Various – Metal Mania Stripped Across America Live!
METAL MANIA
STRIPPED ACROSS AMERICA LIVE!
Released 2005 (Sidewinder)
Track List:
Stripped On The Strip Live From The Key Club:
01. Kip Winger – Madelaine
02. L.A. Guns – Ballad Of Jayne
03. Alias with Jason Hook – More Than Words Can Say
04. Great White – Save Your Love
05. Jani Lane – I saw Red
06. Slaughter – Fly To The Angels
07. Kip Winger – Seventeen
Stripped Across America Tour Live From Myth:
08. Stephen Pearcy – Back For More
09. Jani Lane – Uncle Tom’s Cabin
10. Firehouse – Don’t Treat Me Bad
11. Jani Lane – Cherry Pie
Special Performance:
12. Mike Tramp – When The Children Cry
Bonus Features:
01. Original TV Promo Spots
02. Exclusive Photo Gallery
03. Military Base Highlights
04. Tour Outtakes
05. Behind The Scenes Footage
06. Other Hidden Surprises
Review:
There was a time when I was completely against acoustic versions of songs that were written to be loud and obnoxious. But maybe I’ve mellowed in my old age, because I no longer think of acoustic adaptations as sell-outs, just different renditions of the classics. Not only is it interesting to hear how some of hair metal’s biggest names tackle the songs, but also how their appearance has changed since the big-haired 80s. For instance, Kip Winger has gone from playboy to working man, Jani Lane has gone from pin-up to hair’s version of Neil Young, Great White‘s Mark Kendall is unrecognizable and Slaughter looks like they’ve been stored in a cryogenic chamber.
Musically this DVD pretty much sticks to the hits and songs that transfer well acoustically, namely the ballads. Even though the bands are ‘unplugged’ they stay pretty true to the originals, with only Kip‘s rendition of the Winger hit “Seventeen” mixing things up (as he says “she’s only 35 and she still fucks great!”). But all the musicians sound great in this setting, even Ratt‘s Stephen Pearcy who can be hit and miss live. This DVD also solidifies my opinion that Great White is one of the best live performers from this genre and a vastly underrated band, they have yet to let me down.
The bonus material is good too, including a news promo complete with interviews. The behind the scenes footage (including Don Dokken) consists of guys jamming on the tour bus, shooting the shit backstage, drinking, cleavage and a fan that lives up to the phrase “looks that kill”. My biggest complaint would have to be the photo galleries. There are some cool shots, but some background music while viewing them would have been a nice addition.
There is less hair, and the amount of money wasted on hairspray has gone down considerably (the ozone layer breathes a sigh of relief), but the bands still sound great. If you don’t mind groups trading the electric guitars for the more subdued acoustic ones I suggest you pick up Metal Mania – it is a fun trip down memory lane.
www.metalmaniastripped.com
Reviewed by Skid for Sleaze Roxx, April 2006.
Buy The DVD:
Purchase at Amazon.com
Purchase at CDUniverse.com
Purchase at eBay.com