I Twisted Sister nascono nel 1973 a New York attorno al chitarrista Jay Jay French, con una formazione che almeno fino al ’78 sarà in continuo mutamento: la line-up definitiva si va comunque via via definendo, con l’ingresso nell’ordine di Eddie Ojeda, Dee Snider e Mark “The Animal” Mendoza. Unica variante rispetto alla line-up considerata come “classica” è rappresentata dal batterista Tony Petri, cuore pulsante della “Sorella Schizzata” fino al 1980, anno in cui approdò nei Plasmatics.
Con questa formazione guadagnano popolarità nei locali della loro città, e registrano il singolo “I’ll Never Grow Up,Now!/Under The Blade” che però non avrà molta fortuna. A distanza di vent’anni Jay Jay French e Mark Mendoza diventano produttori e pubblicano “Club Daze Volume I: The Studio Sessions” contenenti registrazioni di quel periodo, tra cui il già citato singolo e calde versioni di “Shoot ‘Em Down” e “Leader Of The Pack”, che hanno trovato poi spazio nei successivi LP della band.
A testimonianza della validità della band già nei 70’s sta il fatto che le canzoni sopra citate sono state riregistrate nelle release ufficiali (probabilmente per uniformarle al sound dei vari album) ma con struttura immutata rispetto alle versioni qui presenti. All’interno dell’album regna un hard rock nudo e crudo,lontano dai cori da stadio che ci offriranno i nostri negli anni a venire, indissolubilmente legato alla lezione impartita qualche anno prima dai padri del genere.
L’album si apre con la potente “Come Back”, in cui l’aggressività musicale si sposa perfettamente col ruggito di Snider e continua con le cavalcate “Pay The Price” e “Rock’n’Roll Saviors”; in particolare nell’ultima i Twisted Sister si proclamano difensori coriacei del rock’n’roll e dichiarano guerra ad oltranza alla disco music che si faceva largo in quegli anni. Si continua coi rockettoni easy listening “High Steppin” e “Big Gun”, prima di imbattersi nella doppietta di brani interpretati da Jay Jay French, “TV Wife” e “Can’t Stand Still” di ispirazione più bluseggiante, mentre il lead singer torna prepotentemente con “Follow Me”, che anticipa il manifesto adolescenziale della band “I’ll Never Grow Up,Now!”, un rock’n’roll grezzo con retrogusto punk, un inno alla ribellione contro i parents che vorrebbero figli tutti scuola e casa, impossibile resistergli!
Dopo questa piccola gemma un'altra ottima composizione, quella “Lady’s Boy” nuovamente in odore di blues ma penalizzata stavolta da una produzione imprecisa: troverà la sua dimensione ideale in sede live, come testimoniato dal successivo Club Daze Volume II: Live In The Bars. A chiudere abbiamo il trittico “Leader Of The Pack”, “Under The Blade”, “Shoot ‘Em Down”, che fungono da collante tra questo disco e il resto della produzione del gruppo.
In definitiva l’album è un’eccellente testimonianza della prima fase della carriera dei nostri, che ben presto avrebbero conquistato l’America attraverso i loro selvaggi spettacoli, e che qua mostrano quali siano le loro radici, lontane dal glam in favore di un fresco hard rock. Due anni dopo la Spitfire Records pubblicherà Club Daze Volume II: Live In The Bars, che, diviso in tre parti, ripropone uno show radiofonico trasmesso nel lontano ’79 ed il cui ascolto risulta essere del tutto complementare a questo.
Non un album che ha fatto scuola (data anche la data di pubblicazione), ma un ascolto consigliato a tutti gli amanti del classico hard rock targato 70’s, nonché a tutti i fan della vecchia Sorella Schizzata.
Elenco tracce e testi
07 Can't Stand Still (03:58)
Well, I remember the day that it ended, it was a scene that I never intended
My heart just hasn't been mended from that day on
You looked at me so sadly, you said I treated you badly
You said you want something madly, but now it's gone
Well baby, when, when, when I was in a rock 'n' roll band and I was playin' a one night stand
And I said I wanna be your man and it was fine
The situation is jaded and it's a crime
But T said that we hadn't made it, although so invaded
Well, I just can't stand still for a minute, I gotta move
And don't you know that I just can't stand still for a minute, too many memories ended
Well, I just can't stand still for a minute, I gotta move, oh oh, go Eddie, go
Well, I just can't stand still for a minute, too many memories ended
[Solo - Eddie]
Well, I just can't stand still for a minute, I got to move
Well, I just can't stand still for a minute, I gotta move
Well, you know that I just can't stand still for a minute, baby, too many memories ended
Well, I just can't stand still for a minute, oh no no, too many memories ended
Well, I always been a long gone ember for my love that I always remember
Because I know deep down in my soul, it's a feelin' that I'll never control
You know it ended up bleed out December, I never forget, no I never forget
I'll just keep playin' my rock 'n' roll and I'll make it there
Well, I just can't stand still for a minute, I got to move
Well, you know that I just can't stand still for a minute, too many memories ended
Well, I just can't stand still for a minute, baby, too many memories ended
Oh, I just can't stand still for a minute, I got to move
Oh, I just can't stand still for a minute, I got to move
Baby, well, why you treat me so bad, I can't stand it anymore
Well, I just can't stand still for a minute
Pack all my bags and get the hell outta town, yeah
11 Leader of the Pack (03:56)
-----------------------------------Hey, is he really goin' out with her?There he is, let's ask himHey man, is that your ring she's wearin'?Uh, huhMan, it must be great ridin' with herAre you pickin' her up after school today?Uh uhBy the way where'd you meet herI met her at the candy storeShe turned around and smiled at meYou get the picture?Yeah, we seeThat's when she fell forThe leader of the packHer folks were always putting me downThey said I came from the wrong side of townThey told her that I was badBut she knew I was sadThat's why she fell forThe leader of the packOne day her dad said find someone newShe had to tell me that we were throughI stood there and asked her whyBut all she could do was cry
"I'm sorry I hurt you"The leader of the packShe was so smallAs she kissed me goodbye,Her tears were beginning to showAnd as she drove away on that rainy nightI begged her to go slowIf she heard I'll never knowNo, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, noI felt so helpless what could I do?Remembering all the things we'd been throughThe gang they all stop and stareI can't hide my tears but I don't careI'll never forget herThe leader of the packLeader of the packAnd now she's goneLeader of the packAnd now she's goneLeader of the packAnd now she's goneLeader of the packAnd now she's goneLeader of the packAnd now she's goneLeader of the packAnd now she's goneLeader of the packAnd now she's goneLeader of the packAnd now she's goneLeader of the packAnd now she's goneLeader of the packAnd now she's goneLeader of the packAnd now she's goneLeader of the pack
12 Under the Blade (04:31)
UNDER THE BLADE
A glint of steel, a flash of light
You know you're not going home tonight
Be it jack or switch, doctor's or mind
Nowhere to run, everywhere you'll find
You can't escape from the bed you've made
When your time has come,
You'll accept the blade!
You're cornered in the alley way
You know you're not alone
You know it's gonna end this way
The chill goes to the bone
Now here it comes that glistening light
It goes into your side
The blackness comes, tonight's the night
The blade is gonna ride
'Cause you're under the blade,
Oh --
You're under the blade.
It's not another party head
This time you cannot rise
Your hands are tied, your legs are strapped
A light shines in your eyes
You faintly see a razor's edge
You open your mouth to cry
You know you can't, it's over now
The blade is gonna ride
'Cause you're under the blade
Oh
You're under the blade
A glint of steel, a flash of light
You know you're not going home tonight
Be it jack or switch, doctor's or mind
Nowhere to run, anywhere you'll find
You can't escape from the bed you've made
When your time has come,
You'll accept the blade!
You've tried to make it to the front
You're pinned against the side
A monster stands before you now
Its mouth is open wide
The lights go on, the night explodes
It tears into your mind
When the night does end, you'll come again,
The blade is gonna ride
'Cause you're under the blade
Oh
Under the blade
Here it comes, baby ...
Oww.
13 Shoot 'em Down (03:43)
Come on boys!
She looks so fine
Like champagne or wine
No one ever gets her
Oh ain't she cool
Plays us for fools
If we wanna let her
Across the room she's sees some buffoon
Blown away by her style
She goes out of her way so that she can play
And make him beg for a little while
Shoot 'em down, shoot 'em down
Shoot 'em down, shoot 'em down
Shoot 'em down, shoot 'em down
Shoot 'em down to the ground
Like caviar
Or a fine foreign car
He's a motivator
Dressed to the T's
They're down on their knees
He's a master baiter
He'll make 'em crawl for the hell of it all
He likes to see 'em cry
And then just for fun he'll say she's the one
And then he'll make her die
He's gonna
Shoot 'em down, shoot 'em down
Shoot 'em down, shoot 'em down
Shoot 'em down, shoot 'em down
Shoot 'em down to the ground
They don't care about feelings
They were meant to be stepped on
And while one is healing
They go and step on another one
Now, these people prey
On us everyday
Some are bad, some badder
They think we're fools
So they make their own rules
It only gets us madder
Well they think they're hot
Well I say they're not
They shoot us down for fun
If they wanna play
Let's make 'em pay and
Shoot them down with a fuckin' gun
Shoot 'em down, shoot 'em down
Shoot 'em down, shoot 'em down
Shoot 'em down, shoot 'em down
Shoot 'em down to the ground
Come on now!
Shoot 'em down, shoot 'em down
Shoot 'em down, shoot 'em down
Shoot 'em down, shoot 'em down
Shoot 'em down to the ground
Shoot 'em down, shoot 'em down
Shoot 'em down, shoot 'em down
Shoot 'em down, shoot 'em down
Shoot them down
Come on honey
Shoot them down
Come on shoot 'em down
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