TAZ: Wake Up And Sweat - Volume 1 & Shipwrecked - Volume 2

Back in the 80s it seemed that a new band was emerging from the Sunset Strip every second minute of the day, music magazines plastered with faces of bands looking to make their mark. However, if there was one thing that a scene quite so packed was certain to produce, it was bands that slipped through the cracks - the ones that really deserved a shot but who got passed over for the latest hot thing. That’s where Eonian Records come in, a label dedicated to working with these bands to finally get their music out there to the faithful hard rockers who miss those decadent days where it wasn’t so rude to want to rock n roll all night and party every day.

Browse the Eonian website and you’ll find a whole host of bands to discover and marvel at just exactly why you’ve (probably) never heard their names before (disclaimer - some of which I’ve been lucky enough to write liner notes for) but there’s little denying that the latest additions to that list, Taz, may just be one of the finest. So good were this band in fact that not only have Eonian gathered together one CDs’ worth of their demos and live work, but two (available separately). With excellent cover art by Jesse Vital, the booklets to these CDs take you into the Taz story in great detail - so much so that the band credits include the time they spent as Maniac Thrust before becoming first Tazz and then Taz. With pictures of old gig flyers, promo shots of the band and images of magazines they featured in - and excellent liner notes (not by me!) they themselves are a treasure trove for any 80s Strip fanatics. Impressively, that’s merely the icing on the cake.

CD one, dubbed Wake Up And Sweat - Volume 1 gathers together four recording sessions worth of material - the third of which was produced by Vincent Fowley (The Runaways, Candy, Steel Breeze) - and charts the band as they weave their way through the classic 80s Strip sound, and more. With sprinklings and dashings of everything from debut EP era Great White to the sleaze of Vain and the lips of flicks of debut album Poison - but heavier - these 17 tracks really are a treat for the senses. Sample the chuga-boom of “Love Violation�, the riff heavy, almost Twisted Sister grind and glam shout of “I’ll Wait� or the anthemic, almost Slaughter gone threatening of “LA Danger Zone� (maybe the band’s finest moment?) and the fact that we are only hearing these mid-to late 80s recordings now really is a travesty. Add in the melodic masterclass of “Caroline� and the go for the throat riffs of “Bad Religion� and what’s most impressive here is not just how consistent the music presented is, but how much the band grew and matured from their first attitude packed sessions into a much harder rocking and forceful outfit, and all within the space of a couple of years.

Shipwrecked - Volume 2 adds a further 18 songs to the mix, featuring 12 more studio recordings and 6 live tracks. The band’s move from the sleazier end of the market continued confidently with Kent Klevin a truly versatile singer capable of hitting the high notes but also willing to get down and dirty on the likes of “Shipwrecked�. Factor in some outstanding guitar work from Ethan Gladstone, who by this time had also been joined by Rick Berry, and the concoction Taz were conjuring was so potent that they surely deserved a proper shot at the big time.

The first four tracks on this disc were produced by Rob Cavallo (Green Day, Black Sabbath, Fleetwood Mac) and engineered by Magic A. Moreno (Eric Clapton, David Lee Roth, Steve Vai), so while some of the sessions clearly come from their time sound quality wise (non are worse than really good) these tracks and the other eight on this disc, produced by the band themselves, really are top notch - and everything on both discs comes digitally remastered by Anthony Focx. Stand outs here include the sleazier thrust of “Lady Conniver�, where the twin guitar work is just superb, whereas the confident swagger of “Day Of The Dog� really knows how to grab your attention. Admittedly the live tracks, recorded at the Whisky a Go Go, Sasch and Gazzarri’s are a little more meat and potatoes in terms of sonic quality but that’s made up for by the sheer energy and attack of “Easy Come Easy Go�, “Round, Round, Round� and the disc closing and utterly mighty “LA Danger Zone�, which you’ll be singing for weeks and weeks afterwards.

If the melodic hard rock, sleaze, glam - and more - scene from the 80s still snags your attention, honestly, Eonian Records is a place you should be residing, so exciting are the bands and CDs they have to offer. With this double release of Taz tracks I’d suggest that the label have unleashed one of their strongest sets to date.

Track Listing
Wake Up & Sweat, Vol. 1
1-4 Recorded the Hangar 14 Studio, Sacramento, CA Produced by TAZ, Engineered by Chris Hangar
5-7 Recorded at Music Grinder Studios, Los Angeles, CA Produced by TAZ, Engineered by Kim Fallion & Phil Moore
8-13 Recorded at Monterey Sound Studios, Glendale, CA Produced & engineered by Kim Vincent Fowley (The Runaways, Candy, Steel Breeze)
14-17 Recorded at Ogden House Studios, Los Angeles, CA Produced by Bryon DeLear & TAZ, Engineered by Bryon DeLear
Mastered by: Anthony Focx @ A. Focx Productions, Nashville, TN

The Players: Kent “K.K.� Kleven on Vocals, Ethan Gladstone on Guitar, Chris Roy on Bass, Kenny Pierce on Drums

1. Are You Ready (Kleven, Gladstone)
2. She Does Bad Things Good (86) (Kleven, Gladstone)
3. Rock-N-Roll Rodeo (Kleven, Gladstone)
4. Love Violations (Kleven, Gladstone)
5. Love Violations (Reprised Version) (Kleven, Gladstone)
6. I'll Wait (Kleven, Gladstone)
7. You & Me (Kleven, Gladstone)
8. SEX (88) (Kleven, Gladstone)
9. L.A. Danger Zone (Kleven, Gladstone)
10. She Does Bad Things Good (88) (Kleven, Gladstone)
11. Missing You (Pierce)
12. Political Song (Kleven, Gladstone)
13. Caroline (Kleven, Gladstone)
14 Cold Shoulder (Kleven, Gladstone)
15. M.I. Insane (Kleven, Gladstone)
16. Bad Religion (Kleven, Gladstone)
17. Tattoo You (Kleven, Gladstone)

Shipwrecked, Vol. 2

1-4 Recorded at Take One Studio, Burbank, CA Produced by Rob Cavallo (Green Day, Black Sabbath, Fleetwood Mac) Engineered by Magic A. Moreno (Eric Clapton, David Lee Roth, Steve Vai)
5-12 Recorded at Downtown Rehearsal, Los Angeles, CA Produced & engineered by TAZ.
13-16, Recorded live at the Whisky a Go Go, Hollywood, CA
17, Recorded live at Sasch, Studio City, CA
18, Recorded live at Gazzarri's, West Hollywood, CA
Mastered by: Anthony Focx @ A. Focx Productions, Nashville, TN

The Players: Kent “K.K.� Kleven on vocals, Ethan Gladstone & Rick Berry on guitars, Chris Roy on bass, Kenny Pierce & Joey Carallo on drums

1. Shipwrecked (Kleven, Gladstone)
2. No Relation (Kleven, Gladstone)
3. Desert Dog Night (Kleven, Gladstone)
4. Father McGee (Kleven, Gladstone)
5. Arizona River (Kleven, Gladstone)
6. Day In, Day Out (Keep the Faith) (Kleven, Gladstone)
7. Lady Conniver (Kleven, Gladstone)
8. Where the Angels Play (Kleven, Gladstone)
9. Sink or Swim (Kleven, Gladstone)
10. Day of the Dog (Kleven, Gladstone)
11. Luvin' Girl (Kleven, Gladstone)
12. Dogtown (Kleven, Gladstone)
13. Easy Come Easy Go - Live (Kleven, Gladstone)
14. Let It Rain - Live (Kleven, Gladstone)
15. Round, Round, Round - Live (Kleven, Gladstone)
16. Shoot Your Steam - Live (Kleven, Gladstone)
17. Cover Me in Roses - Live (Kleven, Gladstone)
18. L.A. Danger Zone - Live (Kleven, Gladstone)

Band Members Kent “K.K.� Kleven on Vocals, Ethan Gladstone on Guitar, Rick Berry on Guitar, Neil Carlson on Bass, Chris Roy on Bass, Kenny Pierce on Drums, Joey Carallo on Drums

Added: September 21st 2023
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Eonian Records
Hits: 801
Language: english

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