Hidden Treasures - Classic Rocks Last Breath (Part II - 1991)

[Scott]

Well here we are, at Classic Rock's figurative deaths door. 1991 would bring the final and fatal blow to our beloved Classic Rock sounds. Smells Like Teen Spirit blew it away and the stage was set for a decade of down-tuned, mumbling, depressed bands selling us a new version of rock and roll replete with flannel plaid button ups and torn jeans. These so-called "angry" artists may have won the battle of the decade, but did they win the war? Who knows, when you stop and look back it was easy to see why the 70's and 80's Classic Rock sound faded out, they became complacent, and the sound never changed, so it was easy for a band to swoop in take over.


Anyway, back to 1991, what did the final battle cry sound like? And what would happen to our classic rock bands going forward? We'll save that for another SHT list, for now, take off your hats and pay your respects to the death of Classic Rock...


PLAYLIST --> http://www.podsnack.com/CA69EFD9E8C/a1m0gm8i

	Foreigner Unusual Heat 1 - Only Heaven Knows With Rick Willis on bass, Dennis Elliot playing drums, Mick Jones on guitar/keyboards, and the debut of Johnny Edwards from King Kobra and Buster Brown on vocals, the 1991 version of Foreigner actually was better than one would expect. Ten of the 11 songs on the Unusual Heat CD were written by co-producer Terry Thomas, new singer Johnny Edwards, and band mainstay Mick Jones, and they still had that bombast and brash appeal of the group which once featured so many textures brought to life by the voice of Lou Gramm. The unusual thing about Unusual Heat is that it is actually a good product and quite listenable. "Only Heaven Knows" kicks things off, and it could be the second cousin (or sequel) to Lou Gramm's solo smash from four years earlier, 1987's "Midnight Blue." Edwards is a stylish vocalist, and he, like the multiple replacements for Bad Company's Paul Rodgers, the Guess Who's Burton Cummings, and the Jefferson Starship's Grace Slick, has that tonal quality that can keep the public happy by keeping the sound consistent with what came before.
	Van Halen For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge 2 - Spanked The smirking title indicates the true nature of For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge, Van Halen's third album with Sammy Hagar. Backing away from the diversity of OU812, the band turns in some of the most basic, straightforward rock & roll of its career. At times, F.U.C.K. recalls the sleek hard rock of Hagar's early-'80s albums, and it's undeniable that his limited vocal power had a great deal to do with the obvious nature of most of this music. While the band is still tight and professional -- and Eddie Van Halen's guitar work remains impressive -- the songwriting is, by and large, undistinguished, with the anthemic "Right Now" standing out as the most memorable song of the batch, mainly because of its incessant chorus.
	Rush Roll The Bones 3 - Bravado From a lyrical perspective, 1991's Roll the Bones is quite possibly Rush's darkest album (most of the songs deal with death in no uncertain terms), but from a musical point of view, the record treads territory (highbrow melodic hard rock) similar to its recent predecessors, with only a few surprises thrown in for good measure. These include an amusing rap section in the middle of the title track, a welcome return to instrumentals with "Where's my Thing?," and one of the band's finest songs of the '90s in the gutsy "Dreamline." "Neurotica" is another highlight which lives up to its title, and though their negative subject matter can feel stifling at times, fine tracks like "Bravado," "The Big Wheel," and "Heresy" feature wonderful melodies and arrangements.
	Queen Innuendo 4 - Innuendo Unbeknownst to the public, Freddie Mercury had been diagnosed with the AIDS virus in the late '80s. Although his health weakened by the '90s, Mercury insisted that the band work on music until the very end; their final album turned out to be 1991's Innuendo. Although it didn't receive the same critical praise as its predecessor, 1989's The Miracle, it was another strong album and global hit (again going gold in the U.S.). With hindsight, the song's lyrics are blatantly autobiographical from Mercury's standpoint, such as the reflective "These Are the Days of Our Lives" and the bold "The Show Must Go On." Also included are a pair of tracks that deal with mankind's inability to live harmoniously (the superb epic title track and "All God's People") and a humorous tribute to Mercury's beloved pet felines ("Delilah"). Innuendo was a fitting way to end one of rock's most successful careers.

[Niels (Mod)]

After the (for me!!) dissapointing "Presto-album", I didn't take notice, when Rush released "Roll The Bones". At that time, they were just another one of the good bands going bad, and not in a good way.

The Queen, Foreigner and VH-album I heard at the time, but like your 1990-choices, I never purchased any of them.

I was definitely one of them, having more than enough of the music at the time, but 1991 was SO much better, than 1990.

My favorite albums that year was Use Your Illusions I+II, U2's "Achtung Baby", Metallica's "Black Album" and Genesis "We Can't Dance" (which is way better than the hits!!). 

I don't think, that classic rock did die until 1992. When Extreme's "Three Sides.." was released, it was an awesome example of a CLASSIC classic rock-album. Probably the very last one in that time and age.

[Scott]

Gotta admit that I dropped off the Rush bandwagon around Power Windows and then jumped right back on with Roll The Bones.  Also, since I'm confessing, I never got Guns n Roses, remember hearing November Rain for the first time and the lyrics were so predictable you could almost sing the song with Axl the first time you heard it.   That's just me though...

[Jon]

I don't think classic rock really ever "died", but it really depends on what someone means by "classic rock". Is it the sound? The bands?

The bands really didn't. Think how many grunge bands came out after Nirvana and how many are still together now. Now think how many bands that started in the 70's and 80's are still around. Doesn't matter if the lineups have changed, there's still many around that started in the 70's & 80's as well as a few that started in the 60's.

Foreigner: How fast did this album reach the cutout bin? It's really not that bad.

Van Halen: The best Van Hagar album. Soon to be remastered. Ok, I kid.

Rush: The lost me with "Power Windows" and I didn't pay to much attention to them until "Counterparts".

Queen: I remember all the promotion for this album with the interviews, listening parties, etc. So stoked when I heard about this album and this song is absolutely killer stuff. Also features a geetar solo from Steve Howe, which isn't mentioned here until now. You're welcome.  

[Scott]

So you're going to be shocked, but I totally agree with you.  Without getting technical about defining classic rock, I think the 70's and 80's went into some shock at first, and maybe even tried to release some grunge style albums (which never worked for me) and then they kinda hibernated.  But, I think the true artists survived the turn of the century and grunge bands (99% of them anyway) didn't...

[Niels (Mod)]

They only survived, because of the albums, they put out in the 70's/80's, and because a lot of the greatest Grunge-"people" said, that they were great fans of certain '70's bands.

It wasn't until, I "met" you guys around 7 (!) years ago, that I started to (sometimes) buy and listen to some of the 80's bands new album realeases, and practically every time, I' was/am dissapointed. I did, and still love to listen to those bands heyday albums. And to discoverer great albums I'd missed in the 60's/70's/80's.(not that I did buy a lot of albums in the 60's, but I did GET a few Disney-records and such). I always had/have the attitude "if a band makes me buy 2-3 crap albums, f... them, and don't buy new albums again"

And I'm definitely not a fan of those bands, where the lineup's have changed too much. (AC/DC, Van Halen, Deep Purple, Judas Priest, Cheap Trick and especially KISS and Queen aso aso)

A LOT of bands SHOULD had died, when Grunge tried to kill them, that's for sure. 

And the best of the Grunge-bands still exsist in some form or another.

[RJhog (Admin)]

I think a lot of these bands you refer to, not all of them of course, are making very good music today. UFO, Van Halen (ADKOT was great), AC/DC and Deep Purple.  Plus members from many of these bands forming side projects that I've enjoyed, like Sweet & Lynch and all of the Black Country Communion albums with Glen Hughes at the helm.

But I think, if you are looking for those guys to reproduce what they did back then, you will be disappointed.  I can't do the same things I did back then, so why should we hold them to the same standard.  But compared to what you hear on 99 per cent of the current music playing radio stations, this stuff is terrific.  You just need to have an open mind.

[Jon]

Wishbone Ash, Uriah Heep, ELOY, Asia, Heart, Night Ranger....... 

[Scott]

Eloy!!!!!

[Niels (Mod)]

Can't say about Eloy, but all the bands, you guys mention here, are bands that only have made more or less crap-albums since Grunge. with the ecception of okay-albums from VH and AC/DC, but with key-members missing, it's not really them, is it? (stricktly IMHO)

Usually I take it clearly from my point of view, and there will always be listeners to whatever albums, all of these bands are releasing.I understand, that the bands are not able to create the same kind of masterpieces as the y did 40 years ago, but don't expect me to buy (that many of) the crap-albums, they release these years, just because they are a classic rock-band with a name. You have to do an effort to deserve my money, and these bands are mostly in it for the money (especially KISS and Queen).

[Jon]

Wishbone Ash has only made crap albums since grunge? I could mention other bands, but are you serious?

And I highly doubt Queen is in it just for the money.

[Niels (Mod)]

Wishbone Ash, I must admit, I haven't got a clue, when they were good at all. 

Queen, not in it for the money? Are you kidding? They should had stopped when Mercury died. Do you mean that they intend to make great new music with whatshisname?

The reason, I don't want a new Zep-album, is because Bonzo died 35 years ago.

Off course, there are examples of classic bands, still making great albums, like Rush. But notice: no key-members are missing.

[Jon]

The same could be said about Heart, Cheap Trick, AC/DC, Night Ranger, Asia.....

Brian May and Roger Taylor waited years before they came back, first with Paul Rodgers and now with Adam Lambert. Sure, they're making money, but it isn't money-driven.