Friday, May 23, 2014

Spinal Tap on the Rocks




The song opens with shrieks delivered in a vocal register capable of recoiling the ball sacks of singers a quarter of his age. The boulder-sized riffs are pure Kiss-meets-Spinal Tap and the beats are of the thunderously bombastic variety – no one slams the lead boot shuffle better than Jason Bonham. And even if articulations of teen lust by way of a 62 year old coffin-dodger make you want to dry heave a little, the sleaze factor only gives the song more texture.

Introducing California Breed.

Led by the true Dorian Gray of Rock 'n' Roll (a mantle originally bestowed on Kim Fowley), Glenn Hughes, the band also features another seasoned veteran in the person of the aforementioned Bonham, and an adorable 23 year-old guitar nooby named Andrew Watt. Hughes's impressive rock CV includes high profile roles with both Deep Purple and Black Sabbath as well as a stint with guitarist Gary Moore. He's played professionally since the age of 15 (released singles at 17), and now at age 62 – after a 46 year career and a recent heart surgery – he's still shrieking and slapping with the stamina of a vampire and the physique of a marathon runner. While this latest joint may not blaze any trails or set the world aflame we have to give props to the man for his indefatigable, Viagra-fueled passion.

Praise to Hughes, a true zen master of persistence: we should all be so resilient.




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