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Artist: Vince Neil |
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Well it's been 13 years since the last solo album from Motley Crue frontman Vince Neil, but the wait is well worth it because Neil has put together 11 track of definitive Neil. Nine of the tracks are ones that have influenced him over the years, with the other two being new tracks on written by Nikki Sixx, which were originally intended to appear on the bands Motley Crue album, but never made the cut. The other totally new track is co-written by Marti Frederiksen, who along with Jack Blades and Neil produced the album. So on to the album. Things get to an auspicious start with the title track 'Tattoos & Tequilas', this is Vince taking a modern stance with his music. The vocals are pure Neil but the music has a modern edginess about it, think a restrained Korn back beat but with an upbeat Motley styled guitar sound, which is provided by Jeff Blando. A real thumping start to the album. The first of the cover songs comes in the form of the Cheap Trick song 'I'm A Whore'. Any fan of Motley will know that the band have covered a number of songs throughout the years and each has been a resounding success. This album is in keeping with that trend as this first cover shows. Neil's unmistakable vocals drive this one along with Blando's six string prowess, together with the fantastic back beat provided by Dana Strum on bass duties and Zoltan Chaney on drums. Now it's time for Neil to put his own stamp on the Sweet classic 'AC/DC', again Neil puts his own slant on this one with great vocals and a great guitar lick. A real party anthem. Then it's time for one of my favourites renditions on the album, the superb Aerosmith cover 'Nobody's Fault'. This may not be a track that everyone knows but this version is just excellent. A wise man once said if you're going to cover a song then make it your own and this one is just such a case. The second of the original songs has Sixx stamped all over it, 'Another Bad Day'. A much more mellower track than what has gone before on the album, this one is the albums 'Home Sweet Home', a gentle love song which highlights Neil's more gentle vocal side. The pace is soon picked up again as the Sex Pistols 'No Feelings' is cranked up to 11. You can feel a pogo coming on. If you heard the Motley cover of 'Anarchy In The USA' then you'll know what to expect from this one. One of the surprise covers on this wonderful album is the Hollies 'Long Cool Woman', a song that really kicks ass big style with a Southern rock boogie feel. This one is just what you'd expect from Neil if you picked up his first solo album, this song could easily have been on that album. But if I had to pick one stand out track on the album then it would have to be the Scorpions classic 'Another Piece Of Meat'. This song is just one of my all time favourite Scorps songs and Neil gives it respect by not changing things too much, and just punching out one of the best vocals on the album for me. The guitar licks from Blando are just superb. I'm sure Rudi Schenker would approve. After the full rock of the last track its time to bring it down with a C& W feel with the fantastic 'Who'll Stop The Rain', originally done by Creedence Clearwater Revival back in 1970, this gentle rocker is just the thing to bring you down to earth after the rampaging 'Another Piece Of Meat'. With Neil now residing in Las Vegas it seems only right that he does a version of Presley's 'Viva Las Vegas'. This one is rocked right up. There have been a number of covers of this song but this is probably the rockiest you'll hear. Another surprise comes in the form of an Elton John track, no not something from the Lion King, but 'The Bitch Is Back', from way back in the day when Elton was just a rockin' man on a piano in outrageous shows and giant sunglasses, this is again Neil doing what he does best and with Strum pounding out the bass lines on this one. The album
boasts a bonus track and what a corker, this time ZZ Top's 'Beer
Drinkers And Hell Raisers', a track that I feel optimizes what the name
of Vince Neil that rocker and rounds off what I think is a great album,
and one that I have picked as my album of the month for June. |
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Tracklisting: 1.
Tattoos & Tequila |
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All content copyright of The Mayfair Mall Zine unless otherwise stated. |
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