| THE DINOSAUR DAYS 9 JANUARY 2000 |
| BABE RUTH |
 Babe Ruth - Wells Fargo - taken off their debut album, "First Base",
with its classic Roger Dean cover, originally released in 1972. This
excellent UK outfit, whose name came from the legendary baseball player,
were formed in Hatfield in 1971 out of the ashes of "Shacklock". Guitarist
Alan Shacklock was the founder member of the band that featured the
stunning vocal talents of Jenny Haan, one of the best female rock singers
of the era. They were a popular live act and their second album, "Amar
Cabalero", released in 1973, went gold in the US and Canada. Shacklock left
the band in 1975 after their self-titled third album, his replacement being
UFO/ Wild Turkey's Bernie Marsden. It was felt that the popularity of the
band began a steady decline after Shacklock left, and even more so when
Haan left after "Stealin' Home" in the same year. Not much is known about
this elusive lady singer, other than the fact that she had a short
background vocal stint with UK act Strider in 1974. Vocalist Ellie Hope
joined Babe Ruth for what would prove to be their final album, "Kid's
Stuff", in 1976. Bernie Marsden went on to Whitesnake and Alaska, as well
as recording a couple of great solo albums. Nowadays, he's in The Snakes
with long time buddy Micky Moody. Other members of the band appeared in the
early 80's disco band, Liquid Gold.
And Babe Ruth? "First Base" is one of rock music's classic albums, and they
should be remembered for this masterpiece. |
| ROSSINGTON COLLINS BAND |
Rossington Collins Band
- Don't misunderstand me, taken off
"Anytime,Anyplace,Anywhere", their first album, released in 1980. They're
the subject of this week's Dino Quiz number 143, and a copy of this album
is the giveaway prize. Question coming up in a bit.
The Rossington Collins Band was the first of a number of bands formed when
Lynyrd Skynyrd split, following the plane crash on 20 October 1977 that
killed Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines and the others. Vocalist Dale Krantz, a
backing singer for
.38 Special, joined up with Skynrd guitarists Gary Rossington (she would
later become Mrs.Dale Krantz-Rossington), and Allen Collins to form the
band, alongside other Skynyrd members, keyboard player Billy Powell and
bassist Leon Wilkeson. Drummer Derek Hess and third guitarist Barry Harwood
made up the balance of this great band. The Rossington Collins Band
released two albums. Allen Collins was paralysed in a car crash in 1986,
and he later died from pnuemonia in 1990. The band continued as Rossington
for a while, and Powell, Rossington, Krantz-Rossington and Wilkeson would
take their place in the Lynyrd Skynyrd reunion tour of 1987. Skynyrd are
still very much around today, sounding better than ever.
Other Skynyrd off-shoots formed were APB ( Artimus Pyle Band ), Allen
Collins Band and Alias.The question: " The Rossington Collins band were an off-shoot of which band: Point Blank, Lynyrd Skynyrd or Doc Holliday?'' Answer: Lynyrd Skynyrd. |
| BLUE OYSTER CULT |
 Blue Oyster Cult - Roadhouse Blues, taken from "Extraterrestrial Live"
in 1982, their eleventh album, and the third official live album from these
Long Island, New York monsters. Probably one of the best covers of the
Doors track you're likely to hear, and featuring Doorman (!) Robby Krieger
on guest guitar.
They first started out as Soft White Underbelly and Oaxaca and later as The
Stalk Forrest Group in the late sixties, releasing one album for Elektra
Records. Guitarists Eric Bloom and Donald ' Buck Dharma ' Roeser, together
with keyboard player/guitarist Allen Lanier and brothers Joe ( bass/vocals
) and Albert Bouchard
( drums ) were the members of the band that would go on to become one of
the US' best ever hard rock outfits, with production work expertly handled
by Sandy Pearlman, who originally put the group together. BOC's live act is
legendary, complete with a smoke bellowing Godzilla, costumes, masks and
motorbikes on stage. They released 14 albums between 1971 and 1988. and
they also wrote and performed the music for the horror movie " Bad
Channels" in 1992. We were extremely happy to know that one of our
favourite bands had reformed a few years ago and released a new album.
"Heaven Forbid" in 1998 was an exceptionally good record and it showed that
BOC are still a force to be reckoned with. |
| LED ZEPPELIN |
Led Zeppelin - Celebration Day, taken off "The Song Remains The Same",
the title track of the movie, released in 1976, essentially their eighth
album. This double album featured material from a 1973 Madison Square
Garden concert, with many tracks from "Houses of the Holy", their album of
that year. The quality of the recording was a bit dodgy, but it's been
re-released in a new re-mastered version and it now sounds stunning.
Led Zep evolved out of the New Yardbirds in October 1968. Guitarist Jimmy
Page and bassist John Paul Jones recruited vocalist Robert Plant, who, in
turn, suggested drummer John Bonham. The quartet gelled immediately, and
changed their name to "Led Zeppelin" following a quip by the Who's drummer,
Keith Moon, who, when asked about their prospects, remarked that they would
"go down like a lead Zeppelin!"
The rest, as we all know, and as they say in the classics, is history:
Zeppelin went on to become one of the world's best and most successful rock
bands, eventually calling it a day after Bonham died on 25 September 1980.
To their credit, the rest of the band felt it improper to continue without
him.
Page and Plant have released a few albums together, and Page and David
Coverdale have also collaborated. John Paul Jones recently released his
first ever solo album, called "Zooma". |
| MOLLY HATCHET |
 Molly Hatchet
- Whiskey Man. Recorded live in their hometown of
Jacksonville, Florida, and released on "Double Trouble Live", in 1985,
their seventh album.
The band's name was taken from a lady who beheaded (!) her lovers with an
axe after sleeping with them ( what a way to go! ) in 17th century Salem.
Formed in the early seventies, the band comprised of Danny Joe Brown on
vocals, Bruce Crump on drums, Banner Thomas on bass and guitarists Steve
Holland, Duane Roland and Dave Hlubek. Their first self-titled album,
released in 1978, was an instant success, achieving multi-platinum status.
Brown left Molly Hatchet in 1980, to be replaced by Jimmy Farrar, and after
releasing an album under his own name, he returned to the band in 1983.
Guitarist Bobby Ingram replaced Dave Hlubek in 1985, and he and Brown
continued in the band whilst the other members left to do other things.
Fans of the band in this country were a bit in the dark as to what was
going on as no new recordings surfaced between 1990 and 1995, but they
returned in 1996 with the incredible "Devil's Canyon", the album that was
voted the number one rock album in Europe for that year. Since then, Phil
McCormack has taken over vocal duties and he appeared on 1998's "Silent
Reign of Heroes".
Molly Hatchet are one of Southern Rock's best bands. A new album is due in
Spring 2000, and that should make the fans happy - there's always an
element of excitement about a new Molly Hatchet album! |
| IRON MAIDEN |
| Iron Maiden - Wasted Years, taken off "Somewhere in Time", released in 1986, their seventh album. Iron Maiden was the brainchild of bassist Steve Harris. Taking their name from an ancient torturing device, they were formed in 1976 and were one of the very first bands of the NWOBHM scene. The line-up on their debut EP was Harris, Paul Di'anno on vocals, Dave Murray on guitar and Doug Sampson on drums. Clive Burr replaced Sampson, and second guitarist Dennis Stratton was recruited. Their debut self titled album, released in 1980, reached number four on the British album charts. Adrian Smith replaced Dennis Stratton and Bruce Dickinson ( Bruce Bruce ) from Samson ( the band! ) later replaced Di'anno. The stage was now set for one of the world's best heavy metal bands. Every album was a masterpiece, and "Somewhere in Time" was no exception. Smith left the band to form ASAP in the late eighties, his replacement being ex-White Spirit and Gillan guitarist Janick Gers. Dickinson also departed to continue with his solo career. Wolfsbane vocalist Blaze Bayley was his replacement, and this arrangement seemed to work very well. "Up the Irons!" was the cry when fans learnt that both Dickinson and Smith would return to the fold. The idea of Maiden with three guitarists is indeed tantalizing, and we eagerly await the new Iron Maiden CD with this awesome line-up. Should be a killer! |
| METALLICA |
 Metallica - Eye of the Beholder, taken off ".....and Justice for all",
their fourth album, released in 1988, one of that year's best metal albums.
Drummer Lars Ulrich and vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield put
Metallica together in San Francisco in 1981. Second guitarist, Lloyd Grand,
who had a short stint with the band, was later replaced by Dave Mustaine.
Mustaine, in turn, went on to form Megadeth in1983. Bassist Cliff Burton
and guitarist Kirk Hammett joined, and it was this version of Metallica
that would go on to set the metal world on fire. Disaster struck, however,
on 27 November 1987, when their tour bus overturned in Sweden, killing
Cliff Burton. Bassist Jason Newsted was drafted into the band. Metallica's
popularity is legendary - they've proved many times over that heavy metal
need not be only about hard 'n heavy riffs. They've brought an element of
respectability and class to the genre, and their latest album, "S & M ",
complete with a full on orchestra, prove that these accolades aren't given
without good reason. |
| SUPERIOR |
Superior - Free minded, off "Younique", released in 1998. As far as we
are aware, this is the first album from this very talented and unique
German prog metal outfit. They're a cut above the rest and have some very
interesting chord and time changes, and they incorporate jazz and brass
with metal in a very clever way. As is the case with most German bands,
their musicianship is flawless. |
| LARSEN FEITEN BAND |
| Larsen Feiten Band - Phantom of the Footlights, taken off their second and last album together, " Fool Moon", released in 1982. Keyboard player Neil Larsen and guitarist Buzzy Feiten are acknowledged as being amongst the hardest working session players in the world. They've featured with the likes of B.B.King, Commander Cody, Dan Fogelberg, Gary Wright, Boz Scaggs and Jennifer Warnes, to mention just a few. They joined forces in 1980 and brought in some equally competent and well known backing musicians, in addition to the famous Seawind horns, one of the best horn sections around. They released just the two albums as The Larsen Feiten Band, both of which are available on CD. A single CD, comprising both albums, was also released in SA. Feiten featured in Olivia Newton John's band when she played at Sun City some years back. |
| AMBROSIA |
 Ambrosia
- Nice, Nice, Very Nice, from their debut self titled album, released in
1975. The roots of this stunning Los Angeles based AOR outfit go way back to
1970 when they were formed by guitarist/vocalist David Pack and
bassist/vocalist Joe Puerta. Keyboard player Chris North, a man known for
playing his keys so hard that his hands bled, and drummer Burleigh Drummond,
made up the balance of the band. They were signed to 20th Century Records (
stablemates to the likes of Barry White and his Love Unlimited Orchestra! ),
and released this first album in 1975. The featured track was quite a hit for
them and helped establish them as one of the US' best and classiest bands.
They went on to release a total of five albums, each one featuring some of the
best songwriting you've ever heard, before taking a break in the early 80's.
They reformed in the late 80's and are still around today. An anthology,
featuring some of their best known tracks, as well as a few newer tracks, was
released a few years ago, and is essential listening for anyone into
intelligently written and expertly played AOR. All five of their studio albums
are now also available, so if you missed them first time round, now's your
chance to make amends! |
| STEELY DAN |
Steely Dan - Do it
again, taken off their first
official studio album, " Can't buy a thrill", released in 1972.
College buddies Donald Fagan and Walter Becker formed the band in the late
sixties/early seventies. Ultimate Spinach guitarist Jeff "Skunk"
Baxter joined, as did second guitarist Denny Dias, vocalist Dave Palmer and
drummer Jim Hodder, and they released this first critically acclaimed album on
ABC Records. They apparently performed and toured under many other names
before settling on "Steely Dan". Some of the names were Thorax,
Thigh Patties and Slime Unit! Steely Dan went on to become one of the most
respected bands in the US, releasing a number of chart topping albums, with
Fagan and Becker working wholly with session musicians, having disbanded the
original band. In 1980, Becker and Fagan went their separate ways, with Fagan
releasing his stunning first solo album, " The Nightfly". They join
forces again in the early nineties and are still together today. A new studio
album, " Two against Nature", is due for release towards the end of
February 2000. |