Tag Archives: Anthrax

Singles Night at the Virtual Hot Tub #38

Posted on by
Reply

Singles Night! At Platinum Al’s Virtual Hot Tub! It’s back – and better than ever!

What is it? A night where I play through a pile of as yet, never spun 45rpm vinyl singles. Both sides, whatever the genre, in whatever random order the fates have decided for me. There’s all sorts in that collection of 7 inch records, so it makes for a fine playlist (with a couple of drinkies to aid the process).

Here’s the latest playlist:

  1. Toyah – “Don’t Fall in Love” / “Snow Covers the Kiss”
  2. Doctor and the Medics – “Waterloo” / “Damaged Brains”
  3. The Screaming Blue Messiahs – “I Wanna Be A Flintstone” / “Jerry’s Electric Church”
  4. Blue Oyster Cult – “Astronomy” / “Magna of Illusion”
  5. Motorhead – “Overkill” / “Too Late, Too Late”
  6. Sex Pistols – “C’Mon Everybody” / “The God Save The Queen Symphony”
  7. Pete Mac Junior – “The Water Margin” / Godiego – “The Water Margin”
  8. Peter Sellers & Sophia Loren – “Goodness Gracious Me!” / Peter Sellers – “Grandpa’s Groove”
  9. The Professionals – “Little Boys in Blue” / Gillan – “I’ll Rip Your Spine Out”
  10. Stevie Wonder – “Lately” / “If It’s Magic”
  11. Psychedelic Furs – “Heaven” / “Heartbeat (Remix)”
  12. The Cars – “Drive” / “Stranger Eyes”
  13. Sex Pistols – “God Save The Queen” / “Did You No Wrong”
  14. Run DMC – “It’s Tricky (Remix)” / “Proud To Be Black”
  15. Bow Wow Wow – “Go Wild in the Country” / “El Boss Dicho”
  16. Atomic Rooster – “Tomorrow Night” / “Play the Game”
  17. Black Sabbath – “Hard Road” / “Symptom of the Universe”
  18. Anthrax – “I’m the Man” / “Caught in a Mosh (Live)”
  19. Anti-Nowhere League – “I Hate… People” / “Let’s Break the Law”
  20. Eighth Wonder – “I’m Not Scared” / “J’ai Pas Peur”
  21. Lynsey De Paul – “Ooh I Do” / “Nothing Really Lasts Forever”
  22. Sly Fox – “Let’s Go All the Way” / “Como Tu Te Hama”

A great selection. I can honestly say that I’m not ashamed of any of those singles. Except, maybe, “Goodness Gracious Me” which is somewhat… ah, dated, shall we say? At least the lovely Sophia Loren adds a touch of class. And she’s not the only beautiful lady in the list – I always had a crush on Lynsey De Paul.

Notes:

Two Sex Pistols records included here. including the wonderful “God Save The Queen”, one of the greatest rock’n’roll songs ever recorded. And we all know it got to number one really! There’s also a track from Jones and Cook as The Professionals, here on a Sounds flexi disc with Ian Gillan.

“The Water Margin” was a classic Japanese television series, shown in the 1970s. I vaguely remember it, but watched a later 1980s re-run religiously. The theme tune is brilliant. This single features a version in English on one side, and Japanese on the other.

Some great classic rock in this list, with Blue Oyster Cult, Atomic Rooster and a later Black Sabbath single (on purple vinyl in this case). A legendary couple of Motorhead tracks too, plus Anthrax throwing down some proto rap metal.

More punk from the Anti-Nowhere League: both of those tracks are fantastic.

A really enjoyable evening of music: random but unforgettable. More soon.

Singles Night at the Virtual Hot Tub #36

Posted on by
Reply

It’s that time again – Singles Night! Yes, the night at my Virtual Hot Tub where we play a variety of 7 inch singles and have a few beverages. A record listening party, if you will, but only involving 45 rpm discs.

There’s a huge stack of unplayed singles lurking round the Hot Tub. Some old, some new, some that have been given to me as a gift. They’ve collected together over time from all manner of different sources, and they need to be played.

So play them I will, A side first then flip ’em over for the B side – playing through the stack for the sheer fun of it.

Pour yourself a drink and join me, who knows what we’ll hear?

Here’s the playlist:

  1. Chafed GBI – “The Regulator”
  2. Jim Jones & The Righteous Mind – “Get Down Get With It” / “Ace of Spades”
  3. Elvis Presley – “Are You Lonesome Tonight? (The Laughing Version)” / “From a Jack to a King”
  4. Bad Company – “Feel Like Makin’ Love” / “Wild Fire Woman”
  5. The Alarm – “Absolute Reality” / “Blaze of Glory”
  6. INXS – “Need You Tonight” / “Move On”
  7. Vapors – “News at Ten” / “Wasted” / “Talk Talk”
  8. Lita Ford – “Kiss Me Deadly” / “Broken Dreams”
  9. Depeche Mode – “Just Can’t Get Enough” / “Any Second Now”
  10. Shakin’ Stevens – “Green Door” / “Don’t Turn Your Back”
  11. Simple Minds – “Ghostdancing” / “Jungleland”
  12. Duran Duran – “The Reflex” / “Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me”
  13. The Motors – “Forget About You” / “Picturama”
  14. Chic – “I Want Your Love” / “(Funny) Bone”
  15. Slade – “Know Who You Are” / “Dapple Rose”
  16. Thin Lizzy – “Killer On The Loose” / “Don’t Play Around”
  17. Roxy Music – “Over You” / “Manifesto”
  18. Madonna – “Material Girl” / “Pretender”
  19. AC/DC – “Heatseeker” / “Go Zone”
  20. David Bowie – “Fashion” / “Scream Like a Baby”
  21. The Alarm – “Rescue Me” / “The Hurricane Sessions (My Land Your Land)”
  22. ABBA – “Gimme, Gimme, Gimme” / “The King Has Lost His Crown”

Twenty two songs this week, and some real beauties in that session. From great classic rock (Bad Company, Thin Lizzy, AC/DC) to 80’s pop (Depeche Mode, Madonna, ABBA) to punk/new wave (Vapors, The Motors) there’s a wide spread of awesome songs.

Some notes:

Chafed GBI is a “supergroup” comprising Scott Ian and Charlie Benante of Anthrax, with Dave Grohl on drums. It’s a single sided, colour vinyl 7 inch of the classic Bad Brains song released for Record Store Day.

The Jim Jones & The Righteous Mind single is on coloured vinyl. While it does contain a cover of the Slade song on the A-side (though that was a cover of an earlier tune), the B-side is not the song made famous by Motorhead! Still great though.

An amazing night of vinyl spinning. More soon!

Scrap Metal Vol. 2 – Album Review

Posted on by
Reply

Various Artists – Scrap Metal Vol 2

RidingEasy Records

Release date: 10/02/2023

Running time: 41 mins

Review by: Alun Jones

8.5/10

All hail the return of the forgotten kings!  Yes, it’s another instalment of long lost and forgotten classics with the second “Scrap Metal” collection from RidingEasy Records!  Much like their Brown Acid series, which compiles obscure late 60’s/early 70’s psych hard rock, here we’re delving into the murky depths of early 80’s metal.  This is the realm of studded belts, band patch covered denim jackets and of course, mullets: prepare to ROCK!

We begin with ‘Running for the Line’ by JJ’s Powerhouse – a lightning-fast ripper that reminded me of Judas Priest playing a cover of Budgie’s ‘Breadfan’.  It’s a great, energetic start to the proceedings.  Next is Storm Queen, with another fast-paced attack in ‘Raising the Roof’.  Furious fun from this Welsh power house.

‘It’s a Crime’ declare Jameson Raid, and it is indeed a crime that these Brummie bruisers didn’t achieve more in rock’n’roll.  A.R.C. have a punk’n’roll edge that makes their song ‘Homemade Wine’ something to savour, it’s the rawest track here so far.  Metropolis hail from San Jose, and their track ‘The Raven’ has a dark, mid eighties thrash sound and killer intro riff.

Staying with the USA, Prowler from San Diego offer up ‘Temporary Insanity’ – more mid-eighties thrash infused metal that recalls early Anthrax.  Following that, Christian Steel deliver ‘Need Your Love’ – a fairly cliched, but still fun, banger.  If these guys are Christians, I’ll bet their church group won’t be impressed with what they’d like to do to a lady (outside of matrimony too, I suspect).  ‘Sidewinder’ is one of the best tracks gathered here, a punchy rocker from Black Rose.      

‘Star Trippin’’ is by Dark Age.  Dark Age are apparently a band of youngsters: the guitarist was jut 12, and his brother on vocals two years younger when this song was written.  It’s fun, but very strange listening to the helium high-pitched voices.  It’s like Alvin & The Chipmunks playing Crue covers.  Finally, we have Sorcery with their mystical Zep-a-thon ‘Whales’.  Crazy title for a crazy tune.  There’s a mellow hippyish intro, which is obliterated by the crushing mega riff which powers the song along.  Over the top magnificence.

From NWOBHM inspired tracks, to proto thrash and full-on goof ball metal ragers, Scrap Metal Vol 2 has plenty of variety.  Maybe not so much depth, but it’s not for want of trying with some of these bands.  At the end of the day, all of these songs are fun and it’s great to know they’ve been rescued from oblivion.  Now, raise those horns and roar!

Check out RidingEasy Records online, on Bandcamp, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

This review is presented by Platinum Al in partnership with Ever Metal.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Posted on by
Reply

I can’t remember when I was first aware of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, but as a big comic book reader in the 1980s it was kind of inevitable that we’d cross paths.  Cleverly playing with some popular comic tropes, Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird created a pop culture phenomenon almost by accident.

I do remember the Ninja Turtles and their creators getting a shout out in the “thank you” list of the “Among the Living” album by thrash metal kings Anthrax.  The book seemed quirky and original, it’s popularity boosted with a reputation for genuinely great writing and art.

Leonardo
Raphael

Next came the cartoon, a couple of years later.  This was the turtles tidied up for a younger audience and it became a massive hit.  I was about 17 at the time (!), but enjoyed watching the cartoon occasionally as a bit of tongue in cheek fun.  I was being ironic, honest.

The toys that were made at the time were very cool; for the era they seemed very well designed and super detailed.  I was far too old for the action figures, but secretly coveted them from afar.

Eventually I picked up the figure of my favourite turtle, Michaelangelo.  He must have been on sale somewhere post turtles craze,’cos this would’ve been in my student days and thus, extremely poor.  He was a perfect ironic, “look how wacky I am” student possession.

Sadly, Mikey disappeared – I know not where – and once again, I was completely turtle-less.

Donatello
Michaelangelo

Until a couple of years ago, when taking my daughter on one of her last trips to Toys R Us, before it closed for good.  They had on sale re-issued turtles, exactly like the old versions I loved, and they were cheap (ish).

I replaced Michaelangelo there and then, and over the next few days was so eager to complete a collection of all four turtles that I returned to buy others.  With a little bit of toy spotting help from my old pal Adam, I was soon in business with a full team of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

At the moment, I only have the full group of Leonardo, Donatello, Michaelangelo and Raphael.  It would be great to have Splinter, Shredder and more one day, but I doubt they’ll turn up cheap.

The four turtles are great figures, nicely stylised and featuring great detail.  And awesome weapons.

All four are still Mint in Box.  How long can I resist the urge to release the guys from their blister pack prisons?  Surely one night I’ll have had a little bit too much to drink, and decide to tear that plastic from the backing card…

What do you think readers?  Should the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles stay in their boxes, or should I open them up?

Singles Night at the Virtual Hot Tub #7

Posted on by
Reply

I had another great night recently, playing a load of old 7″ singles.  What happens is, I acquire these singles from record fairs, charity shops or maybe contributions from friends – and I spend an evening playing through the pile.  The’re stacked in order of how long I’ve had them – oldest near the top – and not organised in any way.

So I get a few drinkies down me and play the records in the order they reveal themselves.  Which can be fun – no skipping, play whatever’s next in the pile.

This system always means that no matter how many cool songs I play, there’s always a few dodgy tracks in there too.  But then let’s just call those less aspirational songs “guilty pleasures”, and enjoy them for what they are.

Last time, I claimed that the rest of the stack of 45 rpm magic wouldn’t reach as high a standard.  I was wrong.  Here’s the playlist, which includes some absolute monsters…

  1. Elvis Presley – “Young and Beautiful” / “True Love” / “Lover Doll” / “Love Me Tender”
  2. AC/DC – “Whole Lotta Rosie” / “Hell Ain’t a Bad Place To Be”
  3. W.A.S.P. – “Mean Man” / “Locomotive Breath”
  4. The Beatles – “Can’t Buy Me Love” / “You Can’t Do That”
  5. Anthrax – “Anti-Social” / “Parasite”
  6. The Hawaiian Islanders – “Hawaiian War Chant” / “Song of the Islands” / “One, Two, Three, Four” / “On the Beach at Waikiki” / “Sweet Leilani” / “Aloha Oe”
  7. Johnny Cash – “It Ain’t Me Babe” / “Understand Your Man” / “Five Feet High and Rising” / “I Walk the Line”
  8. Stiff Little Fingers – “At the Edge” / “Silly Encores, Autumn 1979”
  9. Spagna – “Call Me” / “Girl, It’s Not the End of the World”
  10. Tenpole Tudor – “The Swords of a Thousand Men” / “Love and Food”
  11. The Rolling Stones – “It’s All Over Now” / “Good Times, Bad Times”
  12. Belinda Carlisle – “Vision of You” / “Leave a Light On For Me (Kamikazee Mix)”
  13. Salt-n-Pepa – “Push It (US Remix)” / “I Am Down” / “Tramp”
  14. Fat Boys – “The Twist (Yo, Twist)” / “The Twist (Buffapella)”
  15. Bananarama – “Cruel Summer” / “Summer Dub”
  16. Thin Lizzy – “Cold Sweat” / “Bad Habits”
  17. Heaven 17 – “Temptation” / “We Live So Fast”
  18. Hammer – “Addam’s Groove (LP Mix)” / “Street Soldiers (Saxapella Reprise)”
  19. Philip Lynott – “Yellow Pearl” / “Girls”
  20. Senser – “The Brunt”
  21. Siouxsie & the Banshees – “The Staircase (Mystery)” / “20th Century Boy”

Fantastic stack of singles!  Some absolute classics with a couple of cheesy horror stories.  Any playlist that includes AC/DC and the Beatles can’t be half bad.  I’ll be doing some more of these singles nights soon, stay tuned!

Elvis
AC/DC
WASP

Singles Night at the Virtual Hot Tub #6

Posted on by
1

Welcome to another Singles Night at the Virtual Hot Tub with your host, Platinum Al!

As previous, I spent the evening listening to a stack of 45 rpm singles that I’d acquired over time from several sources.  Whilst imbibing some fine alcohol.  The following is a list of those singles, A and B sides listened to in order.

There are some particularly sweet slabs of vinyl in this edition.  As always, however, we’re never too far away from some rank cheese…

  1. INXS – “The Gift” / “The Gift (Extended Mix)”
  2. Sweet – “Action” / “Sweet F.A.”
  3. Rod Stewart – “Reason to Believe” / “Maggie May”
  4. The KLF – “America: What Time is Love?” / “America No More”
  5. ABBA – “Mamma Mia” / “Tropical Loveland”
  6. Elvis Presley – “Trouble” / “Young Dreams” / “Crawfish” / “Dixieland Rock”
  7. Cream – “Strange Brew” / “Tales of Brave Ulysses”
  8. Right Said Fred – “I’m Too Sexy” / “I’m Too Sexy (Instrumental)”
  9. Anthrax – “Indians” / “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath” / “Taint”
  10. The Stranglers – “All Day and All of the Night” / “Viva Vlad!”
  11. W.A.S.P. – “I Don’t Need No Doctor” / “Widowmaker”
  12. Beastie Boys – “(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party)” / “Time to Get Ill”
  13. Iron Maiden – “The Clairvoyant” / “The Prisoner”
  14. AC/DC – “Let’s Get It Up” / “Back in Black”
  15. Yes – “Into the Lens” / “Does It Really Happen?”
  16. Marillion – “Incommunicado” / “Going Under”
  17. Kim Wilde – “Cambodia” / Watching for Shapes”
  18. The Beatles – “Day Tripper” / “We Can Work It Out”
  19. The Spencer Davis Group – “Keep On Running” / “Somebody Help Me” / “Every Little Bit Hurts” / “I’m a Man” / “Gimme Some Lovin'”
  20. Booker T and the M.G.s – “Time is Tight” / “Hang ‘Em High”
  21. The Byrds – “Mr Tambourine Man” / “I Knew I’d Want You”
  22. The Skids – “Circus Games” / “Onedecree”
  23. Manuel & The Music of the Mountains – “The Portugese Washer Women” / “Never on Sunday”

Note: the B-side of the Anthrax single is actually their track “Imitation of Life”. 

I’m mighty proud of that selection.  Not that I had anything to do with it, the choice was random – I just took whatever disc was top of the pile and made my way through.

But what a bunch of scorchers!  One of my favourite Beatles tracks; Cream; Booker T; some classic metal and the Beastie Boys.  It doesn’t get better than that.

Or rather, it won’t.  Most of the rest of the pile of 7″ singles isn’t up to that quality…

Gama Bomb – Speed Between the Lines Album Review

Posted on by
Reply

Here’s my recent review of the new Gama Bomb album, which appeared on the Ever Metal website.  Reproduced here with permission; enjoy! 

Gama Bomb – Speed Between the Lines

AFM Records

Release date: 12/10/2018

Running time: 35.07

Review by: Alun Jones

8/10

Hello and welcome to Thrash School.  For today’s lesson, you will need:

  • Skin tight jeans (preferably with ripped knees)
  • Faded Acid Reign t-shirt
  • Studded leather belt and 1x studded leather wrist band
  • White hi-top leather Converse
  • Black leather jacket (denim vest over jacket optional)
  • Baseball cap with “NOT” written under the peak

Because today we will be listening to the new album by Gama Bomb, entitled “Speed Between the Lines”.

These merry metallers have an uncanny ability to rewind the cassette of time to a simpler age.  It’s like grunge never happened.  Instead, we get twelve face-lacerating tunes that rush by in uncompromising fashion.  This is thrash metal, kids, buckle up for the ride.

Eighties thrash was often pre-occupied with party bum-out vibes like nuclear destruction.  Apparently, it’s a post-Cold War world though, so these boys don’t wallow in misery for too long.  Not that they don’t have a social conscience: witness the admirable stab at the current political climate in “Alt Reich”.

But they’re just as happy dedicating an ode to Kurt Russell, which is perfectly justified in my opinion.  Kurt is, of course, an icon of twentieth century popular culture.  Not convinced? Go watch The Thing and Big Trouble in Little China and you can thank me later.

Back to the music.  Although diversity isn’t Gama Bomb’s strong point – Master of Puppets this ain’t – the listener is rewarded with a dozen tracks that speed by relentlessly.  The musicianship is amazing, with blitzkrieg lead guitar all over the place.

The occasional change of pace would add some additional colour, but you can’t fault the commitment and enthusiasm of this band.  This album is the full package with cool themes and some of the best song titles I’ve heard in a long time (666teen? Give them an award NOW).  The music is intense and exciting in equal measure, bringing to mind classic Overkill, Anthrax and Nuclear Assault.

So dig out your old Variflex skateboard and ask your big brother’s mate to buy you a two litre bottle of cider from the Co-op.  With Gama Bomb you can party like it’s 1987.  This history lesson is over.

Visit the Ever Metal website here.

Gym Playlist #1

Posted on by
Reply

Have you been hitting the gym since the start of the year?  Punishing yourself with cardio and weights as you fight to shed those extra pounds that attached themselves limpet-like over the festive season?

I’ve been slaughtering the gym since the start of the year, but then I always do.  Not that it seems to do any good.

Whilst I’m there, pummelling away at the flab in a vain attempt to get in shape, I need some tunes to motivate me.  The music in the gym is usually dancey disco stuff, which is fine if you’re dancing, but when I’m working out I need something a bit more aggressive.

Albums by various bands get a regular spin, but I also made this iPod playlist to help me focus like a Viking ransacking a monastery.  Sometimes I’m so amped I feel like I could run through the wall, rather than just plodding on the treadmill.

You could do worse than to listen to this cacophony yourself.

  1. Rocket From The Crypt – “Pushed”
  2. Audioslave – “Cochise”
  3. Big Chief – “Lion’s Mouth”
  4. Metallica – “Die Die My Darling”
  5. Foo Fighters – “The Pretender”
  6. Rage Against the Machine – “Guerrilla Radio”
  7. Anthrax – “Only”
  8. Corrosion of Conformity – “Heaven’s Not Overflowing”
  9. Pantera – “Fucking Hostile”
  10. The Cult – “Rise”
  11. Probot – “Shake Your Blood”
  12. Suicidal Tendencies – “War Inside My Head”
  13. Beastie Boys – “Sabotage”

There you go: 47 minutes of energetic, in your face music to psyche you up and get you in the mood to destroy. GO!!!

Random Bike Ride Playlist 2017 #1

Posted on by
Reply

It’s been a long, long time since I posted a random bike ride playlist.  My PC has had a few technical issues which impacted on my iTunes selection.  Oh, the joys of digital music.

Anyway, I went on a big cycle ride and left the music choice up to the iPod.  This is what I heard whilst on shuffle.

  1. Amy Winehouse – “Tears Dry On Their Own”
  2. Municipal Waste – “Lunch Hall Food Bawl”
  3. Sex Pistols – “No One is Innocent”
  4. Napalm Death – “Born on Your Knees”
  5. Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash – “If I Were a Carpenter”
  6. Nancy Sinatra featuring Lee Hazlewood – “Jackson”
  7. PJ Harvey – “Good Fortune”
  8. Killing Joke – “S.O.36”
  9. Husker Du – “Wheels”
  10. Manic Street Preachers – “Motorcycle Emptiness”
  11. The Cult – “Wilderness Now”
  12. John Lee Hooker – “I’m Gonna Kill That Woman”
  13. Valient Thorr – “Problem Solver”
  14. Rocket From The Crypt – “Ratsize”
  15. Pearl Jam – “Footsteps”
  16. SNFU – “Electric Chair”
  17. Ramones – “It’s Gonna Be Alright”
  18. Van Halen – “Where Have All the Good Times Gone?”
  19. PJ Harvey – “Meet Ze Monster”
  20. Social Distortion – “Writing on the Wall”
  21. Solarized – “Chrome Shop”
  22. Thin Lizzy – “Silver Dollar”
  23. Beastie Boys – “Shadrach”
  24. Johnny Cash – “Daddy Sang Bass”
  25. Pat Benatar – “Hit Me With Your Best Shot”
  26. Joan Jett & The Blackhearts – “Love Me Two Times”
  27. Anthrax – “I’m The Man”
  28. The Answer – “Evil Man”
  29. Judas Priest – “Here Come the Tears”
  30. Fu Manchu – “Missing Link”
  31. Jello Biafra & The Melvins – “Yuppie Cadillac”
  32. Clutch – “Ship of Gold”
  33. Jimmy Eat World – “Hear You Me”
  34. Stevie Wonder – “For Once in My Life”
  35. The Cult – “Full Tilt”
  36. The Byrds – “The Times They Are a-Changin'”
  37. Joan Jett & The Blackhearts – “Love is Pain”
  38. Weezer – “Pork and Beans”
  39. Manic Street Preachers – “Suicide is Painless”
  40. Bad Company – “Seagull”
  41. The Clash – “Jimmy Jazz”
  42. Reverend Horton Heat – “In Your Wildest Dreams”
  43. The Monkees – “(I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone”
  44. The Who – “See Me Feel Me”

Wow, I didn’t even know I had that Pat Benatar track!

There you have it – a mix of genres making a nice, eclectic mix of music.  Till next time…

Songs of the Week 09.10.2016

Posted on by
Reply

Biding time till I write up the next Halloween Horror Fest movie review, here’s five songs that stood out last week:

  1. Siouxsie and the Banshees – Arabian Knights
  2. The Stupids – Skid Row
  3. David Bowie – Life on Mars
  4. Sisters of Mercy – This Corrosion
  5. Anthrax – Antisocial