Published on Apr 14, 2000
Some people might wonder what relevancy Twisted Sister has in
this day and age. They had their moment of glory in the mid-80s
with hits like “We’re Not Gonna Take It” and “I Wanna Rock” before
fading out into the sunset. With the exception of the
Strangeland soundtrack, Dee Snider and crew haven’t
apparently done like many other bands and get back together to ride
the coattails of the resurgence of metal’s popularity. If anything,
they’ve stayed in the news thanks to their request to not have “I
Wanna Rock” played as the theme music for Atlanta Braves
reliever/resident asshole John Rocker. (Yeah, I bet I get a few
letters for
that one.)
Are Twisted Sister still relevant in 2000? Actually, it’s too
early to tell that – but if the recent release
Club Daze Volume I: The Studio Sessions is any indication,
they’re still kinda fun to listen to. And in the end, I think that
Snider and crew would be pleased with that view.
This disc collects some of the earliest (and often
never-before-released) moments of the band circa 1978 through 1981.
Of these, the only song that’s seen major release was “I’ll Never
Grow Up Now” (on the American release of
Under The Blade). But if you pick this disc up thinking
you’re going to hear the early renditions of songs like “We’re Not
Gonna Take It,” you’re going to be sorely disappointed. Clear your
mind, Grasshopper, and let’s approach this one like a blank piece
of paper.
For starters, Twisted Sister didn’t begin their lives as a metal
act; if anything, they combined their love for glam rock a la New
York Dolls with a passion for blues-boogie like AC/DC. Once you
know that piece of history, you can more easily understand where
the genesis of tracks like “Rock N Roll Saviors,” “Pay The Price”
and “High Steppin'” come from. And, looking back some 22 years
after these were recorded, they really were pretty good.
All apologies, though, to guitarist Jay Jay French, who I
believe is handling the vocals on the tracks “T.V. Wife” and “Can’t
Stand Still”. He holds his own as a singer, but it’s very hard to
picture Twisted Sister without Snider on the microphone. (Snider
was not the original lead singer for Twisted Sister.) And I do have
to admit, there were times that I missed hearing a fully-developed
vocal sneer when Snider was singing. Tracks like “Big Gun” and “Pay
The Price,” while very enjoyable, almost feel like they’re
incomplete.
By the time Twisted Sister recorded songs like “Under The Blade”
and “Shoot ‘Em Down” (two songs that would be re-recorded for their
debut LP
Under The Blade), their musical focus was shifting from the
glam/boogie mixture to a more metal-oriented theme. It’s kind of
nice to hear these songs again, even though I’ll admit I was never
the biggest fan of
Under The Blade. Maybe it’s that years of experience allow
me to hear these tracks without expectations.
Club Daze Volume I: The Studio Sessions is an enjoyable look
back at the earliest days of one of metal’s most recognizable acts,
even if they couldn’t get arrested in those days. If you know more
of the band than the songs that get played on the radio, then these
tracks should seem like they were natural progressions for the band
– which they are indeed. For everyone else, give this disc a
fighting chance – odds are you’re going to love it.