sfmetalscene

Happy New Year

2009-12-31T00:08:00.000-08:00

We have some really great shows coming up boys and girls...... Slayer, Megadeth and Testament at the Cow Palace ... can you say 1991!!! I am reliving it very soon .

Check out the little visit with the old men of rock last month in the mean time.......

Ever Wonder..........

2009-09-10T11:39:00.001-07:00

Just a funny bit of trivia here boys and girls....

Ever wonder what the Filet O Fish sandwich is made of....... ?

MEET YOUR NEXT MEAL....

This is the Hoki.... a scary looking bug eyed specimen from New Zealand ... UGLY !

....takes another drink or two ...... things look better when she's thru.......

2009-08-31T22:52:00.000-07:00

Judas Priest 2009 ....... as heavy at 1989.... and as classic as 1980

2009-08-31T22:12:00.000-07:00

It has been a long time coming as I have thought over and over about just how amazing... yes amazing I thought Judas Priest sounded on this tour as I was lucky enough to have seem them twice, once in Concord and once in Paso Robles, CA.

The Concord show was tighter and Rob sounded better but no to take anything away from the Paso show as it was fantastic.

I have seen JP at least ten times with Rob and twice with Ripper. Ripper was a great way to carry the flag forward but as soon as the news went out that Halford was returning, it was an excitement that I felt which I can only compare to what I felt my first time seeing them at the Cow Palace back in the '80's. I just love the man's ability to sing like no other and if I had to choose between Dickenson and Halford I would choose Halford ..... hands down... every time..... but I digress ......

In 2005 I saw the return of Halford in Texas (Umlaut in attendance that night as well) as I was not able to catch the OzzFest show in Cali with Priest. I knew this was one show I HAD TO SEE and waiting for the next tour just would not do. I went, I rocked, I sang, I loved it, but Rob did seem a bit slower than before and while still able to hit those notes, he had to hunch over and sometimes seemed to strain to nail them. I guess we all get older. They still killed it, and then on the Angel tour again they ripped.......

We get to this tour..... all I can say is Rob seems to have gone back in time, nice going as this was the celebration of their 1980 classic, but seriously, his chops have seemed to have gotten stronger than ever, he is actually heavier than the 80's but ...... you tell me if I am insane...... I may just still be in my state of euphoria, the one that I get in every time I see the masters of metal live..... I only hope I can see them again soon..... I may just have to travel a bit more to catch some more shows ... 2 just wasn't enough.....

Enjoy a clip of Rapid Fire... from Paso Robles

The real side of human evil

2009-05-05T23:45:00.001-07:00

The tour of the old hotspots of thrash

2009-05-05T23:24:00.000-07:00

Calling all Cars ......... we need to get some of the old crew back together to do a tour of the old haunts.

I am a fan of the then and now pics and what better to use as a subject than the places we frequented back in the '80s when thrash was just beginning ......

Let's build this list people

Omni

Stone

Ruthies Inn

Keystone

Keystone Palo Alto

Berkley Square

Mabuhay Gardens

Rock on Broadway............................what am I forgetting people? TELL ME

I am going to hunt the place down and photo it now and compare to what it was when we loved it.

Maybe one of these can be resurrected into a modern thrash club that becomes nationwide famous.

Photos Coming soon..... WHO WILL BE THE FIRST to help me.... tell me..... 408-242-0063

LETS DO THE NEXT BIG THING AND PHOTOGRAPH THE BEGINNING OF IT !!!!!

A Night of ANVIL and friends

2009-05-04T01:58:00.000-07:00

There has to be one of those nights that comes along every once in a while that far surpass any expectations that one may have of what may be about to happen....... this was one of those nights.

LAST WEEK:

I saw the Anvil movie last week at a 3pm showing on a Sunday and it was filled with about 20 folks who came to see what the buzz was all about and maybe 5 of us who were there because we remembered the story of Anvil from back in the days of the Record Vault and Metal on Metal.....

At the end of this fantastic screening the lady who ran the movie walked out to tell us that Anvil would be playing here next week, at which point I SCREECHED and jumped up and down at the idea of seeing the band here at the Bridge movie house. You see I missed the show at SLIMS which Umlaut said was pretty damn cool.

I booked my iCal to make sure I had that next Sunday all planned and ready to roll.

Tonight .......ONE WEEK LATER:

I reached out to Umlaut looking for a report at 6:15pm on the status of the line and ticket situation and he told me the 7:10 show was sold out. DAMMIT !

He then recommended I look online which I did right away and found a ticket to the 9:45 pm show. Anvil would play after each showing of the film. I rushed down to the Bridge and got there at 9pm. I ran into John Jeremy and we got our ticket and then I saw Umlaut who proceeded to tell me that the show was cut short by a broken string.

It was however amazing and that ........I HAD TO SIT UP CLOSE.

So I walked in and went up to reserve a seat in the second row and dropped my sweatshirt over the chair so no-one would take it .

I strolled over to get a coke and there was Robb Reiner who I had to say hello to and tell him how great the film was and how proud I was of the band and all they did. He was very genuine and thanked me, asked me to tell my friends then I followed it up with a purchase of a cd and my first Anvil shirt ! Righteous !!!

Back I go in to sit down for my second showing of the film which is showing at Cannes as well with the full Anvil Experience! The show began and due to the fact the drums were on the stage they did block a little of the bottom of the screen but that was little to sacrifice after a high five from LIPPS as he headed down the aisle.

ROCK AND ROLL POPPIE

Film Begins ............................The story goes 1984 Japan and all the bands they influenced to the current day where our heros are living typical lives as delivery men helping children, doing good and at the same time they are doing the one thing they know how to do really well.They

play music and have been for years now. Lipps and Rob and now Glenn are tearing it up locally in Canada when they get the email of a tour for them that has so much potential but as you see it unravel it is a disaster unfolding..... missed trains , unpaid gigs, a bad manager who has her heart in the right place but he head up her ass. The other weakness is the guitarist who is her boyfriend. You have Lipps, Robb and Glenn against the world ... It should be fun .... not now but it will be soon..... tour ends... back to work.... we have this great material.... we send it to the man from the past and he says that it can all work if they want to do it.

EXCITEMENT ... YES...... GOOOOO

It will cost thousands to do it, Lipps's sister financially backs the project and we are on!!!!

A few fights and few jokes and weeks in this lovely location bring everyone closer and closer ... hugs ... hugs.....

NOW WE HAVE THIRTEEN and we are going to send this out ourselves, they send to Japan and this gets a Japanese invite to a festival that will be huge .... Anvil to play it. YAY

Anvil to Japan ... deja-vou indeed and we just hope they have at least 500 people in a stadium that can hold 200000.

I see 10000 fans screaming for ANVIL... it is Brilliant ... WE LOVE THE FILM

What is this? The scream of a guitar !! Here come Lipps and Rob and Glenn playing for us at The Bridge.

Set List

This Is Thirteen

666

White Rhino (drum solo) dedicated to their favorite weed

Winged Assasin

Metal on Metal

Mothra ( with nice story telling from Lipps)

They Tore it up !!! I love these guys

For the end of the night I ended up being in the lobby of the theater chatting at first with Lipps. I asked him about the filming process of the movie which he starts to explain the director blew him away by approaching him after learning more about the bands unsung releases and telling him he wanted to do a movie about Anvil....but we we interupted by a reality tv show that was trying to interview the Lipps man at the time we were in deep chat, but we allowed the interruption. After a question via a microphone the camera turned to me and asked "what do you think Timi" I turned right the camera and said that these guys are legends and have everything coming to them. I said I was so very very proud of them and was so happy to see them getting what the deserve. Lipps was obviously touched as he reached out and bear hugged me saying how much he love me too... it was a great moment caught in tape and you had to be there to feel the power.

The chat with Rob and Glenn was grand and fulfilling as we discussed how I got it on how they should be a threesome and don't need a fourth..... WOW what a night of memories.

Thanks to all the old skool team there to make it special!!!!

Make sure you support these guys and go see them as the hit your area ........ Rock and Roll

I blasted 13 on the way to work with the top down...... KILLER

A Long Time Ago

2009-01-19T17:24:00.000-08:00

SO it has been a bit since my last post, I will blame work for that but I am back now and fresh off the heels of CES in Las Vegas where the hit of the show was a super slim 2/3 inch thick LED TV by Samsung but enough geeky stuff let's take a look at something really unique. Back in 1993 I shot a photo of the then Revenge lineup of KISS and by accident used an already used roll of film.

Irony #1 - It was used a few weeks before to shoot the Peter Criss show in Sacramento

Irony #2 - Peter's face superimposed over Eric Singer's face almost in a ghost like format.

THIS IS NOT PHOTOSHOPPED ! THIS WAS TAKEN BY ACCIDENT WHEN I USED THE SAME ROLL OF FILM TWICE.....

This was 3 years before the reunion ..... enjoy....

The Testament Love Doll

2008-12-06T17:29:00.001-08:00

Here is the footage of Testament bringing the blow up love doll on stage for Motorhead's set.....

again, you gotta love the bay area thrashers.

A Horse, Motorhead, A Blow Up Doll and Testament

2008-12-06T10:38:00.000-08:00

You know you witness something really rare when you can say that you saw Phil Campbellin a blue wig riding a horse with Lemmy sweeping up after it and it all happened at a Testament show at the Shoreline Amphitheater.

It was the final day of the MASTERS OF METAL TOUR with Testament, Motorhead, Heaven and Hell and Judas Priest. Being Testament's home turf it was that much more special but while walking past production earlier that day I notices a horse trailer and a pile of horse dung being tended to by some roadies..... ODD. I moved on.

As Testament went on I took to my place that was dead center 10th row, thank you Mr Travis, and watched as Chuck, Alex, Eric, Greg and Paul took the stage tearing thru classics and some really strong tracks from the new cd. It is so great that we have local boys who have stayed true to their style and love of thrash. I

So....as you see and hear in the video, Chuck announces that it is the final day of the tour just as the boys of Motorhead come out in a rare segment dressed up in garb reminding me of the antics of old.

Mickey Dee all dressed up in Ace of Spades gear, Phil riding on a horse wearing his favorite blue wig and Lemms sweeping up after the horse. Don't let it be said ever that Motorhead don't have a sense of humor. God love these guys. I love Lemmy waving to the crowd as he sweeps up the final bit of horse trailings .........

NOT TO BE SHOWN UP .... however I think the horse won, the boys in Testament had something up their own sleeves. A few drinks and a bunch of lung power later they were garnishing the Motorhead stage with their own props of fake poontang and plastic....

Masters of Metal Shoreline

2008-11-22T16:52:00.001-08:00

Just a few pic from the last day of the tour ..... more to come

Testament, Motorhead, Heaven and Hell and Judas Priest

A few more photos from now a dayzzz....

2008-11-22T16:28:00.000-08:00

It had been quite some time since we had a good old fashioned reunion of friends and it all started at the KUSF Rock and Swap one Sunday afternoon. Sven of SF Mercenary fame and long time friend came along as I had a funny feeling we may run into Zary Smith who owned my home away from home in the '80s and place I grew up, the world famous Record Vault.

Anyway we got to USF and found some pretty damn cool and rare boots and dvds...... i picked up a copy of Van Halen live in Largo in 1982.... pro shot and well edited.... I am drifting, anyway we are at the back of the room and who do we indeed run into but good old Z and his girlfriend Karen.

It was even more of a flashback when KB comes walking up to us with a typical and oh so familiar..... "sup buddy...." a phrase he used all the time back in the day and still does to this day I find out. I haven't seen Zary for at least 6 years and KB..... I saw him last in 1989.

Continuing with the irony, we find out that Brocus Helm, with Jim Schumacher bass player and Record Vault Saturday register man, are playing the Parkside the next night. With a little effort the plan is set. Zary and Karen will bring Greg to the show where Sven and I will meet up and toast to the old days. It has been a long time since Zary, Greg, Jim, Sven and myself have gone to a show together..... even though Jim is playing, I think last time was Motorhead at The Pauley Ballroom in Berkeley .... 1987 I believe.

Brocus were stellar and even better was the time with old friends ....

Zary, Jimmie, Timi and Butler

A little more Vault stuff

2008-11-22T16:24:00.001-08:00

SO here is the pic I have been looking all over for. This was the Record Vault pre-awning and those of you who were there remember what I mean. The flags were a flyin and I got Skitchy and Butler to pose after a six pack of Coors and our traditional Sunday afternoon bottle of hot peppers and cheese. Anyway here is a flashback to 1985 ...... and yes you remember what they were pointing at don't you ?

Orgasmatron

2008-11-21T12:46:00.000-08:00

Just thought I'd post a pic only a few have seen.... Motorhead private party......

I was 16 ..... there were many things that night that no 16 year old would ever dream of being exposed to...... it was killer .....

Mercyful Fate

2008-11-20T13:44:00.000-08:00

"...back in the day....." & "..... the metal scene back in the '80s...." You know they are two of the most repetitive sound bytes that come out of my mouth and I know I shouldn't live in the past but as Tom Araya said a few weeks back .... "there really aren't that many bands around these days that are good......"

I always find myself going back to the old days and listening to classic bands from the '80's and I am not talking about Winger, Stryper or Warrant, I am talking about Mercyful Fate, Diamond Head, early Maiden, Motorhead etc etc etc......

I try to come up with new bands that have put out recent releases and it becomes apparent that they are not that new after all..... Machine Head's last album The Blackening was sick but they have been around for along time and what about Onslaught's 2006 release Killing Peace... Holy Shit it was amazing .... but Onslaught hit the scene back in 1985 with Power From Hell and 1986's metal gem The Force. The Blackening and Killing Peace are the only releases I can think of that stand out as great recordings from the past 2 years ...... if you know different tell me.

What happened ? There used to be so much talent and now it is rare to find anything above average. Just listen to the first three Mercyful Fate releases and admit that writing like that will be hard to find unless you listen to the originators. At least Denner and Sherman wrote together in Force of Evil and hopefully will be writing together again.. you can hear that magic is still there .......

Here is a picture I never saw until today from Mercyful Fate pre Satan days.... notice that King has right side up crosses ........ ahh how the old days were so perfect ...

STAY HEAVY

Record Vault one fine summer day

2008-11-17T09:24:00.000-08:00

Here is a window in the past ...... Record Vault era 1986...... the one you see below is the day the German kid and the Japanese kid both came from their parts of the world just to see the Vault.

These kids both showed up at the same time with the same story... we came to San Francisco for one day to see the World Famous Record Vault ...... you see in this pic..... some guy we didn't know, Lloyd "The Colonel" Gregg, me, the Japanese kid, the german kid, Jim Schumacher and Zary..... this was the Saturday crew...... and it is post awning ....... note the killer Motorhead poster in the window....

2008-11-16T15:26:00.000-08:00

Here we go with a long list of entries of pix from past and present ...... this starts with a final metal gig at the Cow Palace with some Old Skool Cats from the days of old..... Long Live the Record Vault ...

the beginning of another era

2008-11-16T15:20:00.000-08:00

It's time to note that the metal scene started in San Francisco and will continues to grow from our city by the bay...... the next generation has begun.