Podcast #161: Kobra

It's another An Evening With... show with the legendary King Kobra! Annnnd a meatball hoagie.What do you do if you're a classic hard rock band and you want to re-unite but your lead singer ain't down? Well, if the drive is strong enough and you're convinced you can move on without him/her you find a new guy that can hold his own and get out there and rock. Which is exactly what hard rockers King Kobra recently did for their 2nd record, II - though, to be honest, they've been re-united since 2010. Join the lads in their latest An Evening With... series as they welcome legendary members from the Kobra: Carmine Appice, David Michael Phillips and Paul Shortino.  All members weigh in on their new record and give their thoughts on the future of the band, as well as some of the other things they're up to.

Featured Tracks: Tough Guys, Ready to Strike, Deep River, Hell on Wheels, Live Forever, Hunger, The Ballad of Johnny Rod, Take Me Back, Running Wild, Turn Up the Good Times, Midnight Woman, Turn Up the Good Times, The Crunch, Got it Coming, Got it Coming and Don't Keep Me Waiting

- Ragman is pretty damned certain Carmine was eating a meatball hoagie during the interview...

Podcast #161: Kobra

Black Label Society - Unblackened

BLS is a just like a doubled edged sword, because they go both ways.  Don't get too excited, what I mean is, that they can mix it up musically.  One minute they can be throwin it down heavy, and the next they can unplug the amps and go acoustic.  One great thing about this band, is their versatility.  Typically, with BLS, you get more of the heavy, than the mellow, so when they do an acoustic style project, then it is a pretty special deal.  I've been a fan of Zakk Wylde's unplugged work, since Book of Shadows.  I always hoped, he would bring that element into BLS, and he eventually did. 

Unblackened is a new live release from Black Label Society, which features the majority of the set unplugged.  The show was recorded at Club Nokia in LA, and was a night to remember.  Unblackened features many of the  acoustic songs has put out over the years, as well as some re-workings, of some of the bands heavier material unplugged.  

The show is shot very well, which gives you a sense of being in the front row.  On top of that, the band sound amazing.  In a show like this, you really get a feel for how talented these guys are.  Wylde sounds amazing vocally as well as on any instrument he touches.  He sings with such emotion, that makes the listener hang on to every word.  The band sound great as well, making this an essential release.

Bottom Line: Zakk and company putting on a stellar show, as usual.  An intimate setting, for one of rock's most powerful bands.  The band proves that they more than a one trick pony and can take it down a notch, if they need to.

-Ragman is hoping this show will tour.  He would love to see BLS unplugged.

Freedom Call - Ages of Light

Power metalheads will probably love this compilation CD, but the real treat are the alternate versions of Freedom Call's best songs...I have always had somewhat mixed feelings with power metal. Largely a European thing, it always seemed a little too hard to give in to it completely. It just has an air of being a little too self-serious, even if I otherwise love the thundering beats and fiery riffage that tell my brain "cool, it's metal!" At least with melodic metal - admittedly similar in a lot of ways - you get sweet solos instead of the rote, neo-classical sorta stuff we've been hearing for nearly 30 years.

Still, for every band that does it right, there are hundreds of them that sound plain bad. Luckily, this isn't the case with Freedom Call, founded by buddies Chris Bay and Dan Zimmerman (Gamma Ray) over 15 years ago. Even those unfamiliar with the band may appreciate their excellent representation of the genre over the course of their career so far as heard on their new best of compilation, Ages of Light.

Possibly the best part of this 24-track 2 CD compilation are the extras included on the second disc that include unusual versions of their songs that show a lighter side of the band in a way that really gave me a new respect for them. I always appreciate people's willingness and ability to not take themselves too seriously. And hearing a "speed ska" version of Hero On Video or the "melodic reggae" version of Mr. Evil is much cooler than the usual acoustic versions usually offered as alternate offerings - though the "camp fire" version of Freedom Call is pretty good too.

The Bottom Line: If your'e a fan of the genre, Freedom Call delivers with all of their biggest hits along with some nice extras beyond the usual stuff you find on these sorts of compilations.

- Genghis really liked those alternate versions and thinks more bands should follow suit...

Eyes of the Woods

Eyes of the Woods is a movie about a guy, several hundred years ago, that sold his soul to the devil, to avenge his daughter's death.  Little does he know that the deal he made, was not what he was expecting, because he turns into a flesh eating zombie.   Long story short (fast forward to present day), some twenty something's stumble across his burial ground, and then all hell breaks loose.  Not a bad premise, but it requires, back up, to make it work.  

Unfortunately, three things contributed to the demise of this piece of crap of a movie. STRIKE1: The acting is horrible.  Some of the worst that I have seen, in some time.  STRIKE 2:  The sound is so low, on the DVD, that you have to turn it up to 11, just to hear the damn thing.  STRIKE 3:  The movie is just plain, ass boring.  Yeah, there is some gore, and a few cool special effects, but that that wasn't enough.  

 

Bottom Line: Horrible!  It is pretty bad when you watch a full movie, and realize that the only thing worth watching, was within the first few minutes of the film.  Creepy scene with little girl was cool.

-Ragman thinks this one should stay in the woods, and be buried deep.

Going Underground

In the mid 1960's, in the UK, an underground movement began which changed a generation.  A group of radicals united, because they were sick and tired of the norm, and wanted to shake things up a bit.  The documentary, Going Underground (Paul McCartney, The Beatles and the UK Counter Culture), explores this explosive scene, as well as some of the bands, that helped shape it.  Paul McCartney and John Lennon, at separate times, help push this movement into the mainstream.  The late Syd Barrett (Pink Floyd) did his part as well.  This film dives into this scene, and exposes it, and the bands, that help shape it.

Going Underground, was a very an entertaining film, even though it didn't focus on The Beatles, as much as advertised.  The film focuses not only on The Beatles, but it also takes a look at Pink Floyd, as well as art rock band AMM.  This was a very interesting doc, that will hold your interest, from beginning to end and that is a tough feat, especially with this thing, clocking in over 2hrs.

Bottom Line: An interesting look into the Avant Guard movement of the mid to late 60's in England.  An informative and entertaining documentary.

-Ragman, liked this one better, than he thought.