It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Beer: The Last Five Beers

Due to totally foreseen circumstances (social events, sloth, returning some videotapes, etc.), I got behind on my beer advent calendar and related postings, but fear not fair reader, I'm caught up now.  Here are the last five beers.

Beer #13 is one of my favorite winter beers:  St. Bernardus's Christmas Ale.  Belgians make fantastic beer.  St. Bernardus is a former Trappist brewery located in Watou, a small town in West Flanders on the French border.  I've enjoyed every one of their beers I've had, and their Christmas Ale is a top notch Belgian strong ale.

Name:  St. Bernardus Christmas Ale

Brewery:  Brouwerij St. Bernardus

Location:  Watou, Belgium

ABV:  9.8%

IBU:  N/A

Good for drinking if:  You're watching your fantasy football season come to a blinding end because the Bills defense can't keep Jamyr Gibbs out of the fucking endzone.

Rating (out of five stars, by quarter star increments):  4.5

Beer #14 was one that I've had before in beer advent calendars:  War on Xmas If You Want It White Peanut Brittle Stout from Illuminated Brew Works.  It's a great white stout that very much tastes like peanut brittle, which combines two things I quite enjoy.

Name:  War on Xmas If You Want It White Peanut Brittle Stout

Brewery:  Illuminated Brew Works

Location:  Chicago, IL

ABV:  11.0%

IBU:  N/A

Good for drinking if:  You want to avoid sledding on a saucer sled primed with an untested nutrient varnish because of the metal plate in your head.

Rating (out of five stars, by quarter star increments):  4.25

Beer #15 was from exurban brewery Obscurity, who puts out an Island of Misfit Beers series each year, based on the characters from the Rankin and Bass 1964 made-for-TV stop animation classic Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.  This one was Hermey, based on the misfit elf/wannabe dentist, and it was a "cherry golden ale."

Name:  Hermey

Brewery:  Obscurity Brewing

Location:  Elburn, IL

ABV:  5.5%

IBU:  N/A

Good for drinking if:  You decide to torture yourself by watching a 2024 Chicago Bears football game.

Rating (out of five stars, by quarter star increments):  4

Beer #16 was another one that has appeared in beer advent calendars of yore:  Hoppy Grinchmas from Riverlands Brewing.  It lived up to its hoppy name, much to my chagrin.

Name:  Hoppy Grinchmas

Brewery:  Riverlands Brewing Company

Location:  St. Charles, IL

ABV:  6.5%

IBU:  70

Good for drinking if:  You ever thought to yourself "man, I wish I had a reddish ale that tasted like a Christmas tree."

Rating (out of five stars, by quarter star increments):  3.25

Beer #17 was back to the good stuff.  Snowbathe is a more traditional winter ale from suburban Pollyanna Brewing.  Brewed with mulling spices, it has a nice winter ale bite to it (but not in a nasty, hoppy way).

Name:  Snowbathe

Brewery:  Pollyanna Brewing Company

Location:  Lemont, IL

ABV:  6.2%

IBU:  30

Good for drinking if:  You could use something with cloves in it to take the edge off after a long winter's working day.

Rating (out of five stars, by quarter star increments):  4

Hair Band Friday - 12/13/24

1.  "Hide Your Heart" by KISS

2.  "Same Ol' Situation" by Mötley Crüe

3.  "Living in Sin" by Bon Jovi

4.  "Back in Your Arms Again" by Femme Fatale

5.  "Bitch is Back" by L.A. Guns

6.  "The Torture Never Stops" by W.A.S.P.

7.  "Speed Demon" by Keel

8.  "Great Guns of Fire" by Black 'N Blue

9.  "When the Smoke is Going Down" by Scorpions

10.  "Tattooed Dancer" by Ozzy Osbourne

It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Beer: Black Horizon Holiday Fist Fight

We're halfway through the beer advent calendar, and Beer #12 was from suburban brewery Black Horizon.  Holiday Fist Fight is a hazy IPA made with orange and cranberry.  The orange really comes through to offset the bitterness of the hops.  Not terrible, but still an IPA, so not my favorite.

Name:  Holiday Fist Fight

Brewery:  Black Horizon Brewing Company

Location:  Willowbrook, IL

ABV:  7%

IBU:  20

Good for drinking if:  You need to drink something bitter to match the not-so-great beginning of your fantasy football playoffs.

Rating (out of five stars, by quarter star increments):  3.5

Retro Video of the Week: "Step Into Christmas" by Elton John

Though Elton John's "Step Into Christmas" was released in 1973 and is, thus, technically outside the temporal parameters of what I would normally for Retro Video of the Week, we only have so many holiday-themed video options.  So deal with it.

"Step Into Christmas" might be my favorite Elton John song.  It's just a catchy, happy Christmas song.  The video features a very brief cameo from John's longtime songwriting partner Bernie Taupin, who is pretending to play the tubular bells in the bridge.  Also notable is that, right after the bridge, John holds up his Watford FC supporter card.  He had been a Watford fan since he was a kid.  Several years later, in 1976, John would purchase Watford and become its chairman, a position he held until 1987 and then again from 1997 to 2002 (he still owns a stake in the club).  During his first regime, the club went from the Fourth Division up to the First Division (then the equivalent of what is now the Premier League).  So that little tidbit is my gift to you this Wednesday.

It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Beer: Rhinegeist Dad

Beer #11 was from Cincinnati's Rhinegeist.  If you get the chance, they have a great brewery and beer hall to visit.  I had the pleasure of attending their first (I think) anniversary party years ago, and it was a '70s theme, complete with a roller rink in the beer hall.  Good times.  Anywho, they only started distributing to Illinois relatively recently.  Today's beer was their "hoppy holiday ale" called Dad.  Anything with the word "hoppy" in it is a red flag for me, but this is a red ale that's just a little hoppy, but not overpoweringly so.

Name:  Dad

Brewery:  Rhinegeist Brewery

Location:  Cincinnati, OH

ABV:  6%

IBU:  45

Good for drinking if:  You're wrapping presents because nobody else in your goddamn house seems to want to do it.

Rating (out of five stars, by quarter star increments):  3.75

It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Beer: Misbeehavin' Meads Cider-Nalia

Beer #10 was another non-beer, and that's okay.  Pouring with a nice crimson hue, Cider-Nalia from Valpo's Misbeehavin' Meads is a tart (but not sour) cider with cranberry, blue agave syrup, and hibiscus.  It has almost a wine-y nose to it, but it's actually pretty sweet, with little effervescence.  And apparently the name is a play on Saturnalia, the ancient Roman holiday that was kind of a precursor to Christmas.

Name:  Cider-Nalia

Brewery:  Misbeehavin' Meads

Location:  Valparaiso, IN

ABV:  6%

IBU:  N/A

Good for drinking if:  You need something sweet and tart to celebrate your 15th anniversary of becoming a parent.

Rating (out of five stars, by quarter star increments):  3.75

It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Beer: The Last Four Beers

As it happens every year, I generally fall behind on the beer posting over the weekend.  But fear not, dear reader!  I have been imbibing.  Here are the last four beers from the ol' beer advent calendar.

Beer #6 was no beer at all, but rather a seltzer or something along those lines.  Eagle Park Brewing in Wisconsin makes a nice little line of malt beverages under the Kooler moniker.  This one was A Very Kooler Christmas, and it featured cranberry, lemon, and lime.  It was quite refreshing, though as with all seltzers, it could have used a vodka floater.

Name:  A Very Kooler Christmas

Brewery:  Eagle Park Brewing Company

Location:  Muskego, WI

ABV:  5%

IBU:  N/A

Good for drinking if:  You need a break from beer while you're watching the last episode of a great limited series about The Troubles.

Rating (out of five stars, by quarter star increments):  4

After a one-day non-beer break, it was back to the good stuff for lucky #7.  This one was from suburban brewers Elmhurst Brewing.  My brother lives not to far from them, so I have been to the brewery multiple times.  They do good stuff, and they have a great beer garden (and pretty good food too).  Red Nosed Reinbeer not only has a good holiday-themed punny name, but it was a nice, malty imperial red ale, with some holiday spice to boot.  And at 8.2% ABV, it packs a nice punch.

Name:  Red Nosed Reinbeer

Brewery:  Elmhurst Brewing Company

Location:  Elmhurst, IL

ABV:  8.2%

IBU:  N/A

Good for drinking if:  You need to prime the pump before heading out to a party where you're going to drink lots of even heavier beers.

Rating (out of five stars, by quarter star increments):  4

Speaking of packing a punch, beer #8 did that and more.  Chicago's Off Color Brewing has a whole line of "Beer for" different occasions, like Beer for Tacos, Beer for Ball Games, Beer for Derbies, Beer for Burgers, and many others.  This one, especially for the holidays, is Beer for Dealing with Your Family, and it's a malt liquor with a hefty 12% ABV.  The booziness definitely hits you up front, but it's got plenty of sugary flavors, like plum and cherry to take the edge off.

Name:  Beer for Dealing with Your Family

Brewery:  Off Color Brewing

Location:  Chicago, IL

ABV:  12%

IBU:  N/A

Good for drinking if:  You need a stiff drink masquerading as a beer.

Rating (out of five stars, by quarter star increments):  4

Beer #9 was the first truly hoppy beer of the beer advent calendar.  As you know, I am not a fan of IPAs or other hoppy beers.  This one was Park Laps, a hazy IPA courtesy of Coloradan brewers Outer Range.  It has a whole bunch of different hop varieties that I've heard of, but that mean nothing to me.

Name:  Park Laps

Brewery:  Outer Range Brewing Company

Location:  Frisco, CO

ABV:  7%

IBU:  N/A

Good for drinking if:  You like hazy IPAs.

Rating (out of five stars, by quarter star increments):  3.5

Hair Band Friday - 12/6/24

1.  "Hello America" by Def Leppard

2.  "Don't Lie to Me" by Dokken

3.  "Barrom Boogie" (live) by Y&T

4.  "Did It for the Money" by Tesla

5.  "Empire" by Queensrÿche

6.  "Rock and Roll Hell" by KISS

7.  "Cold Chills" by Kix

8.  "Tonight (We Need a Lover)" by Mötley Crüe

9.  "Statutory Date" by Twisted Sister

10.  "Happy Trails" by Van Halen

It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Beer: Half Acre Far Star

Beer #5 came courtesy of local Chicago brewing stalwart Half Acre.  Deemed on the can as a "cold weather lager," Far Star is a crisp pale lager with a little bit of a hop bite at the end.  All in all, a decent lager that's definitely crushable.

Name:  Far Star

Brewery:  Half Acre Beer Company

Location:  Chicago, IL

ABV:  5.2%

IBU:  N/A

Good for drinking if:  You're blasting Christmas tunes while decorating your tree with your favorite Melmackian looking on.

Rating (out of five stars, by quarter star increments):  3.75

Retro Video of the Week: "Mary's Boy Child" by Boney M.

Now that we're into December, as usual, the Retro Videos of the Week will be holiday-themed.  I'll bend my rules on the "MTV era" that I usually try to abide by when picking Retro Videos of the Week, since the options aren't quite as bountiful for holiday videos as for your standard music videos.

Anywho, this week's selection comes from West German disco outfit Boney M., who put out a version of Harry Belafonte's "Mary's Boy Child" in 1978 and then did a remix in 1988.  Videos were made for both, but below is the video from 1988.  The original was a big hit, topping the pop charts in the UK, Germany, Sweden, and Switzerland, and reaching the Top 5 on the pop charts in five other countries.

The video is cheese mixed with Jesus, so Cheesus, I guess.  The group is dressed in white, while children reenact the nativity scene, with the frame ensconced in a fuzzy frame to give it a winter's dream-like quality.

It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Beer: Jolly Pumpkin Noel

Beer #4 was from noted sour/dank beer experts Jolly Pumpkin, so I guess I should have known what to expect.  Noel is described on the can as a "wild dark strong holiday ale."  Strong it is, at 9%.  And it's definitely a wild ale, with that sour "wet sock" taste I've grown to know and hate in beer over the last decade, along with a dash of fruitcake.  If sours are your thing, then this beer may be for you.  It's just not for me, even if it is in a totally badass pint glass.

Name:  Noel

Brewery:  Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales

Location:  Dexter, MI

ABV:  9%

IBU:  22

Good for drinking if:  You like the taste of wet stockings.

Rating (out of five stars, by quarter star increments):  3.5

It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Beer: The First Three Beers

It's that time of the year again -- when we can all enjoy dark and malty beers, though I enjoy them all year 'round.  Like last several years, I will once again be engaging in a 24-day weight-gaining enterprise I call It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Beer -- a daily look at a different beers throughout December.  I once again bought bought my beer advent calendar from local beer shop Beer on the Wall.  I'm a little concerned that I haven't seen the Costco German beer advent calendar, which I also usually buy just to have unique German beers throughout the year.  Hopefully it's back next year.  But here's a shot of my lovely calendar.  Disregard the shit all over my floor.

Thanks to other commitments, I haven't had a chance to post yet, but rest assured, I've been practicing my nightly ritual of putting an extra several hundred calories in my belly.

The advent calendar kicked off with a good one from suburban brewers Art History.  Like several other local breweries (Dovetail, Goldfinger, etc.), they specialize in European styles of beer, which is nice for those of us who hate IPAs. Wenceslas is a dark Bohemian style lager, which is essentially a Czech dark lager, but a little heavier on the ABV.  And the name pays homage to the only guy named Wenceslas I've ever heard of -- the namesake of the carol "Good King Wenceslas."  This one had a little hop bite to it, to offset the maltiness, and I used the commemorative Beer On the Wall glass that came with the calendar.

Name:  Wenceslas

Brewery:  Art History Brewing

Location:  Geneva, IL

ABV:  6.4%

IBU:  28

Good for drinking if:  You're watching two teams play football in the snow.

Rating (out of five stars, by quarter star increments):  4

The next one was a fruited sour ale with cranberry, blackberry, and red raspberry from Brothership Brewing in suburban Mokena.  I'm not a huge fan of sours, but this one was pretty good.  I'd describe it as having a pie-forward nose, and it tasted like a tart.

Name:  Plasma Wave Holiday Bramble

Brewery:  Brothership Brewing

Location:  Mokena, IL

ABV:  6%

IBU:  N/A

Good for drinking if:  Instead of having Thanksgiving dessert leftovers, you want to drink your dessert.

Rating (out of five stars, by quarter star increments):  3.75

And Beer #3 was another good one, though this one was not local.  Rather, it was from 903 Brewers in Sherman, Texas, which is about an hour north of Dallas, not too far from the Oklahoma border.  Despite its Texan roots -- or should I say brewts? -- 903's Polka King of the Midwest is an ale with plenty of cinnamon and spice, a worthy tribute to John Candy's character Gus Polinski in Home Alone.  While pleasantly spiced, it's not has heavy as some of your classic winter ales, which gives it a nice drinkability.

Name:  Polka King of the Midwest

Brewery:  903 Brewers

Location:  Sherman, TX

ABV:  5.8%

IBU:  N/A

Good for drinking if:  You're blogging while listening to the Kenosha Kickers instead of putting the lights on your Christmas tree.

Rating (out of five stars, by quarter star increments):  4

Hair Band Friday - 11/22/24

1.  "Long Way to Love" by Britny Fox

2.  "Gypsy (Black-N-Blue Valentine)" by Dangerous Toys

3.  "All She Wrote" by FireHouse

4.  "Alive and Kickin'" by Mr. Big

5.  "For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)" by AC/DC

6.  "Back to the Rocking Horse" by Poison

7.  "Dirty Lil Secret" by Queensrÿche

8.  "I'm Eighteen" by Hurricane

9.  "Lyin' Eyes" by Europe

10.  "Rock of Ages" by Def Leppard

Retro Video of the Week: "Blue (Da Ba Dee)" by Eiffel 65

Friday will mark the 25th anniversary of the release of Italian dance group Eiffel 65's debut album, Europop.  The album was an international hit, reaching #4 on the Billboard album chart here in the U.S., as well as the Top 10 on the album charts in seven other countries.  It even went double platinum in the U.S.

If you know any Eiffel 65 song, it's likely the annoyingly catchy dance hit "Blue (Da Ba Dee)."  Calling it a hit might be an understatement.  The song was nothing short of an international sensation, hitting #1 on 21 international singles charts, as well as #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the Top 5 on an additional five international singles charts.

The video features blue computer-generated aliens abducting Eiffel 65 singer Jeffrey Jay.  But then he performs the song in concert for them, and all is well.  I will say that for many years I thought he was singing "I'm blue / If I was green, I would die."  You know, because fuck green.  Turns out it's just gibberish:  "I'm blue /da ba dee da ba die."

Hair Band Friday - 11/15/24

1.  "I Wanna Be Somebody" by W.A.S.P.

2.  "Spellbound" by AC/DC

3.  "Cover Queen" by Tesla

4.  "Longroad" by Britny Fox

5.  "Strange Things" by Black 'N Blue

6.  "Big Trouble (En Busca de Pleito)" by David Lee Roth

7.  "Hot Rockin'" by Judas Priest

8.  "No Bone Movies" by Ozzy Osbourne

9.  "Kamikaze" by Vandenberg

10.  "Let Freedom Rock/Star-Spangled Banner" by Vinnie Vincent Invasion

Retro Video of the Week: "Fresh" by Kool & The Gang

Friday will mark the 40th anniversary of the release of funk/soul/R&B stalwarts Kool & The Gang's sixteenth studio album, Emergency.

After having success in the mid '70s, Kool & The Gang went through a little bit of a dry spell in the late '70s, before coming back with a vengeance from 1979 to 1987, when the band had 16 Top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including 10 songs that reached the Top 10 and one #1 (1980's now-ubiquitous "Celebration").  Emergency ended up being the band's best-selling album, going double platinum in the U.S.  It reached #13 on the Billboard album chart

All four singles from the album reached the Top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100, with three going Top 10:  "Cherish" (#2), "Fresh" (#9), "Misled" (#10), and the title track (#18).  I decided to go with "Fresh" because it's a funky, catchy mid-'80s danceable R&B song.  In addition to cracking the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, the song also went to #1 on the Billboard R&B singles chart and the Billboard Dance singles chart (and #11 on the UK pop chart, as well as Top 10 in Belgium and Canada).

The video is a "what the future looked like to people in the '80s" video, and it features a Cinderella storyline.  I don't want to spoil the ending, so I'll let you see for yourself how things turn out.  Also note the headless guitar that one of the band members is playing.  It doesn't get more '80s than that, save for a keytar.

Hair Band Friday - 11/8/24

1.  "Photograph" by Def Leppard

2.  "Evil Eyes" by Dio

3.  "Shake Up" by King Kobra

4.  "Silent Lucidity" by Queensrÿche

5.  "Fly to the Angels" by Slaughter

6.  "C.O.D." by AC/DC

7.  "Nona" (instrumental) by Mötley Crüe

8.  "Owed to Joe" by BulletBoys

9.  "When I Look Into Your Eyes" by FireHouse

10.  "Naughty Naughty" by Danger Danger

Tuesday Top Ten: Halloween Costumes (2024 Edition)

Now that Halloween has passed and we're now dealing with the terrifying anxiety of Election Night, it's time for my annual homage to the best Halloween costumes I saw this year.

On Halloween proper, we had relatively decent weather -- 50s and not raining.  Compared to snow last year, I'll take that any year we can get it.  The only downside is that we were way low on trick-or-treaters, and I have no reason to believe it had anything to do with my costume.

But the Saturday before that, we had our annual Halloween party.  This year's theme was our great city:  Chicago.  Attendees were encouraged to wear costumes that had anything to do with Chicago, be it landmarks, TV characters, movie characters, musicians, historic events, and the like.  And I'll tell you, people killed it.

I didn't get pictures of everyone, so pardon me if I missed something, but here are is what we had (and, as usual, I'm not limiting this to ten, nor am I ranking anything):

Roxy Hart from the movie Chicago, as well as a gangster and flapper

Chicago Bears mascot Staley and Walter Payton

The beloved Tamale Guy and a Tamale Girl. And staying true to their costume, they actually brought a cooler full of tamales!

Local roller derby stalwarts the Windy City Rollers

Billy Goat Tavern workers, as made famous in the iconic '70s SNL sketch

The Chicago Fire, Mrs. O'Leary's cow, and Mr. O'Leary

Chicago's long list of criminally indicted/imprisoned elected officials and a bag of Garrett's Popcorn

Dibs. For those of you unfamiliar with what that means, in the winter, people in our fair city shovel out street parking spaces for their cars.  When they leave for work or to go to the store or dispensary, they often put chairs, cones, or other things down in the parking spot to call "dibs." The implication is that if you park in someone else's shoveled-out spot, your car will be vandalized.  Not pictured: the sign on the back of his chair that said "I will key your car."

Dave Matthews Band shit victim. As you may be aware, in 2004, the Dave Matthews Band tour bus was driving through the Loop, across a bridge over the Chicago River.  It was at that moment that the bus driver decided to unload the tour bus's commode reservoir.  On a passing architectural river tour boat full of tourists.  Yet another reason to hate DMB.

The Wet Bandits and Marley.  Not pictured: the Wet Bandits' other son who went as Kevin and looked exactly like him.

Peg Bundy and The Walking Man.  You all know who Peg Bundy is, but The Walking Man was a homeless man who was a staple in the Loop for years -- always walking, and nearly always wearing a sport coat or suit.

Peter Ceteradactyl. Yes, I know last year's Halloween party was puns and word play, but puns and word play are always welcome when it comes to Halloween costumes.  What I was shocked to find out was how few people know who Peter Cetera is or that he was (a) from Chicago and (b) the co-founder and longtime bassist and vocalist for the band Chicago.  But as I learned at another Chicago institution, Second City, never write down to your audience.

The Rat Hole.  For years, there was a rat-shaped hole on a sidewalk in the Roscoe Village neighborhood, but last year, Instagrammers discovered it, and suddenly it became a local tourist destination.  People would take photos, leave money, and I think some idiots actually got married at The Rat Hole.

Bill Swersky and Steve Bartman. I didn't get any individual or smaller group shots of these guys, but you can see Bill Swersky (of SNL Superfans sketch fame) on the right behind Peg Bundy, and you can see Steve Bartman right above Peter Ceteradactyl.

Hair Band Friday - 11/1/24

1.  "Here I Go Again" by Whitesnake

2.  "Ashes to Ashes" by Vinnie Vincent Invasion

3.  "Tormentor" by W.A.S.P.

4.  "Rockin' On Heaven's Door" by Black 'N Blue

5.  "The Needle Lies" by Queensrÿche

6.  "Bed of Nails" by Alice Cooper

7.  "Hold On" by Slaughter

8.  "Here I Am" by Skid Row

9.  "Electric Gypsy" by L.A. Guns

10.  "Night People" by Dio

Rocktober First Tracks Song #14: "Relentless" by Pentagram

Well folks, we've reached the end of another Rocktober.  Make sure to tune in tomorrow for Phởvember, a daily look at the best versions of Vietnam's most popular noodle soup. Yeah yeah, I know it's pronounced "fuh."  For Christ's sake, let me have this one.

But before then, we have one last dark song in this Rocktober's look at first tracks off of debut albums, courtesy of doom metal pioneers Pentagram.  Despite the fact that they have formed in the early '70s and made music during that decade, they didn't release their first album until 1985.  On a side note, the compilation of their early music, First Daze Here, is phenomenal.  Also, I highly recommend the 2011 documentary about the band and lead singer Bobby Liebling, Last Days Here.

Their self-released, self-titled debut album (which was retitled Relentless when it was reissued on CD by Peaceville Records in 1993) is a masterpiece in doom metal, with plodding, down-tuned, fuzzed-out guitars, dark lyrics, and a generally brooding attitude.  Lead singer Bobby Liebling's voice is a perfect combination of rock and creepy.  I have no idea how I heard about Pentagram, but I've had their first album for a while now.  It's a damn good metal album –- the kind of music you'd expect to hear in a room with only black walls.  If you want some good music to play while you're handing out candy on Halloween, definitely check the album out –- assuming, of course, you're like me and you want to keep the neighborhood children and parents guessing about whether you drink goat's blood on a regular basis.

"Relentless" is the first track off of the album.  It starts off with a gut-punch riff, and the energy never fades.  Behind a backdrop of fuzzy guitars, the lyrics tell a "sinister tale[]" from the point of view of what one can only assume is the devil himself. 

Rocktober First Tracks Song #13: "Dead & Bloated" by Stone Temple Pilots

Our penultimate song in this year's Rocktober look at first tracks from debut albums comes from one of my favorite albums from the '90s, Stone Temple Pilots' 1992 debut album Core.

It was one of the first CDs I ever owned, after my begrudging, but overdue, transition from cassette tapes.  From top to bottom, it's a great album, featuring some of the band's signature songs, like "Core" (my favorite song from the '90s), "Wicked Garden," "Creep," and "Sex Type Thing."  

But the very first song on the album fits with the macabre theme of Halloween week Rocktober songs.  "Dead & Bloated" has one of the most memorable opening lines to a debut album, or maybe any album, for that matter.  Singing a cappella through some mic that makes it sounds like an old timey radio show, Scott Weiland belts out "I am smelling like the rose that somebody gave me on my birthday deathbed / I am smelling like a rose that somebody gave me 'cause I'm dead and bloated," with the drums kicking in on "bloated."  32 years later, I'm still not sure what it means, and having read some more about the song, I don't feel bad about that.  Weiland said the lyrics to the song don't really mean anything in particular, but were more of a stream of consciousness stringing together of words.  Very James Joyce. But behind the strange and apparently meaningless lyrics is a plodding, brooding grunge song that immediately transports me back to my freshman year of high school, for better or worse.

Rocktober First Tracks Song #12: "Prowler" by Iron Maiden

Last week, original Iron Maiden lead singer Paul Di'Anno passed away at the age of 66.  His health had declined over the last several years, and we was confined to performing a wheelchair.  But a mere four and a half decades ago, he fronted what would become one of the most influential bands in metal history -- well, until they decided to go with someone else after two albums.

Iron Maiden released their eponymous debut album in April of 1980.  By all accounts, it was a pretty big success, reaching #4 on the UK album charts, eventually going platinum in the UK.  It was ranked #13 on Rolling Stone's 2017 list of the 100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time.  Di'Anno's raspy vocals, combined with the twin guitar attack of Dave Murray and Dennis Stratton (who would leave the band six months after the release of the album), the phenomenal bass playing of Steve Harris (also the band's main songwriter), and the pounding drums of Clive Burr, provided the world with the beginning of a new genre, one that combined the speed and energy of punk with the technical proficiency of metal:  the New Wave of British Heavy Metal.  And, of course, the album's cover would also introduce the world to heavy metal's most enduring mascot, Eddie.

The first track on Iron Maiden (the album) is "Prowler."  This is a perfect introduction to Iron Maiden (the band).  A little rat-at-tat guitar starts the song off, just before that snarling riff kicks in, giving us a frenetic song about some creep who walks around stalking women.  There's some wicked guitar solos and the great bass lines and fills that we would come to know and love from Harris.  Di'Anno would sing on the band's next album, the masterpiece Killers, before the band kicked him out (thanks in large part to his excessive drug use) and replaced him with Samson lead singer Bruce Dickinson, who took the band into the metal stratosphere, where they remain today.

Rocktober First Tracks Song #11: "Runnin' With the Devil" by Van Halen

Many apologies for the hiatus.  I unexpectedly had to go out of town to deal with a family medical issue for nearly a week, and then was catching up on work and other stuff last week.  But rest assured, Rocktober is still in full effect.

We've reached Halloweek, which means all the songs from here on out will have some sort of dark, macabre, Halloween, or devilish theme.  Today's first track from a debut album is "Runnin' With the Devil," from Van Halen's magnificent self-titled 1978 debut album.

The song starts with a chorus of horns, and until today, I didn't realize how that sound had been achieved.  The horns were car horns from the band members' cars, mounted in a box and controlled with a foot switch.  The album's producer, Ted Templeman, then slowed the horns down, giving them that air raid siren effect.  Then Michael Anthony's pounding bass comes in for a few beats before Eddie and Alex drop in with the riff and the drum beat.  And then Diamond Dave brings us home, announcing to the world the arrival of the next great American rock band with his signature howl.

Though it only reached #84 on the Billboard Hot 100, the song has become a classic.  Among other accolades has been ranked #9 on VH1's list of the Greatest Hard Rock Songs of All-Time and #68 on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Songs of All Time.

Hair Band Friday - 10/25/24

1.  "Fatal Passion" by Lita Ford

2.  "'Til My Heart Beats Down Your Door" by Europe

3.  "Hina" by David Lee Roth

4.  "Little Dove" by Faster Pussycat

5.  "Chainsaw Charlie (Murders in the New Morgue)" by W.A.S.P.

6.  "Red, White & Blue" by Judas Priest

7.  "Operation: Mindcrime" by Queensrÿche

8.  "Toke About It" by Tesla

9.  "King of the Fools" by Twisted Sister

10.  "Naughty Naughty" by Vinnie Vincent Invasion