-
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.
-
Arnold Schwarzenegger Be Useful Seven Tools For Life Book Review
Arnold Schwarzenegger has been one of my heroes since I was a little kid.
I love most of his movies, and his current show on Netflix Fubar is a lot of fun too.
His autobiography Total Recall is excellent.
And this book, Be Useful Seven Tools For Life, is quite good also.
Released on October 10 of 2023, this book is part self help/part autobiographical/part inspirational/very positive.
I so wish I could be as positive and driven as Governor Schwarzenegger is.
I’ve been a fan since I was little, but I’ve never been confident or driven and ambitious like he is.
I don’t know if I ever could be.
Either way, I enjoyed this book very much.
I’ve been lucky enough to meet him and just be in the room with him a few times, courtesy of the Arnold Sports Festival.
I can tell you he is very much as he appears to be. Very smart, confident, positive, driven, focused, disciplined, and much more. All the things I’m not.
But still, he is a hero to me and he always will be.
Check out this book.
And as he says “Be useful”.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
Sting Broken Music Book Review
I’ve been a fan of the singer/songwriter/musician Sting for decades.
I’m a fan of his work with The Police and his solo work.
He’s a tremendous talent all around.
I’m also a fan of his book.
Broken Music was released in 2003.
In the book, Sting talks about his upbringing, his parents, school days, first getting into music, early bands, early relationships (including his first marriage and becoming a father), and the initial days of The Police.
It’s a great book, but I do wish he would have talked more about the rest of his career.
But his intention was to talk about his early days, and he does that quite well with this book.
If you are a fan of Sting, you need to read this book Broken Music.
And in order to know what he means by “Broken Music”, you have to read the book.
Please do.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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!!
