Madam X - We Reserve the Right (1984)

Country: USA
Year: 1984
Line-up: Bret Kaiser (vocals), Maxine Petrucci (guitars), Chris Doliber (bass), Roxy Petrucci (drums)

Track listing:
1. High in High School (3:36)
2. Come One, Come All (3:06)
3. She's Hot Tonight (3:18)
4. Dirty Girls (2:56)
5. Max Volume (1:35)
6. Metal in My Veins (2:46)
7. Reserve the Right to Rock (3:12)
8. Good With Figures (3:44)
9. Cat's Got Your Tongue (3:33)
10. We Want Rock (2:56)
11. Stand Up and Fight (3:40)



Fletchanator's comment: There were plenty of glam metal bands with female lead singers, but it was far more rare to find one with a male lead singer and a female lead guitarist. Well, Madam X had that, as well as a female drummer and male bassist! And on top of that, they seriously rock!
The name Madam X is mainly known in hard rock circles as the band that Sebastian Bach was in immediately prior to joining Skid Row (they didn't release an album with that line-up), but before that Bret Kaiser was the front man, sounding a lot like a glammier version of Rob Halford. Today he's an Elvis impersonator and reunited with this line-up of Madam X in 2014 for a reunion concert and new single.
The female portion of Madam X is made up of the smoking-hot Petrucci sisters. Maxine went on to form her own band, Maxine, while Roxy gained the most fame of the four, forming the all-girl glam metal band Vixen.
Madam X is excellent glammy party rock in the style of early Motley Crue and Quiet Riot. Highly recommended!

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Backseat Romeo - Backseat Romeo (1993)

Country: USA
Year: 1993
Line-up: DR Rydher (vocals), CJ Tyler (guitars), Johnny Heart (bass), Bobby Quik (drums).

Track listing:

1.   Shoot 'Em Up   2.   Gunshy   3.   Keeps You Rockin'   4.   Up All Night   5.   Dreamchaser   6.   Waiting On An Angel   7.   Running Wild   8.   Got It Good   9.   Sight For Sore Eyes   10.   Bad Boyz   11.   Big Trouble   12.   You Want What I Got   13.   Dead End Street

Fletchanator's comment: This Syracuse, New York-based quartet came along just before the grunge apocalypse and put out a pretty rockin' little album (which is pretty tough to find on CD). The production (on indy label Ice Productions) is a little rough around the edges, but the musicianship is tight and frontman DR Rydher (who still sings 80s metal in Syracuse for covers band 3 Inch Fury) has the necessary swagger and vocal stylings. Sound-wise, they remind me of early Bon Jovi, perhaps with a hint of the poppiness of the hair-metal mainstays of the time (Firehouse, Trixter, Warrant etc). Backseat Romeo don't offer anything too flashy, but guitarist CJ Tyler throws in some George Lynch-esque shredding in a few places. Overall a fun album to rock along to.

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Sister Whiskey - Liquor & Poker (1993)

Country: USA
Year: 1993
Line-up: Dennis Lee Duncan (vocals), Tyler Gentile (guitar), Jack Aurora (guitar), Rich Florio (bass), Greg E West (drums).

Track listing:

1.   Simple Man   2.   Can You Satisfy Me   3.   Moonshine   4.   Keep Waitin'   5.   I'd Lie to You for Your Love   6.   Excuse Me   7.   Count Me In   8.   Sleepin' Your Life Away   9.   Ain't 'Bout Love   10.   Edge of the Night   11.   Cryin' Inside   12.   Don't Cha Know Ya Need It   13.   Open Your Heart   Fletchanator's comment: With lyrics like "We'll get some moonshine, grab a six-pack and head to the hills" you know what you're getting with Sister Whiskey - southern hard rock ala Four Horsemen, Black Crowes, Tesla etc. The sound on this, their only major label release (on Warner Bros, produced by Slaughter's Dana Strum), is upbeat and fun, kind of like if you took the aforementioned bands and mixed them with Trixter or Firehouse. The result is a highly-entertaining album that doesn't take itself too seriously. Good stuff! Download

Update on links

As of right now, all of the links on this blog should now be up to date. If I've missed any, please let me know.

Reckless - Reckless (1994)

 

Country: Sweden
Year: 1994
Line-up: Patrik Axelsson (vocals), Robert Monegrim (guitar), Magnus Ostborg (bass), Johan Romert (keyboards), Stefan Orhamn (drums).

Track listing:

1.   Back in Town   4:05 2.   Mirror   3:15   3.   Livin' Without You   3:19 4.   Give Me Your Night   3:57 5.   Spirit of the Night   4:00 6.   Stay   3:08    7.   Got You On My Mind   4:52 8.   Get Excited/Rock the Nation   4:13 9.   Liar   4:07 10.   All Their Needs   3:23 11.   Crimes of Passion   3:48 12.   Give Her a Sign   3:57 13.   Can't Reach the Limit   4:08 14.   Living Without You bonus track   3:14 15.   Hot Sweet Lovin' bonus track   3:08 16.   Sally's Rime Give Her a Sign bonus track   0:26

Fletchanator's comment: The only full-length release by Swedish hard rockers Reckless, who offer a very polished sound. The guitar licks are great - this one definitely rocks, while keyboards add some AOR pomp to proceedings. Singer Axelsson has a voice that at times sounds like your typical hard rock vocalist, hitting all the high notes, but then at other times it has a raspy quality to it. Reckless remind me of a lot of other Swedish bands like Treat, Dalton and 220 Volt, with some Bonfire mixed in.
This CD was released by MTM Classix in 2004 and includes three bonus tracks - which are essentially the band's first EP.

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Physical media collection update #1

I've decided it might be quite cool to post pictures of any new physical media I add to my hard rock/aor/metal music collection. So with that in mind, here's the first such update.

This vinyl lot I got in one day of digging at a record store. Most are from the discount bins, averaging $3 each. A couple were a bit more expensive.

Photo #1:

Joey Tafolla - Out of the Sun (1986)
- Solo album by ex-Jag Panzer guitarist. Instrumental shredding. BLIND BUY.

Raven - Stay Hard (1985)
- Raven's Atlantic debut. The first by this band I have owned on vinyl.

Roughhouse - Roughhouse (1988)
- STILL SEALED, NEVER BEEN OPENED! You can find this album here:  http://houseofhairspray.blogspot.co.nz/2007/06/roughhouse-roughhouse-1988.html.

 Heavy Metal Heroes vol 2 (1982)
- Compilation put out by Heavy Metal Records featuring a mix of NWOBHM, hard rock and prog rock bands like Lionheart, Twisted Ace, Persian Risk, Witchfinder General, Mendes Prey and Overkill.

Triumph - Allied Forces (1981)
- Filling a gap in my Triumph vinyl collection.

Myofist - Thunder in Rock (1981)
- BLIND BUY. Canadian metal band apparently also known as Fist.

Helix - Walkin' the Razor's Edge (1984)
- Fourth album by the Canadian hard rockers and coincidentally the fourth I now I own on vinyl.

Thunder - Back Street Symphony (1990)
- Picture disc, 12" single.

Little Angels - Don't Prey for Me (1989)
- Major label debut by UK hard rockers and one I have owned on cassette tape since its release.

Photo #2:

Shooting Star - Shooting Star (1979)
- US AOR/rock band's debut.

Shooting Star - III Wishes (1982)
- Their third album. I also picked up their second album, Hang On For Your Life, on vinyl recently.

Jerusalem - Live in USA (1985)
- Live album by Swedish Christian hard rockers.

John Waite - Mask of Smiles (1985)
- Third solo album by The Babys/Bad English frontman.

John Waite - Ignition (1982)
- His debut solo album. This is the 1985 repressing with new artwork (released to cash in on the success in 1984 of his album No Brakes and its hit single Missing You). I also own the 1982 pressing with the original artwork.

Lee Aaron - Bodyrock (1989)
- Fifth album from the first lady of Canadian hard rock/metal and the first by her I have owned on vinyl.

Pat Benatar - Live From Earth (1983)
- Her first live album, plugging a gap in my collection. I now own her first six releases on vinyl.

The Four Horsemen - Nobody Said It Was Easy (1991)

Country: USA
Year: 1991
Line-up: Frank C Starr (vocals), Haggis (guitar), Dave Lizmi (guitar), Ben Page (bass), Ken Montgomery (drums)

Track listing:

1. Nobody Said It Was Easy2. Rockin' Is Ma' Business3. Tired Wings4. Can't Stop Rockin'5. Wanted Man6. Let It Rock7. Hot Head8. Moonshine9. Homesick Blues10. 75 Again11. Lookin' for Trouble12. I Need a Thrill / Somethin' Good

Requested by: Janos

Fletchanator's comment: Now this is a great album, by one of the best (and unluckiest) bands from the late 80s, early 90s LA rock scene. Formed by former Zodiac Mindwarp member and touring member of The Cult, Haggis, these guys really did capture lightning in a bottle with this album.
Unfortunately its release was delayed because of singer Frank Starr's drug activities, and then a second album ended up being a disappointment because Haggis (who wrote most of this one) had left by then. Starr died in the late 90s after a motorcycle accident (see, I told you they were unlucky).
Soundwise, this is pure southern hard rock. Take a pot, throw in some Lynyrd Skynyrd, Black Crowes, Cinderella, Jackyl, ACDC and Dangerous Toys and you've got The Four Horsemen. Grab yourself a glass of moonshine, sit back and enjoy!

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