Mar 30 2009
A night to remember…
Covering the same classic rock beat can get tedious at times. Oh sure, I try to dance outside the box, occasionally seeking out stuff that grazes the peripheral, not quite “classic” in the traditional sense, but in possession of certain attributes and justifiable links like loud guitars, wailing drums, tuneful vocals and solid songs.
Over at Vintage Rock, we skip the rope fandango and forego the bee’s wax, but we give a lot of real estate to the big guns — the Beatles, the Stones, the Zeps, the Floyds — lofting away in their McMansions of mortality, mucking up in millions years after their peak. No one gets a medal if you were actually there, but the good times are ingrained in the old membrane — memories more vital and meaningful when it comes to certain bands of the past.
So last week, I hitched a ride to the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano to see two so-called “classic rock” acts I had vivid memories of: Y&T and Leatherwolf. Like all hard rock/heavy metal groups of the 70s and 80s, these guys have become victims of time, conveniently labeled “classic rock” even as the virtuous ring of the term often pops hollow. It’s just too weird to think of bands like Metallica and Depeche Mode sharing space under the ever-broadening classic rock umbrella.
Of the two at the Coach House, Y&T bears the brunt of true classic rock credentials. They were — before jumping on the 80s bandwagon, singing about “Summertime Girls” and touring with Twisted Sister — a hard rocking band of the 70s, then called “Yesterday & Today” (taken from the title of a Beatles album), cutting their teeth with Aerosmith and KISS. After 35 years, they’ve sold four million records, which isn’t exactly earth-shattering by megastar standards. But Y&T is revered by many, still one of those bands that conjures allegiance and devotion from fans and peers, alike.
I had the chance to catch Y&T in the 80s and was mildly impressed; tonight, however, they bowled me over with their energy, songs and superb musicianship. Dave Meniketti, the group’s lead singer, lead guitarist and sole remaining original member, was no worse for wear, even after announcing it was the group’s 35th anniversary. The voice, the lead work, even the hair, are intact and powerfully potent. For over two hours, Meniketti and company — bassist Phil Kennemore, guitarist John Nymann and drummer Mike Vanderhule — pulverized and slayed one hard rockin’ tome after another, including “Rock & Roll’s Gonna Save The World,” “Looks Like Trouble” and the classic “Forever.” By the end of the night, I felt supremely satisfied, taken back by how good a high-quality rock and roll band can make you feel.
Earlier in the evening, I was in a completely different headspace. Seeing Leatherwolf on stage, my mind flashed back to the mid 80s when I used to run a rehearsal studio roughly 40 miles north from the Coach House. One of my regular clients was Leatherwolf, back then ambitious young turks who had just signed a deal with Island Records and were ready to storm the world with their Triple Axe Attack. Although I never actually told them so at the time, I thought they were an amazing band, sort of Huntington Beach’s answer to Iron Maiden, yet far more melodic and fluid.
I must have seen Leatherwolf rehearse and play out a hundred times or more. I even promoted a show they headlined in Orange County, and sat idly by in the basement of Gazzarri’s on the Sunset Strip one afternoon as they were interviewed by the lovely Tawn Mastrey on KNAC. Exciting times indeed.
Like so many bands of the torrential 80s, Leatherwolf got swept aside by grunge, left for dead (although hardly out of the game) until they re-emerged with a vengeance in the late 90s. Over the years, they have amassed a rabid cult following in the States and Europe. The lineup has weathered its share of mutiny, maturity and movement, but the present roster still features Dean Roberts holding down the bottom end with a heavy duty kit that includes two cannon-sized bass drums.
Dean is joined by original vocalist/guitarist Michael Olivieri and original guitarist Carey Howe. Although a couple of the other guys I knew have come and gone over the years, guitarist Greg Erba and bassist Patrick Guyton presently round out Leatherwolf for 2009.
I immediately recognized tracks like “The Calling,” and felt the crunch of the newer material, especially “Behind The Gun.” These guys have hardly mellowed with age. As I would learn, they hadn’t played in awhile, but they sounded tight and the crowd was enthralled. Leatherwolf fans were hanging from the rafters and buying me beers. It felt like 1987 at the Pit all over again.
Just before Y&T took the stage, I wandered up to the dressing rooms and bumped into Dean, Mike and Carey. “Congratulations, ” I told Mike, “You’re now a classic rock band.” Later, just before heading out, Dean handed me a copy of the group’s new CD, New World Asylum as he talked with fans and signed autographs at the merchandise table.
Even though Leatherwolf hadn’t exactly conquered the world, here they were, kicking some serious ass and ripping down the sonic wallpaper for an appreciative hometown crowd. Maybe it means more now than it did in the 80s when everyone was trying to figure out how to make it to the big time. That was then, but the moment was now. And it was truly a night to remember…
