"Sonic Boom" signals return of Klassic KISS

After 11 years with no new music available, that band with the makeup, tongue and the combination of space age and medieval costumes has released what many are calling one of their best albums ever. This week KISS "Sonic Boom" reached the #1 spot on Billboard's Rock Album charts, the highest-charting KISS album ever.

I have resisted writing a review of "Sonic Boom" for two weeks to give it several listens and to make sure I haven't been swayed by the onslaught of publicity over the new disc. After a listening drive across Wyoming and western South Dakota, and then a second trip across eastern South Dakota and Minnesota, I can find pieces of the disc to pick apart, but overall I have to agree - it's pretty darn good.

I'm still not sure about the cover artwork, but it's growing on me.


Some new instant classics like "Modern Day Delilah" and "Danger Us" really stand out. Other things that strike me -

- Gene Simmons can sing! He so often uses his demon growling voice that I had forgotten that he can carry a tune. Check out "Yes I Know (Nobody's Perfect)" to see what I mean.

- Gene can play the bass! Hearing some really cool bass riffs behind the guitars is fun.

- Newest guitarist Tommy Thayer is a true KISS historian. He has been with the band in some form or another for many years now, most often behind the scenes. Finally having him put on the makeup and join the band has been a great revitalizing thing for KISS. The quick tiny tributes to Ace Frehley's original licks woven into several of the songs are I'm sure what makes many of us feel like we are listening to the great KISS albums from the 70's.

- I really like the two songs not sung by original members Simmons and Paul Stanley. Drummer Eric Singer's "All For the Glory" and Thayer's "When Lightning Strikes" are the tunes that continually stick in my head even when the CD isn't playing.

- Gene's lyric writing is probably the weakest point in the album, but it's what we've come to expect from him. If you've seen his reality show "Gene Simmons Family Jewels," you know that his ego is as big as his rock star aura.

- Paul Stanley's voice is one of the great ones in rock music. It has become as iconic in hard rock as Robert Plant's or Freddie Mercury's.

If you're looking for "Sonic Boom," you're going to have to visit a Walmart or their website. It's available only there in a cool digipack that also includes a full CD of KISS Klassics recorded by the band's current lineup and a live concert DVD of KISS in Buenos Aires earlier this year. All that for only $12 is a great bargain and if you haven't listened to or seen much KISS, this is a full introduction to the sound and the stage spectacle that is "The Hottest Band in the World."

Sherwin Linton, Huron, SD

Who is Sherwin Linton? Well, he's only an inaugural inductee into the South Dakota Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and will also be inducted into the South Dakota Country Music Hall of Fame later this month. Pretty good credentials, I'd say.

On September 3, 2009, Linton, his wife Pam, and their band the Cotton Kings began a five-day, three-shows-per-day engagement at the South Dakota State Fair Freedom Stage in Huron. This photo of Pam and Sherwin is from the first of those shows.



Find out more about the Lintons and where you can catch them live at SherwinLinton.com. They have a full schedule, clear through this time next year.

Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, Mitchell, SD

Joan Jett and the Blackhearts treated Mitchell, South Dakota's Corn Palace to a night of hot, sweaty punk rock on Friday, August 28, 2009.

With their usual minimum of stage decor (a large banner with the band's logo), the Blackhearts ripped through all the big hits and covers they are known for. "Crimson and Clover" and "I Hate Myself For Lovin' You" got great responses from a large crowd.

Not surprisingly with a new movie coming next year about Joan's teenage band The Runaways, several tunes from that era of her life were sprinkled throughout the set. "Cherry Bomb" has always been a fan favorite, but this was probably the first time in a long while for fans to hear "I Love Playing With Fire," "You Drive Me Wild," and "School Days."

Here are Joan and guitarist Dougie Needles.


Blackhearts drummer Thommy Price.




Despite a row of lights at the back of the stage that were causing Joan to sweat so much puddles were forming at her feet, she seemed to be having a good time and putting on the best show she could for the audience. I'm not sure why I could figure out that she wanted those lights turned off, but the lighting crew couldn't.



See older Joan Jett photos here.

One other thought - Any of you who are familiar with my tastes in music will recognize that KISS has been one of my favorite bands for a long time. It occurred to me after watching Joan Jett for the fifth time that her shows are pretty much the antithesis of the gigantic costumed, fire breathing, blood spitting, levitating drums, spark-shooting guitar spectacles that KISS does. Stripped-down punk rock played quick and loud is just as much fun!

Steven Tyler talks about fall, TOUR CANCELLED

Finally some word from Steven Tyler himself about his fall off the Buffalo Chip stage last week during the Sturgis Rally. This from People Magazine -

Steven Tyler says that in thousands of concerts he's only fallen off the stage four times – but this last one was worthy of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

"I landed upside down, and after twenty stitches on the back of my head, and a broken left shoulder, I just want to say that I'm plain grateful that I didn't break my neck!" the 61-year-old Aerosmith lead singer said Thursday in his first comments since last week's accident that left him with a broken left shoulder and 20 stitches on the back of his head.

Tyler said everything seemed to be going perfectly at the Aug. 5 show in Sturgis, S.D., where after a storm caused a one-hour delay, "Tens of thousands of my biker buddies were ready to rock!" He called it "one of the best shows we've played in a long time! The band was slammin' and I was lovin' every minute of it!"

Read the full story at People Magazine

Still no official word on whether the tour will continue. All of this week's Canadian leg was postponed for now.

EDIT 8/15 - The remainder of the Aerosmith tour for 2009 has officially been cancelled according to Aerosmith.com and their official fanclub AeroForceOne.com.

Big & Rich, Sioux Falls, SD

Take equal parts country, rock and roll, rap, circus, patriotic rally and South Dakota tribute and shake well. You'll get the Big & Rich show at the Sioux Empire Fair in Sioux Falls on August 12, 2009.

With special guests onstage like dwarf "Two Foot Fred," the black country rapper "Cowboy Troy" and "Tim the Electrician" who owns the Dungeon Bar in Sturgis, SD, things just never seemed like a normal music concert.

For those not familiar with Big & Rich's history, the duo of Big Kenny and John Rich spent much of their early time together playing in Deadwood, South Dakota. Many of their songs are filled with the area's history and flavor. Here is the set list from last night's show, but it doesn't include a few notables.


Before "Eighth of November," which is about South Dakota native Niles Harris and his experiences in Vietnam, John Rich surprised Kenny and the rest of the band by saying it was only right that they perform "Deadwood Mountain" while in the state. Kenny joined in, but the rest of the band had obviously never rehearsed the tune from the duo's first album and respectfully stood waiting their turn.

Despite 90 degree temperatures and sticky humidity, Rich made his onstage entrance in a fur coat. He quickly shed it after the first song.


Kenny did as much prancing and posing as he did singing.




"Tim the Electrician's" time onstage amounted to what Rich called "folding chair bronc riding" while the band played "The Orange Blossom Special," which morphed into Johnny Cash's "Folsom Prison Blues."


More Johnny Cash tributes and rap from Cowboy Troy sprinkled throughout the Big & Rich hits lead up to a finale that included Rich setting a guitar on fire and then he and Cowboy Troy smashing two acoustic guitars to smithereens to the delight of the rowdy crowd.

Check out my pictures of Big & Rich from a more sedate performance at B&R. Learn more about the duo at their official website.

Sawyer Brown, Watertown, SD

By my estimate, around 10,000 people enjoyed Sawyer Brown's free concert at the Redlin Art Center Celebration in Watertown, South Dakota on August 8, 2009.


Threatening skies created an unusually cool evening for the time of year, but the rains held off and a beautiful sunset snuck under the clouds as the band played.


Home state hero and lead guitarist Shayne Hill of Spearfish, SD propelled the pop-country legends through their biggest hits and some surprises including the Rolling Stones' "Start Me Up" and the Steve Miller Band's "Keep On Rockin' Me Baby."


Lead vocalist Mark Miller demonstrated some fancy dance moves during "The Race."


Saywer Brown's rhythm section is Jim Scholten on bass and Joe Smyth on drums.

Steven Tyler in motion

Can't let the kid have too much acclaim, so here are more of my pictures of Steven Tyler and Aerosmith in action.

As you can see, Tyler never stops moving and is a whirling blur of motion most of the time while performing. That is until he falls off the stage...





Here are guitarist Joe Perry and Tyler on the "catwalk" stage projection that Tyler later fell off of and injured himself. (See posts below)

More Aerosmith, Sturgis, SD

As promised, more Aerosmith concert pictures from the Buffalo Chip in Sturgis, South Dakota.

These pictures are by guest photographer and first-time concert shooter Cody Coppess. After being the subject of many photos on this blog, he took to the other side of the camera like a pro, capturing Brad Whitford and Steven Tyler in all their rock and roll glory.



He went for the artistic view of Whitford's Gibson Les Paul and I think it's a cool enough shot that I made a computer wallpaper out of it. Click on the photo to enlarge, then right click and "Set as Background."