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Twisted Sister: Under The Blade-Secret Records CD/DVD Re-issue

Ahhh 1982 I remember it well! Being from New York and growing up as a weeteenager in Jr. High School during the time when Twisted Sister would regularly sell out the 4,000 seat Mid Hudson Civic Center in Poughkeepsie, NY, without a record deal, it was the making of a legend. Dee Snider and Twisted had been sellingout EVERY PLACE up and down the Northeast for years and 1982 was THE year that their debut record, Under The Blade would finally see the light of day. Under The Blade has been released as a CD a few times over the years, in different re-mixes and different forms but until now NEVER released as it was original unleashed to the world, from the tapes of the Secret Records original recordings. Thank You Jay Jay French and Eagle Rock Entertainment!

THIS is how I remember Under The Blade sounding. Tinny,under produced and kinda crappy but I wouldn't have it any other way!! THIS is what Under The Blade was supposed to sound like. I still have my original Secret Records version on vinyl and THIS is how it was originally released and it never sounded better! Gone are the over produced drum and guitar sounds with overdubbed extras that were never on the original recording and they are replaced with the original underwhelming greatness that was that Secret Records album. From the opening riff of the awesome concert opener and now record starter, "What You Don't Know (Sure Can Hurt You),the greatness of what a Twisted Sister show was all about comes flooding bac kto you. If you were fortunate to have seen TS back in those early days, you are completely grinning right now from the memories and if not, check out the accompanying DVD show from the Reading Festival in England from 1982, Twisted were a livebeast. Dee's vocals sound great, rough and spot on while guitar duo,Eddie Ojeda (LOVED that pink & black bullseye Charvel Strat!!) and Jay JayFrench carve their way through with their Marshall's and Mark "TheAnimal" Mendoza and A.J. Pero lock down the rhythm. This is a very special album, from a very special time.

The 9 track Under The Blade in this form is just spectacular. UFO bass player/legend, Pete Way is credited as the producer of this album and not much producing did he do. The ferociousness and flat out energy that the young and hungry Twisted Sister had on Under The Blade is brimming over and all of that power was captured as Twisted Sister delivered 9 concert tested classics. Songs like "Bad Boys (of Rock 'N'Roll)", "Sin After Sin" and "Destroyer" just sound so good and who doesn't love the all time TS anthem, "UnderThe Blade"? This CD even includes the original Ruff Cuts EP that Secret Records released prior to Under The Blade being ready. This also helps make this package a "must have" for SMF's worldwide.

Another "must have" that makes this package even better is the previously mentioned Reading Festival DVD that comes along in this re-issue. Caught in full flight during the day on August 29th, 1982 on a bill that also included headliner,Michael Schenker Group, Marillion and Y&T, Twisted Sister shocked a 20,000 plus crowd in the UK with a big slice of NY attitude. The result was a crowd that had no choice but to succumb to one of the greatest Rock n Roll frontman ever, Dee Snider and the boys. Dee picked a fight with 20,000 people and still got the crowd eating out of his hands. Worth the price of this package is seeing Pete Way, Fast Eddie Clarke & Lemmy all coming out together and jamming to the Rolling Stones and longtime Twisted show closer, "It's Only Rock & Roll (But I Like It)". This was right after Fast Eddie had left Motorhead and he and Lemmy had not been talking, so this was a total reunion and ON STAGE, no less. Classic Spinal Tap stuff, for sure. Throw in the fruits and vegetables that were being tossed at TS during their entire set and you have a show that must been seen.

Whatever Twisted Sister wound up becoming later in their career, UnderThe Blade will always be a triumph. The songs are great, simple, catchy and heavy and were delivered with so much attitude and angst that it was hard not to love this record. From the over 15,000 card carrying members of the original, pre-record deal SMF fan club, Twisted Sister could do no wrong back in those days. Going to see a TS show was an event and you instantly knew who the "cool kids" were the next day in school, because they would be sporting brand new pink & black TS t-shirts! Those were the days and Under the Blade was a soundtrack for 1982 and I for one am so glad that the people at Eagle Rock have released this record in its original form, with a bunch of killer extras. Now go see if you can still find that old SMF card and crank this record and see if it doesn't take you right back.


CD Track Listing

  1. What You Don't Know (Sure Can Hurt You)
  2. Bad Boys (Of Rock 'N' Roll)
  3. Run For Your Life
  4. Sin After Sin
  5. Shoot 'Em Down
  6. Destroyer
  7. Under The Blade
  8. Tear It Loose
  9. Day Of The Rocker
  10. What You Don't Know (Sure Can Hurt You) (Ruff Cuts Version)
  11. Shoot 'Em Down (Ruff Cuts Version)
  12. Under The Blade (Ruff Cuts Version)
  13. Leader Of The Pack (Ruff Cuts Version)
  14. Shoot 'Em Down (Live from the Reading Festival)


DVD Track Listing
Reading Festival August 29th,1982

  1. What You Don't Know (Sure Can Hurt You)
  2. Sin After Sin
  3. Bad Boys (Of Rock 'N' Roll)
  4. Destroyer
  5. Shoot 'Em Down
  6. Tear It Loose
  7. Under The Blade
  8. It's Only Rock 'N' Roll
  9. Bonus Interviews

Added: June 19th 2011
Reviewer: Butch Jones
Score:
Related Link: Band Website
Hits: 2716
Language: english

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» Reader Comments:

Twisted Sister: Under The Blade-Secret Records CD/DVD Re-issue
Posted by Willie Toro on 2011-06-19 13:37:15
My Score:

Yeah, this is classic Twisted Sister and yes, it brings back great memories from i used to see play in all those shitty clubs around the Tr-state area. These were the songs that defined TS back in the day for me. Classic album from a top notch Long island, NY metal band!!! Sick Mother Fuckers!!!!!!!




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