Has It Really Been 36 Years?

Sometimes I forget just how long ago the 80s were. Seeing all sorts of reminders of anniversary albums and tours always jars me, case in point the Tweet below. Heavy Metal Parking Lot is 36 years old today. It's a weird little movie and a definite snapshot in time.

I think the film captures the metal scene pretty well and it's a good anthropological study of teens and college kids at the time. I haven't watched the movie in a few years, but I do a own a copy on DVD. Of course, I haven't used my DVD player in ages either because that's a hassle...

'20 years old...and ready to rock!' 36 years ago today, 'Heavy Metal Parking Lot' was filmed outside Maryland's Capital Centre Center before a @judaspriest /@Dokken concert. Who has seen this classic doc? pic.twitter.com/cHIBdIIbCs

— Metal Edge (@MetalEdge85) May 31, 2022

Ozzy... Bluegrass Style

Eric and I went to Kings Island for a little while last night to walk around and people watch. Kings Island is a big amusement park near us and we have season passes, so we can dip in and out. It was our first visit of the season and it is also the park's 50th anniversary, so I wanted to see all the special decorations for the event.

Walking down one of the midways, I noticed bluegrass music playing. Then I sort of snapped my head around and realized I was listening to a bluegrass cover of Ozzy Osbourne's "Crazy Train." Eric laughed and so did I. The cover was pretty cool! I looked it up when I got home and realized it was Iron Horse, a band that does lots of metal bluegrass covers. I thought it was fun and wanted to share. Fellow Americans, enjoy the holiday and remember the sacrifice of our fallen troops.

Sunday's Best: Week 21, 2022

It's been a great holiday weekend for me so far. The weather is nice and warming, I'm doing summer things and I bought some concert tickets for a show that's coming super close to my house! KIX is actually playing southern Ohio this August. I did a double-take when I saw the announcement and bought GA seats right as soon as sales opened Friday morning. Seeing a beloved band in a surprise show close to home is our Sunday's Best for this week. Also the tickets were cheap at $25 a head. 

It's been a few years since I've seen KIX live. They never come to Ohio and I haven't been to M3 in years or on the Monsters of Rock cruise ever. They are one of those bands that always bring it live, never sound bad and are criminally underrated. Since their live shows are so sparse outside of the east coast, I fully expect KIX at JD Legends this August to sell out well in advance of the show. If you are around the area, come to the show and we can hang out!

So Who Will Use Backing Tapes On 'The Stadium Tour'?

The Stadium Tour with Joan Jett, Poison, Motley Crue and Def Leppard kicks off soon. We're going to have a lot of YouTube footage to enjoy - and criticize all the same I think.

Bret Michaels of Poison says the band doesn't use any backing tapes, ever. They practice vocal harmonies. I don't think Joan Jett uses backing tapes to punch up vocals. We all know Motley Crue uses them heavily. Def Leppard uses tracks in some situations - but the vocals are live, at least according to Phil Collen in the interview linked from 2019.

Personally, I don't care if a band uses tracks or not. Live shows will and should sound different from a studio recording. People need to accept that as reality. Of course, a band shouldn't just give up and rely on backing tapes for all vocals and musical parts, either. That's just lazy and not fair to paying customers. Do you expect lots of backing tapes on The Stadium Tour? Do you believe Bret Michaels and his claim?

BRET MICHAELS Says POISON Doesn't Use Any Backing Tracks: 'We Sit At Soundcheck And Work On Those Harmonies' https://t.co/B68sW9NZU3 pic.twitter.com/Q2PG4ojSFG

— BLABBERMOUTH.NET (@BLABBERMOUTHNET) May 28, 2022

'Diamond Star Halos' Out Today!

Release day is here! The new Def Leppard album Diamond Star Halos is officially available for download and purchase. The official video for "Fire It Up" came out a few hours ago, too. Singer Joe Elliott thinks Diamond Star Halos is a career-defining album. For a band with as much longevity and success as Def Leppard, that is quite a statement!

DIAMOND STAR HALOS IS OUT NOW!🤘
We’re so excited to share our new album with you, this is a special one! We had a blast making it and we can’t wait for you to hear it. Grab a copy or stream NOW! The #DiamondStarHalos celebrations have only just begun… 💎⭐💫
📸: @RyanSebastyan pic.twitter.com/bf9H7YTENz

— Def Leppard (@DefLeppard) May 27, 2022

Farewell YES Drummer Alan White

Alan White, drummer for YES, has died at age 72. According to the message below, White was ill for a short time before he passed. YES is going out on a big UK tour this summer - and that will continue as planned. It was previously announced that White would not be on the tour because of his illness.

Skid Row Release 'The Gang's All Here' Video

"Created by fans, for the fans." That is how Skid Row describes their newest video. The clip is in support of the track "The Gang's All Here" from the upcoming album of the same name. I still think the song and album name is some subtle shade, but maybe I am reading too much into it. Then again, we are talking about Skid Row here. The guys know how to hold a grudge!

We are excited to announce the details of the BRAND NEW @OfficialSkidRow ROW video!

Join the gang and watch the premiere of the official fan video for “The Gang’s All Here”

Created by the fans, for the fans.

Join the party: https://t.co/8WCGkfMSVy#skidrow #thegangsallhere pic.twitter.com/Y25nTtYhtp

— earMUSIC (@earMUSICedel) May 25, 2022