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KEELWORLD released 8/2/24
KEELWORLD Is the brand new release from Ron Keel. This album is loaded with all things Ron Keel. From Steeler to Ronnie Lee Keel...from Keel to IronHorse....From Ron Keel Band to Emerald Sabbath...and everything in between. Whether you a a long-time fan or you are just dicovering Ron Keel this is the album of a career.
New tracks from Keel(Moving Target) and Steeler(Give Me Guitars...Or Give Me Death) make this album worth the price of admission, but add on all the others and you have a GEM! other favorites of mine include Ron Keel Band (Taking Me Back) and IronHorse (Guitar In The Grave). Ron Keel never disappoints with ANYTHING he touches and this is no exception.
B-Rock
Manager
Bret Michaels Parti-Gras 2.0 2024
Carowinds Charlotte, NC
Bret Michaels brought his Pardi-Gras 2.0 2024 tour to Charlotte,NC on Saturday July 6th. This was held at The Palladium Ampitheater at Carowinds Amusement park. Bret brought Dee Snider, Steve Augeri, Great White and Slaughter along with him for this show. I am not one that usually attends "solo" shows, but I figured Hey, riding rides all day then a show that night, Hell, I have nothing to lose!
Rain and Thunderstorms were in the forcast for the day and I really thought I'd be spending the day elsewhere. Well, like usual the weatherman was completely wrong and it was sunshine and (what seemed like)1000 degrees all day. It was HOT, scorching, but we had a blast(I took my wife, Daughter, Son and his girlfriend Mackenzie). By 4 pm we were looking forward to getting under the roof of the ampitheater and out of the sun!
We got in line for the show at 4 pm and doors were scheduled for 5. The arena ended up letting us in at 4:40 and we were headed in. It was GA and we ended up getting 10th row center...SCORE!!!!! Slaughter was up first at 6:20 and they sounded very good. Dana an Jeff were full of energy and Mark threw out about 1,000 picks during the set. I have seen these guys many times and knew exactly what to expect. Great White came on at 7:20 and I was very interested in seeing Bret Carlisle(A.O.N.) front the band. Bret sounded great but the band sounded flat, like they were just there going thru the motions. Coming on after Slaughter was not the right move and in all they were kindof a mood killer...most people i saw were sitting whereas during Slaughter they were on their feet ROCKIN"!
Now was the time...it was 8:30 and intros were beginning...the mood quickly went up a few notches and i was excited! You know the feeling, you're bouncing up and down, adreneline starts flowing and you cant contain yourself. I had no idea what to expect, but I was hoping for the best. Thunderstruck by AC/DC was blasting through the speakers and the band was starting to take the stage. Smoke was engulfing the stage and the lights were going crazy! It was time, c'mon Bret Michaels Band, do not let me down!!! Bret hit the stage and immediately went into Talk Dirty To Me then Ride The Wind. Following them was Your Mama Don't Dance then Look What The Cat Dragged In! I thought riding rides all day was going to be my rush for the day, NOT TODAY! 95 mph coasters, 300+ hills, loops, corkscrews, upside down, right side up did not prepare me for this show...and we were only 4 songs in!!! The band didn't just play the tunes, they played with heart and soul! You felt passion coming from that stage, you felt their energy! This was no "backing band", this was a band that put everything they have, and more, into these tunes! Bret now introduced Steve Augeri and he did 3 Journey tunes(Separate Ways, Don't Stop Believin' and Any Way You Want It) and Steve sounded fantastic! this was no longer just a BMB show, this was a music extravaganza!!! Bret Came back out and headed into Something To Believe In(which he welcomed many veterans to the stage) and then powered into Unskinny Bop. He didnt just "do" Poison songs, he added FLAIR to them. Poison already has catchy songs but Bret took them up a notch, I cant put it into words, you gotta experience it! Dee Snider was up next and that Twisted Sister took over the stage!!! He immediately went into We're Not Gonna Take It and the crowd was in a frenzy! Fists in the air, singing at the top of our lungs. Dee did some hilarious banter and then like a crazed lunatic went into I Wanna Rock! More fists, this crowd and the band were on a super adreneline rush and noone wanted to come down! I thought the heat during the day was intense, NOPE, I was sweating and rockin' and there was no place I'd rather have been! Dee went into Highway To Hell after he explained the "Rock Hands" and that was another comical back and forth from him. Bret came back out and did Every Rose Has Its Thorn. This man's voice is still strong and powerful, this man is what a Rockstar is. BMB ended the night with Nuthin But A Good Time, but like a good thrill ride, there was twists and turns, not just the song!
I have to say, this was a show of SHOWS! You didnt have time to catch your breath! The crowd was completely enthralled in the music, we were one giant organism feeding off the band. BMB was so tight and on target and the stage antics of Pete Evick and "Stormin'" Norman Voss kicked this whole thing up another notch. I suggest you catch this show for yourself, this is one that will surely stand out in my memories for a long time.
One final note, my 20 year old Daughter Sara who loves Poison said in a post on Facebook the next day, "Last night was unforgettable I saw THE Bret Michaels and the cat dragged in DEE SNIDER and STEVE AUGERI, INCREDIBLE. LOOOOOOOVED Great White and Slaughter, all first timers for me. ....I would re-do this night over and over again".
I. Had. Tears.
We got in line for the show at 4 pm and doors were scheduled for 5. The arena ended up letting us in at 4:40 and we were headed in. It was GA and we ended up getting 10th row center...SCORE!!!!! Slaughter was up first at 6:20 and they sounded very good. Dana an Jeff were full of energy and Mark threw out about 1,000 picks during the set. I have seen these guys many times and knew exactly what to expect. Great White came on at 7:20 and I was very interested in seeing Bret Carlisle(A.O.N.) front the band. Bret sounded great but the band sounded flat, like they were just there going thru the motions. Coming on after Slaughter was not the right move and in all they were kindof a mood killer...most people i saw were sitting whereas during Slaughter they were on their feet ROCKIN"!
Now was the time...it was 8:30 and intros were beginning...the mood quickly went up a few notches and i was excited! You know the feeling, you're bouncing up and down, adreneline starts flowing and you cant contain yourself. I had no idea what to expect, but I was hoping for the best. Thunderstruck by AC/DC was blasting through the speakers and the band was starting to take the stage. Smoke was engulfing the stage and the lights were going crazy! It was time, c'mon Bret Michaels Band, do not let me down!!! Bret hit the stage and immediately went into Talk Dirty To Me then Ride The Wind. Following them was Your Mama Don't Dance then Look What The Cat Dragged In! I thought riding rides all day was going to be my rush for the day, NOT TODAY! 95 mph coasters, 300+ hills, loops, corkscrews, upside down, right side up did not prepare me for this show...and we were only 4 songs in!!! The band didn't just play the tunes, they played with heart and soul! You felt passion coming from that stage, you felt their energy! This was no "backing band", this was a band that put everything they have, and more, into these tunes! Bret now introduced Steve Augeri and he did 3 Journey tunes(Separate Ways, Don't Stop Believin' and Any Way You Want It) and Steve sounded fantastic! this was no longer just a BMB show, this was a music extravaganza!!! Bret Came back out and headed into Something To Believe In(which he welcomed many veterans to the stage) and then powered into Unskinny Bop. He didnt just "do" Poison songs, he added FLAIR to them. Poison already has catchy songs but Bret took them up a notch, I cant put it into words, you gotta experience it! Dee Snider was up next and that Twisted Sister took over the stage!!! He immediately went into We're Not Gonna Take It and the crowd was in a frenzy! Fists in the air, singing at the top of our lungs. Dee did some hilarious banter and then like a crazed lunatic went into I Wanna Rock! More fists, this crowd and the band were on a super adreneline rush and noone wanted to come down! I thought the heat during the day was intense, NOPE, I was sweating and rockin' and there was no place I'd rather have been! Dee went into Highway To Hell after he explained the "Rock Hands" and that was another comical back and forth from him. Bret came back out and did Every Rose Has Its Thorn. This man's voice is still strong and powerful, this man is what a Rockstar is. BMB ended the night with Nuthin But A Good Time, but like a good thrill ride, there was twists and turns, not just the song!
I have to say, this was a show of SHOWS! You didnt have time to catch your breath! The crowd was completely enthralled in the music, we were one giant organism feeding off the band. BMB was so tight and on target and the stage antics of Pete Evick and "Stormin'" Norman Voss kicked this whole thing up another notch. I suggest you catch this show for yourself, this is one that will surely stand out in my memories for a long time.
One final note, my 20 year old Daughter Sara who loves Poison said in a post on Facebook the next day, "Last night was unforgettable I saw THE Bret Michaels and the cat dragged in DEE SNIDER and STEVE AUGERI, INCREDIBLE. LOOOOOOOVED Great White and Slaughter, all first timers for me. ....I would re-do this night over and over again".
I. Had. Tears.
B-Rock
Manager
TESLA "Mechanical Resonance"
Mechanical Resonance is the debut studio album by Sacramento based Hard Rock band Tesla(whose original name was City Kidd but another band had a similar name so the band changed it shortly before recording this album). It was released on December 8, 1986, by Geffen Records. There were three singles released from the album, “Modern Day Cowboy”, “Little Suzi(Ph.D cover who’s original version was the fifth video played on MTV in 1981 but was not a hit in the US)” and “Gettin’ Better”. All three singles made the Mainstream Rock Charts but only Little Suzi landed on the Billboard Hot 100(#91). The album would go on to sell more than a million copies in the US alone and is considered by many one of the best debut albums in the genre. The album kicks off with one of my personal favorites “EZ Come EZ Go” which kicks things off to a rocking start. “Comin’ Atcha Live” keeps things moving and is one of the best songs in the bands live shows to this day. “Gettin’ Better” is one of several more melodic songs on the album and should have been a massive hit. “2 Late 4 Love” and “Rock Me To The Top” both rock from beginning to end and for me are two of the more underrated tracks on the album. “We’re No Good Together” isn’t exactly a ballad but it starts out slower and builds as it goes on and the pace speeds up over the last minute or two of the song. Great song and another overlooked song in the bands catalog. “Modern Day Cowboy” is a legendary hard rock song in the catalog and one you can’t imagine the band not playing live. “Changes” is heavy but melodic and has a lot of light and shade in the way Zeppelin wrote. The song is amazing both musically and lyrically. “Little Suzi” was the hit but also a cover that I’m sure most fans didn’t realize at the time. Great song that’s still a live staple for the band. “Love Me” is a little more on the melodic side and another one that doesn’t get talked about much but is a very good song. “Cover Queen” is hard rock and right in your face. “Before My Eyes” closes the album and is slower but not a ballad and I’m usually not a fan of slower type songs closing albums but with how haunting this song is just works. What was cool about this band is they were a jeans and T-shirt band in the same way Metallica was at that time(they had the same management as did Dokken who should have followed the same look)and while there’s some old pictures with the makeup and teased up hair that look was short lived and the band just looked like one of us and plugged in and rocked. They toured with David Lee Roth and Alice Cooper separately in early 1987 and eventually joined the massively successful Def Leppard Hysteria tour in the summer/fall of 1987 and into 1988 and that tour helped break the band even more.
Wes Haskins
Blogger
TESLA "The Great Radio Controversy"
The follow up to the awesome debut and an album that’s every bit as good in my opinion. This was my intro to the band after borrowing it and the debut from my sister sometime in early 89. There were four singles released including “Heaven’s Trail(No Way Out)”, “Hang Tough”, “Love Song”, and “The Way It Is” with all receiving both radio and MTV play and charted on the Mainstream Rock Charts. “Love Song” was the biggest hit reaching #10 on the Hot 100 Billboard chart. The album peaked at #18 and eventually sold more than two million copies in the US alone. The album starts off with “Hang Tough” and it’s a great opener. I remember seeing the video many times on MTV and it was always one of my favs on the album. “Lady Luck” follows and kicks a whole lot of you know what. Love the song and lyrics. “Heaven’s Trail” was the lead single/video and one of the bands best songs. “Be a Man” is a more melodic type chorus and not as heavy and in your face as the previous songs. “Lazy Days, Crazy Nights” is one of my favorite songs on the album and one that is overlooked in my opinion. I just love how the song starts out a little slow and builds as it goes on. “Did it for the Money” is another good rocker as is “Yesterdaze Gone” which is one of the faster paced songs on the album. “Makin’ Magic” is another long time fav and a more melodic song and one of the more overlooked songs for me. “The Way It Is” was a single/video and is another excellent song. More on the melodic side. “Flight to Nowhere” is back to a heavier style and another great overlooked song. “Love Song” was the massive hit ballad and while I’ve heard it so many times I’m sick of it I will admit it’s still a great song and still stands up. “Paradise” is slower but not quite a ballad and is still an excellent song. The album ends with “Party’s Over” which is a great hard rocker and good way to end the album.
Wes Haskins
Blogger
TESLA "Psychotic Supper"
My favorite Tesla album. It might not be song for song as great as the first two but it’s my favorite for many of the songs plus it came out when I was in high school so maybe for the memories from that part of my life. It was the third studio album from the band after the live acoustic detour the year before that surprisingly had a hit with the cover of “Signs”. Psychotic Supper was released in September 1991(two and half years after the previous studio album) and peaked at #13 on the Billboard chart eventually selling over a million copies in the US. There were five singles released including “Edison’s Medicine”, “Call it what you Want”, “What You Give”, “Song and Emotion”, and “Stir it Up”. All charted on the Mainstream Rock chart but only “What You Give” charted on the Billboard Hot 100 but only reaching #86. Honestly I only remember seeing videos for EM and WYG and have no memory of the other singles or if they had videos. I always wondered why CIWYW wasn’t pushed as a bigger single and felt it had a lot of potential to be a hit. With the musical climate changing so much by late 91/early 92 it’s not a big surprise that the album wasn’t as big as the previous two. The album starts out with “Change in the Weather” which gets things off to a rockin start and has more of a 70s vibe. “Edison’s Medicine” follows and is one of the better songs on the album and tells the story of what Thomas Edison did to Nikola Tesla. “Don’t De-Rock Me” is fast and furious and one of the heaviest Tesla songs. Kind of silly lyrically but it flat out rocks so I can overlook that. “Call It What You Want” is more on the melodic side and should have been a MTV and radio hit and while it was a single(I have no memory of this) it didn’t do very well. “Song & Emotion” is an epic track that is a tribute to Def Leopard’s Steve Clark who passed away January of 1991 and was a big influence on guitarists Frank Hannon and Tommy Skeoch. The songs starts slowly and builds and gets heavier as it goes on and is haunting and amazing for me. It was released in an edited form as a single but I don’t remember it receiving airplay where I lived. “Time” ends side one and is back to funkier 70s vibe similar to “Change in the Weather”. Side two opens with the short “Government Personnel” which leads into the epic “Freedom Slaves” which is one of my favs on the album. “Had Enough” is my favorite on the album and one of the more overlooked Tesla songs. “What You Give” is a great song and ballad but at seven minutes is very long and while it was a minimal hit in an edited form, it probably should have been edited down for the album too. “Stir it Up” is another ballad and ver my good as well. “Can’t Stop” and “Toke About It” end the album bringing back a faster pace. Both very good songs and a good way to end the album.
Wes Haskins
Guest Blogger