Van Halen – “House of Pain” (Unreleased Demo – 1977)
More unreleased VH. The original 1977 Gene Simmons demo of the song that ended the 1984 album. The lyrics and chorus are different on this earlier version – just the basic riff is the same.
Van Halen – “Voodoo Queen” (Unreleased – 1977)
Continuing with unreleased VH, comes this 1977 prototype for 1981’s “Mean Streets”…
Van Halen – “Get the Show on the Road” (Unreleased – 1977)
An unreleased song from VH, not sure of the date on this one, but very likely 1977. Some of the lyrics were recycled for 1980’s “Romeo Delight”…
Van Halen – “Gentlemen of Leisure” (Unreleased – 1974)
A short, unreleased song, recorded at Cherokee Studios in 1974…
Van Halen – “Eruption” (1978)
Eddie Van Halen’s solo masterpiece. Still one of the great guitar pieces of all time. This blew me away as an 11 year old kid…it still blows me away…
The Faces – “Five Guys Walk into a Bar…” (2004)
This 2004 review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, from the All Music Guide website, says all there is to know about this great box set from one of the greatest rock & roll bands ever. Long live The Faces! …
There has never been a better box set than the Faces’ Five Guys Walk into a Bar…. There has never been a box that captures an artist so perfectly, nor has a box set taken greater advantage of unreleased and rare material, to the point where it seems as essential and vital as the released recordings. Simply put, there’s never been a box set as necessary as this, since it tells the band’s entire tale and explains exactly what the fuss is all about. Read the rest of this entry »
Michael Jackson – “Thriller” (1982)
One year ago today, MJ passed away. The Beat Patrol posts this review (and one of Off the Wall) by Christopher Connelly from the pages of Rolling Stone, Jan. 20, 1983.
It’s always interesting to see what critics thought of an album at the time of its release. Keep in mind, that at the time, Thriller had a lot to live up to, following up the massive-selling Off the Wall (which was already 3 years old), and there was no way to predict that Thriller would go on to become the biggest-selling album of all time. Most people probably thought it could and would never match Off the Wall’s sales. We take for granted now that it dwarfed the sales of Off the Wall, and everything in its wake…
In the three years since Michael Jackson’s first solo album, Off the Wall, sold 7 million copies and spawned four hit singles, black music has veered away from the danceable but ultraslick style that Off the Wall epitomized. From Prince to Marvin Gave, from rap to Rick James, black artists have incorporated increasingly mature and adventurous themes–culture, sex, politics–into grittier, gutsier music. Read the rest of this entry »
Michael Jackson – “Off the Wall” (1979)
On the first year anniversary of MJ’s passing, The Beat Patrol posts this review by Stephen Holden (Rolling Stone — Nov. 1, 1979) of his excellent Off the Wall album. Can’t believe a whole year has gone by already since his, and Farrah Fawcett’s passing…
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Like many an aging child star, Michael Jackson has had to grow up gracefully in public in order to survive. Until now, he’s understandably clung to the remnants of his original Peter Pan of Motown image while cautiously considering the role of the young prince. Off the Wall marks Jackson’s first decisive step toward a mature show-business personality, and except for some so-so material, it’s a complete success. Read the rest of this entry »
Robert Christgau – “Elvis Presley: Aging Rock” (1972)
A June 1972 Newsday piece about The King…
I was never an Elvis Presley fan when I was a kid. In fact, I couldn’t stand him. As it happened, I heard “Don’t Be Cruel” three or four times before I learned Elvis was singing it, and once I had admitted to myself that I was hooked on that song, it was no real sacrifice to extend my reluctant enthusiasm to “All Shook Up.” But I never understood the excitement over “Heartbreak Hotel”–I considered the Stan Freberg parody exceedingly witty–and refused to even listen to “Hound Dog” or “Love Me Tender.” Read the rest of this entry »
The Beat Patrol 