The Future Kings of Spain – A History: 2000 – 2009
Posted in General Tickets There Blog, Music, News with tags Future Kings of Spain, Future Kings of Spain Bio, Joey Wilson, Nervousystem on September 22, 2009 by Tickets ThereWIRED DESIRE – Damn Hard
Posted in General Tickets There Blog, Music with tags The Hard Stuff, Wired Desire on September 22, 2009 by Tickets There
If You haven’t heard of this group then it’s time you did. Wired Desire are one of the hottest rock bands Tickets There has heard in many a year. If you’re a fan of Guns N Roses, Aerosmith or ZZ Top, then you’re going to love this group.
Check out their MySpace Now
KISS-LECTION – Tickets There celebrates Alive 35
Posted in General Tickets There Blog, Music, News with tags 100000 Years, 2000 man, All Hell's Breaking Loose, Animalize, Asylum, Black Diamond, Calling Dr. Love, Cold Gin, Crazy Crazy Nights, Destroyer, Detroit Rock City, Deuce, Do You Love Me, Dressed to Kill, Dynasty, Firehouse, Flaming Youth, God Gave Rock N Roll to you 2, God of Thunder, Hard Luck Woman, Heavens in Fire, Hotter than Hell, I LOve It Loud, King of the Night Time World, KISS, Kiss first album, KISS Review, Ladies Room, Lick It Up, Love Gun, Modern Day Delilah, New York Groove, Nothin' to lose, Parasite, Psycho Circus, Rock N Roll All Night, Rock N Roll Over, Shandi, Shock Me, Shout It Out Loud, Sonic Boom, Strutter, Sure Know Something, Tears are Falling, Uh! All Night, Unmasked on September 21, 2009 by Tickets There
Welcome to the official Tickets There KISS-LECTION, 35 out our favorite KISS songs. A lot of them may be obvious but I’m afraid Tickets There isn’t here to entertain hordes of die-hard fanatics when it’s comes to KISS. This band are about rock n roll baby and this list is a compilation of the songs that brought TT into the KISS world and keep us there every day. In all fairness, filling the 35 in took about three minutes so you can probably expect another 35 in the near future because there are still a lot of classics to be discussed.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with the hottest band in the world, KISS are a four piece formed in New York in the early seventies. They play straight up rock n roll and have done so for over three decades. Oh, and they wear full face makeup, wear six inch healed (platform) boots, black sparkly costumes (with wings in Gene’s case), travel the world with more pyrotechnics and fireworks than China, Fly across the audience at their live shows, have stages built on the roofs of their sound desk and stage rook not to mention the fire breathing, blood spitting, smoking guitars and everything else.
They also have thousands of products for sale with their name on it. Everything from Candy to Coffins. Keep your eyes pealed this year for KISS M&M’s, KISS Mr. Potato Heads and much, much more. Don’t you wish every band in the world was as much fun as KISS
1. 100,000 Years – (KISS, 1974)
Ok, Lets start (actually this is the 20th one I’ve written but what the hell), 100,000 years comes from the bands debut album (half of which makes up this list). It’s not only brilliant. It’s so mouth wateringly wholesome and warm that it makes your heart smile and your soul fly with an airline that prides themselves on doing the exact opposite of Ryanair. Maybe a tad dramatic but there ya go, 100,000 years rocks folks!!
2. 2,000 Man – (Dynasty, 1979)
Can I include cover songs? Well I’ve got two on this list so it would seem I can include anything you want. 2,000 Man is a Rolling Stones cover and KISS do a superb job of it.
3. All Hell’s Breakin’ Loose – (Lick It Up – 1983)
The question isn’t why I like this song, it’s ‘Why don’t you like this song?
4. Black Diamond – (KISS, 1974)
Along with Cold Gin and a handful of others, Black Diamond is amongst the Crème de la Crème of KISS material. This is the real band and a sample of the glue that holds the whole KISS universe together. Without incredible, solid and full on hard rock belters like this, everything else would crumble. It’s always been about the music with KISS and this early little slice of brilliance proves that, no matter what gene tries to tell you 😉
5. Calling Dr. Love – (Rock N Roll Over, 1976)
Calling Dr. Love is one of the highlights from 1976’s Destroyer. Gene’s voice always brings that something extra special to KISS song’s. His demon persona really comes across and he obviously loves it. That makes the songs so much more appealing and enjoyable. Dr. Love is, at the end of the day fluff, but it’s good fluff. All things KISS are always good.
6. Cold Gin – (KISS, 1974)
Great intro, incredible riff, great vocals, drums, flow, music, song, band, drink…aghh everything. Cold Gin should be a countries national anthem it’s so good. Gene growls his way through the verse, chewing every word and spitting em back out in your face, biotch! One of the true classics from KISS and an absolute must to hear live. Just listen to that melody thing near the end and the fade out….drools!!!
7. Crazy, Crazy Nights – (Crazy, Crazy Nights, 1987)
Ahhh, classic eighties KISS. Yet another of those ‘stick it on in a night club’ type classics. An absolute tribute to the post-makeup lineup and still a thrilling one to catch live.
8. Detroit Rock City – (Destroyer, 1976)
The first KISS song I would have called my favorite. Detroit Rock City is the band at their best. It’s one of those Cold Gin, Strutter, Love Gun kind of classics. Loud guitars, booming chorus, great riffs, the whole package. Then again, this is KISS not Radiohead and KISS always deliver!
9. Deuce – (KISS, 1974)
For the simple fact that KISS opened with this track when I saw them or for the reason that the last time I went to an Iron Maiden gig, myself and my girlfriend spent the whole thing standing at the bar singing this rather than watching Bruce and the boys, this is probably my favorite KISS song. It’s not only the way they come down from the top of the stage when they play it live or the routine Paul, Gene and Ace(Tommy) do live, it’s all about the sher brilliance of the track. A solid hard rock classic with one the greatest riffs in KISS-Tory!
10. Do You Love Me – (Destroyer, 1976)
The ultimate rock star track. Any Yoko’s or Courtney Loves out there? Well here it is, the singer finally singing about you folks. Why has the world suddenly started making Yoko Ono trendy again? The woman is really, really F**ked in the head and a total cow. She tried to sue one girl because she was a singer and her surname is Lennon!! Really people, stick her in the loony bin with Manson and let’s move on.
11. Firehouse – (KISS, 1974)
One of those KISS styled KISS Standards. Cant wait to see how many times I typed KISS in this review :D. Firehouse is great live, it’s great on record and it’s great to sing along to. Slow but deadly.
12. Flaming Youth – (Destroyer, 1976)
I know, how can Destroyer deliver any more classics? Well, it’s a KISS record so it can pretty much do anything it likes.
13. God Gave Rock N Roll To You II – (Revenge – 1992)
Yeah, Bill and Ted, so what? Anthem, Anthem, Anthem,. Forget every other song in this review I called an anthem,. This is it. Well, this and Rick N Roll All Night, that’s really is another KISS Anthem. Not one I’d rush to hear them play live but they generally have it on at the end of their gig on the PA and that’s a nice touch to finish the evening off.
14. God of Thunder – (Destroyer, 1976)
Not sure I was ever 100% comfortable with this one. One day I think it’s brilliant, the next day I can barely stand to hear it. Couldn’t ever leave it off a list though, it’s one of Gene’s classics and the man deserves a lot more mentions that I’ve given him.
15. Hard Luck Woman – (Rock N Roll Over, 1976)
One of the reasons I would love to see Peter Criss back in band. Hard Luck Woman is Acoustic KISS at their finest. Apparently Paul Stanley offered this to Rod Stewart originally but Stewart rejected it (mistake fucker) so KISS recorded it. Not only that, but they did a damn fine job and Peter Criss proves he’s not all about Beth..which you’ll noticed can’t be found in this list!)
16. Heaven’s on Fire – (Animalize, 1984)
Someone’s gonna nail me on this one. If I get away with Tear are Falling then I’m getting shouted at for this one but…we’re not gonna take it. Brilliant song, deal with it. Eighties, guitars, big vocals, bigger chorus. Just watch out for the music video, that thing’ll scar you.
17. Hotter Than Hell – (Hotter Than Hell, 1974)
Hot, Hot, Hotter than Hell. Who could they be singing about I wonder (adds cheeky grin)?. Everything it says on the tin with an added dash of deadly!
18. I Love It Loud – (Creatures of the Night, 1982)
I Love It Loud, one of the few KISS songs you can listen to 18,000 times in a row and never, ever, ever,ever, ever, ever get sick off. It’s just a brute of a song with Gene’s bellowing voice booming throughout. Check out the Exposed DVD and you’ll see a clip of them playing this (the last show with their make-up) and you’ll be converted. 100,000 people, KISS and I Love It Loud!
19. Ladies Room – (Rock N Roll Over, 1976)
I suppose I’m including this for the simple reason that it reminds me of a funny moment in Detroit Rock City. I’m not going to describe it because it’ll sound cheap and completely loose it’s humor aspect but it’s good. Fun song, generic KISS ya know?
20. Lick It Up – (Lick It Up – 1983)
Even if you aren’t a fan, you know this one. Lick It Up is without a doubt one of the top three singles from Eighties KISS. It’s loud, it’s fast, it’s simple, it’s in your face KISS!. Put this song on in a nightclub and every girl there will super glue herself to the nearest pole and dance. Meanwhile all the guys will be worried that liking a band that wears make-up will make them gay. Anyone who worries about that is gay. Just helping you fellas out of the closet there.
21. Love Gun – (Love Gun, 1977)
Who doesn’t like Love Gun? If you don’t know go to YouTube and cop on. Possibly KISS’s finest recorded moment. A blitz of guitars, riffs, drums, screaming, everything. Love Gun is 100% American Made, Family un-friendly KISS-O-Rific
22. Modern Day Delilah – (Sonic Boom, 2009)
The one and only song to be included from Sonic Boom…so far. If this is anything to go by, several more new ones will be heading towards the top 35 soon. MDD is a fantastic song with Paul’s voice sounding stronger than it has for years. The riffs, the drums everything is great. May not pack the full wallop of the older material but given time, I think this song will mature very, very well.
23. New York Groove – (Ace Frehley¸ 1978)
I heard this on the Second Coming DVD and managed to find it on Ace’s 1978 solo record. A cover (the 2nd of the two) and another crackin’ one at that. Totally different from normal KISS but that’s not something to criticize……this one time ;). Good funky kind of beat, Ace singing one of the best songs he’s ever done.
24. Nothin’ to Lose – (KISS, 1974)
Was thinking of adding She instead but feck it, Nothin’ To Lose is a great song. When Gene sings, it’s always a great song. It’s real bop along kind of KISS with all the builds, suspensions and characteristics of a classic KISS anthem.
25. Parasite – (Hotter Than Hell, 1974)
What a riff to kick things off! Parasite is gold minted, platinum material. Best captured on their 1975 Alive album and a little gem for their collection and anyone’s ears. Hard rock babbbbyyyyyyyy! Parasite eyes!!
26. Psycho Circus – (Psycho Circus, 1998)
I will admit one thing; I was not a fan of this album. The songs sound sooo forced and wanting to be old KISS but it just doesn’t work…well, it does on one. Psycho Circus is a furious little track. Paul’s voice, the music, the energy and the lyrics, everything falls together just right on this one and anyone who hasn’t heard it is just missing out on one of KISS’s best songs.
27. Rock N Roll All Night – (Dressed to Kill, 1975)
I don’t care how cool you are, I don’t care how ‘Hard-Core’ you are with KISS, this is a song that must, At all times, be included on any list of the greatest songs. Rock N Roll All Night’s an anthem of the highest degree. KISS are the ultimate party band, this is their call, answer!
28. Shandi – (Unmasked, 1980)
I know, this is a strange choice but I just love, don’t you? The first time I heard it was from one of the KISS DVD’s and Paul just played it alone. The solo job sounds a lot less…ya know, that the recording but there’s just something so nice about the guitars I couldn’t not stick it in.
29. Shock Me – (Love Gun, 1977)
Like Hard Luck Woman for Peter Criss, this would be one of the main reasons I’d love to see Ace back with the group. Shock Me is a classic and sadly they don’t perform it live without Ace (as it’s his song). Great, iconic and legendary. Have I over hyped it? Probably but it’s still a savage track.
30. Shout it out Loud – (Destroyer, 1976)
How do you say the word Anthem for the 30th time in a row? Shout it Out Loud is a classic, 1970’s styled Live anthem folks. Everything you need to hear or know about the band is in this song. It’s not their best but it’s way, way up there. Shout it Out Loud has some of their best riffs, their best guitars, their best vocals, their best melodies…everything.
31. Strutter – (KISS, 1974)
Ah god, this list is great,. Every time I think I’ve gotten all the ‘best’ tracks done, another pops straight up. Strutter is full on sleazy rock n roll. Stick on the leather jacket, light up your smoke and down your whiskey to enjoy. It’s a monster of guitars n attitude.
32. King of the Night Time World – (Destroyer, 1976)
You may have noticed down the line that I have a fondness for Gene Simmons voice and songs. King of the Night time world is no exception, An absolutely brilliant track but then again, everything on Destroyer is a killer track, that’s why it’s such a deadly album. You don’t know that??? For Shame, out of the village, I cast you out heathen!!
33. Sure Know Something – (Dynasty, 1979)
Oh Yeah, kick back, relax and let Kiss blow those worries away..Cool!
34. Tears are Falling – (Asylum, 1985)
If you know this song and you’re judging me, back off. Tears are falling is eighties KISS and it’s so addictive it’s frightening. This is one of those times I actually do see the cheese going off in this song but I still love it. You want to make your own list of your 35 favorite KISS songs and leave this out? Go ahead, but this is Tickets There and we like Tears are Falling!
35. Uh! All Night – (Asylum, 1985)
So that’s it folks, the first Tickets There Alive 35 KISS-LECTION printed in surround sound just for you two that read my stuff. If I left any off, feel free to a comment for your favorite KISS tracks and tell Tickets There why you love them so much.,
All the best,
TT
Tickets There on TWITTER – Broke ‘N’ Tweetin’
Posted in Music, News with tags Tickets There Music Blog, tickets there twitter, twitter on September 21, 2009 by Tickets There
I know you all hate it, I hate it to but it seems these things have to be done. Cant wait to see what ‘up to the minute’ yoke they come up with next but never mind all that, Tickets There is now officially on Twitter.
Not sure if anyone really cares but sher, we might say something funny every now and again and it costs nothing (except your soul) to add us as a friend.
Hope to see the numbers go up soon because it recession folks and it costs me nothing 🙂
Check us out now by Clicking Here.
Tickets There to Celebrate KISS – SONIC BOOM / ALIVE 35
Posted in General Tickets There Blog, Music, News with tags KISS, KISS Alive 35, KISS Sonic Boom on September 21, 2009 by Tickets There
KISS, the world hottest bands and currently ranked number 4 on the Tickets There’s all time favourites, will release their new album Sonic Boom on the 6th of October!!
How is Tickets There going to celebrate?? Well, Megadeth was good but I think KISS needs something special so we’re going to review 35 of our favourite KISS songs and call it …Tickets There’s 35 KISS-LECTION. If you can think of a better name, send it on punk!
We’ll also have a review of the record itself once we get our hands on it. Tickets There is 100% against illegal file sharing and downloading so we won’t have the review until the physical copy comes out.
And one final thing, we’ll be posting a review of Alive 1975 – 2000, one album at a time!! And as one final gesture of good will, we’ll be sticking up a review of their classic 1976 album, Destroyer
Oliver Cole: New Single and Tour Dates
Posted in Music, News with tags Oliver Cole, Ollie Cole, Turn, We Albatri, What Will Ya Do on September 20, 2009 by Tickets There
Finally, some news worth writing about. Oliver Cole (formally of Turn and one of Tickets There’s mostly highly recommended singer / songwriters) is releasing the first single, What Will You Do With Yourself from his highly anticipated solo debut, We Albatri on October 2nd through EMI records.
Oliver will be launching the single in Dublin’s (Shudder) ‘coolest, not at all elitist, completely ponce free, super trendy, ultra-cool, too cool for school, ram-o-rama sit fest The Odessa Club near Dame Street. €10 at the door and a free copy of the single.
Then he’s off to Galway and Cork before playing a fourth show at the HWCH festival veues still TBC)
Ollie’s always great live so the shows will be well worth and he’s got the band in toe which could mean Mr. Gavin Fox on bass and Graham Hopkins in drums.
Thursday October 1st Dublin Odessa Club (€10 incl copy of release) open to public.
Friday October 2nd Galway Roisin Dubh upstairsThursday
October 8th Cork Cyprus Avenue.
October Dublin HWCH festival date to confirmed.
Check out more @ Oliver Cole MySpace
And no, Tickets There is not bitter he’s stolen our Frame graphics 🙂
Official Concerto for Constantine Website – Coming Soon
Posted in Music, News with tags Concerto for Constantine, concerto for constantine official site, Gavin Fox, Mark Greaney on September 20, 2009 by Tickets There
To all the people out there in TV land and mama I’m coming home soon…
Concerto for Constantine’s official website is going live this month according to a note currently displayed there. Not sure how hush hush it’s meant to be so I wont give the address until the band make their own official announcement but it’s easy enough to find for any who’s used Google before.
Here’s a couple of snaps from the site.
Tickets There: Our Favorite Irish Bands
Posted in General Tickets There Blog, Music with tags 'Jape, Bats, Concerto for Constantine, crap irish bands, good irish bands, Grand Pocket Orchestra, Humanzi, terrible irish bands, tickets there best irish bands, Tickets There Music Blog on September 19, 2009 by Tickets There
Hi There,
Tickets There has decided to create a list of the Safe (Good) Irish bands.
This list will only be based on our collective (my) personal tastes and will be updated as often as possible (Also, the Top Ten only includes bands that are still together and fairly underground / local. Thats why Ash aren’t on this list for example ;)).
Click on the band names to read what Tickets There has to say about them.
Safe: Top 10 Best Irish Bands & others worth checking out
- The Future Kings of Spain (Indie Rock)
- Concerto For Constantine (Indie Rock)
- Jape (Indie / Techno / Pop)
- Humanzi (Punk Rock)
- The Aftermath (Pop Rock)
- Jaded Sun (New Entry) (Rock N Roll)
- Cathy Davey (Singer / Songwriter)
- LE GALAXIE (Electro-Rock)
- Adebisi Shank (Hard Rock / Metal, Instrumental)
- Mass Extinction (Thrash Metal)
TURN, The Mighty Atomics, Kill City Defectors, The Walls, One Day International, The Brothers Movement, Oliver Cole, The Answer, The Delorentos, Class of 1984, The Mighty Stef, The Frames, The Rapport, ,Bell X1, Lisa Hannigan, Republic of Loose, Berkeley, The Murder Clues, Fred, Sickboy, TKO, Joe Rubix, R.S.A.G., The Stunning, And So I Watch You From Afar, Codes, I’ll Eat Your Face, Cheap Freaks, Sound of System Breakdown, The Mighty Atomics, The Brad Pitt Light Orchestra, Sweet Jane, C!ties, 21 Outs, Floyd Soul & The Wolf, The Bloody Shanks, The Pulpit, A Futurist Theatre, Beastmen, A Futurist Theatre, Solar Taxi, Ghundi, Stone Throwing Youths, House of Dolls, Fingersmith, Fighting With Wire, Spook of the Thirteenth Lock, Swanee River, The Black Strands, The Cold 100, Million Dollar Reload, Sirocco, The Whiskey Limbs, Lluther, Two Tales of Woe, Raging Conflict, Gama Bomb..more to come.
MEGADETH DOUBLE REVIEW – SO FAR, SO GOOD, SO WHAT / THE WORLD NEEDS A HERO
Posted in Album Review, Music with tags classic Megadeth, Dave Mustaine, in my darkest hour, Megadeth, moto psycho, return to hangar, So Far so good so what, The Sex Pistols, the world needs a hero on September 19, 2009 by Tickets There
I think Megadeth are about to become the only band on this site with more albums reviewed than Def Leppard. Feck it, why not. About time fans of the boys got to read some shit about them. It’s just a pity many people aren’t reading them. Ah well, they’re keeping me amused although I haven’t a clue how I’m going to top the last ones. Oh I know, by writing about So Fucking Far, So Fucking Good, So Fucking What!!! And their excellent come back album, 2001’s The World Needs A Hero. Let us begin, let us taste metals divine loveliness.
Megadeth – So Far, So Good, So What
If there is one album that’s underrated, it has to be 1988’s So Far, So Good… So Wha!t. It’s short, loud, obnoxious and a fucking pain killer styled opus. Openaing track, Into the Lungs of Hell is 3 minutes and 29 seconds of screaming guitars, bleeding drums drenched in pain and a bass so heavy it’ll drop kick you into the fourth quarter. Noting bad to say, no way to flaw it.
Although the rolling opening beats of Set The World Afire goes along way in belting it’s point across. Dave’s aggressive youthful manner is still dominant here and the overly loud overdubs during the chorus only help harness the songs dark powers. There’s little melody, there’s little hope. This is a steel cage match for all things metal and Megadeth have no bother crushing every last living thing in site. God its so mouth wateringly good, it even drove away the painful memories of revisiting Cryptic Writings earlier. Next up is a classic Thrash Metal cover track. Megadeth, covering the almighty Sex Pistols’ Anarchy in the UK. I wont go into this one in too much detail. It’s a great cover of an all mighty beast of a track.
Mary Jane brings us to the half way mark. A futuristic kind of intro, some savage guitars and a song about a very loving mistress. MJ will always be there to sooth your wows and heal you sadness. Megadeth will always be there to hold Stomp Fest annually on your grave and rob your soul of it’s quintessential essence. Ah, I’m just turning this beats up every five seconds it’s getting ridiculous. This is one of those tunes that shows what girls nu-metal and emo kids are. Korn, PaPa Roach, Linkin Park, My Chemical Romance and all those little pussys. Get fucked get Megadeth and hurry your mind to catch up. Sher aggression that only the almighty Slayer can rival. Their guitars are made with the bones of humans, their drum’s are fashioned from the finest moral skin and their power, their power was electrocuted into them when Angus Young and the devil shook hands.
502’s another bloody mentalist track. Fast, aggressive and loud. Car crashes, laws being broken left right and centre and then there’s yer man with all the guitars, it’s mad!. It’s just fucking great. AWWWHHHH, next we have the stand out classic for the top ten songs you need to hear…period!. In My Darkest Hour…….head bangers get ready. The swoops, the spirals, the exploding, fiery demon riffage of the gods. Dave’s growling vocals rasp their way through this power house of an anthem, Written in memory of Metallicas bereaved bass player, Cliff Burton. Poor Cliff was killed in a bus crash while Metallica were touring their incredible Master of Puppets. One of metals most tragic losses, now honoured by Mustaine and Ellefson in one of his finest writing moments.
The hard hitting, metal grinding Liar and Hook in my Mouth finish of one of the Death’s best records. It may be short, it may not be packed with hits but it’s 100% metal. If you’re and a fan and you haven’t heard this one TT advises smacking yourself. If you’re not a fan, stick with Cryptic Writings before attempting this one.
Megadeth – The World Needs a Hero
This is the album that sealed the deal on me being a fan of the Death. After hearing Cryptic Writings and being a little bemused but interested, I got my hands on the greatest hits and record and realized Megadeth had a lot more to offer than slow riffs and violins. When this record came out, it shows Dave and the boys were determined to prove they could still rock the wallet chains and hair dye out of the younger Nu-metal groups. Did they achieve this? Hell yeah they did. The World Needs A Hero saw Vic return to the sleeve and the venom return to Megadeth in blazing glory. Ever since they’ve pushed more and more to get their old sound back and forget the days of Risk. The System Has Failed, United Abominations and Endgame are all direct results of the effort shown on this record.
Disconnect may take a wee while to get your feet moving but once that first guitar solo gets going you’ll be tapping along. It’ not the strongest on the record and it wont convince you Megadeth were on their way back to their old sound but just be patient, it’s a good song. The World Needs A Hero’s title track will however help those worries. Based on that Sweating Bullets / Peace Sells kind of structure. It still doesn’t deliver that full on thrash Megadeth and its riffs are closer to rock n roll than Armageddon but again, it’s a pretty decent track and the solo is fairly wicked.
The albums lead single, Moto Psycho is a belter. A solid, fast, thrash riff and some furious drums to boot. Dave’s voice is back on this one and now you’ll start to see where this record wants to go. Lots of solo’s, riffs n metal up the ass. Now the next one may sound like a ballad but fortunately it’s not. 1,000 Times Goodbye is a god’s honest metal love song…kind of. Intro is a slow, bruising little belter and once that snare hits in you’ll hear the old sound creeping in. Theme is about a total bitch but hey, that’s rock n roll for ya. Burning Bridges is next and this is a little slower and more similar to the bands late nineties sound. Want to move on? Ok, lets do that.
Promises is a ballad kind of track but it’s probably one of the bands best. Great bridge, great chorus and a great use of the string section. This is way up there with songs like A Tout Le Monde and shows they can do ballads properly. Although, these ballad songs look so weak compared to the thrash outputs like So Far, So Good. Really, a band called Megadeth shouldn’t be attempting any of this stuff and should stick to destroying the world with every breath. Ah well, C’est la vie! Recipe For Hate…Warhorse. Now you’re talking, metal, metal, metal. There’s some great building riffs here. Nothing too classic but heavy at least so don’t complain. I’m gonna rush along, I’m suffering from the same thing as yesterday, shouldn’t have listened to So Far first but it ain’t as bad today. Losing Senses is a pretty decent effort. I don’t like the opening but it ain’t the worst.
Dread The Fugitive Mind is finally the Deth back in blazing glory. This is their classic sound clawing it’s way back to the surface. Even the title screams set list and it’s well earned. Very similar to Sweating Bullets in many way and not as good but one of the stand outs on this record. Silent Scorn’s a strange one, strange one indeed. Sounds like an ode to the fallen but it makes way for Return to Hangar…yes, it’s the sequel and one of the albums major tracks. Personally I prefer the live recording from Rude wakening but it’s a cracker. Final song, When is like a Doomsday track. Heavy, slow n thumping!! Nice atmospheric way to finish the record.
So that’s it. Three double reviews of Megadeth at their finest, their fairly decent and there, well I see where you’re going but why don’t ya stick to what your best at. You’ve read about the best, I’ve left out the worst and soon you’ll see Killing is my Business, The System Has Failed, United Abominations and Youthanasia. There you’ll hear about some of Megadeth’s best moments and more about what lead to their latest release, EndGame.
But really you’ll hear about some Irish bands, that’s enough international for awhile, they’ve had their fun. MySpace Review time!!!!!
MEGADETH – PEACE SELLS…BUT WHO’S BUYING? / CRYPTIC WRITINGS (DOUBLE REVIEW)
Posted in Album Review, Music with tags Cryptic Writings, Dave Mustaine, Devils Island, Megadeth, Megadeth peace Sells, Megadeth Peace Sells but who's buying, Wake Up Dead on September 18, 2009 by Tickets There
OK, same drill as yesterday, a double review feature of classic Megadeth in celebration of their new album, Endgame being a pretty decent record. Now some of you may wonder why I choose Cryptic Writings instead of Killing Is My Business and Business is Good or So far, So Good, So What. Well I plan on Doing So Far tomorrow along with another newish Deth album, The World Needs a Hero and maybe do Killing Is My Business in a double thrash metal review with Metallica’s Kill Em All. Clash of the titan’s debut albums and such like. In truth I don’t actually have a copy of Killing in Dublin so I’ll track one down and get back to ye about it.
Anyways, on with today’s review.
Megadeth – Peace Sells…But Who’s Buying?
One of the bands three greatest albums, Megadeth really proved what they were capable of on this album. It’s one of those defining mid-eighties thrash records that really shows how metal should be done. Fuck killing, Metal is Mustaines business and with peace Sells, business is good!.
Wake Up Dead is suck a dirty piece of naughtiness it should be R-rated and standing inside a window on a sleazy street in Amsterdam. It’s just too much god like genius for any band to handle and it’s about a guy worried about waking his wife because she’ll yell at him. No way any moral man can get this much Armageddon styled playing onto a track about that. Then again, Mustaine isn’t moral, he’s the lovechild of Bitterness and Hate with a doctorate in being pissed…off. That riff’s and solos in this monster are fused together and so tight and delivered with such precession I imagine they were welded by the Irish in the early 1900’s and sent off to the Marines for arrangement. This song makes this album a classic all by its self and it’s more the capable of bearing the load.
Fortunately The Conjuring does its share in the lifting. A dark, blistering piece of amazing metal. Another dirty little tramp trying to sell Snow White hand grenades disguised as apples and then stomping on her charred carcass. Too graphic? Then you haven’t heard Megadeth, that’s the Politically Correct, family Friendly way of describing their sound and this song. Just wait until you hear this baby pick up speed and take flight. Full volume fully recommended, tourniquet optional. Ah, how can they keep doing this. What’s next you ask? It’s only the holiest of Holy Megadeth tracks (except all those others I mentioned yesterday), Peace Sells!! A blistering few minutes of solo’s, riffs, anger, sarcasm and ‘Dave Mustaine humor’. Remember I said Megadeth knows no humor (think I did anyway) well occasionally they do and this is it!. Seriously though, this song is so tough it would come out of the CD and beat the shit out of you for looking at it funny. Take Tickets There’s advise and bang you head, nod, don’t smile and rock out. Save yourself a major whipping further down the line.
However tough Peace Sells is, Devils Island does a good job of competing. Devils Island was a nasty little place in case you hadn’t heard and if they had had this song on the real Island it would have made things much crueler. Incredible anthem styled metal that shows Megadeth at their full on, stampeding best. Good Morning / Black Friday’s next and it’s much more of an atmospheric piece than any of the other tracks so far. I suppose this track would almost be the early Megadeth version of a ballad, despite the walls, mountains and piles of solo’s and general guitar malarkey. Not to mention the onslaught of drums, Dave’s voice and the Deth!! Another classic anyways. Bad Omen’s next and surprise, surprise, it’s another frickin’ sweet moment of metal. Another drawn out guitar n drum intro before Dave brings the noise and makes his mark. Piss on it? Nah, Dave sets fire to it and laughs while baby hamsters scream for help. He’s not a nice guy, I told you this!
I Ain’t Superstitious and My Last Words finish off one of the best metal records of all time. Little beat from reviewing four albums by the one band in the last two days so that’s enough of this one. Just buy it, what’s your problem? Fraid The Deth will reach out, smack your face and call you names? Well they’ll do it anyways so just buy the album and justify it!
Megadeth – Cryptic Writings
Now this is interesting. Cryptic Writings is certainly different from Endgame, Rust In Peace, Countdown to Extinction and Peace Sell’s. It could be called the bands Re-Load (while Risk would be there St. Anger…except better than St. Anger obviously). This was the first Megadeth record I ever owned and boy was I surprised. I was pretty sure a band with as much street cred and a name like Megadeth would be ever so slightly harsher than this. Turns out they had been ten years beforehand (five even L) but it didn’t take too long to warm up top this one.
This was released around the time bands like Slayer, Megadeth and Metallica were all drifting further and further away from the Thrash sound they had helped create, shape, perfect and bring to the masses. The nineties had shifted music heads all over the place and every band that had been big in the eighties either packed it in, disappeared or changed styles in an attempt to keep up with younger people. Megadeth was one such band and Cryptic Writings was a very obvious attempt at this. Instead of the hate, the scorching hot lyrics and wave after wave of ear drum shattering solos and riffs so strong, Chuck Norris couldn’t handle them (sad – Ed), (go fuck yourself Ed – TT), you got ‘radio friendly Megadeth’. Such a thing couldn’t have been imagined in the eighties, but here you are. The Deth on 2FM thanks to songs like Trust.
Trust may be a tame, shy little kitten compared to the rabies infected jackals their previous albums had been but it’s certainly not the worst Megadeth song out there. Those looking for the rush of real Megadeth won’t find it here but those looking for melody, talent and a good tune, look no further. In comparison, Almost Honest follows the same sort of pattern expect it’s a little more full on. Not much more full on anything here and I’m feeling a little distant after the pure adrenalin of the other records. Almost Honest is a decent song. Normally I like it a lot more but I did just listen to Peace Sell’s so, ya know?.
Use the Man is always a good way to get this record rolling and the distant sound of The Searchers classic, Needles and Pins sets the right tone. I suppose the themes on this album tie in a lot Dave’s drug problems. Around this time he was kicking away his demons and becoming the well disciplined, born again Christian (who’ll still bitch slap ya) he is today. Nice, slow moving but filled with enough little melodies to keep ya happy. Mastermind finally introduces so much needed guitars onto this sucker. Good heavy but slow riffs and Dave’s raspy voice finally throwing its self into the match.
The Disintegrators is much faster and heavier again. Great chorus but still retains that melodic sound that dominates this record. Ya know the way older Megadeth is a stampede of hopelessness and despair. Well this record sounds like reworked versions of Nickleback. I’ll Get Even brings the tone back down to quiet non-Megadeth levels again and it’s a good kind of Metal rockfish track. One of those choruses you can bop along to but I imagine a lot of Deth heads were sitting back scratching their heads as to why some other band are allowed to call themselves Megadeth when it first came out. Ah, it’s not a bad song, just not a classic and I’m worried my enthusiasm has dropped to low to keep this review interesting. Sin is another one of those that’s closest to older Megadeth but still lacks the speed and aggression of the old sound. Dave’s voice sounds good though, really suits this type of tune. Who’d have thought?
And so on. The remaining tracks are decent but I’ve lost the buzz I’m afraid. On a normal day, Cryptic Writings can be best described as a Megadeth album for people who don’t like Megadeth. Today however, it’s shows up poorly.
Oh, not one mention about Marty Friedman in these reviews, I just realized that. Marty rocks the biotches to the core as does Dave E.
Read Reviews of Rust In Peace & Countdown to Extinction by clicking HERE.
Click HERE to read a review of Megadeth’s newest album Endgame.
MEGADETH – RUST IN PEACE / COUNTDOWN TO EXTINCTION Double Review:
Posted in Album Review, Music with tags Dave Mustaine, Endgame, Hanger 18, Megadeth, Megadeth Countdown to Extinction, Megadeth Rust In Peace, Radiohead, Skin O'My Teeth, Tornado of Souls on September 17, 2009 by Tickets There
In celebration of Megadeth’s latest album, Endgame being a fairly decent output, Tickets There has decided to do a double review feature of two of their strongest albums, Rust In Peace and Countdown to Extinction. I’ll also probably do another double review including Peace Sells and Cryptic Writings tomorrow.
Megadeth – Rust In Peace (1990)
So let’s start in chronological order today. Rust In Peace is probably the bands defining record. Although Peace Sells had been a massive, massive hit for the band, it was only when RIP came out that they were truly elevated to the gods of metal status they enjoy today. It marked a shift from their classic Thrash metal roots while still retaining an aggressive, onslaught styled sound. In comparison to Dave Mustaines previous band Metallica, RIP is Megadeth’s ‘Black Album’ and it probably would have brought them much more fame than it did if Metallica hadn’t released the aforementioned metal devoid opus just a year after RIP came out. (ok, so it had Sad But True, Holier Than Thou, Don’t Thread on Me, Of Wolf and Man, The Struggle Within..ok enough, it’s a good album).
Kicking things off is Holy Wars…The Punishment Due. Very little you can say about this song except….it’s fucking crazy mental metal madness. How could you not pull your back out doing those massive head banging moments during the bridges. Amazing stuff from Mustaine and the boys. Next up, the equally incredible Hangar 18. Now, if by any chance you’re reading this and you’re a metal fan but you’ve never heard of Hangar 18, that just means you are a total douche!. Hangar 18 is metal. Like one of those songs that comes out and instantly owns a genre. I couldn’t be bothered looking up the net but I think there’s something like 18 solo’s on this one song. It’s a total Romper Stomper of a tune that would be very difficult for any band to match on follow up records. Full on drums, full on guitars, full on vocals n aggression, full on every mother fucking thing. This is Megadeth, welcome!!
How the hell can anyone top two tracks like that? Well they can’t fully, but Take No Prisoners gives it a damn good try. Full on Thrash metal riffs, thrash metal drums, thrash metal everything up the wazoo. I’m sitting down listening to this on head phones and you have no idea how hard it is resisting the temptation of throwing my computer out the window and setting off on a mayhem fuelled rampage. Maybe if I do, I could arrange a TT presents job of it and Take No Prisoners will be our theme song. Five Magic’s is another classic track (yes, this is just one of those albums). Slowed down intro, but things don’t take long to kick into gear. The pounding of the drums and guitars picking up pace leads the listener to think ‘ah, here we go’ but don’t get too excited., it’s not happening yet and then….out of nowhere Dave’s snarling, hate filled vocals rasp their way in destroying all the songs goodness and purity. In short, it becomes Megadeth 😀 Sound sad? Yeah, well you’re faceJ
Poison Was the Cure is yet another classic from this album. Not played too often live but it’s a damn fine wee number. I won’t ramble on too much because I have to finish Rust In Peace and move onto Countdown next. Great song, just listen to it. Same with Lucretia which sounds much happier than most Megadeth stuff until you get down to the full depth of it off course. Megadeth knows no humor. They’re like Radiohead, but ya know, not gay. Now, this next song is the one I’ve been driving towards. Tornado of Souls. I know, before you ask ‘How can a song called Tornado of Souls not get you arrested, beat up your wife and steal your car?’ well honestly, it does all of that and even insults your mother while it’s at it. This is Megadeth baby, what else did you expect?
Dawn patrol and Rust In Peace are fine songs. Good clean cut, sell your children to Turkish importers clean songs. If you don’t have this album, if you’re just starting to like Heavy metal, if you’re a human being I implore you to go buy this record. It will show you exactly how f**king amazing Megadeth were, are and always have been.
Megadeth – Countdown to Extinction (1992)
So you think most metal bands that were big in the eighties fizzled out and faded away under Metallica’s growing dominance over the scene after their black album? Unfortunately for any Met heads out there and possibly the band themselves, Megadeth released one of their finest recorded moments just a year after the Met had conquered all with their Black Album (and only two years after the incredible Rust in Peace). Why waste time with an intro when Skin O’ My Teeth is blaring through the headphones?
First of all, Skin O’ My Teeth does not sound in anyway Irish, don’t be fooled by the O’ (bad joke there TT – Ed)…..(Up yours Ed and stop interrupting my posts Biotch! – TT). Skin O’ My Teeth is without a single doubt one of the ten best songs Megadeth ever recorded in TT’s books. I mean this baby live is like a monster screaming at you from Mordor! Go find the find Frodo and don’t let Dave catch ya. Yes he’s that scary, haven’t you heard? I know he’s a born again Christian and all but that’s like Marilyn Manson becoming a born again….Christian….just shut up. But no matter how good SOMT is, no matter how much we love it, we love the next one even more. My girlfriend’s brother asked me once, ‘what’s the definitive Megadeth song?’ and there is only one answer when someone asks you that question, Symphony of Destruction. This is the song you play when anyone asks you what Megadeth are like. No, it’s not their heaviest and no, it’s not their lightest, this is 100%, full metal jacket Megadeth. A snarling, spitting beast of a track with guitars so militant they’ll drag your ass through boot camp before they hang, draw and quarter you. On par with anything else they’ve ever released and probably one of the greatest riffs/songs in heavy metal history.
Now that those two are out of the way, let’s move onto the other songs that make Countdown to Extinction so loveable and well, so damn good. Architecture of Aggression could be compared to Metallica’s One with its war styled intro but two seconds later it explodes into everything the title promises. War driven fury that Megadeth do best. Foreclosure of a Dream is one I never really liked the first few times I heard this record but god, give this baby a few listens and it’s some job. Now, I don’t mean to be rude to FOAD but the next song deserves urgent attention (partially because I got distracted and heard FOAD about 6 times on repeat and I want to move on). Sweating Bullets is a Megadeth standard. Can you imagine how kick ass this track is? No, you can’t. Not unless you’ve heard it. I’ll admit it’s no Hanger 18, Symphony of Destruction or Holy Wars but it’s bloody mental all the same. One of the Deth tracks you have to see live.
This Was My Life is much similar to a Megadeth album track that most of the others I’ve discussed today but when it comes to an album of this quality, that’s a good thing. The albums’ title track is another thriller of a piece, real full on one again. More melody than a lot of earlier Megadeth but hey, this was the nineties babe (hence why I’m saying babe every three seconds). There’s such a great flow to this tune and it shows the Deth can write more than Thrash. Also, the chorus sounds like it could have been netter produced but it’s still catchy as hell. High Speed Dirt is another album track of the highest order, I mean, what does that even mean? Who cares, if Dave said it, it’s gotta mean something. Great, fast, energetic and vicious! Psychotron is more like an older Megadeth song. Hard, fast, dirty and brutally brutal for brutals sake…to put it simply. Captive Honour has more in common with their In My Darkest Hour style (well actually more like Risk and Cryptic Writings) and final track Ashes in Your Mouth is an okish finisher.
So that’s it. Two of Megadeths greatest albums done and dusted. Now I’ll leave you fine people to head out and grab these babies form the official Tickets There reviews send a shit storm HMV’s way. More than likely sales of the band will pick up 50% over the next three days. The band will pass this off as sales of the new album but we’ll all know better, wont we J.
Click Here to read Tickets There’s review of Megadeth’s new album Endgame
All the best,
T.T.
Jaded Sun – Higher
Posted in General Tickets There Blog, Music on September 16, 2009 by Tickets ThereCannot get enough of this. Strictly for fans of ROCK N FUCKIN’ ROLL!!
Jape -At the Heart of all of this Strangeness
Posted in General Tickets There Blog, Music with tags 'Jape, At the Heart of all of this Strangeness, Jape At the Heart of all of this Strangeness, Music on September 16, 2009 by Tickets ThereGreat song
Megadeth – Endgame (Review)
Posted in Album Review, Music, News with tags Dave Mustaine, Endgame, Headcrusher, Judas Priest, Megadeth, Megadeth Endgame, Megadeth Thrash Metal, Metallica Death Magnetic, Thrash Metal on September 15, 2009 by Tickets There
It’s late, I’m still in pretty bad shape from a furious session on Saturday and not eating right all week but the allure of Megadeths new album, End Game just sting there on their MySpace is far too tempting to leave alone so Tickets There is going to attempt a very, very, very hastily written review of what some people are calling Dave Mustaine’s best album in almost two decades.
Ok, we’ll do this MySpace Review style. Things kick off with Dialectic Chaos, which I actually heard the other night and all I can say is FUCKING BRILLIANT!. Two minutes of chaotic riffs, riveting, powerful solo’s and intense drums. There are no lyrics, it needs no lyrics. This song is pure fucking metal to the core and an incredible strong intro, especially for a modern Megadeth album. This Day We Fight! is next and it wastes little time starting it’s aggressive mission to send the memory of Death Magnetic into it’s grave. Dave’s voice sounds harder and grittier than normal and it swells in sporadic, plunging solos. This is a track that will send mosh puts around the world into a haze of maddened frenzy’s and ensure no fan will be able to touch there neck for weeks after a gig. 44 Minutes is next and it starts off a little tamer than the previous numbers. A police radio scrambles in over machine gun like riffs. The bass stands out like a tourist in a mosque and the Deth take a stab at delivering one of those slower numbers they’ve tried more recently. Not really as piercing or as powerful as the previous two but not bad all the same. The drums and bass make up for the songs slightly mundane structure…and the solo is pretty fucking rockin’!. When the final chorus comes in you find the whole song growing on you a little bit more. Seems to fall together and become interesting. Another savage solo and the respect increases.
1,320 is next and it kicks off with a Judas Priest style bike revving before the guitar and drums kick in, in classic Megadeth, Punk styled fury. This is thrash metal for those of you who haven’t heard it, notice the difference? The riff is fast, Dave belts out angry forceful lyrics with a vengeance as the instruments break away together to allow some incredible shredding from Dave and…what ever the new guitarist is called. Not bad to say the least. Two and a half minutes in, the guitars explode in a duelling battle that, in the words of Dylan Moran “would melt your face”. This is the kind of thing that causes tinnitus when you hear it live. The true sound of energy filled, unyielding talent that strives to out do itself with every note. Bite the Hand has the least number of plays so I’m a little weary but it starts of pretty well. The drums style keeps changing and it’s brilliant. Another full on metal track with sneering, guitars but much deeper, crunchy, bellowing riffs. Dave sings about the current economy (please note Dave has always done this, it’s not just a fad) as the band that spill their guts to keep up with him. I cannot get over the amount of solo’s on this album. Isn’t this the band that release Risk and Cryptic Writings a few years ago? Cause there’s no signs of those albums left. Don’t know why it’s the least played, it fucking rocks. Bodies jumps in straight away and crunchy bass makes a welcome return. Maybe it’s always been there and I just need decent headphones. This isn’t a bad number but possibly best described as an album track….so far, I’m only a minute in. It’s defiantly not one of their future classics but it’s decent. Great solo at the end but I wont say I wasn’t waiting for the albums title track before the end.
Endgame has the traits of a true metal blitz in the making. Not bad. Gets better and better as it continues. Pretty savage riffs, Dave’s lyrics awkwardly fall together but only hang on loosely before breaking again. Unlike Peace Sells, which was clever, Endgames lyrics sound very forced. Maybe Dave really isn’t that angry anymore? Nah, no-one happy person can play like that. Ah, not bad but I need to be in bed in 15/20 mins so lets check out The Hardest Part of Letting Go. Hmmm, acoustic guitars, violins and Chellos. Ah, this is where Cryptic Writings got to, I knew it must be around somewhere. It’s not terrible or anything but no something Megadeth need to keep in their repertoire. They already have A Tour Le Monde and that’s enough for any band. Oh Wait, two minutes in there’s an apocalyptic kind of knock on the head. Good, galloping riffs appear from no where as the lead pushed it’s self further and further into the spotlight. There’s even a few duelling moments. Tickets There is once again turned around.
The album first single, Head Crusher is next and the third last track of the album. I don’t know if any of you out there know what a Head Crusher was but its all there’s in the name really. They used this nasty little device during the Spanish Inquisitions and it could be made to last for hours, days and even weeks. The first thing that would happen is your jaws would crush together, shattering your teeth inside your skull. Then you eye sockets would buckle and they would literally pop out. Some of the devices had little metal plates, resembling small ice cream scoops to catch the eyes as they popped out. Then it got painful. May not sound as horrendously violent as the public sawings that they used to do or treatment from the Spanish tickler but pretty shocking to say the least. Oh the song, sorry. The song is FUCKING AWESOME!! NUFF SAID. Second last track How The Story Ends is thankfully not another ballad. It’s not my favourite, possibly the one I like least, though it has some of the best machine gun styled drum and guitars interaction on the whole record. Final song, The Right to Go Insane is thankfully heavy one. No soppy ballad to send us to bed, just another kick in the skull from Mustaine. Chorus sounds kind of grungy in it’s delivery but it works, works pretty well in fact. Some nice, distance between the chords in the bridge that adds some tension as you wait for everything to tear back. This is a very respectable Megadeth track and a welcome return finally to a fairly impressive album.
So, that’s it. Honestly, I was expecting more but I thought the same thing about Death Magnetic when I first heard that so you can be sure Tickets There is going to give it another few drillings before making our final decision. Might sound alot better when our minds aren’t clouded with the worry of how late we’re staying up, getting spellings correct while writing so quickly and all that nonsense. It still lacks Dave’s full on aggression though. The rage and bitterness that inspired and drove so much of the bands earlier work seems a little distant and forced on Endgame. It’s still more appealing than The System Has Failed and United Abominations but is doesn’t quite deliver the classics we know from albums like Rust In Peace, Countdown to Extinction or Peace Sells. Still well worth a go.
Why Green Day aren’t Punk! – A short, Late Night Rant
Posted in General Tickets There Blog, Music, Ranting with tags Good Charlotte, Greenday, Greenday punk, modern punk, Never Mind the Bollocks, Never Mind the Bollocks here's the Sex Pistols, New Found Glory, NOFX, punk ideals, Punk in England, Punk Music, Punk Rock, Rancid, The Clash, The Sex Pistols on September 14, 2009 by Tickets There
Richard Hell, that’s the name of the guy I was trying to remember when I started looking through some punk sites this evening. Anyone out there know him? Anyways, doesn’t matter. What got to me was the fact that every time I searched for punk, I was bombarded with article after article and picture after picture of bands like Green Day, The Offspring, NOFX, New Found Glory, Good Charlotte, Sum 41 and the terrible Less Than Jake and I couldn’t help feeling that punk fans and the bands have watered down the music so badly that it’s no wonder people don’t even have respect for The Sex Pistols anymore!
Now, I know the world has a hell of a lot of very, very backward, stupidly stupid people in it but I would try and entertain the idea that even the simplest minded ‘punk rock’ fan does know why the whole thing started in the first place, but I could be wrong. For those of you who don’t know there’s one thing to get straight before you ever mention the bands, before you hear a note of the music, before you even think of shaving all but the middle of your head and tearing your cloths and before you even consider pogoing. That’s the simple fact that ‘Punk’ and ‘Punk rock’ are two very, very separate things. One is about being young, having dreams and ideals with a strength, determination and resolve never to let anyone stand in the way of you achieving them, no matter what the circumstances. Similar to the dreams of hippies from the sixties, Punk’s were about equality, individualism, originality and the notion that we can be anything we want to be. ‘Punk Rock’ is about hair styles, fashion, image, appearance, cliché ideals, un-originality, conforming all backed by a particular driving sound that helps sell the image. Obviously it’s the former idea that excites true fans of music history.
Although Punk music’s origins started in the States with bands like MC5, The New York Dolls, The Stooges and The Ramones, it took four young Londoners to pack all of those ideals and aspirations along with youthful angst and satirical commentary on modern society to make an album that would change the course of music forever. Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols may be the best known and widely loved Punk album of all time but unlike most of the other punk rock albums out there, such as American Idiot and Out Come the Wolves, it’s an honour well deserved. But we’ll talk more about the Pistols and their legacy later.
Now you may think I’m being a little hard on modern punk bands because of the cloths they wear and the image they promote. ‘Why not?’, you ask, ‘who’s it hurting anyway?’. Well there’s a very simple answer to that question. It’s not hurting anyone. What it did was kill one of music’s most original and best efforts at provoking younger people to take pride in themselves, no matter how they looked or what people told them they could amount to. It pushed them to be creative and stand out from a world inhabited by mindless, happy to be controlled sheep. People who had long since given up their attempts at creativity or any hope or longing to just be themselves and not hide behind fashion or popular thought. The kind of people you see everyday that are so competitive and worried about standing out. People who are so worried about other people’s opinion that they cower away with the flock and spend their time sneering and spitting on anyone else that does have that courage to be themselves. You see them everywhere; It starts in school and lasts for the rest of their lives. How many times have you heard people taking endless amounts of crap on subjects like religion, politics, history, the recession, current social and political conflicts and trends? You know those loud mouths who talk and talk about these issues and you can hand pick every comment they make and know full well the film, rumour, hearsay or book they took it from in order to pass it of as their own, without even attempting to look further into the subject, take all points of view into consideration and voice their own, thought out opinion? Well if you can’t remember several times like this it probably just means you’re one of them or you you’re living in Plato’s cave (no philosophical similarity intended).
This may all sound a little off the point when you’re talking about punk music but that’s the point, it’s not off the topic. Those people who do think for themselves were and are punks. ‘Punk Rockers’ you see these days aren’t and I justify that comment with one very simple answer. They’re not punks, because they look like punks. That right there defeats the whole idea punk music started with. The foundation was about being different and not conforming to any system (system not solely meaning government, system refers to any system of control whether it be music, fashion or anything else). So, when the golden punk ideal became watered down with ripped trousers, hair styles and a particular sound, it signalled the end for one of music’s most exacting times.
In the mid-seventies, several punk rock bands of note and influence sprang out of England. Acts like The Jam, The Clash, The Buzzcocks, The Damned and Siouxsie and the Banshees, to name a few, but The Sex Pistols still managed to stand out above all the competition. These days it’s hard to look back and justify why the Pistols had such a strong influence at the time. Peoples minds are clouded with overweight fifty year olds, flogging a dead hoarse every few years for cash, the once scary, sneering Johnny Rotten now dressed in tweed selling butter and taking part in shows like Celebrity Jungle and the cliché of clichés, Mr. Punk Icon himself Sid Vicious’ image over used a billion times by people drinking in cocktail bars who couldn’t name a song the Pistols ever wrote, let alone any of Sid’s solo work. In Tickets There’s opinion there are justifications for all those actions. The Pistols never made any money when they started so why not let them now?, Sid wasn’t being a cliché punk at the time, he was one of the people who invented it, not copied it and Johnny, well Johnny can do what ever the hell he likes because he’s Johnny Rotten. But whether you agree or disagree, none of that can ever hamper their years together as a group and the impact their music and their short time together had on the world.
I say time because the Pistols influence goes deeper than the music. As I mentioned earlier, Punk and Punk Rock are two different things. The Pistols played punk rock in a band but they were punks. At least they started off that way. Their first two years together showed a band going through absolute hell in order to get their point across to the world. They may look like your typical punks and their lyrics, speeches and general attitude may resemble your traditional punk but that’s where it started. They were noting more than kids who had more talent that they were ever given credit for. Four kids angry at society, angry at the world around them who wanted to make a difference or at the very least get laid and have a laugh. They didn’t set out to shock the people at first, they just said what they wanted and that started all the controversy. They may have been naive and miss-lead but they weren’t fake and once they realized what was happening and that they were merely becoming the main attraction in a circus being built up around them they stopped. They simply refused to conform. That’s Punk! You can argue that Jonny leaving and Sid’s death had more to do with it than a general decision but the point is they didn’t carry on after their first album. They didn’t put the head down and deal with the ever growing joke their manager was trying to turn their efforts into and carry on for the sake of massive pay cheques and fame, two of music’s main pitfalls for many iconic artists. The band didn’t want to become manikins or puppets. They were strong willed kids who knew what they had started was too special to kill by opting for an easy life. That is why the Pistols will always be one step above all the other acts from that time, their actual refusal to conform, rather than their musical output. It just helps that Nevermind the Bollocks is the greatest Punk Rock album aswell.
Green Day, Rancid and bands like that? Guys wearing suits and ties with pretty hair trying to sing about their pain while they try and remember if they turned the pool heater of or not. Or guys covered in tattoos except on their hands and face so they can still conform and hide what they pretend to be when needed. Guys decked out in expensive leather, all the wallet chain’s, spikes, bracelets, accessories and quirky necklaces and t-shirts top dollar can buy. That’s not punk, that’s nothing but commercialisms orange parade to celebrate the fact that nothing on this earth can remain special, nothing can be left untouched by the greedy hand of economy and commercialism. Proof that no matter how pure and simple something is, someone out there will always exploit it, make it a product and tap a ‘target market’ and no matter how great the people behind it are and how strong their message is, the ever eager and obeying flock are always waiting to infiltrate, tear apart, burn down and destroy the goodness others have worked and longed for.
Punk is dead, leave it be!
MySpace Review – Mighty Atomics
Posted in Music, MySpace Review with tags Mighty Atomics, The Mighty Atomics, The Mighty Atomics review, Tickets There on September 9, 2009 by Tickets There
Hello all, it’s time for another delve into the MySpace world and try and find an Irish band worth mentioning more than once. Recently there hasn’t been much joy and over on WordPress I managed to take a bashing from fans of So Cow and even (fuck me), Kill Krinkle Club. Ah well, I stand by every word. Let’s move on anways, today’s choice is the Mighty Atomics. I’ve never heard of this lot before so why not. They’re from Dublin and they list themselves as Garage / R&B and Surf. Should be interesting.
As usual, I’ve never heard their album or seen them live.
The first song, Hunting Season, started of while I was writing the intro and so far it’s not bad. Really is kind of Surf music with an overall Garage feeling. Kind of done before, very sixties rock with Chuck Berry style lead solo 2 and a half minutes in but it’s good. Now I’ve been burned before by great opening songs and 4 disappointing ones after so hopes haven’t been raised high yet. March of the Mighty Atomics is second and it’s an instrumental surf’s up, wipe-out kind of mesh. Very well done no matter how familiar it is. They really have a great guitar player in this group. It goes on for three minutes playing roughly the same piece again and again but they manage to keep it appealing. Two down and so far not a bad thing to say, that’s odd for TT.
The intro to third song, Uptight Werewolf sounds very, very familiar. Like something from The Troggs or The Doors. Good stuff none the less. Same style as the other two songs which I find a refreshing sensation. So many bands out there trying to be extremely diverse and 99.9.9% of them fuck it up royally. Think it’s fair to say the Mighty Atomics are getting a firm thumbs up from Tickets There. It may have been done before but it’s good stuff, so why not do it again?. There’s a kind of sloppy, live sound to these guys. Like they could sit down and in a couple of takes do it perfectly but instead, they capture that rawness very few bands manage to recreate in the studio. The forth song is a live song so we’ll see how it compares. Seasick is another surfy rock n roll swinger. I’m a minute in and there ain’t no lyrics so I’m guessing it’s an instrumental and the one thing I’ll ask is why? This could be a real ‘Johnny Be Good’ kind of track with a bit of filler so why not make it one? Ah well, pretty deadly solo in there so no complaints from TT.
Second last track is called El Diablo and I’m just waiting for it to load and I noticed the next one is called Batman Theme, that’ll be fun. Anyways, El Diablo has started and it’s already much stronger than the previous numbers. Vocals and music is rougher and more prominent and the overall flow is really well done. There are elements of newer bands audible in their sound and this helps spice up the classic old style. Unlike the previous songs, they’ve dropped alot of the Surfy style guitars but still kept the overall feeling. Probably my favourite so far and that’s against some stiff competition. Even the guitar solo’s style has changed. Rather than a picturesque image of Captain Geech and the Shrimp Shack Shooters, it’s late 70’s London, the 100 Club and a young Joe Perry has stood in for a band influenced by …the Mighty Atomics. Excellent stuff.
Final track is the Batman Theme and as hoped they do do a great job of it. Signed sealed and delivered!
Well the verdicts clear, I hated them :p. Honestly I’m completely surprised. They sound like alot of fun, they have the talent to back it up and they are firmly on my list of bands to watch. Keep an eye on Tickets There for a live review in the future.
Marilyn Manson Dublin Date Rumor:
Posted in Music, News with tags Marilyn Manson, Marilyn Manson Dublin, Marilyn Manson Ireland, Marilyn Manson tour 09, The High End of Low on September 8, 2009 by Tickets There
Yet another rumor floating around the new today is the possibility of Marilyn Manson (The God of F**k) playing Ireland this year.
Well your friend Tickets There has checked it out and it seems the shock rock jock himself has announced a few dates in the UK around Christmas time but there is no official word from MCD, Ticket Master, Aiken promotions, the official MM .com website or Hotpress about an Irish date.
I’ll keep you informed if I hear otherwise.
Regards,
Tickets There
Tickets There Likes: The Doors – The Doors
Posted in Album Review, Music, Tickets There Likes: with tags Alabama Song (Whiskey Bar), Break on Through, Jim Morrison, Jim Morrison and the Doors, Light My Fire, The Doors, The Doors - The Doors, The Doors first album, The Doors Light My Fire, The End on September 7, 2009 by Tickets There
I always hated The Doors. Generally when I hate a band it means I’ve given them their time and tried several times to enjoy them because I hate it when I’m wrong so I like to really give things my all before passing such an extreme judgment. Believe it or not I do have three or four Radiohead albums because I was told after I’d listen to each one that such a one was better and you know what, they weren’t. I also have two Coldplay albums because I wanted to believe the hype and turned out I was right from the beginning about them too. The Doors however are a different story. I hadn’t ever given them a chance and the main song I knew, Light My Fire, was a little boring for my tastes. Then one faithful summer they found me.
I was staying at a friend’s house for a few weeks during the summer of 04 (all those years ago J) and he played the Doors constantly. After a few days of this and then a screening of the movie to help persuade me, I finally gave in. I wouldn’t say I turned total fanatic but just enough to make me buy every album over the following year and give each ones a good grilling. Honestly I never really picked a flat out favorite and only for the sake of this review have I picked their 67 self titled debut, The Doors.
If you don’t like the Doors yet, then opening song Break on Through will go along way in convincing you of their greatness. I’m not going to say it’s a full on, stampeding chaotic master piece because that just doesn’t do it justice…but it is all those things. It’s so full of energy and quiet / loud changes with underlining D word themes a go go. In sharp contrast, Soul Kitchen is everything the tin promises. A relaxed, stripped back verse of simple guitar and piano melodies with Jims voices croaking in the background before everything collapses together for a foot stomping chorus. At times it sounds like Johns drumming is too fast for Robby’s guitars and Ray’s keyboards but oddly enough, it all works perfectly. The Crystal Ship slips even further into the albums melon collie state. Jim’s deep voice booms over the music, haunting every change and note the band play. It’s no secret that a lot of the love people have for the Doors also relies heavily on the myths, stories and a general love for Morrison himself. He’s one of music’s true icons, appealing to people in all walks of life…except those who just don’t like him off course.
Twentieth Century Fox wouldn’t be one of my favorite tracks. It’s very plain compared to the albums first three songs and falls a little on its face amidst a mess of guitars and organ melodies. Alabama Song (Whiskey Bar), a cover of a Bertolt Brecht’s song (I’ve never heard of him either, don’t worry ;), is without a doubt one of the funniest songs they’ve ever recorded and could easily be used a sea chantey in the next Pirates or, if you’re like me, you have walked home many times from the pub singing this at full volume. Light My Fire follows and ya know…it’s good. Personally I think seven minutes was a bit much and the guys don’t really pull it off but many, many others would strenuously disagree so it depends from fan to fan. Back Door Man (written by Willie Dixon) on the other hand is one of the best songs they’ve ever recorded. Since it’s another cover, I won’t praise it too much in words or it may overshadow the other tracks I’ve written about….but god it’s a savage song.
I Looked At You sounds like something The Beatles could easily have come up with but still manages to retain some of the Doors quality. Not incredibly great but simple, fun pop. After all, many people forget the Doors did start of as a more a pop group than the bluesy poets they turned into. End of the Night is more of a definitive Doors piece. Broken melodies, slow changes, hits of spiraling melodies…etc. Again it’s not amazing but there’s more Doors atmosphere here than many of the songs. The best way you can describe a truly Doors-esque song is broken music and Jims lyrics. The sort of atmospheric, incoherent yet hauntingly good music they play in seedy L.A. bars at 4:00 in the morning. Take It As it Comes is one of the better tracks at the end of the album. The lyrics are bogged down in Jims over thinking and the music flows extremely well. Ray’s keyboards belt away behind Johns crashing drums and Jims iconic vocals.
I lied, I lied about End of the Night. It is not a definitive Doors classic. Not compared to the albums final track, The End. While its style is pretty general for the Doors, it is nowhere near as far reaching, over blown and mind bendingly good as The End. The lyrics represent a peak Morrison always strived for with his music. The band comes together more here than anywhere else on the record, despite the hap hazard sound. The entire group seems to spiral off in their own little tangents, all at the same time yet they seem to pull together like waves and re-group momentarily before drifting apart again. Jims voice is once again the glue holding everything together and the song loses all sense of time and structure. The music repeats and repeats but never gets stale. Jims vocals become more and more prominent at the song moves along culminating in his screams referencing the Oedipus complex.
If you give the Doors time, it’s very hard to hate them. If you like Rock n roll, folk, pop or blues, the Doors have something for you and it’s good. Jim may be long gone, or just hiding somewhere but his music and the band’s music is still very much alive and ready for any curious new generations that are willing to open their mind and experience what music drove a generation to throw up their arms and say ‘No’ when it counted.
'Ticket's There' - Irish and International Music Blog 
Comments on the Net
Posted in Music, News with tags Blabbermouth, comments, nasty comments, NME, Tickets There Music Blog on September 7, 2009 by Tickets ThereHave you ever noticed the amount of sher, unfounded hatred on the internet? Now, don’t bother mentioning my reviews. They’re based on bands music and sometimes I like to get silly but I’m not insulting them anymore than they’re insulting the whole idea of music with their presence in that industry,
But seriously, I generally visit a select number of sites every day to check out new and updates so I can pass them on second hand to you folks when you trip across my blog on the very rare occasion I feel it’s worth mentioning. All I see on these sites (NME, Blabbermouth and several others) is just hate filled people writing the most horrible comments about everything. As a Guns N Roses fan I used to spend a lot of time on gnrdaily.com until I just couldn’t handle reading another thread of people constantly ripping into each other about how ignorant the other person was. Either their absolute gutter hatred fueled comments or they’re sneery and sarcastic. People just tearing into everything for the sake of it and trying to act cool or smart or tough or basically anything they aren’t in real life without adding anything positive to their message.
I know it’s fun and all but I rarely see the same people ever commenting anything good or positive on other posts. Like they only comment when they hate something. I’m not going to go into a huge thing about this because it’s not really music specific but people please, comment occasionally on things you like or say something good. Stop trying to look tough over the net because everyone will instantly know you are a total pussy (does that make it look like I’m trying to be tough?).
If you see something you don’t like, try and look at it from all angles and maybe be constructive if you feel the need to have yourself heard. Otherwise, remember that if you don’t have anything good to say, don’t say anything at all.
(As for my site, comment whatever you like. I tear away into bands so it’s only right that bands and fans tear away into me. God knows there’s enough own goals on my blogs to castrate me if you want. I’m directing this comment more at people who can’t shut up insulting everything from bands cloths, music, homes, speeches, life-style and whatever else. )
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