One presumes that when you are looking out of the window to where you are going to find great new ‘Guitar Driven Rock ‘N’ Roll’ you look West. Well I do, to New York City, home of The New York Dolls or further west to Los Angeles, home of Guns & Roses, and Pussycats that can go Faster!

In 2005, I looked South, to France, yes you read that right, FRANCE! Sounds from the underground were emanating from down that way of a label that had more than it’s fair share of the type of music that during the 70’s and 80’s I used to love. From The Dolls, through Kiss, into Hanoi while hanging with the Lords Of The New Church, and all this before Axle knew that the word ‘Slash’ had anything to do with guitars!

So I checked it out, sent an e-myther, and lo and behold, Mr Postie dropped a whole bag full of CD’s through my door, including a very nice 10 track sampler which is a great place to start. Check the website www.badreputation.fr mail them, buy stuff, just check it out, this label is therapeutic, it may end your marriage, your relationship, but it will save your life! Remember that! This is the story of Rock ‘N’ Roll’s ‘Future’ not ‘Past’ dive in, the waters good!

Crystal Pistol – Self Titled

Now this just is the kind of band that if you stripped 20 years away from me I would want to join. In fact I would kill to be in this band. This is high octane, fuel injected, non-stop to nowhere on the highway to hell Rock! FUCK! Fuck yeah, Fuck me,I’ve been transported to 1986, right here in 2006, like grunge never happened and it’s glorious, it’s fucking awesome, and I’ve only got to the end of track one!

This is an album that you need to play loud, you know, like you used to and your mum would shout ‘Turn that down.’ ‘Just one more song mom!’ But hey! This isn’t no ‘Retro’ trip, this is right here-right now Rock! Track 2 is as good as anything on the Revolver album, in fact this isn’t no Velvet sweetener, you just sing at the top of your voice. Everybody hates you when you love rock ‘n’ roll’, middle finger held high, dancing round playing low slung air guitar. Well break open the case because it’s time to strap that mutha’ on one more time…

This band looks great, sounds great, have the songs, the attitude, they are the real deal. There are 11 songs here, none of them are crap, all of them keep the level right up to 10, trust me when I tell you I don’t just like everything in this genre, and I am the most critical ‘Sleaze Rock’ person. I own the first three L.A. Guns albums, the rest suck! I bought into a dream that awoke way too soon, but I think I may be sleepwalking, reliving the dream. The Ramones said it loud and said it best. Flaming Youth will always set the world on fire, and if you own anything that remotely sounds like Trash/Sleaze/Glam Rock, you need this album more than you will ever know.

5/5

Crank Country Daredevils – Kings Of Sleaze

Now here is an album that like Crystal Pistol certainly can sit next to Pussycat, AC/DC and surprisingly the much missed The Almighty. It’s like the missing link. The opening track has a hook line that is simply the words ‘Fuck off.’ They make me feel, yet again, like I want to be back in a band, in fact looking at the sleeve, I probably could get my bandana out, cowboy hat and boots on and fit right in. Yes, they are not going to win any ‘Handsome’ awards real soon, but the music just rocks. Now if that does not tell you all you need to know, then nothing will, I certainly have not heard a record as good as this for quite some time. The sheer velocity of the songs is evident from the moment the needle hits the groove!

By the time you hit track two you feel right at home, the words ‘Fuck’ or ‘Mutha-Fucker’ seem to pop up with regularity, which is quite fine by me. This is not a record to drive to, ‘cause like my namesake uncle Sammy, ‘I Can’t Drive 55’ and I certainly wouldn’t with this on my car stereo. Uncompromising, pure guitar driven rock’ n’ roll, the kind that sounds really good up loud, especially in a night club when you are dancing with a possible ‘Fuck-Friend’ hanging with ‘Uncle Jack’ (Daniels) and the ‘Marlboro’ man. Now that’s what I call music…

5/5

**page*



Mother Superior – Self Titled

Now ‘Funk Rock’ never really floated my boat, well all except Dan Reed Network, who had more of a ‘Pop’ element to them than anything. So imagine my surprise when this little baby blew out of my speakers. It’s in fact described as ‘Heavy Soul’ and I have no fuckin’ idea what that means, but boy it’s great up loud. There was an album out a few years back by Doyle Bramhall II that just never came off my stereo and quite frankly this has done the same.

Opening track This Song Reminds Me Of You is just sublime, I defy anyone not to tap their foot and get into this groove, complete with free form guitar solo at the end. Once again this falls into the ‘Retro Now’ style that I just love; it’s got one foot in the past, one foot in the future with it’s dick right here in the present; in fact the production mirrors that fact with one half done on ‘Analog’ tape, the other half done with ‘Digital’ Pro-Tools. You can’t fail to be impressed by the quality of the songs and the structure that seems to transcend dislike for the genre. I find myself once again driving very fast while this record is on in the car, and I’m beginning to think this is a ploy by Bad Reputation to get us all more points on our licence.

Now I ain’t seen a picture of the band, it doesn’t matter, the music on the disc speaks in volumes, and in a language that only true lovers of Rock will understand. Get ready to be surprised, entertained and enthralled by this ‘Heavy Soul.’ As to what that means, well it’s up to you, but one things for sure, it’s good!

5/5

Green Dollar Colour – Self Titled

I love this record, and it’s getting silly now. I honestly can’t find fault with yet another Bad Reputation release, this time round it’s more of a beer-swilling, Jimmy Barnes style. American radio is awash with songs like this, hell Aerosmith used to make records like this. Even Foreigner, just put on Dirty White Boy and you will get my drift. Dirty blues based barstool Rock ‘n’ Roll, Opener Dirty Letter swaggers and sways all the way down the street, from door to door until passing out on the floor. ‘Dirty’ is a word that just keeps popping up all the time, the guitar has a ‘Dirty’ tone, it never used to a big deal in the late 70’s to sound just like this, but seems like it became a ‘Dirty’ (there I go again) word.

The production is second-to-none, produced by Mike Fraser (Guns & Roses/AC/DC) at Bruce Fairburn’s (Bon Jovi/Aerosmith) Armoury Studio in Vancouver, Canada, then mastered by George Marino in New York City’s Sterling Sound. Marino’ resume includes Velvet Revolver and Metallica, to name just two. So you just know those guys don’t just work with ‘Anybody’, and the quality on offer here.

This is an album that you can put on no matter what you are doing; driving, cooking, fucking, fighting; but it will make you smile and once again it’ll have you running to what has been called ‘The Cupboard’ - you know where I mean. The place you keep that music (normally vinyl) that your girl/boy friend just won’t let you play no more, but you need to break it open, realise that it’s who you are, NOT what you were… Embrace the Rock, go out and get this album, get something new to take you back to the old, c’mon, just go to the door and open it…

5/5

**page*



Eric McFadden – Dementia

Now before anyone shouts, I have never heard of Eric! Or indeed any of the bands he has been in, now if that makes me a bad person, then so be it!

Thirty two tracks over two CDs is a lot to take in during one sitting. Eric seems to be prolific. The flamenco style of the opening track is a standard setter for the entire album, with a vocal that is dry but delivered well. There are few vocalists that can be this melancholy and uplifting at the same time. Never Gonna Burn sums up the defiant stance that he likes to take; his back to the wall, the industry trying to break it; so he does the only thing he knows best, comes out guns blazing. By the time you get to track two, you think you are set, but like a gangster killing in the night, you just don’t know what’s coming next. Expect the unexpected is something you need to get used to with this record; some of the instrumentals are fabulous and often precede the vocal, which may or may not arrive. The Ghost Maker is a modern day Duane Eddy, all low slung guitar swingers, it wraps around you and makes you feel at home.

This is the story that unfolds throughout this album, and if you are a fan of Steve Vai and Joe Satriani then you certainly will dig this record. I’m not a fan of either yet I enjoyed this album, not sure what it says about Eric, or indeed about me. Surprises? Yes a few, the simplicity of the production, the way the albums flow, a lot of thought has gone into the way this album handles at speed, once you are in the skip button should remain un-pressed. Actual Size has a honky tonk bar room piano that makes it feel like downtown Nashville, a heartfelt romantic ballad. The storming cover of Hey Bulldog that just seems to work, a multi-tracked vocal gives the song a demonic feel. Voodoo Lady is an acoustic downtown bourbon soaked New Orleans bar tonic, in fact he does use more acoustic guitars. CD II certainly has a more relaxed feel to it, like a man alone, Tell Me Lie has a violin that swirls and sways like Tom Waits. The only reason that this album did not get 5 stars is ‘cause it’s two CDs, condensed into one disc this would be faultless. If like me you are not a fan of solo guitarist/vocalist, buy this record as it may just change your mind!

4/5

St Valentines Day Massacre – Various Artists

Remember me? I’m Motorhead, so you just know that this is a tribute album, right? Well you do now, billed as ‘A Rock ‘N’ Roll Tribute’ this takes Lemmy’s tunes and makes them sound like you ain’t never heard them. In fact if like me you are a casual acquaintance of all things Motorhead, many of these songs will sound brand new. Opener Going To Brazil by Green Dollar Colour is a case in question. I ain’t heard the original (like six of the eleven tracks here) so it was taken on face value. Proper rock played by a proper band. Skew Siskin rolled out next, and I had thought this band had split up. I remember wanting to shag the singer and she had a great voice, the voice is still there on Boogie Man. I wonder if she’s still hot!

Crucified Barbara sounds right at home on one of two versions of Killed By Death. Wow! Listening to this you realise just how good Lemmy is at a melody. These songs stand the test of time, and once again I’m driving very fast, ciggie in hand, window open, singing Killed by Death at the top of my voice on the M62, tempting fate, but fuck it, this record just makes you want to live before you die, live fast-die young, or young-ish…

American Dog are new to me, but after listening to their take on Please Don’t Touch, with the vocalist from Crucified Barbara, and their solo take on Rock It, I really want to find out more about this band. They are kind of Warrior Soul in feeling, those two words alone are enough! Crank County Daredevils do the best Almighty version of Over The Top and their sleaze-driven rock is right at home. Hellsuckers are another new bunch, but like others I sure as hell will be finding out more. Mother Superior do a ‘funked’ up and ‘fucked’ up version of Bomber which has to be heard to be believed, I just love it! Crystal Pistol take on No Class seems like it could have been written for them. The last track on the album B4 is by Skew Siskin again, but this time with special guest vocalist Lemmy - it works so well and it’s a fitting end to a great tribute album, one of the best I’ve ever heard! ‘You Know I’m Born To Lose And Gambling’s For Fools, That’s The Way I Like It Baby, No One’s Wants To Live Forever, The Ace Of Spades.’ Indeed…

5/5

Jj Haggar: 2006.