An Evening With The Beast

On Sunday, July 18th 2010, I got the opportunity to see one of my favorite bands live for the first time. Needless to say, Iron Maiden did not disappoint. As my comrade who joined me at the show stated, "We can cross that one off the bucket list." Below is why this was such a memorable event.

Was it irony or destiny that while traveling to the show my odometer displayed the number of the beast? Regardless, I was ready for whatever the greatest metal act on the planet had to offer.


While never being a big draw in the United States, Iron Maiden has been a world wide phenomenon for the past 35 years. How good could these quinquagenarian metalheads be? Especially given the intense atmosphere at any metal show. I was crawling out of my skin in eager anticipation.

The concert was held at the First Midwest Bank Amphitheater outside of Chicago. Upon arriving at the venue, we were quickly surrounded by people of all ages wearing denim, camouflage and black t-shirts. By the start of the show, we were a part of an 18,000 Maiden worshiping crowd. The stage was created to resemble an alien spaceship to go along with the release of Iron Maiden's 15th studio album "The Final Frontier" which is slated for a August 17th stateside release.


To kick things off, an Iron Maiden cover of UFO's 'Doctor Doctor' played over the sound system. Was the band indirectly speaking to me? Now I was sure it was destiny! As the lights dimmed and the song ended, music reminiscent of Richard Strauss' Sprach Zarathustra from 2001: A Space Odyssey chimed in. The crowds cheers were getting louder and louder when Dave Murray, Adrian Smith and Janick Gers suddenly blasted in with the opening song 'The Wicker Man' from 2000s "Brave New World". The place was erupting with excitement. The triple guitar threat was unreal and the sound was spot on. Bruce Dickinson ran out onstage and continued to rile up the already stoked crowd.

*Courtesy Village Voice

Even though the band has been around for 30+ years, it was great hearing this live as it was the first song that got me hooked on Iron Maiden just 10 years ago. The next tune, 'Ghost Of The Navigator' continued to highlight the guitar harmonies and the galloping bass sound of lead songwriter Steve Harris. Maiden then blasted into an oldie with 'Wrathchild' from their 1981 release "Killers". With this song the crowd was going ravenous!


Following a plug for the new album, Maiden played 'El Dorado', the first single from "The Final Frontier". Again, Steve Harris' bass was the driving force behind this throwback sounding tune. Nicko McBrain (such a fitting name for a heavy metal drummer) pummelled the hell out of his drums despite his age of 58. Already, the show and performance had me awestruck.

*Courtesy Village Voice

Following a few more songs from their two most recent albums, Bruce Dickinson took a break to talk to the crowd. The Maiden front man continued to talk about the recent loss of metals larger than life gentleman and one of rocks greatest singers, he was talking about non other than Ronnie James Dio. As Dickinson quoted "He did actually sing a lot of songs about the Devil, but there wasn't a bad fucking bone in his body". He then dedicated the next song, 'Blood Brothers' (again from "Brave New World") to his memory. This was a fitting tribute to the belated rock icon. The band continued the brilliant set with a few other newer tracks before ripping through some classics. The set ended with 'Fear Of The Dark' and 'Iron Maiden'. During 'Iron Maiden', an 8 foot alien rendition of Maiden's mascot Eddie came out on stage to terrorize the band.


For an encore, the band opened with 'The Number Of The Beast'. The crowd was amazing and the energy throughout the amphitheater was more than infectious. Amazingly, Bruce Dickinson continued to run back and forth throughout the stage and appeared as vitalized as the acne-riddled, pubescent fans he inspired 30 years ago. Band mates Steve Harris and Janick Gers also continued to rock with over the top, animated performances. Concert staple 'Hallowed Be Thy Name' was played next and continued to fire up the audience. I had long ago lost my voice but continued to sing along. The band closed the concert with 'Running Free' from their 1980 self titled album. We had most definitely received our money's worth.


For those who have not seen an Iron Maiden show, regardless of being a fan, their performance and stage presence is second to none. After being a part of this concert, there is no question why the band has continued to be one of the best metal bands and live acts in the world. Should they tour North America again, I will be in attendance along with my little metalhead who has been in training since the day we met!



Iron Maiden "The Final Frontier" Tour 2010 - Chicago set list:

-The Wicker Man
-Ghost Of The Navigator
-Wrathchild
-El Dorado
-Dance Of Death
-The Reincarnation Of Benjamin Breeg
-These Colours Don't Run
-Blood Brothers
-Wildest Dreams
-No More Lies
-Brave New World
-Fear Of The Dark
-Iron Maiden

Encore:
-The Number of the Beast
-Hallowed Be Thy Name
-Running Free

God Bless metal, Dio and Iron Maiden!

Up The Irons!
\M/ \M/

Pink Floyd: The Greatest Band Of All Time

Even though the band has not released an album since 1994 (and for some, 1983, when Roger Waters left the group), Pink Floyd's music continues to influence and be among the greatest songs ever written. Roger Waters is getting ready to hit the road on September 15th for "The Wall Live Tour" and will be touring the Northern hemisphere for almost a year. After seeing David Gilmour live in 2006 (which was the best concert I have ever seen) and Roger Waters in 2007, I am eagerly awaiting this experience. In anticipation, I felt it prudent to give a little lesson in the legendary bands record catalog and rank their studio albums. Call it "Pink Floyd for Dummies".

14. "More" (1969)

-Recorded as a soundtrack for the little seen movie of the same name, "More" is a very experimental album (even by Pink Floyd's standards). Even though founding member Syd Barret had left the band, his trademark psychedelic sound still can be heard throughout the record. 'Green Is The Colour' is definitely the standout track as much of the remaining album is for die hard fans only.

13. "Piper At The Gates Of Dawn" (1967)

-Speaking of die hard fans, most would find this ranking blasphemous, as Pink Floyd's debut album is felt to be by some their crowning achievement. Even though I respect Syd Barrett (as you will read later), his music on this record is too kaleidoscopic and whimsy for my tastes. The album has a childish, pop feeling and is likely best appreciated on a heavy dose of LSD. The album has its highlights with the fantastic tracks 'Interstellar Overdrive' and 'Astronomy Domine'. For fans of psychedelia, this album is a must.

12. "The Final Cut" (1983)

-The last album released while founding member Roger Waters remained in the band, "The Final Cut" is somewhat of a sequel to "The Wall". The music and production are all very similar and it lacks the variety its preceding album had. Each song sounds way to similar to the next. The writing was on the wall (no pun intended) for Waters exit as he became more and more a one man show with the release of this album. Every track was written by him and only him, hence the repetitive sound. Choice cuts include 'The Gunner's Dream', 'Not Now John' and 'The Fletcher Memorial Home'. For fans of Roger Waters solo albums.

11. "A Saucerful Of Secrets" (1968)

-Back to 60s, psychedelic Pink Floyd. The last album to feature Syd Barrett (on one track 'Jugband Blues') before his departure due to psychotic behavior. Saucerful was the first to feature guitarist David Gilmour who was asked to tour with the band due to Barrett's unreliability. Gilmour's influence can be felt as the albums sound becomes more familiar to progressive rock than PATGOD's psychedelia. The self titled track is the best song on the album and was also co-written by Gilmour. Other great songs include 'Let There Be More Light' and 'Remember A Day'.

10."The Division Bell" (1994)

-The last studio album to be released. At this time, the band consisted of only David Gilmour, Nick Mason and Richard Wright (RIP). This was the only Pink Floyd album to earn the band a Grammy with the instrumental 'Marooned', however this is far from the standout track. Following in the same vein as "A Momentary Lapse Of Reason", "The Division Bell" is a melodic album with songs that can be played by themselves as opposed to written around a common theme. Most PF albums need to be listened to as a whole. Gilmour's wife, Polly Samson, helped write some of the lyrics and Gilmour continued to be the main songwriter. The album spawned the "Pulse" album and tour. Check out 'High Hopes', 'Take It Back' and 'Lost For Words'.

9. "Ummagumma" (1969)

-This double disc album consists of a live album and studio album. The studio album contains tracks written by the individual band members and plays like a bunch of solo projects. The studio album is unfortunately NOT the highlight and more of an experimental project. The live album consists of four songs, primarily from the first two albums; "Piper At The Gates Of Dawn" and "A Saucerful Of Secrets". For me, this is the best live album Floyd has released and the live tracks are better and have more weight than the songs from the studio albums. The song 'A Saucerful Of Secrets' (which remains one of my favorite tracks) is brilliant, especially the Gilmour vocals which closes the album. For those who love this album, check out the DVD "Live In Pompeii".

8. "A Momentary Lapse Of Reason" (1987)

-The first album without Roger Waters, "AMLOR" has been penned more of a Gilmour solo project. Following a heated legal battle, Gilmour and Co. were able to release the album under the Pink Floyd moniker (I think more due to the studio pushing for another Pink Floyd release). Again, this album consists of mainly separate tracks and Waters influence has disappeared. The first half of the album is fantastic and contain the standout tracks 'On The Turning Away', 'Learning To Fly', 'One Slip' and 'The Dogs Of War'. The very successful live tour and album "A Delicate Sound Of Thunder" was recorded with tracks from this album as the highlight.

7. "Atom Heart Mother" (1970)

-Some of the band members have commented on being disappointed by this album and feeling it was one of their worst, however I have to disagree entirely. The album again has a very experimental sound. The title track is a complex orchestral arrangement which is also the bands longest recorded studio track, clocking in at 23:44. Waters, Wright and Gilmour each contribute a song in the middle of the album and each has a different vibe. The Waters track has his vintage vocals, the Wright song has a psychedelic funk horn section at its core and the Gilmour outing sounds like a great folk tune at times. There is not a single bad track on this album and after repeated listens gets better and better. The albums closes with 'Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast' which includes sounds of bacon cooking and a gentleman talking over what is most likely tea (and possibly crumpets?)

6. "Dark Side Of The Moon" (1973)

-Thought to be Pink Floyd's crowning achievement. "Dark Side Of The Moon" is Floyd's highest ranking album on Rolling Stone magazines 'Greatest Albums Of All Time" list at number 43. DSOTM remained on the Billboard charts for 741 weeks from 1973 to 1988, longer than any other album in history and has sold an estimated 45 million copies. The albums main theme deals with mental illness and was reportedly inspired by PF's founding member Syd Barrett. The album, like most Pink Floyd releases, is best ingested as a whole, however amazing songs include 'Time', 'Money', 'Us And Them' and 'The Great Gig In The Sky'. Some may consider listing this album at number 6 as sacrilege, but check out the top five for argument sake.

5. "Obscured By Clouds" (1972)

-Another album created as a soundtrack. "Obscured By Clouds" was written for the French film "La Vallee" directed by Barbet Schroeder (who also directed the Oscar winning "Reversal Of Fortune" and "Barfly"). By far the most underrated Pink Floyd album, "OBC" was written at the same time songs were being compiled for DSOTM. The record plays as a folk recording at times and a blues-rocker at others. It is highlighted by the songs 'Childhood's End', 'Wot's... Uh The Deal', 'The Gold Its In The...' and 'Free Four'.

*WARNING* The upcoming albums are flawless. The order of preference below could change at a moments notice, but for now, is as follows.

4. "Meddle" (1971)

-"Meddle" contains the greatest song ever written, 'Echoes'. I got the opportunity to see David Gilmour play this track live in its glorious 23 minute and 27 second entirety. The song starts slow with an ambient, space trance sound and builds into an absolute opus. Originally, the track was the entire B side of the album. The album starts with 'One Of These Days', a dark, heavy song which features Gilmour on an electric slide guitar which should single-handedly put him among the greatest guitarists of all time. The track is primarily an instrumental with the only lyrics being "One of these days I'm going to cut you into little pieces". The song, and album for that matter, has been sited as an influence for many progressive rock, indie and death metal bands. Other tracks such as 'Fearless' stand out and should be played on more classic rock radio. This is a must have for all Pink Floyd fans whether casual or fanatic.

3. "The Wall" (1979)

-Originally written as a Roger Waters solo album, "The Wall" is a classic PF album. Gilmour eventually co-wrote many of the radio friendly tracks (something that was missing from "The Final Cut"). The album is a 2 disc (4 vinyl) album that has more than stood the test. It ranks #4 among the greatest selling albums of all time in the US behind MJ's "Thriller", Eagles "Greatest Hits" and Led Zeppelin "IV". The concept of the album revolves around it's central character Pink and deals with personal isolation during WWII. It has spanned some of Pink Floyd's most memorable songs such as 'Comfortably Numb' (number 314 on Rolling Stone's Greatest Songs Of All Time), "Another Brick In The Wall, Pt. 2" (number 375), "Run Like Hell", "Hey You", "Young Lust" and "Mother". Frequently sited as the last great Floyd album, "The Wall" is immaculate.

2. "Animals" (1977)

-The album that started it all for me, "Animals" was the first Pink Floyd record I listened to in its entirety. I was instantly hooked. Reminiscent of George Orwell's novella "Animal Farm", "Animals" contains 5 tracks entitled 'Pigs On The Wing' (Part one opening and Part two closing the album), 'Dogs', 'Pigs (Three Little Ones)', and 'Sheep'. In an excerpt from Mark Blake's 2008 book entitled "Comfortably Numb — The Inside Story of Pink Floyd' and as "Animal Farm" had depicted, the animals in the record deal with people and society; "Dogs as enforcers of the law, Pigs as ruthless leaders, and Sheep as the mindless pawns. Whereas the novella focuses on communism, the album is a critique of the worst aspects of capitalism, and although both advocate a democratic socialist ideal the album differs again in that the sheep eventually rise up to overpower their oppressors." The album cover remains my favorite of all time with a picture of the Battersea Power Station with a 30 foot pig-shaped balloon (known as Algie) flying above the ziggurat.

1. "Wish You Were Here" (1975)

-Another example of how Syd Barrett continued to influence the band long after his departure, "Wish You Were Here" was written with Syd being the bands muse. Similar to DSOTM, Barrett's influence on the band proves to be greater as inspiration than as a member. The opening and closing track, 'Shine On You Crazy Diamond' was written for the founding bandmate who was struggling with schizophrenia. The two tracks combined play for over 26 minutes and remain a staple for both Waters and Gilmour on tour. The self titled track is also one of Pink Floyd's most recognizable songs with the lyrics "Two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl, year after year" and ranks #316 on RS greatest songs.

Please do yourself a favor and get these albums. If nothing else, purchase the top four or a select number of tracks you may not already have. Remember, most of Pink Floyd's music is best ingested as whole albums. They may change how you view music.

My favorite Pink Floyd tracks include:
10. Fat Old Sun [Atom Heart Mother]
9. Time [Dark Side Of The Moon]
8. Wish You Were Here [Wish You Were Here]
7. Fearless [Meddle]
6. A Saucerful Of Secrets [Ummagumma]
5. Comfortably Numb [The Wall]
4. Pigs (Three Little Ones) [Animals]
3. Childhood's End [Obscured By Clouds]
2. Shine On You Crazy Diamond [Wish You Were Here]
1. Echoes [Meddle]

Great Hall Revival

At the Bonnaroo Music Festival this summer, Daryl Hall performed a set with the Montreal/New York based dance/electronica/funk duo Chromeo. The result... well, you'll have to watch it for yourself. Then see them playing together in Mr. Hall's house. This is great music baby.

Greatest Albums Of All Time (according to me)

In 2003, Rolling Stone published a list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. The 70s had 37% of the records and the 60s had 25%. The Beatles "Sgt. Pepper's" was named the greatest album followed by The Beach Boys "Pet Sounds". Recently, the magazine updated their list of the 500 greatest songs of all time. The 60s and 70s were again represented the heaviest with Bob Dylan's "Like A Rolling Stone" being the greatest song. Not being a fan of either the Beatles or the 60s, I needed to update my own list. For your listening pleasure, check out these timeless recordings.

20. Guns N' Roses - "Appetite For Destruction" (1987)


19. Mr. Bungle - "California" (1999)


18. Led Zeppelin - "III" (1970)


17. Danzig - "Danzig" (1988)


16. Portishead - "Dummy" (1994)


15. Dio - "Holy Diver" (1983)


14. Toadies - "Rubberneck" (1994)


13. AC/DC - "High Voltage (1976)


12. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - "Abattoir Blues/The Lyre Of Orpheus" (2004)


11. ZZ Top - "Tres Hombres" (1973)


10. Opeth - "Ghost Reveries" (2005)


9. The Who - "Live At Leeds" (1970)


8. The Rolling Stones - "Sticky Fingers" (1970)


7. Faith No More - "The Real Thing (1989)


6. Primus - "Sailing The Seas Of Cheese" (1991)


5. William Elliott Whitmore - "Song Of The Blackbird" (2006)


4. Megadeth - "Rust In Peace" (1990)


3. Iron Maiden - "Live After Death" (1985)


2. Tom Waits - "Rain Dogs" (1985)


1. Pink Floyd - "Wish You Were Here" (1975)

CDM Co-op Swap 2nd Edition

Coyote Doc Music Co-op continues to bring you music and music related news for fans of everything from "Indie Rock" to "Americana". The midyear 'Swap' album have been distributed and are as follows:

ZH
-The Black Keys - "Brothers"

-Portugal. The Man - "American Ghetto"


JP
-Mumford & Sons - "Sigh No More"

-The Dirty Rooks - "Sugar Mama"


PD
-Shining - "Blackjazz"

-Crazy Heart Original Motion Picture Soundtrack


Check out the albums/songs for yourself and post your thoughts. Let us know what albums are missing up to this years midway point. Full album reviews to follow in the coming months.

Looking forward to the later half of 2010...

Magical Iowan

For those who have not heard of William Elliott Whitmore, I cannot speak higher of an artist performing today. He produced my favorite record of 2009 with "Animals In The Dark" and my favorite record of the 2000s, 2006's magnificent "Song Of The Blackbird". Also in 2006, the Lee County, Iowa native teamed up with the (Portland by way of San Francisco by way of Michigan by way of) Texas born Jenny Hoyston for an EP entitled "Hallways Of Always". Critics initially threw out comparisons of Johnny Cash and June Carter, however the album was way to contemporary and produced with electronic beats. The only way this comparison holds any clout is that the record is a folk-like recording compiled by a man and a woman (comparisons should stop there). Not that this is a bad thing as the two sound great together and have a wonderful contrast yet compliment each other beautifully. With the exception of the track 'Black Iowa Dirt', the remainder of the album is much different than Whitmore's solo outings however still has a rustic vibe.

At some point, Whitmore and Hoyston wanted to release the album on vinyl, however, due to record label policies, this was not going to happen. To get around this contract/agreement, the duo re-recorded the album, adopted the original album name as their moniker, added a couple new tracks and released it under a new label. The result is more than a reissue as the vocals are different and the synthesizers have been replaced with acoustic instrumentation. The result does not disappoint. The original track listing was also changed (see below for the vinyl track listing).

A1 Feast Of A Thousand Beasts
A2 Marrow
A3 Black Iowa Dirt
A4 Heavy Load

B1 We Miss You
B2 Out Of My Mind
B3 You've Already Gone
B4 H.O.A. (Beasts Reprise)

New tracks not on the original EP include "Heavy Load" (Whitmore) and "Out Of My Mind" (Hoyston)

Only 500 copies were pressed and the LP comes with an MP3 download. The new album can be purchased on Will Whitmore's website.

Refused To Be Quiet

It is sad to see great musical talent cease to exist in its prime, however there is also something to be said about going out in a blaze of glory. This is the case for Swedish hardcore group Refused. The band was around for only 7 years, releasing 3 full length albums including their masterpiece "The Shape Of Punk To Come" the year they disbanded in 1998. The album was unfortunately overlooked on my 'Best of 90s' list as it would most definitely be among the top ten. The album has been praised by other rock musicians, namely Kirk Hammett (Metallica) "The pure intellect that was pouring out of this band - even when it comes to arrangement, they were sophisticated, it still sounds contemporary", Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine) "New Noise is one of the great rock jams of all time. It's just a heavy, unique, awesome, kick-ass jam" and Duff McKagan (Guns N' Roses) "The Shape Of Puck To Come is the Sergeant Pepper's of punk rock. They were fucking fearless". According to allmusic.com, "Refused disbanded, unable to reconcile their anarchist leanings with a career in music." A deluxe edition of 'The Shape of Punk To Come' was recently released on Epitaph records, including the full length album, an unreleased live album recorded shortly before the bands break-up and a DVD entitled "Refused Are Fucking Dead" documenting the band and its demise. This is one reissue that should not be missed. Recommended for all fans of punk, metal, hardcore and anyone curious.

Check out the video for New Noise (which prompted me to buy the album the year of its release). Easily one of the coolest songs to come out of the 90s and certainly the most devastating.

IRON MAIDEN RULES!

Iron Maiden has been rocking since the late 70s and released their first album in 1980. These metalheads from England don't seem to be losing any steam either. Kicking off one of their biggest US tours in recent history on June 9th, Iron Maiden announced the release date, track listing and album art for their upcoming 15th studio album "The Final Frontier".



Remarkably, Iron Maiden has averaged a new album every two years for 30 years and have totalled over 80 million album sales during this period.

The full tracklisting for the album (total running time 76:35) is:

1. Satellite 15....The Final Frontier (8:40)
2. El Dorado (6:49)
3. Mother Of Mercy (5:20)
4. Coming Home (5:52)
5. The Alchemist (4:29)
6. Isle Of Avalon (9:06)
7. Starblind (7:48)
8. The Talisman (9:03)
9. The Man Who Would Be King (8:28)
10. When The Wild Wind Blows (10:59)

For tour dates and locations check out Iron Maiden Tour.

I will be seeing them live for the first time in Chicago at the First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre on July 18th. Trust me, there will be a concert post.

UP THE IRONS! \M/ \M/

Tom Waits Has Mojo

The greatest American singer/songwriter is unfortunately not from Minnesota (sorry Mr. Dylan), he is from California and his name is Tom Waits. The legendary poet, author, artist, troubadour and personal hero (other hero includes David Gilmour CBE) was asked to edit the 200th special anniversary issue of Mojo magazine.



In the issue, Mr. Waits discusses his current playlist including James Brown and Alex Chilton, his film selections including James Dean and David Lynch and his chosen reading material including Jack Kerouac and JD Salinger. Along with the magazine comes a compilation CD with tracks hand selected by the American icon.

Track listing:
1. Tennessee Ernie Ford - "Sixteen Tons"
2. Son House - "John The Revelator"
3. Hank Williams - "Ramblin' Man"
4. Prisonaires - "Just Walkin' In The Rain"
5. Ray Charles - "Drown In My Own Tears"
6. Blind Mamie Forehand - "Honey In The Rock"
7. Hank Ballard & The Midnighters - "Let's Go, Let's Go, Let's Go"
8. Paul Robeson - "No More Auction Block"
9. Howlin' Wolf - "Dorothy Mae"
10. Harry Belafonte - "Sylvie"
11. Bob Dylan - "I Was Young When I Left Home"
12. Gavin Bryars - "Jesus Blood Never Failed Me - Single version (with Tom Waits)"
13. Big Mama Thornton - "Ball N' Chain"
14. William Burroughs - "Ich Bin Von Kopf Bis FuR Auf Liebe Eingestellt (Falling In Love Again)"
15. Cliff Edwards - "When You Wish Upon A Star"

Mojo magazine

Recommended Mojo retailers exist near you!
Minneapolis, Minnesota - The Electric Fetus
Bellvue, Nebraska - Homer's
Portland, Oregon - Jackpot Records and Music Millennium
Milwaukee, Wisconsin - Atomic Records