Tag Archives: Alice Cooper

Songs of the Week 03.07.216

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Presenting a new feature at the Virtual Hot Tub, my Songs of the Week.  Each week, I will pick five songs that I’ve enjoyed listening to over the last seven days, and share them here for your enjoyment.

Now I listen to probably hundreds of songs in any one week, so choosing just five won’t be easy.  Each track will have stood out for some reason or other – perhaps it was poignant, perhaps relating to something going on in my life.  Most likely it will just be a proper banging tune that I’ve loved.

This is intended to be a regular weekly feature, but we’ll see how that goes.  It’s not easy running this Virtual Hot Tub, you know.

Here’s the five for week ending 03/07/2016:

  1. Devo – Gut Feeling
  2. The Donnas – It’s On The Rocks
  3. The Doors – You’re Lost Little Girl
  4. Alice Cooper – Generation Landslide
  5. Cypress Hill – Can’t Get the Best of Me

There you go – five killer tracks.  No explanations necessary.  Unless the multitudes of readers want to know why songs are chosen, then I’ll reconsider.

For now – keep rockin’.

Lordi Gig Review

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Lordi + Hollywood Groupies + Dirty Passion

Friday 3rd April 2015

The Live Rooms, Chester

One thing’s for sure: when the Live Rooms say “doors open at 7pm”, make sure you get in there on time.  I was having a cheeky pint in Kash up the road, so missed the start of the first set tonight.  I arrived about 7.20pm and the first band were already on.

Dirty Passion were that first band, and I’m happy to report that they were pretty damn good.  Hailing from Sweden, this gang of greasy deviants sounded somewhere between Motorhead and Sonic Temple-era Cult.  A confident start to the night.

Next up on our international smorgasbord of rock was Hollywood Groupies, all the way from Italy.  The fact that there were two females in the band (one on vocals, one guitar) is one reason why this band stood out.  Female equality is all very good, and not a novelty in this case – the whole band threw out a quality set.  Again it’s straight up rock’n’roll, and I sensed a slight Danzig influence with big, sing along choruses in abundance.  Nice work. LORDI_on_Tour_Force_One_2015_Masters_of_Rock_CZ

Finally, our main course tonight is a Finnish dish – the Eurovision slaying Monsters of Rock known as Lordi.  I’ll never forget watching the Eurovision song contest in 2006, and the moment when Finland’s entry appeared on stage.  Fully kitted out in monster outifts, the band made jaws drop across the world and rightfully stole the event.

Tonight at the Live Rooms isn’t much different – Lordi appear on stage and drag the audience in to their bizarre horror rock world.  Complete with lights, foam guns, confetti, additional (monster mask wearing) dancers and more, it’s an unrelenting show that is pure, spectacular fun.

I have a couple of Lordi albums, but know only about a quarter of the songs played tonight.  No matter – I was quite surprised even the songs I wasn’t familiar with were listenable, catchy, enjoyable.  “Hard Rock Hallelujah” is played third song in, but there’s no indication of Lordi giving away their ace card too soon, there’s plenty of thrills to be served up.

Like seeing Alice Cooper, there’s a sense of theatrics with Lordi’s show.  It all adds up to a visual treat as well as a musical one.  Highly entertaining, and very hard rocking.  Hallelujah!!!

The Live Rooms website is here.  Keep an eye open for more great gigs coming soon!

The Lordi website is here.

Dark Shadows Playlist

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Dark Shadows Soundtrack – Playlist

Recently I posted my Hallowe’en Horror Fest mini-review of the film Dark Shadows.  It’s a great film from Tim Burton, in my opinion.  One of the best things about that movie is the soundtrack.

The film is set in 1972, so the soundtrack consists of songs from that era.  Contrasting heavy rock, pop and a bit of soul, there are a few cuts that fit the Gothic mood; and others that are just cool.

I put together this playlist – utilising songs from my collection – meaning I didn’t need to buy the soundtrack album…

1. The Moody Blues – “Nights in White Satin”

This classic soundtracks the opening of Dark Shadows, chronicling Victoria’s journey to Collinwood Manor.  Sets up a moody(!) atmosphere.

2. Iggy Pop & The Stooges – “I’m Sick Of You”

I love it when Iggy gets some respect.  Cool tune, as heard in Carolyn’s room.

3. Donovan – “Season of the Witch”

Carolyn Stoddard plays this on vinyl.  Wish I had this on wax.  A Hallowe’en necessity.

4. Deep Purple – “Highway Star”

I can’t remember where this song appears in the movie.  It’s in there though, apparently.  One of the must-have Deep Purple tracks, find it on “Machine Head”.  Or any “Best of”, for that matter.

5. Curtis Mayfield – “Superfly”

Barnabas takes a walk through Collinsport, soundtracked with this mighty slab of Mayfield funk.  Not an obvious vampire tune, but so right for the era.

6. The Carpenters – “Top of the World”

“Reveal yourself, tiny songstress!”

7. Elton John – “Crocodile Rock”

Off to the pub we go, we might bump into Christopher Lee…

8. Black Sabbath – “Paranoid”

It’s the early 70’s.  It’s a dark film.  It needs, no – demands – Sabbath.  Timeless genius from the originators of all that is dark and heavy.  On “Paranoid”, of course.

9. Barry White – “You’re the First, the Last, My Everything”

The Love Machine’s tune is an apt choice for the scene it appears in.  What a song!

10. T.Rex – “Get It On”

So evocative of the time, a welcome airing for this track in the movie.

11. Alice Cooper – “No More Mr Nice Guy”

12. Alice Cooper – “The Ballad of Dwight Fry”

A special mention here for Alice Cooper, who has a cameo role as himself in 1972.  Two classic Coop songs are on this soundtrack.  “The Ballad of Dwight Fry” is possibly my favourite song ever from Alice, so it was great to hear it in the movie.

There you go, twelve songs and 54 minutes of music.  If Tim Burton chose these songs, he has great taste.  Except for that awful Killers song on the end credits.

I guess I’m a bit obsessed with this this film…

You can read my review here.

Hallowe’en Horror Fest Shadows

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Dark Shadows (2012)

Tim Burton and – who else? – Johnny Depp bring us Dark Shadows, based on the cult late ’60’s TV show of the same name.  It’s a mix of horror, comedy and drama that is happy to lurk in Gothic darkness, but also offers a campy humour. dark

Barnabas Collins (Depp), heir to the wealthy Collins clan fortune, makes the mistake of spurning the love of Angelique (Eva Green).  Angelique happens to be a witch who curses Barnabas to become a vampire.  After being imprisoned for 200 years, Collins is awoken and finds himself in the year 1972.  A man – or vampire – considerably out of his time, Barnabas returns to the family home with the intention of restoring the Collins family to both wealth and harmony.  Aided by matriarch Elizabeth (Michelle Pfeiffer), Barnabas faces Angelique once more; whilst also attempting to help his family and win the love of his life.

Does that sound like fun to you?  It did to me.  Which is why I’m surprised that some people didn’t dig this retro gem.  The mixing of genres may have confused some audiences, but to me Dark Shadows is a delightfully ghoulish confection in the spirit of the Addams Family and The Munsters.

I enjoyed the comedy elements, and there’s enough blood to tick the horror box.  Most of all though, I love the 1970’s setting – obviously inspired (again) by Hammer, there are cool cars and an exceptional soundtrack.  Alice Cooper even has a cameo as himself, for goodness sake – playing two classic Coop tracks!

Great cast, cool atmosphere – it all adds up to a winner in my book.

9/10

Platinum Lounge Rocks!

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On Friday 6th September 2013, I was at the Platinum Lounge as part of a leaving do for my great friend and colleague, Ben the Swede.  He was going off to be a hobo on the streets of London, begging for loose change off commuters.  No doubt he would hitch down there, then spend his nights sleeping in a cardboard box with only a stray dog for company.

To celebrate Ben’s move to pastures new, we were all out and about painting the town red as only us filthy tramps know how.  There was a rumour that the Platinum Lounge was having a rock weekend.  The rumours were true.

Rock night at the Platinum Lounge featured the best music I have ever heard in any establishment in Chester.  It left other venues in the dust as the Lounge dared to play the tunes that would rock other clubs to their foundations.

It was a truly legendary night.  Here’s the playlist – or at least, what my compadres and I remember.

  1. Run DMC & Aerosmith – “Walk This Way”
  2. Ugly Kid Joe – “I Hate Everything About You”
  3. Soundgarden – “Black Hole Sun”
  4. Fleetwood Mac – “Go Your Own Way”
  5. ZZ Top – “Legs”
  6. Def Leppard – “Pour Some Sugar On Me”
  7. Motley Crue – “Girls Girls Girls”
  8. Metallica – “Enter Sandman”
  9. Black Sabbath – “Paranoid”
  10. AC/DC – “Whole Lotta Rosie”
  11. Aerosmith – “Janie’s Got a Gun”
  12. The Cult – “She Sells Sanctuary”
  13. Rainbow – “Since You Been Gone”
  14. Alice Cooper – “Poison”
  15. Def Leppard – “Animal”
  16. Guns’n’Roses – “Sweet Child O’ Mine”
  17. AC/DC – “Back in Black”
  18. Jimi Hendrix Experience – “Foxy Lady”
  19. Fleetwood Mac – “The Chain”
  20. Bon Jovi – “Livin’ On a Prayer”
  21. Skid Row – “Youth Gone Wild”
  22. Dire Straits – “Money For Nothing”
  23. U2 – “Pride (In the Name of Love)”
  24. Bryan Adams – “Run to You”
  25. Billy Idol – “White Wedding”
  26. Pink Floyd – “Another Brick in the Wall”
  27. Rolling Stones – “Paint It Black”
  28. Santana – “Smooth”
  29. Whitesnake – “Here I Go Again”
  30. George Thorogood & the Destroyers – “Bad to the Bone”

OK, so I know the Ugly Kid Joe song sucks, but how many top tunes are there on that playlist?  I mean Soundgarden – you never hear Soundgarden played anywhere!  Especially not in Chester, where that sort of thing is punishable by whipping with a designer handbag.

Thanks to all at the Platinum Lounge for a great night.

Hallowe’en Playlist

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All these posts about horror movies, it’s about time there was a post devoted to music for Hallowe’en!

I have a couple of Hallowe’en compilation CDs, this playlist puts together various songs not on those collections.  Some of the choices are obvious horror themes (“The Number of the Beast”, “Nasty”); others are more tenuous (“Devil in Disguise”, “Hotter Than Hell”).  Other selections are related, directly or not, to great scary movies: you know where “Bad Moon Rising” is from, right?

Either way, there’s a variety of styles here – suitable for (most) Hallowe’en gatherings…

  1. Creedence Clearwater Revival – “Bad Moon Rising”
  2. The Damned – “Nasty”
  3. Elvis Presley – “(You’re the) Devil in Disguise”
  4. Ramones – “Pet Semetary”
  5. Motorhead – “Hellraiser”
  6. Johnny Cash – “(Ghost) Riders in the Sky”
  7. Iron Maiden – “The Number of the Beast”
  8. The Misfits – “Vampira”
  9. Kiss – “Hotter Than Hell”
  10. Rolling Stones – “Sympathy for the Devil”
  11. Zombina & The Skeletones – “Nobody Loves You (When You’re Dead)”
  12. Ozzy Osbourne – “Mr Crowley”
  13. Screamin’ Jay Hawkins – “I Put a Spell on You”
  14. GBH – “Horror Story”
  15. Van Halen – “Runnin’ with the Devil”
  16. David Bowie – “Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)”
  17. The Cult – “The Witch”
  18. Jimi Hendrix Experience – “Voodoo Child (Slight Return)”
  19. Alice Cooper – “I Love the Dead”

Platinum Lounge Playlist

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Excellent news – the legendary Platinum Lounge is open again this weekend.  This is whilst the recent licence issues are “pending”.  Hopefully we’ll see the Lounge resurrected to its former glory and status as a beacon of light in glum old Chester.

To celebrate, here’s a playlist I’ve collated on my visits to the establishment.  Obviously, this list isn’t exhaustive – I don’t know or own every song played in Platinum Lounge.  These are just the ones I have a copy of, and can remember.  After all, I usually have a couple of polite drinkies when I’m there.

This is a soundtrack for some great nights, great music and great company.  Maybe it will help convince people that Platinum Lounge is nothing to be afraid of.

  1. Kylie Minogue – “Confide in Me”
  2. Green Day – “Boulevard of Broken Dreams”
  3. Def Leppard – “Pour Some Sugar On Me”
  4. Amy Winehouse – “Rehab”
  5. AC/DC – “Girl’s Got Rhythm”
  6. Alex Gaudino – “Destination Calabria”
  7. Beyonce – “Irreplaceable”
  8. Rhianna – “Umbrella”
  9. Audio Bullys ft. Nancy Sinatra – “Shot You Down”
  10. Destiny’s Child – “Independent Women”
  11. Beyonce – “Crazy in Love”
  12. Beyonce – “Green Light”
  13. Christina Aguilera – “Dirrty”
  14. Massive Attack – “Teardrop”
  15. Nickleback – “Rockstar”
  16. Ida Corr vs. Fedde Le Grand – “Let Me Think About It”
  17. ZZ Top – “Gimme All Your Lovin'”
  18. Poison – “Unskinny Bop”
  19. Motley Crue – “Girls, Girls, Girls”
  20. T-Rex – “Get It On”
  21. AC/DC – “Rock’n’Roll Train”
  22. ZZ Top – “Legs”
  23. AC/DC – “Back in Black”
  24. Alice Cooper – “Poison”
  25. Starship – “We Built This City”
  26. Metallica – “Enter Sandman”
  27. The Cult – “She Sells Sanctuary”
  28. AC/DC – “Shoot to Thrill”
  29. Steppenwolf – “Born to be Wild”
  30. Metallica – “Nothing Else Matters”
  31. Bon Jovi – “Wanted Dead or Alive”
  32. Tenacious D – “Tribute”

Recently Platinum Lounge held a Rock Night.  It was one of the best collection of tunes I’ve ever heard on a night out in Chester.  The above list doesn’t include songs from that night, I’ll post that as a separate list another time!

Random Bike Ride Playlist #3

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Monday’s bike ride – a bit late but never mind.  Sixteen miles.

  1. Roxy Music – “In Every Dream Home a Heartache”
  2. Syd Dale – “Come One Come All”
  3. Vince Dicola – “Training Montage”
  4. D.R.I. – “Suit and Tie Guy”
  5. Hanna-Barbera – “Yogi Bear (Main Title)”
  6. Oakenfold – “The Way I Feel”
  7. Neil Young – “Tell Me Why”
  8. LL Cool J – “Illegal Search”
  9. N.W.A. – “Cash Money (Insert)”
  10. Luke ft The 2 Live Crew – “In Colour-Men on Records”
  11. Smut Peddlers – “Let’s Get Fucked Up”
  12. The Company Band – “Lethe Waters”
  13. Neil Young – “Revolution Blues”
  14. UK Subs – “Limo Life”
  15. Clutch – “WYSIWYG”
  16. Black Label Society – “Blood is Thicker Than Water”
  17. Duffy – “Stepping Stone”
  18. The Cardigans – “Marvel Hill”
  19. T.S.O.L. – “Waiting For You”
  20. Elton John – “The Bitch is Back”
  21. Roy Orbison – “She’s a Mystery to Me”
  22. Alice Cooper – “Pretty Ballerina”
  23. Flipper – “Sex Bomb”
  24. Screamin’ Jay Hawkins – “Monkberry Moon”
  25. The Stupids – “Sorry, It Blew My Head”
  26. John Zacherle – “Coolest Little Monster”
  27. The Damned – “Sugar and Spite”
  28. Johnny Cash – “White Girl”
  29. Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster – “Man For All Seasons”