Stryper, God Damn Evil

Once upon a time, around 1986 or 1987, there were radical Stryper fans, thanks to Yellow and Black Attack and the immortal To Hell With the Devil. In fact, these fans were so radical, they wore their To Hell With the Devil t-shirts to school...and were sent home to put on another less "violent" or "religious" t-shirt.

Here we are, just over thirty years later...and Stryper is still around and making some of the rocking-est (that's the best way I can put it) righteous songs.

What's even more: it never lessens. After hearing God Damn Evil several times since its release back in April, I could talk ad infinitum about it, not the least of which is every song has a clearly relevant message. What I have in this post is the best tell-and-show (and listen) I could possibly come up with.

Remember how Stryper had a chills-worthy beginning song for Fallen, "Yahweh" ? First songs on albums have now gone to a new level for them, as well as for the lifetime followers of Stryper. "Take it to the Cross" is awesome from start to finish and everything in between. How about a minute-long introduction that keeps you waiting for more. For the first time I can recall, Stryper has written a song that has a more thrash-style guitar riff in the chorus. And I like it! What makes the ending so awesome is Michael's high vocal range that is at its highest, which I had never heard before.

They by no means let up on "Sorry," lyrically and musically. Both are equally powerful. Of course, the one-worded title gives it away. That it's one of my least favorite words when it comes to making poor choices, only makes me want to listen to it. Domestic violence, alcohol abuse, etc.; I will make no further comments.

"Lost," another great song. It seems to reinforce the limitless stimuli, the fake news, the fake social media profiles, in this modern-day society. It might be another hard four-lettered word.

The title track, loud and proud with a guitar intro, the bass drum playing quarter notes, and that effortless high note elicited by none other than Michael Sweet. All of that is only scraping the surface of this song. That's how powerful it is. It may be another thirty years before I am able to find more words for it.

"You Don't Even Know Me" speaks high volumes to me (in more ways than one, of course). It's something I wish I could say to some people. I'm thankful for Stryper, that they have written this song on my behalf, doubtless for many others. It's all I can do to not shout, myself, the title of the song. I can't and I won't. If I were to attempt that, I would fail miserably in comparison to how Michael could do it and render me a fool, a coward.

"The Valley" is a great example of not putting God in a box. Take for instance the intro: A monotone voice, Star Trek style, quoting Psalm 23:4. That it's from the King James Bible is trivial compared to the smooth and powerful delivery of the chorus. Researchers say you memorize things easier and retain it better by singing. I'd love to see people of all ages, children especially, do that as a result of listening to this song. If they do, I'll give them two check marks on their participation card. As for me, I've waited my whole life to hear these words to rock music.

Though we all know Stryper is partial to Black Sabbath and KISS, I don't think I'd ever really heard a song of their that is reminiscent of that decade. "Sea of Thieves" has a clear '70s music style to it, with some '80s to it as well, the guitar break.

Michael is at it again with his beautiful power ballads, "Beautiful" and "Can't Live Without Your Love." "Beautiful" is the "Honestly" of the 2010s. The guitar break is so reminiscent of the 80s; it made my heart go pitter-patter.

While it is a fact (in my book and others') that Stryper's music is ever-awesome, this is the first album I have listened to that has some hard, strong, convicting lyrics. Take for instance "Own Up." Add Michael's voice to it and...Need I say more?

Though it is easy to comment only on the lead guitar in any given hard rock song, you can't and must never forget the drums. I don't think I had never heard Robert play like that, especially at the beginning of a song, as heard in "The Devil Doesn't Live Here."

Of course, he doesn't. The relentless hard rock beauty of this music is telling the beast of a devil, "To hell with you!".

Having said that, I'm waiting for a teenager to wear a God Damn Evil t-shirt to school.

"Jesus Is King" OFFICIAL NEW Chaotic Resemblance 2018

Stryper - "The Valley" (Official Music Video)

Blackfoot at the Open Chord

Something I've learned over the past few years is the music of bands who are still around after a few decades only evolves. It's a privilege to know that what you heard back in their heyday is not what you'd hear if you were to see them live now or on their new albums. Certain examples of the evolution include playing a different genre, like country or blues, playing an acoustic version of a hit rock song, or changing band members over time, for various reasons.

Blackfoot is one of them. 

However, what the current lineup (Jeff Shields, vocals; Tim Rossi, guitar and vocals; Matt Anastasi, drums; Seth Lester, guitar; and Derek DeSantis, bass) has done to keep the spirit alive is not lost on fans, both old and new. Those of you who are my age or older who listen to classic rock on the radio (or should I say the music we grew up with?) would invariably hear "Train, Train".  For me, it's one of few songs I can identify in just one note, that matchless, incomparable harmonica intro that makes the sound of a train so real. Though I know I'm like a lot of people who wish music of that kind would never fade away, never lose its meaning or value, the only other thing to do is to keep it alive for as long as possible, doing everything one is capable of.

I have to give props for the staff at Open Chord: What a way to pack a venue on a weeknight in spite of the heavy rain! 

Blackfoot in just a few words (as a start): A fresh new edge, with many unfathomable eccentricities that will give them their own distinct image. Nonetheless, they don't take for granted where they came from, the lasting legacy of the original sound of this band. Rock, that's the bottom line.

In addition to upholding this standard, lead singer Jeff Shields has awesome, almost philosophical words to say between songs. Strange as this may sound, they fascinated me so much, I made a point to tune in to them. Though songs would typically include heartbreak, anger, depression, as well as the antithesis of each of those woes, I loved hearing about what a man shouldn't do to a woman, money slipping through your fingers, and dealing with people who do all taking and no giving.

About two-thirds of the way into the show, they played "Train, Train." It was only appropriate to have everyone sing it.

Of special mention is lead guitarist Tim Rossi. For those who are occasional concertgoers, you haven't lived around live music until you see Tim play guitar with this teeth, among many other antics that hard as this is to believe, would put KISS to shame. Then again, this is Blackfoot...evolved...in a new generation, so I need not compare.

But there's more: Tim's guitar solo of both "Amazing Grace" and "The Star-Spangled Banner," the latter for those who can have their own memory of the national anthem on strings, replete with pride and passion. I only hope someone has a recording of that. In that way, that can be a great immortal moment in rock history. 

I just mentioned that some bands have made acoustic versions of their hit songs. How about this: An upbeat version of "Ohio," by Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young? I'll allow you to have a few seconds to think about that, to try to wrap your mind around that. The best feature: Tim's long guitar solo.

Towards the end of the show, Jeff announced they are working on a new album. And I can't begin to imagine the even greater things they will deliver on it!

For those who didn't come out, I do have some pity for you. However, I have a consolation. You have an even better chance to see them again. On Saturday, September 1, they will be in Waco, Kentucky, with Sinful Lilly  to open up for them.

An Interview with Jimmy D'Anda

My teen years can be described in several one-worded names: Heart, Slaughter, Poison, Warrant, Trixter, Whitesnake, Steelheart, and Bulletboys...just to name a few.

There is also the two-worded ones: Skid Row, Motley Crue...and Lynch Mob.

I had a wonderful opportunity to interview Jimmy D'Anda. Many of you remember him as the drummer in either Bulletboys or Lynch Mob. He is now playing in Lies, Deceit, and Treachery.

Your band history includes Bulletboys, Lynch Mob, and most recently Lies, Deceit, and Treachery. Are there any other bands you have been in over the past several years? Which one is your favorite and why?

I did a short stint with the late and wonderful Jani Lane from Warrant. That was a lot of fun since I wasn’t a fan back in the day, but ended up becoming a big fan of his. I  also played for Mike Starr from Alice In Chains for a while as well. 

Such a bummer those guys were very talented and had wonderful, beautiful souls.  It was tough to see them go through what they went through. 

My favorite band, of course, is LDT/BulletBoys, playing the old BulletBoys stuff.  It is awesome and tons of fun. With Andrew Freeman singing, it’s just a bunch of screaming and laughing...

What is your favorite song you've played from Bulletboys, Lynch Mob, and LDT?

Playing anything off of the Freakshow record for me is wonderful. It was where I took my drumming to a new level. But playing songs like "F#9" and "Owed to Joe" make me feel like I’m 19 again. 

What song (from any band) was the most challenging to record?  Why was it that way? 

I think my most challenging stuff is yet to come!

What lessons have you learned from being in the Bulletboys and Lynch Mob? How do you apply them to LDT or your personal life?

I think learning how to coexist with very strong personalities in such close proximity at all times.  You learn how to work together and try never to forget you’re all fighting for the same victory

You recently announced that you left Lynch Mob.  What have you learned from being in this band?

I learned that starting your own band and being the controller of your own destiny is and should be paramount in all musicians' lives.

Is there something you haven't accomplished yet musically that you'd like to do?  What is it?

Ha ha ha! There isn't enough space on the Internet for this answer!!! Keep rocking as long as I can; that sums it up.

As can be expected from playing in three big names in rock music, you've played with many other bands.  Which one is your favorite? What is one memory you have of them?  Which one is your least favorite?

Playing our first arenas opening for Cheap Trick is up there as some of the best memories I will ever have. Least favorite: Opening up for Cheap Trick and embarrassing myself trying to do a drumroll for Bun E. Carlos and dropping my drumsticks.

When you look back at your career in the Bulletboys, what is one thing you wished you had known that you know now?

That the money would run out…and that drugs would waste so much valuable time

I saw you twice when you were with Lynch Mob.  The most recent time, I noticed you licked your drumsticks before tossing them into the audience.  It intrigued me.  Do you have a certain name for this? Why do you lick them?  Is there a certain story behind it?  If so, please share.

No , no particular reason why I lick the sticks.  But what I did learn about that is, you can’t do it once the sticks give you a splinter… Ouch.

If you were to be in a movie, what kind of role would you like to play? What kind of movie? Describe what your character would be like, look like, and have to overcome.

I’d like to play the guy that you don’t know if he’s a good guy or bad guy. All you do know is, you like him and he looks just like me.

There has been some publicity of "The Dirt," a movie about Motley Crue, which will be released in 2019.  If there were a movie about either the Bulletboys or Lynch Mob, what actor would you like to portray you?

I think Meryl Streep is a phenomenal actress ...she'd do a great job. 

I consider you one of my favorite drummers.  You're so animated and talented.  What brand drumsticks, hi-hat, crash or ride cymbal, bass drum, or bass drum pedal do you like to use, both for shows and practices?

I endorse Vater drumsticks, Paiste cymbals, DW hardware, and DW drums…The best!

What famous drummer made you decide you wanted to play drums? 

Probably Peter Criss, Alex Van Halen, Joey Kramer, Tommy Lee, and Terry Bozio

Was there a certain song or album?  If so, which one?

No particular song or album. I love hearing the drums ever since junior high school. From that moment on, I knew that was it, what I wanted to play.

Over the past year, we have lost Chris Cornell and Chester Bennington.  Did either of them have any impact on you musically?  What are your thoughts on their deaths?  If you were to give any advice to any musician about drugs, what would it be?

I didn’t know either of them, but I was a big fan of both.  Again, like other fellow musicians who have passed away from drugs and alcohol, people seem to forget there really isn’t a happy ending in those areas.  I believe Chris was on specific medications and was taking other stuff as well. I’m not sure about Chester.  All I know is, we’re losing way too many.

I as well as many others are still mourning the loss of Tom Petty.  What impact has he made on you and your music?  Do you have a favorite song or album?

I was a fan of the much earlier stuff. Again, just such a bummer that even older cats who have been around for a while are still trying to do the dance…

What other musical talents do you have?  Do you play another instrument?  Have you written any songs? Is there a certain song you've written that one of your previous bands has recorded?

I play guitar, bass, and a little bit of piano. I brought in a handful of ideas for BulletBoys, but the guys took them to the next level and made them "sexy". I did write the first single for the last Lynch Mob record. 

Is there another talent you have, other than one in music? If so, what is it?

I love to play basketball and ride bikes. Not sure if that’s talent, but it sure makes me happy.

How do you balance playing in a band with your home life? How does your family support you in your music career?

It’s a delicate balance. Any musician will tell you that you want to work as much as you can and try to be home as well. There’s no easy way to do it. There's a lot of trial and error.

What do you see yourself doing in ten years? 

Exactly what I’m doing now.  Just plan to meet a lot more people. Right now for me, LDT is the place to be.

There's this trend on Facebook where people post their Top 10 All-time favorite albums (in no particular order) that made a lasting impact on them.  What's on your list?

I just posted my Top 10 on Facebook. However, it’s not really my top 10. I even wrote that there’s no way to pick a top 10. But I like the following artists: Stevie Wonder; Al Green; Sly and Family Stone; Led Zeppelin; Van Halen; Devo; Fishbone; David Bowie; Black Sabbath; Blood, Sweat, and Tears; Chicago; Black Flag; Willie Nelson; Slayer; Run DMC,; and the Beastie Boys.

Jimmy, thank you so much for your time. I look forward to seeing you again, this time with Lies, Deceit, and Treachery.

Station - I Won't Break Your Heart (Official Music Video)

The Four Horseman at the International

It seems like tribute bands are a trend these days in live music. Right about now, there is one for every classic rock band.  Music lovers want to see "the real thing," but most of the original band may be no longer with us.  While I have such tribute bands as the Beatles and KISS,  I have added Metallica to that list.

I may express this with ease, but there's a part of me that feels old; I can't wrap my mind around this.  Has Metallica really made that big of an impact on my generation?  After all, this was the reason I went out to see the Four Horsemen.



For the music snobs reading this, you may be shaking your head and wondering why I did this.  Nothing can beat "the real thing".  No one can come close to duplicating the raw metal James Hetfield elicited in "Master of Puppets," "Enter Sandman," and "For Whom the Bell Tolls."  I certainly agree with that, but please hear me out...

The Four Horsemen: The Masters of Metallica (Sean Perry, lead vocals; Mike "Pete" McCollum, bass; Mikey Liles, lead guitar; and Rich Hattery, drums) of Cleveland, Ohio, came to Knoxville for the first time ever last night.   They delivered well all of the hits we children of the '80s have loved and known this band for...and worn out the lettering of cassette tapes of back in the day.

For a band that had never set foot in the Volunteer State, they have this sixth sense of the state, city and specific venue to play. I loved (but wasn't entirely surprised at) how there is a remnant of people who love this music and the Knoxville music scene to come out and see a band play these early thrash hits. If knowledge serves me correctly, they played only songs from the early Metallica era, no later than The Black Album.  I'm glad I wasn't the only one who had that same partiality.

Something (or the lack of it) that allowed the Four Horsemen more than plenty of time to play: no opening band. No worries: A Metallica tribute band needs two hours to pre-1991 songs.  There was more to classic Metallica than I realized.  Time for me to take Metallica 201 at the School of Rock.  My pencil is sharpened and my mind is clear.

Those who go to the International on a regular basis know too well that when a band plays heavy bass and/or drums (particularly double bass drum), the floor vibrates or shakes.  Music moving through you and righteous, raucous rock at their finest, hands down.  In all the times I have been there, I don't think it had shaken in such a way that I had to regain my balance.  What that tells me:  Cliff Burton heard it and was pleased. Way to go, Pete! And props to the booking manager.

For all intents and purposes, a tribute band is to "imitate" the band they're playing,.  That may include talking and acting on stage the way the original band would.  Therefore, for anyone who's not partial to this genre might rethink going to a show like this. Let me make this public in saying you do not have to like Metallica to see them. Getting inside the head of someone with softer tastes in music, they can come to this show and maintain an objective mindset. In so doing, they will be impressed with how strong Metallica's impact has made, at this point, spanning over 30 years.  You may even chuckle at Sean's reminisces of tapes, vinyl (and maybe even 8-tracks).  Having said that, the Four Horsemen is a group of super-talented, genuinely passionate rock musicians who were inspired by those fast, intricate chords of "For Whom the Bell Tolls" or "One." Their way of saying "thank you" to Metallica is to play their music and to display a laid-back stage presence. Oh, and let me mention lead guitarist Mikey Liles' smile all through the show.

In addition to lead singer Sean Perry's outright talent in unleashing Metallica hits, his raps between songs (drinking PowerAde) were so appropriate, and I might even say, refreshing. A definite focus on originals, forsaking the ad nauseam remastering of albums and remembering a favorite song on "Side B" of a cassette tape or vinyl record of Ride the Lightning.

Mikey Lile, lead guitar

Sean Perry, lead vocals

Rich Hattery, drums

"Pete" McCollum, bass

This show made me think of a lost aspect of music:  Remembering forever the order of songs on an original album, not to mention knowing every chord, every beat, and every word.  For those old-timers like me who have known Metallica since the Master of Puppets era (circa 1986), you'd know that "Battery" is followed by the title track, and "Enter Sandman" is followed by "Sad But True" on the Black Album. I'm sure that was the band's intention.  This was the first rock show I had been to that made me remember something that was so important to me back then (and still is).

Approximately halfway through the set, they played the immortal "Enter Sandman." A lot of people had left after that song. They may have been satisfied they had heard this one song.  That must have served as the make-or-break point.  Apparently, I was eager to hear more, wanting to hear what else they would play.  I'm glad I did.  They played "Wherever I May Roam."  I didn't think about this then, but it reminded me of when the cassette tape I had had of the Black Album broke when that song played. If I remember correctly, it was right before the drums come in at the beginning of the song (sorry, Lars). My going to this show may have been my way of paying tribute to that moment.