Babylon A.D.          "Live in Your Face"
Babylon A.D. started out as The Persuaders in San Francisco during the late eighties. They got signed by Arista who suggested a namechange. Their selftitled debutalbum - "Babylon AD" - was critically acclaimed at the time and still stands tall. Derek Davis (vocals), Dennis DeLaRosa (guitars), Ron Freschi (guitars), Jamey Pacheco (drums) and Robb Reid (drums) managed to attract fans of both hard rock and sleaze with their Y&T-AC DC combo. The Follow-up, "Nothing's Sacred", was less raw and more melodic but failed to make any impact and the band broke up.

"Live in Your Face" is Babylon A.D.'s comeback after  five years of slumber. Twelve livesongs recorded during a four-year span of almost endless touring. It features all the favourites such as "Bang go the Bells", "The Kid Goes Wild", "Sacrifice your Love" and "Hammer Swings Down". "Live In Your Face" also contains some new goodies in covers of AC DC's "Girl's got rythm" and Aerosmith's "Rats in the cellar" as well as a soundcheck (?!). Babylon A.D. was a great liveband and this CD is a sweet taste of things to come. I'm looking forward to the new studioalbum.

Available from Babylon A.D.'s Website

Pretty Boy Floyd  A Tale of Sex, Designer Drugs, and the Death of  Rock nīRoll

I finally hold Pretty Boy Floyds second album in my hands. Big deal, some of you might think. Well, think again! Pretty Boy Floyd released their debutalbum "Leather Boyz with Electric Toyz" in 1989. Think of Motley Crue's "Dr Feelgood" and Skid Row's debutalbum, which both were released at the same time as PBF's debut, and you'll probably realize how long I've been waiting for the follow-up. Talk about sophomore slump! "Leather Boyz..." turned my life around. I will try to not be too dramatic but it's impossible to overestimate the importance of that particular album. PBF saved glamrock as Poison and Motley Crue turned to Bruce Fairbairn and Bob Rock respectively.

Often, change that to ALWAYS, overlooked during discussions and compilations of the best rockalbums ever, "Leather Boyz..." captured the teen spirit better than anyone before... or after for that matter. "The Last Kiss", "Only The Young", "Wild Angels" and "Rock n Roll" are the most juicy bubblegums you'll ever chew. Those songs had unlimited hitpotential and still stand out as the ultimate teen-anthems. The glamrockers at the time, were ready. They dusted-off their make-up bags and just waited on a signal to terror the town. It never came.... I'm still spending a lot of my time trying to find out why PBF didn't became megastars. Why their singles didn't climb to the #1 position on Billboard. Founder, songwriter and guitarist Aeriel Stiles, returned to the band in 1991, after two years of exile. We all know what happened. The polluted air and acid rain from Seattle killed glamrock and PBF broke up in 1993. Case closed?

Wrong, PBF reunited in 1997 with original members Steve Summers (vocals), Kari Kane (drums), Kristy Majors (guitars) and new guitarist Keri Kelli (formerly Big Bang Babies). They released an awesome three song demo and appeared on Delinquent Records' "Pink & Black" glam/goth compilation. Ohh, let's not forget the legal dispute regarding copyright. A snowball that started rolling nine months ago when songwriter Aeriel Stiles declared that PBF had stolen his songs. Despite that conflict, let's not judge PBF by previous mistakes.

"A Tale..." contains five songs, four is written by Keri Kelli and one by Kristy Majors. It would be rather pointless to compare this release to "Leather Boyz..." when they are seperated by almost a decade and thousands of musical trends. Opener "Shut Up" suprised me with it's heavy riffs and gothic background vocals. It reminds me of a harder Gene Loves Jezebell. "Junkie Girl" is glampop brought to perfection by a stickely refrain. "Everybody Needs A Hero" is a re-recording of, Kelli's former band, Big Bang Babies' hit. As Big Bang Babies recorded the song twice during a two-album-long career, PBF's recording seems rather pointless. It is a good song but it doesn't deserve to be recorded three times in six years. "Do you Love Me" is the highlight of the CD. A major song and which may be a forthcoming classic among glamrockers. Closer "Good Girl Gone Bad" is the weakest track. It was also featured on PBF's 1997 demotape. I don't know why PBF recorded this average song when they've got more than twenty unreleased hits on old demotapes to choose from. Maybe they want to start all over and not be dependent on Stiles' notebook? All in all, "A Tale..." is a really good five song EP from the former gods of glam. PBF still rock! I welcome this second CD with open arms. Recommended for fans of glamourous popmetal.

Available at Delinquent Records
Visit The Pretty Boy Floyd Website

Spiders & Snakes     "Nonstop Rock"   single

Spiders & Snakes are one of the most original glamrock acts of today. The Band developed out of Lizzie Grey's (formerly London) soloproject Ultra Pop in the late eighties. After a couple of critically acclaimed CD's that failed to earn major recognition, the new album "London Daze" is supposed to give Spiders and Snakes to the masses. First out is the single "Nonstop Rock". The Band has declared that they will take on a new 80's glam/metal approach in the vein of W.A.S.P. and Motley Crue. Maybe that's why they re-recorded "Nonstop Rock which originally appeared on London's (Grey's former band which also contained Nikki Sixx, Fred Coury, Izzy Stradlin at different occasions) "Non Stop Rock" from 1985. The new path is evident with lines such as "I got your kitty purrin' and my love gun's hot. Won't you give me a kiss and I'll lick the spot". Anyway, "Nonstop Rock" is an entertaining song which will fit nicely in the 80's revival. Turn up the stereo and hit the highway!

The B-side contains a cover of Motley Crue's "Public Enemy #1" which Lizzie Grey wrote with Nikki Sixx. Spiders & Snakes have managed to record an excellent up-tempo version of this classic. It will also appear on a Motley Crue tribute due to a february release.

"Nonstop Rock" certainly made my expectations on "London Daze" rise even more. With a brand new record contract, 1999 may very well be the year of the Spiders & Snakes.

Visit the Spiders & Snakes Website

Velvet Goldmine    movie starring Ewan Mcgregor and Christian Bale

When I first heard that this movie was coming out I thought : "This will either bring about a full-on Glam revival, or bury it for another ten years". Having seen it, I think I overestimated it.

Now we all know that Brian Slade is SUPPOSED to be David Bowie and Curt Wild is SUPPOSED to be Iggy Pop, they're just now allowed to say it. The thing is, when the film opens with the words : "Although this is a work of fiction, it is still meant to be played at maximum volume", the reference is pretty blatant. Having Curt Wild dressed exactly like Iggy during the "Raw Power" days, singing "Gimme Danger", making Brian Slade a star with his album about a visitor from outer space called Maxwell Demon who becomes a rock star, only to be destroyed by his own fame, having Brian Slade producing Curt Wild's latest album only to tear their "friendship" assunder - well, suffice it to say, Bowie still has enough there to file a perfectly acceptable lawsuit, if he wishes to do so.

The flying saucer scenes and the constant referances to Oscar Wilde are a little much, but strangely, they make a fitting tribute to the grandiose nature that IS glam. And certain scenes are classic - particularly the scene of a young boy spreading blood from his lip after getting the shit kicked out of him by his schoolmates to approximate lipstick and the scene where Slade gets served his divorce papers while snorting cocaine off some
nameless groupie's behind.

The thing is they REALLY overdid the homo-eroticism. Now, granted, you can't make a film like this and ignore the fact that Bowie has been linked sexually to just about everyone in the western hemisphere, but the movie seems to be saying : "you can't be Glam without being a major closet-case". Except for one mention that Glam started because people were bored with hippie-ness, that whole aspect is ignored. When it does get brought up, it's almost dismissive.

In other words, not a bad flick, but you can tell that the writer was NOT a Glam fan ever. You might as well get Rush Limbaugh to do a documentary on the Sex Pistols. That being said, once you get passed those few flaws, it's pretty good and well worth the price of admission ; just don't expect to see Pat Boone do an album called "In a Mascara Mood" (and thank GOD for that!)

By Adolf Chri$t, edited by Andreas Persson

More Velvet Goldmine

American Heartbreak      "What You Deserve" CD

American Heartbreak are my new three-minute-heroes. The Band consists of Lance Boone (vocals), Mike Butler (bass), Erik Lannon (drums), Billy Rowe (guitars) and Curtis Grant (guitars). You may remember Rowe from 80's glam/sleaze rockers Jetboy. "What You Deserve" contains seven crotch-huggin ballsbusting glamtastic punkpop songs. Opener "Wishing Well" is a 1:40 minute shock treatment "Methodone Baby" and "Another Wasted Day" are glampunk hits in the fashion of the Wildhearts. Vocalist Boone actually sounds a bit like Ginger addicted to helium. The Rest of the CD rock with a capital R.

This is one of the best debutalbums I've heard in a very long time. Seven stickely streetwise sleazy songs from San Francisco. American Heartbreak should score big with   "What You Deserve". They punch harder than D-generation, Backyard Babies or most of the other glampunks of today. Your heart will be broken... the american way. Visit their website.

Hush      "S/T" or "If You Smile..." CD
Hush have given me back my faith, hope and love in AOR. A genre I said goodbye to in the early nineties. It's back and it's very welcome. Hush hail from Norway and is without doubt the finest AORband that country has ever produced. While fellows Stage Dolls was an excellent band, with Torsten Flaknes voice and soingwriting ability as the main asset, Hush is a more solid unit.

Their debutalbum is full of polished melodic rock of the finest order. "Talk to me", "Babe" and "Keep On Believing" are anthems very similar to Bad English's sound on "Backlash". "Let it Rain" is a classy power ballad (remember those?). "Heaven Ain't" is a pure hit which verse reminds me of The Nelson bros' "After the Rain". It can't get much better than that.

Hush is a one-way flight to AOR heaven. If you're into Giant, Bad English, Unruly Child or Whitesnake this release is a must-have. Maybe heaven ain't that far away after all? Mail Hush

Girl     "Killing Time" CD

What? Please repeat that! A little louder this time? Girl WHO????? Any REAL Glam fan knows who Girl is! The first album "Sheer Greed" is an absolute must have! Ok, fine...Girl was the band formed by Gerry Laffy and Philip Lewis (ex-LA Guns) with guitarist Phil Collen of Def Leppard fame. Girl, along with Hanoi Rocks, set the standard for hard edged Glam Rock in the early '80s. They later splintered when Phil Collen took up with Def Leppard, but left a permanent, but sometimes unacknowledged influence on the upcoming generation of Glam. "Killing Time" is the, up till now, unreleased 3rd album by these trailblazers and it's worth the price, and perhaps even the 15 year wait. There's some killer songs here but some obvious fillers too.

Halfway through the production sounds pretty mediocre (which I can deal with, but not when the opening tracks sound as good as they do) and the cover of the Kinks "You Really Got Me"? Well, let's just say that Phil Collen's Van Halen influence was showing a bit much on that one. Not to worry though! This is a cross between what The New York Dolls would have been with a few more guitar lessons and what Duran Duran would have sounded like with one thousand times more testosterone (or any testosterone to begin with, for that matter!) Buy it, but pick up "Sheer Greed" and "Wasted Youth" first, if you haven't already.

By Adolf Chri$t

Stranded in the Doll's House  A Tribute to J.Thunders & J.Nolan   

Hurtin' Records has managed to compile an impressive roster for this limited edition tributeCD. For those who don't know, Johnny Thunders (guitars and vocals) and Jerry Nolan (drums) were rock īn roll icons, in New York Dolls and The Heartbreakers, who both passed away in the early nineties (R.I.P.). Thunders was one of the most influential guitarist ever and he, if anyone, personified the myths of sex, drugs and rock īn roll.

"Stranded in the Doll's House" contains songs from Backyard Babies, The 69 Eyes & Andy McCoy, Jeff Dahl & The Remains, The Golden Arms, Freddy Lynxx (who runs a Johnny Thunders fanzine) and Hellacopters among others. Add a beautiful lay-out to this line-up and you'll get a perfect tribute.

Sweden's Backyard Babies and Demons, Japan's The Golden Arms and US' Kevin K Band , are the most successful in recreating the music of The New York Dolls. You can't put your arms around a memory but "Stranded in the Doll's House" certainly keeps the spirit alive. Contact: : Hurtin' Records: 1-10-16 Shirasagi Nakano-Ku, Tokyo 165-0035 Japan.

The Golden Arms      "Gimme Some Lips" CD

A Japanese friend of mine introduced me to oriental glamrock a couple of years ago. Bands such as Penicillin, Luna Sea and Media Youth did rock and shock but not with the usual glamrock fashion. The Music was more alternative poppunk than glam and the image was too correct for my taste. The Golden Arms turns this view of Japenese glamrock upside-down.

"Gimme Some Lips" contains 21 (!) streetwise dirty rock īn roll songs. Lead by Hiroshi, I bet these four rag dolls wish they were born twentyfive years earlier. The Golden Arms would fit like a glove in the early seventies. "Gimme Some Lips" is sounding more like New York Dolls then they probably would themselves today (eeehe?). Don't worry though, The Golden Arms are no copycats but real īn roll.

The Golden Arms is a good trip to Babylon tough Tokyo seems to work just as well. "Gimme Some Lips" is co-produced by Jeff Dahl. Fans of old-fashioned glamrock should contact: Hurtin' Records: 1-10-16 Shirasagi Nakano-Ku, Tokyo 165-0035 Japan.

Back to Rockaway Beach 2         Compilation CD

This punkcompilation is like a perfect day on the beach. It's impossible to not smile along with the 28 tracks of Ramonish-punk from different underground bands. Go Dancin' with The Cheeks, buy a ticket to Tokyo from Detox Darlings or rock around the Tombstone with The Monsters - "Back to Rockaway Beach" has got something for every taste as perverted as it may come.

This punkrock party is an international release if I've ever seen one. The Bands hail from U.K., Brazil, U.S.A., Germany, Hungary, Canada, Switzerland, Hungary and Italy. Being from Sweden, admittedly I was kind of proud to find sex swedish bands - Sex Sex Sex, Rodeo Rockets, Destitutes, Peepshows, Shoot Marvin and Plan 9. The Latter performs this compilations best song - "Rockīn Roll Alcohol" . Other highlights are Dawson High, Germ Attack, Cheeks, Punkies and Detox Darlings.

Have you grown tired of "Rocket to Russia" or the "Road to Ruin"? Well, relocate to Rockaway Beach - a perfect introduction to underground punkrock. Mail Detox Darlings to order your own copy.