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Night Ranger Midnight Madness Album Review
The band Night Ranger released their second album, Midnight Madness, in October of 1983.
Consisting of Jack Blades (Vocals/Bass), Brad Gillis (Guitar), Jeff Watson (Guitar), Kelly Keagy (Drums/Vocals), and Alan Fitzgerald (Keyboards), Night Ranger is a very good rock band, with some good melodic songs too.
This album features their biggest hit, Sister Christian, which is still being used in movies and TV shows and commercials.
The album also features the hits (You Can Still) Rock In America (also featuring one of my favorite singers Glenn Hughes on backing vocals!!) and When You Close Your Eyes.
This album is very good and this band is still around over 40 years later (still has Blades, Gillis and Keagy in the band).
Rock on guys!!
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Night Ranger ATBPO Album Review
Night Ranger released their 13th studio album, ATBPO, on August 6 of 2021.
The band still consists of 3/5 the original lineup (Jack Blades on vocals and bass, Brad Gillis on guitar, and Kelly Keagy on drums and vocals). It also features guitarist Kerri Kelli and Eric Levy on keyboards on the album.
This album really rocks, but also has some mellower songs too.
I was super late to these guys. I always knew their HUGE song Sister Christian, which is still featured in movies and on TV, but I just never got into them.
Although I always respected Jack and Brad for their other work (Jack with Damn Yankees and Brad with his brief tenure in Ozzy Osbourne’s band).
So I knew the band were solid, but again just never got into them.
I’m glad I finally did. They really do rock.
And this album is a great addition to their discography.
I hope they continue to release albums and rock for many years to come.
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Deep Purple =1 Album Review
One of my favorite bands, Deep Purple, released their 23rd studio album, =1, on July 19 of 2024.
Wow this album is INCREDIBLE!!
May be my album of the year. We’ll see.
Either way, I love it and it’s already one of my favorite Deep Purple albums.
Classic members Ian Gillan (Vocals), Roger Glover (Bass), and Ian Paice (Drums, and the only member that has been there from the beginning), along with Don Airey (Keyboards since 2002 when Jon Lord retired from touring) and Simon McBride (Guitar, joined in 2023 after Steve Morse stepped away) have put out a PHENOMENAL album.
Since 2012, Deep Purple have really been on a roll, releasing masterpiece after masterpiece (Now What?!, Infinite, Whoosh!, a covers album called Turning To Crime, and now =1).
All of these albums have been produced by Bob Ezrin (Alice Cooper, KISS, Pink Floyd just to name a few bands he’s worked with) and this is another STELLAR release.
I cannot say enough about this album.
Deep Purple prove that you can always release great music, regardless of how long you have been around.
I wish more acts would follow their lead because I know they could.
Keep rocking guys!!! You’re doing just fine.
Oh and my copy of the album came with a really cool DVD of the band on the road.
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Mr. Big Ten Album Review
The band Mr. Big (featuring singer Eric Martin, guitarist Paul Gilbert, bassist Billy Sheehan, and now drummer Nick D’Virgilio taking the place of deceased drummer Pat Torpey) released what is being billed as their “final album” on July 12 of 2024.
Called Ten, it comprises 11 songs, mostly rockers but some mellower songs too, and sounds like Mr. Big.
Great singing and musicianship, which is always been their trademark.
They’ve been touring throughout the year 2024. I saw them at their Detroit show (review here). This is supposedly their final tour, but like everyone that says that, I’ll believe it when they don’t return for more or just don’t stop at all.
And if they want to continue, please do. I never want any of my favorites to stop, but eventually, they will all stop. That’s life. But until then, Mr. Big rocks and if you don’t see them live, please get this album. It’s very good.
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Black Country Communion V Album Review
In 2009, a very good band called Black Country Communion was formed.
It features Glenn Hughes (Vocals/Bass), Joe Bonamassa (Guitar/Vocals), Jason Bonham (Drums) and Derek Sherinian (Keyboards).
They have released five studio albums, and a live album/Blu-ray.
Their latest album, V, was released on June 14 of 2024.
If you are a fan of classic 1970s hard rock, this album and all their albums are for you.
Glenn Hughes, to me, is one of the greatest singers of all time, and has NEVER lost a step, vocally. He is also a very good bassist too but oh my gosh his singing is out of this world.
Joe Bonamassa is a superstar on his own, having released several solo albums, but in this band, he is mostly the guitarist and if you know his work, you know his playing here is fantastic too.
Jason Bonham is a PHENOMENAL drummer. Son of Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham, Jason has made a solid career himself, playing in Bonham, Foreigner, UFO, The Circle, even Led Zeppelin in most of their one off reunion shows, and to me, he’s as good or better than his Dad on the kit. Truth.
Derek Sherinian has played keyboards for KISS, Dream Theater, Billy Idol, and Sons Of Apollo, and has solos albums also. He brings a lot to the table as a player.
Because of everyone’s schedules, they have not done very many concerts, but hopefully someday, that will change.
Again, this band is very much a classic sounding 1970s hard rock band, but also sounds new and fresh.
Seek out this album V as well as their other albums (self titled, Black Country Communion 2, Live Over Europe, Afterglow, and BBCIV.
All solid.
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The Animals Greatest Hits Live Album Review
The Animals reunited in the early 1980s releasing a great album called Ark and also released a live album of the tour.
Called Greatest Hits Live, released in 1984, it features original members (singer Eric Burdon, bassist Chas Chandler, guitarist Hilton Valentine, keyboardist Alan Price, and drummer John Steel) playing many of their 1960s hits and also features one song from the Ark album released in 1983.
I wish they would have stayed together, but alas.
Still, this is a solid, fun live album and worth checking out if you’re a fan of The Animals.
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The Animals Ark Album Review
The very popular 1960s band The Animals reunited a few times and released an album each time they reunited.
Once in the late 1970s, and once in the early 1980s.
The one I’m talking about here is the 1983 album Ark.
The original members of the band (singer Eric Burdon, bassist Chas Chandler, guitarist Hilton Valentine, keyboardist Alan Price, and drummer John Steel) reunited in the early 80s and made this album that to me still sounds like the band, but also very of the time.
The best way I can describe it is that it’s very 80s, which I love and I’m OK with it.
I think the album Ark is great and I don’t understand why it was not a big hit.
They released one music video for the song The Night, which is awesome.
They also toured this album, releasing a live album too (Greatest Hits Live).
But unfortunately, the reunion did not last.
But I think it was worth the effort because I think this album is great. Everyone sounds great on it and the songs are great and fun to listen to.
That’s what music is all about. Having fun.
Seek out this album. I think you’ll have fun with it too.
Oh and the CD back cover says it was released in 1977. That’s a typo. Their other reunion album, Before We Were So Rudely Interrupted, was released in 1977. Ark was released in 1983.
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John Corabi Live ’94 One Night In Nashville Album Review
If you are a fan of John Corabi like I am and are particularly a fan of the album he did as singer of Motley Crue (self-titled) in 1994, then this live album is for you.
It includes every song from that album done by he and his solo band, as well as a song from the Motley EP Quaternary released after it.
I’ve been a fan of that album for 25 years, so to hear live versions of every song is a treat for me.
I love it.
I bought it when I saw Corabi do his one man acoustic show. Definitely worth the purchase.
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John Corabi Unplugged Album Review
John Corabi is a great singer/songwriter/guitarist that has done a lot over the years, but has never quite been as big as he should be.
He has been in many bands (The Scream, Motley Crue, Union, now The Dead Daisies, and even played second guitar for RATT for several years), but has never become a household name.
He is a super talent, and this album Unplugged really showcases this.
This album includes songs from throughout Corabi’s career done in a acoustic style, as well some exclusive songs only on this album.
In recent years, he has toured as a one man show, singing and playing acoustic guitar, and telling stories.
I saw one of these shows and let me tell you, it is awesome.
I think he’s always been awesome, but seeing him do the one man show is really incredible.
This Unplugged album, which he also sells at these shows and you can get it online too, is a great collection.
Please check it out. You will not regret it.
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Union (John Corabi, Bruce Kulick, Brent Fitz, Jamie Hunting) Discography Review
After seeing John Corabi play an acoustic set recently (review here), I became inspired to play some of Corabi’s music again I had not heard in awhile.
That included the band Union that he formed in the late 1990s with guitarist Bruce Kulick (KISS, Blackjack, Grand Funk Railroad), drummer Brent Fitz (later of Slash feat. Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators), and bassist Jamie Hunting.
Union released two studio albums (Union, The Blue Room), a live album (Live In The Galaxy) and a DVD (Do Your Own Thing Live).
Union was a solid hard rock band that was heavy, but also had soul and melody.
Corabi sang most of the songs and also played second guitar along with Bruce, who sang part of one of the songs (Dear Friend).
I’ve always been a fan of Corabi’s voice. It’s aggressive but soulful. And I think he’s a very good songwriter too.
I don’t think Union made a bad song, but some of my favorites from their two studio albums are Old Man Wise, Love (I Don’t Need It Anymore), Heavy D, Do Your Own Thing, Dead, Everything’s Alright, Who Do You Think You Are (that may be my favorite song of theirs).
As good as the studio albums are, I think the live album is my favorite, though.
I love studio albums and usually prefer them, but I am a big fan of live albums too, and theirs, Live In The Galaxy, is very good.
It also features some KISS songs from Bruce’s era that KISS never played (Jungle and I Walk Alone from the Carnival Of Souls album), and songs from Corabi’s career (a song by The Scream called Man In The Moon and a Motley Crue song called Power To The Music).
Also, Union was very good at covering songs by The Beatles. They covered Oh! Darling and You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away.
Also, their DVD Do Your Own Thing Live is fantastic. It features two concerts and other cool extras.
Union only lasted a few years, but I think they were a good, solid band and if they ever did anything else, I would gladly welcome it.
Check them out.
Oh and thanks to Aunt Kim, who got me the Union DVD (signed by Bruce) as a birthday present many years ago. Thank you so much!!
