The Four Horsemen – ‘Nobody Said It Was Easy’ (Cherry Red Records)

The Four Horsemen – ‘Nobody Said It Was Easy’ (Cherry Red Records)

Seems like every couple of years there is a reissue of this classic rock n roll record and you won’t hear any complaints from RPM. A Stone Cold classic and one that should have seen these bad boys go stratospheric easily, as good as ‘Electric’ by the cult and head and shoulders above anything else coming out at the time with that raw, no bullshit rock n roll. Produced by Rick Rubin, it had the hooks and swagger of classic DC. The band consisted of Swansea’s own (Stephen Harris), Haggis, formerly of the parish Zodiac Mindwarp and The Cult, who cut his teeth in punk band the Autonomes in the late 70s.

Haggis moved to the States and put together one hell of a line up that featured the immense vocals of Frank Starr who was the embodiment of the outlaw rock n rolla frontman who walked the walk and talked the talk Drummer Ken Montgomery passed away not long after the albums original release in 91 the band were aone and done with the classic line up mixing punk attitude with rock n roll barroom hard rock releasing a further album but without founder Haggis in the ranks and then they lost Starr on sunset strip to a drunk driver this album was Originally released in 1991 on Rubin’s Def American label, the album landed just as grunge was breaking and immediately faced an uphill battle for acceptance, despite widespread and justified critical acclaim. 

The band gained a reputation for being genuinely dangerous, resulting in drug charges and imprisonment, death and general debauchery. The Horsemen had the reputation that went hand in hand with the music, but most importantly, they had the chops and the tunes to back it up. If you’ve never heard this album, now is the chance to rectify that and join the smug and proud group who know exactly what time it is. From the iconic spoken intro where Haggis lays it on the line, it’s bad boy boogie. Clean, sharp, loud and infectious. A wonderful way to open any record, ‘Nobody Said IT Was Easy’ was to be the band’s opening salvo and something of a self-fulfilling prophecy. The crispness in the guitar tone, the vocal performance, it’s just about perfect for a hard-rockin’ record. The only way was up, and after such a strong opener to hit us with the epic ‘Rockin Is Ma Business’ it should have been enough already to catapult them into the top tier.

They weren’t a one-trick pony either because ‘Tired Wings’ had some sweet slide that those brothers Robinson would have killed for. Rip it up with some bad boy boogie on ‘Can’t Stop Rockin’ where Starr opened up his pipes. ‘Wanted Man’ reads like a confession as its sleazy, laid-back groove offers a late-night come-down midway through the record. Once you’ve caught your breath, we get back on it and ‘Let It Rock’ is riff-tastic.

Side two opened up with the band’s signature groove, ‘Hot Head’, whereas ‘Moonshine’ is a bit different, with a cool uptempo groove and the verse vocals sung from the bottom of a bottle of moonshine as the cop cars put on a chase before we get some of that boogie woogie on ‘Homesick Blues’. The album twists and turns towards the big finale of ‘I Need A Thrill/Something Good’, a magnificent way to close off a top-notch album spread out over eight minutes its an absolute classic full stop on a record that hasn’t aged at all and I still get a buzz when listening to it and if it was reissued every other year I’d still get behind it. Everything about it is a winner from the tone of those duelling guitars to the slap of that snare, all rounded off with killer melodies and stunning vocals, the Four Horsemen had all the credibility but none of the success. In a world that constantly looks over great talent and every now and again the starrs align, and a classic underground record gets released and keeps coming back and getting up off the canvas ready to take the plaudits for how damn good it is. Ladies and Gentlemen, The Four Fuckin Horsemen are back in the ring and still swinging, just go buy this fuckin record!

This release features extensive liner notes with a brand-new interview with guitarist Dave Lizmi. Both Lizmi and Haggis have endorsed this release and supplied personal archive material for the layout.

Buy Here

Author: Dom Daley

Gone But Not Forgotten – Cliff Burton & Ken ‘Dimwit’ Montgomery

Gone But Not Forgotten – Cliff Burton & Ken ‘Dimwit’ Montgomery

Best known for his work in D.O.A. and The Four Horsemen Ken was the older brother of Chuck Biscuits who he followed into D.O.A.  The brothers both played drums and whilst Chuck went on to play in Black Flag, circle jerks and Social Distortion Ken had the honour of being the stickman in the mighty Four Horsemen. Releasing their classic rock album ‘Nobody Said It Was Easy’ in ’91 Dimwit passed away on this day in ’94 of a Heroin overdose during the making of the bands follow up album ‘Gettin’ Pretty Good… at Barely Gettin’ By’ but the band seemed cursed as Dimwit was replaced by his younger brother to complete the recording.  Later in ’95 frontman Starr was hit by a drunk driver and ended up in a coma with the album eventually coming out in ’96 with just Limzi as the sole remaining member.  The album was dedicated to Dimwit.

Enjoy him at the peak of his powers on the magnificent ‘Tired Wings’

Clifford Lee Burton Born February 10, 1962 in California he was the youngest of three children first played the piano courtesy of his father Ray.  Clifford started playing the bass at 13 and said he would become the best Bass player he could be for his brother who had passed away.  Even after joining Metallica he was still understood to practice for up to six hours a day the usual suspects influenced his style and playing Lynott, Lee and Lemmy all styles that would have a bearing on the young Californian.

 

Playing on the metal giants first three albums ‘Kill ‘Em All’, ‘Ride the Lightning’ and ‘Master of Puppets’. He also received a writing credit for the song “To Live Is to Die” from the band’s fourth studio album, ‘…And Justice for All’.

On September 27, 1986, Burton was asleep as the tour bus he was travelling in was the centre of an accident in Kronoberg County, a rural area of Sweden. Metallica was supporting the ‘Master of Puppets’ album.

His passing was big news at the time for the tragedy that befell someone so young with so much going for him having the time of his young life. former bandmate Dave Mustain wrote ‘In My Darkest Hour’ about the news of his friend and fellow metal heavyweights Anthrax and Metal Church also dedicated records to their comrade Burton. Of the accident, Hetfield refuted the drivers claims that he hit black ice by suggesting he was under the influence.

Hetfield also stated that he walked long distances down the road looking for black ice and found none. When local freelance photographer Lennart Wennberg (who attended the crash scene the following morning), was asked in a later interview about the likelihood that black ice caused the accident, he said it was ‘out of the question’ because the road was dry and the temperature around 2 °C (36 °F), above the freezing point of 0 °C (32 °F). This was confirmed by police who – like Hetfield – also found no ice on the road. Ljungby detective Arne Pettersson was reported in a local newspaper to have said the tracks at the accident site were exactly like ones seen when drivers fall asleep at the wheel. However, the driver stated under oath that he had slept during the day and was fully rested; his testimony was confirmed by the driver of a second tour bus that was carrying the band’s crew and equipment. The driver was determined not at fault for the accident and no charges were brought against him. Regardless Burton wasn’t coming back and his memory lives on through his huge contribution to the birth and growth of a whole Genre and subsequent immense career of his bandmates. Rest in peace Ken and Cliff.

Gone But Not Forgotten – Frank C Starr

Gone But Not Forgotten – Frank C Starr

If for no other reason than playing some Four Horsemen on RPM we say Rest In Peace Frank C Starr gone but never forgotten around these parts. Frank first came to notice in Sin a band from New York before moving to the opposite coast and getting the job fronting The Four Horsemen who released a four-track EP before signing a deal to record and release ‘Nobody Said It Was Easy’ for Rick Rubins Def America.

The group became notorious for their lifestyle, total Rock and Roll attitude and constant run-ins with the law, and in 1991, Starr was sentenced to prison for his drug use. The following year Starr again landed in prison for a maximum term of one year. Following his release from prison, the group talked about a possible comeback, but on September 27, 1994, tragedy struck when Ken ‘Dimwit’ Montgomery succumbed to a heroin overdose. The tragedy was too much for both Haggis and Pape who called time and quit the group. The remaining band continued  adding a new bassist and drummer, and releasing there next album, ‘Gettin’ Pretty Good At Barely Gettin’ in ’96 on Magnetic Air Then In the meantime whilst waiting for the album to get released, tragedy struck the group when Starr was hit by a drunk driver while out riding his motorcycle down Sunset Strip in Hollywood, 

Their legacy is one EP and one absolute killer Rockin’ album ‘Nobody Said It Was Easy’ with the classic line up followed by the second album that wasn’t too shabby but a much-changed line up. Sadly Frank never woke up from his coma, and eventually died on this day in June 1999. Rest In Peace Frank you rocked man.