The Days of Lore

Black Friday: Reading between the lines

Friday, June 19th, 2009 | musiX | 3 Comments

Historically in metal, a band’s image is as (if not more) important as the music itself. From the band’s name, to its garb, right down to the logo. Alice Cooper and KISS were better-known for what they looked like than the music they made (more true with the latter). When metal ruled in the late ’70s and the ’80s, it was all about image … until it regressed to absurdity before finally getting smothered by the always-fashionable flannel shirt.

The Me Decade is when the metal logo was truly birthed—a single, defining brand that could be easily seen and recognized on records, posters and, most importantly, T-shirts. Bands like Motörhead and Judas Priest went with classically ornate logos, while the aforementioned KISS chose a simple, very memorable signature lighting-bolt “SS” (turned into backwards “ZZ” when the band toured Germany). It carried over into the ’80s when it was all about the logo—Metallica, Exodus, Slayer, RATT, Anthrax, Dio, Def Leppard, AC/DC—all of which could be found scrawled on notebooks and in bathroom stalls, or crudely written or carved on school desktops … or so I’ve heard.

The tradition carries on today. In metal if you don’t have a tough/menacing logo, you might as well be playing Showtunes. Especially in black metal. In fact, in the world of black metal a band’s logo might be the first, and sometimes only, identifying element. It doesn’t even have to be legible for chrissakes, as bands are seemingly trying to one-up each other in keeping their names a mystery to the world.

So. For this Black Friday, I’ve scoured the bottomless pit of the Interwebs to find the most unruly, tangled, illegible band logos possible. It is your duty to try to decipher them. I’ll post one new logo per day (not including Saturday and Sunday) through Thursday, June 25. Shoot your answers to me at mark@thedaysoflore.com. The person who guesses the most band names correctly out of five will win a classic metal album of my choosing. Yes, this means all five people who both listen to metal and read TDoL have a chance to win a disc. It will, of course, be an incredible metal masterpiece.

Deadline is midnight (PDT), Thursday, June 25, and the winner will be announced next Black Friday. It will take a keen eye. It might also help in some cases to be fluent in Finnish.

Ridiculously unreadable band logo No. 1: This band comes from—you guessed it—Finland. They enjoy long walks in the snow, and their lyrics are as unintelligible as their logo.

Tags: AC/DC, Alice Cooper, Anthrax, Black Friday, Def Leppard, Exodus, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, KISS, metal band logos, Metallica, Motörhead, RATT, Slayer

Black Friday: A picture is worth a thousand metal lyrics

Friday, March 13th, 2009 | musiX | 3 Comments

Metal can be summed up in one simple sentence: Dungeons and Dragons meets smut mag meets horror flick meets Marvel Comics. Of course, the music touched on most of these manly topics, but it was the album covers that drew pubescent boys into the seedy underbelly of heavy metal. And back when records ruled, you could get lost staring at the cover image.

It’s a topic that’s no doubt been endlessly written about. Since it’s Black Friday here at The Days of Lore as well as Friday the 13th, I’ve decided to make my own list of worthy heavy metal album covers. Click the covers to see a larger image, at your own risk, of course.

Vulgar Display of Power - Pantera (1992) According to metal lore, it took some 30 takes to capture this photo of Pantera vocalist Phil Anselmo socking a fan in the face. The volunteer was apparently paid $10 per punch. Well. One fan’s stupidity led to one of the best metal album covers ever … and a far cry from Pantera’s early years. I’m very happy to say I’ve only been on the receiving end of a Phil Anselmo hug.

Kill ‘Em All - Metallica (1983) The stark and eerie image is still one of my favorites. The cover of Metallica’s debut leaves a lot to the imagination, unlike the original concept for the original title, Metal Up Your Ass, which had this cover. About as subtle as … well, a large dagger up your ass. The idea for the Kill ‘Em All cover came from late bassist Cliff Burton—sort of sums up the fact that when he died, so did a lot of Metallica’s coolness.

Destroyer - KISS (1976) It would be silly not to include a KISS album. The band was ready-made for the visual aspect of metal. The Destroyer cover was painted by fantasy artist Ken Kelly, who studied under another well-known fantasy artist Frank Frazetta. Kelly also did covers for Conan the Barbarian comics as well as album covers for Manowar, Rainbow and later on Coheed and Cambria. He also painted KISS’ Love Gun album cover. Yes, with this cover the members of KISS remain forever young, even as they continue to tour as old farts in makeup and Spandex.

The Number of the Beast - Iron Maiden (1982) I remember seeing a poster of this and staring as long as I could without people thinking I was weird. I was 10. It scared me. And I wanted to own it. Derek Riggs created the famous Eddie mascot, who has appeared in one form or another on every Maiden album. The Number of the Beast was the band’s third album and first with vocalist Bruce Dickinson. The recording process was filled with bizarre occurrences, including a car accident involving producer Martin Birch and a “religious nutter.” Total damage to his car: £666.66.

Anthology - Manowar (1997) Umm … it’s Manowar. My guess is that the members didn’t have a lot of money for clothing at this juncture in their career. No? They were really proud of their workout routines? Wait, I got it. According to Norse mythology, real Vikings used baby oil.

Sabbath Bloody Sabbath - Black Sabbath (1973) This is a bit creepy. Consider it came out in 1973, and it’s fucking frightening. Artist Drew Struzan, a Portland, Ore. native, also did album covers for some other noteworthy satanic musicians including the Beach Boys, Liberace and Glenn Miller. He’s also done hundreds of movie posters, and became a favorite of Spielberg and Lucas as he created the images for E.T., Back to the Future and all of the Star Wars and Indiana Jones films. Wholesome family entertainment, just like Satan and Black Sabbath.

The Wretched Spawn - Cannibal Corpse (2004) I worked at a record store when Cannibal Corpse got its start with savory albums like Tomb of the Mutilated and Eaten Back to Life. I remember thinking they were pretty ridiculous. Well, those crazy kids really outdid themselves with The Wretched Spawn—little demonic things crawling out of other things all in the name of good ol’-fashioned heavy metal shock value. Comic book artist Vince Locke water-colored the cover, and actually had his tattoo-artist bro ink another CC album cover called Butchered at Birth on to his skin. Cannibal Corpse: Bringing families closer.

Lovehunter - Whitesnake (1979) Really? So ridiculous that it’s actually great. So great, in fact, that I’m going to have my non-tattoo artist brother ink this on to my face.

Overkill - Motörhead (1979) Just a classic. Joe Petagno created Snaggletooth B. Motörhead, the fanged menace that appeared on all but two of the band’s 19 albums. Petagno said he researched a number of skull types and ended up with some sort of gorilla-wolf-dog combination with over-sized boar horns. It’s as metal as Lemmy … and Lemmy is pretty fucking metal.

Betty - Helmet (1994) I’ve always loved the contrast between the sludgy riffs contained within and the squeaky-clean cover. It looks like a scene from a Leave It to Beaver episode. The cover was no doubt the ’90s’ answer to the excesses of ’70s and ’80s metal. Yes, it’s unlikely we will ever see another album cover dipicting a naked woman writhing in ecstasy atop a giant demonic serpent again. And that’s just sad.

Tags: Betty, Black Sabbath, Cannibal Corpse, Derek Riggs, Destroyer, Drew Struzan, Helmet, Iron Maiden, Joe Petagno, Ken Kelly, Kill 'Em All, KISS, Manowar, Metallica, Motörhead, Overkill, Pantera, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, The Number of the Beast, The Wretched Spawn, Vince Locke, Vulgar Display of Power

There’s a Supersucker born every day

Tuesday, December 30th, 2008 | interviewZ, musiX, pdX | No Comments

What would you say if I told you that you could spend New Year’s Eve with the greatest rock ‘n’ roll band in the world? You’d probably say, “How? Where? And who do I have to kill to get in?” Or something.

Well, it just so happens that the self-proclaimed “Greatest Rock ‘n’ Roll Band in the World” is playing on New Year’s Eve … in Portland. Oregon, not Maine. The Supersuckers have been playing the same music for 20 years—sort of a dirty, grimy, dingy, filthy, soiled, dusty, foul, raunchy form of rock ‘n’ roll—played at two speeds, like a blender from the ’50s.

Fronting this motley crüe is Eddie Spaghetti, who might have the greatest between-song rock banter in the history of between-song rock banter. I saw them around this time last year, and I recall it being one of the best times I’ve had at a show … OK, maybe the fourth or fifth best. Here’s what you need for maximum live rock enjoyment: earplugs and an open bar tab. That’s it. If you already have plans, might I suggest procuring the following items for your party: A copy of The Evil Powers of Rock ‘n’ Roll, the Supersuckers’ 1997 country gem Must’ve Been High and a handle of Jack. Your friends will love it.

The band just released its latest album Get It Together! in a year that saw AC/DC, Motörhead and that Rose fella put out new records. Maybe rock ‘n’ roll records are selling this year. The Days of Lore talked to Eddie Spaghetti about the state of rock and his feelings on New Year’s resolutions.

TDoL: It’s been a decent year for rock, so to speak, with GN’R, AC/DC and Metallica releasing albums. Ten years ago if someone were to tell you that those bands would all have records out in 2008, what would you have said?
Eddie Spaghetti: I’m not surprised that these bands have albums out in 2008. Rock ‘n’ roll as an art form is getting older, it shouldn’t be that surprising that artists that have been around are still doing it … if they’re alive.

Have you listened to any of those records?
The new AC/DC record is actually really good. And so is the new Motörhead record. These are guys in their 60s, still cranking out good rock ‘n’ roll. As far as GN’R and Metallica are concerned—they should tear a page from the book of AC/DC or Motörhead on how to do a record in their old age.

Any New Year’s resolutions?
New Year’s resolutions? [Laughs] To not let it be five years before our next record comes out.

Why would anybody spend New Year’s Eve with the Supersuckers?
Because they are old. And stupid. They are seeking out something that doesn’t exist, something better than what we are going to offer. It’s amateur night with the crowd but not with us.

“The Evil Powers of Rock ‘n’ Roll” - Supersuckers

“Hungover Together” - Supersuckers (duet with Kelley Deal off Must’ve Been High)

Tags: AC/DC, Eddie Spaghetti, Get It Together, Guns N' Roses, Metallica, Motörhead, Must've Been High, News Year's Eve, Supersuckers, The Evil Powers of Rock 'n' Roll

Black Friday: Lemmy have it

Friday, December 12th, 2008 | fliX, musiX | No Comments

It all started with The Rainmakers and The Motown Sect in the early ’60s. Then The Rockin’ Vickers and Sam Gopal. Following the breadcrumbs? Opal Butterfly, Hawkwind …

Ian “Lemmy” Kilmister has been living the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle for 40 years. With the exception of Hawkwind, the only band that really matters, of course, is Motörhead. In junior high I borrowed a cassette of Orgasmatron from a friend … and I think I literally pooped my pants … I just did it again typing the word “Orgasmatron.” The band’s self-titled 1977 debut and 1980’s Ace of Spades are where it’s at, and it goes without saying that Motörhead has influenced everyone … except God, because, well, you know …

And when I say Lemmy lives the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle, he LIVES it. Rumor has it he’s bedded down some 2,000 women, and I think his idea of a midnight snack is a fifth of Jack and a pack of Marlboros. Well, all of the rumors and stories are going to be exposed in all their gory detail in next year’s Lemmy: The Movie. That’s Lemmy: The Movie. See for yourself. I just want to know how C.C. DeVille got in there.

Trailer for Lemmy: The Movie

Tags: Ace of Spades, C.C. DeVille, Hawkwind, Lemmy, Lemmy: The Movie, Motörhead, Orgasmatron