Back in the 20th Century, ümlaut was a xeroxed fanzine that existed from 1992-95. Despite limited distribution, loyal readers ranged from coast to coast and included Rock Stars of various credibility, including Neurosis, Sonic Youth, Melvins, and Metallica. This 21st Century version of ümlaut has been ranting since 2004 and is also the co-author of the book Murder In The Front Row.
Umlaut is in a constant battle against becoming a jaded mofo when it comes to Metal.. My Inner Teenage Metalhead is still alive and well, but sometimes he gets shoved out of focus by my "grown up" perspective of Metal via my "professional" life. However, every once in awhile, The Rock Godz deliver something to me that inspires and reminds me about what's important. The most recent example of this comes via Umlaut's Old Metal Brother K.J. Doughton.
Submitted by K.J.:
It was 1985, a year in which the underground Metal stars were in perfect alignment. Yours truly lucked out by scoring a gig with a merchandise company that sold Slayer's tour merchandise. I had basically taken the job as an excuse to hang out with my Speed Metal heroes. This culminated in one of the great misadventures of my youth. I was 19 at the time, living in Malibu, after having never set foot outside of Southern Oregon. Slayer were riding high (well, low - as in...the fiery pit of eternal punishment way down "there") on their album Hell Awaits. What a trip.
Adding to this cultural mindfuck was the opportunity to tour Europe with the band. Despite gutbucket budgets and primitive travel arrangements, the tour progressed through Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Germany, and England. This pic, taken at the Belgian Heavy Sounds Festival of 1985, perfectly captures the innocence of that time.
The prepubescent 'Bangers in this pic obviously knew their shit, as evidenced by the patches on their denim uniforms, even though they were well below drinking age. I spoke with them at the massive outdoor gig, where they revealed plans to eventually hit Slayer's much more intimate show at the cramped Dynamo Club in Eindhoven, Holland. The Youth. The Innocence. The Fun.
Anyone who thinks Metalheads are a bunch of lowlife, antisocial, misanthropic predators are obviously not acquainted with images like this one. Where are these guys now? I would wager one is an accountant, one manages financial portfolios, one has fallen victim to some horrific illness or injury, and one promotes rodeos in Pendleton, Oregon.
Umlaut says: Wherever those kidz are now, this photo forever keeps them Metalheads.
"Lonely children of the night, There's seven ways to go, Each leading to the burning hole, That Lucifer controls.." - 'Hell Awaits'
Click HERE for a more detailed account of K.J.'s adventures with Slayer from the old xeroxed 'zine version of Umlaut.
Almost a year ago, Umlaut read THIS live review of Landmine Marathon (click HERE for another review of the same show). To make a long story short, just click HERE and HERE for the story about where that review led me last year. As 2010 is getting up to full speed, The Rock Godz have already determined that Umlaut should follow Landmine's Year Of Living Dangerously up close and personal... and for that I say "Amen".
For the newbies, Landmine Marathon and their brand of Metal was spawned in the desert kingdom of Phoenix, Arizona. Over the past 4 years they've released 2 full length albums, a split CD with Scarecrow, and a split 7" with The Funeral Pyre. On March 16th Prosthetic Records will unleash Landmine's new album Sovereign Descent.
The band’s lineup is as classic as it gets, with Ryan Butler and Dylan Thomas (Yes, cue English Literature double take...) on twin Jacksons driving the ship, Mike Pohlmeier (drums) and Matt Martinez (bass) bolting down the bottom end and bringing things up to ramming speed, and Grace Perry as your cruise director. Landmine is a band that is solidly a sum of its parts. I know, that generalization can be said about any band, but with Landmine I feel that needs to be stated since so much attention is usually focused on only 1/5 of the band. When you read something about Landmine, 9 times out of 10 it almost always is a variation of two points:
Of course, Grace is “the face” of Landmine Marathon and onstage she's the blasting cap that gets everything going, but she’s not simply "the girl" who is only pursued for magazine covers. Grace writes all of the band’s lyrics so she is literally the voice of Landmine, but is anybody listening to what she's saying? I hope so... Ironically, I was given access to the lyrics of the band’s new album Sovereign Descent a good 3 weeks before I heard it. It was an interesting way to preview an album, but it played right into my English Major background.
When I was given an advance copy of the album earlier this week and was finally able to hit “Play”, all of the words that had been nasty blunt instruments instantly became nasty edged weapons. The guitar work of Ryan and Dylan is grounded in grindy old school Metal melodies and dynamics but glued together with a stare down Hardcore Punk attitude. Matt (bass) and Mike (drums) nail it all down on the (inverted) cross with the same old school Metal and Punk aesthetic. Each Landmine album has featured a different rhythm guitarist (Dylan joined the band shortly after the release of 2008's Rusted Eyes Awake), which means each album has had a slightly different axe tone to them (at least to my ears). All have been brutal, but in slightly different ways... but on Sovereign Descent I think the band has finally found the lineup mix that really conveys their Metal message in a superbly focused way.
Okay, so with just about a month to go before it's official release, here is Umlaut's track-by-track gut reaction to the album that is Sovereign Descent:
Exist
The track starts with a slow fade in... For the first 1:00 minute of the song it’s like watching a stranger calmly approach you as they slowly twirl a baseball bat (or an axe handle… or a pipe… or a shovel..) in preparation for swinging it really hard… but you’re transfixed by the stranger's image and you don’t (can’t!) move. Then the song kicks in and the baseball bat (or an axe handle… or a pipe… or a shovel..) hits you in the face… and Landmine continues to hit you in the face for the next 40 minutes. When I first read the lyrics to this song my first thought was literally “Woah….” The lyrics are unexpectedly personal, which makes the song’s fury all the more compelling.
Shadows Fed to Tyrants
Starting at the 0:01 second mark things go like this: Guitar grind > scream > snare hit > detonation. At the 1:50 minute mark I involuntarily raised my right index finger and gave the universal hand gesture for Pit Action. This song has that feeling of being in an overcrowded, “one way in / one way out” death trap club. Man, I hope a fire doesn’t break out in here…
Foul Revolt
A classy Hardcore stomp driven by a tasty main riff and some solid “get in the pit” drumming by Mike. The air really gets moving at the 1:15 minute mark and it was hard not to stand up and throw my chair against the wall when the tasty main riff kicked back in to close out the song. This is like the PB&J of the album... simple but tasty.. but how did broken glass get into this sandwich?
Cruel Policy
I liked how the mid-song riff echos back to the classic Landmine song ‘Skin From Skull’ (a track from the band’s last album Rusted Eyes Awake that first ran on a 2007 split CD with Scarecrow). I'm also into the one second blast of silence that comes 2:54 minutes into the song, which serves as a sucker punch just before a short but calculated shiv-in-the-shower solo by Ryan. Then the song sprints to the finish as you bleed out on the cold, wet tile with a bar of soap shoved in your mouth.
Justify the Suffering
Umlaut is claiming this song as his initial favorite track of the album. Pounding hooves of Metal, like the chariot race in Ben Hur. Around and around in the bloody dust this song goes… crushing all... around and around.. bloody dust.. Take your hands off me you damn dirty Romans! Ryan’s guitar solo eloquently serves as the spear that ends the suffering of the wounded and the broken.
A 7:00 minute journey inside a blackened heart. The first epic 4:00 minutes is the sonic equivalent of being drawn and quartered… slow… painful… the guitars going in one direction…the drums and bass slowly inching in another direction.. and the vocals pulling in yet another direction.. dark... slow... pain….then more pain… Then the release as limbs are liberated from the body and Matt kicks in with a rare vocal at the 4:22 minute mark and Dylan severs whatever is left hanging with his solo. Magnificent.
Chained by the Same Fate
After the abattoir of the previous song, the Thrash release of this track is downright liberating. Work it off, dude… stay loose... but keep moving. Pit Etiquette is in effect. I can imagine bones being broken during this song, but the wounded better get carried out before Ryan's guitar solo ends, because it's the closest thing to a slow moment in this track.
Flood the Earth
Slow and grindy as the room slowly fills up with Landmine volume... Then panic sets in as you realize the volume is up to your neck... but then suddenly a moment of clarity hits and you give into the volume and swallow it and slip under the surface... Your lungs explode.. but it's all good. I'm intrigued by the lyrics... with its references to wives.. mothers.. daughters.
Rise with the Tide
The track starts with a tide of guitar harmonies and double bass rolling in and out… before a wall of sound knocks you over and carries you out to sea. The ocean is unforgiving... as is this song. The album began with the sonic equivalent of the slow swinging of a baseball bat (or an axe handle… or a pipe… or a shovel..) and it ends with Grace’s voice disappearing abruptly at the end of the track... Gone.
As I type this I've listened to Sovereign Descent on the home stereo, on the computer, on an iPod, and in the car in order to really get my head into it. It's 40 minutes of profound brutality and the production is more unrelenting than I was expecting it to be. Also, I'm somewhat fascinated by all of the references to water in the lyrics since this band, and this album, and these songs were spawned in the desert... cue Dune.
He who controls the spice, controls the Metal.
Note for the Music Geeks: Sovereign Descent was mastered by Alan Douches (Mastodon, Converge, Dillinger Escape Plan) and the cover art was done by the legend Dan Seagrave (Entombed, Morbid Angel, Suffocation). Also, the lacquers for the vinyl release are being cut by the same dude who did the same for a little album called Damaged by some band called Black Flag.
Anyway, there you have it... Umlaut doesn't attempt to be a "serious" journalist very often, but Landmine Marathon really shoved my head into a wall over the past year. It's been awhile since I've gravitated towards a Metal band and immersed myself in their music to this extent. I can't really explain why, but I've been in this Music Geek business long enough to recognize bands who are "The Real Deal" to me and Landmine are The Real Fucking Deal. They're a genuine band, but there is nothing subtle about them and I love that. Landmine are a genuine band who will happily hit you in the face with a baseball bat (or an axe handle… or a pipe… or a shovel..)... because it's for your own good, pussy.
Be a cool kid and order Sovereign DescentHERE and see Landmine as they tour this year. Also, stay tuned next month for Umlaut's road trip rants as I march off to war with Landmine Marathon in the foreign lands of Ohio and Texas.
Trivia: The Arizona state motto is Ditat Deus (Latin: "God Enriches"). Ironic... Discuss amongst yourselves.
Today marks the 30th Anniversary of Bon Scott's death. To commemorate this sad date here's an oldie but a goodie from Issue 7 (Winter 1992) of the original xeroxed fanzine version of Umlaut.
"It's a Rock 'N Roll Damnation Ma's own whippin' boy Rock 'N Roll Damnation Take a chance while you still got the choice.."
Long story short, I got sidetracked today and ended up at a record store I used to frequent... but I hadn't been there in probably a couple of years. The place always had a hit-or-miss but always entertaining used vinyl section. The Rock Godz work in mysterious ways and today I struck gold for a mere $5: A first pressing of Lynyrd Skynyrd's Street Survivors album.
The first pressing of the album featured the eerily prophetic cover photo of the band engulfed in flames. Only 3 days after Street Survivors was released in October 1977, Lynyrd Skynyrd were forever decimated by their infamous plane crash, with Ronnie Van Zant (3rd from the left) and Steve Gaines (horrifically in flames in the center of the photo) both losing their lives and the other members forever damaged (some physically... all psychologically). The real life darkness surrounding this album was only magnified by the single 'That Smell' and its chorus: "Oooh, oooh that smell Can't you smell that smell? Oooh, oooh that smell The smell of death surrounds you."
The cover of subsequent pressings of the album, and later CDs, was changed to a different band photo from the same session framed in black. That image remained the album's cover for 30 years until the 30th Anniversary Edition Deluxe CD was released a couple of years ago. Umlaut loves the first vinyl pressing because it's a haunting time capsule from October 1977.
The original gatefold album came with a couple of paper inserts, which was common for albums back then. One insert is a charmingly simple merchandise order form ("Lynyrd Skynyrd - Survival Kit") with which to mail order a t-shirt ($5.98), pendant ($5.00), or a 24-page souvenir photo booklet ($3.00). Postage and handling charges were $1.00 (!). On the flipside of the order form is a charmingly simple marketing survey asking fans what format they listen to Skynyrd on (album, 8-track, or cassette) and a few questions about where the fan lives and their favorite radio station and magazine.
However, it's the other insert that makes my Music Geek head spin. It's printed on red paper and on one side are all of the band and album credits handwritten out. On the other side (also handwritten) are the tour dates for Skynyrd's TOTS ("Tour Of The States") 1977-78... a tour that was never completed. The tour's 45 shows started on October 15, 1977 in Miami and were due to end on February 1, 1978 in Honolulu; Skynyrd's plane went down 2 days after Miami after the tour's second show in St. Petersburg.
The first time I came across a copy of this album some years ago I got chills when I discovered the tour date insert. It's haunting for me to look at the tour dates and think about what could have been for Skynyrd on that tour. It would have included their first headlining appearance at Madison Square Garden on November 10, 1977, a Thanksgiving Day show in Pittsburgh, a New Year's Eve show in Ft. Worth, a San Francisco show (at Winterland) on January 13, 1978, and the tour wrapping up in style with 2 shows in Honolulu on January 31 and February 1, 1978. After TOTS 1977-78 I'm sure the Summer of '78 would have seen Skynyrd headlining stadiums, since they were on the brink of challenging Aerosmith as the biggest American Rock band of the 70's. Sadly, none of that came to pass.
Umlaut listens to alot of Death Metal, Black Metal etc. etc. but few of those bands come close to having the real life violence and darkness that surrounded Skynyrd... and the Southern Boys could easily have kicked Scandinavian ass in a bar fight.
I honestly can't imagine coming across a CD in the near or distant future and having the same kind of historical and emotional reaction to the packaging... and we don't even have to discuss a digital download, right? Part of the mystery that made Rock bands so ingrained in my psyche as a kid was stuff like this. In those pre-Internet days you had to work to find out information about bands, it simply wasn't handed to you by pressing a button.... I've said this in this space before and, yeah, I'm an old fart about it: Because I had to work for that information I valued the bands (and the music) that much more because I had invested something in them. It's harder to invest yourself in bands now since, in this digital age, another band can grab your attention via a single web link e-mail forum post. I know... give me convenience or give me death... but I'll always prefer finding something in a dusty record store bin.
Meanwhile, back in the 21st Century, YES Umlaut already had a copy of this album at home... but I couldn't leave today's copy in the store.... it would have felt like leaving a comrade on the battlefield. So, YES, Umlaut now has 2 mint copies of Street Survivors on vinyl sitting on his shelf. The Geeks shall inherit The Earth.
On a lighter note, how can you not appreciate Artimus Pyle's cutoff jeans and "Vegetarian" t-shirt in the cover photo? The Southern Boys had a sense of humor.
Wow... I know this shows Umlaut's age, but the passing of Doug Fieger of The Knack on Valentines Day is a buzz kill. Yeah, yeah Metal on Metal is the only way.. but Umlaut became a Music Geek before all of that and I have a soft spot for vintage Power Pop. What was that? Well, if you can't deal with that then there are plenty of other dogmatic and opinionated "Metal" blogs out there who can tell you what kind of underwear Meshuggah is wearing or whatever... so move along if you can't deal with Umlaut's record collection.
Anyway, for the newbies: The Knack's 1979 debut album is still one of the best Power Pop albums ever released this side of Cheap Trick. Also, check out their band photos and you'll discover where modern day Hipster bands like The Strokes stole their image.
From the Umlaut Archives
While 'My Sharona' was their signature song, Umlaut's favorite Knack song has always been 'Good Girls Don't' which, as Tour Manager Doug once pointed out, is probably the dirtiest song ever played on AM Radio. Here's the song's video, but with the original "dirty" lyrics dubbed back in to replace the cleaned up words; the censors had changed lines like "sitting on your face" with "putting you in your place", etc.
Alice In Chains The Fox Theater, Oakland, CA February 11, 2010
There was a time back in the Clinton Administration when Alice In Chains were one of my favorite bands (click HERE for that backstory). However, once Layne Staley died they faded into my past. I was less than interested when AIC reformed several years ago with a new singer and played the old songs on a tour; I didn't want to hear it because I figured they would simply sound like an AIC cover band. The thought of anybody but Layne fronting the band was semi-sacrilegious to me. They had been one of my favorite live bands because of him and the brotherly dynamic he and Jerry Cantrell had onstage. That could never be duplicated, right?
Fast forward to last year and the new version of AIC released an album of new material. Again, I didn't want to hear it, because what would be the point, right? How many bands have reformed with new guys replacing key members and they've lacked the magic of the original band? Besides, how good could the band be after being fronted by one of the most haunted, troubled, and charismatic singers ever to live out his junkie life so openly in his music? How could any new vocalist be able to mesh with Cantrell in any kind of compelling way? The thought was semi-preposterous to me.
However, I finally relented and gave the new AIC album a listen... and, WTF, it was good... REALLY good. The new singer William DuVall sounds *just* enough like Layne but also brings his own soulful voice to the mix. It was enough like the old AIC to get my attention, but the new band had created some great songs that actually take the band to another place. Unfortunately, my doubt cost me the chance of seeing them at The Fillmore last September. It was a rookie mistake and a lesson I should already have learned after all these years. Anyway.....
Tonight's show was completely sold out in advance and it caught me off guard when a guy asked if I had any extra tickets literally 3 seconds after I picked up my envelope from Will Call. Sorry, dude... Joining Umlaut for the gig was Skychick, who is MUCH more selective about the concerts she attends than me. Skychick once saw AIC on Haight Street back in The Day (Yeah, Mookie Blaylock = Pearl Jam... yawn..)...
Image courtesy of Gloomboy
Skychick also saw Zeppelin way before she could buy alcohol legally.
Not long after entering the lobby a guy sporting a Facelift shirt stopped and asked "Are you Umlaut??" (Cheers Gloomboy!)... In the VIP Bar prior to the show we had some quality time with Umlaut friends such as John Marshall and Photo Jeff, who takes all the photos for THIS little web site for a certain band... and all other merch in the room paled to Eileen's vintage Metal Church longsleeve! For the fanboys: There were so many Metallica band members and staff in the house tonight I almost thought they were playing.
Right before the houselights went down 'Kill The King' by Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow played over the PA. Excellent! Meanwhile, a backlit sheer white curtain hid the stage and then dropped as the band eased into the opening sequence of 'All Secrets Known' > 'It Ain't Like That'... The songs immediately set the tone of the evening and perhaps also stated the band's current frame of mind via 2 songs written almost 20 years apart:
"There's no going back to the place we started from..." - 'All Secrets Known'
"See the cycle I've waited for... It ain't like that anymore.." - 'It Ain't Like That'
For the entire 2 hour set I was caught up in how mellow and at ease the band was onstage as they sailed back and forth from old to new songs. The enlightened slowburn of the William DuVall vibe here in 2010 was in contrast to the dark frenzy of the Layne Staley vibe at the shows I saw in the early-90's. I suppose the cliché is AIC are now older and wiser... which is no doubt true... but they're still a great band who still look and act like Rock Stars onstage in the old fashioned way.
You know a band is from the older generation when 3/4 of them smoke onstage, including The Drummer. Real Rock Stars: A dying breed. However, DuVall (the non-smoker) nailed the old songs without sounding like he was merely in an AIC cover band; his effort on 'Rain When I Die' in particular was stunning... and the ease in which he and Cantrell shared vocals was just as stunning. Cantrell also reminded me of his place as Wah-Wah King as he utilized the 3 wah-wah pedals onstage as if he was channeling some classic 70's Porn. Wah... waka... wah wah... waka..
While the killer punch of 'Angry Chair' > 'Man In The Box' was a highlight of the set, I found myself wanting to hear more of the new songs live... and they didn't play my favorite new songs ('Private Hell' or 'Lesson Learned') which was a bit disappointing. I can't remember the last time where THE SONGS being performed were so powerful and driven by strong melodies and dynamics to the point where THE SONGS were like a physical 5th band member standing onstage (No dude, I wasn't high...). THE MUSIC is what AIC is all about now, not their dark past or drama. The songs from the Layne-era give their new material perspective and contrast while the new songs offer closure, or at least an appropriate bookend, to the darkness of the Layne-era. Since I watched the show from the old fart front of the balcony, without sweaty strangers slamming into me or beer being spilled on me, I became completely immersed in THE SONGS to the point where I felt like I was floating a couple of times (No dude, I wasn't high...).
Pic by Umlaut
I have to say it's been really cool getting back into AIC as a result of their new music and not because I wanted to relive my original fandom. I saw Jerry Cantrell on his debut solo tour in 1998 and it just wasn't the same... so it's cool that his road led back to what was left of his band and they've been able to create something new that's as good as the old. Listening to the new AIC album has been the same as discovering a new band for me. I've discovered that, yeah, this band connects with something in my brain... and it just so happens it's a band I had that connection with when I was a younger, different person and they were a younger, different band. It ain't like that anymore... which is probably a good thing, right?
At one point, Cantrell gave a shout out to some of the band's VIP guests including Mike Bordin, Robert Trujillo, and... Tony La Russa. It so happened we were literally 3 feet away from La Russa when this happened and it almost looked like he was about to step to the top of the dugout and wave his cap to the crowd... but then Tony caught himself. Cardinals suck anyway... GIANTS!!
The symbolic moment of the night for me came as the final note of the show closing 'Rooster' echoed in The Fox. The last time I saw AIC in 1993, their body language onstage was much more aggressive and embodied by Cantrell, who literally threw his guitars at his guitar tech instead of handing them to him the entire show... and I don't mean he simply "tossed" them... he THREW them at the guy. It was intense. Fast forward to this 21st Century night in Oakland and Cantrell handed his guitars to his tech at stage left during the show... but as 'Rooster' faded into the ether Cantrell took off his axe and THREW it at his tech... who caught it of course. Skychick turned to me and started to point and say something about it and I simply looked at her and said "I know..." and I'm sure I had a big smile on my face.
If you bought one of every AIC merch item you would have paid $325. On the way back to the car, some pimply-faced teenagers called us fags. There were far more Led Zeppelin shirts and hoodies in the crowd than any other band... Does anybody remember laughter? Me too.
It was another rainy day and night in San Franfuckincisco and we arrived at the venue after Arsis had already left the stage; judging from Photo Ray's comments we didn't miss anything, which is fine by me. Thankfully there was absolutely no Will Call drama for me tonight and I also had a photo pass eventhough I didn't request one (Thanks Steve!). It was kind of weird that Arch Enemy's passes were simply printed on MACtac paper labels instead of being the standard Lock 'N Loll cloth sticky pass. Paper or Cloth? Discuss amongst yourselves.
However, I didn't have a camera with me but I could have used my iPhone camera, right? The *real* photographers would have thought that was cool, right? Instead I went and got a beer.
It's very strange for Umlaut to see Exodus live... I have a history with Exodus that dates back to when we were all pimply-faced kidz. Original vocalist Paul Baloff was a friend and I saw the band twice when Kirk Hammett was in the band prior to him jumping to Metallica. To make a long story short, click HERE for a visual history of those times. Yes, Umlaut took every one of those pictures.
Exodus hit the stage just after 9:00pm with 'Bonded By Blood' and I got super nostalgic. I was at the show at Ruthie's Inn that inspired that song millions of years ago... and I honestly got a weird feeling that the ghosts of my dead Old Metal friends were standing with me. So, a shout out to Baloff, Sam, Rich, Mike, and Cliff... R.I.P. bruthas.
It's true that Exodus is only 2/5 of the original lineup here in the 21st Century, but guitarist Lee Altus was there back in the old Bay Area Metal Dayz. However, I have to admit it bothered me that Rob Dukes was wearing a sports jersey that wasn't the Oakland Raiders.. Now, I understand he's from Noo Yawk but he's in Exodus: East Bay O.G.! It bothered me more that no one called him on it either... and the crowd action for the band was way more tepid than I was expecting, something which Dukes mentioned several times. I think a Raiders jersey instead of a Noo Yawk Rangers jersey would have helped... just saying. Remember when Exodus filmed the 'Toxic Waltz' video at The Fillmore and it was crazy? Me too:
As a special hometown treat, Exodus brought out Zetro to sing 'Toxic Waltz'... which was a nice touch to the evening. The set ended with another song from my bruising teenage Metal Dayz: 'Strike Of The Beast'. Unfortunately it featured Dukes directing the crowd to perform a wall of death (yawn....). Yeah I'm an old fart but, back in The Day, Baloff NEVER had to tell a crowd what to do... we KNEW what needed to be done. Kill or be killed for Metal. Kidz these days.... However, here in the 21st Century, it's reassuring to see an old Metal brother like Gary Holt is still fighting the fight he believes to be right... crushing with all his might... he laughs at their pitiful cries.. and they run from the fire in his eyes. Gary can still give a lesson in violence.
In between bands a drunk dude in a Pantera shirt walked up to us about *something*... Kudos to him for getting hammered at a show on a Monday night, but there's always a dude in a Pantera shirt trying to start something.
Mercyful Fate was played over the PA right before Arch Enemy came onstage... Nice. Then the lights dimmed and the smoke machines started to chug and, with Valentines Day less than a week away, it was sweet to have Metal's Best Couple and their band take the stage in S.F. again.. Awww. Anyway, holy fuck, Arch Enemy completely stormed the stage with a one-two punch of 'The Immortal' > 'Revolution Begins'. Yes, Arch Enemy is considered "Mall Metal" by many... but it's a good thing I don't care what other people think. When Arch Enemy are *on*, like they were tonight, they rank up there with some of my favorite live bands.
The rhythm section of Sharlee (bass) and Daniel (drums) is machine-like but sometimes they're almost too machine-like... which makes the cool dynamic of the Amott brothers on guitar that much more compelling. I'm a big fan of the brothers because their styles are based on Classic Metal from my generation: Christopher channels Yngwie and Michael channels Schenker... and together they're Umlaut's favorite guitar duo going. Then, of course, guiding the reins of this Metal chariot of fire is Angela, who commands the stage more confidently than most dudes.
The crowd action during Arch Enemy wasn't bad by Mall Metal standards... but it was funny how it was mainly young Hispanic kidz who were raging. During the drum solo, I ducked out to use the can and a kid on a stretcher was rushed past me by the medical staff. Man down! Metal...
A fun evening.. It's great that Arch Enemy chose Exodus as tourmates since it just reinforces the idea of Metal being a musical genre that still organically perpetuates itself; it's something that's not forced. The old bands inspiring and motivating the new ones... while the new bands can do the same for the old bands.. It's a European way of packaging a tour and it's cool that the concept is working with these bands. HAIL.
Carcass shirts = only 2 (!).. If you bought one of every Arch Enemy merch item you would have paid $245. On the way back to the car, some pimply-faced teenagers called us fags. As I was leaving the venue I ran into Gary Holt, who gave me an old school hug; somewhere Baloff's ghost was smiling.
Yes, this was a show geared for Umlaut's generation of Metalheads. The kidz who wear Meshuggah shirts wouldn't appreciate it, but that's fine; it's a generational thing. The Anvil story has been well documented practically everywhere so I'm not going to repeat it... For Umlaut's history with Anvil click HERE (Slim's), HERE (Umlaut meets Sacha Gervasi), and HERE (The Bridge Theater).
On this cold night, of course there was drama at Will Call... "NOT ON THE LIST.." While this put me in a really bad mood initially, it turned out to be a classic example of the Umlaut Nation proving its worth. After trading a couple of phone calls and text messages trying to get in touch with the band's management, I veered off that standard Lock 'N Loll path. I called Umlaut Nation friend Paula in TORONTO who has worked with Anvil for 20 years (Hi Paula!)... Paula in turn sent some messages of her own and, long story short, she gave me Rob Reiner's cell number... so I called the drummer direct! I explained who I was and why I was there and we had a pretty funny conversation that ended with him saying he'd get his tour manager to sort me right away. Right after this, Photo Ray sent me the tour manager's cell so I called him as well... and he informed me he had already sent my tickets to Will Call (Thanks John!). Brilliant networking Umlaut Nation! I'm still shaking my head that someone in TORONTO sorted me in real time as I stood outside in the cold San Francisco night... That would NOT have gone as well back in the 20th Century using a payphone! Thank dog for iPhones.
We got inside in time to see Umlaut friend Nikki Blakk introduce local boyz Attitude Adjustment to the stage. Trivia: 3/4 of the "classic" 1986 lineup of Attitude Adjustment were with Umlaut at Metallica's first ever show in San Franfuckincisco. The band has been playing shows again recently, but without my 3 old friends, and I have to say it was odd to have a hardcore Punk band opening for Anvil. However, from a Bay Area perspective, it was a nice nod to the old local music scene.. but I have to admit the high point of their set was when they brought out 1986-era guitarist, and one of Umlaut's oldest friends, Scaparro for a nostalgic rendition of the song 'Johnny'. It was nice to see Scaparro under the stage lights again... now he needs to get a Two Bit Thief reunion happening!
After the opening set, I noticed that The Fillmore had filled up respectably and I was surprised there were so few Hipsters in attendance given the movie's popularity. This was the 3rd time I'd seen Anvil since their resurrection... However, aside from the pair of Anvil: The Movie performances last year at Slim's and The Bridge Theater, this was Anvil's first proper show in The City By The Bay in maybe 13 years. Their 13-song set kicked off strong with 'March Of The Crabs' > '666' > 'School Love''; it was like being in a time machine and my Inner 16-year old Metalhead was smiling.
A perfect example of how Metal can transcend generations was symbolized by Umlaut's old Metal brother Hans and his teenage son. The kid was wearing his dad's vintage teenage Metalhead denim vest; I documented HERE how that vest reunited Hans and Umlaut after over 20 years. It was funny having Hans' son tell me his grandmother sewed the patches on for his dad and saying "That wasn't very Metal.. having your mom do that.." HAHA! That kid is gonna be alright.
Denim & Leather... Son and Dad
Anyway, back to the show: Jimmy Page has his violin bow... Lips has his vibrator. He pulled the accessory out of his back pocket during an epic extended version of 'Mothra' and utilized the devices' variable speeds admirably. Note to guitarists: The old school plastic vibrators create a better tone than the modern rubber ones.
It was hard not to get caught up in Lips' excitement over playing The Fillmore (on the same stage where the likes of Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix performed)... and because of that positive energy the non-politically correct moments of the set, like Lips making Oriental eyes with his fingers during 'Mothra' and detailing a groupie offering him a sloppy seconds blowjob to intro 'Jackhammer', were endearing rather than causing the typical San Francisco Ultra-Liberal PC reaction ("Ohmygoddidyouhearwhathejustsaid!?").. It was straight up 80's... It was Metal.
Anvil were my Metal Heroes back in the 20th Century, but here in the 21st Century I've moved on; while alot of people my age tend to listen to the same old bands I'm still seeking out new bands that will engage me. During Anvil's set I struggled with how much I was really enjoying the show... My Inner 16-year old Metalhead was smiling, but my current 21st Century Metal self got lost a couple times during the band's mid-tempo songs. In the end, it's Anvil's story that makes them relevant to me and not really their music at this point in my life. Indeed, I bought their first albums when they first came out back in The Day and I still basically know all the lyrics to the Metal On Metal album (I wish they had played 'Tease Me, Please Me'..)... but, as I think I've said in this space before, it's just cool to see an example of how you CAN grow old on your own terms.. and the kidz who belittle Anvil and their story will know what I'm talking about in, like, 10-15 years... or at least I hope they have that realization. Hope I die before I get old.
If you bought one of every Anvil merch item you would have paid $130.. On the way back to the car, some pimply-faced teenagers called us fags. Yeah, Metal on Metal is still the only way... I just see it from a different point of view... Tangled up in "Blew".. and with that random Bob Dylan reference, I am out of here.
Black Cobra Amoeba Records, San Francisco February 5, 2010
Twenty minutes prior to Black Cobra taking the stage at Amoeba there was nobody standing in the area of the stage... Just a couple of random dudes looking at the Oldies CDs.. but they soon moved on. Umlaut was the total lone dork standing right at the front waiting for the set to begin as Rafa and Jason did their obligatory "What's in My Bag" video interview "backstage" for the Amoeba website. Thankfully, within the next several minutes members of the Umlaut Nation arrived to join me... so a shout out to Lori, Richard, Mark, Lynn, and Hard Rock Chick. Just prior to Black Cobra's arrival onstage, a PA announcement was made that told customers an in-store performance was about to begin and that "it will be loud" and earplugs were available at The Information Desk... and with that The Volume Beast was unleashed!
This was Black Cobra's first performance since completing their marathon 3 month Japan / Australia / U.S. Tour at the end of last year. They were allotted 35-40 minutes to ruin the shopping experience of Amoeba's non-Metal customers... and it was a task they dove into with uninhibited lust and for a second, as the firestorm started, I realized I had forgotten what a force of nature the band is onstage... because a volume fury like this is something that almost transcends human comprehension. Black Cobra offers clarity through volume for those who believe.. or to quote the band's own words: "Break the barrier... nothing is unreal... mind's eye carrier... sacred light revealed."
Pic by Umlaut
Clarity through volume, man... Clarity through fucking volume.
It was really cool watching Rafa and Jason from 4 feet away without being shoved from behind or landed on from above by the usual concert crowd. That being said, it was also cool to see a sizable crowd had gathered in the aisles to watch the show... There were some older Punk / Metal scenesters and at least one such couple with a baby in tow.. and I'm sure they were all thankful to be able to hit a show before dinnertime. Hope we die before we get old. The only reality check was the Crusty Dude with the Mayhem logo painted on the back of his leather who stood next to us and whose aroma of unwashed body, hair, and black denim was, like, *real*... a bit too real actually.. but he was obviously a Black Cobra fan so it was all good.
One thing about watching Black Cobra in this intimate setting was I could really focus on their subtle dynamics and also really watch Jason's human form become one with his Les Paul and effects board and Rafa's human form merge with his drum kit and his hands and arms becoming a constant blur as they broke the sound barrier. Very few musicians become *one* with their instruments onstage the way Black Cobra does; most musicians simply "play" their instruments. It's fascinating and incomprehensible at the same time. When I watch Black Cobra perform I can't believe there is so much energy and creativity wasted by humans on soulless, bullshit disposable music (cue Nickelback or The Black Eye Peas). Black Cobra are pure energy that can be traced directly back to that moment when humans first realized that if you stuck your hand into an open flame it would hurt.. and the smell of burning human flesh was both repulsive and somehow strangely appetizing... What? Oh, like you've NEVER had that thought! Whatever...
Anyway, after their set Jason and Rafa served as game show hosts when they selected the winner of a sa-weet Southern Lord prize package:
Pic by Umlaut
The winner was some dude from Berkeley... Umlaut's post performance conversation with Jason included the following exchange:
Umlaut: You were totally channeling Nugent up there, man... Jason: The Nuge? Yeah... Gotta keep it interesting, right?
We stopped next door at Murio's (cue drunken scary, blurry Jäger-fueled blurry scary drunken memories from many years past) for a $3 Happy Hour German beer.. but the drunk stranger in an overcoat who hovered over the girls in our group was a total buzzkill. After saying my goodbyes, I stopped in The Mission at Truly Mediterranean for some takeout... and I saw an ex-girlfriend from almost, like, 19 YEARS ago! Holy shit, let's do time warp again... Needless to say, I made a quick retreat back to Casa de Umlaut and the 21st Century.
Anyway, kudos to Amoeba for not making Black Cobra compromise on their volume and for also letting the band sell their merch after the performance. On the way back to the car, some pimply-faced teenagers called me a fag. Cheers to my brothers in Black Cobra, Jason and Rafa... and Umlaut is stating here publicly that, dudes, we have to seriously hang out again before you're back out on The Road in the very near future. First round is on me.
This 94-page book was published in the U.K. in 1981 by Bobcat Books. It was the first book that documented Heavy Metal that included the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) bands. The book had credibility because one of the co-authors was Malcolm Dome, who wrote for the godlike Hard Rock / Metal English weekly Sounds. Dome later wrote for Kerrang!..
So, yeah, if you were trying to name your fanzine or band... you'd probably find inspiration is all kinds of places... It's a good thing Lars didn't choose "Encyclopedia".
While going through some of the reviews Umlaut wrote in his teenage years, I came across this gem from early 1983:
For the newbies: Back in The Day it's safe to say that most Metalheads liked Def Leppard in the beginning. They were part of the NWOBHM scene out of England that also gave us Iron Maiden; their self-released Bludgeon Riffola EP was almost as sought after as Iron Maiden's Soundhouse Tapes EP. I remember reading an article about the band in Circus magazine and it said how they were around the same age as me... which was impressive to my California suburban teenage mind.
At the time, Def Leppard were pimply-faced English lads and the On Through The Night album was good. When High 'N Dry, their 2nd album, came out they supported the mighty Blackfoot in Sacramento, Oakland, and Santa Cruz... and the Oakland show remains one of my favorite concerts from my high school years. However, while their live show was good, for the High 'N Dry album the band hooked up with producer Mutt Lange and their sound had started to morph into a slick, radio-friendly sound. For the newbies: Mutt Lange basically perfected the "FM Radio" sound for albums by producing everyone from Foreigner and AC/DC in the 80's to Shania Twain and Nickelback in more recent years.
Anyway, by the time Pyromania came out, Def Leppard and Umlaut had become mortal enemies. When I penned that review I had a makeshift Venom - Black Metal back patch on my denim vest (made from a bootleg shirt).. and a band like Def Leppard represented everything I hated about mainstream music. I thought maybe my review would stop the spread of shit music... Okay, not really.. but I was that dogmatic about METAL back then.
Alas, my review was for naught. Fast forward to the 21st Century and Pyromania has sold over 16 million copies worldwide and history tells how that album (and Def Leppard's next 2 Mutt Lange produced albums) ushered in the whole bullshit Hair Metal scene of the mid-80's that destroyed Metal by making it mainstream (which was a bad thing..)... which in turn allowed Grunge to rise from Seattle (which was a good thing!)... and yet the words from that review I wrote as a teenager still haunt me when I see crap like this...
If Taylor Swift wasn't a young tall blonde girl would she still be making millions of dollars with singing that flat?? Discuss amongst yourselves.
Recently I decided to find out what my first published piece of writing was... and here it is (click for a larger image):
Yes, I broke my publishing cherry with a review of the first Mercyful Fate EP that was released on Rave On Records in 1982. Not bad for a pimply-faced teenager, right? It was printed in Issue #9 of Ron Quintana's legendary Metal Mania fanzine. Thinking back, eventhough I was very excited and proud about this, I didn't show my parents because they never understood how their son could listen to such "horrible' music. However, I do remember how amazing it was to see my name and writing in print... Trivia: For the next issue of Metal Mania I reviewed Venom's 2nd album (click for a larger image):
(Note: All of the misspellings can be attributed to the typesetter at the printer. Back in ancient times before personal computers and self-publishing, you had to have the text of your publication formatted by a typesetter at the printers. If they didn't give a shit, like the person who typeset Metal Mania, you were at their mercy regarding misspellings and typos.)
Yeah, Umlaut was into Satanic Metal back in its infancy... and it's comforting to know that I still have so much in common with my teenage self here in the 21st Century. Hope I die before I get old.. The more things change, the more they stay Satanic.
