Alice Cooper's Awesome New Year's Eve Concert

Alice Cooper supports the Maui Foodbank.

This past New Year's Eve, Alice got together some of his famous friends like Sammy Hagar, Steven Tyler, Weird Al and Richie Sambora for a concert to benefit the food bank. Guests of the Wailea Beach Marriott spent $500 a head for the privilege of watching the special show. Here's a video from the gig. It's awesome.

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Best of 2013 - Kim's Take

First of all: what a year 2013 has been! I remember doing this list a year ago and to be honest I was struggling to find 10 good-enough albums. I even ended up cheating with two albums from the year before. This time the struggle has been the opposite; too many great albums to choose from and only ten picks. I guess I shouldn’t complain though, there isn’t really something called “too much of great music,” right? So instead I’ll just give you my Top 10 of 2013, with a few honorable mentions in the end for those albums that didn’t make the cut. Enjoy!

10. Santa Cruz – Screaming For Adrenaline

I’ve had my eyes on these Finnish guys for a few years now and they finally got around to releasing their full-length debut. Songs like “Anthem For The Young ‘n’ Restless” and “Relentless Renegades” have been spinning pretty frequently at my house. Now I’m just hoping 2014 will be the year Santa Cruz start hitting some festivals. It’s about time people outside of Finland got to see them live too. Maybe at Skogsröjet this summer? 

9. Revolver Eleven – Breaking Free

Sure, this EP is just three self-recorded and -produced songs, but it’s damn catchy. I’ve basically been walking around singing “Wicked Woman” constantly, ever since I first heard it. Apparently there are plans on releasing a full-length album next year and Breaking Free is making me really curious about what that album will sound like. Plus these guys are from Gothenburg, and you all know how much I love supporting bands from my hometown.

8. Tiger Bell – Don’t Wanna Hear About Your Band

Okay, so the title song is officially my new anthem. It’s just so liberating to hear someone just scream out their frustration. Especially when it’s an all-girl group screaming of frustrationabout annoying men with guitars, who think they’re better musicians simply because they’re men. This intense punk album might be a bit too much if you keep it on repeat a few too many times, but it definitely deserves a spot on this list.

7. Dregen – Dregen

Guitarist of Michael Monroe as well as Backyard Babies, and previously The Hellacopters, Dregen decided it was time to do something on his own. I’m glad he did. The result is his self-titled album with classic and simple rock’n’roll tunes, which is probably what Dregen does best. And he does it better than most. Obviously you can look forward to a lot of great riffs, but also a few interesting collaborations. Like the one with Titiyo on “Flat Tyre On A Muddy Road."

6. Saffire – From Ashes To Fire

It’s not really glam at all, but I’m hoping you will give this album a listen anyway. It really is rock’n’roll at its finest and the first single of the album, “Magnolia,” is simply brilliant. Singer Tobias Jansson is something beyond the ordinary and my thoughts go to vocalists as Dio when I hear him. Oh, and did I mention they’re from Gothenburg too?

5. Joan Jett And The Blackhearts – Unvarnished

In all honesty, I haven’t been listening to this album enough and I wasn’t really blown away by the first single “Any Weather” either, BUT Joan Jett is finally back with some new material and that is good enough for me. She deserves her spot on this list just by being Joan Jett. Now I’m just praying she will follow this release with a tour.

4. Skid Row – United World Rebellion – Chapter One

I’ve been very doubtful about everything that Skid Row has done since Sebastian Bach left. That was at least until I saw them live in November and they kicked off “Kings Of Demolition” from their latest album. And wow! Bach might not be the singer anymore, but this is Skid Row. At least that song. Since then I’ve listened quite a bit to United World Rebellion – Chapter One and it’s growing on me every time. Plus they still rock live. Not that I was around to see them in their prime, I’m just assuming they use to rock just as hard asthey did when I saw them in November. Which is pretty hard. 

3. Hardcore Superstar – C’mon Take On Me

“Above The Law” is probably number one of my most played songs in 2013. But you all know how much I love Hardcore Superstar already, so this album doesn’t really need any further introduction or explanation.

2. Rob Zombie – Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor

If anyone would have told me a year ago that I would pick Rob Zombie’s latest album to be in my Top 10, I would probably have laughed in their face. Yet somehow he managed to sneak under my skin, and now I can’t get enough of songs like “We’re An American Band.” I absolutely love it. Right now he’s the act I’m looking forward to the most at Sweden Rock Festival 2014.

1. Michael Monroe – Horns And Halos

This man is a God. In case you didn’t know it yet, you do now. It’s only been two years since he released Sensory Overdrive and he’s already back with another amazing album? This while he seems to be constantly on tour and still is one of the best live acts out there? I have no idea how he does it, being over 50 and all, but he shows no signs of slowing down. And besides being very grateful for that, all we have to do is to bow down to the master and enjoy.

As I said I would also like to do a few shout-outs, especially to Buckcherry, Black Sabbath (!), Airbourne, Crashdïet and Hammered Satin, bands who also released great albums in 2013. Anyone I’m missing? I know it turned out to be quite a patriotic Top 10, with half of the list being Swedish bands, but I guess we just had a very good year over here? Plus I love to try and introduce some fresh bands and I’m hoping there are a few new ones for you here? So what do you guys think?

I’m already excited about what 2014 will bring when it comes to new music. So far I’m mainly looking forward to releases from The Treatment and Thundermother, and to see if Steel Panther will be able to bring something new to the table. Hopefully there will be a few happy surprises and some new great bands as well. What new albums are you most keen on this year?

Happy rockin’ 2014 everyone!

Best of 2013 - Allyson's Take

Note: this article also appears in the Dayton City Paper. As such, it encompasses all metal and not just Glam.

2013 was a great year for music, especially metal. There are many different ways to classify metal, but this list will focus on mainly hair-metal inspired tunes. This means bands from the 80s that are still kicking it with new jams, and new bands playing tribute to their influences.

Some albums will undoubtedly cross over from just the “best of metal” lists straight to the “best albums of the year” category. One of those records is the Billboard number 1 hit Hail to the King by California metal outfit Avenged Sevenfold. Easily the most complete metal release of 2013, some have gone as far to accuse Avenged Sevenfold, also known as A7X, of recording a Metallica tribute album. But Hail to the King is so much more than a tribute to great metal acts of yore. It’s the seminal metal album of the decade. With Hail to the King, A7X easily cemented their place in metal history as the next arena band. There aren’t many acts that can fill arenas anymore, but Avenged Sevenfold can, and they will. There’s a reason the band members wear Guns n’ Roses and Iron Maiden T-shirts on stage: influence and respect. Twenty years from now, some aspiring young musician will have on a vintage A7X shirt for the same reason. Prime cut “This Means War.”
 
Michael Monroe, Horns & Halos easily makes the cut as one of the best of 2013. Originally singer of the Finnish Glam band Hanoi Rocks, Monroe is wowing crowds as a solo act. Monroe’s guitarist is Steve Conte (formerly of the New York Dolls), further cementing his glam cred. Prime cut “Stained Glass Heart.”
 
 
Black Veil Brides created an epic concept piece with Wretched and Divine: The Story of the Wild Ones. Released at the beginning of 2013, the album continues to garner buzz in the music world for its innovative use of story and song. They top it all off with Motley Crue Shout at the Devil era stage looks. Prime cut “Lost It All.”

Back in 2012, Mike Portnoy (originally of Dream Theater fame), Richie Kotzen and Billy Sheehan (of Mr. Big) formed a supergroup called the Winery Dogs. The band gigged around for fun and finally decided to write and record some tunes. The Winery Dogs was released in July of this year to much critical fanfare. The band has a laid back, classic rock vibe. Some people refer to the Winery Dogs as a bar band, but they are so much more. Sure, they might fit in on a cruise ship. Then again, they’ll fit in at an arena show too. Prime cut “Time Machine.”  

Metal wouldn’t exist if not for Black Sabbath. When the band announced plans for a new album and tour, the metal community definitely stood up and took collective notice. 13 may or may not be the band’s final album. The rub, of course, is drummer Bill Ward. A contract dispute in 2012 lead to his eventual departure from the band. While some purists believe an album without Ward isn’t really Sabbath at all, enough other fans disagreed, sending 13 right up the Billboard charts. Prime cut “God Is Dead?”

A lot of people know Stryper more for their yellow and black bumblebee themed costumes than for their music, but that might change after this year’s release No More Hell to Pay. Bucking the trend of endless partying and drugs in the 80s, Stryper remain one of the most commercially successful Christian rock outfits of all time. Unlike a lot of modern Christian musical acts, Stryper wear their religion on their collective spandex sleeves. Even in 2013, the guys in Stryper throw Bibles at the end of each show, just like they did back in 1986. Prime cut “Sympathy.”
 
One British band with a major 80s throwback vibe making waves in 2013 is Asking Alexandria. When Asking Alexandria first hit the scene, they were metalcore through and through. Now, a few albums under their belts, the guys have evolved to a more commercial rock sound. The hardcore edge is still there, but so are the ballads and songs that make bands famous. From Death to Destiny came out in August at the tail end of the summer concert season. The end of summer release didn’t hurt the band’s sales any, and Asking Alexandria is currently touring around the world on the back of their new release.
Prime cut “Moving On.”

Asking Alexandria share a label with I See Stars. Both bands are on Sumerian, home to some of the most successful hardcore acts going today. What sets I See Stars apart from other hardcore acts is that they are more electronica than run of the mill metal. In fact, band members describe their own sound as electronic hardcore music. Think of it as listening to metal… in a dance club. After a few delays, I See Stars released New Demons in October. New Demons is both a solid and logical follow-up to the band’s breakthrough album Digital Renegade. I See Stars changed their sound with both Digital Renegade and New Demons. The band went edgier, but the dance sensibilities are still there, meaning New Demons is a sure bet to blast at your next party. Prime cut: “Violent Bounce.”

Buckcherry is everyone’s favorite modern-day sleaze band. Chugging away for years and years, Buckcherry recently wrote and recorded a semi-concept album called
Confessions. Based on the Seven Deadly Sins, Confessions explores the inner demons each band member faces. Confessions takes Buckcherry to the next level in song writing ability and creative execution. Yes, the same band that brought you “Crazy Bitch” is now singing about “Greed” and “Gluttony.” Prime cut “Nothing Left But Tears.”

Best of 2013 -- Brian's Take

Allyson asked me for my opinion on the five best albums of the year. Here's my list!

1.    Built to F***, Born to Kill by Bile - OK, I get that this is a glam site, but if this is my top 5 list of 2013, this album is FAR AND AWAY my No. 1 album of the year.  For those that do not know, Bile is an underground techno hardcore band who have been around for over 20 years, and quite honestly, are amazing.  This new album is, perhaps, their greatest album since 1996's Teknowhore album.  'Robots Ate My Baby' is one of my new favorites, but the album is strong from beginning to end.  I have listened to this album consistently since its release in January, and it is angry perfection. 

2.    Start @ One by Killer Dwarfs - Since this album was officially released in 2013, it can be included here. I LOVE the classic 80s Dwarf sound on this album.  The guitar tone, the sound of Russ' voice and the general feel of this album are all solid 80s glam, and this is the perfect follow-up album to Dirty Weapons and Method to the Madness. 

3.    No More Hell To Pay by Stryper - What else can be said about Stryper? They are a band that have found new life over the past eight or 10 years, and are one of only a few bands that sound as good, if not better, than they did in their prime.  This album is, in my opinion, their strongest since To Hell With The Devil.  Michael Sweet can still hit all the high notes and the band sounds as tight as ever.

4.    Blackout the Sun by Sevendust - One of my favorite bands.  Morgan Rose's drumming along with the staccato guitar/bass and Lajon's powerful voice never disappoint. While it was almost an impossible task to follow-up the previous album Cold Day Memory, this was as strong an effort as imaginable.  Now I'm anxiously awaiting the acoustic album the band is currently in the process of recording.

5.    Second Coming by Stryper - Cannot believe that this band is making a second appearance on a listing of only five albums, but they deserve to be on here twice.  Second Coming is re-recorded versions of songs up through To Hell With The Devil. There are some tweaks and differences to the songs (changes that the band has made to the songs while playing live) that give the songs some new life.  Again, the band sounds great on these versions, and this does not come across as an easy way to put out a new product for fans to buy, but rather seems to really pay homage to the songs that helped them build their career.

So, what do you think? Like my list or hate it? Let me know in the comments below.

Rock Star Etiquette?

Help me out BBG! readers... am I being too sensitive?

A few months ago, I attended a show on the Tom Keifer/John Corabi tour. The show was amazing and both guys really 'brought it' that night.

Now, I have seen Keifer several times (all previously with Cinderella), but this time was something different, as Keifer had a renewed energy playing his solo material. I had seen Corabi once before, but he was solid as well, and quite simply has an amazing and powerful voice.

My issue was with the merch table. Now we all know many of these bands largely support themselves on tour by the money they make off of the merch table. Specifically, John Corabi was selling his acoustic CD for $15 at the table. I pulled out my iPhone and logged onto iTunes and saw that I could purchase the same album for $9.99. However, I was impressed with his performance and thought to myself, "I'll pick one up when he comes out and get it signed." I kept an eye on the table throughout Keifer's set, and even hung around for a while after the show was over, but John never appeared at the merch table, or anywhere else. As such, I left without purchasing the CD, and in all honesty, I never got around to purchasing it otherwise.

What offended me was how the CD was MORE expensive when buying it at the show as opposed to ordering it, when there was no added value in doing so. It seemed like a way an artist was attempting to take advantage of fans in attendance. If you want to sell your product to your fans at a premium, I think there should be some added value to the purchase. Come out with a sharpie, shake some hands and meet the fans. I wouldn't have taken that long (as there were maybe 300 total in attendance and about 200 or so of those left immediately after Keifer's set). But instead, he stayed in the backstage area and offered for sale a product that was available for $5 cheaper with no incentive to spend the extra money. I would have been happy to have purchased if he was out there greeting fans (like L.A. Guns does after every show), but there was nothing.

Again, I'm wondering if I was simply being over sensitive, or was John wrong? Should he have lowered the price of the CD to match the cost elsewhere, or should he have come out and helped 'sell' the more expensive CDs?

Very Rare Sex Pistols Video Clip

If you're a fan of the Sex Pistols and punk, get ready: a very rare clip of the band has just surfaced on YouTube. The previously unreleased clip is from a gig at Ivanhoe's Nightclub in Huddersfield (U.K.) on Christmas Day. The Guardian has a nice article about the video.

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New Band Alert -- Kill Shott

More new Glam! Today, it's Kill Shott from Melbourne, Australia. They just released a video for the song "50 Sold." The song is from the band's self-titled debut. Let me know what you think.

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