I work in a record store and I really love it when someone in the store points out a Dokken or Crue disc to me and laughs. The conversation is normally taking place between me and a forty-something bald man, and normally the topic of discussion is how bad he wants the "old stuff" to come back. He emphasizes "old stuff" as if the old stuff was a magical wand that he misplaced and can't find anymore. He will talk a bit with me as he browses through the nu-metal bins. He'll talk of bands like Linkin Park and Deftones and tell me how they sound decent, but he really misses the "old stuff". He'll tell me how he wishes Guns N Roses and Van Halen were still around and making records...but he says it in a way that assures me he would never listen to it if it was. Sure, he'll still buy Metallica and AC/DC, hell he'll even pick up the newest Bon Jovi or Def Leppard discs, but you know deep down that his days of hard rock are over. He'll still ask you who sings that new song with Sheryl Crow, you know, the one that all the kids are listening to these days. He'll tell you about his divorce and how the hit single from Creed really helped him get by. Then the encounter will end with the transaction, the one that includes the AC/DC remaster of the month, and John Doe will exit my life without knowing how much of the "old stuff" is still brand new.

He won't realize how much hard rock is alive. Sure, the Alex and Dave show is over. Lynch and Dokken still can't co-exist. And Guns N Roses "Chinese Democracy" is still an unseen rumor. But the show still goes on.....behind closed doors you might say.

Phil Lewis and Tracii Guns know that not too many people are going to care about a new LA Guns record. But by the grace of God, and a good old fashioned rock and roll soul, Tracii and Phil put out a new 'Guns record last year called "Waking The Dead". It's the best record of their career but you probably haven't heard it, and Rolling Stone isn't pushing the issue.

A great band called Beautiful Creatures put out the definitive hard rock masterpiece in 2001 with their debut record for Warner Brothers. The debut would be on par with Van Halen's S/T, Guns N Roses "Appetite For Destruction", and Def Leppard's "Pyromania". Oh, you didn't get a chance to pick it up? Thats okay because lucky for you Warner Brothers dropped them like a bad habit. You can pick that puppy up in any clearance bin as low as $5.99. Thats fine though, Beautiful Creatures doesn't care. They took their business overseas and are putting out a brand new album this year on Japan's Victor label. I'm buying it, and I'll wait until you tell me how great Nickelback is before I chime in about the brilliance of Beautiful Creatures. Sounds like a fair shake.

Oh, did I mention that Motley Crue put out the follow up to "Shout At The Devil" in 2000. Yeah, its called "New Tattoo" and it rips total ass. Yeah, you can get that one at the great low price of $5.99. Closeout, getout, cut it all out price. Going once, going twice, sold to the hard rocker in the Krokus shirt.

Speaking of Krokus, they just put out a new album this year called "Rock The Block". All of these years and still going strong. Speaking of strong, Ted Nugent and Jackyl both showed strong comebacks last year. Nugent released his heaviest album to date called "Craveman" and Jackyl released the ultimate ball-buster in "Relentless". AC/DC fans look out! There are other fish in the sea.

There are still some great hard rock bands out there that you haven't heard either. Put down that new Godsmack record and check these guys out:

Pretty Maids - Blistering hard rock from Denmark. Just released their newest album last year.

Victory - German hard rock at its best. Putting out a new album this year!

Sun 'N' Steel - Lethal hard rockers from Switzerland. Van Halen on guitar?

Pink Cream 69 - Melodic hard rock from Germany....perfect in every way. New release in 2004!

Pyn Siren - Debut record last month! Skid Row meets ultra heaviness! Highly Recommended!

Cut Throat - Awesome hard rock power! New album available now!

Shakra - Great new Swiss hard rock act. Catch their new album in August!

The Chainsaw - "Electric Wizards" - Melodic metal from Poland.

Crystal Ball - Three albums of rock 'n roll glory thus far, new album in November.

U.D.O - The voice of Accept is still rocking on...check out the new record in 2004!

David Lee Roth - Yeah he's still alive! Check out his new album , "Diamond Dave", in stores now.

Conquest - Aggressive heavy hitting hard rock from St. Louis. No Boundaries!!

Vicious Mary - Great Italian force like Dokken. Debut record out earlier this year.

Late Nite Romeo - Germany's answer to Guns N Roses. New album next year.


Many people will argue the point that hard rock is dead. In my opinion, it is if you ask the record execs, radio personnel or the average 40 year old, bald man. At one point it died out in America, but believe it or not, the current hard rock scene has never been better. Germany and Japan will always keep dishing out great hard rock sounds, while newer scenes in Switzerland, Denmark, and even Ohio, USA continue to grow and expand.

Its just a matter of time before someone in the record industry will make a stand. They will stand up to corporate politics and the flavors of the month. It's time that the labels start doing their homework. A revolution is happening, and they have the torches lit all around them. How about putting out that new Beautiful Creatures record? Let's see Vicious Mary and Pyn Siren get signed by a big company. Lets put a proper touring package together for Krokus and LA Guns, maybe get Cut Throat or Conquest to curtain jerk.

Its gonna happen. You can't stop the inevitable. The steel wheels are turning and pretty soon they are just gonna roll right over your ass. Grunge, garage rock, nu-metal, indy rock, whatever the music media is dressing up for these days, the facts are simple. Your days are numbered. Hard rock is alive and well in 2003.

Dead? Not hardly.

EC

Next Time: The Future of Hard Rock And What You Can Do