May 2 marks 10 years since Slayer guitarist Jeff Hanneman died. Hanneman, who was 49 at the time of his death, died as a result of liver failure, according to a news release distributed at the time.
Fellow members of the rock and metal community took a moment Tuesday to remember Hanneman, including the likes of Zakk Wylde, Geezer Butler, and Dave Mustaine. Even the members of the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders offered words of condolence, as Hanneman was a fan of the team during its days in Oakland prior to its move to Las Vegas.
Some of the comments shared across Tuesday are noted below:
• “What a sad day for metal. RIP, man.” – Slash
• “RIP brother, you will be missed.” – Zack Wylde
• “RIP Jeff Hanneman.” – Metallica
• “Brutal news about Jeff. Like a punch in the gut.” – Scott Ian
• “RIP to a dedicated Raiders fan.” –Oakland Raiders
• “Sad to hear of Jeff Hanneman’s passing.RIP.” – Geezer Butler
• “Tonight, one less star will be shining, and sadly, the stage got just a little bit darker.” – Dave Mustaine
• “RIP Jeff Hanneman. You will be greatly missed.” — Gibson Guitars
Members of the rock and metal community shared their thoughts of Hanneman in 2013 through Metal Injection through a special article following his passing. The article is available to stream here.
ESP Guitars also has an archived interview with Hanneman here.
More memories of Jeff Hanneman are available along with all of the latest Slayer news at:
Derek Sherinian offered audiences their first taste of his new album to open the weekend.
Sherinian premiered his new single, ‘The Vortex‘ Friday. The song is the title track from his forthcoming album, Vortex, which is scheduled for release July 1 through InsideOut Music. The record’s release will come more than two years after the release of his then latest album, The Phoenix. That album produced the singles, ‘Empyrean Sky,’ ‘Dragonfly,’ and ‘Them Changes‘ (a cover of the Buddy Miles classic).
The arrangement in this full-on instrumental track is everything that audiences have come to expect from Sherinian, who has made quite the name for himself throughout his career, working with the likes of Alice Cooper, Dream Theater, and currently Sons of Apollo. The frenetic energy exhibited throughout the arrangement does well to illustrate what one thinks of when one thinks of a tornado.
Sherinian announced last March, that he had started work on Vortex. He said at the time, drummer Simon Phillips would return for the album, which has been confirmed for this album. Also making guest appearances at Steve Stevens, Zakk Wylde (Ozzy Osbourne band, Black Label Society), and Michael Schenker (Temple of Rock, Michael Schenker Group, Michael Schenker Fest), all of whom he has worked previously.
Sherinian made a guest appearance on Schenker’s latest Micheal Schenker Group record, Immortal, last year, while Wylde has previously appeared on some of Sherinian’s early solo releases. Also making appearances this time out are the likes of Joe Bonamassa, Steve Lukather (Toto), and his Sons of Apollo band mate Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal.
The track listing for Vortex is noted below.
Tracklisting: 1 The Vortex feat. Steve Stevens 2 Fire Horse feat. Nuno Bettencourt 3 Scorpion 4 Seven Seas feat. Steve Stevens 5 Key Lime Blues feat. Joe Bonamassa, Steve Lukather 6 Die Kobra feat. Michael Schenker, Zakk Wylde 7 Nomad’s Land feat. Mike Stern 8 Aurora Australis feat. Bumblefoot
More information on Derek Sherinian’s new album is available along with all of his latest news at:
Famed keyboardist Derek Sherinian is scheduled to release his new album, Vortex, this summer.
The album is scheduled for release July 1 through InsideOut Music. The record’s release will come more than two years after the release of his then latest album, The Phoenix. That album produced the singles, ‘Empyrean Sky,’ ‘Dragonfly,’ and ‘Them Changes‘ (a cover of the Buddy Miles classic).
Sherinian announced last March, that he had started work on the album. He said at the time, drummer Simon Phillips would return for the album, which has been confirmed for this album. Also making guest appearances at Steve Stevens, Zakk Wylde (Ozzy Osbourne band, Black Label Society), and Michael Schenker (Temple of Rock, Michael Schenker Group, Michael Schenker Fest), all of whom he has worked previously.
Sherinian made a guest appearance on Schenker’s latest Micheal Schenker Group record, Immortal, last year, while Wylde has previously appeared on some of Sherinian’s early solo releases. Also making appearances this time out are the likes of Joe Bonamassa, Steve Lukather (Toto), and his Sons of Apollo band mate Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal.
The track listing for Vortex is noted below.
Tracklisting: 1 The Vortex feat. Steve Stevens 2 Fire Horse feat. Nuno Bettencourt 3 Scorpion 4 Seven Seas feat. Steve Stevens 5 Key Lime Blues feat. Joe Bonamassa, Steve Lukather 6 Die Kobra feat. Michael Schenker, Zakk Wylde 7 Nomad’s Land feat. Mike Stern 8 Aurora Australis feat. Bumblefoot
More information on Derek Sherinian’s new album is available along with all of his latest news at:
Fans of Ozzy Osbourne, Zakk Wylde, and Black Label Society got some big news this month when it was announced that Wylde and Osbourne have reunited for Ozzy’s next album. The announcement came more than a decade after it was announced that the longtime duo had parted ways because Ozzy allegedly felt his sound had become too much like that of the song’s from Black Label Society (Wylde’s band). Right around the time that the announcement of the duo’s reunion was made, audiences got even more good news when it was revealed that BLS was going to release its new album this fall. That album, Doom Crew, Inc., is scheduled for release Friday through eOne. It will come more than three years after the release of the band’s then latest album, Grimmest Hits.
While the news of the album’s release (and that of Zack and Ozzy reuniting) is good in itself, the even better news is that the album lives up to expectations of all the aforementioned audiences. That is because the album’s content is everything that those audiences have come to expect from BLS and then some. It brings audiences together by bringing in the band’s softer and heavier sides together in one complete package, which is so smart on the part of Wylde and company. At the same time, the arrangements featured throughout the album still give audiences something new in sound and style while still being familiar in their approach. One of the most notable of the ways in which Wylde and company have brought audiences something new and old together here is the album’s penultimate entry, ‘Gather All My Sins.’ This song will be discussed shortly. ‘Forever And A Day,’ which comes earlier in the record’s run is just as notable for the same reason. It will be discussed a little later. Much the same can be said of ‘Destroy_Conquer.’ It will also be discussed later. This song and the others noted here each do their own part to show how BLS’ blend of old and new make this record so enjoyable. When they are considered along with the rest of the album’s entries, the whole makes the album in whole, another successful new offering from the band that gives listeners just as much to be happy about as all of the news surrounding the album and Wylde’s reunion with Ozzy.
Black Label Society’s forthcoming 11th album, Doom Crew, Inc., is another strong new offering from the band. Coming a little more than three years after the band’s then latest album, its title is a tribute to the band’s fan base, for those who might be unaware. It is just part of that tribute, too. The record’s mix of new and old content throughout the album is its own tribute to those audiences, too. ‘Gather All My Sins,’ the record’s penultimate entry, is just one of the songs that serves to support the noted statements. The song opens with a catchy little southern blues-tinged rock riff that conjures thoughts of Lynyrd Skynyrd, and at the same time, of Wylde’s work with his other project, Pride & Glory. That intro is brief, very quickly giving way to Wylde and company’s more familiar heavy riffs and beats. At the same time, the overall arrangement, while being familiar stylistically, still boasts its own unique identity separate from the band’s (and Wylde’s) existing catalogs. It still bears that southern blues rock sound that opened the song throughout. This is important to note because so much of BLS’ music is known to be more along the lines of a southern sludge metal type work. The southern rock element is here, but instead of the familiar sludge approach, this is more of a pure, guitar rock style opus. It is a nice change of pace that audiences are sure to appreciate. In an interesting way, it throws back to some of the works that the band presented in its 2002 album, 1919 Eternal. It is just one part of what makes the song stand out. The lyrical content that accompanies the record’s musical arrangement makes for its own appeal.
Not having a lyrics sheet to reference, some of the lyrics are a little difficult to decipher, thanks to the production. From what can be deciphered, it can be inferred that the song’s lyrical theme has something to do with perhaps the topic of judging others wrongly. This is only this critic’s interpretation from what little can be deciphered from the song’s limited lyrical content. The noted interpretation as Wylde sings about bringing “the dead one to the stand” and gathering his own sins. It seems to be metaphorical language for people attacking those who cannot defend themselves. If in fact that is the case, then it is a familiar topic that will resonate with audiences. The song’s arrangement, energy and all serves to keep listeners engaged, leading to the noted interpretation or possibly another. Again, regardless of interpretation, that the song’s lyrical content can get audiences thinking is positive in its own way, showing even more why it is a key example of how the album’s mix of old and new makes it stand out.
‘Forever And A Day’ is another notable addition to Doom Crew, Inc. that shows how its content’s blend of old and new makes it so strong. This song is the polar opposite of ‘Gather My Sins.’ Its much more subdued sound and approach makes it a more fitting piece for existing BLS albums, such as Mafia and Hangover Music Vol. VI. The use of the layered vocals, the piano and subtle guitar alongside Wylde’s mournful, melancholy singing makes that clear. At the same time, it also boasts its own identity separate from the songs on those albums without alienating it from the records in question. So again, here just musically, audiences get another blending of old and new. The song’s lyrical content makes for just as much
The lyrical content featured in this song is, again, deciphered sans lyrics to reference. That should be noted up front. They are a little easier to decipher since the song is more controlled and subdued. In the case of this song, it comes across as a love song, believe it or not. This is inferred as Wylde sings in the song’s lead verse and chorus, “You say you’ve found/All that you lost/Just like a stone that sits upon/The gathered moss/It’s so easy/Just to walk away/It’s so easy/When you’ve got nothing to say/All the shadows we cast/They fade away/Like seasons that change/That could not change/I’ll gather the tears that fall/Forever and a day.” What audiences get here is, again, a seeming love song as someone is saying to another who is going through a tough time, emotionally, adding that no matter what, he/she will be there to gather those noted tears and be there for that person. As he continues in the song’s second verse, Wylde sings, “The sun that shines upon this empty home/The warmth inside/The endless cold/I’s so easy/Just to walk away/It’s so easy/When you’ve got nothing/Nothing to say/All the shadows we cast fade away/Like seasons that change/That could not stay/I’ll gather the tears that fall/Forever and a day.” Again, this isn’t just one of those sappy love songs. This is someone telling another that he/she will be there for that person in those difficult times. Wylde and company do such a wonderful job of capturing the delicate nature of such moments through the song’s musical arrangement. The gentility with which the subject approaches that other person’s emotions in such situations is equally well handled through the song’s lyrical approach. The whole makes the song another powerful addition to this record. Again, this is just this critic’s interpretation and should not be taken as gospel. Hopefully it is close to being what the band meant to infer. It is just one more example of what the album has to offer audiences. ‘Conquer_Destroy’ is yet another notable addition to the record that shows how its blend of old and new makes it successful.
‘Conquer_Destroy’ is notable in part through its arrangement, which does once again present some of Wylde and company’s familiar heaviness throughout its almost five minute run time. At the same time, the band gives audiences something unique here by taking that familiar heaviness and setting it against something of a bluesy, classic rock style sound and approach. So once again, audiences get here something new and something old in one setting that makes the whole so unique and enjoyable throughout. As with the other songs examined here, the song’s musical content is just one part of what makes it stand out. Its lyrical content does its own part to make it stand out, too.
The lyrical content featured in this song is yet again deciphered sans lyrics to reference. From what can be deciphered here, the song seems to be a commentary about war. Again, this is just this critic’s own interpretation and could well be incorrect, so should not be taken as the only interpretation. The mention of war and a horse riding, along with “the eternal fire” would seem to point the song in the noted direction. There is also an apparent call for people to “make this world all that you can” along with something about somebody gathering up souls. It certainly makes for an interesting listen, needless to say. There is even what sounds like a mention of “deserts burning” early in the song. That almost sounds like perhaps a reference to the nonstop combat that the U.S. has faced in the Middle East. Once again, this is only this critic’s interpretation. If in fact the whole is a reference to war (knowing Wylde’s support for the military, it would make sense), then it is a unique new way (again there’s that word, “new”) to address the inferred topic. Together with the song’s arrangement, the whole shows in its way, the noted blend of old and new and impresses in the process, too. When this song and the others examined here are considered along with the rest of the album’s entries, the whole of the album becomes a wonderful tribute to the worldwide Doom Crew, Inc. and a strong new offering from Black Label Society in whole.
Black Label Society’s forthcoming new album, Doom Crew, Inc., is another successful offering from the band. It is a presentation that continues to cement the band’s place in the upper echelons of the hard rock community. That is proven from beginning to end of the record through its musical and lyrical content. The musical content does a good job of blending the band’s own familiar sounds and stylistic approaches with some new sounds and approaches from one to the next. The lyrical themes are themselves unique and will engage and entertain audiences in their own right. All three of the songs examined here do well to make that clear. When they are considered along with the rest of the record’s entries, the whole – again – makes the album in whole another successful offering from BLS that pays tribute to the band and its legacy, and to the members of the Doom Crew, Inc. worldwide.
Doom Crew, Inc. is scheduled for release Friday through eOne. More information on the album is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:
Black Label Society premiered another video from its new box set this week.
The band debuted the video for its single, ‘Heart of Darkness’ Wednesday. The single is featured in the band’s 2014 record, Catacombs of the Black Vatican, which is part of the band’s new, career-spanning vinyl box set, None More Black.
The band released the box set April 21 through eOne. It features remastered versions of each of the group’s 12 albums along with the band’s singles collections and some other bonus recordings. Additionally, the collection features a 32-page hardcover book, None More Black bottle opener, and back patch.
The new ‘Heart of Darkness’ video features footage of the band performing its new single paired with footage of animals in situations of survival. It is all preceded by a necessary warning that those prone to epileptic seizures could be negatively impacted by the video.
The video for ‘Heart of Darkness’ is the second from the box set. The band premiered the video for the single, ‘Blind Man’ April 21. That song is also featured in Catacombs of the Black Vatican.
The full album and track listing for Black Label Society’s new vinyl box set is noted below.
Vinyl Selections in Boxset: Grimmest Hits 2LP Stronger Than Death 2LP 1919 Eternal 2LP The Blessed Hellride LP Hangover Music Vol. VI 2LP Mafia 2LP Shot To Hell LP Order Of The Black 2LP Catacombs Of The Black Vatican 2LP Nuns And Roaches LP Sonic Brew 2LP Song Remains Not The Same II 3LP
Bonus Tracks: Song Remains Not The Same Vol. II 1. My Dying Time 2. Blind Man 3. Graveyard Disciples 4. The Nomad 5. Scars 6. House of Doom 7. A Love Unreal 8. We Live No More 9. Cry Me A River 10. The Chosen One 11. Empty Promises 12. Lead Me To Your Door
More information on Black Label Society’s new video, box set and latest news is available online now at:
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Derek Sherinian showed audiences how his latest album The Phoenix came to life this week.
Sherinian (Sons of Apollo, ex-Dream Theater, Platypus) debuted his new “making of” video Tuesday. The nearly 25-minute video opens with Sherinian shredding on a massive keyboard setup before eventually moving into an interview with Sherinian and a montage of footage from the album’s recording sessions.
The noted montage is coupled with a series of other interview segments with Sherinian and some of the album’s featured guest stars, such as Billy Sheehan, Simon Phillips, and Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal.
The video takes audiences trac-by-track through The Phoenix in Sherinian’s own words and those of Phillips. the pair discusses topics related to the album, such as the influence of Return To Forever and Jimi Hendrix, working with bluesman Joe Bonamassa, and bringing everyone together for the album.
The Phoenix is available now through InsideOut Music. The album has produced the singles ‘Them Changes,’ ‘Dragonfly,’ and ‘Empyrean Sky.’
It will be available as a limited edition digipack CD, 180-gram LP/CD combo pack and digital album. The record’s track listing is noted below.
1. The Phoenix
2. Empyrean Sky
3. Clouds of Ganymede
4. Dragonfly
5. Temple of Helios
6. Them Changes
7. Octopus Pedigree
8. Pesadelo
The Phoenix will feature guest appearances by figures, such as bassists Billy Sheehan, Tony Franklin and Jimmy Johnson and guitarists Joe Bonamassa, Zakk Wylde, Steve Vai, Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal (Sons of Apollo, Guns N’ Roses), and Kiko Loureiro (Megadeth).
Sherinian said of bringing Loureiro on board for the new album, “Kiko and I have known one another for about 20 years, but this is the first time I’ve had the opportunity to play with him.”
More information on Derek Sherinian’s new album is available along with all of his latest news at:
Derek Sherinian debuted the video for his latest single this week.
Sherinian debuted the video for his new single ‘Dragonfly‘ Friday. The song is the second single from his forthcoming solo album The Phoenix while its video is the album’s first. The album is scheduled for release Sept. 18 through InsideOut music.
The debut of ‘Dragonfly’ comes less than a month after Sherinian debuted ‘Empyrean Sky,’ the album’s lead single. The arrangement at the center of ‘Dragonfly presents a distinct freeform style approach. The controlled chaos of Sherinian’s performance on the piano couples with drummer Simon Phillips’ steady time keeping and bassist Ernest Tibbs’ low end to make the song a jazz fusion style arrangement that will appeal to fans of Trioscapes.
The arrangement at the center of ‘Empyrean Sky,’ by comparison is more of a distinct prog-metal work that is grounded in Sherinian’s keyboard work, guitarist Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal’s work on guitar and ‘Phillips’ once again steady time keeping.
Along with handling drums throughout the record, Phillips also also co-produced and co-wrote the album with Sherinian. He shared his own thoughts on the record.
Pre-orders for The Phoenix are open now. Eight songs will make up the body of The Phoenix, among them a cover of Buddy Miles’ ‘Them Changes.’ It will be available as a limited edition digipack CD, 180-gram LP/CD combo pack and digital album. The record’s track listing is noted below.
1. The Phoenix
2. Empyrean Sky
3. Clouds of Ganymede
4. Dragonfly
5. Temple of Helios
6. Them Changes
7. Octopus Pedigree
8. Pesadelo
The Phoenix will feature guest appearances by figures, such as bassists Billy Sheehan, Tony Franklin and Jimmy Johnson and guitarists Joe Bonamassa, Zakk Wylde, Steve Vai, Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal (Sons of Apollo, Guns N’ Roses), and Kiko Loureiro (Megadeth).
Sherinian said of bringing Loureiro on board for the new album, “Kiko and I have known one another for about 20 years, but this is the first time I’ve had the opportunity to play with him.”
More information on Derek Sherinian’s new album is available along with all of his latest news at:
Derek Sherinian debuted the lead single from his new album The Phoenix this week.
Sherinian debuted his new single ‘Empyrean Sky‘ Friday. The full-on instrumental track is anchored by Sherinian’s keyboard work, drummer Simon Philipps’ time keeping and Jimmy Johnson’s bass line. Armen Ra’s performance on the theremin adds its own touch to the composition, too, as does guitarist Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal’s performance along with the group.
The composition in whole lends itself to comparisons to work (both classic and modern) from the likes of Kansas and to works from Emerson Lake & Palmer. It is a slight departure from the work that he has done with other acts with which he has recorded and performed. That gives the song even more of its own identity.
Sherinian (ex-Dream Theater, Sons of Apollo, Platypus, Black Country Communion) is scheduled to release his new album Sept. 18 through InsideOut Music. It will mark the first time since 2011 that he has released a solo album, that most recent album being Oceana.
Sherinian talked about his forthcoming album in a recent interview.
“I truly feel that this is my best solo record to date,” he said. “[Drummer] Simon [Philipps] and I put a lot of energy into the writing, and I am grateful to all of the great players that contributed to this recording.”
“It is always an amazing experience to be able to work with Simon,” added Sherinian. “He’s been a hero of mine for ages, ever since I heard him playing on albums with Jeff Beck and Michael Schenker. And he is such an invaluable part of the way this new record has come out.”
Along with handling drums throughout the record, Philipps also also co-produced and co-wrote the album with Sherinian. He shared his own thoughts on the record.
Eight songs will make up the body of The Phoenix, among them a cover of Buddy Miles’ ‘Them Changes.’ It will be available as a limited edition digipack CD, 180-gram LP/CD combo pack and digital album. The record’s track listing is noted below.
1. The Phoenix
2. Empyrean Sky
3. Clouds of Ganymede
4. Dragonfly
5. Temple of Helios
6. Them Changes
7. Octopus Pedigree
8. Pesadelo
The Phoenix will feature guest appearances by figures, such as bassists Billy Sheehan, Tony Franklin and Jimmy Johnson and guitarists Joe Bonamassa, Zakk Wylde, Steve Vai, Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal (Sons of Apollo, Guns N’ Roses), and Kiko Loureiro (Megadeth).
Sherinian said of bringing Loureiro on board for the new album, “Kiko and I have known one another for about 20 years, but this is the first time I’ve had the opportunity to play with him.”
More information on Derek Sherinian’s new album is available along with all of his latest news at:
Keyboardist Derek Sherinian will tentatively release his new solo album this fall.
Sherinian (ex-Dream Theater, Sons of Apollo, Platypus, Black Country Communion) is scheduled to release his new album The Phoenix Sept. 18 through InsideOut Music. It will mark the first time since 2011 that he has released a solo album, that most recent album being Oceana.
Sherinian talked about his forthcoming album in a recent interview.
“I truly feel that this is my best solo record to date,” he said. “[Drummer] Simon [Philipps] and I put a lot of energy into the writing, and I am grateful to all of the great players that contributed to this recording.”
“It is always an amazing experience to be able to work with Simon,” added Sherinian. “He’s been a hero of mine for ages, ever since I heard him playing on albums with Jeff Beck and Michael Schenker. And he is such an invaluable part of the way this new record has come out.”
Along with handling drums throughout the record, Philipps also also co-produced and co-wrote the album with Sherinian. He shared his own thoughts on the record.
Eight songs will make up the body of The Phoenix, among them a cover of Buddy Miles’ ‘Them Changes.’ It will be available as a limited edition digipack CD, 180-gram LP/CD combo pack and digital album. The record’s track listing is noted below.
1. The Phoenix
2. Empyrean Sky
3. Clouds of Ganymede
4. Dragonfly
5. Temple of Helios
6. Them Changes
7. Octopus Pedigree
8. Pesadelo
The Phoenix will feature guest appearances by figures, such as bassists Billy Sheehan, Tony Franklin and Jimmy Johnson and guitarists Joe Bonamassa, Zakk Wylde, Steve Vai, Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal (Sons of Apollo, Guns N’ Roses), and Kiko Loureiro (Megadeth).
Sherinian said of bringing Loureiro on board for the new album, “Kiko and I have known one another for about 20 years, but this is the first time I’ve had the opportunity to play with him.”
More information on Derek Sherinian’s new album is available along with all of his latest news at:
Comedian and television personality Don Jamieson will release his fourth comedy album next week. Jamieson, known for his time as co-host of VH1 Classic’s hit series That Metal Show and as host of SportsNet NY’s game show Beer Money, will release his new comedy album Denim and Laughter Feb. 21. The album’s title and cover art is a direct tribute to Saxon’s 1981 album Denim and Leather. The performance, captured Oct. 19, 2019 at an undisclosed location, is another example of why he is one of this generation’s top comic talents. That is due in part to the content that makes up the body of his set. This will be discussed shortly. The pacing of the set is also important to note in examining the recording’s overall presentation. It will be discussed a little later. Jamieson’s stage presence rounds out the most important of the performance’s factors. It will also be addressed later. Each item noted here is key in its own way to the whole of Denim and Laughter. All things considered, they make this latest stand-up offering from Jamieson another work that will bring any listener to tears of joy well beyond its first listen.
Don Jamieson is one of the elite comedians of this era. The three stand-up albums that he has already released – Live & Hilarious, Hell Bent For Laughter and Communication Breakdown – more than do their share to prove that statement. His latest album Denim and Laughter cements that reputation even more. That is proven in part through the material that makes up the body of the presented set. Jamieson takes on a variety of topics, including political correctness, bands who claim they are reuniting “for the fans,” and even VH1 Classic’s placement on most cable providers’ lineup and how that played into the show’s eventual demise. As if that isn’t enough, he also takes on a familiar topic in the division between craft beer and original beer. This bit immediately lends itself to comparisons to Denis Leary’s bit about beer. It would be interesting to know if that bit played any part in Jamieson’s own bit about the topic. Along with those topics, Jamieson also takes opportunities to poke fun at Sebastian Bach and very famous song from 80s rock band Warrant among so much more. Put simply, Jamie’s set runs the gamut from start to finish, even taking on media bias and politics, hinting that he might be a Trump supporter. Hopefully he isn’t, but that aside, the hint alone that he might be is enough to warrant a notice for audiences. Even with that in mind, Jamieson, again, presents a wide range of content throughout his set, most of which will still generate plenty of laughs from audiences. To that end, the content alone makes this performance well worth experiencing. It is just one of the aspects of the performance that makes it worth taking in. The set’s pacing adds its own engagement and entertainment to the performance.
Jamieson’s set in this recording runs a total of 44 minutes. Throughout the course of that run time, He never once goes too fast or too slow. Rather, he finds just the right moments throughout the give audiences moments to take in the various punch lines and to prepare for the next bit. That ability of the audience to prepare for the next bit is controlled by Jamieson himself as he works through each transition on his own time. Case in point is his transition from his bit about tea tree shampoo to his jokes about the National Football League and how it has changed over the years for the worse. The two topics are completely unrelated, so Jamieson gives just enough time between the topics to make sure audiences make the transition with him. As he makes his way through his ruminations about the NFL’s negative changes, the transitions from topic to topic are themselves just as smooth. Another good example of the success of the pacing in Jamieson’s set comes as he transitioned from an anecdote about touring with Zakk Wylde to jokes about Black Sabbath, Gwar and how a Gwar concert tied into an alleged experience on a flight. Jamieson’s timing and pacing throughout the roughly seven-minute-plus span is seamless, ensuring audiences’ engagement and entertainment in its own right. In yet another example, Jamieson transitions just as easily from his joke about the impact of a celebrity roast involving Sebastian Bach to an equally funny bit about a well-known song from Warrant. That bit, by the way, really leaves one wondering and laughing in hindsight. It really is timely in a weird way. Getting back on track, the examples presented here, when considered along with the rest of the show, make clear why the pacing of the set is just as important to its presentation as the set’s material. It is not the last of the recording’s most notable items, either. Jamieson’s stage presence throughout the performance rounds out its most important elements.
From start to finish, Jamieson’s presence in his performance is just as solid as his pacing. He presents a certain confident swagger, even connecting with certain audience members directly. On the surface, that doesn’t seem overly important. However, on a deeper level, this is important to note because it says to the rest of the audience that Jamieson wants to make sure his audiences knows that he cares what the audience thinks. He does so by acknowledging those specific audience members. That interaction, in its own way, translates to the rest of the audience, letting them know that he is not just up on stage, but on stage and really interacting on a personal level, as if the audience members were his best friends. That personalization of the set, of sorts, reflects back on Jamieson, encouraging his confidence that much more. The end result is a presence that, again, throughout the set never falters. That confidence plays back into his pacing, and in turn, makes the performance that much more entertaining. When this is considered alongside the overall content, the whole of the noted elements makes Denim & Laughter a presentation that ensures laughter from audiences.
Don Jamieson’s new comedy recording Denim & Laughter is an enjoyable new offering from the veteran entertainer and television personality. That is proven in part through the material that makes up the body of Jamieson’s set. It ranges from the timeless to the random and riotous to even some more dated material. That whole provides plenty for audiences to enjoy. Jamieson’s pacing throughout the course of the nearly 50-minute set does its own share to ensure audiences’ engagement and entertainment. The same can be said of Jamieson’s stage presence throughout his performance. Each item noted is important in its own way to the whole of this recording. All things considered, they make Denim & Laughter another positive performance from one of this generation’s top comic talents. It will be available Feb. 21 through Metal Blade Records. More information on the recording is available online along with all of Jamieson’s latest news at:
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