Top 10 Favorite Songs by Artist

Usually I post about new music and concert reviews in my favorite genre of hard rock.  This post will be a list of favorite songs by some classic rock artists and early alternative bands.  I was inspired by watching The Beach Boys: An American Family during a snowy Saturday and reminiscing about listening to my dad's vinyl collection which was the initial spark in my interest in rock and music in general.

No list is perfect and it is extremely hard for me to rank favorites.  I know not everyone will agree and will have different opinions. That's fine. These are my top 10 favorite original tunes by a few classic artists.  I'll continue to add to this on occasion.  Listed alphabetically by artist first name:

AC/DC
You Shook Me All Night Long
Back in Black
Hells Bells
Highway to Hell
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
TNT
Thunderstruck
Whole Lotta Rosie
Who Made Who
It's A Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock N' Roll)

AEROSMITH
Sweet Emotion
Back in the Saddle
Train Kept A Rollin'
Toys in the Attic
Rats in the Cellar
Walk This Way
Cryin
Dream On
Don't Want To Miss A Thing
Rag Doll

ALICE COOPER
I'm Eighteen
School's Out
No More Mr. Nice Guy
Under My Wheels
Poison
Feed My Frankenstein
Billion Dollar Babies
Long Way To Go
Muscle of Love
Is It My Body

ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND
Whipping Post
Melissa
Ramblin Man
Jessica
Southbound
Midnight Rider
Dreams
Black Hearted Woman
Revival
Soulshine



BEACH BOYS

Good Vibrations
Wouldn't It Be Nice

I Get Around
God Only Knows

Surfin' USA

Kokomo
Fun Fun Fun
Don't Worry Baby
In My Room
Surfer Girl

BEATLES
Yesterday
I Saw Her Standing There
I Wanna Hold Your Hand
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Here Comes The Sun
Revolution
Come Together
Please Please Me
Ticket To Ride
Blackbird

BILLY JOEL
She's Always A Woman To Me
Everybody Loves You Now
For the Longest Time
This Night
Piano Man
Innocent Man
Captain Jack
Miami 2017 (The Lights Go Out on Broadway)
Still Rock and Roll to Me
My Life

BLACK SABBATH

War Pigs

Paranoid

Iron Man 

NIB

Black Sabbath

Sweet Leaf

Supernaut

Heaven and Hell (w/Dio)

Fairies Wear Boots
The Wizard

BLUES TRAVELER
Most Precarious
Yours
Hook
Run Around
Canadian Rose
Felicia

But Anyway
Crash & Burn
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Brother John

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN
Born to Run
Thunder Road
Rosalita
My Hometown
The Ghost of Tom Joad
My City of Ruins
Hungry Heart
Blinded By The Light
Born in the U.S.A.
The Rising

DAVE MATTHEWS BAND

Ants Marching

Satellite

Shake Me Like a Monkey

Why I Am

Crash Into Me

What Would You Say

Tripping Billies

Crush

Too Much

Typical Situation

DAVID BOWIE
Ziggy Stardust
Suffragate City
Moonage Daydream
Changes
Space Oddity
Heroes
Width of A Circle
Black Country Rock
The Man Who Sold the World
Life on Mars?

DIO
Holy Diver
Rainbow in the Dark
Last in Line
Stand Up and Shout 
Straight Through the Heart
Don't Talk to Strangers
We Rock
I Speed At Night
Sacred Heart
Born on the Sun

DOOBIE BROTHERS
China Grove
Jesus is Just Alright
Long Train Runnin'
Black Water
Listen to the Music
Takin' It To the Streets
Nobody
Greenwood Creek
Without You
Minute By Minute

DOORS
Roadhouse Blues
Break on Through
Touch Me
Light My Fire
Love Me Two Times
People Are Strange
L.A. Woman
Riders on the Storm
Gloria
My Eyes Have Seen You

EAGLES
Hotel California
Already Gone
Take It Easy
Peaceful Easy Feeling
Heartache Tonight
Life In the Fast Lane
Take It to the Limit
Desperado
Lyin Eyes
Witchy Woman

ELTON JOHN
Bennie and the Jets
Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting
Rocket Man
Can You Feel the Love Tonight
Crocodile Rock
Your Song
Circle of Life
Your Sister Can't Twist (but she can rock 'n roll)
Tiny Dancer
Candle in the Wind

GUNS N' ROSES (orig. only)
Sweet Child O'Mine
Welcome to the Jungle
Paradise City
November Rain
Nightrain
My Michelle
Mr. Brownstone
Used to Love Her
Don't Cry
Patience

IRON MAIDEN
Run to the Hills
Number of the Beast
The Trooper
Hallowed Be Thy Name
Invaders
Phantom of the Opera
Aces High
Rime of the Ancient Mariner
Fear of the Dark
Wasted Years

JETHRO TULL

Locomotive Breath
Aqualung
Too Old To Rock and Roll
Bungle in the Jungle
The Whistler
Hymn 43
Living in the Past
Sweet Dream
Skating Away (On the Ice of a New Day)
Dr. Bogenbroom


JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE
Purple Haze
Voodoo Child
All Along the Watchtower (Dylan)
Foxey Lady
Fire
The Wind Cries Mary
Manic Depression
Bold As Love
Crosstown Traffic
If 6 Was 9

JUDAS PRIEST 
Screaming for Vengeance
Judas is Rising
Breaking the Law
You've Got Another Thing Coming
Painkiller

Metal God
Living After Midnight
The Sentinel
Lightning Strike

Halls of Valhalla

LED ZEPPELIN

Rock and Roll

Black Dog

Immigrant Song

Whole Lotta Love

Dazed and Confused

Stairway to Heaven

Communication Breakdown

Good Times Bad Times

Ramble On

Heartbreaker

LYNYRD SKYNYRD
Free Bird
Simple Man 
Sweet Home Alabama
Gimme Three Steps
What's Your Name
I Know a Little
Workin' For MCA
Tuesday's Gone
Saturday Night Special
You Got That Right

MEAT LOAF
Paradise By the Dashboard Light
Bat Out of Hell
You Took the Words Right Outta My Mouth
All Revved Up and No Place to Go
Two Out of Three Ain't Bad
Everything Louder Than Everything Else
Objects in the Rearview Mirror
I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)
Where the Rubber Meets the Road
Amnesty Is Granted

MEGADETH

Holy Wars...The Punishment Due
Peace Sells
Symphony of Destruction
Angry Again
Hangar 18
Mechanix
Dialectic Chaos
Rattlehead
Never Dead
Dystopia

METALLICA

Enter Sandman

Hit the Lights

Master of Puppets

Metal Militia

Sad But True

Seek and Destroy

For Whom the Bell Tolls

Creeping Death

Lux Aeterna
One

MOTORHEAD

Ace of Spades
Iron Fist
Overkill
Damage Case
Dead Men Tell No Tales
Born to Raise Hell
Speedfreak
Live to Win
Go to Hell
Loser

NIRVANA 

Smells Like Teen Spirit
All Apologies
Come As You Are
Aneurysm
Breed
Heart Shaped Box
Rape Me
Lithium
Dumb
Pennyroyal Tea

OZZY OSBOURNE

Crazy Train

Mr. Crowley

No More Tears

Over the Mountain

Flying High Again

Bark at the Moon

Perry Mason

Diary of a Madman

Patient Number 9

Mama I'm Comin' Home

QUEEN
Bohemian Rhapsody
Somebody to Love
We Are the Champions
We Will Rock You
Another One Bites the Dust
Don't Stop Me Now
Tie Your Mother Down
Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Killer Queen
Keep Yourself Alive

REO SPEEDWAGON
Roll With the Changes
Take It On the Run
Time For Me To Fly
Say You Love Me or Say Goodnight
Ridin' the Storm Out
Keep On Lovin' You
Can't Fight This Feeling
Runnin' Blind
Let Me Ride
Do You Know Where Your Woman Is Tonight

ROLLING STONES
I Can't Get No Satisfaction
Honkey Tonk Women
Jumpin' Jack Flash
It's Only Rock & Roll (But I Like It)
Gimme Shelter
Wild Horses
Start Me Up
Paint It Black
Brown Sugar
Sympathy For the Devil

TED NUGENT

Stranglehold

Cat Scratch Fever

Wang Dang Sweet Poontang

Free For All

Great White Buffalo

Wango Tango

Motor City Madhouse

Hey Baby

Heads Will Roll
Turn It Up

THIN LIZZY

Boys Are Back In Town

Cowboy Song

Jailbreak

Whiskey In the Jar

Cold Sweat
Emerald

Soldier of Fortune

Waiting For An Alibi

The Rocker

Angel From the Coast

TOM PETTY & The HEARTBREAKERS
Runnin' Down A Dream
Free Fallin
American Girl
Mary Jane's Last Dance
You Don't Know How It Feels
I Won't Back Down
Don't Come Around Here No More
You Wreck Me
Refugee
I Need To Know


TWISTED SISTER
We're Not Gonna Take It
I Wanna Rock
Under the Blade
Tear It Loose
I Am (I'm Me)
S.M.F.
Burn in Hell
You Can't Stop Rock and Roll
What You Don't Know (Sure Can Hurt You)
The Kids Are Back

VAN HALEN
Eruption

Panama

Ain’t Talkin’ Bout Love

Why Can’t This Be Love

I’m The One

On Fire

Runnin’ With the Devil

Unchained

Mean Street
Hot For Teacher

 
THE WHO
(no definitive order because they are all 10/10)
Baba O'Riley
I Can See For Miles
My Generation
Pinball Wizard
Squeezebox
Who Are You
You Better You Bet
Won't Get Fooled Again
Behind Blue Eyes
I Can't Explain

WEEZER (THIS HAS CAUSED ME MUCH ANXIETY AND HAS NEVER BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE EVER AND I PROBABLY WILL DISAGREE WITH MYSELF AD INFINITUM)
Say It Ain't So
My Name Is Jonas
Put Me Back Together
Tired of Sex
Jamie
Don't Let Go
Perfect Situation
Across the Sea
Dope Nose
Mykel and Carli
 
ZZ TOP

Sharp Dressed Man
Tush
La Grange
Gimme All Your Lovin'
Got Me Under Pressure 
Legs
I Thank You
Cheap Sunglasses
Brown Sugar
Beer Drinkers & Hellraisers

Times Like These...are for rock

So I've been long overdue for a new blog post.  I moved again which took up my whole August vacation.  Then I had to get adjusted to a new job and if that wasn't enough I kept my Saturday job and added two college classes teaching a Senior Seminar in Biology.  Even though the first major grading deadline is rapidly approaching and I should be grading lab reports and writing student comments I find myself compelled to write about music instead.  Two main reasons: one is the sadness over the Paris shootings @ Bataclan on November 13, and the subsequent tour cancellations.  Second, I continue to find reasons to believe that rock is alive and well.

My music blog isn't the forum to get political about the aftermath of the tragedy in Paris.  I just want to say that, first of all, my heart goes out to all those that lost their lives or lost loved ones due to the senseless violence.  89 people were killed at the concert!  Second, though the major events took place in a country I've never been to and have no familial ties to, this one hit home because it was an American rock band, the Eagles of Death Metal, that were playing when the terrorists struck.  Contrary to the name, the band does not actually play death metal music.  That doesn't really matter though.  Nobody deserves to be the target of deadly attacks and especially not people that were peacefully gathering for a concert.  Third, there has been a largely inspiring swell of support for the victims and the citizens of Paris.  

Ok, so what is happening as a result?  Some bands on tour in Europe immediately suspended shows in the days and weeks after the attack.  Some did so out of fear, others out of respect; some had no choice because the venue or city chose for them.  Other bands continued to play shows where they could.  Sadly, now there have been more terroristic threats that are shutting down tours from the likes of Papa Roach/FFDP, Lamb of God, and many more - even in places like Germany and the UK.  Bands want to be there as an outlet for fans and it is a huge hassel and financial loss to cancel, but they can't risk the safety of band members, crew, and fans.

Now for the positives.  First, the ever-so-lovable Foo Fighters have just released a free EP of new songs.  That's right, free music!  It is called Saint Cecilia and is available through distributors at foofighters.com  The band is suggesting donations to the victims of the Paris attacks instead of paying for the songs.  They are pretty rocking tracks too.  They remind me of their There is Nothing Left to Lose days circa 1999.  Just when you thought Dave Grohl couldn't get any cooler, he plays shows with a broken leg and then releases new tunes for free and it is better than Sonic Highways.


Last but not least, some evidence of the continued revival of rock and some music suggestions:

A Skylit Drive - ASD:  They continue to reinvent themselves and impress me with their versatility and edge on this one.  At times they sound like Issues, Atreyu, and Bring Me the Horizon in the same song!

Black Tide - Chasing Shadows:  Like Burn Halo on crack.  Clean singing, riffs, and solos for days!  Do your self a favor and look them up.

Bullet For My Valentine - Venom:  Their sound changes every album, but it is always in your face.  This may be their most complete album.

Buried in Verona - Vultures Above, Lions Below:  My new favorite heavy band.  No other commentary necessary.

Burn Halo - Wolves of War:  Their hardest hitting release yet.

Clutch - Psychic Warfare:  Old band sounds revived and relevant . . . and gets back to rocking out!

Five Finger Death Punch - Get Your 6: They continue to carry the torch for heavy music and despite the prolifery, they haven't lost anything.

Sleepwave - Broken Compass:  Ex-Underoath singer brings elements of post-hardcore and post-numetal with energy and passion.

Finger Eleven and Five Crooked Lines

The first time I heard "First Time" and "Drag You Down" by Finger Eleven I was floored.  I got The Greyest of Blue Skies album and instantly connected with it.  After the hard rocking openers I fell in love with the emotion in "My Carousel, Sick of It All, For the Ocean, Broken Words, Suffocate, Bones & Joints, Famous, Walking In My Shoes, and Stay and Drown."   I had found a new great band.  I went back and got Tip, and although it didn't move me as much, it was respectable.  In 2001, I got to see them live and it was a magical night.  In only my eighth concert experience, I got to see Drowning Pool who were just about to blow up with the mosh anthem "Bodies," and I got to meet the charismatic and humble Dave Williams.  I got to see Stereomud who were a solid hard rock band with a good singer.  I got to see Boy Hits Car and be blown away with their stage presence and "LoveCore" energy.  Headlining that night was Finger Eleven.  While it was hard to top what BHC had just done, Finger Eleven were great.  They had the songs and the musicianship to keep me there all night even though I had an organic chemistry exam the next day.  The exam didn't go well, but in my opinion it was worth it. 

Fast forward to early 2004 and I saw Finger Eleven again.  This time they were touring in support of their self titled release that featured "One Thing," their best known single.  Even though they were gaining popularity, they were opening for Smile Empty Soul and Trapt.  All the bands were great, but I left even more impressed with Finger Eleven.  The guitarist had this cool bodiless guitar that looked like nothing more than a rod iron skeleton with strings.  Singer Scott Anderson had the crowd eating out of the palm of his hand and yet he was appreciative and grateful.  He said we made his day and his week!  In 2007 they released Them vs. You vs. Me and while I felt let down that they went in a more pop direction, it brought the catchy and creative "Paralyzer" that brought the band an even bigger audience.  I bought an album of demos and re-releases called Us. vs. Then vs. Now which I enjoyed and then I kind of slept on them and missed the fact that they put out a record in 2010 called Life Turns Electric.

I had been curious about their 2015 release, but honestly I wasn't getting my hopes up too much.  I previewed it and I immediately had to buy it.  It turns out it is a damn good effort.  The album is called Five Crooked Lines and it has elements of Finger Eleven from all the previous albums, but it is also fresh and very rock and roll.  "Gods of Speed" kicks it off with a fast driving beat and even a little Queens of the Stone Age kind of sound.  "Criminal" sounds like a throwback to their earlier discs.  "Save Your Breath" is the most raw and gritty they have shown in a while.  "Wolves and Doors" has the funky disco beat reminiscent of "Paralyzer" and might be the lead single because I found a video for it that features part band performance and part bleeding skulls, body paint, and stalking wolf imagery.  Usually when the album title track is buried in the middle of the album it is a let down, but that is far from the case with "Five Crooked Lines."  With its distorted bass and straight up rock drumming, that song rips!  Welcome back F11.

Dark Before Dawn

So this week Breaking Benjamin topped the Billboard 200 Album Chart with Dark Before Dawn that was released on Tuesday, June 23.  Some online music news publications have been declaring this a sign that rock still lives.  Critics say that Breaking Benjamin is "too pop" or won't top the charts for long.  Regardless, I see this as a victory for rock music and the band itself.  First, the #1 album is not from Taylor Swift or Fetty Wap or the Pitch Perfect soundtrack or whatever else.  It is a bona fide rock band.  Only Muse has accomplished this recently.  Second, this is sort of a comeback album after the band was on hiatus after 2009's Dear Agony (which debuted at #4).  There has been barely any publicity about this album's release and only die hard fans were really poised to pick it up its first week.  This makes it even more surprising that the album launched as good as it did, selling over 140,000 copies. Quietly, their greatest hits album Shallow Bay: The Best of Breaking Benjamin topped the Hard Rock Albums chart for three consecutive years, from 2011 to 2013! Despite this, somehow this band never gets mentioned in mainstream media.  Third, it is remarkable that the band has survived legal trouble, a lineup overhaul, and the severe medical issues of the lead singer, lead song writer, and guitar player, Benjamin Burnley, to come back on top.

Burnley has been suffering from an unknown illness since 2007.  Symptoms and severity vary, but include muscle pain, joint pain, dizziness, severe headaches, and chronic fatigue.  The new lineup includes lead guitarist Jasen Rauch from RED, ex-Adelita's Way guitarist Keith Wallen on rhythm guitar and backing vocals, bassist Aaron Bruch, and drummer Shaun Foist from Picture Me Broken.  The group will also be touring throughout the remainder of the summer at least until October.

While the new album is not breaking any new ground, I am generally in the camp of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."  The group could have easily went in a different direction and fans could have been alienated and written off the new additions to the band.  Instead, they made a record that sounds like Breaking Benjamin.  Highlights include Breaking the Silence, Great Divide, and Bury Me Alive.

I admit I have been a fan of this band since I first heard Polyamorous in 2002.  I still think their debut, Saturate, is one of the best and most complete hard rock albums of all time.  They became one of my favorite bands after I saw them at the Crocodile Rock in Pennsylvania in August of 2004.  It was a small club that was oversold and, to boot, they had no air conditioning.  Did I mention it was August?  They were routinely hosing off the crowd so that we wouldn't pass out.  The opening bands weren't bad, but the only thing that saved this night from a complete bust was Breaking Benjamin.  They played with tremendous energy, engaged the crowd, and completely commanded the stage and rocked their asses off.  They have had more commercial success since then and continued to be consistent in turning out the hits.  Singles So Cold, Sooner or Later, and Diary of Jane all hit #2 on the Mainstream Rock chart.  Phobia reached #2 on the Billboard 200 and Top Internet albums charts thanks to songs like The Diary of Jane, Breath, Evil Angel, and Until the End.  The bottom line is that if you are fans of Breaking Benjamin, this is worth picking up.  If you don't know much about them, but are fans of 3 Doors Down, Seether, Red, Three Days Grace, Theory of a Deadman, etc. you definitely wanna check it out too.  I also suggest going deeper into their back catalogue.

Breaking Benjamin 2015 via Wikipedia

Twisted Sister AJ Pero Tribute

Twisted Sister - A Concert to Honor AJ Pero.  Starland Ballroom June 13, 2015

Almost every metal fan has an "a-ha" moment - a song, an album, a concert that turns them on to metal music.  It is like a gateway into metal.  For me that was "We're Not Gonna Take It" from Stay Hungry by Twisted Sister.  You see, my dad had a habit of putting on his records and blasting some of his favorite tunes through the stereo, usually on weekends.  One day he plays this record and from the boom, click of the drums it caught my ear.  Then comes this in your face anthem.  I was amped.  Later, I got in the habit of coming home from school and putting on my dad's records.  When I listened to all of Stay Hungry I fell even more in love with the band.  This concerned my mom a bit, but she knew I was a good kid and not to worry too much.  So it was, that Twisted Sister was the first metal band that I hooked in with and this opened up my musical tastes to a whole new genre.

It was a dream come true when I was able to see them for the first time with my dad at WDHA's Rock the Park 2005 at Montclair State University's Yogi Berra Stadium.  Dee was in full costume and makeup and the others, except Mark Mendoza, had their glam makeup on as well.  The attitude that they played with and the incomparable stage presence of Dee Snider made this a concert to remember.  Of most note was him asking for the stadium lights to be turned on because the small stage rigging wasn't cutting it and "we got dressed up all pretty for the people."  It was a fantastic end to a rocking show that also featured Queen V (a local NJ talent contest winner), Sebastian Bach (of Skid Row), and .38 Special.  The most memorable songs from Twisted that night were "What You Don't Know (Sure Can Hurt You)" that they opened with, and "S.M.F." that they closed with.  Interestingly, they played "We're Not Gonna Take It" in the middle of the set.  Dee said he knew that a lot of people in the audience just came for that song and had to go home and relieve the babysitter so he'd get it out of the way, haha.

Now to last night's show.  The concert is part of a small series of shows entitled "The Sound of Thunder Tour" to honor former drummer AJ Pero who died of a heart attack at the age of 55 on March 20 of this year.  The night began with a band called Billy Mira & The Hitmen.  They played mostly big band covers like "Rock This Town" by the Stray Cats and "Zoot Suit Riot" by Cherry Poppin' Daddies.  It was kind of a weird opener, but apparently AJ had been playing shows with these guys.  The lead singer is definitely a performer and in between songs he entertained the crowd with impressions including Tony Soprano, Ozzy Osbourne, David Lee Roth, and a "metal" Tom Jones.

The next band was Four by Fate which featured bassist John Regan and guitarist/keyboardist/singer Tod Howarth formerly of Frehley's Comet.  Rounding them out is guitarist Patrick James (Pound/Flywheel) and drummer Rob Affuso (Skid Row).  AJ Pero had been recording with Four by Fate and the band said they may have the last studio recordings with AJ.  Tod has an amazing voice, and he played a guitar with no headstock which I had never seen before.  The sound of this band was much more appropriate as an opener for Twisted Sister and they really rocked. 

Four By Fate, Starland Ballroom 6/13/15

After the set change two of AJ's children came out to thank the crowd.  Also one of the roadies said that he took away 4 things about AJ:  He loved music, his family, his fans, and the Mets.

Finally, Twisted Sister with Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater/Adrenaline Mob/Winery Dogs) on drums took the stage.  Though there was no makeup except for some blue eyeshadow on Dee, they grabbed the crowd in traditional form by beginning with "What You Don't Know (Sure Can Hurt You)."  They then played what amounted to as a greatest hits setlist including all of their fan-favorite songs except for Captain Howdy.  Below you can see the setlist where it was scratched.  The only error is that instead of "Come Out and Play," which only played over the PA as they came back on stage for an encore, they decided to keep the blacked out "Tear It Loose" which is from their debut studio album Under the Blade.  They rocked it!  The set contained multiple breakdowns where Dee would talk to the crowd or prime us for singing along.  I liked that he talked about "I Am (I'm Me)" as being the song he is most proud of lyrically.  That song made its mark on me when I first heard it and it continues to be inspiring.  Dee said that "The Price" was written about the internal conflicts he felt about being on the road and away from his family.  This was interesting to me because the lyrics might lead one to think it was about suicide, but he said it wasn't about giving up on life, but giving up on the career in music.  I guess just like the song "Under the Blade" that brought them much criticism from the government, you never know what the artist is thinking when they pen the words and they are always up for interpretation.  During Senate hearings in 1985, Dee said this song wasn't about knife violence, but about undergoing surgery.

There were, of course, multiple mentions of AJ Pero by Dee and guitarist Jay Jay French as well.  They cited him as being "the nice one in the group" and the one who helped push the band to play out and play hard.  Dee said that the upcoming "Forty and Fuck It" leg of the tour would be the band's last.  This is partly due to the loss of AJ as well as the fact that the band doesn't want to continue to play until they fade away (in popularity or in skill).  Until he died, AJ had been playing and recording with a number of bands and was on tour with Adrenaline Mob.  Jay Jay said that he asked AJ why he kept playing and how he could keep up with the demands of touring at his age and he replied "because the fire still burns" which led to the song of the same name.  The songs that stood out to me as great on this night were "Shoot 'Em Down," "We're Not Gonna Take It," and "Burn In Hell."  In the middle of "Burn in Hell" the screen dropped down in front of the stage and video of an AJ Pero drum solo from a Twisted show from last year played.  It didn't sound like a recording so I suspect that Portnoy was playing along live behind the screen, but I can't confirm that.  I don't think "I Wanna Rock" was tight sounding, but the crowd really got into it and nearly blew the roof off singing along.  I wish I knew what the decibel level was during the performance.  My ears are still ringing from it.  The pictures posted below are my own except for the setlist which was posted by Eddie Trunk (who I still have yet to run into).  I didn't take many photos because I wanted to enjoy the show and also because a bunch of people around me were taking pics and video that were much higher quality and I'm hoping they will show up on the internet.  If you have any pics you wouldn't mind sharing, please send them my way.  Overall, the concert was well worth the price of admission.  Moreover, there may not be another Twisted Sister concert in New Jersey again and I wanted to be able to say I was there.  I am so glad I went and my SMF spirit was reignited.  RIP AJ.  Long live TS.

Twisted Sister w/ Mike Portnoy, Starland Ballroom 6/13/15

Coal Chamber Comeback

I first heard about Coal Chamber around the time of their major label self-titled debut in 1997.  It was really an accident that I discovered them at this time.  I was in high school and I was just starting to expand my musical tastes.  This was a time when I was really into Dave Matthews Band and Hootie & the Blowfish.  About the hardest rock you could hear on the radio was Third Eye Blind (whose debut I also really liked).  I was a member of Columbia House (remember them?) and had been buying up CDs like crazy.  I saw a picture of Coal Chamber in the catalog and decided to take a chance on them.  Their goth look spoke to me for some reason even though I was a nerdy, preppy kind of kid.  The songs Loco, Bradley, and Big Truck turned me on to a new style of music and a new type of emotional connection with music.  I could turn it up loud and scream along to release some pent up rage or I could just bang my head to the rhythmic beats and simple choruses.  They were a little more accessible than the Deftones and not as creepy as early Korn.  I feel that although their songs are far from complicated, that they are underrated as a band that helped bring heavy music into the public during the nu-metal explosion.

I liked them so much I bought Chamber Music in 1999 and although I thought they took a step backward in terms of heaviness and rawness, I still invested in Dark Days when it came out in 2002.  This was their heaviest record and saw the return of simple sing-along choruses on tracks such as Fiend, Watershed, and Something Told Me.  After their breakup at the end of 2002 I basically forgot about them until Dez reemerged in DevilDriver.

I finally got my chance to see the reunited Coal Chamber April 3, 2015.  But first a few notes about the openers.  The Starland Ballroom show began with Saint Ridley.  I had never heard of this band before.  They are a local metal band who did a decent job energizing the crowd.  Their music was nothing too noteworthy except that I thought it was interesting that their drummer was positioned sideways ala Stryper and Nonpoint.  The second band CombiChrist was noteworthy.  They came out guns blazing with strobe lights and a lead singer with a mask full of red LED lights obscuring his face.  Their sound is a hybrid of industrial, electronica, and metal.  They had a keyboard player and DJ along with the traditional rock instruments.  Their drummer also played sideways and he played with a lot of passion.  Reading some Facebook comments afterwards, the crowd was pretty divided about them.  In the moment, the crowd seemed into them and I would know since I moved from my spot by the side bar down to the front middle of the floor to get a closer look and mosh a little.  The song that probably stood out the most was "Can't Control" from their most recent release We Love You.  After American Head Charge unexpectedly dropped off the tour without explanation, Filter rounded out the opening acts.  This was my second time seeing Filter and they were well received by the crowd.  They didn't play their hit "Take My Picture" as Richard Patrick said "we'll play that next time."  They chose to stick to a more rocking set which included newer songs like "Take That Knife Outta My Back" and classics like "Hey Man, Nice Shot."  Before the latter, Patrick talked about the inspiration for the song and added that the band has played it for the troops for many years.  He added "We don't need to be in Iraq.  We don't need to be in Afghanistan...You wouldn't catch Rihanna speaking the truth like this!"  If you think Filter are a one-hit wonder or are washed up, I dare you to pick up their latest album, or better yet, go see them in concert.

5 Above photos: Combichrist @ Starland 4/3/15

Filter @ Starland 4/3/15

At last it was time for Coal Chamber.  The reunited lineup of Mike Cox on drums, "Meegs" Rascon on guitar, and the sexy Nadja Peulen on bass joined lead singer Dez Fafara for their comeback tour before the release of the forthcoming Rivals due out in May.  They opened with "Loco" followed it up with "Big Truck" and it only got crazier from there.  The band sounded great and the energy on stage and in the crowd was insane.  By this time I had retreated back to the side of the room, but I was still surrounded by people pumping their fists, jumping up and down, and flailing around in dance.  They played a good mix of songs from their three releases as well as the heavy title track from their latest effort.  The band chemistry seemed renewed.  They looked locked in and excited to be playing together.  Dez promises that DevilDriver hasn't gone away, but I think he is enjoying the second life of Coal Chamber at the moment.  We'll see how long it lasts.  I for one hope that both bands can continue successfully.

Coal Chamber "Big Truck" @ Starland 4/3/15