I recently wrote a piece for Noisecreep that basically outlines the most ridiculous stage looks in all of metal (both past and present).
The #10 spot goes to Hevisaurus. Sometimes these articles just write themselves. Seriously, a Finnish band that actually wears dinosaur costumes on stage?! These guys make songs for kids with a power metal beat. Gimmick or not, Hevisaurus know how to sell records. Their debut 'Jurahevin kuninkaat' (in English, 'Kings of Jurassic Metal'), stayed on the Finnish top albums chart for ten weeks. No word if Hevisaurus is available for private bookings or play dates.
Have you heard of the Bam Bam Boys? I'm not talking about The Flintstones!
It's amazing to me after doing this website for five years that I can still pull up YouTube every single day and find a new Glam band I've never heard of... usually the bands I discover suck but sometimes there's something good enough to pass along here. Today, I present to you the Bam Bam Boys.
The Bam Bam Boys are from Sweden. The band released Bam Bam Boys in 1989 and it is the band's only album. There is scant little written about this band online. Basically, I don't know anything about them period except that their debut (and only record) is extremely rare. Matti Alfonzetti is on vocals, and fans of Swedish rock will surely recognize his name. What do you think?
Photo credit: Jon Hill People of the Foot, are you ready?
Chickenfoot will release their new album Chickenfoot III on September 27. In advance of that release, the band has released an official video for the first single "Big Foot." I gotta say, I love the song. There's a ton of hate on YouTube over this clip and tune and I don't get it.
Chickenfoot is a band made up of amazing musicians and I think this song ranks up there as high quality. I can't wait for the new record. What do you think?
Have you heard "Sin" by Liberty n' Justice? The band is Jani Lane, J.K. Northrup, Keri Kelli and Bill Leverty. "Sin" may well be one of the last songs Jani ever recorded. On first listen, I was immediately taken with the guitars. On second listen, I noted that the vocals sounded just a little rough. On the third listen, I started to wonder if the song was really officially "complete." At any rate, I like the song and I'll be buying it on iTunes.
Liberty n' Justice is a Christian rock band that's been around for years and rotates musicians on a project by project basis.
"Sin" is the first single from the upcoming album The Cigar Chronicles.
In America, it is Labor Day. For most people, this means a day off of work. In honor of the holiday, I'm taking the day off too. Here's "Solidarity Forever" by Pete Seeger. Thank a union member today!
I first learned of the Texas Hippie Coalition because of Rocklahoma. I was pleasantly surprised at the band and their live performance skills. I also just really like their songs (they sound like Pantera). I've interviewed THC in the past and now I'm happy to learn they've got quite a tour planned for the fall. Here's the information - some of the dates are as support for Black Label Society!
The Texas Hippie Coalition will hit the road to unleash their brutal fury of hard driven Southern Fried Metal across the U.S. – THC will start their journey in Las Vegas, September 12th at the Crown Theater in the RIO Hotel.
Asked whether THC are rock 'n' roll, heavy metal or southern rock - or a bastardization of the three, the band will tell you one thing, they are a wrecking crew of BRUTALITY! “We’re as southern as southern can be,” says ‘Big Dad’ Ritch, the behemoth front man and driving force behind Texas Hippie Coalition. “Lynyrd Skynyrd, Molly Hatchet, ZZ Top, Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson – we’re as outlaw as we can get, while at the same time having the power of that Texas groove, like Pantera. We’re metal with a southern rock and roll spirit. We are a band of outlaws.” Big Dad Ritch (vocals) leads this driving force along with Randy Cooper (lead guitar), Wes Wallace (rhythm guitar), John Exhall (bass) and Tim Braun (drums).
THC will join the much anticipated BLACK LABEL SOCIETY select shows dates while they trek the U.S. with their guns blazing across the U.S. – THC will have latest release available “Rollin” on Carved Records.
TOUR DATES:
SEPTEMBER
MON, SEPT 12 Las Vegas, NV THURS, SEPT 15 Davenport, IA FRI, SEPT 16 Merriam, KS SAT, SEPT 17 Glendale Heights, IL SUN, SEPT 18 Covington, KY TUES, SEPT 20 Fredricksburgh, VA WED, SEPT 21 Sarver, PA THURS, SEPT 22 Watertown, NY FRI, SEPT 23 Rochester, NY SAT, SEPT 24 Tupper Lake, NY WED, SEPT 28 Worcester, MA THURS, SEPT 29 Seabrook, NH FRI, SEPT 30 Auburn, ME
OCTOBER
SAT, OCT 1 Poughkeepsie, NY SUN, OCT 2 Clifton, NJ TUES, OCT 4 Morgantown, WV WEDS, OCT 5 Reading, PA FRI, OCT 7 Oklahoma City, OK** SAT, OCT 8 Memphis, TN ** SUN, OCT 9 New Orleans, LA** FRI, OCT 14 San Antonio, TX SAT, OCT 15 Houston, TX THURS, OCT 20 Tempe, AZ FRI, OCT 21 Gallup, NM FRI, OCT 28 Georgetown, OH
NOVEMBER
FRI, NOV 4 Rochester, MN SAT, NOV 5 Mankato, MN WED, NOV 9 Kearney, NE THURS, NOV 10 Omaha, NE FRI, NOV 11 Waterloo, IA SAT, NOV 12 Illiopolis, IL MON, NOV 14 Urbana, IL WEDS, NOV 16 Fargo, ND
** Denotes date with BLS
THC plan to go back in studio after this extensive tour and record their new material for a 2012 follow up release, yet to be titled. For more information on THC go to www.thcoutlaw.com or www.carvedrecordds.com.
What's the deal with the Ten Great Songs packages that I'm seeing everywhere these days? I was at Walmart (a store I generally avoid at all costs) when I noticed a giant cutout bin of $5 CDs.
Of course I had to start digging.
You know how Walmart has those giant cardboard bins of "stuff" in the aisles? Well, this CD bin was huge and I was folded over the top, just pawing through. I kept coming across tons of Glam, all of it called Ten Great Songs. There was Slaughter, KISS, RATT, Queensryche... I also came across some other random greatest hits (Great White, Journey) and then just straight albums from the likes of Van Halen and Aerosmith.
I had most everything I came across, so I did not take home any of the Ten Great Songs compilations. I mean, true fans already have the hit songs. For example, the Queensryche disc features "Empire" and "Jet City Woman."
I suppose a $5 CD is a good introduction to Glam for a lot of fans. I mean, if someone is completely clueless to RATT, then $5 isn't much of an investment into their hits. Still, it's all a cash grab for Capitol Records, but it is what it is - labels are in business to make money. Oh, there was even a Ten Great Songs from Poison - which means they officially have ANOTHER greatest hits compilation floating around. I suppose my favorite part of the Ten Great Songs series is that the title explicitly states what you get: just awesome music. For someone in a position to replace music, the songs are a steal. And for teenagers, the price is especially great for library building. I wish there was such a collection for $5 when I was a kid. I spent a ton on music and a price break sure would have helped.
Friday, September 9, 2011 at 12:01AM 
