Album Review – The Dead Daisies – Locked And Loaded: The Covers Album – Spitfire Music / SPV
Artist – The Dead Daisies
Album Title – Locked And Loaded:The Covers Album
Label – Spitfire Music / SPV
Release Date – August 23, 2019
The Dead Daisies –
John Corabi – Lead Vocals
Deen Castronovo – Drums
Doug Aldrich – Guitars
Marco Mendoza – Bass
David Lowy – Guitars
Guest Musicians:
Richard Fortus – Guitars
Dizzy Reed – Keyboards & Piano
Brian Tichy – Drums
Jackie Barnes – Drums*
Jon Stevens – Lead Vocals*
Track Listing:
1.Midnight Moses
[The Sensational Alex Harvey Band]
2. Evil
[Howlin’ Wolf]
3. Fortunate Son
[Creedence Clearwater Revival]
4. Join Together
[The Who]
5. Helter Skelter*
[The Beatles]
6. Bitch
[The Rolling Stones]
7. American Band (Live)
[Grand Funk Railroad]
8. Revolution
[The Beatles]
9. Rockin’ In The Free World (Live)
[Neil Young]
10. Highway Star (Live)
[Deep Purple]
01. “Midnight Moses“ — Originally released by Alex Harvey on “Roman Wall Blues“ (1969), later re-recorded by The Sensational Alex Harvey Band for “Framed“ (1972) — The lead single/video from the 2016 “Make Some Noise” album, “Midnight Moses” was originally written and recorded by The Sensational Alex Harvey Band. The band debuted this song in their live set on their groundbreaking tour of Cuba in February 2015. They dugg it so much they hit the studio to record it in Cuba along with “Evil.”
02. “Evil“ — Originally released by Howlin’ Wolf as a single called “Evil Is Going On“ (1954), re-recorded for the “The Howlin’ Wolf Album“ (1969) — “Evil” is an old Willie Dixon penned tune made famous courtesy of the late Howlin’ Wolf. I am a HUGE fan of Delta, Country & early Chicago Blues so I was eagerly awaiting this tune hitting my ears, it doesn’t disappoint! John really sings the hell outta this tune, no doubt Howlin’ Wolf would be proud of John’s delivery. The groove of this tune is as thick as the air during a Summer in the Delta. “Evil“ was also released on their second album “Revolución“ in 2015.
03. “Fortunate Son“ — Originally released by Creedence Clearwater Revival on “Willy And The Poor Boys“ (1969) — Vocalist John Corabi has recorded at least three 80 minute cd-r’s worth of cover tunes for various projects and tribute albums since his UNION days. Hell, his voice made Jon Bon Jovi listenable and enjoyable for once when he sang the shit out of “Born To Be My Baby” for a Bon Jovi tribute album.
I’ve always thought John would sound awesome covering one of my favorite singer/songwriters, ironically also named John, as in John Fogerty of Creedence Clearwater Revival. My favorite Fogerty song has always been “Fortunate Son” so imagine my elation when I heard The Dead Daisies had covered it for this album and imagine my smile of satisfaction when I heard this version of the song!
The Dead Daisies put their spin on “Fortunate Son“ for “Make Some Noise“ in 2016 and it has remained a staple of their live set.
The Dead Daisies – Fortunate Son
04. “Join Together“ — Originally released by The Who as a single in 1972. — An awesome cover of The Who classic “Join Together”. I am not that big of a fan of The Who. The only album of their vast catalog that I own is the 2004 compilation “The Who:Then & Now:1964-2004” which DOES NOT include “Join Together” so hearing The Dead Daisies version could have been the first time I’ve ever heard the song. I’ve since bought The Who version from Amazon Music. Not surprisingly, I perfer The Dead Daisies version. “Join Together“ was recorded for 2016’s “Make Some Noise.”
05. “Helter Skelter“ — Originally released by The Beatles on “The White Album“ (1968) — “Helter Skelter“ features original The Dead Daisies singer Jon Stevens on vocals and was released on their “Face I Love“ EP in 2014. Why they didn’t include a version of this tune with Corabi on here is beyond me as this just feels out of place jammed in between nine songs sung by Corabi and because I just don’t care for Stevens’ singing!
Corabi>Stevens, IMO!
06. “Bitch“ — Originally released by The Rolling Stones on “Sticky Fingers“ (1971) — From their 2018 “Burn It Down“ album is The Dead Daisies take on an old Stones classic. This just has that classic Corabi swagger all over it!
07. “American Band” (live) — Originally released by Grand Funk Railroad as “We’re An American Band“ on the album of the same name (1973) — Another staple of the bands live set, this version is from their 2017 “Live & Louder“ album. Ironic that Corabi is doing a song that his former UNION bandmate now has the honor of playing at every gig as he’s been a member of GFR for almost 20 years.
08. “Revolution“ — Originally released by The Beatles as the B-side of the single “Hey Jude“ (1968) — John Corabi has sung the praisies of The Fab Four from Liverpool for decades. I first heard his take of this song in 1994 on a bootleg of a show with his old band, Mötley Crüe who performed it acoustically during their ill-fated “Anywhere There’s Electricity” tour.
Doug Aldrich rips a blazing solo on “Revolution“ which was recorded for 2018’s “Burn It Down.”
09. “Rockin’ In The Free World” (live) — Originally released by Neil Young on “Freedom“ (1989) — This was recorded during the “Concert for Freedom“ at the huge Przystanek Woodstock festival in Poland in 2017 when The Dead Daisies rocked for almost half a million people while accompanied by the 60-piece Gorzów Philharmonic Orchestra.
10. “Highway Star” (live) — Originally released by Deep Purple on “Machine Head“ (1972) — The Dead Daisies introduced this Deep Purple classic during their “Live & Louder World Tour“ and recorded it live in Zagreb, the capital and the largest city of Croatia & was previously unreleased. It’s nice to hear a band cover something by Deep Purple that isn’t “Smoke On The Water.”
In conclusion, this album is a nice compilation of cover tunes that have undoubtedly influenced all members of The Dead Daisies, past and present & have been recorded for studio albums & live gigs.
If I were in charge of putting this compilation together, I’d omit the version of “Helter Skelter” with Jon Stevens and replace it with a version sung by Corabi as the one included here just screws up the flow of the album.
Secondly, I would have included a version of the Rod Stewart classic “Maggie May” sung by either drummer extraordinaire and highly underrated vocalist Deen Castronovo or John Corabi. Better yet, record a version of them trading off verses & harmonizing during the choruses.
I really hope that this compilation isn’t John Corabi’s swan song with The Dead Daisies as rumored. I understand the concept of a “collective” but the chemistry between Corabi, Aldrich, Lowy, Mendoza and Castronovo is UNDENIABLE & while the rumored replacement for Corabi is a legend, he is also known for being a band cancer so he’s better off being his own boss of a successful solo career!
If you digg Rock N’ Roll written and performed by master musicians than The Dead Daisies are for you! It’s a fun listen at home or in the car…..CRANK IT!
Buy The Dead Daisies ‘Locked And Loaded:The Covers Album’:
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Category: Reviews
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