BATWÖLF: THE DOCUMENTARY

I Knew Somebody, But Now I'm All Alone

Well this is obviously some true Rock 'n' Roll.

Hanoi Rocks hailed from Finland, and despite that disadvantage (which with the likes of HIM tailing is only getting worse and worse) they are legends. Despite their decadently glam image in the 80s and the facts that Guns 'n' Roses cite them as a top influence and Vince Neil was convicted for vehicular manslaughter of their drummer Razzle , Hanoi Rocks is in fact NOT metal. Bands of that style did take a lot of them, though in their attitude and look, but Hanoi Rocks' music harkens back more to the first era of glam and of course, punk rock. Keep in mind that 80s metal borrowed a huge part from punk as well, they just took it differently from these Finns. Metal, punk, whatever - this is music for lovers of Rock 'n' Roll and know that it knows no boundaries, reaching those as far as the Arctic Circle.

Hanoi Rocks knew no limits either as their singer also excelled as a harmonicist and (red and white) sax player which plays a big part in their music. The British national Razzle, as well changed rock as he played with a bass drum bearing his name rather than the band's. Bottom line this is an awesome album that I've been wanting to get into for years and I just now acquired it in its entirety. "Lost In The City," which I heard first is a great rock tune that lives up to its name. Other favorites are "Tragedy" and "11th Street Kidzz." The album extracts everything fun about punk and glam which of course Southern California metalheads admired as much as I do. Therefore, I recommend this (more than usual) to fans of Guns 'n' Roses, The Clash, Mötley Crüe, David Bowie, etc...


Hanoi Rocks - Bangkok Shocks, Saigon Shakes, Hanoi Rocks (1981)

The Greatest Show in Earth!

Who doesn't love Sparks? For some reason the US! This album was a big hit in France, but of course, as it was the group's second produced by Italo-Disco guro Giorgio Moroder. Though it has less of Moroder's influence than No. 1 in Heaven, this one is almost as strong and definitely rockier, as "Rock 'n' Roll People in a Disco World," would imply. The sound precedes a lot of the New WAve pop that would dominate the charts both sides of the Atlantic in subsequewnt years. The Brother Mael's sense of humor is as prevalent on earlier stuff, much more than the predecessor and as much as it's less Moroder tracks like "Noisy Boys" and "Young Girls" make it perhaps and even better party record. "Stereo" is one of their finest moments, I think, thoughb admittedly this album is more of a grower than a lot of Sparks' other masterpieces. Either way it's pretty hard to come by and I was lucky enough to find it on CD at Ameoba in San Francisco last January, so here it is:


Sparks (with Giorgio Moroder) - Terminal Jive (1980)