The moment I first heard “Crime Scene,” the first single from darkwave duo Night Club’s new album Masochist (their fourth overall), I knew I had to “investigate” this project founded via Mark Brooks and Emily Kavanaugh further.
The video to said single features lead singer Kavanaugh bound to a chair and slinking about as she awaits her grim fate from her captor, making it hard not to route for the sexy damsel in distress. It’s probably a bit more silly than intended, but still fun and effective none the less.
The rest of the record has its typical highlights and dark spots. Album opener “Gone” features Tool frontman Maynard James Keenan, and I suppose that might be a selling point for some, though personally I cannot say I’m the biggest of fans. Other numbers like “Fatal Crush,” “Everybody Knows,” and “Black December” are all some of the standouts found here.
My expertise may not be in the electronica/synth-pop world, but I know a good thing when I see (or in this case hear) it; I’m reminded of some of the groups produced in the early ’80s such as pre-industrial metal Ministry and the more obscure Tryanglz when I hear Night Club, which by all accounts is not such a bad thing.
It’s been nearly twenty solid years now since I last saw legendary founding Judas Priest guitarist K.K. Downing onstage at the 2004 Ozzfest (on a bill that also saw the original lineup of Black Sabbath reunited), and about five years now since I last crossed paths with former Priest/Iced Earth frontman Tim “Ripper” Owens during the Dio Returns tour in 2019. To finally see these two icons together on the same stage with KK’s Priest, and allow my seventeen-year-old son Jacob to not only witness, but also photograph it at the Mount Dora Music Hall this past Friday, March 8, was nothing short of legendary itself.
Instantly, there was excitement in the air at the unknown venue we had traveled to for the first time ever, with the line wrapped around the building for what seemed like days. Once the doors opened, it was nearly impossible to navigate around the wall-to-wall people, but we immediately spotted L.A. Guns/former Faster Pussycat guitarist Ace Von Johnson doing his thing over by the merch tables, and took it upon ourselves to go say “Hi.”
Little did I know prior to this meeting that Von Johnson had also gotten into Black Sabbath around the release of 1992’s Dehumanizer album (coincidentally around the same time I had), which was also the very same shirt that I had on that night. This sparked an entire conversation about the late Ronnie James Dio and how amazing he was (and what an underrated album 1993’s Angry Machines truly is). But alas, I ultimately did not part ways with the literal shirt on my back, but rather settled for a photo standing together/next to it.
A mutual love for Black Sabbath’s Dehumanizer album; Rewind It’s Jesse Striewski (left) with L.A. Guns guitarist Ace Von Johnson at the show on 3/8/24.
By the time we had made it to our seats for the opening act Burning Witches, the place had already filled up nicely, and Jacob decided to just get some “practice” shots of them directly from our position (this turned out to be somewhat costly – more on that shortly). I was familiar with Burning Witches via their most recent album The Dark Tower, which for whatever reason I was never able to review despite it being sent to me at the time via their label. After seeing these five ladies live though, I kind of wished that I had.
The girls gave it their all as they plowed through powerful metal tracks like “Unleash the Beast,” “Wings of Steel,” “Hexenhammer,” “Lucid Nightmare,” “The Dark Tower,” and “Burning Witches.” I was honestly too busy low-key falling for frontwoman Laura Guldemond – who at one point left stage to run through the crowd in a frenzy – to fully take in the music. Guldemond’s stage presence was equivalent of a young David Lee Roth (albeit far more sexier), jumping and kicking her heart out the whole time (I’m pretty sure we even locked eyes there once or twice, too).
Burning Witches opening the night in Mount Dora, FL on 3/8/24.
Next up were L.A. Guns, who I have been trying to see for a long time now, but have had several missed calls (they were actually on the same bill for a 2022 Tom Kiefer/Faster Pussycat show that Rewind It covered, but cancelled at the eleventh hour). And although I have also interviewed former members like ex-bassist Kelly Nickels and late drummer Steve Riley over the years, I still needed to see original guitarist (and Guns N’ Roses co-founder) Tracii Guns live at some point, and to have him still paired alongside classic-era singer Phil Lewis was the icing on the cake.
The band were on top of their ’80s-rock game, first with Guns playing guitar over a tapped version of Ozzy Osbourne’s “Diary of a Madman” before ripping through old and new classics alike in the form of “Cannonball,” “Electric Gypsy,” “Over the Edge,” “You Betray,” “Sex Action” (with part of The Rolling Stones’ “Paint It, Black” as an outro), “Speed,” (the intro of AC/DC’s “Back in Black” also thrown in there for good measure) “Never Enough,” a tender rendition of “The Ballad of Jayne,” and finally tearing the house down with “Rip and Tear.”
Phil Lewis (left) and Tracii Guns keeping the action going with L.A. Guns on 3/8/24.
And last but not least, the mighty KK’s Priest took stage with an onslaught of original tracks and Judas Priest classics alike, beginning with hard-hitters “Hellfire Thunderbolt” and “One More Shot at Glory” before launching into the immortal “The Ripper.”
“Reap the Whirlwind” was probably one of the least effective numbers of the night, while “Night Crawler” was a welcomed addition. “Sermons of the Sinner” lead to a trio of Priest classics I was not able to hear the band play when I originally saw them all those years ago in the form of “Burn in Hell,” “Beyond the Realms of Death,” and “Hell Patrol.”
“Brothers of the Road” was epic enough on its own, but lead to a slew of more Priest staples such as “Metal Meltdown,” “The Green Manalishi (With the Two Pronged Crown),” “Breaking the Law,” and of course, “Victim of Changes.” As if this was not enough, the guys still broke out two more strong ones in the form of “Raise Your Fists” and “Strike of the Viper.” As a die hard Priest fan for God only knows how long now, there was very little worth finding to complain about that night.
After the show, we ran into Ace one more time before exiting the venue. After exchanging some more pleasantries, I unfortunately had to let him down as easy as I could, and let him know I in fact could not bare to part ways with said Sabbath shirt (thanks for the guitar pic that you nailed me with during your set though – good shot, Ace!).
Metal legends KK Downing (left) and Tim “Ripper” Owens ran through both new hard-hitters and classic Judas Priest staples on 3/8/24.
I’ve never been one for the standard “What’s your favorite movie/band/album/etc…” question as I’ve always found it near-impossible to answer. However, certain titles will almost always instantly pop up when pried, and in the case of films, 1984’s This is Spinal Tap usually is my go-to answer as far as personal favorites go (without a doubt at least in the comedy genre, if not overall).
Originally released on March 2, 1984, there’s simply something comforting about the movie and its characters that will almost always make me stop if it’s playing somewhere. I can’t really recall the first time I ever watched it in full, but I definitely remember many a times watching it; sometimes with friends while sharing drinks and laughs, other times alone in the middle of the night while simply battling insomnia. Either way, the ‘Tap have just always been there for me, one way or another.
Set up as a documentary (or “mockumentary,” if you will) with actual director Rob Reiner portraying a filmmaker chronicling the fictitious band Spinal Tap’s storied history within the film itself, it’s so realistic it almost feels real as he interviews David St. Hubbins (Michael McKean), Nigel Tufnel (Christopher Guest), Derek Smalls (Harry Shearer), and the numerous drummers that came and passed throughout the years (one of many running gags).
Copy of This is Spinal Tap on DVD and the band’s 1992 album Break Like the Wind on CD from the author’s personal collection.
From getting lost on the way to the stage, to Stonehenge and amps that “go to eleven,” there’s no shortage of genius classic moments and quotable lines that can be found. Even the companion soundtrack, with such masterpieces as “Big Bottom” (with lines like “Talk about mud flaps, my gal’s got ’em!”), “Hell Hole,” and “Tonight I’m Gonna Rock You Tonight,” are all brilliant in their own ways.
The lasting impact of the film cannot be understated. From McKean and Shearer appearing as their respective characters St. Hubbins and Smalls on the charity group Hear ‘n Aid’s 1986 single “Stars,” to the band appearing on a 1992 episode of The Simpsons (not a far stretch considering both McKean and Shearer had each already done voice work on the show prior). The “band” themselves have also since occasionally performed live and even released the albums BreakLike the Wind (1992) and Back From the Dead (2009).
Plans of a sequel were first announced in 2022, with reports that filming had started (with Reiner and the core cast members all attached) early this year. Whether or not the new film will be a worthy follow up or not still remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure there’s no denying the legacy the film – and Spinal Tap themselves – have created. Turn it up to eleven, and enjoy.
My appreciation for Queensryche has grown exceptionally over the past decade or so, with wife/photographer Brooke Striewski having covered two of their shows together over the years (the first one actually being one of the very first concerts we ever went to together back in 2013 while we were still just dating), and even interviewing former frontman Geoff Tate for Rewind ItMagazine back in 2021.
Yet something always felt like it was still missing to us, having heard the songs live, but without that original voice on top of them (and no offense to current Queensryche vocalist Todd La Torre, who is an admirable singer in his own right). That finally changed this past leap day, Thursday February 29 at the Peabody Auditorium, where Tate was headlining with his solo band, and former Whitesnake guitarist Adrian Vandenberg and his band Vandenberg as the opening act.
I’m not quite sure who I was more excited to see at the offset honestly, but the minute Vandenberg hit the stage, I was instantly glad we had made it to this show (Whitesnake is another act that has unfortunately alluded me for years now, though I have caught several other members of the band elsewhere over the years, including former guitarist Warren DeMartini of Ratt, and the band’s current guitarist Joel Hoekstra while with Night Ranger).
Former Whitesnake guitarist Adrian Vandenberg “kicked” things off at the Peabody Auditorium in Daytona Beach, FL last Thursday, February 29.
They did not disappoint one bit, either. After an intro that included both part of a Beethoven piece of music and the theme from Jaws, the group (which also currently includes former Candlemass vocalist/Swedish singer Mats Leven at front and center) launched into high gear with “Hit the Ground Running.”
An onslaught of both Whitesnake classics and Vandenberg numbers then followed in the form of “Fool For Your Loving,” “1982,” “Give Me All Your Love,” “Freight Train,” “Sailing Ships,” “Judgment Day,” “Crying in the Rain,” “Burning Heart,” and “Still of the Night” before ending things on the highest of notes possible with the timeless 1987 Whitesnake hit, “Here I Go Again.”
One-time Candlemassfrontman Mats Leven on stage with Vandenberg last Thursday evening.
Finally, things came full circle once ex-Queensryche frontman, the unmistakable Geoff Tate took the stage as the main event, opening strong with the classic “Empire,” though I could’ve thought of at least a dozen other tracks I would’ve rather heard in place of both follow-ups “Desert Dance” and “I Am I” (not to knock ’em too much, though). Thankfully, “The Thin Line,” “Operation: Mindcrime,” and “Breaking the Silence” helped push things further back in the right direction.
As soon as the opening notes of the guitar intro to “I Don’t Believe in Love” took effect, the crowd was fully invested once more. But the next number from Queensryche’s debut album The Warning, would’ve been much more welcomed had it been a slightly better track from said album instead of “NM156” (for instance, the track “Warning” itself – a much more solid effort – though I must admit I’m a tad bias).
Guitarist Dario Parente (left) and Geoff Tate performing at the Peabody in Daytona on 2/29/24.
A couple of songs from 1986’s stellar Rage For Order album followed in the form of “Screaming in Digital” and “Walk in the Shadows” (the latter one of my personal favorites), before “Another Rainy Night (Without You),” “Jet City Woman,” and the 1990 power ballad/Queensryche swan swong “Silent Lucidity’ seemingly closed things out for the night.
But the band were not quite done just yet, as Tate and company soon returned to the stage for a cover of Pink Flyod’s “Welcome to the Machine,” followed by a couple of older classics in the form of “Take Hold of the Flame” and “Queen of the Reich” officially closing out the night. All in all, the evening was the perfect double-dose of old school rock and metal that we – and if I had to guess, everyone else in attendance that night – needed.
Geoff Tate and band on stage in Daytona Beach, FL last Thursday, February 29.
I’ve always been partial to former Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley’s solo work above the efforts any of his other ex-bandmates, and often found the songs he composed while in the group to be highlights on their respective albums. As soon as I heard the title track to his then-upcoming new album 10,000Volts, I knew Ace was back in full force.
The aforementioned electric title track kicks off his eighth solo effort with a jolt, but follow up single “Walkin’ on the Moon” is a bit too hokey even by Space Ace standards. Thankfully, there’s enough solid material to out do any filler here though. “Cherry Medicine” is a decent pop anthem, while “Back Into My Arms Again” is an admirable enough power ballad a la Cheap Trick. But it’s the deeper cuts that really get the job done here.
The trio of “Fightin’ For Life,” “Blinded,” and “Life of a Stranger” are not only the highlights of the album, but some of his strongest work overall in recent memory. The ending instrumental number “Stratosphere” puts his guitar abilities on full display as he summons the likes of Frank Zappa to close things out.
Make no mistakes about it, Ace has still got the chops, and as long as he continues to deliver the goods like he does here, his fan base (present company included) are not about to go anywhere any time soon.
I can recall the first time I ever watched 2004’s Napoleon Dynamite some two decades ago, with its subtle, off-the-wall humor striking a nerve with me instantly. I’ve since shown the now-cult classic to both my wife Brooke and son Jacob, who equally appreciate it for the unique moment in time that it was. So catching a twentieth anniversary showing of the film, with the presence of such core cast members as Efren Ramirez (Pedro Sanchez), John Gries (Uncle Rico), and Napoleon Dynamite himself, Jon Heder, at The Plaze Live in Orlando last Wednesday, February 21, was a no-brainer for all of us.
The evening started off promising enough; plenty of fans in attendance had on their best attire, with fanny packs, side pony-tails, and “Vote for Pedro” shirts in abundance. It was near-impossible to not feel the excitement flowing throughout the venue prior to the film, and the applause was infectious by the time the opening credits rolled.
For those who have never seen it before, Napoleon Dynamite follows the day-to-day life of a geeky high school student (Heder as the titular character, as previously noted), who navigates through everything from dating, to assisting his new classmate and friend Pedro (Ramirez) run for class president against the popular school cheerleader, Summer Wheatly (Haylie Duff).
Whether or not the film is “flawless” is no doubt debatable, but nonetheless it certainly draws its viewers into its story, making for sheer escapist entertainment. The ending shot alone of Napoleon and Deb (Tina Majorino) “riding off into the sunset” of sorts while playing tetherball together with the 1989 When in Rome hit “The Promise” closing the scene out is one of pure movie perfection (it should also be noted, the song itself has since become significant to my wife and I, having both heard it live and interviewed When In Rome Keyboardist Michael Floreal on our anniversary in January of 2020).
Jon Heder (a.k.a. Napoleon Dynamite) in the midst of the crowd last Wednesday evening, 2/21/24 at The Plaza Live in Orlando, FL.
Immediately following the showing, Gries and Ramriez appeared on stage with a guitar and harmonica, respectively, in hand for a musical number, before Heder barreled down a ramp towards the stage on a bike, igniting a roar from the crowd. It was right then and there that you knew you were in the right place if you were in attendance.
Heder was no doubt the leader of the pack, while Ramierz took more of a laid back, backseat approach, and Gries played the more goofy old man role (having grown up watching many of his films back in the day such as ’80s gems like 1985’s Real Genius and 1986’s TerrorVision, I may have been in awe of him more so than any others).
Aside from the occasional awkward question from a fan or two (the fairly obnoxious mom-out-way-past-her-bedtime heckler had obviously not been out in public in awhile), the Q&A with the crowd went fairly smooth, with many an enlightened answer regarding the films production. And bringing those dressed in their very best Napoleon Dynamite-inspired gear on to the stage at the end for a best-dressed contest (and even giving everyone a tater tot on their way out!) was the perfect cherry on top to the evening.
The cast of Napoleon Dynamite (from left to right, Efren Ramirez, Jon Heder, and John Gries) performing at the start of the night at The Plaza Live in Orlando, FL on 2/21/24.
Those who know me well, know by now I’m a sucker for a good biography – whether it be via print or film – and Bob Marley: One Love is certainly no exception to that. And with similarities to such other bio pics as the 2018 Queen-based film Bohemian Rhapsody, it was hard not to get instantly lost in the story line here.
With a brief message from Marley’s own son Ziggy himself on the big screen prior to the film confirming its legitimacy, I immediately had a good feeling about things. And although I wasn’t too privy to the previous work of Kingsley Ben-Adir, he does a stellar job in the title role, along with Lashana Lynch as his counterpart Rita Marley.
Rather than starting directly from scratch, the filmmakers decided to begin with the assassination attempt of Marley in his home in 1976, and viewers are instantly invested. From there, it follows Marley and the band recording the Exodus album in London, England (the brief scene featuring a show with The Clash is an especially memorable one), to his eventual cancer diagnosis, and inevitable early death in 1981.
The film also employees the use of flashbacks for key childhood moments in Marley’s life, reminiscent of 1991’s The Doors, among other films. By the time we reach the end credits (which simultaneously show footage of Marley in concert), it’s difficult to maintain one’s composure to say the least. Truly worth the journey if you’re a fan in any way.
My introduction to indie rock band The Last Dinner Party was simple; they caught my attention after being featured in my weekly Spotify playlist. I’d been introduced similarly to plenty of new music before, but this band stood out.
Their song “Nothing Matters” instantly clicked. Its energetic and mesmerizing sound signaled the arrival of something special. Their accompanying music video had a stylish, cinematic quality that matched the ferocity of the song. The band, it seemed, were true artists. But who were they, and where did they come from? The answer; they were a UK band with two singles and a debut album on the way. That album, Prelude to Ecstasy, (released earlier this month) proved to be worth the wait.
The Last Dinner Party is made up of vocalist Abigail Morris, lead guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Emily Roberts, guitarist Lizzie Mayland, bassist Georgia Davies, keyboardist Aurora Nishevci, and drummer Rebekah Rayner (during live performances). All members contribute vocals and collaborate on songwriting. Their talent and chemistry seem effortless, but success didn’t happen overnight. They officially formed in 2021 and spent much time, as explained by vocalist Morris in an interview, honing their sound with years of live performances and touring to build word-of-mouth. Such combined efforts seemingly paid off in a growing fanbase that catapulted their recent debut to number one on the UK charts. Nonetheless, their innate ability to craft haunting, emotive, and uplifting songs remains an anomaly within the modern musical landscape.
Their baroque-inspired look and theatrical persona display gothic sensibilities amid Victorian-era fashion. Their style evokes the classic works of William Shakespeare, Jane Austen, William Makepeace Thackeray, Edgar Allan Poe, and others. Their songs project themes of heartbreak, desire, betrayal, self-reflection, and loss of innocence. They’ve drawn comparisons to Siouxsie and the Banshees, Kate Bush, Warpaint, and even ABBA, with clear influences of David Bowie.
Prelude to Ecstasy delivers a fresh, cohesive sound for those attuned to its broader ambitions. It stands as a striking work of originality from a group of exceptionally talented musicians. Surprisingly, there is little filler material. The album is meticulously arranged to showcase a dizzying array of songs each uniquely different than the last. The strength of “Nothing Matters” and the singles to follow were no fluke. Prelude is a dedication to form.
They open with a brief orchestral overture followed by the opening track “Burn Alive,” immediately setting the mood. As if written by candlelight, its brooding melody and simple guitar intro shift to an up-tempo synthesized blend of stark vocals and bombastic sound. Upon hearing this track for the first time, I was confident the rest of the album was going to be good.
The next song, “Caesar on a TV Screen” carries the momentum with a near-perfect blend of varying sections. The song shifts from melancholy to upbeat rock and back, reaching a heightened crescendo. The music video features the costumed group performing Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar in three acts. “As a child,” Morris sings, “I never felt like a child. I felt like an empire with a city to burn.”
“The Feminine Urge” blisters as a real standout. Not a moment is wasted throughout the song’s multilayered harmonies, thumping bass line, and exquisite chorus. It also displays some of Morris’s impressive range and equally artful lyrics. “I am a dark red liver stretched out on the rocks; all the poison, I convert it and I turn it to love; Here comes that feminine urge, I know it so well, to nurture the wounds my mother held.”
“On Your Side,” comes across as a sincere love song of quiet devotion. It seemingly represents the band at its most vulnerable and boasts some great piano arrangements and harmonization. “Beautiful Boy” is a quiet but rewarding song that takes some warming up to. The closest thing to a filler material would be the seventh track, “Gjuha,” which acts as a brief lead-in to the band’s second single, “Sinner,” an all-out rock song.
Its brief three-minute runtime is proof enough of how heavy the band can be when they want to. Their thundering bass lines, echoing guitars, and precise drumming deliver an irresistible groove. “My Lady of Mercy” is another great track fully assembled to strike at the core. Its flawless shifts from climbing verse bars to blasting guitars in the chorus are a high point.
“Nothing Matters” follows as undoubtedly their most popular song and current anthem. Subtle F-bombs aside, it’s a meticulously crafted musical number with an infectious and elating four-bar beat. The album’s last track, “Mirror,” marches on as a confessional reflection of things that cannot be changed.
Reportedly, most songs on the album were derived from diary notes of band members and used to further shape overall themes. Their approach delivers a strong debut and testament to the universal power of music. I can’t wait to hear more.
Often times many “supergroups” may sound good on paper, but end up just feeling forced and/or just plain forgettable. Such is not the case with Revolution Saints, who, now four albums in, seem to be hitting their stride.Founded and fronted by Journey drummer extraordinaire Deen Castronovo, the group is currently rounded out by Whitesnake/former Night Ranger guitarist Joel Hoekstra, and Foreigner/former Dokken and Dio (and recent Rewind It interviewee) bassist Jeff Pilson.
Things start off a little on the safe side with the somewhat basic title track, but quickly progress with the likes of “Changing My Mind,” “Fall On My Knees,” and the ballad “Can’t End It Right Now,” all of which deserving to be modern hits in their own right (if only radio these days didn’t focus on just the same classic “hits” unfortunately).
Journey’s obvious influence definitely shines all the way through to the ending track “No Turning Back,” and fans of their music should have no problem whatsoever adapting to the sound of Revolution Saints (I certainly haven’t); give it a fair try and you might just be surprised with the results.
I can remember my introduction to Ireland’s Therapy? as though it were yesterday; my friend and bandmate at the time Joe brought a copy of their then-new album, Infernal Love, to our seventh grade science class. We huddled around a walkman listening to snippets of tracks like “Misery” and “Me vs. You,” and I can remember thinking how truly unlike anything I had ever heard prior to that moment they were.
But it was their previous, breakthrough second full-length album, 1994’s Troublegum, that I ended up going home with a dubbed copy of on cassette that day (along with Paradise Lost’s Draconian Times on the B side, for good measure) and falling in love with first. Everything about it seemed to speak directly to a ’90s teenager like myself, and I ate up every minute of it, from album-starter “Knives” all the way to “Brainsaw.”
By the following weekend, our little garage band was attempting to do our best amateur renditions of some of the album’s now-classic tracks, including “Screamager,” “Nowhere,” and “Die Laughing” (the latter of which my guitarist Scott and I would actually go on to record a video eventually for an English class project, with the lyrics being altered by yours truly to fit the assignment accordingly. Needless to say we each received an “A”).
The more noise-rock infused sound the band had originated on their initial EP’s and first album (1992’s Nurse) evolved into the more pop-punk influences of Troublegum, and found the band in their absolute prime. In short, the album is still a masterpiece in its own right, and a time capsule that reflects an era of music far superior than any of their contemporaries at the time had. To this day when I’m asked who my favorite band is, I struggle to think of one that ranks above Therapy?; they’re truly the band that changed it all for me, and it all started with Troublegum.
