Hard Rock

Recorded at the Hard Rock Casino in Northfield, Ohio, ‘Hard Rock Live Cleveland 2014’ offers a comprehensive and exciting look at the Blue Öyster Cult repertoire. Containing almost two hours of music, the band is on fire, performing some of the finest and most beloved songs from their extensive catalogue, while not forgetting some deeper cuts that will make long term fans of the band very happy…

Rhino chips away at more rock nostalgia of the surface variety. This time out, both the '70s and '80 are pilfered for chart-toppers by Foreigner, Foghat, the Romantics, Bad Company, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and the Knack. Thankfully, despite the agitprop cover art, one is spared any overriding theme here, save for a virtual romp through an '80s mods (read: new wavers) and rockers party. And there's even a bit of hip-hop by Tone-Loc, and some proto-lounge swing from Buster Poindexter to bolster the mix. But, the bulk here will be best enjoyed by muscle-car driving heshers who don't mind hearing their favorite Frampton or Joe Walsh cut yet one more time.

Although vintage British psychedelia is viewed by many these days as an Alice In Wonderland-style enchanted garden full of beatific flower children innocently gathering flowers or chasing butterflies, there was always a more visceral element to the scene. Pointedly free of such fripperies as scarlet tunic-wearing gnomes, phenomenal cats and talismanic bicycles, the power trio format that was popularised by the likes of Cream and the Jimi Hendrix Experience spawned a host of imitators. As the Sixties drew to a close and pop evolved slowly but inexorably into rock, psychedelia gave way to a sound that was harder, leaner, heavier, louder.

Forgotten, obscure, but most amazing and unusual act from the 70s - the band was formed in 1970 in Lansing, Michigan, by former gospel tenor Leon Morton and his gospel-mate Walter Ballard. Within it's short (18 months or so) career the band successfully tried to become the loudest and the hardest acid rock band - but without acid. Today they would've been called Christian rock. Back then, it was an act of short-lived Jesus Rock Movement - the musicians tried to preach ("Let Jesus bring you back", "Life everlasting"…) through acid-rock sound. Even the name of the band had Biblical reference. However, fronted by vocalists Sharon Keel and Ken Fitch, and supported by drummer Eddie Johnson (with Juliard background) the group achieved impressive results. In 1971 Monument Studios in Nashville (not the best place to play acid-rock) recorder this classic album.