SCOTTS HIDDEN TREASURES #51 - Different Configurations

[Scott]

Two things sparked this week’s list...

First, I was watching Iron Chef the other night, not the American version, the original Japanese one where they make all sorts of nasty stuff that people actually put into their mouths.  One of the chefs’s “re-constituted" something.  Essentially they were taking something from which its original form had been made to be something else, and then they try to resurrect it to something resembling its original form.

And secondly, Jon and I had a small chat going on about two Kansas releases, Vinyl Confession’s and Drastic Measures.

These two things gave me an idea - What happens to bands that go through a dramatic change?  Do they successfully "re-constitute" themselves or are the changes too big to overcome?

This week, SHT gets back to culling treasures from bands that are no longer the original band for whatever reason.

 

PLAYLIST VITALS

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Length: 40 minutes 46 seconds
Link: http://www.podsnack.com/playlists/210dc6b1db0970f5a0e52cb09a728538

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Let’s take a closer look...

TITLE: Lady Evil
BAND: Black Sabbath
ALBUM: Heaven and Hell
YEAR: 1980
LENGTH: 4:25
CHANGE TO THE BAND: Ozzy out and Ronnie James Dio in!
Left for dead at the dawn of the 80's, Sabbath rebounded in huge way.  Dio infused new life into the band to the point that many fans prefer this version over the original; unfortunately they may have been too successful as Dio left after their second recording and embarked on a successful solo career.

TITLE: All Night Long
BAND: Rainbow
ALBUM: Down To Earth (Deluxe Edition)
YEAR: 1979
LENGTH: 3:52
CHANGE TO THE BAND: Ronnie James Dio departs and is replaced by Graham Bonnet
This change also removed the fantasy component of the band as they opted for a more straight ahead rock and roll approach.  The band sounds reinvigorated as the tracks on the album are really upbeat and the geetar work is some of Blackmore’s most inspired.

TITLE: The Rambler
BAND: Molly Hatchet
ALBUM: Beatin' The Odds
YEAR: 1980
LENGTH: 4:48
CHANGE TO THE BAND: Jimmy Farrar replaces Danny Joe Brown
Though the fire heard in the first two Hatcher releases is gone, this release is really quite good.  It fared well as the band worked hard to keep going.  The sound, though still rocking, was different and their next release found them floundering.

TITLE: No More Tears
BAND: Little River Band
ALBUM: The Net
YEAR: 1983
LENGTH: 3:22
CHANGE TO THE BAND: John Farnham replaces Glenn Shorrock
A band that’s seen its share of personnel changes gets another final blow, this one comes with a style change as well.  Gone are the Australian tinged pop rock songs and catchy geetar hooks and in its place is a ton of catchy mid-tempo top 40 pop.  The band would see further changes that would drive them out of the spotlight, but initially this was a good change, it just couldn’t last.  This is one band I would love to see come back together in its original form.

TITLE: Don't Let Him Know
BAND: Prism
ALBUM: Small Change
YEAR: 1981
LENGTH: 3:08
CHANGE TO THE BAND: Henry Small replaces Ron Tabak
The band fired Ron Tabak in the middle of making their next album.  In all the turmoil Small came in with the song writing team of Jim Vallance and Bryan Adams who lend song writing assistance to keep the band moving in the right direction.  Initially this album yielded some chart success (including this track) but this would be short lived because at the end of this tour the rest of the original band would leave making their next release sound nothing like Prism.

TITLE: All The Years
BAND: Chicago
ALBUM: Stone of Sisyphus
YEAR: 1993/2008 (Originally recorded/Actually released)
LENGTH: 4:15
CHANGE TO THE BAND: No more Peter Cetera
Cetera was replaced in September 1985 by bassist/singer/songwriter Jason Scheff, who joined the band for the album Chicago 18.  This is the only Post-Cetera Chicago I own, and in my opinion it’s the only one I would recommend.

TITLE: Devils Party
BAND: INXS
ALBUM: Switch
YEAR: 2005
LENGTH: 3:25
CHANGE TO THE BAND: JD Fortune steps in on vocals after winning a reality TV show.
After the death of Michael Hutchence this band foundered, but found a nice replacement in spite of a really dorky reality TV show that fleshed him out of the woodwork.  Today they don’t seem to have been able to maintain the momentum they got from this nice release, I suppose due to continued battles with Fortune.  Shame...

TITLE: How About That
BAND: Bad Company
ALBUM: Here Comes Trouble
YEAR: 1992
LENGTH: 5:26
CHANGE TO THE BAND: Brian Howe brought in to replace Paul Rodgers
Talk about having to fill big shoes!  Good thing the style changed to accommodate him.  This era of Bad Company isn’t really too bad but the band couldn’t maintain it and Howe dropped out.

TITLE: In Pieces
BAND: Foreigner
ALBUM: Can’t Slow Down
YEAR: 2009
LENGTH: 3:53
CHANGE TO THE BAND: Kelly Hansen takes over for Lou Gramm
Mick Jones stated that he and Gramm split because they weren't communicating, so a final split was inevitable.  This release did quite well, debuting at #29 on the album charts and yielding two Adult Contemporary hits tunes, one of which is this track.  Successful touring followed and continues.  I am interested in their next steps and future releases, so they stay on the radar screen...

TITLE: Right Away
BAND: Kansas
ALBUM: Vinyl Confessions
YEAR: 1982
LENGTH: 4:07
CHANGE TO THE BAND: Steve Walsh was replaced by vocalist/keyboardist John Elefante
Changes were done due to creative tensions in the band.  Wikipedia sidenote: Interesting that Elefante was chosen over other applicants including Sammy Hagar and Doug Pinnick.  I digress.  This new edition of Kansas was more spiritual in its approach, no longer creating 10 minutes progressive cuts, but 3-4 minute Christian themed pop-rock.  I liked it, still do!

 

[RJhog (Admin)]

My Vitals Stats for SHT # 51

 

Approval (percentage of songs I liked): 60%

Songs I've Never Heard: 8 (80%)

Songs I Have Heard: 2 (20%)

Best Song I'm Familiar With: Lady Evil - Black Sabbath

Best Song I'm Not Familiar With: The Rambler - Molly Hatchet

 

I enjoyed this excercise Scott, mostly because you went with some bands that aren't as "on the radar" as others, which is exactly why they are hidden treasures.  So good job there.  Having said that, I would have expected somethin from Journey, Styx or AC/DC. 

 

The Hatchet tune reminded me of the Marshall Tucker Band, the INXS song actually sounded kinda like Hutchence singing, and the Bad Co. song reminds me of Foreigner.  Speaking of Foreigner, I think you picked the best song on that album.  And finally, I counted the Kansas song as a "like", but the production is not good.  So is this track from the orig. cd, or the remastered that you just purchased?  Just curious.

 

Great job as usual!

[Scott]

love the scale!!!!

 

I was thinking of something from Crystal Ball but opted out of it, not sure why because your right, it would have fit.  I also had "Never Walk Away" from Revelation on my short list and after the final listen through I couldnt find the right place for it in the playlist so it got tossed.  ACDC on the otherhand didnt even cross my mind.  But now that I think about it, I havent yet got through the entire Fly On The Wall album yet and I know Niels wants me to do that soon...  hmmm.....

[Jon]

Interesting list...for some reason, since you did Live, Live, Live last week, I thought you were going to do Dead, Dead Dead this week. But this is even better! Will give it a listen tomorrow ESPECIALLY that last song.

[Scott]

Dead Dead Dead ...  hmmm...  I might see if I can think of somethign to do with that

[Niels (Mod)]

Dead Kennedy's??!!

[Jon]

First time through I lost interest from LRB on. Then the second time thru I like those a little better and then the third time thru I accepted all the songs. Weird when you play the same ten songs for three hours straight. However, the Kansas song just didn't click. I don't even remember that song from the album, but haven't heard it in almost 30 years (wow!). The Foreigner song and that album still bug me. As for Chicago, think this might be the weakest track on that whole album? It was like I never heard it before yet I have the album and have played it a few times.

 

Nice list though..not the greatest you've put out, but listenable. After a few run-throughs. :-)

[Scott]

Ya ... totally get where you coming from... 

[Scott]

... and if you think this downward spiral stops here, wait until I post this weeks list!

[Jon]

Dead?

 

Oh...Kiss and Firehouse?

[Scott]

No and No...  but I want to work on that dead thing ...  though it may take me a minute ...

[Niels (Mod)]

If you love RJhog's scale, I'll use that as well (this time, anyway) :

 

Approval (percentage of songs I liked): 80%

Songs I've Never Heard: 8 (80%)

Songs I Have Heard: 2 (20%)

Best Song I'm Familiar With: Lady Evil - Black Sabbath

Best Song I'm Not Familiar With:  Right Away - Kansas

 

I really like John Farnham's voice. It reminds me of some good times in the 80's. 

That dude from INXS sure sounds like Michael Hutchence. A nice little track.

I also kinda like the Bad Company-track. It sounds a bit like Foreigner. Good singer.

Now the singer from Bad Company sounds like Lou Gramm, and the singer from Foreigner sounds like the "new" singer from Marillion, and a BIT like Robin Zander. Weird! I must like this Pop-rock kind of music today, because I also like the Foreigner-track.

Ahh, Kansas. I seem allways to like the tracks you post by Kansas, and I also like this one. This also reminds me a bit of Cheap Trick. Probably the singer again. And ToTo, of course.

Good list, Scott. Love it, when there are many songs, I'm not familiar with, but like them.