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On W.A.S.P.'s sophomore effort, 1985's The Last Command, the band hired Quiet Riot producer Spencer Proffer to man the boards, resulting in a slightly more accessible sound than their rugged self-titled debut. Although the album wasn't the massive commercial breakthrough the band had hoped for, it resulted in their second gold-certified release in a row as they became one of the more popular metal bands of the mid-'80s (touring heavily with the likes of Kiss, Black Sabbath, and Iron Maiden). Blackie Lawless' lyrics still relied heavily on sexual fantasies ("Sex Drive"), as well as tales of revenge ("Ballcrusher," "Jack Action"), and children of the street ("Running Wild in the Streets"). The album's two singles/videos proved popular on MTV's heavy metal-oriented shows -- the party-hearty "Blind in Texas" and "Wild Child," the latter a tale of a Harley-riding free spirit. [The 1998 CD reissue nearly doubled the original album's length, featuring a cover of Mountain's early-'70s hit "Mississippi Queen," the original B-side "Savage," and five live tracks recorded at England's Lyceum in October of 1984: "On Your Knees," "Hellion," "L.O.V.E. Machine," "Animal," and "I Wanna Be Somebody."] ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide
Miles Davis electric set ready at last
Six-CD Cellar Door Sessions boxed set of live recordings chronicles trumpeter's electric-funk fury from 1970.
After several delays, the six-CD boxed set Miles Davis--The Cellar Door Sessions 1970 will finally see the light of day.
Recorded live at the height of Davis' full-flame electric-funk period, post-Bitches Brew, the Columbia/Legacy discs will hit stores December 27.
The set features an all-star lineup, including Keith Jarrett on Rhodes and electric keyboards, guitarist John McLaughlin, saxophonist Gary Bartz, electric bassist Michael Henderson, drummer Jack DeJohnette, and percussionist Airto Moreira.
"When you think of who was in the band and how they were playing and reacting to Miles' extremely discreet and very ambiguous directions, it's just amazing," McLaughlin told Billboard earlier this year. "Keith was playing like a man possessed on two keyboards, and we all had wah-wah pedals."
Bob Belden, who produced the previously unreleased compilation with Adam Holzman, says, "These guys had the idea of how rock and jazz worked together, and they got more of a focused sound out of their instruments than the rock guys. Miles was capturing Cream and Hendrix and extending it into improvisation in a powerful live setting. After this came fusion, most of which sounds childish in comparison."
In related news, at Mo Pitkin's House of Satisfaction in New York, Davis aficionado Greg Masters hosts Miles Monday, a free three-hour weekly listening session featuring his extensive collection of Davis' standard and bootleg recordings. "This is a chance for people to hear Miles' music, especially the electric stuff, that never gets played on the radio," Masters says.
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