Monthly newsletter 2024

#9

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INTRODUCTION

Welcome to The Story of Rock and Roll. This newsletter covers episodes S7E32 to S7E35. These shows are available on podcasts on our website and all major podcast platforms. Quick links to all things TSORR can be found at the end of the newsletter, so please feel free to share it with anyone who might be interested.

If you can’t find us, simply search online for ‘The Story of Rock and Roll Radio Show’ and you’ll discover plenty of podcast options. You will always find us at www.thestoryofrockandroll.com and on Buzzsprout https://www.buzzsprout.com/273305/stats.

A big thank you to all the supporters of the show! Our podcasts have been heard in 115 countries, which proves that rock and metal are very much alive and well across the world.

HIGHLIGHTS

We had a great new single called ‘Dream Stealer’ from Arch Enemy, which you can read about in the New Releases section.

Also featured are new albums from Category 7, Doomsday Outlaw, and Dark Tranquillity.

The Diabolical Challenge continues to be a fan favourite, although it’s becoming trickier now that we’re on the second cycle through the alphabet. The next challenge for me is to come up with a fresh idea for 2025. If you have any suggestions, feel free to let me know!

THE DIABOLICAL CHALLENGE

Every week, in The Diabolical Challenge, we pick four albums that, you’d find filed under a specific letter of the alphabet if you were browsing in a record shop. This past month we covered the letters H through K. Here are the bands we looked at in each show, and the albums chosen are in the pictures below.

S7E32 = H – Headpins, Helloween, Hell Fire, and The Horrible Crowes

S7E28 = I – Iron Maiden, Infanteria, Icon, and In This Moment

S7E29 = J – Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, John Mellencamp, Journey, Jimi Hendrix

S7E30 = K – Kiss, Kansas, Korn, and The Killers

H

The tracks played were: ‘Don’t it Make Ya Feel’ (Headpins). ‘Ladykiller’ (The Horrible Crowes), ‘Eagle Fly Free’ (Helloween), ‘Warpath’ (Hell Fire). To participate in this Diabolical Challenge, you needed to be in the know. The Horrible Crowes, a lesser-known Brian Fallon side project separate from The Gaslight Anthem, released the superb album Elsie . It has a darker feel compared to Fallon’s solo work or any of The Gaslight Anthem albums, and it’s well worth a listen.

Hell Fire, out of San Francisco, released one of the best thrash albums ever, though it remains under the radar for many. Their 2019 album Mania was a significant step up from 2016’s Metal Masses and 2017’s Free Again. With Mania they really outdid themselves, and this was my pick for the challenge.

Helloween’s Keeper of the Seven Keys Part II is an incredible album and unsurprisingly, the popular choice. Released in 1988, the follow-up to 1985’s Keeper of the Seven Keys was well received by critics and fans alike. I played ‘Eagle Fly Free’ a track widely acknowledged as a metal classic. It perfectly captures the soaring magnificence of both the bird and the band. Be sure to check out the solo work from guitarists Kai Hansen and Michael Weikath, drummer Ingo Schwichtenberg and bassist Marcus Grosskopf.

Halloween Artist Solos

Kai Hansen & Mihael Weikath Eagle Fly Free

Michael Weikath Power Solo

Ingo Schwichtenberg Eagles Feel Free

Helloween - Medley ( Markus Grosskopf bass solo)

Kai Hansen Solo

Helloween -best Solos 1985-2007

I

The tracks played were: ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Maniac’ (Icon), ‘Adrenalize’ (In This Moment), ‘Raging Bastards’ (Infanteria), and ‘Afraid to Shoot Strangers’ (Iron Maiden). From the outset it was clear that Iron Maiden was the dominant choice – one Facebook comment even called it a ‘no brainer’. Choosing Iron Maiden as the one album you’d take if you could only have one definitely makes sense. Fortunately, outside of this thought experiment, the goal is to introduce you to albums you may not know, so it’s worth noting that Infanteria sounded really good. The band formed in Cape Town, is world class. The guitar solo is tight and solid, with a tone that many metal guitarist aspire to. Icon released a great debut album back in 1981, which Rafe Lavine often featured on his Rock and Horror Show. It’s a great slice of ‘80s metal and is probably gathering dust in quite a few record collections. Dust it off if you’ve got it.

J

The tracks played were: ‘Crimson & Clover’ (Joan Jett & the Blackhearts), ‘Hurts So Good’ (John Cougar), ‘Stone in Love’ (Journey), and ‘Are You Experienced’ (The Jimi Hendrix Experience). The popular vote on Facebook was for Jimi Hendrix, but people who tuned into the show were a bit more discerning, giving both John Cougar and Journey votes. There is no denying the genius of Jimi Hendrix, and the impact of his arrival on the UK music scene in the late ‘60s. To say he shook things up is an understatement. His introductory gig in London’s Bag o’ Nails club had Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Brian Jones, Mick Jagger and Pete Townshend in attendance – they were blown away. It was a fantastic time in rock history. That said, I don’t think Are You Experienced? has aged well from a production and sound quality perspective.

Are you experienced documentary

Part 1

Part 3

Part 2

Part 4

K

The tracks played were: ‘Detroit Rock City’ (KISS), ‘Carry On Wayward Son’ (Kansas), ‘This River is Wild’ (The Killers), and ‘Got the Life’ (Korn). I first heard Destroyer around 1977 and that was it – my life was never the same. That was the proverbial fork in the road where rock and metal became a driving force for me. Based on that, my choice was clear: KISS all the way. For everyone else, it was even Stevens across the range. Many listeners had a soft spot for Sam’s Town. If I had to pick an album to represent the zeitgeist of the late ‘00s, it would be Sam’s Town and MCR’s The Black Parade. This was one of the best Diabolical challenges – not easy at all.

THE IMMORTALS

In S7E32, we started off with a Led Zeppelin track off 1973’s Houses of the Holy. The track was ‘No Quarter’, which you may recall from the Led Zeppelin movie The Song Remains the Same, where it features in the fantasy scene with John Paul Jones as a phantom horseman. Produced by Jimmy Page and recorded at Headley Grange, the track begins with a moody, atmospheric intro and builds over it’s seven-minute duration. ‘No Quarter’ was a staple of the band’s live shows from 1973 until 1980 and was only dropped from the setlist on their final tour.

Next up on S7E33, we had a track called ‘I Believe in You’ from Y&T. This was the final track on their third album, Earthshaker, released in 1981. ‘I Believe in You’ is a powerful track, awesome in its simplicity and sentiment. I mentioned on air that if you’ve ever played in a rock or metal band, you’ll know that a song like this is extremely difficult to end. Two guitarists could easily stretch it on for seven, ten, or even twenty minutes. Just as you think the final drum rolls have arrived, one of the guitarists will launch into a final, final solo. Those who know, know.

The following week featured Smith/Kotzen with a track called ‘You Don’t Know Me. The unlikely pairing of shred master Richie Kotzen and Iron Maiden’s Adrian Smith resulted in a stunning, bluesy rock album released as Smith/Kotzen in 2021. Richie typically handles lead guitar duties and vocals in The Winery Dogs, alongside bass god Billy Sheehan and drummer extraordinaire Mike Portnoy. Adrian is one of three lead guitarists in Iron Maiden.

How did this unexpected collaboration between American Richie Kotzen & England’s Adrian Smith come about? It turns out Adrian spends much of his time in the US, and they are neighbours in LA. Check out the clip below for the full story.

We ended the cycle with a track that I am both amazed and embarrassed has not featured on the Immortals before. ‘Red Army Blues’ from The Waterboy’s 1984 release A Pagan Place, is without doubt one of the most emotionally charged tracks ever performed. Produced by Karl Wallinger (RIP) of World Party and Mike Scott who wrote the track, it tells the story of a Russian soldier who meets his first American and then, on the train home, comes to the horrifying realisation that he will never see home again as “Comrade Stalin was scared we’d become too Westernised”. Anthony Thistlewaite’s haunting saxophone, coupled with the intensity of Mike Scott’s lyrics and matching vocals, takes the track to a place of sheer musical magnificence.

NEW RELEASES & NEW DISCOVERIES & SAD GOODBYES

Beasto Blanco, Category 7, Doomsday Outlaw, and Dark Tranquillity all released new albums.

Beasto Blanco is new to me, and their album Kinetica is excellent – there’s a definite White Zombie feel to their sound. With no Wikipedia entry, I had to do some digging. The band was formed by Chuck Garric, who has an impressive pedigree in metal, having recorded and/or toured with Guns ‘n’ Roses, Ted Nugent, Billy Bob Thornton, and Dio. Chuck has been the bass guitarist in Alice Coopers band since 2002. The Alice Cooper connection with Beasto Blanco goes deeper: the female lead vocalist in the band is Alice’s daughter, Calico Cooper. From what I pieced together, Chuck plays bass in Alice’s band but plays rhythm guitar in Beasto Blanco. Jan Le Grow plays bass, and lead guitar work is done by Chris Latham. The drummer is Tim Husung.

Doomsday Outlaw is a band I discovered by accident last year. Their track ‘If This is the End’ featured in S6E6 and again in the year closing S6E52. The opening riff – a soaring burst of emotionally charged guitar – is exactly the sound I love. The track appears on their 2023 sophomore album Damaged Goods.

Their new album, Hard Times (Redux), is excellent and, to my ears, their most cohesive effort yet. Doomsday Outlaw hail from Derbyshire, and along with Lancashire’s Massive Wagons, they are showing the world that English rock is alive and kicking ass. The band comprises Phil Poole (lead vocals), Stephen Broughton (guitar), Gavin Mills (guitar), Indy (bass and backing vocals), and John ‘Ironfoot’ Willis (drums).

Dark Tranquillity was a nice surprise. I had been hoping for something new from The Halo Effect, a collaboration between In Flames members Jesper Störmblad, Daniel Svensson and Peter Iwers, along with Dark Tranquillity vocalist and founding member Michael Stanne. My eye was off the Dark Tranquillity ball, so it was a pleasure to discover their new album titled Endtime Signals. Both Dark Tranquillity and In Flames hail from Gothenburg, Sweden. In my view the Swedish melodic death metal scene has done a fantastic job of paying reparations to the world for ABBA.

Dark Tranquility Early Years Documentary

Part1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

In terms of singles released, the standout came from Arch Enemy with their track ‘Dream Stealer’ showcasing the bands continued ascent. The accompanying video directed by Patric Ullaeus highlights how the band remains at the forefront of modern metal visually. The track also features new guitarist Joey Concepcion, who recently replaced Jeff Loomis. Loomis who joined Arch Enemy in 2014, can be heard on their last three albums: War Eternal, Will to Power and Deceivers. These albums also mark the era of Alissa White -Gluz who, took over from Angela Gossow, now the bands manager. While Angela pioneered female death metal vocals and shattered the notion that such singing was impossible, Alissa’s impact on the band has been profound. She has not only broadened their appeal but also serves as an inspiring role model. Check out her interviews to see why I say this.

We also got new tracks from Seether off the forthcoming album titled The Surface Seems So Far.

SOUTH AFRICAN SCENE

I didn’t have any interviews this month, but we played a lot of legacy South African bands including The Black Cat Bones, Infanteria, aKing, Fokofpolisiekar, The Diamond Dogs, Van Coke Kartel, and Jasper Dan.

I highlighted how original the aKing ‘Safe as Houses’ video was, especially in the context of our history. It was recorded in 2008, just two years before the Zuma-era wrecking ball began to the decimate state-owned institutions across South Africa.

CHEERS @#$%’s

The shows discussed in this month’s newsletter can be heard as podcasts S7E32 – S7E35. Feel free to drop me a message on The Story of Rock and Roll Facebook page or via email at thestoryofrockandroll1@gmail.com. If you want to be added to TSORR Central WhatsApp Group, send me your number on this email address and I will send you an invite link.

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Take care and keep rocking.