What
a Band! A true eighties super group. What
on earth possessed them to get together?
I have no idea. Why they disbanded? Not
a glimmer either, and they only made one
album, which was even stranger as apart
from one classic cover they were all original
songs - and it was a Live album. (Even
being with all the crowd noise cut out.)
So, who have we got here? Well, on lead
vocal is one of America's finest ever
singer and charismatic front man - plus
all round maniac - Sammy Hagar. He is
an ex of the greatly lamented Montrose,
and the not so lamented Van Halen (or
Van Hagar as they became known at the
time), plus, of course, of a glittering
solo career.
On lead guitar we have one of America's
most respected axe man (a real musician’s
musician), Neal Schon, ex Journey, ex
Santana, and ex an amazing stint with
Paul Rogers.
On bass guitar is one of the best showman
this dog has ever seen treading the boards.
It is the great and incomparable Kenny
Aaronson, who also happens to be one of
the nicest guys you could hope to meet.
Kenny is of ex Foghat, ex Derringer, ex
Joan Jett, ex Blue Oyster Cult, and ex
Bob Dylan.
Then behind the drum kit is Mr. Michael
Shrieve, a solid man in more ways than
one. As ex Santana, his drum sound was
almost as important to that band as was
the guitarist's.
So, after that slightly over the top
opening, what's the music like? Do you
really think this Dog is that stupid to
give it such a big build up, and then
dish it? No, of course not. They simply
pour Rock & Roll out the speakers.
First song up is 'Top Of The Rock', a
great name for an opening number and a
great number indeed. Schon is at his hard
rock best, peeling out the opening riff
before falling back into the up-tempo
grove with Aaronson and Shrieve, to allow
Sammy Hagar to come in over the top. That
proves this dog's point that he is one
of the best singers to come out of America's
Rock and Roll circus, and when Hagar is
singing about being on top of the world,
I’m a believer. A couple of times
Schon is allowed space to come roaring
back into the songs, where he absolutely
nails a couple of solos whilst Aaronson
and Shrieve fill out the sound not leaving
space for even an Iron Filling.
'Missing You' continues in similar fashion,
leaving the listener stunned like getting
a perfect one-two from Lennox Lewis in
the opening seconds of your one shot at
the Championship.
Surprising for a band on its debut.
We then get three songs all joined together
into one epic of immense scale, a tale
of ancient time. All is revealed in wondrous
expectation by the storytelling powers
of Sammy Hagar. The other three lay down
really hard and heavy grooves with some
more faster than the eye can see, soloing
from Neal Schon. But it is the tightness
of the whole band that leaves your jaw
dropping. Most group of musicians would
not attempt an epic of this proportion
unless they had been together several
years and had several safe studio albums
under their collective belts. This quartet,
however, pulled it off with great aplomb,
trooping straight out onto the stage and
laying it down in front of a live audience.
Cover songs are always a bit dodgy, obviously
risking the chance of being held up in
comparison to the version by the original
artist. The more well known the song,
the more difficult the challenge. Taking
on an all time classic like Procol Harem's
'Whiter Shade of Pale' takes either great
bravery or shows suicidal tendencies.
Our bunch of intrepid heroes turn in a
version that can only be said is as good
- if not better - as the original. It
starts off with Sammy Hagar's voice only
supported by some acoustic guitar…then
the band build it to a crashing climax,
including one of the best solos Neal Schon
has ever laid down on the live stage.
The album closes out with three more
hard and fast songs that leave the audience
baying for more. I would be very surprised
if any of the musicians on this album
have been involved with a finer body of
work. As I said, I have no idea why this
lineup only lasted the one album, but
it is a real corker. It will leave behind
a fine legacy to a fine band. Presumably
the lure of greater financial gains took
their toll, but this lot could of conquered
the world of Rock & Roll if they had
just given themselves a little bit more
time.
Pawed by
Mott The Dog
Re-chewed by Ella Crew
E-mail: review@mott-the-dog.com
