The Week In Rock

Death Angel - 3rd Annual Christmas Show- December 16th/17th, Slim's San Francisco- Well, I had to miss this tradition for the first time! Worked on Friday, went to another show on Saturday. These are the first OFFICIAL headlining live shows promoting The Evil Divide, and by all acounts, these two shows were packed.

Green Day plays secret show and nobody cares- (2/3rds of the band did, anyway.) - On Sunday, 1234 Go! Records in Oakland hosted a benefit punk show, and a couple of guys from Green Day got onstage and jammed some really old numbers. These days, Green Day plays more secret, tiny shows than they do regular gigs. Good luck on their upcoming arena tour.

Metallica plays the Fox Theater in Oakland, December 17th- This was a hard ticket to get! Hetfield and Company were warming up the pot for their upcoming stadium tour. Three songs of the excellent new album and a bunch of fast old cuts. Beautiful. Sorry I missed it.

Neurosis rocks the Regency Ballroom, San Francisco- December 17th. This was the show I participated in. It was pretty good. Four new songs. Good rock and roll. 

Best Albums of 2016

2016: What a year! Kind of bad personally, pretty good professionally, but spectacular musically. Thank God for that. This is the closest I've been able to compile a top ten in a very long time. (Disclaimer: this list contains only nine.)

Some of these were announced months before release. (Metallica, Neurosis, Death Angel.) Some I had no idea were coming out, (KISS, Rolling Stones.) A few just dropped out of the sky into my disc player and provided some killer thrills, (Discharge, Cough, Kicker.) 

Most of these I bought on or very near the release day- Metallica, Neurosis, Death Angel, Discharge, Descendents, KISS, Rolling Stones. CD was the main purchase, but I scored vinyl on quite a few to add to the collection. (Although Descendents and Discharge were pretty flimsy quality vinyl, so I skipped them.)

More than ever, I needed to lean into music for emotional support, and I drained these records of all the foundation they could provide for me.

NEUROSIS- FIRES WITHIN FIRES- (AUGUST 24th)- When it was announced that this album would contain a scant five songs in forty minutes, it may have caused fears that perhaps this Oakland quintet was running low of ideas. On the contrary, it's obvious that the bludgeoning powerhouse wanted to trim the fat of previous releases and hammer home a condensed, compact document. They succeeded on every level. This is all the best elements of Neurosis, and I wonder how they continue to deliver on such a high level. 

(For an elaboration on some of the songs, check out my breakdown of the recent Portland shows.)

  Metallica- HARDWIRED...TO SELF DESTRUCT- (September 23rd)- This album is the SHOCK of the year!!! I liked 'Death Magnetic,' (2008,) but Hardwired blows it away. Twelve songs spread evenly throughout two discs, (although you should buy the three disc version, which was a STEAL at $9.99 on release day.) 

I am already cranking out the miles on the bike with this album as my soundtrack. Admittedly, disc one weighs in with the strongest cuts: Title track, 'Atlas, Rise!,' 'Moth Into Flame,' 'Halo On Fire,' but there is also some very strong material on the second disc: 'Am I Savage?,' and the astounding 'Spit Out The Bone,' Metallica's answer to 'Damage, Inc.' in 2016. Speed Metal is back!

Either James Hetfield or Lars Ulrich described this album as 'Kill 'Em All' meets 'The Black Album,' and that is not too far from the truth. I have bashed Metallica in the past, but never did I think I would say that I was glad the band was no longer a democracy. (Songwriting and control is firmly back in the iron grip of Hetfield/Ulrich, and it works out tremendously.) Kirk Hammett is kept in a corner to crank out guitar solos and bassist Robert Trujillo lays it down and earns a credit for the intro to 'Man Unkind.' 

Vinyl fiends were scattering for the double black vinyl, double red vinyl, and the triple disc deluxe edition. Record stores were handing out posters and turntable slipmats at the point of purchase, making it feel like the glory days of albums sales are BACK.

Hardwired shot to Number One in 57 countries, and deservedly so.

DEATH ANGEL- THE EVIL DIVIDE- (May 23rd)- Death Angel's fifth studio album since their 2004 'The Art of Dying' return. There is a lot at stake for D.A., so Rob Cavestany and Co. record each album as if their lives depend on it. There is very little weak material (if any) on a Death Angel record, and The Evil Divide is no exception.

Strangely, Death Angel have yet to properly tour this album; they piggybacked on a late summer tour with SLAYER and ANTHRAX. Not sure how those shows went, but hopefully the band was able to flesh out great songs like 'The Moth', 'Lost', and the emphatic screaming of Mark Osegueda on 'Hell To Pay'.

DISCHARGE- END OF DAYS- (May 13th)- When I heard England's Discharge had a new album coming out, I had to laugh. Aren't these guys washed up? I thought that there best years were 1980-1984... (Let's not bring up their 1986 show in San Francisco, where they got heckled right off the stage when the former hardcores attempted to play some poser/glam metal.)

Death Angel- Rob sporting Discharge shirt.

When I saw a photo of Death Angel guitarist Rob Cavestany sporting not only a Discharge shirt, but a shirt of their new album, I thought I might have to check it out. Wow! No regrets. 'End of Days' is a relentless album, easily bringing to mind the classic Discharge era of 'Never Again' and 'Hear Nothing See Nothing Say Nothing.'

I would drive around with this blasting in the car on my way to work, and I would exit the ride rattled. The album is like a jackhammer of rage and ripping riffs. 'Raped And Pillaged,' 'Meet Your Maker,' and 'False Flag Entertainment' are a convincing continuation of the Discharge legacy. If I had to deduct a couple of points, it is that the singer is channeling his predecessor, Cal, who left his mark on those early classics.

DESCENDENTS- (July 29th)- This entry is more for sentimental value. The first Descendents album since 2004's woefully inadequate 'Cool To Be You.' On first listen, this new one is a lot stronger and more focused than the last one, but.... I don't know. These guys used to idolize women and was the soundtrack to my teenage crushes. But now that they're in their fifties, and some of the topics are pretty ugly, it makes it difficult to channel my inner high-schooler. However, I give much thanks that Bill Stevenson is still alive after some serious medical issues, but I am not entirely sold.

ROLLING STONES- BLUE & LONESOME- (December 2nd)- Another shock. Why would I want this album? It's a collection of blues covers, not exactly my favorite kind of music. You can attribute my enthusiasm to the great reviews this was getting and the fact that it was recorded in three days. 

I feel fortunate that I was even able to score a copy, it has been selling out all over. It's got a real fun and loose feel to it, incredible to think about since Mick and Co. have been a band for over FIFTY YEARS. Wow.

'Everybody Knows About My Good Thing,' 'Little Rain,' and 'Hate To See You Go' are standout tracks, and suddenly I find myself a fan of the blues. So cool!

KISS- ROCKS VEGAS- (August 26th)- Hey Hey!!! No regrets here!!! I actually attended the first two shows of the Greasepaint Goblins' 2014 residency at the Hard Rock Casino, and I thought it was awesome. I know they recorded the final night of this run of shows, but I never thought it would see release.

What does this album count as? KISS ALIVE 5? KISS ALIVE 6? I am okay with 'Rocks Vegas.' Not only do you get a CD of genuine live KISS Klassics- 'Detroit Rock City,' 'Parasite,' 'War Machine,' but there is also a DVD/Blu-Ray of the concert which is super high quality. 

Gene, Paul, Tommy, and Eric are a tight live outfit, which is pretty incredible, since there is a barrage of explosions and lasers going on around them. 

I got back into KISS about three years ago, and this has been a fun ride. My childhood heroes still crank it out, and that is very gratifying.

COUGH- STILL THEY PRAY- (June)- Okay, this record was merely a Doom Metal stand-in for me until the new Neurosis album came out. This gave me a Sabbath fix for a couple of months, but once Fires Within Fires hit, I quickly forgot about it. 

Cough kicks ass, though! I don't want to penalize them too harshly. Good album.

KICKER- RENDERED OBSOLETE- (September 9th)- This is probably tied for the most fun album on the list. (With the Rolling Stones.) Kicker is an Oakland punk band featuring Pete The Roadie on vocals, and Neurosis dude Dave Ed on bass. 

This is the kind of music I used to hear on the radio (MAXIMUMROCKNROLL) in 1984/1985. After each song, I expect a DJ's voice to come on and re-cap the punk rock set that preceded it. 

Special shout out to the very nice gatefold vinyl package with the free download that comes with it. I don't know how to further describe this record, except the best sing-along is about that thing old people wore around their neck on the TV commercial when the old lady said "I've fallen and I can't get up!" Who remembers that? And who decides to write a song about it in 2016? 

Very endearing.

MY DAMAGE: Keith Morris And OFF!, 2016

 November 12th, 2016- When OFF! announced their eight-city West Coast November tour, I figured the best place to see them would be at The Garage, a dive bar in the beach town of Ventura, CA. The San Francisco choice was Slim's, which is a great venue, but it is more of a nightclub setting. I knew that the show at  The Garage would have cheap beer flowing and a rambunctious crowd. I was not disappointed.

Along the way, Keith Morris scheduled reading/book signing sessions prior to each show at record and book stores. Fortunately, the Ventura stop featured a signing at Saltzer's Records, a great store I've been going to for over twenty years.

As for the book itself, the former BLACK FLAG/CIRCLE JERKS frontman weaves a highly readable memoir, (with the help of co-writer Jim Ruland.) 

In the battle of the Black Flag singers/writers, Henry Rollins has published about 30 books, while Morris weighs in with a scant one. Keith's book is better than AT LEAST fifteen of Henry's books, and that is not a bad showing. (I bring Rollins' 1998 classic 'Smile, You're Traveling' on EVERY trip I take, because I find it to be very inspiring.)

Keith tells an interesting tale of growing up in Hermosa Beach, getting a little too involved in drugs and alcohol, and the perspective of being the lead singer of (at least) three legendary punk bands. 

The Black Flag beginnings are great, of course. The Circle Jerks chapters are engaging. The lean years, where the aging diabetic was earning his living by waiting tables on Sunset Boulevard, those parts are kind of tough. The creative rebirth that eventually materialized a few years ago with OFF! is a positive way to close out the book.

At the Saltzer's signing, my friend Steve and I walked in while Keith was reading from the book. There were about 60 people in attendance, listening to Morris recount the moment he joined Black Flag. I must admit, though, he didn't sound like he was into it. Here's a guy who usually sounds electric every time he speaks. On this occasion, he sounded like he was, well...Reading.

No big deal, however. I was just happy to get my copy of the book signed without being an autograph hound. I mumbled something to Keith about a part in the book I liked, and he just stared at me, offering up the fist for an old fist bump.

After exiting the record store, we had a couple of hours to kill before the OFF! show. When we trekked on over to The Garage, I was surprised to find this place located right in the suburbs. I felt like I was in my own neighborhood with the  residential street parking. As we walked to the bar, I laughed thinking about how the neighbors must love this place, that recently hosted the rambunctious D.R.I. and M.D.C.... 

It was 2150 Hrs. when we walked in, and OFF! were scheduled to go on in ten minutes. Perfect! Just enough time to grab a beer and get right up front. My kind of place: low stage, band members having to walk through the crowd to get to the stage, sweaty atmosphere. 

We stood in front of bassist Steve McDonald, who currently does triple duty in OFF!, THE MELVINS, and his original band REDD KROSS. Those three represent three styles of music, and how he can seamlessly transform between the three is beyond me. He not only rocks, he's also the co-star of one of my ALL TIME favorite movies, 'Spirit of '76.' 

Someone in the crowd yelled out, "I loved your book, Keith!," and the frontman responded "So did my mom..." 

The election was only a few days before, so I thought Morris would go off on the coming political apocalypse, (which I have seen him do in the past,) but Keith was stoic, inferring that he had an open mind for the future.

I would love to give you the set list. I really would. In fact, it would have been hilarious to even try, since we are talking a band that writes songs that average about one minute in length. They go by in short, sharp flurries. 

I did hear all my favorites, though, for sure- 'Jeffrey Lee Pierce,' 'Wiped Out,' 'Peace In Hermosa,' 'Poison City,' 'Rat Trap,' 'I Don't Belong,' 'Jet Black,' 'King Kong Brigade,' 'Hypnotized,' and 'Void You Out.'

The audience was great. Screaming, singing, starting a pit. Egging the band on. Guitarist Dimitri Coats, he IS the second coming of former Black Flag guitarist Greg Ginn. He was sporting two of the most beat up Marshall cabinets I have ever seen, and they still sounded great. 

I had lost faith in punk rock for years until I heard OFF! sometime in 2011. It was the perfect blend of old and new. (So new, in fact, that their 2012 fifteen-minute self-titled album broke the Billboard Top 100, coming it at number 96. That's impressive.)

Plus, their non-greedy ethos is refreshing. The show was cheap at $15, shirts were a steal at $15. CD's for $10, and FREE STICKERS with purchase! If I looked in the mirror during the show, I'd be shocked to find a dude in his late 40's, as I felt like I was 16. 

Drummer Mario Rubalcaba, is of course, great. I have no idea how he remembers the count in of each number, since OFF! songs vary, and when you're playing 30 cuts a night, my brain would be in a blender trying to keep track with them all. True professional. 

Before coming back for an encore, Dimitri asked the crowd to hurl as much abuse at the band as possible, as they would be filming this. It was pretty fun to yell "You Suck!" at the top of my lungs, sounding like I meant it, and other people were weighing in with their own brand of insults. It was pretty convincing. I filmed a portion of this and the people I showed it to asked me "What happened? Why did they boo?" 

As usual, at these awesome shows, it was over much too fast. The Ventura crowd howled it up and continued to party at The Garage. The merch table was doing brisk business, with T-shirts flying and one girl asking "What CD should I buy?" Since there was no backstage, Keith Morris fled to the band's van in the parking lot to recover.