $20. By comparison, shipping and handling for the 2-CD set with tour shirts will average slightly more, closer to $30. The bigger picture is this: Most audiences are likely to purchase the 2-CD or 2-disc vinyl set. That set comes with the media book, so audiences will not break the bank on the most basic presentation whether through Amazon or Target. Meanwhile, audiences who are maybe more devoted will be just as open to paying higher prices. So again, in the end, the wide variety of packages through which the re-issue is available doe prove to be just as positive as the re-issue’s bonus content. Keeping that in mind, those two items and even the historical importance of the album’s production make this re-issue a presentation that plenty of Motorhead (and rock fans in general) will find worth owning.
BMG’s brand new re-issue of Motorhead’s Iron Fist is an interesting presentation from the company, which has also re-issued records from the likes of Sepultura, Saxon, and Overkill in the past year or so. Its interest comes in part through its bonus content. Most of the bonus content was previously released, unlike how it is being marketed. There is also some previously unreleased content. Having all of that content in one place makes for its own appeal. The production of the album itself is questionable, just as Kilmister had said so many years ago before his passing. At the same time, that production does serve an important historical purpose, so it is still important in its own right. The widespread availability of the re-issue in terms of various packages (and the outlets through which it is available) rounds out the most important of the re-issue’s elements. Each item noted is important in its own way to the whole of the re-issue’s presentation. All things considered they make BMG’s re-issue of Iron Fist a work that most Motorhead fans and rock fans in general will find appealing.
Iron Fist is available now. More information on BMG’s latest Motorhead re-issue is available along with all of the latest Motorhead news at:
Udo Dirkschneider is among the most well-known and respected front man in the rock and hard rock communities. That is due to his work with Accept and with his namesake band, U.D.O. Considering everything that Dirkschneider has done over the course of his career — between records recorded with each band and even compilations of the bands’ hits — there is still one item that to this point, Dirkschneider has not checked off from his list. That item is a covers collection. This Friday, he will get to check off that item when he releases his first-ever covers collection, My Way. Running 17 songs deep, the compilation is a unique collection of songs, pulling in takes of hit songs from the likes of Rainbow, Judas Priest, Motorhead, Led Zeppelin, Billy Squier, and even Tina Turner. They and their songs are just some of the notable entries in this presentation. The Led Zeppelin, Billy Squier and Motorhead covers stay largely true to their source material while amping them up slightly. The Tina Turner cover is unique in its own right, building on the original and making it even more interesting. Among the more notable covers featured in the collection is that of The Rolling Stones’ timeless classic, ‘Paint It Black.’ This cover will be discussed shortly. The cover of AC/DC’s ‘T.N.T’ is near perfection. It will be discussed a little later. Any review of Dirkshchneider’s new record would be incomplete without a discussion on the cover of ‘My Way,’ the collection’s title track. It will also be discussed later. All three songs noted here are important in their own way to the whole of My Way. When they are considered with all of the record’s other covers, the whole makes My Way a presentation that rock and hard rock fans will find just as appealing as those of Dirkschneider.
My Way, the first-ever covers collection from veteran hard rock front man Udo Dirkschneider, is quite the unique presentation. It is a work that his fans and casual hard rock and rock fans alike will find appealing. That is proven throughout the record in each and every tribute that Dirkschneider and his fellow musicians pay here. Sadly those fellow musicians are not credited in the streaming copy of the record provided to this critic. If names were provided, those musicians would get their due credit. Getting back on the topic at hand, the record offers audiences plenty of notable songs from acts that are themselves equally notable (and some less notable, making for even more engagement and entertainment). One of the most notable of the covers is that of The Rolling Stones’ ‘Paint It Black.’ The song is known to every rock fan out there. That opening guitar line from Keith Richards and the companion drumming from the late great Charlie Watts are iconic to say the least. Front man Mick Jagger’s slightly gritty vocals add even more to the whole. Where the original song gives audiences an upbeat albeit contemplative work, Dirkschneider and his fellow musicians on the other hand turn the original on its ear by giving it a power metal facelift of sorts. Dirkschneider’s familiar gritty near growling vocal delivery adds its own unique punch to the composition alongside the power metal style and sound presented here. It gives the song a whole new sense that still hits hard in its own fashion while still keeping as true as possible to the source material. It is a take that is sure to impress The Rolling Stones, their fans, and those of Dirkschneider alike. It is just one of the song featured in this set that makes the collection worth hearing. Dirkschneider and company’s take of AC/DC’s ‘T.N.T.’ is another notable addition to the record.
As with the band’s cover of ‘Paint It Black,’ Dirkschneider and company strive to stay true to the source material in its cover of ‘T.N.T.’ while still giving the original song a welcome amped up new treatment. Instead of a power metal approach in this case, the collective instead just gives the song a rich, bluesy almost late 80s hair metal approach (right down to the bombastic guitar solo at the songs’ end) and blends that with the song’s original edge. What’s really interesting here is that Dirkschneider’s trademark vocal delivery style is actually an interesting blend of the vocals of AC/DC’s original front man Bon Scott and his replacement, Brian Johnson. That blend of sounds and styles within his one delivery makes his vocals all the more important to the whole. In turn, it makes the song that much more enjoyable and in turn, the album, too.
As much as the covers of AC/DC’s ‘T.N.T.’ and The Rolling Stones’ ‘Paint It Black’ do to make My Way worth hearing, they are just two of the record’s most notable tracks. No examination of the record would be complete without an examination of the collection’s title track. Originally composed by the team of Jacques Revaux, Gilles Thibaut, and Claude Francois, it was made most popular by American singer Frank Sinatra in 1969 after Paul Anka secured the rights for the song from the group. Ironically it is well-known that Sinatra hated the song the more popular it became because he got tired of having to hear and perform the song. That aside, it still remains a fan favorite to this day among thousands of audiences, apparently including Dirkschneider. One would not think Dirkschneider, a metal head, would find inspiration in Sinatra, but apparently he has some respect for the famed singer and what is one of his most beloved songs. Dirkschneider actually does a surprisingly impressive job here, his more familiar gritty vocal delivery gone in favor of a much more controlled approach and sound. The control that he uses here along with the use of the piano, strings, and subtle time keeping throws directly back to the composition that made Sinatra such a star. Even as the song builds to its peaks in its choruses, Dirkschneider and his fellow musicians exercise so much control, making the song stand out so starkly from all of the other covers featured throughout the record. It honestly serves to create a whole new respect for Dirkschneider in the end because it shows that he is more than just the metal head that so many people think they know. It makes the song a wonderful final accent to this record. When it is considered alongside the other songs examined here and with the rest of the record’s entries, the whole makes the overall presentation a rare covers set that is actually worth hearing if only every occasionally.
My Way, the first ever collection of covers from Udo Dikschneider, is an interesting compilation. It brings together a relatively wide swath of rock and hard rock songs, as well as some more pop oriented content for a while that makes a person rethink what they think they know of the famed former Accept and current U.D.O. front man and his tastes in music. The covers themselves vary in style and sound but still strive to stay as true as possible to their source material. That is made clear through the songs examined here. When those songs are considered along with the rest of the record’s entries, the whole makes My Way a rare covers collection that is actually worth hearing.
My Way is scheduled for release Friday through Atomic Fire Records. More information on the collection is available along with all of Dirkschneider’s latest news at:
Saxon released its latest album this week in the form of Carpe Diem. The album, released Friday through Silver Linings Music, came more than three years after the release of Saxon’s then latest album, Battering Ram (2018). The band’s 23rd album (yes, 23rd), it is another offering that the metal masses will appreciate just as much as the band’s established audiences. That is proven through its musical and lyrical content alike. The singles the album has already produced do well to make that clear, and they are just some of the songs that prove that statement. ‘Living on the Limit,’ which closes out the album, also shows how the album’s overall content makes the record engaging and entertaining. It will be discussed shortly. ‘Dambusters,’ which comes early in the album’s 46-minute run, is another example of what makes the record successful. It will be discussed a little later. ‘All For One,’ a late entry to the record, is yet another example of how the album’s content makes it enjoyable. It will also be discussed later. Each song noted is important in its own way to the whole of this album. All things considered, they make the album in whole, one of the best of the year’s new hard rock and metal albums so far.
Carpe Diem, the 23rd album from Saxon, is another impressive offering from the veteran hard rock band. That is proven through its overall content, as its current singles have already shown. They are just some of the content that shows the album’s strength. ‘Living on the Limit,’ the record’s finale, does its own share to show how much the album has to offer. The song’s high-energy musical arrangement blends the band’s familiar power metal leanings with a more modern hard rock influence for a hybrid sound and approach that lends itself just as much to the likes of Judas Priest and Motorhead as to so many current bands who have used them and Saxon as influence for their own music. From the song’s beginning to its end its solid time keeping, its equally rich bass line, vocals, and sharp guitar riffs make the composition a strong finish for the album and an equally clear example of the role that the album’s musical arrangements have on the record’s overall presentation. The energy in the song’s arrangement pairs well with the seeming message in the song’s lyrical theme, making for even more engagement and entertainment.
The seeming lyrical theme featured in ‘Living on the Limit’ is that of making the most of life, even despite everything happening. That is just this critic’s interpretation and should not be taken as the only interpretation. The inference comes as Byford sings in the song’s lead verse, “We want a slice of everything/To see the world we’re living in/Take a chance and take a leap/What we sow is what we reap/Don’t be afraid to ride the storms/Just take the bull by the horns/Living on the limit.” That brief statement speaks volumes. It comes across as encouraging listeners to take that chance in life, to go out and do more, to take risks and live life. From there Byford continues delivering the seeming message as he sings, “All the world is like a stage/Just read the lines and turn the page/We wanna feel adrenaline/Just wanna live and take it in.” This verse presents what seems like a contradictory statement to help deliver the inferred message. That note of just reading the lines and turning the page seems like a metaphorical way to talk about how we all just go through the motions every day even though, as he states further, “We wanna feel adrenaline/Just wanna live and take it in.” This is more of a declarative statement about how we as people want to just live life, not just go through the motions. It pairs so well with that seeming encouragement in the song’s lead verse about taking that chance and doing more in life. The song’s third and final verse continues in similar fashion, furthering the seeming message even more. When it is considered along with the content in the song’s first two verses, the seeming message becomes even more the likely case. To that end, the song’s seeming lyrical theme is proof enough of how this song helps make Carpe Diem a strong album. The positive energy in the song’s musical arrangement pairs with the seeming positive message in the song’s lyrical content to make that even clearer. Keeping all of this in mind, ‘Living on the Limit’ proves to be just one of the songs that shows what makes Carpe Diem successful. ‘Dambusters’ is another notable addition to the album.
‘Dambusters’ stands out in part due to its musical arrangement. The song’s arrangement is a full on Motorhead-esque composition. From the rapid fire guitars and drums to Byford’s very vocal delivery, the whole is a direct leaning toward the aforementioned band. That should come as no surprise as the band has taken on works from Motorhead in the past. The song clocks in at just under three-and-a-half minutes, but in that time, the manner in which the song was composed and performed will leave listeners completely fulfilled, feeling like it is longer in the best way possible. The energy in the performance works well with its lyrical content, which seemingly makes reference to the Royal Air Force’s famed World War II bombing run known as Operation Chastise.
Operation Chastise was conducted in the overnight hours of May 16/17, 1943. The 617 Bomber Command, known as the Dam Busters, destroyed two hydroelectric power stations and breached two dams – the Mohne and Edersee dams – along the Ruhr and Eder vallies. The resulting damage set Germans’ military operations in the area back by months. It also changed the course of bombing raids used by Allied forces in the process.
The seeming story of the well-known bombing operation comes throughout the song, including right from the song’s lead verse in which Byford sings, “Long before the twilight/The planes are standing by/Ground crew gather in the dusk/Low voices asking why/No one knows the target/The mission has begun/Flying into history/To drop the bouncing bomb.” The bombs that were used in Operation Chastise were dubbed “bouncing bombs” because they bounced across water to their targets. They bounced in order to avoid possible interception by torpedo nets and ensure the highest possible velocity when they hit their targets. The bombs were developed by British engineer Barnes Wallis. So again, here is even more proof of the story that the band is telling here. From there, Byford sings about the planes taking off and making their way to their targets and dropping their bombs. He further pays homage to those who returned from the mission and those who did not. Approximately 53 aircrews were lost in the mission and three airmen were captured. This story will appeal to any military history buff and to any casual fan of history. When its appeal pairs with that of the song’s musical arrangement, the whole makes the song even more proof of what makes Carpe Diem another successful offering from Saxon. ‘All For One’ is one more notable addition to the record.
‘All For One’ presents a musical arrangement that is pure vintage power metal. The comparisons here are once again so similar to that of Judas Priest, but also have just as much modern rock influence. The result is yet another composition that while familiar, also boasts its own identity separate from that of the album’s other entries. Keeping that in mind, the arrangement alone offers its own share of appeal. The lyrical content that accompanies the song adds even more to the song’s engagement and entertainment.
The lyrical content featured in ‘All For One’ is notable because of its originality. In the case of this song, the song apparently tells the story of the Three Musketeers. Few if any other acts out there can say they have taken on the classic literary story in song form. The very mention of “You stand by your comrades to the end/Steadfast belief/Your will will never bend” alongside the mentions of flashing steel and musket flashes, protecting the king, and Grenadiers further illustrates that story. Given, Saxon is hardly the first band to take on a literary work. Symphony X, for example, has taken on the story of The Odyssey. Mastodon has taken on the classic tale of Moby Dick in its song, ‘Iron Tusk.’ Heck, even Machine Head has taken on a literary classic in ‘A Farewell to Arms,’ which lifts from author Ernest Hemingway’s timeless novel by the same name. Plenty of other bands’ works could be listed here. The point of this is that even though Saxon’s take on author Alexandre Dumas’ equally timeless story is so enjoyable, and maybe even a way to get people who otherwise might not have read the novel to give it a chance. The band is to be applauded for that and for its own unique originality here. Taking into account the fact that the band has taken on a literary classic and coupling that with the song’s fully engaging and entertaining musical arrangement, the whole makes the song overall yet another of example of what makes the overall album enjoyable. When the song is considered along with the other works examined here and with the rest of the album’s works, the whole makes the overall album another fully successful offering from Saxon.
Saxon’s latest album, Carpe Diem, is another engaging and entertaining offering from the band. Its success comes through its musical and lyrical content alike. The songs examined here make that clear. When they are considered along with the album’s singles and with the rest of the album’s works, the collective makes the overall album one of the year’s best new hard rock and metal albums so far this year.
Carpe Diem is available now through Silver Linings Music. More information on Carpe Diem is available online now along with all of the band’s latest news and more at:
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Independent rock band Roadkiller debuted the video for its latest single this week.
The act, which is the brainchild of Phillipa Tank, premiered the video for its new single, ‘Slicker Than Oil’ Monday through Metal Injection. The song is the second single from Roadkiller’s forthcoming record, Pick of the Litter. Its release date and other information is under consideration.
Tank, who is known as a member of the Motorhead tribute band, Motorbabe, said the single features a guest appearance by drummer Dave Witte (Municipal Waste, Melt Banana, Discordance Axis). In addition, she said Witte is just one of the well-known drummers who will appear on the record.
Witte said he enjoyed working with Tank on the new song and video.
“Phillipa Tank’s Roadkiller songs are rocking and full of energy,” she said. “It was really fun to play the tune and film a cool video to boot! Also to be included among a really great group of drummers playing on the record is equally as exciting.”
The musical arrangement featured in ‘Slicker Than Oil’ immediately shows Tank’s Motorhead leanings with its bluesy punk/metal hybrid sound. At the same time, the guitar solos present more of a vintage thrash metal style approach. The duality in that combination makes the overall arrangement an engaging and entertaining composition.
The press release announcing the song and video’s debut did not provide information about the song’s lyrical theme. No lyrics were provided with the video, either. The lyrics are difficult to decipher without a reference point, but from what little can be understood sans lyrics, the song’s lyrical content comes across as a sort of defiant statement.
The video for ‘Slicker Than Oil’ is a relatively simple presentation. It features Witte and Tank performing their new new single on an island that has a defunct rail bridge. Drone footage is edited into the video as part of its overall presentation. The colorful graffiti on the bridge’s posts and the bright, blue sky add to the impact of the video’s general effect, too.
More information on Roadkiller’s new single and video is available along with all of the project’s latest news at:
Mitchell offered the following comment on the retrospective:
“I somehow knew how important it all was,” he said. “I knew I needed to capture at least some of those moments. I’d see the band to the stage and then immediately go out into the house, jostle with the punters, and get what I could.”
Added Mitchell, “Most of my images “are one-shot photos, and there’s no flash on any of them. They were done at 400 ASA to speed up the film and take advantage of whatever natural light I could get, so I was always flying by the seat of my pants whenever I clicked the shutter.”
More information on Mitchell’s new photo retrospective is available along with all of the latest Motorhead news at:
As December (and the year) continues to wind down, Phil’s Picks is far from winding down. There is still much more to share from Phil’s Picks in the final weeks of this year, including today’s year-ender list, that of the year’s top new live CDs. In years past, Phil’s Picks has had an abundance of live material, including live DVDs and BDs, but this year, offerings from that field were far slimmer, likely due to the ongoing pandemic. On the opposite side though, there were plenty of live CDs released this year. Audiences across the spectrum got live material to enjoy this year. The metal masses got new live material from the likes of Destruction, Motorhead, and TesseracT. Jazz fans got new live content from the likes of Doug MacDonald, The Philadelphia Orchestra, and Jazz at Lincoln Center Sextet. Rock audiences got new content from the likes of The Allman Brothers Band, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Foghat. Even reggae fans got a little something new from a “live” recording from Bob Marley. Simply put, 2021 was still a good year for new live music releases, if only on CD. To that end, Phil’s Picks is offering once again this year, the Top 10 New Live CDs.
As with each and every list presented by Phil’s Picks, the list also features five additional honorable mention titles, bringing the total to 15. Every single act and title listed here is deserving of its own applause, being that enjoyable. There is no bad release. Without any further ado, here for your consideration is Phil’s Picks’ 2021 Top 10 New Live CDs list.
PHIL’S PICKS’ 2021 TOP 10 NEW LIVE RECORDINGS
1. TesseracT – P O R T A L S
2. Lynyrd Skynyrd – Live at Knebworth
3. Harold Mabern – Mabern Plays Coltrane
4. Destruction – Live Attack
5. Motorhead – Louder Than Noise…Live in Berlin
6. The Allman Brothers Band – Down in Texas ‘71
7. Bob Marley – The Capitol Session ‘73
8. The Jazz at Lincoln Center Sextet – The Democracy Suite
9. Doug MacDonald – Live in Hawaii
10. Foghat – 8 Days on the Road
11. Eric Clapton – The Lady in the Balcony
12. The Hawkins – Live in the Woods
13. The Philadelphia Orchestra – Blue Symphony No. 2
14. Harold Land – Westward Bound
15. Enrico Rava – Edizione Speciale
That’s it for this list. Again, there is no bad recording here. Each act and title deserves its own share of praise and applause. With this list done, this year’s music year-ender lists drops now to only three – the year’s top new rock, hard rock/metal, and overall albums. From there, the attention will turn from music to TV and movies. Stay tuned!
Downfall 2012 is taking on an Elton John classic for its latest single.
The band premiered the video for its cover of Elton John‘s ‘I’m Still Standing‘ Monday. The video was recorded through various cameras at Warehouse Live in the band’s hometown of Houston, TX. The video is meant to capture what the band looks like live on stage for those who have yet to experience the band’s live show.
Downfall 2012’s take on Elton John’s 1983 hit song is a much darker, more brooding take on the song than its source material. Where Elton John’s take on the song is somewhat celebratory in its approach. Interestingly enough, Downfall 2012’s take on the song still works in its own right as it takes the song in a much more serious, defiant direction than its source material.
Downfall 2012’s cover of ‘I’m Still Standing’ is just the latest of the band’s covers. The band premiered its take of Motorhead’s timeless classic, ‘Ace of Spades‘ in July.
More information on Downfall 2012’s take on ‘I’m Still Standing’ is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:
philspicks 