Tag Archives: 2002

Classic Rock, Genre, Hard Rock, Song Posts

Sammy Hagar And The Waboritas – Things’ve Changed

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“Wondering, if you still got it in ya”

Here’s a feelgood classic rock song from a year that had very little of that going about. On Not 4 Sale Sammy Hagar And The Waboritas managed the rare feat (in 2002) of sounding like they were actually having a ton of fun bashing out songs like Things’ve Changed. It’s basic, familiar stuff but it’s also warm, catchy and delivered with infectiously easygoing charm. I love the mix of Who-like strummed acoustics and thick power chords and Hagar’s voice sounds great. Until this week I hadn’t listened to Things’ve Changed for over a decade so I can’t really say it’s essential but one listen was enough to have the song bouncing around happily in my head for days. It made me feel good. So no changes there.

Doom Metal, Genre, Heavy Metal, Song Posts

Reverend Bizarre – Burn In Hell!

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“An apostle of all misery”

Gather and give praise at the Holy Parish of True Doom. Here’s Reverend Bizarre and Burn In Hell!, the opening track from their 2002 debut In The Rectory Of The Bizarre Reverend. This is doom at its most pious and humongous: pushing the style to its saturnine and elephantine limits while staying true to the traditional form and vibe of genre pioneers like Saint Vitus and Pentagram. The eight-minute song only has about three riffs but a shift in mood from minor to phrygian keeps things evil and interesting and Albert Witchfinder’s operatic, admonishing croon and the grim Conan-esque atmosphere imbue the song with all the atmosphere and emotion necessary in a timeless doom classic. Which Burn In Hell! absolutely is.

Classic Rock, Genre, Heavy Metal, Progressive Rock, Song Posts

Rush – Ghost Rider

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“Sunset on the road ahead”

Sad news today with the passing of Rush’s Neil Peart. On Facebook and Twitter I posted the track Afterimage as a tribute. It sprung to mind due to its themes of grief and loss… and because 80s Rush rules! But let’s have a song from another era here.

Ghost Rider is one of my favourite tunes of the band’s later work. Written as Rush were returning to action following Peart’s hiatus due to deaths in his family, it’s one of their most moving and emotive songs. The Canadians take to the open road with a breezy, motoring groove and a shifting landscape of layered guitars. Peart’s lyrics are searching and evocative and vocalist Geddy Lee responds with taste and feeling. But, as always, the engine driving the whole thing is Peart’s classy and dynamic drum performance. R.I.P Neil.

[Rush – Ghost Rider]