Gifted but Twisted

Glam fans, research has confirmed what most of us have known for years: metal fans are smarter than the average bear.

British psychologist Stuart Cadwallader says the most gifted teenagers love heavy metal because it relieves the pressure of being smart.

Results of this study may very well shatter preconceived notions that metal heads are, well, dim.

According to Cadwallader's study, screeching guitar solos and arena rock anthems are finally getting their just desserts.

Psychologist Cadwallader is a doctoral student at the University of Warwick. He's very into metal, studying the link between genius and head banging for his master's thesis.

This is an academic study we can use people! It makes sense that loud music inspires a feeling of empowerment which spawns stress release.

Think about the last time you were in a mosh pit, or beside a stage at a metal show, fist in the air. Did you feel stressed out? Were you dwelling on work, bills, responsibility? More likely than not you were caught in the moment, living a rock n' roll fantasy.

For me, this study is both vindicating and liberating. I've always noticed a definite mood reaction in my body when I turn on my favorite metal. My spirits change, most notably for the better.

Back in 1990, rock legends Judas Priest were sued for allegedly adding subliminal messages in their song "Better By You, Better Than Me." A Nevada family sued after their son committed suicide, saying the song had coerced him to kill himself.

Of course this is hogwash, and the courts agreed.

Cadwallader says "Heavy metal can be scary for adults, or for people who don't appreciate it . . . It can sound very aggressive."

Any adult can tell you that the teen years can be both really great...and really terrible at the same time. For most teens, metal releases pent-up feelings of anger and frustration. For Cadwallader, these typical teen angst symptoms stem from societal pressures and expectations that come from being "gifted."

The glam mistress feels the need to crank some Skid Row. I'm feeling the pressures today, dear readers.

A Professional Pirate

Remember back in the 1980s when musicians could break huge records with album sales? Some of the sales records set by Michael Jackson and Def Leppard still hold up today.

An article in yesterday's online edition of the Wall Street Journal depicts the bleak outlook of modern day record sales.

According to journalist Ethan Smith, compact disc sales for the first three months of this year plunged 20% from the same period a year ago. Of course, analysts blame the decline of CD sales on the popularity of the iPod and downloadable music.

In the late seventies, Metal was still an underground phenomenon. Enthusiasts would create fanzines and dub cassette tapes with the latest music by their heroes. These tapes would travel around the world, effectively "pirating" music while creating a mainstream movement.

Of course, dyed in the wool music fans know that most causal listeners don't pay for their music by legal downloads, either. Many younger fans download pirated music without regard for an artists sales rank or royalty checks.

I don't pirate music, but I am guilty of downloading an odd song or two if I don't want to purchase an entire album.

According to the Wall Street Journal article, music moguls now consider CDs as a marketing tool to push sales of more lucrative items like concert tickets and band merchandise.

Sadly it seems there's just no money to be made from huge album sales these days. But is this really different than years past?

In the glam rock hey day of the 1980s, bands tramped up and down the Sunset Strip, posting flyers, selling tickets and begging people to watch their shows.

They made a living off touring, and the same is true today.

There's a reason why the Rolling Stones and Aerosmith tour constantly. World tours mean big money, and big money means less pressure to sell millions and millions of albums.

Back in 1987, Def Leppard released Hysteria . To date, that album has sold more than 18 million copies worldwide.  Let's say the Leps had a pretty good deal from Polygram that earned them a quarter for every album sold. This means the Brits earned four million, five hundred thousand dollars for their efforts. Def Leppard still earned several times more than this amount from their massively successfully "In the Round, In Your Face" world tour.

Nielsen SoundScan just posted some of the weakest sales ever recorded. In fact, this year has already seen the  two lowest-selling No. 1 albums since SoundScan started back in 1991. Incidentally, Skid Row's Slave to the Grind was the first heavy metal album to debut at the top of the Billboard charts. Slave to the Grind was released the first week Nielsen adopted the SoundScan sales tracking method.

So is all this talk about sluggish album sales much ado about nothing, or do we have a real  music crisis on our hands? Like most things, I think most people have become complacent. Yesterday's rabid fans are today's stock traders, doctors, and lawyers. Sadly it seems these careers just don't leave enough time for Metal.

Spring Forward

It’s the first full day of spring, and that means warmer weather and driving with the top down.

Spring is a very important time for music, as many albums are released just before the summer concert season. There are also some great songs specifically written about spring and summer.

Remember, glam fans: there’s a reason Vivaldi wrote the symphony Four Seasons!

Some of the best summer friendly songs are those that instantly capture the carefree mood of everyone's favorite season. Tommy Shaw and Jack Blades recently recorded the Seals and Crofts classic "Summer Breeze" for their Influence album.

Just hearing the lyrics to "Summer Breeze" takes me to another place of fun and laughter, warm days, shorts and sandals.

My first car was a convertible, great for listening to music while cruising in the hot July heat. I remember driving that car around my little hometown and cranking the radio. I usually had one or two girlfriends with me at all times,  and we'd play our newest CDs. Aerosmith was always in huge rotation in my car. I listened to the
Get a Grip album so many times all my closest friends knew every lyric to every song as well as I did!

Aerosmith's next album, Nine Lives, was released in 1997. I graduated high school in 1998, so that album was a major part of my senior year.

The bad boys of Boston released O, Yeah! Ultimate Aerosmith Hits in 2002. Included on that disc is the track "Girls of Summer."

I wish I still drove a convertible, but when I graduated high school, I inherited my mom's car and she got a new one. No more convertible for the glam mistress! Now,  I have my own money and a steady job and I suppose I could have a cherry red convertible again if I really wanted one, even if for the sole purpose of cranking Poison on the first 80 degree June afternoon.

So, bring on spring and summer!
Bring on the hot temperatures, massive concert tours, short shorts and sun block.

All this talk of summer fun makes me want to download David Lee Roth's "California Girls" to my iPod.

Do you have a favorite song about spring or summer?

Monsterous Teaser

A few days ago, I wrote an article about B-sides for my blog over at www.hairballjohnradioshow.com. It's not coincidental that I recently purchased Supersonic Relics, a 1999 release by Motley Crue. The album includes a lot of b-sides, previously unreleased tracks, and songs recorded specifically for the now outdated releases Decade of Decadence and Greatest Hits.

Starting at the beginning, here's the track listing:

Teaser
1. Primal Scream
2. Sinners & Saints
3. Monsterous
4. Say Yeah
5. Planet Boom
6. Bittersuite
7. Father
8. Anarchy in the U.K.
9. So Good, So Bad
10. Hooligan's Holiday
11. Rock 'N' Roll Junkie
12. Angela
13. Mood Ring
14. Dr. Feelgood  (live)

Of this list, "Primal Scream," "Planet Boom," "Bittersuite," "Anarchy in the U.K.," and a different version of "Hooligan's Holiday" are included on Red, White and Crue. "Rock N' Roll Junkie" is on the soundtrack of The Adventures of Ford Fairlane.

 Supersonic Relics is an uneven listen, still, the album provides more hits than misses for the die hard Crue fan. My favorite song on this album is "Say Yeah." To me, this track sounds good enough to be on a studio release, and would fit nicely on Girls, Girls, Girls or Dr. Feelgood. According to the liner notes, Nikki Sixx wrote the song early in the Crue's career when Matthew John Trippe was trying to steal his identity. Trippe was nuts, and it got to the point where fans kept asking Sixx if he was real or fake.

"Monsterous" is also a great track. I love the chorus and it makes me want to shove my fist in the air and scream "Yeah!"

I can do without "Mood Ring," because the boys are trying too hard to be psychedelic. Despite the copious amount of drugs, the Crue is not psychedelic. According to the liner notes, the boys were just goofing around and someone rolled tape. I'm not so sure I believe this because the track sounds awfully slick.

My top three favorite Crue songs all time are "Danger," "Shout at the Devil," and "Hooligan's Holiday." The version of "Hooligan's Holiday" included on this compilation makes me mad. It's over 11 minutes and includes a very long industrial interlude performed by Skinny Puppy. I don't like industrial music and I don't appreciate Skinny Puppy messing with such a great track written and performed by Mr. John Corabi.

"Rock N' Roll Junkie" is another great track. I've never seen  The Adventures of Ford Fairlane but the soundtrack looks awesome, including artists like  Queensryche, Billy Idol, and Richie Sambora.

The live version of "Dr. Feelgood" is a nice addition to this package of lesser-known tracks. I also really like "Teaser," including the smart lyrics:

"That woman's got a smile/
Puts you in a trance/
And just one look at her/
Makes you want to dance.

Those dark an rosy lips/
Only passify/
With just a hint of ruthlessness/
Sparkling in her eye."

It doesn't get any more glam than that, folks.

Overall, I give this album a B-.
It's not necessary unless you're a die-hard fan. Still, if you love the Crue, you'll get your hands on any recording that money can buy.

 [Teaser lyrics by Tommy Bolin and Jeff Cook. Copyright 1989].

You See Your Gypsy

Yesterday, Chris Matthews of Evil Boy Records Limited dropped me a line about a great glam band he represents.

The band?

The Gypsy Pistoleros, a mix of glam, sleaze and...flamenco music. A unique sound indeed, the boys in the Gypsy Pistoleros use experiences obtained while living in Spain as a main influence for their music.

If you're not familiar with the U.K. based band, the Gypsy Pistoleros are:

Lee J Pistolero-Lead Vocals
Iggie Pistolero-Lead Guitar
Leeroy Pistolero-Drums
Angel Pistolero-Bass

This is not a gimmick people! The Gypsy Pistoleros start a European tour in a matter of days, supporting glam acts like Love/Hate, Bang Tango, Kristy Krash Majors (Pretty Boy Floyd), Faster Pussycat, the Bulletboys, L.A. Guns and Enuff Z'Nuff.

Now, here's the good news. The glam goodness that is the Gypsy Pistoleros will take-over the U.S. this summer. The boys in the band just finished recording Wild, Beautiful, Damned, produced by Joe Gibb. The album has a target release date of June 4, 2007.

On their official Myspace page, www.myspace.com/gypsypistoleros, band members cite Motley Crue, Hanoi Rocks and the Ramones as major influences.

Give the Gypsy Pistoleros a listen. You'll like them!

Back for More

The summer solstice must be around the corner, because tour announcements are coming fast and furious. The most exciting is the announcement that Poison will tour with RATT and Great White.

Let the detractors begin their bashing.

I saw Poison with Cinderella last summer and it was  good time. I thought Bret and the gang put on a good show, despite blazing heat. They played their hits, and so did Cinderella.

I'm sick of people complaining that the set lists don't change and that Poison-RATT-Great White-Cinderella-Aerosmith-Motley Crue-Slaughter-L.A. Guns-Faster Pussycat-Winger-Warrant and everyone else suck live.

I've decided that if Jimi Hendrix rose from the dead for a special one night only FREE performance, people would still complain that the set list wasn't original or Jimi is out of shape.

I bet it's hard to practice when you're dead.

I, for one, think the Poison triple bill sounds like much fun, and there's a possibility the boys will add a fourth band to the roster. That's a lot of glam for one day!

There is a bit of bad news from the RATT camp. It seems bassist Juan Croucier plans to sit out the tour. It's not official yet, but sources close to the musician say he hasn't signed on the dotted line just yet. Original front man Stephen Pearcy has signed on, and journalists are dubbing the show a reunion. I would shy away from that term because Croucier is bowing out and founding RATT guitarist Robbin Crosby died from a heroin overdose in 2002. 

You'll recall a few weeks ago I posted a Poison recording update. Pennsylvania's finest are hard at work on a cover album, under the watchful eye of super producer Don Was. While I wish Poison were working on an album of originals, I'll take a new release of covers. The album is set for a late spring/summer release, obviously to coincide with the tour.

Right now, the only confirmed date is August 12 at the Universal Amphitheatre in Universal City, California. This is part of the massive Universal CityWalk entertainment complex. I went to California for vacation two years ago and visited the CityWalk. If I remember correctly the amphitheatre is huge, so promoters must be expecting a decent crowd.

After all, L.A. is the cradle of 80s glam rock.

I will be checking Ticketmaster every day in case Poison doesn't send a Myspace alert about ticket availability. I am assuming this glam powerhouse will make a stop in Ohio. Last year, Poison/Cinderella swept through Columbus. I'd be down for that again.

Side Note: Hey Heather, want to car pool with me and the glam rock husband? I'll buy the first round!

A Perfect Circle

I have big news to share with you, dear readers.

First, let me say Happy St. Patrick's Day to my fellow glam fans of Irish heritage. Drink some green beer and eat cabbage!

Now, the big news...drum roll please...

I am now the proud owner of a  platinum disc celebrating sales of Shout at the Devil. Motley Crue's greatest work was certified gold on January 12, 1984. It went platinum the first time on February 7, 1984. Since that time, Shout at the Devil  has sold several million more copies.

How did I come to own such an important relic of glam goodness? Ebay, of course. I wasn't looking for a platinum record when I was surfing Ebay late last night. Instead, I was hoping to find a cute Motley Crue babydoll shirt to wear when the weather gets a little warmer here in Ohio.

That's when it happened. I stumbled upon an Ebay store, chocked full of gold and platinum record awards from various artists.

If you've ever eaten at the Hard Rock Cafe or visited the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland,  you know that a platinum award has an "identifier" of sorts explaining why the person is bestowed such an honor. All the pieces for sale in this particular Ebay store are from a record shop.

Knowing only fools rush in, I used the 30 minutes remaining on the auction to research record awards and how to spot a hoax. After all, I didn't want to drop serious cash on a fake award. That would be more than devastating.

The official site for the Recording Industry of America, www.riaa.com, has an excellent page outlining criteria for collecting record awards.

I also stumbled across Julien's Auction House at www.juliensauctions.com which outlines several factors to look for when collecting music memorabilia.

I placed my first bid with five minutes remaining in the auction. This bid was too low, and I failed to meet the reserve. Two more bids, and I was home free! The remaining two minutes were very stressful, as I feared someone with much deeper pockets was going to snatch my treasure out from under my nose.

Then...it was mine!

I paid immediately, hoping to expedite the process. Now, the waiting game begins. I don't know where to hang such a priceless work of art. I suppose it could go over the bed, replacing my wedding portrait...or over the fireplace. When I suggested both these options to Eric, the glam rock husband,  he looked horrified.

Eric offered to build a lighted bookcase to show-off my award. I think he was kidding, but I might take him up on the offer.

It's not good to be greedy, glam fans. I hope you understand that when I saw this auction, I nearly passed out. I thank Eric for encouraging me to bid, much to my shock and amazement.

I would be heartbroken if I learned this treasure was sitting in a warehouse collecting dust...or worse, hanging beside a platinum award celebrating the work of My Chemical Romance.

Shudder to think.