Episode #26--My Favorite Albums of 2014--Part 2

Picking up right where I left off last episode, I'm continuing by look back at my favorite rock and metal albums of 2014. One of the things I loved about this year in music was the great mixture of old and new that we got. Legends like AC/DC and Judas Priest put out great albums. We got new albums from '80s and '90s mainstays Winger, Tesla, Marty Friedman (Megadeth, Cacophony), Sebastian Bach (Skid row) and Smashing Pumpkins. Modern bands like Lacuna Coil and Sister Sin put out great albums, and we saw Wovenwar rise from the Ashes of As I Lay Dying. Truly a great year for rock and metal, with something for fans of every genre and age.

These last two episodes have not been about ranking my favorite album of the year, but I will say that my absolute favorite album of 2014 is Sister Sin's BLACK LOTUS. In the past couple years they have vaulted to the top of my "favorite bands" list, and they continue to put out amazing albums. I just wish they'd tour the United States sometime soon.

Here's some more of my favorite music of 2014:

AC/DC--Rock or Bust


Winger--Queen Babylon


Overkill--Armorist


Lacuna Coil--Nothing Stands in Our Way


Sister Sin--Chaos Royale


Bonus #1: former Megadeth and Cacophony guitarist Marty Friedman released a fierce solo album this year called INFERNO. If you're a fan's of Marty's shredding, you will absolutely love this album. This video for the short cut Hyper Doom is just a taste of what you'll get if you pick up the full album.


Bonus #2: I was never a huge fan of the band As I Lay Dying, but the new effort by former members of that group is called Wovenwar, and it's pretty freaking great. This song "All Rise" is a good representation of their sound,m which is heavy and melodic.


So, that pretty much wrap[s up 2014 for me, but I will be back in the New Year, and I'll be getting back to the '80s rock and metal goodness Sunday Night Videos was founded upon. Happy and safe holidays to all of you! As always, you can catch previous episodes here and on Twitter (twitter.com/seebrianwrite). You can tweet me recommendations or get in on the discussion every Sunday night by using the hashtag #SundayNightVideos. Rock on!

Episode #25: My Favortie Albums of 2014--Part 1

As we wind down the year that was 2014, it's time for me to look back at some of my favorite albums of the year. This was an excellent year for rock and metal, no matter where your interests fall on the spectrum. We had '80s bands like Winger and Tesla release new albums. We had thrash mainstays Overkill and Exodus release new albums. We had two of the greatest bands of all-time--AC/DC and Judas Priest--release new albums. Those alone would have made for an amazing year in rock and metal music. But throw in Sister Sin, The Pretty Reckless, Slipknot, Lacuna Coil, Black label Society, Wovenwar, Sister Sin, KxM, Alter Bridge, Altitudes & Attitude, Marty Friedman, Michael Sweet, Sebastian Bach and a ton of others (those are just some of the ones I bought this year).

So, to recap--fantastic year in metal. And for the next two episodes, I'll be looking at ten videos from my favorite albums of the year. I'm not ranking them, and I'm not getting into the "best" albums of the year, because all of that stuff is subjective. My hope is that something on this list may lead folks to check out an album they didn't pick up this year. I just want to spread the love.

Without further ado, here's the first five:


The Pretty Reckless-Going to Hell


Black Label Society--My Dying Time


Exodus--Blood In, Blood Out


Judas Priest--Redeemer of Souls


KxM--Rescue Me



BONUS: Two of my favorite bass players of all time, Frank Bellow (Anthrax) and Dave Ellefson (Megadeth) put together a side project called Altitudes and Attitude earlier this year. They released a 3-song EP, and it's pretty fantastic. They recently they played a couple of songs live at Metal Masters 2014, and you can check that out below (they start around the 6:00 mark). there's some great cameos in here as well.



I'll be back in two weeks at 6:30PM EST on Twitter (twitter.com/seebrianwrite) for another episode of Sunday Night Videos. You can also come back here to the blog for the episode notes, which will go up shortly after 8PM EST. You can tweet me recommendations or get in on the discussion every Sunday night by using the hashtag #SundayNightVideos. Rock on!

Episode #24: Sister Sin

As a lifelong metal fan, I am almost ashamed to admit that I didn't discover Sister Sin until around a year ago. In that time, they have quickly become one of my favorite bands, and their new album BLACK LOTUS--which drops this week--is my most anticipated album of the year.

Sister Sin hails from Gothenburg, Sweden, and while they originally formed in 2002, they might as well have formed in 1984, because they are 100% old school. Seriously, I cannot think of another modern band that so perfectly and consistently captures the feel of '80s metal. And I'm not talking about nostalgia here--I mean this band has '80s metal woven into their DNA. Crunchy riffs, fierce vocals and anti-authoritarian anthems that make you want to throw your fist in the air and bang your head.

If you haven't heard Sister Sin before, I envy you for two reasons. One, because after you check out this episode's videos you have their whole back catalog dive into. And two, because their new album BLACK LOTUS arrives on Tuesday. So enjoy these five kick-ass videos from Sister Sin and then go support one of the best metal bands out there today.

One Out of Ten


Sound of the Underground


Outrage


End of the Line


Fight Song



BONUS #1: Sister Sin waers their influences on their sleeve, and it's easy to see that lead singer Liv Jagrell brings a healthy dose of '80s metal icon Doro Pesch (Warlock) to her onstage persona. Sister Sin recently teamed up with Doro to cover Motorhead's "Rock 'n' Roll," and it's pretty great.


BONUS #2: As I mentioned before, BLACK LOTUS drops this week, and you can get a taste of it here, with a lyric video for the album's first single, "Chaos Royale." It jams.

I'll be back in two weeks at 6:30PM EST on Twitter (twitter.com/seebrianwrite) for another episode of Sunday Night Videos. You can also come back here to the blog for the episode notes, which will go up shortly after 8PM EST. You can tweet me recommendations or get in on the discussion every Sunday night by using the hashtag #SundayNightVideos. Rock on!

Episode 23: David Lee Roth

Zippity BOP!

Yeah, yeah--I know we haven't done a Van Halen episode of Sunday Night Videos yet, but I've been on a Ray Luzier kick ever since picking up the amazing KXM album earlier this year. Luzeir played drums for David Lee Roth, and was just one of the many amazing musicians Roth surrounded himself with during the golden era of his solo career. Steve Vai, Billy Sheehan, Jason Becker, James Lomenzo--the list goes on.

Another thing I love about Roth's solo career is that he took his Van Halen theatrics and flair to a new level. Many of his videos featured intro skits that saw him dressed in elaborate costumes and featured well-known character actors.

Roth's showmanship is something we really don't see a lot of anymore in the rock and metal scene. It's sorely missed, and so tonight we are celebrating David Lee Roth with five of his most well-known videos.

Just a Gigolo



Yankee Rose



Goin' Crazy



Just Like Paradise



A Li'l Ain't Enough for Me



BONUS: Back in 2002, David Lee Roth teamed up with the guy who replaced him in Van Halen, Sammy Hagar for the "Heavyweight Champions of Rock" tour. His entire set from the Hartford, CT stop on the tour was recorded, and you can watch it right here. The video quality isn't great, but the sound is just fine.




I'll be back in two weeks at 6:30PM EST on Twitter (twitter.com/seebrianwrite) for another episode of Sunday Night Videos. You can also come back here to the blog for the episode notes, which will go up shortly after 8PM EST. You can tweet me recommendations or get in on the discussion every Sunday night by using the hashtag #SundayNightVideos. Rock on!

Episode 22: Britny Fox

Britny Fox is a textbook example of 1908's glam rock. Mixing equal parts KISS and Cinderella, Britny Fox had some success with their first album, which contained hits "Girlschool" and "Long Way to Love." Britny Fox was actually formed by some of the original members of Cinderella, and they definitely invoke a similar sound. They never enjoyed the same level of success however, and they disbanded in 1992.

Tonight, we're looking back at five of Britny Fox's videos from their first two albums.

Long Way to Love


Girlschool


Save the Weak


Standing in the Shadows


Dream On



BONUS: Britny Fox toured with Bon Jovi and Ratt back in 1989, and one of those shows was on New Year's Eve in Tokyo. Bon Jovi closed the show by having all the bands come up on stage for a cover of "It's All Over Now." Enjoy!


Tune in next Sunday night at 8PM EST on Twitter (twitter.com/seebrianwrite) for another episode of Sunday Night Videos, and right here on the blog for the episode notes, which will go up shortly after 9PM EST. You can tweet me recommendations or get in on the discussion every Sunday night by using the hashtag #SundayNightVideos. Rock on!

Episode 21: Danger Danger

Danger Danger is another shining example of my belief that every single '80s rock, glam and metal band had an amazing first album. With a sound that combined elements of Poison, Warrant and Bon Jovi, Danger Danger's self-titled first album peaked at number 88 on the billboard 200 in 1989 and spawned two well-known singles, Naught Naughty and Bang Bang.

But by the time their second album Screw it was released in 1991, Danger Danger had pretty much disappeared in the United Stated. they were very popular in japan however, and the album hit number 67 on the Japanese charts. They still remain popular in Japan today despite a slew of lineup changes, and their 2009 album Revolve charted over there as well.

Tonight we look at five videos from Danger Danger's first two albums.

Bang Bang


Naughty Naughty


I Still Think About You


Monkey Business


Rock America (Live)


Bonus #1: If you dug that Rock America video from Danger Danger's 1992 Tokyo concert, you can watch the entire show below.


Bonus #2:  There was a much racier version of the Monkey Business video that was originally released, which you can watch here.


Tune in next Sunday night at 8PM EST on Twitter (twitter.com/seebrianwrite) for another episode of Sunday Night Videos, and right here on the blog for the episode notes, which will go up shortly after 9PM EST. You can tweet me recommendations or get in on the discussion every Sunday night by using the hashtag #SundayNightVideos. Rock on!

Episode 20: BulletBoys

When BulletBoys crashed onto the glam metal scene with their self-titled debut in 1988, they were already late to the party. By the time their third album Za-Za arrived in 1993, the grunge wave crashed over them, and that was pretty much it. Singer Marq Torien has kept some version of the band going over the years, but BulletBoys never came close to matching their early success.

But those first two albums, man. Both BulletBoys and Freakshow were fantastic glam/hard rock albums.

Seriously, Marq Torien is one of those vocalists that I'd put in with the likes of Dee Snider, Geoff Tate and Micheal Sweet--singers who elevated the band with a voice that was as powerful as any instrument. In fact, one of the things i love about Bulletboys--especially their first album--is just how big their sounds is. Rolling bass lines, raw guitars and great percussion, all led by Torien's larger than life vocals.

Tonight we look back at five videos from the first two BulletBoys albums.

Smooth Up In Ya


F#9


For the Love of Money


Talk to Your Daughter


THC Groove


BONUS: Bulletboys did a well-received cover of Tom Waits' "Hang on St. Christopher" for their Freakshow album. It's a bit of a mellower tune, but it features some great percussion. Here's a live performance of it.



That wraps up the first season of Sunday Night Videos! We'll be back on August 31st at 7PM EST for the second season. You can follow me on Twitter (twitter.com/seebrianwrite) for updates and catch up on back episodes here on the blog. Rock on!

Episode 19: Def Leppard--The Pete Willis Years

Def Leppard is without a doubt, one of the biggest rock bands of all time. They've sold over 100 million records over their four decade-spanning career. They have two diamond-certified albums (Pyromania and Hysteria). They've overcome tragedies that would have completely derailed lesser bands. And they're still selling out arenas today.

But for a lot of old school Def Leppard fans like myself, the evolution of Def Leppard's sound over the years has made a lot of us lose interest in the band. Hysteria was the turning point, and it's really the last Def Leppard album that bears any resemblance to their early stuff. I would even take it a step further and say that Pyromania was the last album from the original Def Leppard.

I think a couple of things contributed to the change in Def Leppard's sound. One was their work with Mutt Lange. His obsession with creating the perfect sound for the band and on endlessly polishing every facet of a song led to a very over-produced sound that only got worse when he left.

But the biggest reason I think Def Leppard's sound changed was the departure of Pete Willis. He was kicked out of Def Leppard after recording the rhythm tracks for Pyromania, and was replaced by Phil Collen, who wrote the solos for Pyromania and then became Def Leppard's full-time second guitarist.

But man, those early years with Pete Willis saw a Def Leppard that was a kick ass rock 'n' roll band. Heavily influenced by AC/DC, Def Leppard songs featured great riffs and ripping solos. Pete Willis and Steve Clark were a great duo, and Def Leppard's first three studio albums (On Through the Night, High 'n' Dry and Pyromania) were killer.

This week we celebrate the Pete Willis era of Def Leppard with six videos from their first two albums.

Hello America


Rock Brigade


Wasted


Let It Go


High 'n' Dry


Bringin' on the Heartbreak


BONUS: Here is a segment from the Ultimate Albums show that talks about the making of Pyromania, as well as the departure of Pete Willis.


Tune in next Sunday night at 8PM EST on Twitter (twitter.com/seebrianwrite) for another episode of Sunday Night Videos, and right here on the blog for the episode notes, which will go up shortly after 9PM EST. You can tweet me recommendations or get in on the discussion every Sunday night by using the hashtag #SundayNightVideos. Rock on!

Episode 18: Kix

Kix is a very interesting band. While most '80s music fans know who they are, known mostly for their 1989 ballad "Don't Close Your Eyes," which leads some to consider them a one-hit wonder. But Kix had quite a run

Kix's sound really changed quite a bit over the years, and it didn't just evolve in one direction. They have songs that are very '80s pop and synth influenced, bluesy rockers and straight up AC/DC-influenced rock and roll songs, some together on the same album. It's kind of fascinating, as most bands of the '80s were forced to fir into one mold. This eclectic approach to albums may have actually hurt Kix in the long run, as it's harder to sell something that's not easily categorized. They are most often referred to as a glam band, but I think that's selling them a bit short.

Tonight we'll look at six Kix videos featuring songs from their first five albums.

Poison


Body Talk


Cold Shower


Cold Blood


Don't Close Your Eyes


Girl Money



BONUS #1: Here's a video of Kix recording "Rock 'n' Roll Overdose" in the studio and doing an interview about the song.


BONUS #2: Kix has a brand new album called "rock Your face Off" coming out on August 5th, and they've released a lyric video for the first single, LOVE ME WITH YOUR TOP DOWN. Enjoy!


Tune in next Sunday night at 8PM EST on Twitter (twitter.com/seebrianwrite) for another episode of Sunday Night Videos, and right here on the blog for the episode notes, which will go up shortly after 9PM EST. You can tweet me recommendations or get in on the discussion every Sunday night by using the hashtag #SundayNightVideos. Rock on!

Episode 17: Motley Crue (Part 2)

As I mentioned last episode, there are some bands from the '80s that are just too big and too dominant for one episode of Sunday Night videos. Motley Crue released five albums during the 1980s, and it's safe to say they were one of, if not the, biggest band of that decade.

Last time we looked at five videos from the first two Crue albums of the '80s. Tonight, we are pulling five videos from the remaining three--Theater of Pain, Girls, Girls, Girls and Doctor Feelgood. And we're not doing any ballads, so those looking for Home Sweet Home can go look elsewhere.

Here we go!

Keep Your Eye on the Money


Girls, Girls, Girls


Wild Side


Doctor Feelgood


Kickstart My Heart


BONUS: Here's Motley Crue being awarded the Heavy Metal/Hard Rock Album of the Year at the 1991 American Music Awards, beating out Poison and Aerosmith.


Tune in next Sunday night at 8PM EST on Twitter (twitter.com/seebrianwrite) for another episode of Sunday Night Videos, and right here on the blog for the episode notes, which will go up shortly after 9PM EST. You can tweet me recommendations or get in on the discussion every Sunday night by using the hashtag #SundayNightVideos. Rock on!

Episode 16: Motley Crue (Part 1)

There are certain bands I will feature on Sunday Night Videos that will require more than one episode to do them justice. Motley Crue is one of those bands. Crue is one of a handful of bands that pretty much owned the 1980s from start to finish. From 1981 on, they released an album every other year, for total of five albums over the course of the decade. Their first album (Too Fast for Love) of the '80s went platinum, and their last (Dr. Feelgood) did as well--six times.

In this first episode dedicated to Motley Crue, we're looking back at five videos that feature songs from Crue's first two albums--Too Fast for Love and Shout at the Devil.

Live Wire


On With the Show (Live--2005


Looks That Kill


Knock 'Em Dead Kid (Live--1983)


Too Young to Fall In Love



BONUS: Here's an interview clip from way back in 1983 where the band is talking about their influences.

Tune in next Sunday night at 8PM EST on Twitter (twitter.com/seebrianwrite) for another episode of Sunday Night Videos, and right here on the blog for the episode notes, which will go up shortly after 9PM EST. You can tweet me recommendations or get in on the discussion every Sunday night by using the hashtag #SundayNightVideos. Rock on!

Episode 15: Tesla

Tesla has always been one of my favorite bands, and while they were lumped in with a lot of the glam bands of the 1980s, they never really fit in with that genre. Tesla has always been about blue collar rock 'n' roll, and their first three albums are some of the best that came out of the '80s and early '90s.

I was fortunate enough to see Tesla back in the late '80s, and then again in 2002, and they were just as good as I'd remembered. Tesla is still making music today, and they actually have a brand new album called Simplicity that will be arriving on June 10th.

Tonight we'll look back at six videos from Tesla's first three albums Mechanical Resonance, The Great Radio Controversy and Psychotic Supper.

Modern Day Cowboy


Little Suzi


Hang Tough


Edison's Medicine


What You Give


Song and Emotion


*BOUNS: It's well known that Tesla's Song and Emotion" was written as a tribute to Def Leppard's Steve Clark. In this clip, you'll hear the band talk a bit about the song and its inspiration.



Tune in next Sunday night at 8PM EST on Twitter (twitter.com/seebrianwrite) for another episode of Sunday Night Videos, and right here on the blog for the episode notes, which will go up shortly after 9PM EST. You can tweet me recommendations or get in on the discussion every Sunday night by using the hashtag #SundayNightVideos. Rock on!

Episode 14: Billy Idol

Billy Idol's popularity in America is really interesting to dig into, as he was definitely one of the more popular solo acts of the 1980s. When he blew up on MTV during the Second British Invasion of 1982-1983, much of the American audience knew nothing of Idol's punk rock roots and his previous band Generation X. His successful solo career is now in its fourth decade, and Idol is planning on releasing a new album called Kings and Queens of the Underground in October of 2014.

Tonight we look back at some of the most popular Billy Idol videos of the early MTV era.

Dancing With Myself


White Wedding (Part 1)


Eyes Without a Face


Rebel Yell


Mony Mony


BONUS #1: Before Billy idol's solo career, he was the frontman for the popular British punk group Generation X. Here is a video of the band recording Kiss Me Deadly in 1978.


One of Billy Idol's weirdest videos was the 1993's Shock to the System, in which he becomes a cyborg. Enjoy!


Tune in next Sunday night at 8PM EST on Twitter (twitter.com/seebrianwrite) for another episode of Sunday Night Videos, and right here on the blog for the episode notes, which will go up shortly after 9PM EST. You can tweet me recommendations or get in on the discussion every Sunday night by using the hashtag #SundayNightVideos. Rock on!

Episode 13: Ozzy Osbourne

Ozzy Osbourne. The Godfather of Heavy Metal.

Any discussion of heavy metal is of course going to at some point come around to Ozzy. Not only was he in one of the most influential metal bands of all time in Black Sabbath, but between Sabbath and his solo career, Ozzy has sold over 100 million albums.

Ozzy has also teamed with some of the greatest guitar players of our time, from the amazing Randy Rhoads to Jake E. Lee to Zakk Wylde.

In this installment of Sunday Night Videos, we're looking at six Ozzy videos featuring those amazing guitar players. Two from Randy, two from Jake and two from Zakk.

I Don't Know


Crazy Train


Bark at the Moon


Ultimate Sin


Miracle Man


Breaking All the Rules


BONUS: Here's a seven-plus minute live guitar solo by Randy Rhoads that pretty much demonstrates why he's one of the greatest ever.


Tune in next Sunday night at 8PM EST on Twitter (twitter.com/seebrianwrite) for another episode of Sunday Night Videos, and right here on the blog for the episode notes, which will go up shortly after 9PM EST. You can tweet me recommendations or get in on the discussion every Sunday night by using the hashtag #SundayNightVideos. Rock on!

Happy Mother's Day--Treat Your Mother Right!

We're taking a week off this week, as it's Mother's Day, and there is only one video that should be played on this special day. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Mr. T.




See you next Sunday at 8PM EST!

Episode 12: Whitesnake

Like just about everyone else who grew up in the MTV era, the mention of Whitesnake immediately brings up visions of Tanwy Kitaen prancing across the hoods of every expensive cars. Whitesnake are one of the true legends of rocks however, their career having spanned more than three decades. Started in the late '70s by singer David Coverdale after he left Deep Purple, Whitesnake was already an established success before their self-titled 1987 album went platinum--EIGHT TIMES.

Tonight we look back at some videos from three of the most popular Whitesnake albums to come out of the '80s--Slide it In, Whitesnake and Slip of the Tongue.

Love Ain't No Stranger


Still of the Night


Here I Go Again


Give Me All Your Love


Fool for Your Lovin'


Judgement Day (live)


BONUS #1: Whitesnake is currently making music today. They released an album called Forevermore in 2011, and are currently working on a follow-up. Here is a "making of" documentary about 2011's Forvermore.

BONUS #2: Here is a live performance of Judgment Day from Donington in 1990 featuring Steve Vai.


Tune in next Sunday night at 8PM EST on Twitter (twitter.com/seebrianwrite) for another episode of Sunday Night Videos, and right here on the blog for the episode notes, which will go up shortly after 9PM EST. You can tweet me recommendations or get in on the discussion every Sunday night by using the hashtag #SundayNightVideos. Rock on!

Episode 11: Cinderella

Cinderella was one of those bands who certainly looked like some of the other glam rock acts of the '80s, but had a sound that never totally fit that mold.

Cinderella's first album Night Songs was the most "metal" of all of their albums. It can certainly be categorized in the hair metal/glam metal category. But starting with their second album Long Cold Winter, the bluesier side of the band started progressively shining through, and by the time they got to 1990's Heartbreak Station, they were more of a blues rock band than anything else. I wasn't particularly a fan of those later efforts, but Night Songs is still one of the best albums to come out of the 1980s.

Looking back at my concert ticket stubs, I have two Cinderella tickets. The first is from the 1989 Long Cold Winter tour, which also featured Winger and Bulletboys. The second is from Poison's 2002 Hollywierd tour, whcih Feratured Cinderella, Faster Pussaycat and Winger. Both shows were amazing, and Cinderella is still one of the best live bands I've seen.

Tonight we look back at six videos, two from each of cinderella's first three albums, dating from 1986-1990.

Save Me


Nobody's Fool


Gypsy Road


Coming Home


Heartbreak Station


The More Things Change


BONUS: Here is an interview conducted last year with singer Tom Keifer, in which he talks a bit about his background, as well as the new solo album he put out, called The Way Life Goes. NOTE: There are some f-bombs in this interview, so you might want to watch it without the kiddies.



Tune in next Sunday night at 8PM EST on Twitter (twitter.com/seebrianwrite) for another episode of Sunday Night Videos, and right here on the blog for the episode notes, which will go up shortly after 9PM EST. You can tweet me recommendations or get in on the discussion every Sunday night by using the hashtag #SundayNightVideos. Rock on!

Episode 10: Queensryche

I was two months shy of my fourteenth birthday when Queensryche's Operation: Mindcrime album exploded on the mainstream metal scene and made them a household name. And like a lot of metal fans, I went digging into their back catalog to find out more about this well-oiled amchine of a abnd band with a singer who could shatter glass. What I found was a band that was truly unique, who defied being put into any one label, be it hard rock, prog, or straight up metal.

From their 1983 demo EP up through their fourth full studio album Empire (which sold over 3 million copies in the U.S. alone), it seemed almost impossible for Queensryche to put our a bad song. But while some of their subsequent albums were successful (some extremely so), in my mind the quality of their music steadily declined after Empire, and Queesnryche fell of my radar. Until 2012, that is.

When I read in 2012 that Queensryche and singer Geoff Tate had split, and the bulk of the old band was continuing with a new singer, I was at least interested enough to investigate further. Like everyone else, I just assumed Queensryche would be nothing without Geoff Tate, and no vocalist would ever be able to fill his shoes. And like everyone else, I was dead wrong.

New frontman Todd La Torre is not only an adequate replacement for Tate, at this stage of his career he may even be a better vocalist. This new version of Queensryche released a self-titled album in 2013 that proved a return to The Warning and Rage for Order era sound, and hit #23 on the Billboard 200 chart. Despite the messy legal situation that currently sees two versions of Queensryche fighting over the band's name, the future for the La Torre-fronted version seems very bright.

Tonight, we look back at some of the best songs off of Queensryche's debut EP and first four albums.

Queen of the Reich


Take Hold of the flams (Live)


Walk in the Shadows (Live)


Revolution Calling


Speak


Empire



BONUS #1: For those who have yet to hear Todd La Torre and don't think he can hit the notes from the early Queensryche songs, I give you a 2012 video of La Torre singing "Queen of the Reich."



BONUS #2: And here is a song off of the 2013 self-titled album that the Todd La Torre-fronted version of Queensryche put out.

Tune in next Sunday night at 8PM EST on Twitter (twitter.com/seebrianwrite) for another episode of Sunday Night Videos, and right here on the blog for the episode notes, which will go up shortly after 9PM EST. You can tweet me recommendations or get in on the discussion every Sunday night by using the hashtag #SundayNightVideos. Rock on!

Episode 9: W.A.S.P.

One of the original acts on the PMRC's "Filthy Fifteen," few bands captured the shock, glam, sex and booze aspects of '80s rock like W.A.S.P. The band started in 1982, and  infamous frontman Blackie Lawless is the only founding member who's still a there today. W.A.S.P. was mainly known for their outrageous live stage shows and their sex-infused lyrics, but Blackie Lawless is an amazing musician, which I always felt got overlooked because of their act.

My first W.A.S.P. album was 1987's Live...In the Raw. I'd sought it out after seeing the video for "Scream Until You Like It," which was featured in the B-horror movie Ghoulies II. The cover of that album, and the prominent Parental Advisory sticker on the front were an instant draw for me. I'd seen W.A.S.P.'s early videos so I knew who they were, but Live...In the Raw made me a huge fan.

W.A.S.P. was a band that covered a lot of songs from other artists as well, from Ray Charles to The Who. They usually did a great job of it too, as evidenced by their hits "I Don't Need No Doctor" and "The Real Me." Lawless had a knack for putting his own spin on those songs to the point where they sounded like they could be proper W.A.S.P. songs.

W.A.S.P.'s sound really started to evolve with 1989's The Headless Children, and my interest in them started to wane, until I jumped back in with 2002's Dying for the World. W.A.S.P.'s first four albums, as well as the fantastic Live...In the Raw still hold up today as great rock/metal albums.

Of course, no discussion of W.A.S.P. would be complete without asking what the letters in their name stand for. Blackie Lawless has always been evasive around the question, preferring the element of mystery that the band's name evokes. The prevailing theory is "We Are Sexual Perverts," and the original US release of the album allegedly had those words around the logo on the cover.

In tonight's Sunday Night Videos, we're looking back at five of W.A.S.P.'s video from those early albums.

I Wanna Be Somebody


L.O.V.E. Machine


Wild Child


Blind in Texas


The Real Me



BONUS #1:
In 1987, W.A.S.P. released Live...In the Raw. In addition to the live songs, the band recorded a new studio single for the horror movie Ghoulies II, called Scream Until You Like It. The video actually features the titular creatures from the movie. If you've never seen the Ghoulies movies, they are worth watching if you're a fan of Puppet Master or Critters. After the video, you can see a trailer for Ghoulies II.

Scream Until You Like It


Ghoulies II Trailer



BONUS #2:
This is a fascinating interview with Blackie Lawless from 1986, right after the release of W.A.S.P.'s second album, The Last Command. Blackie actually says some pretty prophetic things about the rise and fall of metal, and he also explains the origins of their crazy stage show in their early days. Great stuff.




BONUS #3:
Sadly, one of the things W.A.S.P is most famous for is the interview with guitarist Chris Holmes that was featured in Penelope Spheeris' The Decline of Western civilization Part II: The Metal Years. Holmes is completely obliterated and is floating, fully clothed, in a pool lounger. The worst part is that his mom is present during the interview. Spheeris tries to get at what some of the issues behind his drinking might be, but Holmes is so incoherent, she doesn't really get anywhere. You can watch the scene from the movie below.



Tune in next Sunday night at 8PM EST on Twitter (twitter.com/seebrianwrite) for another episode of Sunday Night Videos, and right here on the blog for the episode notes, which will go up shortly after 9PM EST. You can tweet me recommendations or get in on the discussion every Sunday night by using the hashtag #SundayNightVideos. Rock on!

Episode 8: Anthrax

Eight episodes into Sunday Night Videos, and we have our first member of the "Big 4" of metal. Anthrax is a band that has seen a few different lineups since their founding in 1981, but there are two main ones that come to mind when someone mentions the band--the Joey Belladonna and John Bush eras of Anthrax.

Much like Van Halen, fans love to argue about which incarnation was best, but the fact is, both versions of the band put out some of Anthrax's best songs. And in this episode of Sunday Night Videos, we're going to look at three videos each from the Belladonna and Bush-led bands.

Madhouse


Indians


Antisocial


Room for One More


Inside Out


What Doesn't Die


BONUS #1: Anthrax teamed up with Public Enemy in 1991 to do a cover of "Bring the Noise," and at the time it was groundbreaking as it was one of the first rap/metal songs. The two groups ended up touring together for a series of dates.



BONUS #2:  from 2005 to 2010, Anthrax went through a prolonged state of turmoil that saw both John Bush and Joey Belladonna join and leave the band again, and a third singer (Dan Nelson) become the frontman for awhile. Things settled in late 2010, when Joey Belladonna came back and recorded the vocals for Anthrax's Worship Music. The album came out in September of 2011, and is considered to be one of the best in their catalog. From Worship Music, here is "The Devil You Know."



Tune in next Sunday night at 8PM EST on Twitter (twitter.com/seebrianwrite) for another episode of Sunday Night Videos, and right here on the blog for the episode notes, which will go up shortly after 9PM EST. You can tweet me recommendations or get in on the discussion every Sunday night by using the hashtag #SundayNightVideos. Rock on!

Episode 7: Skid Row

When Skid Row's debut album arrived on the changing metal music scene in January 1989, it felt like one of the last great albums of the '80s metal era. Big riffs, shredding guitar solos and the high energy waling of frontman Sebastian Bach fit the '80s rock formula well. But it was 1991's Slave to the Grind which showed that Skid Row wasn't just another hair band. Slave to the grind was a fast, heavy album that built on the sound the group had established with their debut, but could also go toe to toe with grunge bands like Alice in Chains and Soundgarden, who were ushering in a new metal era (Nirvana's Nevermind arrived three months after Slave to the Grind was released). By the time the band's third studio album Subhuman Race was released however, the music scene had shifted dramatically, and the band had been having problems for years., Sebastion Bach was fired in 1996, and Skid row's time in the spotlight was over.

Sebastian Bach has gone on to do a variety of things, from putting out solo albums, to singing on Broadway, to starring in reality shows. Skid Row have continued to soldier on, and have found a second wave of popularity with their current lineup, including singer Johnny Solinger. Their 2013 EP United World Rebellion; Chapter One was very well received by critics and fans, and the next EP is due later this year.

This episode of Sunday Night Videos focuses on the first two Skid Row albums, which are their most popular by far. Here are six videos from Skid Row and Slave to the Grind:

Youth Gone Wild


I Remember You


Big Guns


Monkey Business


Wasted Time


Quicksand Jesus


BONUS:  I live in Springfield, Massachusetts, and arguably one of the most infamous events in Skid Row history took place right here in my backyard (though I was not at the show myself). On December 27, 1989, Skid row was opening for Aerosmith at the Springfield Civic center, when someone in the crowd threw a glass beer bottle at Sebastian Bach. He went on a profanity-fueled tirade and then fired the bottle back into the crowd before jumping down after the kid who originally threw it. Sadly, Bach actually hit a young woman in the face with the bottle. He ended up getting three years probation and settling with the young woman for about a half-million dollars (according to him). You can actually see the incident and an interview right afterward in the video below. But be warned--it's filled with foul language from beginning to end.



Tune in next Sunday night at 8PM EST on Twitter (twitter.com/seebrianwrite) for another episode of Sunday Night Videos, and right here on the blog for the episode notes, which will go up shortly after 9PM EST. You can tweet me recommendations or get in on the discussion every Sunday night by using the hashtag #SundayNightVideos. Rock on!

Episode 6: Dio

When Ronnie James Dio passed away in May of 2010, the world lost one of the true heavy metal greats. Not only was Dio one of the greatest vocalists of all time, he was an ambassador for metal. As a kid who great up playing Dungeons & Dragons, Dio's fantasy-laden songs were like the soundtrack to my imagination. From his time in Rainbow and Black Sabbath, to his illustrious solo career, Dio's metal legacy will never be forgotten. Tonight we're focusing on Dio's first three solo albums, and here are just a handful of Dio's great videos from them:

Holy Diver


Rainbow in the Dark


Don't Talk to Strangers


The Last in Line


Rock 'n' Roll Children


And here's a bonus video for the blog--one of my favorite Dio songs ever--We Rock


Tune in next Sunday night at 8PM EST on Twitter (twitter.com/seebrianwrite) for another episode of Sunday Night Videos, and right here on the blog for the episode notes, which will go up shortly after 9PM EST. You can tweet me recommendations or get in on the discussion every Sunday night by using the hashtag #SundayNightVideos. Rock on!

Episode 5: White Lion

There will always be a special place in my metal-loving heart for White Lion. They were actually the first band I ever saw in concert, as they opened for AC/DC on the 1988 Blow Up Your Video Tour. Not to mention, James Lomenzo is probably my favorite bassist of all time, as he's gone on to play with the likes of Black Label Society and Megadeth after his stint in White Lion.

So without further ado, here are five of White Lion's best songs!

Wait


Tell Me


When the Children Cry


Little Fighter


Broken Heart (Old Version)


Broken Heart (Later Version)


And if you want to know why James Lomenzo is my favorite bass player, watch the first thirty seconds of this video (and the rest, if you're a Megadeth fan--just ignore the fact that they got the song title wrong--it's Washington is Next, not Head Crusher):



Tune in next Sunday night at 8PM EST on Twitter (twitter.com/seebrianwrite) for another episode of Sunday Night Videos, and right here on the blog for the episode notes, which will go up shortly after 9PM EST. You can tweet me recommendations or get in on the discussion every Sunday night by using the hashtag #SundayNightVideos. Rock on!

Episode 4: FireHouse

FireHouse was always an interesting band to me, as they really were one of the last acts to get in before the grunge door slammed shut on heavy metal as we knew it from the '80s and early '90s. They formed in 1989 and their first album hit in August of 1990. Like almost every band that came form that era of heavy and hair metal, their first album was outstanding. Their self-titled debut had absolute burners like "Overnight Sensation" and "All She Wrote," but also featured crowd-pleasing ballads like the megahit "Love of a Lifetime."

FireHouse made such an impression their first couple years on the scene that they won several awards, including a 1992 American Music Award for "Best Heavy Metal/Hard Rock New Artist," beating out both Nirvana and Alice in Chains.

FireHouse's debut went double platinum, and they toured with Warrant and Trixter on the Blood, Sweat and Beers tour. They followed up their debut with a second album, Hold Your Fire in June of 1992, and the first single "Reach for the Sky" promised an album that would be as heavy as the first. Sadly, that wasn't the case.

Like many bands from that era, the greatness of FireHouse's first album was never to be matched again. Hold Your Fire was a step down in intensity from the first album, but it still went gold. Subsequent releases saw the band move to a mellower sound, and their popularity in the US waned. Firehouse has continued to remain very popular overseas however, and they've sold over 7 million albums since their first release in 1990.

FireHouse's last original album Prime Time came out in 2003, while their last overall release was in 2011, when they put out some re-recordings of previous songs called Full Circle. FireHouse still tours today.

Here's a handful of videos from their first two albums, which in my opinion are the best of their catalog.

Don't Treat Me Bad


All She Wrote


Overnight Sensation


Love of a Lifetime


I Live My Life For You


Reach for the Sky

Episode 3: Bill & Ted's Excellent Soundtracks

In 1989, a movie came along the celebrated everything we loved about 80’s music and typecast Keanu Reeves as a dudebro forever. Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure and its 1991 sequel Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey were decent comedies that featured some fantastic music. In particular, the soundtrack to Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey is one of the best ever in terms of rock and metal, featuring everyone from KISS to Steve Vai to Megadeth.

So, tonight’s episode of Sunday Night Videos features five songs that came from the Bill & Ted soundtracks. Enjoy, and be excellent to each other!

Vital Signs--The Boys and the Girls Are Doing It


Big Pig--Breakaway



Extreme--Play With Me



KISS--God Gave Rock 'n' Roll To You II


Slaughter--Shout it Out



Megadeth--Go to Hell


And just so we never forget Bill & Ted, here's the trailers for both movies.

Episode 2: Twisted Sister

There were some bands during the MTV era that really understood what videos could do for their careers. Twisted Sister was one of them, although the huge success they had with “I Wanna Rock” and We’re Not Gonna Take It” resulted in them becoming a bit typecast as a more cartoonish version of who they originally were. Stay Hungry was one of those few albums that everyone you knew at the time had a copy of.

Anyone who dug a little deeper than just the MTV vids found a band that had a catalog full of great rock songs. Frontman Dee Snider actually made the band sound heavier than they were with the explosive energy he brought to every song. In the first two videos below you’ll see the fire he brought to every live performance.

If you’ve only listened to Stay Hungry, do yourself a favor and pick up Big Hits and Nasty cuts, a great best of collection that will give you a great idea of just how good Twister Sister was.

Under the Blade


I Am I’m Me


You Can’t Stop Rock n Roll


We’re Not Gonna Take It


Be Chrool to Your Scuel


Hot Love


Tune in next Sunday night at 8PM EST on Twitter (twitter.com/seebrianwrite) for another episode of Sunday Night Videos, and right here on the blog for the episode notes, which will go up shortly after 9PM EST. You can tweet me recommendations or get in on the discussion every Sunday night by using the hashtag #SundayNightVideos.

BONUS: For those that remember the anti-rock and metal movement of the mid-1980s and the Parents music Resource Center (PMRC), you may also remember that Dee Snider testified at a Senate hearing in 1985, and he was pretty amazing. You can watch his testimony in the video below. See you next week!

Episode 1: AC/DC

Tonight’s episode of Sunday Night Videos featured on of my all-time favorite bands--AC/DC. In fact, an argument could be made that they are the greatest rock ‘n’ roll band in the history of music. Yeah, I said it.

Outside of the big huts that were on the radio during the 1970s and early ‘80s, most of my initial exposure to AC/DC was with Brian Johnson as the lead singer. As AC/DC started to become one of my favorite bands, I dug into the back catalog and really began to understand why AC/DC was one of the greats.

Bon Scott is my favorite lead singer of any band, ever. Not only was his voice unique, but the energy and charisma he brought to every single song was the perfect compliment to the stripped-down, straight ahead sound that has always been the signature of AC/DC.

Of course, I’d be lying if I said that the theatrics of Angus Young and his schoolboy outfit wasn’t a big draw for me as well.

AC/DC will always hold a special place in my heart, as they headlined the very first concert I ever went to. On September 2, 1988, I saw White Lion open up for AC/DC on their Blow Up Your Video tour in Springfield, Massachusetts and it changed my life forever. That concert cemented my love of music and of seeing it live.

Tonight’s videos span a good chunk of AC/DC’s career through 1990 and feature some of my favorites, but for a band that’s never released a bad one, you could just close your eyes and pick any five. I stayed away from Your Shook Me All Night Long, Back in Black, and Dirty Deeds, as I feel like those are the ones people hear all the time. Here are my picks:

Jailbreak


It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)

Sin City


Heatseeker


Big Gun


Tune in next Sunday night at 8PM EST on Twitter (twitter.com/seebrianwrite) for another episode of Sunday Night Videos, and right here on the blog for the episode notes, which will go up shortly after 9PM EST. You can tweet me recommendations or get in on the discussion every Sunday night by using the hashtag #SundayNightVideos.

Rock on!

Episode 0: Kool & The Gang

The unintentional first episode of Sunday Night Videos happened this past Super Bowl Sunday, and it featured one of the greatest groups of all-time. Here are four of my favorite Kool & The Gang videos that I tweeted out for folks to enjoy:









Tune in next Sunday night at twitter.com/seebrianwrite for the first official episode of Sunday Night Videos. And don't forget the hashtag #SundayNightVideos!

Welcome to Sunday Night Videos!

This blog is the home of a project that was started on Super Bowl Sunday 2014. You can read all about how I got here over on my blog See Brian Write, but the short version is this--I grew up in the era of Friday Night Videos and the early days of MTV. I love music videos, and while they still exist today, they are not the cultural staple they were in the '80s and early '90s. So I'm doing my part to bring back the spirit of those days.

Every Sunday Night from 8PM to 9PM EST, I will be tweeting out links to a handful of '80s and '90s videos from one of the artists I grew up listening to, using the hashtag #SundayNightVideos. I'll also be tweeting out facts about the artist and, memories associated with them, my own experiences with seeing them in concert, or even meeting them in person.

I'll also be doing a grab bag episode once a month, where the hour will be filled with a variety of different artists instead of focusing on one.

It's going to be a blast revisiting some of the best videos from my youth, and I want you to participate. Jump into the discussion each Sunday night, and use the hashtag #SundayNightVideos to send me requests for future episodes. You can also message me on Twitter (twitter.com/seebrianwrite) or email me at brian@seebrianwrite.com.

See you Sunday night!