Secret Identity--What's New?

KISS Forever Delivers The Goods

9/9/2014

by Matman

Last Saturday night I took the 90 minute ride to the Commonwealth in Quincy, MA to finally see KISS Forever! I first met Ara Asadoorian (Star Child) and John Sanar (the Demon) at Boston Comic Con a few years ago. After some interviews and KISS chat I couldn't wait to see them live. Finally, with my schedule clear I met up with my pal Alan Hebert from HB Comics and got ready for an evening of great live music!

KISS Forever hit the stage with the opener 'Detroit Rock City' and for the next 2 1/2 hours, they presented an arena sized show in a small club! The set featured so many KISS classics and gave each menber their time in the spotlight! Lead guitarist Rob Smith (Space Ace) not only played with some serious skills including smoking and light up guitar, he also took the mike for a couple of Ace classics, "Shock Me' and '2000 Man'. Sitting atop a tank turret riser is the new guy, drummer Michael Grillo who wears the face paint of the late great Eric Carr. The Fox not only played tight but he was heavy when he needed to be on the CREATURES OF THE NIGHT offerings 'War Machine' and 'I Love It Loud'. The Fox also had his vocal spotlight on the fan favorite, 'Black Diamond'.

But it isn't just the make up era that gets covered in this 30 plus song set! Hits like 'Lick It Up', 'Tears Are Falling' and my third favorite Kiss song 'Hide Your Heart' was performed, complete with audience singalong chorus.

Another cool thing they did was between songs, Rob would play or tease songs like 'Rocket Ride', 'I' and 'The Oath'. I started to get a little mad at him because I wanted to hear those songs!

With each passing song I started to realize what an amazing and diverse catalog KISS has. From the pop of 'Rock N Roll All Nite', the heavy of 'Parasite' and the almost boogie of 'Strutter', KISS Forever brings those classic songs to life.

KISS Forever is a show you can't miss! Ara is Paul Stanley with his voice, raps and feather boa! John not only plays Gene Simmons perfectly, he is an amazing bass player as well. Rob Smith's Ace Frehley is pretty close to perfect with the trademark leads and spacey stage prescience. And Mike Grillo as Eric Carr pays tribute to his memory by playing loud and holding the whole thing together!

There is nothing like live music and these guys deliver it with all the flash, fake blood and volume you could want. This is an A show that could be an A+ if they would just add 'Shandi' to their set.

For more info, go to www.kissforeveronline.com

You Wanted The Best!!!!

8/30/2014

Get Ready For Rock And Shock!

8/26/2014

by Matman

Just when we thought our 'Secret Identity World Tour 2014' was winding down, another show so cool and awesome arrives that makes Brian and I say..."Yup. Got room for one more!"

On October 17th, 18th and 19th the city of Worcester, MA will come alive with scary stuff, incredible music and guests that represent everything we love about shows.

ROCK AND SHOCK 2014 is an event so big it takes two places in Worcester to house it; the DCU Center and the Palladium. Who will be there? How about Rowdy Roddy Piper, John Ratzenberger (Cliff Claven himsef), Jeffrey Combs, Dee Wallace, Tom Savini, Brad Dourif and many many more.

But once the day is over...then what? How about some incredible concerts featuring the legendary King Diamond, GWAR, and a bunch of other bands that put the shock into rock!

To find out more about events and ticket info just go to www.rockandshock.com

Megadeth Makes You Sweat Bullets

5/14/2014

by Matman

For the past few years, Martin Popoff has not only written some of the best music bio's out there but has become the biggest influence in my own writing.

His books featuring some of my favorites including UFO, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Judas Priest and Deep Purple (to name a few)... and RUSH, Ted Nugent, Scorpions and Dio... (ok, i'll stop) have not only taught me more about the groups, but gave me a deeper appreciation for their music. But now, Martin has just released a book that my Secret Identity partner will be freaking out about.... ready Brian?

Here is Martin to tell us all about it!

"Martin Popoff here with at 152,180 words is the fattest, heaviest, most harrowing rock biog I’ve ever done. Indeed, it’s a monster, and it’s called...

Sweating Bullets: The Deth And Rebirth Of Megadeth!"

My Darkest Hour...

Megadeth’s run of thrash classics from the mid ‘80s and up through the ‘90s continue to be celebrated in the metal community long after Dave Mustaine’s band mates have been discarded to the sands of time—save one, Dave “Jr.” Ellefson.

Along the way, there’s Mustaine’s pathology with his ex-friends in Metallica but also a helluva lot of killer metal, as the band works its way up through Peace Sells and So Far, through to the pair of superlative American metal classics, namely Rust In Peace and Countdown To Extinction.

Later came Cryptic Writings and Risk, which threatened to kill the band dead. And yet... the reconstitution of Megadeth after their demoralizing decline and then deflating dispersal at the destructive hand of its leader Dave Mustaine is a story not told ‘til now. But it is a tale worth telling for many reasons, perhaps starting with: a) its instructiveness on how to rebuild and maintain a career in metal and b) the revelations of so much good music to be discovered by metal fans the world over. Quite simply, the recent half of the Megadeth story, spanning the records The World Needs A Hero through Super Collider, includes some of the best and heaviest Megadeth music ever committed to shiny silver, with this author’s personal favourites arriving all over the Endgame album of 2009 and the Thirteen album of 2013.

Come celebrate Mustaine’s vision, track-by-track, as Martin applies his tried and tested methodology to a head-crunching canon of work that is truly as strong at the recent end of the spectrum as it is with the classics you all know and love.

Prices for Sweating Bullets including shipping:

US orders: $39.00 US funds
Int’l orders (all books go air): $48.00 Cdn. funds
Canadian orders: $42.00 Cdn. funds

PayPal happily accepted. Ask me if you’d like a PayPal invoice (please indicate what country you are in), or just do yer usual and direct funds to martinp@inforamp.net

Sweet postage savings to be had for multiple orders (or two of pretty much anything—long story, ask me!) for overseas, or for US and Canada , any three or even four books at once.

Or mail payment (personal check in US funds, cash, or INTERNATIONAL money order), to:

Martin Popoff
P.O. Box 65208 , 358 Danforth Ave.
Toronto , Ontario , Canada M4K 2Z2

Email me at martinp@inforamp.net with any further questions, and see www.martinpopoff.com for descriptions, cover art and ordering info for my other available 30 or so books (and no, the Megadeth won’t be there for another week or so, BUT YES, THEY ARE IN MY OFFICE READY TO SHIP).

Review--ASIA: Gravitas (Frontiers Records)

4/6/2014

by Matman

Like many of the bands we loved when we were younger, ASIA has created a signature sound and expectations that can hinder growth or success. Since the reformation of the classic lineup in 2006, ASIA has added to their musical legacy with their latest release, Gravitas, on Frontiers Records.

Featuring the core of John Wetton (bass/vocals), Geoff Downes (keyboards) and Carl Palmer (drums) the band is rounded out with new guitarist Sam Coulson (who replaces Steve Howe), ASIA 2014 has created a new musical path for themselves not dependent on their amazing past.

Kicking off the album is the first single 'Valkrye', an incredible song that prepares the listener for the next almost hour of escape. Right away you hear how Coulson's riffs and soaring solo add a new layer to ASIA's wall of sound, not unlike Mandy Mayer did in 1986. The next song is the epic title track complete with beautiful melodies and trademark ASIA backing vocals.

As you dive in deeper and listen to the entire disc (and then go back for another listen) you won't hear that blazing song or hard crunching tune you may be expecting, but you will get ear candy like 'Nyctophobia', 'Russian Dolls' and the dusted off 'I Would Die For You' that are charming and at times quirky and show where ASIA is today.

'Gravitas' is an album that takes a few listens to get fully into. Musically, ASIA is on top of their game thanks in big part to the tapestry woven by Geoff Downs. Although Carl Palmer doesn't let loose like I would want or hope, the songs are solid, the production is top notch and John Wetton is singing and playing better than he ever has.

For a frame of reference I compare 'Gravitas' to the Dire Straits 'Brother In Arms' as far as its tone and musical pacing. This album doesn't overpower you for the sake of showing off, it just entertains on a nice human level.

Matman Rating: 4 out of 5 dragons

To find out more about ASIA go to their official site at www.originalasia.com

To check out the amazing stable of artists on Frontier Records click here

Epic Ted Nugent Is...EPIC!

1/3/2014

by Matman

In the late 1970's, Ted Nugent was on top of the hard rock world. With screaming songs like 'Cat Scratch Fever', 'Stormtroopin' and 'Great White Buffalo', Ted certainly earned his nickname 'The Motor City Madman!'

Thanks to writer Martin Popoff, 'Epic Ted Nugent' tells the story of the man behind the music and the tale behind the legend. From his humble beginnings with the Amboy Dukes to his legendary solo career Martin covers it all from beginning to now in an easy to read and very entertaining book.

For almost 300 pages we not only hear from the man himself (as only Ted can deliver), but we hear from the 'other side of the coins' like old managers, producers as well as Ted's original partner in crime Derek St. Holmes where the former vocalist lights up Ted and gives a view that only a few saw it from.

As a young music fan I was introduced to the Nugent sound by my friends Kevin, Mark and Tommy Cianfarani who were huge fans of the Nuge! When I read this book by Martin, I could hear the scratchy sounds coming from their stereo with the album jackets scattered all over the floor of the orange room. I remember the brothers telling me the stories behind the songs as well as all things they knew that was Ted Nugent. Here, Martin confirms those stories and gives the reader a million more.

Once again Martin has put together an amazing book and given me insite and history on one of my favorite musicians / personalities! The best compliment I can give 'Epic Ted Nugent' is that after I was done reading it, I had to dust off the vinyl and crank it up loud. But since I'm old, I put on a CD and just took a nap.

Matman Rating - 4.5 out of 5 Wango Tangos!

Review--Black Sweater Massacre (The Reigning Monarchs)

12/15/2013

by Brian LeTendre

I came to know about The Reigning Monarchs through the Walking the Room podcast. comedian Greg Behrendt is the guitar player of the surf/ska/punk band that he co-founded with Michael Eisenstein (Letters to Cleo) back in 2007. A little while back, the group released their long-awaited second full album, Black Sweater Massacre.

The album is comprised of twelve instrumentals that range from mellow rockabilly to traditional surf to what I would describe as punk swing. They’re a hard band to characterize, which is one of the things I love about the Reigning Monarchs--there’s just nothing else out there like them.

Behrendt and Eisenstein's guitars drive the band's sound, and they’re accompanied by some stellar horns. The bass and drums are the only forces keeping the songs on the rails at points, which gives the whole album the feel of a roller coaster ride.

Black Sweater Massacre is a blast of a record that you’ll find yourself revisiting again and again. It’s been one of my writing soundtracks since I picked it up, and it makes for a fine workout soundtrack as well.

You can grab Black Sweater Massacre for $7, and it’s well worth the money. You can check out a video promo for the album below that will give you a taste of the band's sound.

Stryper's 'No More Hell to Pay' ROCKS!

11/5/2013

by Brian LeTendre

As a diehard music fan, one of the most satisfying trends of the past several years is that the bands I grew up listening to are enjoying a renaissance, and many of the albums we are getting from them are among the best they've ever made.

Recently, Queensryche returned with a fantastic self-titled album, Motorhead just put put the killer Afterschock, and today, Stryper releases their latest effort, No More Hell to Pay. After listenting throigh it a few times since its midnight relase, I can confidently say this album fits right alongside The Yellow and Black Attack, Soldiers Under Command and To Hell With the Devil.

There is no filler on this album, only huge riffs, screaming solos and Michael Sweet's amazing vocals. The band sounds tight, with Oz Fox, Tim Gaines and Robert Sweet all in top form. This is Stryper at its best, and it's worth your money.

Check out the video for Sympathy below, then go grab this album from your favorite music shop, or over at www.stryper.com.

How About Some Beatles?

9/23/2013

By Matman

Are you sick of all the podcasts and books that Brian and I keep doing? No? Good!

I just posted the inaugural episode of my music show 'The Radio Eclectic'! Each month, I will spotlight a favorite band or artist and counting down my ten favorite songs by them. But it's not just me stringing music together, I'll be telling stories about the bands and songs and sharing some personal memories. To me it's like radio used to be. And of course...the show is all ages!

http://matmancomics.podomatic.com/entry/2013-09-21T17_41_55-07_00

This episode is dedicated to the Beatles! For me music has always begun and ended with the Beatles. Their songs have been the soundtrack to my life more than any other and I look at this show as a celebration.

Not to mention the impossible chore of narrowing down the Beatles catalog to the ten best songs...then putting them in order!

I hope you enjoy the show and get ready for next month when I count down my 10 favorite songs from Deep Purple!

The Ballad Of G.I. Joe

8/31/2013

I have no idea how I missed this before, but as I was perusing Funny or Die this morning, I came across this little ditty that's an ode to G.I. Joe. It's a start-studded music video featuring Zack Galifianakis, Tony Hale, Julianne Moore and a bunch of other well-known faces. Thought I'd share it--Brian

The Ballad of G.I. Joe from Olivia Wilde

<<Previous

KISS Forever Delivers The Goods

You Wanted The Best!!!!

Get Ready For Rock And Shock!

Megadeth Makes You Sweat Bullets

Review--ASIA: Gravitas (Frontiers Records)

Epic Ted Nugent Is...EPIC!

Review--Black Sweater Massacre (The Reigning Monarchs)

Stryper's 'No More Hell to Pay' ROCKS!

How About Some Beatles?

The Ballad Of G.I. Joe

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