Emmo’s Blog

This week saw Bon Jovi claim the third biggest slide in US chart history.

The Circle debuted in the US Album Chart at number 1 (the bands third consecutive) but this week it fell an astonishing 18 places to number 19. Only Marilyn Manson and Incubus has have bigger falls from grace from the number 1 spot.

The Circles first weeks sales were less than impressive. 163,000 copies were sold but a dreadful 50,153 were sold week 2. This could be the first Bon Jovi album not to sell more than 500,000 copies.

There was no reasons in particular for die-hards or even casual fans not to buy the album in the US. Wall mart had the CD for the special price of $6.99 and Amazon offered the download at $3.99. Those prices are more than reasonable in a time of world recession.

So what’s the reason behind the drop in sales? Illegal downloads? I’m not buying that (excuse the pun) some albums have sold by the hundreds of thousands in the last year despite the albums being leaked on the internet.

For me it’s a case of a Bon Jovi overload. From 1985-2002 the band released (not including the Greatest Hits, Live album & TLFR) 7 albums averaging nearly 3 years before each release.

Since 2003 they have released 4 albums lowering the average time between albums to 1.5 years.
But the main fact is that the band have released 3 albums in the last 5 years and that’s too much.

More albums will mean even die-hards are seeing and hearing to much of the band.
We would all like our favorite bands to release a new album every week but if they did the quality of song would suffer and that’s what’s happened to Bon Jovi.

While The Circle is a good album and the best since 1995s These Days, if you bought the three albums (Bounce, Have A Nice Day & Lost Highway) since 2003 then you would be well excused for giving the latest offering a miss and I believe that’s what’s happened.

Bon Jovi have finally released an album worth telling the world about but the world has heard too much mediocrity to give it any of its time.

Album sales will pick up when the band starts touring but The Circle may already be officially the worst selling Bon Jovi album of all time.

After the next tour the band need to go away and come back in 4 or 5 years maybe longer. They need to make people want/need/crave another Bon Jovi album. They need to be totally off the radar like when they took a break between New Jersey and Keep The Faith.

People were bored with Grunge which was everywhere at the time. People wanted Bon Jovi back and they returned with a 10 million plus selling album. I would even suggest no solo albums this time either. There has just been too much in a to short space of time.

If you get the chance to see them on The Circle tour then do so as they are still one of the best live acts around. It should hopefully for the sake of the band be the last time you get to see them in a long while….

Well it’s a Rock-tastic week this week at Emmo Towers.

Why?

Well last week I sold some dire albums I’d bought over the years on eBay.

The 10 albums raked in about £60 so I went on a mission to get 11 of the 12 Iron Maiden studio albums I needed.
Amazingly I got them all for roughly £40 on eBay which was amazing as they were all the re-mastered versions.

I am now the proud owner of every Iron Maiden studio album except the two with Blaze Bailey on vocals. Maiden are an awesome band and I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to really get into them even though I’ve had Number Of The Beast for nearly 10 years.

With the Pay-Pal pot still a little in credit I purchased the new KISS album Sonic Boom and the new WASP album Babylon. Both have turned up today so I’ll review these as soon as I can but I have some serious music to get through.

I have never been a fan of KISS but I have read some good reviews about Sonic Boom. Most reviewers have said that this is their best album for nearly 30 years. It’s a gamble for me as I have never really got what all the fuss was about with KISS.

I have only been into WASP for about 18 months but they are amazing. The Crimson Idol is one of the best metal albums of all time and if Babylon is half as good then I’ll be happy.

So that’s 13 albums to get through and they should keep me going until at least Nov 2nd when Bon Jovi release The Circle.

Last month also saw the release of Alice In Chains excellent new album Black Gives Way To Blue. A fine return to form for arguably the finest band to come out of Seattle and the grunge scene. Its hard to change vocalist not that they had much choice after the death of the original front man Layne Staley. The new guy fits in well and the fact that he sounds exactly like Staley will help the fans take to the new album quicker.

Pearl Jam have also released a new album recently titled Backspacer. I haven’t yet bought this album and doubt that I will. The reviews for the latest offering haven’t made me want to go buy it so I doubt that I will. Pearl Jam will never top their first two albums Ten and Vs so in my opinion everything since those releases have been average at best.

Finally, The Wildhearts are rumoured to be releasing download only track on Friday 16th October. It will be available from their website www.thewildhearts.com  No news on what the song is but I reckon it’s a song that didn’t make the latest album the excellent “Chutzpah!” I hope that it’s the song “Some Days Just F*cking Suck”  but who knows what these guys have in store!

On December 17th Wildhearts front man Ginger is playing a Birthday Bash gig at Highbury Garage. Tickets are £12.50 and are well worth a purchase. Expect some special guests to help Ginger celebrate his birthday. I will be there so make sure that you are!

Away from music and next week sees the release of Konami’s Pro Evolution Soccer 2010. After the disappointment of Evo 2009 Konami have been working hard to please the army of loyal fans. The have been working hard and trying their best to reclaim the crown back from Fifa.

If you read this site last year I was gutted with Pro Evo 09 and bought Fifa09 but after while I went back to Pro after I found Fifa too scripted. I have played Fifa10 this year and again I dislike it. I have also played the Evo10 demo and am liking it….a lot.

 A full review of Evo10 will be on the site sometime in the next 10 days.

 Music News

Alice In Chains release their first album since 1995s self titled album on 28th September.
Black Gives Way To Blue will be the first release to feature new vocalist William DuVall who replaced original singer Layne Staley after his untimely death from a drug overdose in 2002.

Neil Young wannabes Pearl Jam release their 9TH studio album Backspacer on 21st September.

80s glam rockers Danger Danger are back with original vocalist Ted Pooley and they release a new album Revolve on 21st September. The band have said this is their best work since 1991s Screw it! album which was the bands biggest seller.

Guitarist George Lynch and his band Lynch Mob return with a new album Smoke And Mirrors in early October.
This will be the bands first release since 2003. Will it be as good as Wicked Sensation? We will soon find out!

WASP release their new album Babylon on 10th November and this will be followed by a UK tour.

Finally If you like songs that go on forever and a day then the Porcupine Tree release their double album The Incident on 15th September. Disc 1 is just one song that’s broken down in twelve parts and goes on for 55 minutes!!

 Classic Jovi from 1989

Some song titles for the new Bon Jovi album The Circle  have been given to a Tokeyo radio station by Jon Bon Jovi himself.  Its not clear what songs will appear on which version (normally the UK version differs to others)  but Jon named these in the interview the other day.

Below is a list of 12 songs that will appear on the different versions. Having heard 3 of these songs the order of songs will be different to what’s below.

JBJ also mentioned there is another song to be added but as yet thats unamed.

We Weren’t Born To follow
When We Were Beautiful
Work For The Working Man
Superman Tonight
Bullet
Thorn In My Side
Live Before You Die
Broken Promise land
Love’s the Only Rule
Fast Cars
Happy Now
Learn To Love

 The Circle is out on 10 November and will be preceded by the single We Weren’t Born To Follow which is already on heavy rotation on radio stations in the UK.

US Rockers Bon Jovi have announced details of their new album.
 
The new album, Circle will be released on 09/11/09 and it will be the bands 11th studio album.
We Weren’t Born To Follow will be the first single lifted from the album and is scheduled to be released on 31/08/09.

Tour dates are to be announced later in the year around the time the album is released.

Bon Jovi have sold over 120,000,000 albums worldwide.

The Wildhearts have won the “Spirit Of Independence” award at this year’s Kerrang! Awards

It’s nice to see the boys have finally won something after more than 15 years without hardly any recognition at all.
Could this mean that Kerrang! have finally forgiven Gingers crew for trashing their offices back in the mid-nineties??

The award comes a few weeks before the release of the bands 9th studio album. Chutzpah! is released in all good record stores (and some rubbish ones!) on August 31st.

Here are the winners in full:

Best British Newcomer: In Case Of Fire
Best International Newcomer: The Gaslight Anthem
Best Single: The Prodigy – Omen
Best Video: Mastodon – Oblivion
Classic Songwriter: Linkin Park
Spirit Of Independence: The Wildhearts
Icon: Alice In Chains
Best Album: Metallica – Death Magnetic
Best Live Band: Slipknot
Inspiration: Machine Head
Hall Of Fame: Limp Bizkit
Best British Band: Bullet For My Valentine
Best International Band: Slipknot

The Wildhearts will return with their 9th studio album, Chutzpah!, on 31st August and head out on a full UK tour in September and October.

The track listing is as follows:

The Jackson Whites
Plastic Jebus
The Only One
John Of Violence
You Are Proof That Not All Women Are Insane
Tim Smith
Low Energy Vortex
You Took The Sunshine From New York
Mazel Tov Cocktail
Chutzpah

Chutzpah will be available in all good record shops…….and some rubbish ones as well….

For those who like The Wildhearts you may or may not know that front man Ginger has released some solo albums.
His  first album was only available on Japanese Import back in 2000 and went with the name Silver ginger 5.
A few years later it was released in the UK and had an added bonus disc that contained demos, live & acoustic songs. A second SG5 album was due to be released but nothing ever came of it.

The next solo album was A Break In The Weather and this contained all his singles on one album. Ginger announced he would be releasing a single a month for the 12 months of 2001. After 6 months and 6 singles they stopped coming. He had problems with the label and distributors so no more were released. The  label then released all the already released songs on the one album. In my opinion this is Gingers weakest work. There are some good songs but no great songs.

The next albums released were Valor Del Corazon (2 disc), Yoni and Market Harbour.  All are great albums and sound different from the Wildhearts. Some songs have that Wildhearts sound but most sound different and that’s why I like them so much. No point in releasing solo stuff if it sounds the same as your band is there??
These 3 albums are immense albums. If you don’t have them you really should be ordering them as soon as you have finished here!

Ginger has also released 4  live acoustic albums. Grievous Acoustic Behaviour , Potatoes & You (Only available to buy at Gingers shows), Life Begins At 40 (Mail order only) &The Great White Monkey show how versatile Ginger is. The on stage banter is hilarious and every so often a strange song is played like Prince Charming, Eastenders theme & Spike Milligan for example.

There is another Ginger solo album rumoured to be released in Jan 2010 so you have plenty of time to get his back catalogue and listen to the genius that is Ginger.
Ginger Back Catalogue

Albums:

Silver Ginger 5
Black Leather Mojo (Original Japanese import): 2000
Sonic Shake
Divine Imperfection
Anyway But Maybe
Girls Are Better Than Boys
Brain Sugar
(Whatever Happened To) Rock ‘N’ Roll Girls
Monkey Zoo
Inside Out
I Wanna Be New
Church Of The Broken Hearted
Take It All Why Don’t'cha
Too Many Hippies (In The Garden Of Love)
Doggin’
To Love Somebody

Silver Ginger 5
Black Leather Mojo (2 Disc UK Edition): 2001
Sonic Shake
Divine Imperfection
Anyway But Maybe
Girls Are Better Than Boys
Brain Sugar
(Whatever Happened To) Rock ‘N’ Roll Girls
The Monkey Zoo
Too Many Hippies (In The Garden Of Love)
Inside Out
I Wanna Be New
Church Of The Broken Hearted
Take It All Why Don’tcha
Doggin’
To Love Somebody
Disc 2
I Wanna Be New
Divine Imperfection
Motorvate
Star-Groovus Maximus
He’s A Whore
Inglorious
Too Many Hippies (In The Garden Of Love)
Medley (Acoustic)
Love U Till I Don’t (Acoustic)
Don’t Worry ‘Bout Me (Acoustic)
I Wanna Go Where The People Go (Acoustic)
Greetings From Shitsville (Acoustic)
Walk Like A Motherfucker (Demo)
More Is The Law (Demo)
Last Bastard In Heaven (Demo)
 
Grievous Acoustic Behaviour: Live At The 12 Bar: 2001
If You Wanna Be On A Record Here’s Your Chance…
Inside Out
I Hate To See People Without Drinks…
Re-inventing The Wheel
Are There Any Troublemakers In…?
If I Had You
It Is A Sad Song But I’m Just Dead Happy…
Church Of The Broken Hearted
He’s Loaded, Careful…
Hard Luck Woman
You Cannot Play `Weekend’ On An Acoustic Guitar (Suck My Sword)
Tom, Take The Money
I Thought These Things Were Supposed To Be Boring…
In Lilly’s Garden
Disc 2
Happy Birthday To Cheryl…
Nita Nitro
They’re Just As Ugly Upstairs…
Bad Time To Be Having A Bad Time
Why Didn’t We Do The Tour Last Year…?
Jonesing For Jones
If I Ever Do This Again I’m Gonna Write A Set-list Down…
Sky Chaser High
Come On You Sex God…!
29 x The Pain
This Guy’s Built A Glass Guitar With Fish In It…
Dreaming In A
Long Live Stidi…
Where Did Everyone Go?
Danny McCormack, COME ON DOWN!
Geordie In Wonderland
Postman Pat
Don’t Worry ‘Bout Me
C-C-C-C-Caffeine Bomb

Potatoes And You: 2005
Loveshit
Show A Little Emotion
Someone That Wont Let Me Go
So Into You
Weekend
News Of The World / So Into You Reprise
Some Rehearsed Improvisation
One Love, One Life, One Girl
Inside Out
In Lillys Garden / Someone That Wont Let Me Go
Unlucky In Love
Just In Lust
Bad Time To Be Having A Bad Time
Only One Hell
Looking For The One
Shame On Me

Life Begins At 40: 2005
Minslide
Urge
Youve Got To Get Through
Friend For 5 Minutes
Monkey Zoo
Animals
Loveshit
The People That Life Forgot
Anyway But Maybe
Hate The World Day

A Break In The Weather: 2005
I’m A Lover, Not A Fighter
Don’t Let Me Die Lonely
Thailand Uber Alles
Cars & Vaginas
You, Me & BT
Not Bitter, Just A Little Disappointed
The Saga Of Me & You
Naked Innocence
A Better Man
Disc 2
And This Time I’m Serious
Re-Inventing The Wheel
Blinded By Absinthe
Virtual Love
Energetic O
Where Did Everyone Go?
T.W.A.T.
He’s A Man
The Dying Art Of The Chorus
Same Again

Valor Del Corazon: 2006
Ugly
Mother City
Yeah Yeah Yeah
This Is Only A Problem
Ten Flaws Down
Paramour
The Man Who Cheated Death
DISC 2
The Drunken Lord Of Everything
L.O.V.E
The Way
Drinking In The Daytime
Keep It Cool
Only Lonely
Your Mouth
Change
My Friend The Enemy
Bulb
Something To Believe In

Yoni :2007
Black Windows
When She Comes
Holiday
Smile In Denial
Jake
The Night I Was Born Again
Why Can’t You Just Be Normal All The Time?
Can’t Drink You Pretty
This Bed Is On Fore
Save Me
Wendy, You’re Killing Me
Siberian Angel

Market Harbour: 2008
Casino Bay
Soap Hammer
Queen Of Leaving
Attentionette
The Ninns Of Mourning
House Of Moths
How Hard Can You Make It?
Awareness & The Great Integrity
A Philosophical Conversation About Age
Josser Bank
Tenants
Regret.com
Black Yeah
I Knew You (An Anemesis)
You & Me (That’s What I Want)
Couple Trouble
The Perilous Burden Of Prodigal Obligation
A Malibu Chronicle
Over easy
Eye Of The Rotunda
Shatterproof

The Great White Monkey: 2009
Intro
29 x The Pain
(Superskunk)
She’s So Taboo,
(Buy A CD Player),
One Love, One Life, One Girl
Inside Out
Hocus Pocus
The Daftness
Re-Inventing The Wheel
Disc 2
(Song Writing Tips)
Geordie In Wonderland
Skychaser High
Nita Nitro
(Duran Duran)
I’m A Lover Not A Fighter
(Self Harm)
There’s Only One Hell
LTD
Spike Milligan 1
Pissjoy/Suckerpunch/Nurse Maxim
Spike Milligan
Dangerlust
Cheers
Does Your Mother Know/Sky Babies/Space Oddity
I Wanna Go Where The People Go

Singles:

Lover Not A Fighter: 2001
Lover Not A Fighter
Dont Let Me Die Lonely
Thailand Uber Alles

Cars & Vaginas: 2001
Cars & Vaginas
You, Me & BT
Not Bitter, Just A Little Dissapointed

This Time Im Serious: 2001
This Time Im Serious
Re-Inventing The Wheel
Blinded By Absinthe

Saga Of Me & You: 2001
Saga Of Me & You
Naked Innocence
A Better Man

Virtual Love: 2001
Virtual Love
Engergetic O
Where Did Everyone Go?

T.W.A.T: 2001
T.W.A.T.
He’s A Man
The Dying Art Of The Chorus
Same Again

Yeah Yeah Yeah: 2006
Yeah Yeah Yeah

Holiday: 2007
Holiday
Casino Bay

It’s been nearly 4 months since Guns N’ Roses released their long awaited album Chinese Democracy.
Now the hype and hysteria has died down what do I now think of it? Has it lost its flavour or have I got bored with it?

The simple answer is no.

When I said (in last year’s top 10 albums review) that I thought this album was the release of the decade I wasn’t exaggerating. I know it only four months on but the album still sounds great and I’m still hearing things that I’ve missed the previous listens. The album is more than comfortable sitting with the bands previous releases.

It always amazes me that a music reviewer can give a review after maybe 2 listens. I think everyone knows if they dislike an album pretty much straight away but if you like an album there is so much going on that it takes (me) about 10 listens to hear everything that’s happening.
I may like a certain song so much that I’m still thinking about it well into the next song and therefore not paying as much attention to it. That’s why loads of listens are needed.

The biggest compliment I can give the album is that the first time I heard it I never wanted it to end. It’s the same now.

Axl Rose’s Ex Stephanie Seymour is the inspiration behind most of the songs. Better, Street Of Dreams, There Was A Time, This I Love & If The World are all about his relationship and feelings for her.

Sorry is aimed at former band mate Slash. It’s the albums darkest and moodiest song and it a real album highlight. Anyone who thinks that a the original GNR line-up is back on the cards need only listen to this song. Axl recently gave an interview where he said that the old GNR was “dead and buried” and described Slash as the bands “cancer.” Strong stuff.

After as many listens as I have given it there are of course a few songs that haven’t grabbed me by the balls and they are Shacklers Revenge & This I Love. Shacklers has too many keyboard effects in it for my liking and This I Love is like a Meatloaf/Opera style track.

If I had to pick 3 songs that are my favourite it would be hard but Better (the next single), Street Of Dreams & There Was A Time would be up there. There Was A Time is 6 minutes long and the last 3 minutes are guitar solo. It’s already a GNR classic. A true masterpiece.

It’s disappointing that Slash, Duff, Steven & Izzy are not on this album but with the musicians that Axl has drafted in they are not missed as much as you might think. According to the album sleeve this album has had up to 9 guitarists playing on it. There are also a few drummers who have played on the album. Axl recently admitted to listening to Appetite and the Illusions and loving them except for the drumming. He thinks they sound dated. He is even talking of taking 2 drummers when they start touring. Axl wants as many guitars and drums on stage as possible. Will it work? Who knows!!

Axl also said he was miss-quoted when saying “I want to bury Appetite” during an interview by Kurt Loder back in 1990.
He said he meant everything that surrounded Appetite (Steven Adler’s problems & the excessive drug use by some band members) and he wanted to start fresh with the Illusions. Due to Izzy leaving plus Slash and Duffs continuing problems starting fresh never happened. Now that Axl is last man standing he has drafted in who wanted and as many as he wanted.

There are plans for a Chinese Democracy 2 but that will follow after a few years touring. Axl has stated that some of the guitar work is amazing and sounds like Stevie Ray Vaughan.

For all those who doubted Axl Rose’s genius this album will restore the faith but for millions who never doubted him this album is another more than interesting chapter in the GNR legacy.

A new band……to me anyway !!

I have recently been introduced to a band that started in the early 90s and are still going today albeit with a few line up changes.

If you like good rock music with harmonies and superb guitar solos then go and check out Enuff Z’ Nuff.
Some of the songs have a Beatles-esq feel to them and none more so than their biggest hit Fly High Michelle.

I have recently purchased their first three albums. You can pick these up cheap on eBay or Amazon in the new or used section. I recommend the self titled debut album and the third release Animals With Human Intelligence.

The band have gone though some line up changes. Original drummer Vikki Foxx left shortly before the release of Animals… to join the Vince Neil Band. Neil set this band up after his sacking from Motley Crue in 1992.
Then disaster struck when guitarist Derek Frigo was found dead with a suspected drug overdose.

Enuff Z’ Nuff have released 14 albums including Greatest Hits and live albums.

Go check them out and let me know your feedback