FEATURE: Addy Gembel (Forgotten vocalist) and Jack Frost name their top ten rock songs

Jack Frost (Busuk Webzine), Popo Demons Damn & Addy Gembel @ Bandung, 29 November 2012

Addy Gembel (Forgotten vocalist) favorite top 10 rock songs
10 intro lagu rock paling berkesan dalam hidup saya :
1. Smoke on the water - Deep Purple
2.Sweet Child o' mine - GNR
3.Back in black - AC/DC
4.Honky tonk woman -Rolling Stones
5.We will rock you - Queen
6.Final Count down - Europe
7.Iron man - Black Sabbath
8.Kick start my heart - Motley Crue
9.Rock bergema - Roxx
10. Kehidupan - God Bless
(Addy's favourite from Jack's list: Still lovin' you - Scorpions)

[Addy's list is used here with permission of Addy Gembel]

Jack Frost top 10 rock songs (note: this list excludes punk songs)
1 Still lovin' you - Scorpions
2 Every rose has its thorn  Poison
3 Living after midnight - Judas Priest
4 Gypsy road - Cinderella
5 Wind of change - Scorpions
6 You shook me all night long - AC/DC
7 Long way to the top - AC/DC
8 Long live rock 'n' roll - Rainbow
9 Rock 'n' roll all nite - KISS
10 New york groove - Ace Frehley
(Jack's favourite from Addy's list: Sweet child o' mine - GNR)
To all those young brootall guys and girls who think we should only listen to brootal musick, don't be so stupid!

Back in the New York Groove - Ace Frehley spotted in New York City, September 2014

Forgotten (Bandung) band picture, 1997 Future Syndrome era. Left to Right: Addy Gembel (voc), Kudung (drums), Toteng (guitar), Kardun (bass) & Ferly (guitar). Terima-kasih Ferly Jasad for posting this picture and Glenn Bloodgush for identifying the date & band members.

PICTURE GALLERY: My favourite old-school battle jackets (in honour of 1984)

This is an amazing jacket I saw online (above and top). The owner says that this jacket has not been changed since 1984. This is what most battle jackets looked like in 1984. These were the most popular bands in heavy-metal in 1984: Judas Priest, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, AC/DC, Dio, Accept, Ozzy, Iron Maiden, Motorhead, Saxon, and Blue Oyster Cult. The great Judas Priest back-patch features the old band logo from the Sad Wings of Destiny era, 1976. No-one back then liked ONLY thrash bands. Only the neo-thrash crowd of today claim to like only thrash and they are wrong to think that this was the actual lifestyle of anyone in the 1980s (especially pre-1986 or 1987). There were too few thrash bands in 1984 and too few albums released just to listen only to them. Sub-genre boundaries were not clearly defined or strictly policed by the genre police then. Hard-rock bands such as AC/DC and Scorpions and even Status Quo and Slade were much loved by metalheads. No-one in 1980 ever said "AC/DC are hard-rock but Maiden are metal". Metal-archives.com says this today which shows their lack of understanding of metal history. Deep Purple reformed in 1984 and released the Perfect Strangers album that year. They were big news in 1984 and very popular. Ritchie Blackmore had just left Rainbow to join the Purple reunion. Now Purple are seen as hard-rock or heavy-blues and perceived to be less important than Sabbath. Then they were equal to Sabbath. Note: I had my own battle jacket in 1984 with Iron Maiden Powerslave back-patch, small Deep Purple patch and about five buttons. However, no photos survive. Rating: 8.5/10.

This is a great 1980s metal jacket too with Motley Crue, KISS, Twisted Sister, and AC/DC proudly displayed next to more extreme bands such as Motorhead and Metallica. I love how two sets of the four KISS face patches are put next to each other (on the left side and bottom-back). Of the KISS face patches on the left side if you can find a complete set of these today on ebay you might pay USD30 just for second-hand. I love the white "Status Quo 1982" strip-patch on the left side bottom which is obviously an original patch from that year. The Motley Crue Theatre of Pain patch is very nice too. This jacket may be a bit messy but still scores top votes from me. Rating: 9.5/10.

Wow. This jacket is perhaps a little too extreme for me. I can't imagine actually wearing it. However, full marks for dedication and effort. Grade: 8.5/10.

METAL HISTORY: KISS @ London Bridge, United Kingdom, May 1976 + fan pics taken at the same location

As a young boy back in the 70's I made it a point to buy every single Kiss magazine. I would read those articles over and over. I would study the pictures very closely and hope someday to meet my heros of Rock!
Back in 1993 I was visiting London England. As we were crossing the bridge by Big Ben I vividly remember that Kiss picture from 1976 with the band on the bridge. Paul Stanley was standing on the rail and holding part of the light pedestal. So, without hesitation I jumped up on the rail and asked for my picture to be taken.
Never in a million years would I ever guess that after getting the pictures developed that I would be standing exactly where Paul Stanley was and holding on the exact light pedestal. I think there were four pedestal posts for each light. My hand was "exactly" where Paul's was. Standing up there and knowing Gene, Ace and Peter were standing just below.
Heck, even the same metal grate on the sidewalk that Gene was standing on was right there in my picture.
So that picture was taken 18 years after they were there getting their picture. It is now 39 years latter and the memory is just as fresh now as it was then.
My next bucket list is getting my picture taken in New York where the band was standing against the pole for the Dressed To Kill album cover.

By Tully Garrett on 70s Kiss Facebook group [used with permission]

KISS @ Heathrow Airport, 10 May 1976

KISS @ Buckingham Palace, 10 May 1976

PICTURE GALLERY: New York City Metal & Punk Tour - Day 1, Manhattan

KISS fans will be interested in this one. You can start your walking tour around here, East 23rd Street. I walked south along Park Avenue and then turned west into East 23rd Street. This walk-up building #20 East 23rd Street is where Gene, Peter, and Paul rehearsed in the early years of KISS (1973-74). Ace joined the band here. The guys would arrive via the subway entrance at Fifth Avenue, around 25 metres to the right of the building.

#20 East 23rd Street (the building directly to the right of the yellow building). It is easy to imagine Paul, Gene, Ace, and Peter hurrying out of the subway entrance (near where the second tree is) and rushing to rehearsals.

Now you can turn south again into Fifth Avenue and head down to East 10th Street. Here we can see the original drum kit of Marky Ramone in a drumshop window. This is only a short distance from the famous CBGBs punk club, one of our next stops.

Walk west along West 10th Street then turn left into Sixth Avenue then head south. Turn east again at West 4th Street. This is the famous Bleecker Bob's Records in Greenwich Village. Sadly in the digital download age sales have fallen and the shop may need to close.

Then turn south at Thompson Street. Next stop is the mighty Generation Records, at 210 Thompson Street between West 3rd Street and Bleecker. Generation Records is home to rare vinyl and CD metal, punk, and hardcore. Second-hand stock and T-shirts are in the basement.

Jack Frost with vinyl 12s by Nihilist and Obituary

Go south until you reach Bleecker Street then turn right into Bleecker. Village Music World at 197 Bleecker Street is one of the last remaining record shops in Greenwich Village. I was happy to pick up a Slade CD from the 1980s.

 Lunch at an English pub in Greenwich Village - fish and chips, pint of Guinness, and The Business' Saturday's Heroes (South London street punk)

Now there is a long walk east on Bleecker until you reach The Bowery. This picture shows punks and Misfits hanging out opposite CBGB's punk venue on The Bowery.

This is a punk chick I talked to opposite CBGB's. She said her mother was a punk in the 1970s and that in that era it was dangerous to go further south down past 10th Street.

This is the famous picture of The Ramones standing on The Bowery, at the corner of Bleecker Street, looking north with CBGBs behind them.

This is the exact same spot today May 2012. CBGBs is replaced by a high-end men's fashion shop (the second black awning directly opposite the end of the white car).

Corner of The Bowery and Bleecker, around 15 metres south of CBGB's

CBGB's punk club at 315 The Bowery in the 1970s

The location of CBGB's today (May 2012) where it is John Varvatos Menswear

Now go back west on Bleecker and then turn left on Mott Street. Keep walking south into Chinatown until you reach corner of Canal and Mott Streets. Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley rehearsed in 1972 with their pre-KISS band Wicked Lester in a walk-up building on corner of Canal and Mott Street. I actually couldn't identify the exact building. It could be this one on Canal Street or the building in either of the next two pictures.

On Canal Street, Chinatown

On east side of Mott Street, Chinatown, just north of junction with Canal Street

Corner of Mott and Canal Streets, Chinatown, Lower Manhattan

CONCERT REVIEW: KISS and MOTLEY CRUE live @ Perth Arena, Australia, 28 February 2013

Ace Frehley drinking cold gin!

MOTLEY CRUE - Nikki, Vince, Mick, Tommy

I was at this show with another 14,000 people and what can I say? First I did not go to see opening band THIN LIZZY because I was never a big fan and anyway without Phil Lynott no-one can claim this is the real band.

When I arrived MOTLEY CRUE was playing the "Saints of Los Angeles" song from its 2009 Saints of Los Angeles reunion album - a great album in my opinion and a good song. MOTLEY is one band which was based on four unique personalities and when you take away one of the original line-up it just does not work. The band was in fantastic form especially as they had just arrived from the cold of North America to the Australian heat. All the band members were full of the energy, charm, and bravado that made them so famous back in the 1980s. We got to see Tommy Lee doing his old trick of playing drums upside down. Vince Neil and Nikki Sixx were in great form, running around the stage, engaging with the crowd, and were totally switched on and motivated. It was great to see the band so full of energy and so excited after such a long time together. The band played "Home Sweet Home", the new 2012 song "Sex", and of course "Girls Girls Girls" and "Wild Side". One guy in front of me was shouting for "Smokin' in the Boys' Room" but that was one song we did not get. We heard "Same Ol' Situation" and an excellent and passionate version of "Dr Feelgood" near the end of the set. I was hoping for "Looks that Kill" and "Ten Seconds to Love". If the band played these it was only before I arrived. Mick Mars was looking strong and fit - a real warrior and "saint of Los Angeles" having endured a degenerative bone disease for many years. He didn't move much on stage and only once came to my side of the stage where Nikki spent much time. However, at least Mick was standing up and playing guitar solos - a good effort indeed. Well done, Mick - we are very happy for you. Overall, MOTLEY was impressive and looking good and Vince was enjoying chatting with the crowd for example: 'This new song is about Sex but Nikki says we have been writing songs about sex for 30 years" and "it's a great feeling to be with your girl on a motorbike and going where? Of course going to a MOTLEY CRUE show".

Of course after MOTLEY came those old veterans of show-business and corporate rock KISS which is really two original members (Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley) and two wage-labourers (Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer - no, not Eric Carr RIP). I must say KISS is showing its age as MOTLEY really played better and with more strength and energy. The differences are because MOTLEY has 4/4 original members whereas KISS has 2/4 and MOTLEY being around ten years younger on average. KISS was excellent in the signature songs where each band member plays his classic song - Gene was magnificent suspended on a platform up near the roof of this basketball stadium as he did "God of Thunder". Paul was great as he shot on a platform 50 metres across the heads of the crowd to do "Love Gun" from the other side of the stadium. Tommy and Eric were very average, just like employees earning pay on a building site. The loss of Ace Frehley and Peter Criss makes a major difference to KISS. Tommy and Eric did that act where Eric stands up and pretends to joke and argue with Tommy and points a drum stick at him which is an old Ace-and-Peter thing. I prefer the real Space Ace and Catman.

Paul Stanley talked a lot to the crowd in his somewhat girlish voice and he won people over by his sincerity and warm heartedness. He remembered how Perth and Australia turned out in huge numbers on KISS' 1980 tour in support of the Dynasty (1979) album when the band's North American popularity was fading. Paul remains grateful for Perth's support at a difficult time for the band and he said "We are honored to play here". Thank you, Paul! We are honored to have you here! Paul came across as a very sincere and genuine guy. Gene, Tommy, and Eric said nothing throughout the set. Gene did not move around very much - is it getting harder for him? 

The crowd was fairly quiet as KISS played three or four songs from the new Monster album in a competent but not passionate performance. Tommy did vocals on one song. KISS surprised by playing old classics "Firehouse" and "Black Diamond" from the 1974 debut album. The band was very good with these two songs. Unexpectedly Paul sang solo and played acoustic on "Shandi" and we got "I was Made for Loving You" (a surprise), "I love it Loud' (semi-surprise), and "Shout it out Loud" (expected). Of course "Detroit Rock City" was the opener. We got a passionate version of "Lick it Up" (a welcome surprise) and later in the set KISS was playing with more strength and energy. I think KISS chose to play songs from Dynasty (1979) and Unmasked (1980) to acknowledge Perth's support for the band on the 1980 tour. We also heard "War Machine" and the encore was of course "Rock and Roll All Nite" when Gene soared above the crowd coming out on a platform at a 45-degree angle towards the left whilst moving upwards on the platform as well. We did not get "Beth" and no KISS show can be complete without this song. However, that song really needs Peter Criss and without him it would be fake and second-rate.

Overall, a great night and I think MOTLEY was stronger than KISS. However, KISS' stage-show is still fantastic after all these years although predictable. KISS is best when Gene and Paul do their signature songs - "God of Thunder" and "Love Gun" where they express their real personalities through their constructed personas (characters). I was surprised and disappointed that few people in the crowd wore makeup or had banners or old-school denim jackets. Maybe Perth people are too interested in making money and enjoying the mining boom to be bothered with such sentimental things. The crowd was mostly 40-50-year-olds and it was sad not to see more people in their teens and 20s although the high ticket prices may have been a factor. I was a little sad - KISS may not last much longer. Now we only have two originals and soon there may be only one and then none. Paul and Gene are both aged over 60 years. Will KISS continue with no original members? It's definitely possible that KISS will go on forever...I did not get to see the original KISS but at least I have seen this 2/4 version [by Jack Frost, 5 March 2013].