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24 avril M!SS CRAZY CD ReviewAfter almost 9 months of listening to M!SS CRAZY's debut CD, I still crank it every day. M!SS CRAZY is one of those bands that you'd have to have with you if you were stranded on an island. It's just that good! After hearing Hardcore Superstar's 2005 release, I was unsure if I'd hear anything that good in 2006 and sure enough, M!SS CRAZY tops my 2006 release list. It's a mildly funny story how I ran across this band. I tend to do the occasional online downloading and M!SS CRAZY happened to be in a group of things I got one evening. I hadn't paid too much attention, but about that time they sent me a Friend Request through My Space. It was about two months later that I started going through the things I had downloaded and ran across their debut CD. I was floored! I immediately went online to find their site and joined their fan club. The fan club membership included the remastered version of their debut with 3 bonus tracks. Since then I have purchased the original 10 track version of the CD, bought each of the 4 additional tracks they have available at www.misscrazymusic.com, bought 3 T-shirts, hooked them up with some local clubs so they are now booked in Des Moines, IA, twice, and have turned friends onto the band. I'm hoping we turn out quite a crowd for them in May! I am truly passionate about M!SS CRAZY and the music they make. Essential to M!SS CRAZY are Markus Allen Christopher (singer, songwriter, guitarist) and Kim Racer (bassist and songwriter). They have established a sound akin to AC/DC, Cinderella, Def Leppard, and Kix while maintaining their own identity. This is a band that will be huge soon and remembered for years because of the music. The band has gone through lineup changes, but has since settled into a stable lineup with Major Tom on guitar and Sketch on drums. Below is a track by track review of M!SS CRAZY's debut self-titled CD. No Compromise: This song opens with an "oh we oh" chant and then kicks into some great rhythm guitar with an underlying rumble provided by the rhythm section. Markus' vocals are spot on screaming over the top of the band. There is a lot of power in every instrument as they stomp through this catchy tune. The background vocals have a Def Leppard quality to them as they blend very well. This song makes you pay attention and builds to a crescendo with the "oh we oh" over the ending. Billie: The guitar riff starts out with an Angus Young style rhythm. "Billie, where's your mother?" I read somewhere that this was an ode to a MILF. The rhythm is very strong on this song and the guitar solo is a fast melodic run that shows off Markus' tasteful guitar playing. Hide Island: Kicking off all at the same time, Markus leads the band into a song tinged with a great harmony filled chorus. The lyrics fit the vocals throughout, but especially the verses where he is crying out in questions asking for honesty and answers. There is a lot of passion in those questions. This is a mid-tempo with some tasty guitar under the repeated chorus at the end of the song. The guitar has a great melodic feel to it. Markus' solos are uncanny in being a part of the song and not a separate entity stuck in the middle. Life's Been Good: This is one of my personal favorites. There is a lot of positivity in this anthem. The rhythm section chugs right along like a train moving on the tracks on a beautiful day. This song is straight forward from start to finish. I'm sure the crowd gets in on the chorus live! You're Blue: Markus' lower range gets some exercise here as the tempo slows. The sympathetic lyrics and melancholy guitar are the type that will get you through a rough patch. Kim keeps the bass tight and understated so that the melody is the highlight on top. I'm not a fan of slow songs, but this one starts and ends with a lot of emotion so it's not filler between the up-tempo songs. You will stop to listen. Fans of Cinderella will love this one! Scream: Balls to the wall rhythm between Kim and the drummer get this song off to a fast start. "Scream all night!" This is a fist pumping anthem to be played live with a screaming crowd! The rhythms are tight where they need to be and loose and slamming through the bridge and chorus. Kim really holds the low end down while Markus plays a great metal style solo in this one, too. Great teamwork! "She's on her knees, she's a rock n roller!" So Long: Starting with the rhythm guitar, adding drums, kicking in with the verse, and finally the full band as the chorus gets rolling. What a powerful way to say goodbye! The build is very similar to Kix and AC/DC. Now: The rhythm stomps in and never lets you go on this track. Kim's quarter notes drive this song forward as the chorus proclaims the anthem that "Baby's gonna take me to town." I can see this being a great live song with audience participation shouting "Now" in the chorus. The great thing about M!SS CRAZY is that they are all about the songs. If the song needs something, they add it. If not, they leave it out. I really like this approach to the writing and recording. Shut Eyes: Another song that starts with some Angus Young style guitar. This is a great thing! Markus has a great ear for riffs. This one really has a great AC/DC vibe with the vocals on the verses. The chorus has another really good harmony in the background vocals. The breakdown in the middle with some guitar picking really gives a great dynamic to the song. Baby Let's Go: Another driving bass line in this song really gets the stomp going. The harmonies are more prevalent throughout this song in both the verses and chorus. This is a fast paced rocker that is sure to move you, whether it's fist pumping or head banging. Nothing (Bonus Track): The drums are the most inventive on this song. The verses have a great tom and kick part that works between the lyric. In my opinion, some of the best drumming so far on the CD is in this song. The vocal has a wonderful match once again to the lyrics when Markus screams "I wish I could die". This song and the other bonus tracks show the growth of the band and imply what is to come. My Way (Bonus Track): Four on the floor rocker! This one is the ballsiest tune so far. You can really hear the excitement in the band as they play this with full on aggression. There is nothing held back. The rhythm has a great looseness to it and shows that the M!SS CRAZY groove is in full effect. The solos are full on hard rock! Every crowd they play in front of will be shouting this chorus. Tattooed Freak (Bonus Track): Sounds like Markus really has a soft spot for the girl in this song. This is one of the best hard rock love songs I've heard in a while. The groove with the rhythm guitar chugging along with the bass and drums really has an "edge of your seat" feel to it that you can just imagine the band careening off the road, so to speak, at some point in this song. Each track shows a strong solid songwriting foundation. As the CD goes along, it gets stronger. The three bonus songs start showing some of the promise that the original 10 tracks point to. The guitar continually gets more inventive. The rhythms really start showing the solidity of the band and give you a band feel instead of a studio feel, if that makes sense. The vocals are always spot on and fit the lyrics. The harmonies and background vocals are recorded with a tight feel in the same vein as Def Leppard. There isn't a weak link in this band. Get this CD. It's one of the most important releases of 2006 and is the start of great things for M!SS CRAZY. See them on tour in a town near you as they conquer the world! 21 avril Markus And Miss CrazyI got a phone call from Markus Christopher, the lead singer and guitarist of Miss Crazy! I am sure I sounded like such a fanboy. We chatted for about 15 minutes. The band had mentioned that anyone buying the CD for download online would get a phone call from Markus. I have purchased both versions of their initial release, bought the 4 tracks available for download that aren't on the CD, joined the fan club, and purchased 3 T-shirts. I also put their booking agent, rock singer Ronnie Borchert, in touch with the Des Moines clubs where they have two shows booked. I jokingly wrote a reply to their offer about the phone call and asked if I'd get one, too. I was only kidding, but included my phone number just in case they found it cool enough to call. Sure enough, Markus called.
We chatted about what Miss Crazy has been up to and he even gave this Miss Crazy Army soldier a couple of assignments that I plan to come through on. They are on a short break while their drummer, Sketch, heals from a wound to his hand. Markus is still writing more songs and may re-release the Miss Crazy CD for a third time with new artwork and a total of 18 tracks. I mentioned that I have a friend who is a manager at a large retailer and asked if they'd be up for an in-store appearance, if it can be arranged. They are up for anything that reaches out to their fan base and beyond. I hope we can work something out for their June appearance in Des Moines. I mentioned that another friend had sent me a list of Iowa clubs and he suggested that we find more clubs as far as Minnesota, Illinois, and even Indiana, if possible. I told him about my Miss Crazy purchases and he told me about the things they have on e-Bay. I hope they keep selling their merchandise and I hope to keep doing my part to make sure this band gets as many fans as possible.
Miss Crazy put out the best CD of 2006. They originally released it as a ten song disc. They decided to remaster it to beef up the bass and overall sound and added 3 additional tracks to it. They have also recorded 4 more tracks available at www.misscrazymusic.com, with one being a great Motley Crue cover with a little Quiet Riot chorus thrown in.
Markus Christopher has a vocal style that reminds one of Brian Johnson (AC/DC), Tom Keifer (Cinderella), Joe Elliot (Def Leppard), and Steve Whiteman (Kix). The music has that same flavor, but Miss Crazy makes it their own. Their songs are catchy and their songwriting is getting better with each new tune. Markus is the quarterback on this team and he has some great supporting players.
Go to www.misscrazymusic.com and check out the songs, the videos, and sign up for free to be a part of the Miss Crazy Army at www.misscrazyarmy.com. This band is worth supporting in any manner possible. Start by checking out the tunes and then see the live show!
Thanks for the call, Markus! 16 avril Bowled OverMy girls were here this last weekend and we had a great time. We saw Wild Hogs which is a fun movie. I made the girls some Iowa Chops for dinner. I'd never made them before and they turned out perfect! I was pleasantly surprised. While at the concert, my girls had a sleepover with some friends from church. They enjoyed that.
Sunday was fun, too. We went bowling. The girls had been asking since I now live a few blocks away from a large bowling alley. I couldn't believe the cost, but we had a great time anyway. My roommate won the first game against us all. The second game we all beat him. As a matter of fact, my 9 year old bowled a strike in the 4th frame followed by a strike by me to start the 5th frame and then followed by my oldest bowling a strike! Three strikes in a row by me and my girls! That was amazing! We will have to go back and have them learn some pool, too!
My roommate and I also got some vindication this weekend by an electrician. Since we moved into the new place we've had some electrical problems in the back of the house. It always happened that when we ran the washer and dryer at the same time that the circuit would go out. That circuit also has the refrigerator on it. I have one computer plugged into that circuit, too, but we didn't realize it because that outlet is in the living room. Anyway, we called the landlord and they got an electrician out. They told the electrician that the electrical problem was probably due to our computers. We knew better but were glad they sent someone out. The electrician confirmed that it was definitely the electric dryer causing the problems. Since the dryer was supplied by the landlord, they have to upgrade the electricity in the house. They would have to if they sold it, too, so they will come out ahead by having it done. I just hope they do it soon. It will be nice to use the appliances all at once!
It was a fun weekend. Check out the review below and the pictures above. Leave comments. 15 avril Warrant In Boone, IAI'd never been to The Venue before, but this looks like a great place to have bands! They have a large venue with a large stage and lighting system. This weekend was the first they used this larger part of the club. It's now the biggest in the Des Moines metro area.
Standing Damaged won the Battle of the Bands on Friday night so they opened up this show. They looked and sounded like about any other bar band that either pays to play or gets about $150-$200 a night to play. The singer has stated that this is just a hobby for these guys and it shows in their sound and appearance. They look like 5 guys from Iowa who just jumped on stage to jam. The band had a few tight moments musically, but nothing for a show. The singer was adequate, but probably would work best if he kept is simple as the high stuff was quite off. They had some friends at the show and that's always good for the main bands.
Stephen Pearcy came out to Wanted Man and then rocked into Go Insane. This was Stephen's last solo show for a while and he stuck to all Ratt tunes to gear up for the Poison/Ratt tour. He looked to be in good shape, but has the same vocal deficiencies that he has had for several years. He sings a lot of the tunes in a lower register now and really looks to struggle when going for anything close to the notes he used to hit. Lovin' You Is A Dirty Job was the worst vocally in this regard. Stephen's energy was very high and he was certainly having a great time and the crowd was having a great time with him. Since the vocals were the only thing off at times, the rest of the show, band, and set was very tight. Stephen had his main two guitar players that he has had in the Rat Bastards for years. They were spot on and even added some personal touches to the guitar work. The rhythm section was from the midwest and are in other bands. The bass player just played with Frank Hannon when I saw him this year. Overall a fun show with the songs many of us grew up with. I am anxious to see Ratt 2007 and see if Stephen gets the voice in shape for the summer.
SETLIST
Wanted Man
Go Insane
You Think You're Tough
Back For More
Slip Of The Lip
Lay It Down
You're In Love
Lack Of Communication
Lovin' You Is A Dirty Job
Way Cool Jr.
You've Got Another Thing Comin' (Judas Priest)
Body Talk
Round And Round
Warrant came out with an enthusiasm and professionalism that seems to have grown as they have toured with Jamie St. James on vocals. They tore through songs from the first 3 albums as well as a couple of new tunes. One of the new songs is from a tribute to Judas Priest. They opened appropriately with Sure Feels Good and then announced that the Down Boys were in the house. Jamie handled all the vocals with ease while the band looked and sounded like they never stopped playing together. Jerry and Steven brought the essential swinging rhythm back to the classics while Eric and Joey handled the guitar duties like they were related. They are one of the best guitar tandems in the business. I'd seen this Warrant lineup a couple of years ago when they debuted the new song Good Times at Waterstock. They have taken things to a new level in that short time. They look and sound like the great band they are.
Warrant will be back in Iowa this summer for a show in Cedar Rapids on June 23rd and they will return to Waterstock on June 30th. I can't wait to see them again! I just hope they do a couple more new songs.
SETLIST
Sure Feels Good
Down Boys
32 Pennies
Love In Stereo
I Saw Red
Bed Of Roses
Hole In My Wall
Mr. Rainmaker
Bourbon County Line
Sometimes She Cries/Heaven
BASS SOLO w/ Joey and Steven accompanying Jerry
Hold On To 18
So Damn Pretty
DRFSR
Encore
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Hell Bent For Leather (Judas Priest)
Cherry Pie 11 avril Lindsey Buckingham In Des Moines, IALindsey Buckingham is a phenomenal guitarist. He's an incredible artist. He's a fantastic performer. I had the pleasure of being seated only three rows from the stage at the intimate performance in the ValAir Ballroom.
Lindsey started out with just a guitar and passionately performed 3 songs. He began with a new tune called Not Too Late, which opens his new CD Under The Skin. He genuinely seemed surprised and thankful for the response the crowd gave him. He launched in to the old Fleetwood Mac tune Trouble. This brought a roar from the crowd as they sang along.
The band joined Lindsey on stage for Second Hand News and they were tight, loose, and playful throughout. They mixed old and new tunes with some variety on the instruments. The dynamics were in full effect as they wrung out every emotive part of each song.
My only disappointment of the night was the way Go Insane was done. Lindsey did what I would call a "mad" performance of it. He truly conveyed the idea of going insane with this slowed down version. The only thing is that I like the original upbeat style better for this song. That's my only gripe, though.
The woman sitting next to me was having hot flashes or something as she just kept getting more and more turned on as the set went on. The encore began with Holiday Road and when Lindsey did the barking in a sexual manner at the end of the song this woman looked like she needed a cigarette.
Lindsey ended the night the way he started with a new song and just a guitar. He brought the night full circle while entertaining and enlightening throughout. I'm anxious to hear the new CD he plans on having out next year.
SETLIST
(solo)
Not Too Late
Trouble
Never Going Back Again
(with band)
Second Hand News
Cast Away Dreams
Red Rover
It Was You
(solo)
Big Love
Go Insane
(with band)
Under The Skin
World Turning
DRUM SOLO
I'm So Afraid
I Know I'm Not Wrong
Tusk
Go Your Own Way
ENCORE
(with band)
Holiday Road
Turn It On
Show You How
(solo)
Save Me A Place
Shut Us Down 8 avril Happy EasterSo many things going on in the world today.
Iran took British hostages and then released them. Someone on Fox News asked a guest if this made the Iranian President look good. His quick answer was that it did. My answer is that most of the world already knows this Iranian President is a terrorist sponsor, which in turn makes him an idiot. Who doesn't realize this guy is a moron?
Nancy Pelosi visited with a terrorist sponsor. This seems to make this terrorist sponsor a legitimate government to many, but most of us know better. Of course Pelosi made mistakes publicly while making this trip. She's not exactly playing with a full deck. It does seem curious that Democrats are consulting with enemies of the United States. That's nothing new, though.
Harry Reid wants to cut our soldiers' funding off. He actually wants to cause our nation to be defeated in the war on terror. Granted, that political party has made it a rule not to use the phrase "global war on terror". How dare they admit we are at war! Rush Limbaugh says the Democrats own defeat. They own it. This seems accurate. I'd prefer that we fight to win and quit handcuffing our soldiers. This is a war. Fight to win. Do not let the enemy known when you plan to pull out. They must be defeated before we can even think about leaving. If you want to let the enemy know when you are leaving, you are securing defeat.
Dianne Fienstein has been voting repeatedly to reward her husband's company some military contracts. Seems like her family is profiting from this war. Of course she quickly resigned from the committee that she was on when her own supporters started reporting this. I haven't seen much of an uproar in the press about this, though. Isn't this a huge deal?
The Attorney General issue...non-issue. What's wrong with firing people? These are political appointees, right? What's the big deal here? I can't find it. Sounds like a witch-hunt to me.
The war on terror in Iraq seems to be shaping up. Looks like the generals are implementing the right plan. I'm praying for our country and our troops and the freedom loving Iraqi people.
Freedom rocks, doesn't it? I hope every nation has a shot at freedom and I'm glad to be part of a nation that is helping others reach this goal.
Happy Easter. Jesus died for your sins and mine. Enjoy the freedom He has given us! |
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