BRUCE DICKINSON SURVIVOR 2016: Results -> Darkside Of Aquarius wins!

Satisfied with the results?

  • Total voters
    15
Cyclops
1000 Points of Light
Shoot all the Clowns
Sacred Cowboys
Elvis Has Left the Building
Over and Out
Tibet
Cadillac Gas Mask
The Post Alternative Seattle Fallout

@Night Prowler where's Spirit of Joy?
 
Like Tattooed Millionaire, I was familiar with this album for a long time before I heard the other ones. Also a really solid album, but holds up much better than TM. Bruce is right about the production on this, it really doesn't do these songs justice. Would love to hear Roy Z remix it someday. I'm sure he'd be up for it.

I love the aggressive "street" vibe found in a lot of these songs, as well last the Latin influences. Especially in the percussion section. There are very few weak moments on the album, I'll be voting for these:

Laughing In the Hiding Bush - Just a generic song that never really did anything for me.

Shoot All the Clowns - Worst song on the album. I really dislike the chorus and Bruce's singing. It also has that funky metal thing which seemed to be a bit trendy at the time, but I don't think it goes well with Bruce's voice.

Fire - Not a bad song but also not particularly exciting and another chorus that doesn't flatter Bruce's voice. In general, I don't really like Bruce's vocals during this period. The music usually makes up for it on this album, but he's clearly going through a bit of a musical identity crisis after Maiden.

Fire Child - Meh

Elvis Has Left the Building - See above

No Way Out To Be Continued - Not bad, but a bit overlong with a lot of dull parts. Continued is much better.

Cadillac Gas Mask

BTW am I right in thinking that the more electronic bonus tracks are an indication of what the album was originally like before Roy Z and the Tribe of Gypsies got involved? Just based on some interviews I've heard about the album. It's actually not too bad, but I imagine most fans would hate an album like that from Bruce. I'd be interested in hearing a pre-Roy Z mix of the entire album someday. I'm sure it exists somewhere.
 
The stuff with the electronic tracks was a different project with different people involved (producer Keith Olson).
That was scrapped before or when Bruce started Balls from scratch at some later time, after he met Tribe of Gypsies.
 
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So that could explain why the drummer from Skin (who also toured with Bruce on the Tattooed Millionaire tour) is on it. I still didn't imagine that this song was not written around the same time with the rest of the songs. I just thought this drummer was hired for it; he also played on two later songs: namely Broken and Silver Wings). Do you have more background info on that? It would be great to read more about that first session (and second as well, of course).
 
It's amazing how much better Balls to Picasso is compared to Tattooed Millionaire. Light years better. Unfortunately, Shoot All the Clowns and Sacred Cowboys really drag down the record. They should have included Fire Child and Breeding House instead, they're much better songs. The rest of those bonus tracks are horrendous, though.

Elvis is stupid, Over & Out is not good, neither is Tibet, the No Way Out tunes have solid music but less solid vocals, Cadillac is some weird B-52's nonsense, Post Seattle is literally nonsense...

Also voting for Hell on Wheels, Gypsy Road, Dudes, Darkness, and Winds. It's a shame that the b-sides on Balls are so bad, cause I'd honestly like to vote for everything from TM.
 
I'll never forget how much I was enchanted by Sacred Cowboys when it came out. I kept playing it. These riffs drew me like a magnet! The chorus is very catchy and the solo is memorable as well. The song bursts with energy. And say what you wish about the vocals in the verses but the timing is fantastic (check how it ends every time) and so is Bruce's endurance. And this is the most metal track from the album.

Can't believe Gods of War is this popular. The most dragging song of the album no one talked about is suddenly a top three track. Can I have a laugh? Or cry... :p
 
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When I heard it I thought: holy hell, that's fast! Years later on this forum, people started about rap etc. Err, okay. Fine. It works.
 
Bruce's vocals on the song are not rap anyway. Rapping has a distinct rhythm and flow to it, what Bruce does is fast spoken word really.
 
Interesting stuff guys. Had no idea there were two other albums made. Would love to hear them someday.
 
Sacred Cowboys is just silliness. I know that many people like everything Bruce lays his fingers on, but I simply do not enjoy his "silly" material. When Bruce puts his heart and soul into something serious it is capable of transcendence. Songs like Sacred Cowboys and half of these b-sides (and most of TM) just sound like a genius blowing off steam, not something he legitimately believed in.
 
Aside from the unmistakeable brilliance of Tears of the Dragon, Sacred Cowboys was the only song I liked when I first heard the album. I dont consider it at all like the (stupid) Black Bart's and Zulu Lulus at all. Gods of War is one of the few I now don't like. Droning is the best descriptor I can think of.
 
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