Few writers have ever truly nailed the essence of the American family quite like the late John Hughes did, and I’d wager an even smaller percentage have managed to capture the sheer chaos of spending the holidays with said family then when Hughes penned National Lampoon’sChristmas Vacation, the third chapter in the Chevy Chase Vacation series that first began in 1983.
World’s above its 1985 predecessor European Vacation, this entry again finds the Griswold family (again lead by Chase and Beverly D’Angelo as his wife, Helen) just wanting to spend a “quiet” Christmas at home with family. But with the addition of each new relative appearing in the household (including Randy Quaid, reprising his role as the dimwitted Cousin Eddie from the first film), more and more madness ensues.
From chopping down the perfect Christmas tree, to dodging yuppie neighbors (including Julia-Louis Dreyfus in one of her earliest roles) and chasing after every animal known to man from dogs (“Snot!”), cats, and yes, even squirrels, there’s no shortage of characters to add to the charades.
It’s been three and a half decades now since the film’s initial release on December 1, 1989, and in that span of time the movie has become a beloved annual classic for families across the globe, often quoted at nearly any and every Christmas function imaginable. And each year department stores seem to push more and more Christmas Vacation-related merchandise for shoppers far and wide with everything from games, apparel, mugs, and much more.
By now the film has no doubt been overplayed to death with annual showings on cable TV and elsewhere. But despite this, it’s still an enjoyable enough seasonal must-watch every year (please excuse me while I go watch it for the 809th time). Happy holidays!
The moment I heard that legendary Van Halen drummer Alex Van Halen would be releasing his memoir Brothers, chronicling both his life and that of his late brother/bandmate and legendary guitarist Edward Van Halen, I knew I’d be one of the first in line to read it.
From their early years as Dutch immigrants learning music through their father and musician Jan Van Halen, to ultimately achieving the American dream and rising to total rock stardom and carving out a lasting legacy their own, it gets harder and harder to put the book down with each new page.
The insight offered on the band’s formative years and first several tours with the classic lineup is nothing short of fascinating, and paint a vivid picture of what it was like to be there at that time. It is however disappointing that the story seems to end coinciding with the departure of original vocalist David Lee Roth from the band in the mid-’80s, leaving so much left to still be desired, particularly the Sammy Hagar and even Gary Cherone eras of the band.
On a personal note, I must admit there is some envy on my part in terms of the life Alex Van Halen was able to lead with his late brother, and not simply because of the obvious fame and fortunes they acquired in their lifetimes. Despite the one and only time I saw the band live back in 2008 being with one of my own siblings, I’ve never been able to truly say I know what it’s like to have that close relationship any of them (a notion I’ve always longed for, though don’t believe will ever come to fruition at this point). For that alone, the Van Halen’s were fortunate in every way.
Before I fully get into the sheer insanity of this past Sunday night’s FEAR show at the second annual Space Coast Rumble in Titusville, FL, I first have to give a little back story of the years that actually lead up to it, and just how much it really meant to me on a personal level.
Like many before me, FEAR are one of those gateway punk bands I grew up listening to and loving, and have always wanted to cross them off my list of bands to see live. But alas, there have been many, MANY false starts prior.
The first time I had the chance to see the band back in the late ’90s/early ’00s, I was still in my teens with limited independence, and for whatever reason, I missed them (I believe my ride at the time may have bailed on me). That was strike one.
Then a few years later in either 2003 or ’04, a friend offered me to go with them to see FEAR in Orlando, but I declined due to having just gotten a new puppy at the time that I did not want to leave home alone just yet (strike two). I’m not complaining though – that puppy ended up being my best friend for many years until she passed on in 2018 (I still miss you dearly, Kaya).
Then in 2009, I was still within my first year or so of music Journalism when it finally happened – FEAR was coming to Orlando again (if memory serves correct to a venue no longer there called the Black Box Collective), and I was actually approved to COVER THEIR SHOW! (Complete with a plus-one on the guest list and all!) But midway through openers Total Chaos’ set, the police had finally had enough of the unruly crowd and shut things down before things ended in a riot. I was devastated.
Fast forward all these years later to late 2024, and longtime acquaintance of mine Tony from the band Swift Knuckle Solution informs me at a recent Exploited show that his band will be opening for FEAR at an annual event called Space Coast Rumble in Titusville. I knew I had to be there for it finally, and after some communications between the show’s promoter and the band’s management, Rewind It Magazine were approved to cover said show, and just in the nick of time.
I could hardly contain my excitement walking up to the event with my son and photographer Jacob the day of – especially when to our surprise, there was FEAR founder and frontman Lee Ving himself, grabbing a coffee with current bassist Amos Cook at a joint called Saints and Sippers (great coffee too by the way – and apparently even ran by Dee Snider’s nephew, Brett!). We exchanged pleasantries and even took photos with Ving, and just like that, all those years of waiting instantly became worth it before even hearing the band play a single note on stage.
Rewind It’s Jacob (left) and Jesse Striewski with FEAR frontman Lee Ving in front of Saints and Sippers Coffee on Sunday, 12/8/24 (Photo by FEAR bassist Amos Cook).
This quickly lead to some brief small talk “backstage” with the guys, including short exchanges with drummer Spit Stix, and an even shorter interaction with (and I had no idea of it at the time) Municipal Waste frontman Tony Foresta, who I’m definitely regretting not speaking to further. (I knew he looked familiar, too!)
By this time though we had already missed many of the opening bands of the day, including even Swift Knuckle Solution (Vicious Dreams were on stage by the time we had arrived, and with everything else going on around then I can’t really give them an honest assessment of their set). Thankfully we were still able to at least catch up with the guys in the band for a few regardless of this though.
Rewind It’s Jesse Striewski (right) with the guys from Swift Knuckle Solution shortly after their set in Titusville, FL on 12/8/24. (Photo by Jacob Striewski).
Psychobilly act The Strikers from San Diego, CA were up right before FEAR’s set, and gave it their all as they amped up the crowd for the main event, with a cover of Slayer’s “Raining Blood” being the biggest standout of the night for them (never expected to hear that one on an upright bass!).
And then it finally happened – Lee Ving and FEAR took stage with a fury, opening with “The Mouth Don’t Stop (The Trouble with Women Is),” “Do Me Some Damage,” and “Foreign Policy.” But no sooner than it had started, my heart sank – the sound went out due to technical difficulties. Could this really be happening again? Was there some sort of curse preventing me from actually seeing FEAR perform an entire set?
FEAR guitarist Eric Razo and drummer Spit Stix perform in Titusville, FL on 12/8/24. (Photo by Jacob Striewski.)
Some banter between band and fans kept things going before the issues were resolved and they thankfully got back to business with “Bomb the Russians,” “Let’s Have a War,” and “No More Nothing” before it happened AGAIN – the power went out once more. By this point I was really growing concerned that this truly could be it.
But once more, things returned to normal (and this time permanently), the group coming back stronger than ever with a cover of Bob Seger’s “Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man,” followed in rapid fire succession by “Responsibilities,” “Fuck You Let’s Rodeo,” “Ugly as You,” “Gimme Some Action,” “Hey,” “We Destroy the Family,” and “We Just Love the Little Girls.”
After a little “Fresh Flesh” and Ving critiquing his own lyrics, the band went into a brief impromptu version of the Christmas classic “Let it Snow” before breaking out the big guns in the form of “I Love Livin’ in the City,” “Beef Bologna,” “New York’s Alright If You Like Saxophones,” “Have a Beer with Fear,” “More Beer,” and “I Don’t Care About You.”
FEAR performing at the Space Coast Rumble in Titusville, FL on 12/8/24. (Photo by Jacob Striewski).
And while this seemed to signal the end of the band’s set, they still had a couple more up their sleeves with “Fuck Christmas” (more than appropriate for the season we’re currently in) and “Disconnected” before taking their final bows.
Some quick “thank you’s” with bassist Cook (who by the end of the night was probably tired of seeing our faces – can’t thank him enough for his and the rest of the bands’ hospitality throughout the evening though) and guitarist Eric Razo put the icing on the cake for the already exceptional evening, and my son and I walked away with another shared memory we’ll take with us for the rest of our lives.
Whether in terms of music or politics, 2024 has undoubtedly been the year of the “comebacks,” and shock rocker Marilyn Manson’s first studio album in just over four years, after numerous attempts of character assassination, is no exception.
One Assassination Under God – Chapter 1 is a direct response to such accusations, with its scathing title track kicking things off with a fury. First single “As Sick as the Secrets Within” is an obvious return to form upon first listen, while “Meet Me in Purgatory” is a definite standout (and personal favorite). Other notable tracks include “Death Is Not a Costume,” “Nod If You Understand” and “Raise the Red Flag,” each upping the ante from the previous.
If you were an outsider Manson fan growing up in the ’90s (as so many of us were), and if you can get past the slightly goofy album cover artwork, this one should no doubt be right up your alley (and with any luck, in your Christmas stocking this year).
I can’t recall another time in recent history where a band has actually imploded from inside out just prior to the release of their first studio album of new material in over five years the way metalcore outfit As I Lay Dying – who within the past few weeks has trimmed down to consist of just lone problematic frontman Tim Lambesis – quite have. It’s a shame too, considering the musicians on Through Storms Ahead have created something actually worthwhile here sonically.
And speaking of music, above all else that is what we’re ultimately here to discuss over any drama or controversy though. And as previously stated, what’s been put together here before the exodus at least feels like a labor of love from all those involved.
The instrumental “Permanence” opens the record with a touch of class before “A Broken Reflection” kicks things into high gear, while “Burden” contains some of the best vocals between Lambesis and now-former bassist Ryan Neff.
“We Are the Dead” features appearances from members of Slaughter to Prevail (Alex Terrible) and Chelsea Grin (Tom Barber), while the title track, “The Void Within,” and “The Cave We Fear to Enter” are some of the album’s additional stronger moments.
The one and only time I was able to personally catch As I Lay Dying live was at the 2006 Sounds of the Underground festival which they headlined. I remember thinking at the time how tight they all appeared together on stage; hopefully there’s a way for this band to somehow salvage things and possibly even get back to that.
If ever there were a band that I could (or perhaps more accurately, should) personally thank for my love and obsession of ’80s heavy metal, it’d be W.A.S.P., who are easily up there alongside the likes of such other personal favorites as Iron Maiden and Megadeth (among others).
Earlier on at the start of my initial trek into rock journalism, W.A.S.P. founder/leader Blackie Lawless was one of the very first interviews I ever conducted back in 2010. Shortly afterwards, I was able to cover their Orlando show at then-Club Firestone in March of that same year for one of my first (and personal favorite) concert reviews.
So when I learned Blackie and co. were heading back to O-Town with fellow metal legends Armored Saint in tow on Sunday, November 24, I knew it was a show not to be missed. Significantly different for me this time around though was having my wife/Photographer Brooke by my side to shoot this one, as well as my teenaged son Jacob, who was far too young that first time around to see them (the only noticeable difference as far as the band itself goes is of course the drummer position since going from Mike Dupke to former Di’Anno/DragonForce member Aquiles Priester).
Openers Armored Saint have been on my list of bands to see longer than I can even remember now, with frontman and former Anthrax (another personal favorite) singer John Bush being another reason for this (over the years I’ve actually managed to catch Anthrax live a solid four times, though never with Bush at the helm). And despite having been some time since I last really sat down and took notice of their music, I was instantly propelled back in love with their material.
Armored Saint (and former Anthrax) frontman John Bush performing at The Plaza Live in Orlando, FL on Sunday, November 24 (Photo by Brooke Striewski).
After a backing track of Judas Priest’s “Delivering the Goods” introduced the band to the stage, they quickly gained the attention of the sold-out crowd, ironically with “End of the Attention Span.” “Raising Fear,” “The Pillar,” and “Pay Dirt” all lead up to the title track of their 1984 debut album, “March of the Saint.”
“Left Hook From Right Field,” “Aftermath,” and “Win Hands Down” all kept the momentum going before Bush took to the balcony (complete with security in tow) to deliver their timeless hit, “Can U Deliver.” The band dropped one more heavy-hitter in the form of “Reign of Fire” prior to taking their final bows and handing the stage over to W.A.S.P.
Armored Saint drummer Gonzo Sandoval raises his sticks high in appreciation to the sold-out crowd at The Plaza Live in Orlando, FL on Sunday, November 24 (Photo by Brooke Striewski).
In their entire four-decade plus of existence, W.A.S.P. have apparently never opened a show with their fist-pumping 1984 anthem “I Wanna Be Somebody.” But being that this tour (dubbed “Album One Alive”) is a celebration of the foretith anniversary of their self-titled debut, that has all changed with the band performing all ten tracks from it in chronological order.
Of course if you already know that album, you’re already aware this was followed by “L.O.V.E. Machine,” “The Flame,” “B.A.D.,” and “School Daze” rounding out the first side. But I’ve personally always been partial to side two tracks such as “Hellion,” “Sleeping (In the Fire),” “On Your Knees” (the band’s usual show-opener, and first track they played way back at that 2010 show), “Tormentor” (complete with footage from the band’s appearance in the 1984 film The Dungeonmaster rolling behind them), and album closer “The Torture Never Stops” (which featured some of the oddest footage in recent memory playing for it).
After a brief reprieve, the band re-emerged with a circus-themed stage setup and a recording of “The Big Welcome” prior to launching into a medley of “Inside the Electric Circus/I Don’t Need No Doctor/Scream Until You Like It” before belting out their cover of The Who’s “The Real Me.” The 1989 power ballad “Forever Free” then preceded the darker epic “The Headless Children” before the band closed out the night with the one-two punch of 1985’s “Wild Child” and “Blind in Texas.”
W.A.S.P. frontman/leader Blackie Lawless in command of the stage at The Plaza Live in Orlando, FL on 11/24/24 (Photo by Brooke Striewski).
While I understand the demand for the band’s earlier, most well-known material, and that this tour is a total celebration of just that as stated earlier. But if I’m being totally honest, there’s so much more underrated material from them that I’d rather love to hear live. No doubt the chances of hearing something along the lines of “Take Me Up” or “Asylum #9” (for example) live is highly unlikely, that doesn’t change the fact that I’d still personally love to hear them performed (even something from The Idol – which I was lucky enough to hear them play tracks from, as well as the Dominator and Babylon albums that first time all those years ago – would’ve been nice to have heard something from).
But personal preferences aside, there’s no denying that Lawless and company completely dominated that stage last Sunday night, and I’d have a hard time believing any one in attendance that night would actually argue otherwise. These days I’m typically more reserved and focusing on critiquing the shows I’m at, but every once in awhile a band will get me raising a fist in the air and screaming every lyric out from start to finish; that band to get that type of reaction out of me again was without a doubt W.A.S.P.
It seems like just yesterday I was reviewing the latest album from Fear, For Right and Order. Now just one year later we’re talking about what may very well be their final release ever; it’s one of those inevitable moments you hope will never come, but ultimately has to sooner or later for all of us (just like death and taxes, as they say).
Fitting that it seems like I’m always listening to their music for the first time near the holidays, too (their 1982 debut effort The Record was a Christmas gift after all once upon a time when I was still a teenager). And while there may not be a “Fuck Christmas” or even “Another Christmas Beer” type of track found here, The Last Time is still an adequate stocking stuffer nontheless.
Frontman and founder Lee Ving offers up his usual dose of mayhem in the best way possible, with opening track “Here We Go Again” saying it all to listeners right off the bat. And then you’ve got your basic hard-hitters like “Fuel Injected Papa,” and your catchy numbers in the form of “Three Blind Mice.”
Is it the best the band has ever had to offer on record? Nah. But is it a fitting enough high note to go out on if this truly is the “last time” for Fear? It’ll certainly do.
Legendary goth new wavers The Cure have their first album of all-new material since 2008 out right now. How lucky we are to actually be able to say that here in 2024.
But make no mistakes about it, this is not your “Friday I’m in Love,” Cure (though an argument could be made that the album could use a bit more optimism here); here Robert Smith and company have conjured up the darker side of the band (a la “Burn” from 1994’s soundtrack to The Crow) for Songs of a Lost World.
From album opener “Alone,” to the epic ten minute closer “Endsong,” it’s one dark, brooding emotion after another with this eight song collection. Other tracks like “And Nothing is Forever” and “I Can Never Say Goodbye” should also help confirm where Smith’s head was at during the writing process here.
Last month I had reviewed a new record from the Pixies. Before that, it was the latest release from Motley Crue. What a time to be alive for music fans.
I’m a bit indifferent when it comes to later material from the Pixies these days, which for me ranges from either small strokes of brilliance, to complete bore. On their ninth studio effort, they offer up a bit of each once again.
The first two tracks that open their latest effort are perfect examples; “Primrose” sets listeners up on a promising note, while its follow up “You’re So Impatient” had me impatient for something better.
Then there’s the tracks that harken back to their “glory days;” “Jane (The Night the Zombies Came),” “Hypnotized,” and “I Hear You Mary” are each worth the price of admission alone. Not a perfect album by any means, but adequate enough for just about any existing fan of the band.
Everyone remembers their first, and in the case of R-rated movies, mine was a double-whammy; grainy, rough-around-the edges versions of both the 1984 hits The Terminator and A Nightmare on Elm Street on one single VHS tape in my friend’s basement that his dad had previously taped off of cable TV (a luxury my family and I still had not yet had at that time).
I knew we were watching something unique, and perhaps even “forbidden” given our ages at the time…and I loved every single minute of each film. But something about this Terminator flick – which featured Arnold Schwarzenegger as a killer cyborg sent from the future back to modern day Los Angeles to kill the mother of the future resistance leader that will eventually bring an end to killer machines that have taken over the world – just felt so intense, and so utterly ’80s (the Tech Noir club scene where Arnold reveals himself is possibly one of my personal favorite moments in cinema history ever).
Linda Hamilton plays said mother Sarah Connor, and Michael Biehn portrays future soldier Kyle Reese sent back through time to protect her from Schwarzenegger’s cold, menacing cyborg. The film does the cat and mouse chase routine better than it had perhaps ever been seen on screen previously before, and Director James Cameron takes masterful care in each and every sequence as it unfolds.
The film shot straight to the number one spot at the box office upon original release on October 26, 1984, and would go on to gross a worldwide total of more than $78 million by the end of its run. The catchphrase “I’ll be back” uttered by Arnold in the movie would soon find its way making its rounds throughout pop culture psyche.
It would also (eventually) spawn a media franchise that included one of the most groundbreaking hit sequels of all time, 1991’s Terminator 2: Judgement Day, and numerous other entries with varying success. Aside from movies, its lasting reach would also stretch across video games, comic books, action figures (many of which I still own til this day), and both live action and animated television series.
It would not be until 2003’s Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines that I would finally see Arnold on the big screen as the T-800, but by then the series was not quite as it once had been. But for my money, nothing will ever beat the original (no, not even T2), which four decades later is still remembered as one of the greatest Sci Fi/action thrillers of all time, and always will be.
