Voyeur: Spank or Be Spanked

If you can get past horrible cover art, then you might just like Voyeur Spank or Be Spanked. Another release from nostalgia label SunCity; Voyeur sound like a cross between Tesla, Bon Jovi and Babylon A.D.

Legends in the early 90s San Francisco Metal scene, Voyeur are now nothing more than a memory. Still, Spank or Be Spanked stands up remarkably well, thanks in no small part to the vocal powers of Darren Richards.

Spank or Be Spanked opens with “Cast The First Stone.” SunCity is using this song as a “single” to promote the obscure glam band. The album picks up considerable speed with “Sometimes I’m Invisible,” “Memory Lane,” and “None For Me Know.” Unfortunately the acoustic power ballad “Long Way From Home” kills the momentum. In all actuality, “Long Way From Home” is probably one of the strongest tracks on Spank or Be Spanked, but better planning would place the song toward the end of the effort instead of the crucial mid-point.

Immediately after “Long Way From Home” is the upbeat, hard-edged “Wayward Bound.” Complete with double-tracked harmonies and pick scrapes, this song oozes glam appeal. Here, the guitar work is impressive, featuring just the right amount of tremolo and other effects to keep the song interesting without actually taking away from the lyrics. The layered production is also good, considering the song was recorded more than a decade ago.

While the production on Spank or Be Spanked isn’t great, it’s also not horrible. SunCity typically remasters obscure releases from either promotional vinyl or cassette pressings. This means the sound isn’t as pure as a modern release, and you can’t get the volume quite as loud through your car stereo either. Still, when the bass is pumping, Spank or Be Spanked is at its best. “Mindgame” has some good bass parts as does “It Ain’t Love.”

Spank or Be Spanked closes with “Strutter.” The song is decent, but the production is a little hollow and this track sounds like it was recorded in a basement instead of a studio. Still, the dueling guitar solos by Steve Roney and John Reed are excellent examples of what humans can do with an axe in hand. Overall, Spank or Be Spanked is a fun album that creates an immediate party atmosphere.

Voyeur are:
Darren Richards - vocals
Steve Roney - guitar
John Reed - guitar
Don Rankin - bass
Steve Fletcher - drums
Dave Hechin - drums

For more information, please visit:  VoyeurRocks.com

I Call Bullshit - Part II

In the ongoing saga that is Motley Crue, Vince Neil apparently told MTV that Tommy Lee is still in the band. Moreover, Vince also says the Motley Crue is going to hit the studio "soon" and will be touring this summer.

According to MTV and Blabbermouth, Motley Crue's "next album" will be called The Dirt and feature "songs that tell a story about the lives of Motley Crue members."

Yeah. Right.

So, the whole Tommy Lee debacle is turning out to be one big media power play. Well, I always knew Nikki Sixx was a marketing genius. Remember, dear readers, Nikki commented to the press just two days ago that Tommy was out of the band for good. He didn't mention animosity toward Lee, but his statement was very clear that Motley Crue no longer included Tommy Lee.

Well, I guess only time will tell.

I'll go ahead and start stockpiling some cash for the summer 2008 tour - but I won't be holding my breath.

Three Questions with Anthony Bozza

Most dedicated readers to this website know this project is a way for me to combine two passions: glam metal and writing. If you like writing - or the study of the craft - consider visiting www.slushpile.net. 

Recently, I made friends with Scott McKenzie who runs Slushpile. Scott is also a rabid music fan, especially Motley Crue and Guns n' Roses. Scott very kindly offered to share a very big interview with Bring Back Glam!. The following are my questions to Anthony Bozza, writer of the new Slash autobiography. I started the book last night, and so far, I can say it is amazing. The following is a transcription of my questions to Mr. Bozza.

Bring Back Glam!: How did your partnership with Tommy Lee and Slash begin?

Anthony Bozza: It started with The Cult. When I was still at Rolling Stone, I wrote the bio for their last record on Atlantic. It was the first time that their manager had ever had a bio approved straightaway by Ian Astbury who is notoriously fussy and likes to be quoted the right way. It was the first time anyone had just gotten in his head properly and written something that he really liked off the bat. A couple of years later when Tommy Lee's manager started looking for a writer for him, my name was one of the ones thrown on the table, and he remembered it because he also manages The Cult. He remembered that I had done a good job on that bio and he got me on the phone with Tommy and that's pretty much how that happened. With Slash, he and Tommy are friends so I think he was a little aware of me from that project. I came out to L.A. to meet him and we just had a good vibe. We just sat-the first night that I met him-we sat in my hotel room overlooking the Sunset Strip and he started telling me stories. And we were there for six hours, talking all night, which was definitely a foreshadow of our interviews to come. That was kind of it. In Slash's case, the manager again got in touch with me because he was familiar with the other stuff that I had done.

BBG!: What is it like reconstructing a very messy history, and create some semblance of fact? Both Slash and Tommy Lee are recovering addicts, so how are you sure their truths are matching those of others you interviewed?

AB: The thing about doing an autobiography or an as-told-to book is that from the start, all you are saying it definitively is, is that person's experience and point of view. Slash is really careful about making sure that he says he is only speaking for himself and to his experience and will never put words or memories into anyone's-especially Axl's (Rose)-mouth. That was his perspective from the beginning so it's clear where we're coming from. The trade off to getting one person's point of view is that some people might be like "well, then it's not objective." No, it's not objective, it's a memoir. The good side is that when you do an as-told-to is that you get so much more stuff that you would never be able to get if you were doing a biography. That's the plus side of doing an authorized autobiography. You're getting more information than you can ever get talking to people and associates. With Slash, the fact that he's 100% clean and sober now, that helps tremendously. He's also a really detail-oriented, kind of obsessive guy. That's why he's such a great guitar player. For example, when I first met him, he had just gotten an edition of Guitar Hero II. And we used to play at the end of every interview, and he wasn't really that good when we started. Then he went on vacation for two weeks with his family snowboarding, and came back and he was amazing. I couldn't beat him anymore. That's the kind of guy he is. He was so annoyed that he wasn't good at it that he practiced and practiced and kicked butt.The book became a similar exercise where once we started, then he got really obsessive about finding out if he was right in his memories. The good thing about this book is that we had Duff (McKagan, bass - Velvet Revolver) and Matt Sorum (drums - Velvet Revolver) right there, pretty much on tap, to double check things with. And Slash was very, very, very intent upon getting in touch with all his old friends and double-checking facts and stories. Although we didn't bring anyone else's voices into it ultimately because it was important to both of us to keep this intimate tone of him just telling you his story, behind the scenes there was a lot of meticulous fact checking with the people who were there at the time. He has a surprisingly good memory compared to some of the people I've worked with. He keeps thinking under that top hat.

BBG!: Is it hard lending your writing craft to larger than life celebrities? In a sense, they gain more fame from the books you lovingly prepared.

AB: I'm credited right there. Most people who are involved in writing, or most fans, realize that the celebrity probably didn't do any of the writing. Some fans think that they did. And that's cool. I feel privileged to be the one they vibe with and tell all this really intimate stuff to. My payback for that is giving them a book that they're proud of that should be a reflection of them. My challenge is to get inside their head and express what they're like, to get them into a sort of two-dimensional format. And at the end of the day, I did slave over all this stuff, but this is like 43 years of hard earned living that this guy has done. Slash lived it, I'm just writing it.

Remember, you can read the entire Anthony Bozza interview at www.slushpile.net.

I Call Bullshit

Earlier this week, Nikki Sixx (Motley Crue, SIXX AM) told Harddrive Radio that a tour supporting the Heroin Diaries soundtrack was in the works. I even remarked to Eric yesterday that he should be prepared to go anywhere in the grand old U.S.A. because I will not miss the opportunity to see SIXX AM live.

Just hours ago, a Myspace bulletin from Motley Crue - not Nikki Sixx, not SIXX AM, not the Heroin Diaries - reads like this:

"SIXX:A.M. TOUR PLANS:

THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF RUMORS THAT WE MIGHT TOUR. I WANTED YOU TO HEAR FROM US DIRECTLY THAT THERE ARE NO TOUR PLANS AT THIS POINT. THIS IS A VERY MAGICAL PROJECT TO US AND WE DO PLAN ON MAKING OTHER ALBUMS AND THE DREAM WOULD BE TO TOUR SOMEDAY, BUT THAT DAY IS NOT AS CLOSE AS RADIO AND PRESS IS ANNOUNCING.

THANK YOU FOR THE LOVE AND SUPPORT. - NIKKI"

So, I call bullshit.

Don't tell the press one thing then do another. Plus, why did the bulletin come from MOTLEY CRUE? I get that the Motley Crue page has more friends, but at least send the same bulletin from the Heroin Diaries page. Something's rotten in the state of Demark and I don't like it one bit. I could call Nikki's publicist on Monday, but I'd get the closed-lip runaround: Same 'Ol Situation.

At any rate, here's "Pray for Me" performed at Crash Mansion in Los Angeles.

Muppets Are So Metal

If I hadn't procrastinated so long, I'd be getting ready to see Avenged Sevenfold in Columbus later today. By the time I went to the Ticketmaster counter on Wednesday, the show was sold out. Now, I sit at home, pondering all things Metal. I realized I haven't written about Alice Cooper much. Both the man and the band transcend several decades of rock. There was shock Alice, Glam Alice, and in-between Alice. I've found some cool clips. Maybe you'll like one - or all - of them!

Alice Cooper is the king of shock rock. Imagine my surprise, however, when I stumbled across a vintage clip of Alice singing "School's Out" with...the Muppets.

Yes, Mr. Cooper dances with the Muppets while wearing a mortar board and graduation gown. At one point, the gown comes off, only to reveal a Muppet tail attached to the beloved Metaller. Well, you better watch for yourself. This clip is from 1978.

Of course, there isn't anything much "scarier" than rockers who sell out. I mean, I've already written about musicians who take a quick buck and have their songs featured in commercials...but what about musicians who actually STAR in commercials? Enter our friend Alice:

Here's a commercial for Staples:

Here's one for Residence Inn (yes, a hotel chain!):

Now, here's Alice Cooper (both the band and the man) in the 1970s. "I Love the Dead."

So, which Alice Cooper do you prefer? Shock rock, commercial, or Muppet friendly.?

My favorite Alice tune is still "Poison." I'll post it again because I can.

Feel the Shake

Do you know Jetboy? If not, get familiar. The legendary glam band is back on the road and rumored to be on the bill for Rocklahoma 2008.

Why now? Why not. In just two weeks, the band will release The Glam Years CD and Movie. I want a copy of the DVD!

Jetboy never reached the level of fame they were due. Now, history might have a chance to repeat itself. Gearing up for a holiday tour with RATT frontman Stephen Pearcy, Jetboy is coming to Ohio in early December. If the stars align, I'll go to the show.

In the meantime, watch this video: Jetboy "Feel the Shake" from the album of the same name.

So, what do you think about Jetboy possibly playing Rocklahoma 2008?

www.myspace.com/jetboyrocks

Foreigner: Alive and Rockin'

During a seemingly never-ending tour, Foreigner paused to record a DVD of one of their biggest live shows. Foreigner Alive & Rockin’ was recorded at the 2006 Bang Your Head Festival in Balingen, Germany. The DVD isn’t long, but the set packs a punch. Songs included are:

Double Vision
Head Games
Dirty White Boy
Cold As Ice
Starrider
Feels Like the First Time
Urgent
Juke Box Hero/Whole Lotta Love
Hot Blooded

During 2006, Foreigner was celebrating three decades as a band. Despite many line-up changes, this most recent version of the band still sounds great and puts on a good show. The set starts strong and grows in momentum. The DVD is shot in a way that actually makes the viewer feel part of the live experience. More importantly, the sound quality is also great.

Naturally, highlights of the live DVD are all the band’s biggest hits. The crowd is most excited during “Juke Box Hero/Whole Lotta Love.” Perhaps it’s because Jason Bonham in sitting behind the kit, but for brief moments Foreigner actually sound like Led Zeppelin. The mix of both classic songs gives the band and crowd energy, and also provides lots of opportunities for drum and guitar solos.

By the time Foreigner reach their encore and “Hot Blooded” most of the crowd looks spent. This is from bouncing along to every song in the set. While there are quite a few crowd pans, producers did a good job selecting shots and cuts on the fly. Key moments on stage are never missed, and neither are important reaction shots. As with most encores, “Hot Blooded” has an extended ending, with lots of jam time. Another great part of watching the footage is the transition from day to dusk. The Foreigner set makes a good soundtrack to the time change.

In addition to the music, the DVD also includes special features like interviews with band members. The DVD packaging isn’t inventive, but it gets the job done. Shipped in a regular DVD case, the only extra is a booklet outlining Foreigner history. The book also contains photos, mini-bios and credits. Priced at around 15 bucks, Foreigner Alive & Rockin’ will make a nice stocking stuffer for music fans this holiday season. While it’s true most live DVDs and CDs are not a necessity, the package does offer all the big hits in great sound and a fun atmosphere. Truly, a win-win all around.

For more information, please visit: ForeignerOnline.com