The Thing, Live Versions & Some more Savatage/Queensryche

[BREVARD Adrian R.]

theo>Didn't Al say somewhere that On Your Feet...is his favorite album?
I
like it a lot.

Yes he did.  According to the Goldmine Article both Al and Joe liked
Feet/Knees.  Al is qouted thusly "Actually I have to say that's my
favorite {BOC] album.  For a number of years now its been my favorite.
I like its because its warts and all."  While Joe said "I kind of like
that album.  That's my favorite live one."

Theo>You can tell they are having a hell of a time with
it.  The youthful intensity is overwhelming...

It bleeds from this record.  I saw BOC for the first time right after
this one was released.  They played the same setlist and the sound was
identical.  I thought BOC were a bunch of maniacs, never had I seen a
band play with so much energy and enthusiasm.

Theo>But since I mentioned it, and made reference to Al's fondness for
OYFooYK, it strikes me how hot Al's drumming is on both these
records.  And given the way he attacked his kit at tBS show I saw a
couple months ago, it's clear that Al really gets psyched in a
concert environment.

I must say Al is what really did me in on BOC when I first saw them.
The guy is smacking his skins like they stole from him and belting out
powerful vocals at the same time.  Everyone seemed to feed off Al.  Man
this band was great.  A drummer who couldn't stop moving or playing, a
bass player with huge biceps and a menancing stare.  A guy clad in black
leather, not posing but looking ultra kewl; a keyboard player with a
cigarette dangling from his lips filling in where ever needed and this
diminutive guitarist who's fingers didn't appear attached to his body
playing the hell out of every solo.  Wish I could have measured the
stage, don't think Buck moved more than 2 square feet the entire night.
Yet the emotion and power just swept over the audience like a tidal
wave.  Uh back to your point Al plays like he could care less if he was
getting paid, "just let me play man."

James Coburn >Hey lil' ab, What the heck is the "Thing?"  Never heard of
it-did I miss it in one of the Morning Final's (or . . . John . . . is
it "in the FAQ?")

Think this has been answered but in case it hasn't Thing = bootleg circa
1981 or so from New York.  Double cd set, with great sound quality, kick
ass set list and most importantly the real BOC, bad as they wanted to
be.  Imagine Feet/Knees with excellent sound quality and you have the
Thing.  The setlist is probably in the FAQ, some notable songs include a
killer Heavy Metal, Black and Silver and ME 262, although its a bit
short.  I say we get John Swartz to provide a full review of the Thing.
Please John? 8>)

Alex>Hey, lil' ab, somehow I knew you were gonna say something on this
thread ;-)

You know how to push the right buttons Alex.

>Have you checked out Q'ryche's Hear in the
>Now Frontier?  I'm thinking King's X.

Alex>Yeah, as a matter of fact, I've bought that one while I was in
Denver too. A bit disappointed, I have to admit. Or maybe it's just one
of those albums
that take time to grow on you. For the moment, I'm not impressed. The
only
song which I really liked at the first listen is "You". The rest just
sounds
all pretty much the same to me *shrug* To me, "Empire" and - most of all
-
"Promised Land" are my favorites from Queensryche.

Hear IMHO is a brilliant album for this band.  Its a real statement of
their confidence.  Queensryche's early works (EP, Warning, Rage for
Order and Operation:Mindcrime) were hard pure in your face rock,
featuring Wiltons classic guitar work and Geoff Tate's three octave
vocals.  Empire was their first shot at commercialism and Promise Land
reflects experiences of various band members.  Hear is the culmination
of all their works.  The band always had a heavily polished well
produced sound (Empire/ Promise Land) Hear is more or less naked
Queensryche music.  I thinks its brilliant, they cut loose and just let
it happen.  This one is what Fair Warning was to Van Halen.  I wish BOC
had chossen to do something like this during their identity crisis
(Mirrors, RBN).  MIndcirme BTW checked in at number 16 on the Hit
Parader 100 Best Hard Rock cd's; Empire was #41.

Alex on Savatage>From what I've heard, they started off as some sort of
death or trash metal band ?

Thats certainly what Power of Night sounds like.  Dosen't fit them very
well if you heard Rain, Edge Streets or any of those prior to Night.

OB CD - Threshold, Wounded Land <-------This is a great Prog Rock choice
>for you Alex.

Alex>Really ? I'll look for it... what does it sound like ? (if at all
describable ;-)

Do you like Dream Theater?  I do to some degree.  At times DT is in firm
control of the music at others, they seem to try and outplay each other
causing a lot of clutter.  Wounded Land has elements of DT, haunting
keys, well orchestrated sound.  Biggest difference is in the lyrics,
much more thought provoking than DT.  They opened for DT on a US tour a
few years back.  If you like DT at all I think you will love Wounded
Land.  They have another called Psychdelicatessan, this one has more of
an edge and less prog movements.  I love it just as much but it dosen't
sound like the same band, partly becuase of a new lead singer.  Their
latest is called Extinct Instinct, the lead singer on Wounded Land
(Damien Wilson) has returned to the fold.  I have been after this one
for months but its still not avaialable in the US that I can find.

Finally, is there a difference to having a favorite song and a favorite
version?  Secret Treaties is my fave studio album because it has four of
my top ten songs (ME 262, Telepaths, Astronomy and Subhuman).  However
my fave versions of these songs are all live (Telepaths an exception
cause I haven't heard a live recording of it, though I have heard it
live).  Anybody else feel this way about BOC music?


L8er

lil' ab

"There are many mysteries in this universe, big and small.
Like, why do clowns make us laugh?
Why do we love puppy dogs?
And, why do little blue midgets hit me with fish?" - The Tick

OBCD - Mahogany Rush, Strange Universe