Hard 20 |
The Lizards"They Live" The Lizards are a supergroup of sorts. Their lineup consists of guitarist Patrick Klein and bassist Randy Pratt (the owners of this label), vocalist John Garner, who once sang for proto-metal outfit Sir Lord Baltimore, way back in prehistoric times (that name ring any bells? From what I've been told, they were the first band to ever be called "heavy metal"), and renowned drummer Bobby Rondinelli, who has lent his talents to such legends as Rainbow, Black Sabbath, and Blue Oyster Cult. The Lizards play hard bluesy rock that harkens back to times gone by when the seeds of metal were just being planted, in the late 60s and early 70s. Their sound is similar to such bands of that era as Cream, Humble Pie, Cactus, the Masters Of Reality (OK, the latter band wasn't from that time, but had the same kind of sound)...Pratt's bass playing is very Jack Bruce influenced, but also with a funky feel to it. Patrick Klein's playing is heavy, bluesy, and spacey, all at the same time, while Bobby Rondinelli pounds his skins like there's no tomorrow, playing up a storm that could do John Bonham or Ginger Baker proud! He's a great drummer who turns out an electrifying solo the song "Hungry World", which has some environmentally conscious lyrics. All these guys do a hell of a job (as they should, given their reps), kicking some booty and taking us on a retro musical journey, back to the time when the heavy metal thunder was just beginning to rumble! Music that makes you want to pump your fist and trip out at the same time! Of the ten songs on this CD (which, in case I forgot to mention it before, is a live recording), one that stuck out for me was the last one, "Hard Luck Messiah". This one packs a punch! Think Cream on steroids! A fun and enjoyable album! |