King Lizard - Viva La Decadence

Music makes the problems of the world a little easier to digest. Through all the crap that life throws at us, metal - especially Glam metal - has just hung on and remained popular to those that hold the genre dear.

Why is that? What is it about the music we love that makes it so transcendental to other forms of music? Why do the musicians that create these songs keep fighting like scrappy little alley cats?

To that scrappy end, I've discovered a new band for us to love. They are called King Lizard and they are all Glam! Think our new friends Reckless Love and you've got it.  King Lizard just released an album called Viva La Decadence (Psycho DeVito). I swear, singer Flash Roxx Sawyer sounds like vintage  Vince Neil. (And then there's the Shout era clothing in the video too...) The London rockers created a video for the lead single "Viva Le Decadence." The guitars on this official debut rock (the band self-released an EP in 2007). Chris Tsangarides (Anvil, Judas Priest, Y&T) produced Viva Le Decadence.

Here's the song list:

01. Viva La Decadence
02. Rain On You
03. Rock N' Roll Me
04. Hell Yeah
05. Video Lover
06. Kan't Kill Rock N' Roll
07. Never Be Mine
08. Not For Me
09. Riot
10. Taste The Hate
11. Outrageous
12. Late Nite Dynamite

I could write up a big flowery review but there's no point. Just buy the album. Trust me. You can get it on Amazon.

Call for 80s Metal Cover Bands

Want to be on television? Have a cover band? I received the press release below a few hours ago. I guess this means we'll be hearing some good Glam metal on T.V. soon. Or, at least, I hope.

JANUARY 11, 2011 - TriStar Entertainment is conducting an open casting call and looking for twelve enthusiastic cover and tribute bands for a Tribute/Cover Band reality television show. We are scouring the globe in search of the best cover and tribute bands dedicated to the 80's rock/metal scene. To be considered, please email a press kit that includes a bio, band photo, along with links to music and videos.

In addition to bands, we are also casting for three hosts, male and female. We are looking for someone who isn’t shy on camera and can talk about all things 80’s. Please send a bio, photos, videos, portfolio to the email below for consideration.

Please email or go online for more info

Dave Rude Band - 'Fallin' Down'

Do you know the Dave Rude Band?

Dave is the "new" guitarist in Tesla, replacing Tommy Skeoch. I interviewed Dave on Friday night and you'll be reading that soon on Noisecreep. He's a really nice, funny guy and so excited about his band and the new music they continue to release.

The Dave Rude Band is a trio and right now the members are working on new music and releasing a song at a time for free by joining the website email list. Since you all like new music, I thought I'd share. (Dave wants to release the new songs as an album eventually).

If you like what you hear on the video below, you can buy the albums Carry Me Home (2009) or Dave Rude Band (2007) via iTunes.

Don't Stop Believin' - The Best Rock Song Ever Written?

Everyone and their cousin knows "Don't Stop Believin.'" Journey released the song in 1981 and it is on the album Escape.

I heard the song at least three separate times while I was out and about over the weekend. It dawned on me while eating at O'Charleys (the best rolls ever?) that "Don't Stop Believin'" is probably the world's most perfect rock song.

Not much in life is perfect. But there are pockets of perfection and "Don't Stop Believin'" is one of them. The song features an actual appropriate use of keyboards, there's an awesome chorus, meaningful guitar work - and a theme that touches all listeners. After all, who hasn't felt like a character in "Don't Stop Believin'" at one point or another? (In case you're wondering, I am, of course, the small town girl living in a lonely world).

Perhaps most important is that in "Don't Stop Believin,'"Journey created an approachable rock anthem, right at the dawn of the 80s. Journey is not a Glam band - make no mistake I am not arguing that they are - but they are arena rock and songs like "Don't Stop Believin'" helped make it easier for our Glam faves to hit high positions on the Billboard charts later during the decade of decadence.

I suppose "Don't Stop Believin'" haunts Journey to a degree. While the song made them rich and famous it also created an impossible standard for song writing excellence. "Don't Stop Believin'" is Journey's "November Rain" or "Dream On." You usually only get one of those songs in a career but if you do it right, the song lasts for all time.

And "Don't Stop Believin'" does last. It seems that the tune has gone through some sort of renaissance over the past few years. It was a big finale tune for American Idol when Adam Lambert and Kris Allen battled for the crown. Glee, a popular TV show, recorded the song and therefore introduced the tune to a whole new generation that had possibly never even heard of Journey. The song is, of course, a karaoke staple.

I thought for a long time and I couldn't find an 80s rock song more iconic than "Don't Stop Believin.'" Do you agree?

Remembering Phil Kennemore

Phil Kennemore, bassist for Y&T, died Friday from lung cancer. He was 57.

Y&T was is one of those underrated rock acts. Sort of Glam, sort of not, they gained fans from both the straight rock and Glam worlds. The California band formed in 1972 but got hot during the 80s when metal ruled.

After Phil's death, Y&T singer Dave Meniketti issue a statement online:

"As a musician, with those huge fingers, his bass playing was always loud, strong, and deep, filling the largest or smallest of stages equally. I will miss his sense of humor, his amazing wit, but most of all I will always miss not seeing him to my left on the stages I will play from this moment forward."

I saw Y&T live twice: once at Rocklahoma and once at M3. Admittedly I'm not a Y&T die hard but I was immediately sucked in by the excitement when I saw them perform for the first time.

Do you have a special Phil memory?

Favorite Album Covers

My friend Johnnie is working on a book about album covers. He says the book will be pure art – no photos of bands. It's hard to create a comprehensive list so he asked for our help. My fave covers are below – and I'm sure I forgot some as it is. It's always difficult for me to create lists like this because I invariably forget something I would have otherwise included. Let me know what you think of my list and please list your own as well.

  

 

A Second Look at 'This Is Gonna Hurt'

Here's our second look at the new Nikki Sixx book This Is Gonna Hurt. SIXX: AM will release a new album in conjunction with the book. Now, we've got the first audio sample of that new album. Check it out at the 30 second mark of the clip below. I gotta say, I like it a lot. It's not much to go on, but it gives me hope for something good.

The new album is due in May.