MAKE MY DAY: THE ROCK ‘N’ ROLL STORY OF FAST EDDIE CLARKE
FOUR-CD CAREER RETROSPECTIVE AND 320 PAGE BOOK OF THE ICONIC MOTORHEAD GUITARIST BY KRIS NEEDS TO BE RELEASED SEPTEMBER 6th VIA BMG
PRE-ORDER HERE AND LISTEN TO THE SOLO TRACK ‘OVER AND OUT’
Coming in a robust box, Make My Day: The Rock ‘n’ Roll Story Of Fast Eddie Clarke celebrates the late Motorhead-Fastway guitarist with a four-CD career retrospective and 320-page book written by veteran rock journalist Kris Needs with Clarke’s widow Mariko Fujiwara.
The book that named the set, Make My Day: The Rock ‘N’ Roll Story Of Fast Eddie Clarke charts the guitarist’s life and career including his epiphany seeing the Yardbirds at Eel Pie Island, playing with assorted bands, recording two albums with former Jimi Hendrix associate Curtis Knight, riding with Motorhead’s most revered lineup between 1976 and 1982, forming Fastway and releasing two solo albums. Mariko and Eddie’s closest friends provide detailed insights into Eddie’s life, including growing up in Twickenham, topping charts with Motorhead, overcoming personal problems, finding happiness with Mariko and becoming the smitten co-owner of Cookie the Maltese-Shihtzu cross.
As editor of the UK’s first serious music monthly Zigzag and one of Motorhead’s earliest press champions, Kris Needs spent five years close to the band during its most successful period and beyond. To this end, Needs also interviewed close friends, bandmates, associated bands including Girlschool and Saxon plus collaborators from different stages of Eddie’s roller coaster life and career, emerging with a definitive account that ends up a love story.
The CD boxset covers Fast Eddie’s recording career of over 40 years including tracks requested by Mariko, starting with The Early Years, which includes Zeus and his subsequent band Continuous Performance, along with three tracks from the legendary Muggers, who Eddie and Philthy ‘Animal’ Taylor played with in 1978 along with ‘Speedy’ Keen and Heartbreakers bassist Billy Rath.
CD2’s Motorhead highlights Eddie’s most outstanding performances with the ‘classic lineup’ of Lemmy, Philthy ‘Animal’ Taylor, including ‘Ace Of Spades’ and other much-loved rampages, three previously unreleased Bomber album demos and his vocal performances on the Headgirl project with Girlschool and ‘Stone Dead Forever’.
CD3’s Fastway straddles different incarnations of the band Fast Eddie formed with UFO bassist Pete Way after departing from Motorhead in 1982, including demos, remixes and tracks from their eight albums. Along with curios.
CD4, The Solo Years mainly draws from Fast Eddie’s two solo albums, It Ain’t Over ‘Till It’s Over and his final work with underrated peak Make My Day: Back To The Blues, created with Shakatak’s Bill Sharpe.
Welcome to Episode 16 of our little Podcast where DD And Hotshot bring you some top tunes from the archives. We have some brand new tunes from current records that have either just been released or are about to be released as well as tunes from the archives such as Joe Strummers demo outtake of ‘Coma girl’ that is taken from his boxset 002.
First up in this Episode is a Steve Lillywhite recording of Johnny Thunders recording ‘Leave Me Alone’ recorded with current Damned bass player Paul Gray alongside drummer Steve Nicol. It was eventually released on a 10″ EP on Remarquable Records alongside three other tracks. It was a remarkable time for Thunders who went on to release ‘So Alone’ with a veritable host of bonafide Superstars, spawning his best work (arguably) that included the epic ‘You Can’t Put Your Arms Around A Memory’.
Next up Hotshot picked a Hanny J track ‘Days Felt Like Years’ From her 2019 EP ‘Possession’. HAnny is known for her bass playing in Melbourne punks Clowns but this change of pace offers an insight into her talents as a songwriter and singer.
Ming City Rockers have just completed a new album and whilst we wait for them to start dropping details of when we can expect to hear songs of fit you’ll have to make do with ‘Desperate’ from their last album ‘Lime’ which was released early in 2023. We’ve already had the one-track drop so hopefully, it’s soon when we’ll get news.
Guitar pop indie kids Ash released a great new album late last year and have just released it as an extended option ‘Race The Night’ comes out with an extra raft of tracks. If it’s classic tracks you’re after then look no further than Misfits classic ‘Hybrid Moments’ lifted from the Box set version ‘Static Age’. Digitally remastered from the band’s classic debut – You can’t argue that Early Misfits didn’t deliver and anyone whos seen them play recently can testify that they still have it.
Scandinavian punks The Good The Bad And The Zugly are about to release something of a compilation album based on B sides of singles and a new cut that we play spanning the band’s 15 years of doing this. ‘Decade Of Regression’ hits the shops on the 5th of April. Catch them on tour now!
Next up The Drowns knock out their single ‘Ketamine And Cola’ from the album ‘Blacked Out’ get it off Pirates Press and I can promise you – you won’t be disappointed.
Jumping back to Scandinavia the pair offer up The Backstreet Girls and ‘Boogie Woman’ lifted from their latest album of loud infectious rock n roll ‘In Lust We Trust’. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it which is the mantra the band adhere to and continues to turn out top tunes and top albums.
Joe Strummer gets aired and a demo of ‘Coma Girl’ lifted from his second box set ‘002’ The Mescaleros years. It’s hard to believe that Strummer passed in 2002 and those studio albums still sound fresh and relevant all these years later. This is one of the early outtakes of the track and still, I champion it as his most outstanding solo post Clash record. The box set is well worth investigating full of artefacts and really well designed.
Who doesn’t love Slade? I guess if you’re still reading and you hit the link to play the podcast then you’re going to love this live recording which was recently released on splatter vinyl. ‘Them Kinda Monkeys Can’t Swing’ is a barnstorming opener and this version is particularly good. After a quick check, I can correct myself and say this recording was made from a few nights at the theatre in 1975 so right smack in the middle of the band’s pomp. Captured for a BBC performance Slade are remembered by a slew of fine albums that have just had the rerelease treatment and this is one not to miss alongside the Reading performance that the pair chat about. If you’ve never delved into the Slade archive then what better place to start than a live album stacked with absolute bangers. there aren’t many frontmen with a set of pipes like Holders and on this song he gives his vocals a damn good workout.
Maverick Ryan Adams recently dropped five albums on the same day (now that doesn’t happen every day) one of those albums particularly piqued my attention and ‘Skulls’ is lifted from the album ‘1985’. A daunting and huge back catalogue maybe if you start from this recent album drop you have pretty much the whole sound of the guy in one day – five albums mind and all crammed with tunes. Try him.
Gene Loves Jezebel recently released an album on Cleopatra Records ‘x – Love Death Sorrow’ and it contained a very mixed bag in as much as there were Four covers with the originals and one that caught our ears in the classic post-punk/ New Wave ‘Another Girl Another Planet’ but put their Gothic twist and owned The Only Ones classic taking it somewhere we weren’t expecting but thoroughly enjoyed.
NWOBHM aficionados might baulk at our ignorance when we encounter the recent Cherry Red Records compilation ‘All Systems Go’ and the Crucifixion track ‘Jailbait’. The beauty of these retro boxsets is that you discover bands like this that you might have missed first time around. Don’t take my word for it hit the podcast and get on it.
I think it’s the first Replacements track we’ve dived into on the podcast certainly the first one lifted from the superb ‘Tim’ album box set that came out last year with a superb remix that elevates the album from what we were used to. Possibly hearing the one track in isolation doesn’t do it justice but ‘Kiss Me On The Bus’ is a belter and if you’re new to the Replacements then this is a quality album/box set to dive into it also includes some fantastic live recordings. one of Americas best gifts to music ever – you can take that to the bank.
Finally, on this episode, Laura Jane Grace closes off the show with the title track off her new solo album ‘Hole In My Head’ an album that offers the listener her usual variety of electric and acoustic songs as she rages against the machine. Its her fourth album and this is just a taste of what to expect from another fantastic album. Punk, Folk Rock, Acoustic, Rebel Rousing Grace is compulsive listening and this album maintains the super high standard of songwriting be it as a solo artist or fronting Against Me! or Laura Jane Grace & the Devouring Mothers.
I’m sure you’ll agree if you can understand our poetical Welsh voices we do have the gift of the best music available whatever variety it might be. Join in – let us know what you think. If you have a request or a topic you’d like us to play/discuss then get in touch.
Listen-Folow-Like-Share. Thanks from the pair of us.
The latest Motorhead album to get the deluxe 12″ book treatment along side ‘Iron Fist’ and ‘No Sleep’ albums as opposed to the superb box sets of ‘1977’ and ‘Ace Of Spades’ is 1983s ‘Another Perfect Day’ This brand new half speed master from the original tapes also includes a full live show of a recently unearthed concert recorded at Hull City Hall on June 22nd 1983. As well as the story of ‘Another Perfect Day’ told through previously unpublished and new interviews and never before seen photos and rare memorabilia. I’ll let Kenny explain the diamond in this most impressive set.
Motorhead – Live at Hull City Hall, 22nd June 1983
1983 was a strange year in the Motorhead camp. ‘Fast’ Eddie Clark had left the band after Lemmy’s dabbling’s with Wendy O Williams, (apparently, Eddie was less than pleased with their ill-fated cover of Tammy Wynette’s Stand By Your Man.) The man who replaced Eddie was ex Thin Lizzy axeman Brian ‘Robbo’ Robertson. On paper, a good choice you would think. In hindsight, this era was the most divisive in Motorhead’s long history. Robbo was reported to be a bit ‘difficult’ while being in the band, refusing to play standards such as Ace of Spades live and wearing questionable clothing on stage, shorts and ballet shoes?? (much to Lemmy’s annoyance.)
Drummer Phil ‘Philthy Animal’ Taylor was said to be a bit of a fanboy of Robbo and he couldn’t do any wrong in his eyes. Robbo’s tenure in the band was short lived but he left us a fine album with Another Perfect Day. The Motorheadbangers were unsure at the time, sales of the album reflected this, it only reached number 20 in the UK charts for example. Over time though, the album has gained critical acclaim, I think it’s a great album myself, Robbo brought some much-needed melody to the songs while it was still unquestionably Motorhead.
As part of the 40th anniversary release of the album we get a cracking snapshot of the Robbo era in a live setting with a full set recorded at Hull City Hall in June ’83. The band really are on fire here, tracks like Heart of Stone, Rock It, Dancing On Your Grave, and standardslike Shoot You In The Back & The Chase Is Better Than The Catch sound great. If there was any animosity between the band members at the time you certainly can’t pick that up here.
This is a wonderful addition to the original album that’s been remastered and repackaged beautifully on vinyl and CD formats. Go and give ‘Another Perfect Day’ a listen if you haven’t for a while. You’ll be pleasantly surprised….
The first time on wax and spilled over two heavy-weight records ‘Back To The Blues’ was what Moore did best. He could be his authentic best and his passion for the origins of the loud guitar blues shines through. His playing is passionate and sympathetic and to be fair to the guy his vocals were’t too shabby either.
The opening salvo of ‘Enough Of The Blues’ and the smokey horn honkin of ‘You Upset Me Baby’ is a joy. Clearly a student of what went before him and blazing a path for those who followed Moore dishes up tone and fast fret fingering a plenty and even for a casual listener its uplifting and joyful hearing how Moore tackled the Blues.
Be it the upbeat and funky ‘Cold Black Night’ or the more traditional slow backroom meet me at the crossroads style of ‘Stormy Monday’ Moore could pull it all off with style and a convincing touch that many missed by a mile. ‘Ain’t Got You’ has a strut that the likes of Aerosmith pulled off before him.
He always had a well turned in ballad up his sleeve and ‘Picture OF The Moon’ nails it here. ‘Looking Back’ shows how the likes of Vintage Trouble could have been had they had the chops and cut the shapes insted of trying their hand at pure pop Moore has swing and the tone is massive.
With three bonus cuts to entice fans in from the original release sees a single edit of ‘Picture Of The Moon’ and two live cuts. Fans of da Blues and Gary Moore will be all over this and with added sleeve notes its a must buy for the rock fans out there.
BMG are announcing a new Black Sabbath eight vinyl boxset called ‘Hand Of Doom’, that features the bands classic albums released from 1970-1978 on picture disc vinyl, limited to just 3,000 copies, to be released via BMG this coming December 1st.
Comprising some of BLACK SABBATH’s most powerful albums ever produced, “Hand Of Doom” features the “Complete Original Black Sabbath 1970-1978” collection on picture disc for the first time. The highly collectible set contains the band’s self-titled debut (1970), as well as the multi-platinum “Paranoid” (1970), the platinum albums “Master Of Reality” (1971),”Vol 4″ (1972), and “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath” (1973), the gold-certified “Sabotage” (1975), alongside “Technical Ecstasy” (1976) and “Never Say Die!” (1978).
“Hand Of Doom 1970 – 1978” includes each album’s artwork printed on Side A. The self-titled debut, “Vol 4”, “Technical Ecstasy” and “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath” feature the original back album artwork on Side B. “Paranoid”, “Master Of Reality” and “Sabotage” features an album-era photo of the band. The collection also includes a large color poster of the band taken in Los Angeles during the summer of 1972 while the band was recording “Vol 4”.
The impact of Swiss extreme metal forefathers Hellhammer is one that still resonates around the global metal scene today, such was their influence on the early extreme, death, and black metal genres. In the 40 years that have passed since their humble beginnings in Nurensdorf, Switzerland, in May 1982, they have gained a mythically iconic status despite existing for a mere two years. However the band left a highly influential body of work behind, including the three demos Death Fiend, Satanic Rites and Triumph Of Death (al re-released in 2008 as the Demon Entrails demo retrospective), the seminal Apocalyptic Raids EP, and two tracks from the legendary Death Metal compilation. In light of this legacy, it is almost inconceivable that Hellhammer never performed this music on stage.
Celtic Frost, the successor group formed by Hellhammer founding member Tom Gabriel Warrior and former Hellhammer bassist Martin Eric Ain, would sporadically play a Hellhammer song or two, and Warrior’s current band, Triptykon, have played the occasional Hellhammer song live, but the vast body of Hellhammer’s work remained unperformed, until the inception of Triumph Of Death. In 2019 Tom Gabriel Warrior stated : Hellhammer will never return and will never be reformed. It is absolutely impossible to reform a band so closely linked to a very specific and unique period in time. But Hellhammer’s music exists, and it is an extremely important part of my life’s path. And I would like to play it onstage before my demise.
The resurrection of the music of Hellhammer had been an idea Tom Gabriel Warrior and Martin Eric Ain discussed for many years, sparked not least by their renewed collaboration in the reformed Celtic Frost in the 2000s. The first steps towards the realization of Triumph Of Death, named after Hellhammer’s most infamous song and intended to be a very respectful and authentic tribute to Hellhammer, were finally taken in 2014, and the band was officially founded in autumn of 2018. Triumph Of Death consists of individuals who not only love the music in question but truly understand it. The line-up emulates Hellhammer’s final incarnation of April/May 1984, when the group had added an additional guitarist. To date Triumph Of Death have performed numerous notable concerts globally and have brought the seminal music of Hellhammer to fans both old and new. Many of whom thought they may never see it live on stage.
Triumph Of Death’s debut live release Resurrection Of The Flesh is the culmination of three concerts. Recorded in the spring of 2023 at Hell’s Heroes Festival in Houston USA, Dark Easter Metal Meeting in Munich, Germany and SWR Barroselas Metal Fest in Portugal, the album was produced by Tom Gabriel Warrior and Triptykon’s V. Santura. The record captures the band at their primeval finest; raw, foreboding and heavy. The songs may date back four decades but here they are revealed to be still just as vital today as when they were written in the band’s infamous rehearsal bunker in the rural village of Birchwil, Switzerland in the early 1980s. From the thunderous opening chords of Third Of The Storms (Evoked Damnation) to the malevolent, morbid feedback of set closer Triumph Of Death, this album is a sixty minute document of the overwhelming power of the live performance of Triumph Of Death, and it captures the spirit and intensity of these historic songs that have transcended decades to become revered and timeless.
Warrior: This album is, most importantly, testament to the unique connection that exists between the audience and this band. Hellhammer’s music was an underground token in 1982 to 1984, often ridiculed and shunned, and we owe the fact that we are now able to perform it all across the globe entirely to grace, openness, and enthusiasm of those who make exactly these concerts possible. They give us as much as we given them, and my gratitude to them knows no limits.
Triumph Of Death
Tom Gabriel Warrior – voice/guitar /André Mathieu – guitar/vocals/Jamie Lee Cussigh – bass/Tim Iso Wey – drums
Resurrection Of The Flesh will be available as :
Deluxe CD mediabook
Double gatefold LP w/booklet and posters on black vinyl and B&W swirl (HMV exclusive)
Super deluxe double LP bookpack with bonus 7” (red vinyl) single plus posters
With the release of this their seventh album on the then-new label Epic, The Stranglers wanted to shake things up a bit, veer off on a tangent and explore new sounds and push back those punk boundaries they never felt a part of anyway.
This expanded reissue on coloured vinyl and two-disc CD is celebrating the band’s 40th anniversary I thought that this day would even be of any significance in the band’s rich tapestry of a career.
With the synthesisers and electronic drums to the fore, ‘Feline’ delved into a much more diverse career path for the band, with a more European feel to proceedings. Recently departed David Greenfield is very prominent in the mix.
So that’s the early 80s with synths and acoustic guitars over electric, a new wave was certainly in the air. The press at the time was most unkind probably because it didn’t fit into any comfortable genre of convenience and we still know that that is never good. It did, however, follow on from the absolute monster crossover hit that was ‘Golden Brown’ which might have signalled the band’s shift into new more comfortable shoes perhaps?
The opener ‘Midnight Summer Dream’ with its mellow intro and snapping 80s synth the transformation was underway. The spoken vocals of Hugh Cornwell were also supported by Jean-Jacques Burnells lead vocals on the single ‘European Female’, via the acoustic-driven ‘Small World’. Maybe looking back and the power of hindsight it’s now no big deal to hear this twisted New Wave experimental Stranglers but back in the day it was a big deal and punk rock points were most certainly removed.
Whilst still very much a Stranglers album, with the power of hindsight there are a lot of chances taken by a brave band who didn’t follow convention nor pay lip service to the press its an experiment that clearly didn’t really hamper the band at all and looking back possibly with more grown-up eyes and ears there is a bigger appreciation for this brave new world the men in black stepped into.
The initial press of ‘Feline’ had ‘Aural Sculpture Manifesto’ single sided single which is part of the second disc along with a plethora of different mixes, like ‘Savage Breast’ and ‘Pawsher’ and the reggae-infused ‘Permission’ so there are no excuses not to get the full picture of where the band were at in 1983.
If you passed this by the first time around now is the chance to play it back and have a newfound appreciation for the band spreading its creative tentacles far and wide and not just churning out the thumping bass-driven alternative rock they were known for.
Continuing the very nice Slade back catalogue reissues on Splatter vinyl we have the mid-eighties pair of ‘The Amazing Kamakazi Syndrome’ and ‘Nobody’s Fools’ and I must say if there is a shortage of vinyl for pressing records blame BMG and Slade these records feel like 280gms never mind 180gms. Very impressive reproductions they are too and the splatters continue the line of releases.
First up is the mid-70s ‘Nobody’s Fools‘ which reminds me of heyday Mott The Hoople on the opener and title track. The band were untouchable for a period in the 70s with the impeccable melodies and playing to the one-of-a-kind Noddy Holder air raid siren vocals. This was the band’s sixth studio album and was – say, less riotous and hedonistic (even if it did have its moments) it was said that they moved away from their sound and fancied a tilt at the USA market with the more soulful backing vocals and bigger arrangments. It’s still a damn fine album with some great riffs and even though it doesn’t receive the recognition that the more classic albums did and does it’s unmistakable Slade. Spreading their wings maybe but ‘Do The Dirty’ is a rocker alright. I’ve not played this record for many years if I’m honest but I forgot how good some of the songs were. The Honking cotton-picking ‘Pack Up Your Troubles’ and the Lennon like ‘Do You Remember’. There was even some hip shaking in the shape of ‘Did Your Mama Ever Tell Ya’ to the funky ‘All The Worlds A Stage’. Slade still had no doubt about that.
Slade was still unstoppable midway through the seventies and rightly so. Three UK No-1, a run of 17 consecutive Top 20 singles and their hits are synonymous with the glam era.
With a jump of a decade, Slade had had their day (it’s fair to say) but whilst they weren’t dominating the singles charts and shipping platinum discs left right and centre they could still rock out and deliver a tune or two.
Take the opener ‘Slam The Hammer Down’ with its familiar Holder rasp at full tilt – Hill laid down some exquisite chops on that six-string. It might not have troubled the album charts but it still had two top-ten singles on it. the record was retitled for the North American market for some reason but it faired about the same there as well with the two singles hitting the US Billboard top 40.
The single ‘Run Run Away’ was a shift in sound with that fearsome mid-80s drum sound but a memorable riff and Noddy doing what Noddy has always done. Produced by Lea it was contemporary and of its time. Slade were still contenders and would go toe to toe with many of their hard rock contemporaries of the mid-80s – besides the album had that 80s big ballad in ‘My Oh My’. If you’d never heard of Slade (God bless the kids) and put this record on and asked what era – any half clued in muso would place it right in the middle of the decade of decadence – shoulder pads and big hair with that drum sound like its recorded in an aircraft hanger Slade could never be accused of not moving with the times – they did! Now get your lighters out and bang those heads Noddy and the boys are bringing the noize. Hell, they even dabbled in the dreaded MOR with ‘Cheap ‘n’ Nasty Luv’ but that aside it’s a wonderful trip down memory lane Slade style – Now turn it up!
A first time pressing on vinyl for this the twelfth Album released by the former Thin Lizzy guitarist. Gary Moore played with a style and passion for his craft that was heralded around the world for his style and songwriting ability. His virtuoso guitar playing and soulful voice being loved far and wide and his premature passing has been sadly missed by fans and musicians around the globe and from all styles.
Having played in numerous legendary bands including Thin Lizzy and Skid Row, alongside his own solo career, Moore is regarded as one of the most influential Irish musicians of all time. Having been honoured by both Gibson and Fender with signature guitars, the Northern Irish star is still regarded as one of the best guitar players of all time. Its funny when long after their passing people still crave the back catalogue of revered artists like Moore so it’s no surprise that ‘A Different Beat’ gets the vinyl treatment (finally) spread over two records it also includes a remix of ‘Can’t Help Myself’ (E-Z Rollers remix)’.
‘A Different Beat’ sees Moore exploring a new direction, in this case combining his love of the blues and his guitar work with contemporary dance beats. Fusing blues and dance music ‘A Different Beat’stands as the boldest thing Moore ever did. A move too far for some and one giant step for others. From the off the distorted guitar work makes way for a beat more akin to the Happy Mondays guitar based dance music rather than trad Blues. I know Moore loved some Hendrix and there are moments throughout this record that have you imagining that this is something Jimi might have tried had he not left this earth as well it’s not like he hid his admiration for Hendrix because he funks up ‘Fire’. Moore also had a better singing voice than he possibly got credit for and had a fair set of pipes that are well worked on songs like ‘Lost In Your Love’. and his take on ‘Fire’.
Moore loved to turn it up but he also had a softer gentler touch. ‘Worry No More’ is more laid back but whilst pushing boundaries like the pure funk of ‘Fatboy’ with all its tricks and grooves. like on the I’m sure he’d have chuckled to himself when making this Marmite record but having it pressed on Vinyl might be the opportunity for fans to look back and show some love for a real guitar legend who really did mess with the Blues.
Back in the mists of time when I was a young lad I had a friend at School who had been on a trip to London where he went to shades record shop and returned clutching an album by a band called Hellhammer, Remember this is pre-internet, no google, no Discogs, no amazon, no super internet it was a flick through Sounds, Melody Maker, NME or Kerrang for your fix of what’s hot or not and even then for us kids in the sticks it was a process of saving up and take a chance. That ‘Apocalyptic Raids’ was a gateway into a sound that was perfect for us kids who loved a bit of punk and also the allure of a bit of metal, it was dark, dangerous and fascinating, throw in some dark occult imagery into the mix and our parents would hate it so it was always a winner.
I read recently an interview with Tom G Warrior where he described their sound as musical anarchy (even though Warfare were metal anarchy) he wasn’t far off the mark the music was indeed extreme and mixing up the punk of UK82 hardcore and metal it was perfect. We already loved Venom and Motorhead and what was going on over the pond on the West coast was taking hold it was exciting to trade tapes and get to hear what was coming out of Europe.
Hellhammer became Celtic Frost and the rest is history alongside VoiVods ‘War And Pain’ a few of the Venom albums Celtic Frost was really pushing the boundaries and doing it better than most. For a few short years, Celtic Frost were the bees knees and released some seminal albums that became harder to find than hen’s teeth so ‘Danse Macabre’ is a much-anticipated release and when opening the box the package that’s been put together is of the highest order and right up there with the complete Venom boxset which is the absolute pinnacle of how to do a boxset this isn’t far behind.
Released as a plush five-CD set including all the albums from the period a smart pin badge, a patch double-sided poster and a really interesting book. Noise deserves some credit for delivering such a good set. ‘Danse Macabre’ vinyl set captures the raw excitment and new age dawning in extreme metal and the ambitious direction these Swiss and American band were taking their music. ‘Morbid Tales‘, ‘To Mega Therion’ and ‘Into The Pandemonium‘, the marble color vinyl box set also includes the ‘Emperor’s Return’, ‘Tragic Serenades’ and ‘I Won’t Dance’ EPs, along with ‘The Collectors Celtic Frost’ compilation, a 7″ of ‘Visual Aggression’ and a cassette of rehearsals recorded at the band’s Grave Hill Bunker. A 12″ x 12″, 40-page book, brings together photography — some previously unseen — from the era and brand new interviews with Tom Gabriel Warrior and Reed St Mark. A Heptagram USB drive contains MP3 audio of all the albums, including bonus tracks…and breath.
How’s that for a comprehensive round-up? Always pushing the envelope, it’s mad to think the band was still just snotty-nosed kids when Hellhammer was a thing then through ‘Morbid Tales’ and then the classic ‘To Mega Theron’ and ‘Emperors Return’ it was a blink of the eye and they were gone. Some of these haven’t been pressed on vinyl for the thick end of forty years (37 to be exact) so it’s a veritable feast for fans old and new the CD version are gatefold with vinyl-like mini inserts but people of a certain age-who will be on the end of the hook might need some reading glasses to appreciate fully the detail. that aside this set is an absolute no-brainer The omission of the third album might be an elephant in the room but had ‘Cold Lake’ been included it would have been complete, regardless – Go buy one – Now!
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