Jimmy Barnes - Freight Train Heart (1987) became a huge hit for Jimmy Barnes, and with good reason. It followed on directly from the blue-collar rock of Bodyswerve and For the Working Class Man, yet managed to create its own identity. While it may have lacked complete originality ('Driving Wheels' is a simple update of 'Working Class Man'), Barnes managed to make this set of songs an instant classic, thanks to the strength of singles like 'Waitin' for the Heartache'. Slightly more polished than For the Working Class Man (but never losing sight of its pub-rock origins), Freight Train Heart nevertheless runs neck and neck with that album for the title of Barnes' best release.
Dieses Album aus dem Jahr1987 kann ohne weiteres als Meisterwerk bezeichnet werden. Angeführt von der australischen Rocklegende Jimmy Barnes (Cold Chisel) rocken sich hier u. a. Genregrößen wie Jonathan Cain, Neil Schon (beide Journey), Randy Jackson, Huey Lewis, David Glenn Eisley, Joe Lynn Turner (backing vocals) durch lupenreine Melodic Rocksongs, die es allesamt in sich haben. Produziert von Jonathan Cain, "Driving Wheels", "Walk On", "Too Much Ain't Enough Love", "Lessons In Love" oder "Last Frontier" sind große Songs und verbleiben unweigerlich im Gehörgang hängen. 
Wertung:******(6)

1. Driving Wheels
2. Seven Days
3. Too Much Ain't Enough Love
4. Do or Die
5. Waitin' For the Heartache
  6. Last Frontier
7. I Wanna Get Started With You
8. Thick Skinned
9. I'm Still on Your Side
10. Lessons in Love
11. Walk On

Vocals - Jimmy Barnes
Guitar - Neal Schon, Johnny Diesel, Rick Brewster
Bass - Randy Jackson, Chris Bailey, Jim Hilbun
drums - Tony Brock, Jon Farriss, Jerry Marotta
Keyboards - Jonathan Cain, Peter Kekell
Synthesizer - Chuck Kentis
Harmonica - Huey Lewis
Steel guitar - David Lindley

Dire Straits - First (1978)
Aufgenommen im Februar 1978 in den Basing St. Studios, London, wurde das selbstbetitelte Album Dire Straits im Oktober 1978 veröffentlicht. Auf dem Album enthalten war u.a. die spätere Single "Sultans of Swing", die den ersten großen Erfolg der Band darstellte. Das Album Dire Straits erreichte im Jahr 1979 Platz 2 der US-amerikanischen Billboard Charts, die Single "Sultans of Swing" erreichte im selben Jahr Platz 4 der Billboard-Singlecharts. Ein Masterpiece das Weichen zu stellen wusste. Gitarre zu spielen so wie es Knopfler tut ist einzigartig.
Wertung:******(6)
Mark Knopfler – Gesang, Gitarre
John Illsley – Bass, vocals
David Knopfler – Gitarre, Gesang
Pick Withers – Schlagzeug

   The ’60s, ’70s and ’80s are full of stories about bands that limped along for years, touring hard and testing their labels’ patience before finally getting their big break. Given their low-key music and resolute lack of visual flash, the guys in Dire Straits seemed like good candidates for one of those slow-building careers — and unlikely candidates for mainstream pop stardom.
Water Of Love – 5:23
Setting Me Up – 3:18
Six Blade Knife – 4:10
Southbound Again – 2:58
Sultans Of Swing – 5:47
In the Gallery – 6:16
Wild West End – 4:42
Lions – 5:05

Dire Straits Facebook

Steve Walsh 1981 at the Golden Summernight in Stuttgart/Germany Foto: Peter

Steve Miller Band "Book of Dreams" is the tenth studio album by Steve Miller Band. It was released is May of 1977 and have since gone triple platinum. It was released to favorable reviews, and rightfully so. It features some of the songs the band are best known for.

1. "Threshold" - The album starts out with a spacey introduction. It is very well orchestrated and transcends perfectly into the next track.


 2. "Jet Airliner" - Many know this song. It's an awesome rocker that really stands out as one of the highlight songs from the band. The instrumentation is fairly simplistic, but it just works so well. The vocals are outstanding as well. It’s really hard to listen to this song without tapping your foot.

3. “Winter Time” - Another great tune. It starts off by sending some wind noises and acoustic guitar to capture the winter feel. Then in come a harmonica and the rest of the instruments. The whole song has a great rhythm. This is an absolutely beautiful song from start to finish.

4. “Swingtown” - Many will know this song as well, especially those that have watched the show of the same name. The awesome introduction from the drums and bass lets the listener know immediately that they’re in for a fun, upbeat song. All in all it’s a great tune that flows really well.

5. “True Fine Love” – This song also has a nice rhythm. This isn’t quite my favorite, but it still is a nice little tune with good vocal work. The lyrics talk of one searching for love, and many can connect with that.

6. “Wish upon a Star” – This starts out with another spacey introduction, with the vocals mixing in. It really takes you to another place when you listen to it. The singing is phenomenal! While definitely different, this song is just awesome.

7. “Jungle Love” – One of the best Steve Miller Tune’s ever. How could you not love this song? It is done so well, it makes me want to get up and dance, and I don’t dance. The band manages to get perfection without being over complex, and I love it.

8. “Electro Lux Imbroglio” – Try saying that five times fast. This is a quick spacey intermission of sorts, getting ready for the next song. Not really much to say, besides it is kind of eery.

9. “Sacrifice” – Thankfully it transcends perfectly into this song. It really captures the Steve Miller sound. The song is done very nicely (A recurring theme of the album), and stands out all its own as a nice, mellow track. Also the guitar work is noteworthy for being very well done.


10. “The Stake” – The early part of this song reminds me of Rocky Mountain Way. It is well done, with guitar and vocals trading off for each other. It just has a certain cool factor to it. This is a well done song with nice instrumentation.

11. “My Own Space” – The song starts off with a Boston-esque sound to it. This is a very soft, laid back song with good singing. Not much to say other than that.

12. “Babes in the Wood” – And yet again the sound changes in this song. The acoustic guitar is just awesome here. It is really folkish in a way. It sounds like the music you hear in a pub in an old fantasy movie. The instruments carry the song well, and they must for it is an instrumental. It is a nice, if strange, way to finish off the album.

This album explores many different sounds but still manages to capture the Steve Miller feel. This is an album I feel must be experienced start to finish. It has no filler songs. This may be due to my love of Steve Miller Band. Wertung:******(6) Steve Miller Band und Steve Miller Band Facebook


Personnel
•Steve Miller - vocals, guitar, synthesizer, sitar
•David Denny - guitar
•Greg Douglass - slide guitar
•Byron Allred - piano, synthesizer
•Lonnie Turner - bass
•Gary Mallaber - drums, percussion

Thin Lizzy - Live & Dangerous. Eigentlich ist zu diesem Album nichts,...gar nichts mehr zu sagen. Jeder Fan guter Rockmusik muss diese Platte sein eigen nennen. Einzigartig dokumentiert sich auf 'Live and Dangerous', dass Thin Lizzy eine der kreativsten und einflussreichsten Rockbands des Planeten waren. Eindrucksvoll beweist dieses Platin veredelte Album was Thin Lizzy in diesen Jahren Live auf die Bühne brachte.


1. Jailbreak

2. Soldier of Fortune

3. Southbound
4. Rosalie
5. Dancing In The Moonlight
6. Massacre
7. Still In Love With You
8. Johnny The Fox Meets Jimmy The Weed
9. Cowboy Song
10. The Boys Are Back In Town
11. Don't Believe A Word
12. Warriors
13. Are You Ready
14. Suicide
15. Sha La La
16. Baby Drives Me Crazy
17. The Rocker

Ohne Thin Lizzy hätte es viele andere Bands in dieser Form nicht gegeben (man hoere sich die zweistimmigen Laeufe des goettlichen Gitarrengespanns Gorham/Robertson an). Klassiker wie Don't Believe a Word, Emerald,oder The Boys are back in Town' werden intensiv und frisch dargeboten, und die warme Stimme und das dominante Bassspiel des unvergesslichen Phil Lynott sind auch heute noch unvergleichlich und einzigartig. Aber dennoch muss ich sagen, nur wer Thin Lizzy damals live, möglichst von der ersten Reihe aus gesehen hat, der weiss von was hier die Rede ist. Wer dieses Juwel noch nicht hat, sollte sich schleunigst davon ueberzeugen und das Album kaufen.Wertung:******(6)

Aus aktuellem Anlass nochmals meine Post zu Atlanta Rhythm Section. Paul Goddard Bassplayer der Band ist am 29.04.2014 im Alter von 68 Jahren nach kurzer schwerer Krankheit gestorben. R.I.P Mr. Goddard.





Are you ready. 1977 hatte ich das Glück die Band bei ihrem einzigen Konzert in Deutschland auf dem Out in the Green Festival in Pforzheim zu sehen.Both a tribute to ARS's popular success and a testimony to their musical abilities, the live album Are You Ready! was released in 1979. The cover images show how far the group had come-from the house band at a small studio outside Atlanta to playing to stadiums full of people. The album also documents the power that ARS could bring to a live performance. While their musical talents had been well documented with their studio recordings, their ability to give songs a different but equally enjoyable arrangement in concert comes through clearly. Overall, this is another classic work-a compilation of many great songs from their albums up through Champagne Jam played with great energy and skill.
The album starts off with a grand opening for a band from Atlanta-the slowing building orchestral Tara's Theme from the film "Gone With the Wind." The announcer asks the crowd "are you ready?!" and the band breaks into Sky High. Songs two-four are all from the album Champagne Jam and keep up the pace and the energy. Songs five-seven go back to some of the group's earliest work-from the rocking Back Up Against the Wall to the incredible musical diversity of Angel to the ballad Conversation. Their biggest hit, Imaginary Lover, is followed by their first hit, Doraville. This leads into the concert classic Another Man's Woman. Two more songs documenting how ARS presented A Rock & Roll Alternative are followed by the closing cover of Long Tall Sally. It's a great live time.

Barry Bailey - Guitar
Ronnie Hammond - Vocals, Background Vocals
Paul Goddard - Bass
Dean Daughtry - Keyboards
J.R. Cobb - Guitar, Background Vocals
Roy Yeager- Percussion, Drums




 
1. Sky High (Buie/Nix/Hammond/Daughtry)-6:05
This great version is performed with more power than the original. Ronnie Hammond roars through the vocals and Barry Bailey provides a blistering introduction to his excellent guitar playing before the tune uses one of ARS' signature tempo changes to close with a slower but equally beautiful guitar solo.

2. Champagne Jam (Buie/Nix/Cobb)-5:14
The party is in full swing as the band rocks through this mid-tempo tune that rocks harder than the album version but reflects the original's mix of melodies and tempos. A classic break is highlighted by Paul Goddard's bass and Dean Daughtry's piano that lead into a jamming guitar finale.

3. I'm Not Gonna Let It Bother Me Tonight (Buie/Nix/Daughtry)-5:03
An easier flowing sound brings the energy level down. Hammond's warm vocals flow over a rolling rhythm that picks up in intensity as vocal and guitar interplay lead into another beautiful guitar closing.

4. Large Time (Buie/Nix/Bailey)-3:28
The group's rocking tribute to the Lynyrd Skynyd band is delivered with fire. Roy Yeager's driving drumbeat propels the screaching guitars and heartfelt lyrics that document the two groups shared musical heritage and keep the flame of Southern rock burning bright.

5. Back up Against the Wall (Buie/Cobb)-4:06
Years of playing and improved production techniques make the presentation here an improvement on the classic original version. Hammond's vocals shine and there is again beautiful guitar interplay that winds up with an excellent solo to close the song.
 
6. Angel (What in the World's Come over Us) (Buie/Nix/Bailey)-7:17
This classic song opens with Hammond's vocal reflections on a lost love, with musical backing that ebbs and flows. The music then shifts into an extended instrumental jam that features tight ensemble playing and one of the best and beautiful electric guitar workout on Live Record.

7. Conversation (Buie/Cobb)-3:57
This pace slows for this classic ballad from the "old days" featuring Hammond's ponderings about a relationship gone bad over a beautiful musical background.

8. Imaginary Lover (Buie/Nix/Daughtry)-5:38
The group's biggest hit showcases many of the group's strengths live-a moderate tempo, great melody, clever lyrics, a beautiful vocal, solid ensemble playing and instrumental soloing that flashes brilliance. The added drive of the live version helps show how ARS had grown beyond their studio band roots to be able to put on a great live musical performance.

9. Doraville (Buie/Nix/Bailey)-4:09
A driving beat and tight rhythm section provide an uptempo backing for Hammond's vocal tribute to the town where ARS got it's start and where it's a "hot time in Dixie" every night. More great guitar soloing is featured.


10. Another Man's Woman (Buie/Nix/Bailey)-14:33
From the first notes it's clear this is something special. The bass and piano come through clearer than on Red Tape, and the drums help provide the backing for Hammond's yearning vocals and Bailey and Cobb's guitar breaks. This songs shows off ARS' unique tempo shifts to great effect. The song arrangement varies from but is equally powerful to Red Tape-with a little less drive but perhaps even more room for ARS to demonstrate their outstanding musical skills-from the rapid fire and melodic guitar soloing of Bailey and J.R. Cobb to Goddard's unprecedented, rapid-fire bass solo. This is ARS' Southern rock anthem, and both in beauty and musical skill matches any others.

11. Georgia Rhythm (Buie/Cobb/Nix)-5:40
ARS' signature song about life on the road shines with this powerful live version. Hammond's singing is great, the ensemble playing is tight and the tempo ebbs and flows just like the life of a band on tour.

12. So Into You (Buie/Nix/Daughtry)-7:47
Solid guitar and rhythm section playing provide the midtempo, layered sound that was the foundation of ARS' several hit singles. Daughtry's keyboards are presented more prominently to fine effect. Hammond's feeling vocals and the closing guitar solos all combine to provide a brief glimpse of how ARS was so much more that a singles band.

13. Long Tall Sally (Johnson/Penniman/Blackwell)-3:41
The album closes with a rocking version of this classic Little Richard tune. This was the only ARS recording of this song available for almost 20 years. "Havin' some fun tonight.

Wertung:******(6)

Diesel`s album Solid State Rhyme from 1994 featured the singles "All Come Together", "Fifteen Feet of Snow" and "Get It On". It was another multi-platinum success. It was preceded in May by the EP "Still Got A Long Way to Go", a duet with Jimmy Barnes from Barnes' album Flesh and Wood, however this was not a chart hit. Eigentlich meist bei Progressiv Rock Scheiben so...aber auchmal hier im R&B Bereich ein Album dass erst bei mehrmaligem hören zündet. Also nicht gleich aufgeben. Für mich hat sich das Album in den letzten Jahren zum Milestone entpuppt. Vieleicht muss man aber die ganze Sache Live gesehen haben, um die Energie des Australiers so zu erfassen.
Ich hab Ihn zu dieser Zeit in Frankfurt zusammen mit Jimmy Barnes gesehen. Ein unvergessenes Konzert.Wertung:******(6)


Diesel - Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Percussion, Keys, BG Vocals
Kane Baker - Drums
Rob Woolf - Piano
Miechelle Kelly - Violin
Marcus Holden - Violin

1. Chill Pill
2. Get It On
3. Love Again

4. All Come Together
5. You
6. Sacred Cow
7. Make It Right
8. Still Thinking About Your Love
9. 15 Feet Of Snow
10. Come If You Dare
11. Bad Seed
12. Blur
13. Time

Robert Plant-
Pictures at Eleven is the debut solo album by former Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant, released in 1982. Genesis drummer Phil Collins played drums for six of the album's eight songs. Cozy Powell handled drums on "Slow Dancer" and excelent drums at "Like I've Never Been Gone".

Pictures at Eleven is the only one of Plant's solo albums to appear on Led Zeppelin's record label Swan Song. By the time of Plant's next release, 1983's The Principle of Moments, Swan Song had ceased to function and Plant had started his own label titled Es Paranza, which would also be distributed by Atlantic Records.

Working with Robbie Blunt, Plant is able to build his own unique style with a smooth, crisp vocal performance on many of the tracks of this CD. "Burning Down One Side" starts off the disc and it is the most Zeppelinesque, along with "Slow Dancer", in my mind. Plant pulls on his vocal chords in these tracks with the old Zeppelin sound reminsicent of some of the Physical Graffitti work. Plant and Blunt stand on their own though whith "Moonlight in Samosa" and "Fat Lip" - two songs that flow as though there is no clock in the room.
You can't help but just get caught up in the smoothness of those tracks.
The same can be said of "Far Post" which is a bonus track on the CD. If you loved Zeppelin you can't go wrong with this first Plant solo disc. The only thing I will say is don't expect the Jimmy Page solos because Blunt is a different type of musician but a quality one none the less. Also, the arrangements are similar to Zeppelin but definitely not Zeppelin. Plant has done work following this disc that is good and worthy of excellent review but to me this is his best because he needed to grab people after leaving Zeppelin. He did just that because it proves he is by himself more than just a long-haired god to the ladies - he is what many of us knew all along - a unique voice with a stylistic flair for combining his past to build his future. Mein absoluter Lieblingstitel von Plant LIKE I`VE NEVER BEEN GONE mit Cozy Powell unverkennbar an den Drums :-)

Milestone:******(6)

2. "Moonlight in Samosa" – 3:58
3. "Pledge Pin" – 4:01
4. "Slow Dancer" – 7:43
5. "Worse Than Detroit" – 5:55
6. "Fat Lip" – 5:05
 7.Like I've Never Been Gone - 5:56
8. "Mystery Title" – 5:16

• Robert Plant - vocals
• Robbie Blunt - guitars
• Jezz Woodroffe - keyboards & synthesizers
• Phil Collins - drums on 1-3, 5-6, 8, 9 & 10
• Cozy Powell - drums on 4 & 7
• Paul Martinez - bass
• Raphael Ravenscroft - saxophone on 3

Foreigner - 4 (1981)
Es gibt Alben, da stimmt einfach alles. Die "4" von 1981 ist so eins. Die Kompositionen sind auf hohem Niveau, die Musiker sind überdurchschnittlich gut und Lou Gramm ist ein super Sänger. Alle, die melodischen Hard Rock auch mal mit Pop gewürzt lieben, sollten hier zugreifen.

Das Album bietet die gesamte musikalische Spannbreite der Gruppe um Mick Jones. `Night life` und besonders `Juke box hero` sind tolle Hard Rock Songs. `Waiting for a girl like you` ist eine wunderbare Ballade und `Urgent` ist ein Schmachtfetzen bei dem sich Lou Gramm die Seele aus dem Leib singt.
Weitere Höhepunkte sind `Break it up`, `I`m gonna win`, `Woman in black` und `Girl on the moon`. Alle genannten Songs gehören zu den besten der Gruppe überhaupt.

Das Album und die Singles waren sehr erfolgreich. 6 Sterne sind mehr als verdient. Diese Qualität erreichte die Gruppe leider nie wieder.
Wertung:******(6)
Over the course of their first three late-'70s albums, Foreigner had firmly established themselves (along with Journeyand Styx) as one of the top AOR bands of the era. But the band was still looking for that grand slam of a record that would push them to the very top of the heap. Released in 1981, 4 would be that album. In producer Robert John "Mutt" Lange -- fresh off his massive success with AC/DC's Back in Black -- guitarist and all-around mastermindMick Jones found both the catalyst to achieve this and his perfect musical soulmate. Lange's legendary obsessive attention to detail and Jones' highly disciplined guitar heroics (which he never allowed to get in the way of a great song) resulted in a collaboration of unprecedented, sparkling efficiency where not a single note is wasted. "Nightlife" is only the first in a series ("Woman in Black," "Don't Let Go," the '50s-tinged "Luanne") of energetic, nearly flawless melodic rockers, and with "Juke Box Hero," the band somehow managed to create both a mainstream hit single and a highly unique-sounding track, alternating heavy metal guitar riffing, chorused vocals, and one of the ultimate "wanna be a rock star" lyrics.
As for the mandatory power ballad, the band also reached unparalleled heights with "Waiting for a Girl Like You." One of the decade's most successful cross-genre tearjerkers, it has since become a staple of soft rock radio and completely eclipsed the album's other very lovely ballad, "Girl on the Moon," in the process. And last but not least, the surprisingly funky "Urgent" proved to be one of the band's most memorable and uncharacteristic smash hits, thanks to Junior Walker's signature saxophone solo. Through it all, vocalist Lou Gramm does his part, delivering a dazzling performance that confirmed his status as one of the finest voices of his generation. Three years later,Foreigner would achieve even greater success on a pop level with the uneven Agent Provocateur, but by thenJones and Gramm were locked in an escalating war of egos that would soon lead to the band's demise. All things considered, 4 remains Foreigner's career peak.

1 Juke Box Hero
2 Night life
3 Break it up
4 Waiting for a girl like you
 
5 Urgent
6 Girl on the moon
7 Woman in black
8 Luanne
9 Don't let go
10 I'm gonna win

Dennis Elliott - drums, Vocals, background vocals
Lou Gramm - Lead vocals, percussion
Mick Jones - guitar, keyboard, vocals, background vocals
Rick Wills - bass, background vocals