Music From The Motion Picture Detroit Rock City

So, I was sitting around picking out the next batch of CDs to review, when Andria (The Editor) pops up with "You haven't done any sountracks in a while. You should do a couple of those." The next album that crossed my hands, that fell into that catagory, was Music From The Motion Picture Detroit Rock City.

Detroit Rock City was a movie about a Kiss cover band (Mystery) in 1978, that is trying to get to a Kiss concert in Detroit Rock City. A very simple concept for a comedy filled with great music. Music that really helps drive the movie, and in some cases the jokes.

There are two really good parts about this soundtrack. The first is that there are only four Kiss songs on it, instead of an entire soundtrack. The other is that some of the songs have been covered by modern bands instead of being the original version. However, keep that in mind when I later go on a long winded diatribe about Marilyn Manson butchering an AC/DC classic.

The album opens with a cover of Thin Lizzy's The Boys Are Back In Town. This version is performed by Everclear. These guys were pretty much "One Hit Wonders" even though they found success through a few different songs, none of which I can remember. This song is pretty much a note for note cover. It sounds like a really good cover band that got to record a classic rock song.

Kiss' Shout It Out Loud follows that up. I don't know how many times I'll end up talking about this song in the future. There must be a at least two actual Kiss albums I own that have this song on it. That being said, it's not one of the Kiss songs I care for. It's one of those well written Pop songs they do a decent job of pretending is Hard Rock.

Then it's on to Van Halen's Runnin' With The Devil. My favourite Van Halen song, and the only reason I don't write off David Lee Roth as a complete twit. This is a great song to have on any soundtrack, and even better on this collection.

It's time for another cover again. This time it's one of the best covers I have ever heard. I know the original artist disagrees, but Ted Nugent is a pompous, arrogant, ass that needs to, and I quote Frank Zappa, "Shut up! And play your guitar".

Pantera's version of Cat Scratch Fever is the perfect example of a band taking someone else's song, playing it faithfully, and still making it sound like their own. It's not a perfect note for note cover. It's a perfect covering of a song, while playing your own version of the notes. This song is totally and undeniably Pantera's Cat Scratch Fever. Dimebag knew how to play his Nuge, and he plays it so well. And as a kid raised on Ted Nugent, I will stand right up to Uncle Ted's face (As long as there is nothing around he can shoot me with) and say that I like this version better.

I know Black Sabbath's Iron Man. You know Black Sabbath's Iron Man. We all know Black Sabbath's Iron Man. If you don't, I'd like you to explain to me how. I would have liked a cover instead of the original in this case for sure.

Okay, remember at the start of this when I mentioned Manson butchering AC/DC. We are at that point now.

Marilyn Manson performs AC/DC's Highway To Hell. I know part of you is cringing already. let me start by saying that I don't think anyone in the band has the foggiest clue of how to play the original song. The verses only sound like the verse in the sense that Manson sings them the same. The chorus kind of sounds like the chorus, and I won't bitch about that too much. That's the only part of the song worth anythng. The rest of the song is a complete disgrace and abomination to anything and everything Classic Rock and AC/DC. I would punch Marilyn Manson in the face for this song, if it wasn't for the fact that he has at least one other full album he deserves it for instead. This cover is a big steaming load of shit. However, I do like it as video game driving music.

A cover of 20th Century Boy is performed by Drain sth. This sounds more like what I would have Manson do to the previous song. This all female Metal group slows down this classic into something that sounds more like a funeral dirge. In retrospect I would say that they went all Type O Negative on the song. I don't mind it, but fans of the original may not be so kind.

One thing I did notice about this album, and also applauded, was how many bands that are made up of only women were on here. Drain sth was the first group and two more are still to come. I only mention this because these bands are actually really good bands, that can more than keep up with the guys that make up all the other bands on this album. The only "Girl Band" not represented, that clearly should be, is Heart. The soundtrack's title track is the eighth song on the album. It's Detroit Rock City and you should just know it. If you don't, go youtube it, and educate yourself you ignorant bafoon.

I like that there are two Thin Lizzy songs on this album. I'm even happier that the overplayed one was the one that got covered, and Jailbreak was the original. Jailbreak is a fantastic song, from a group that's pretty much considered a "One Hit Wonder". I've got a fantastic best of collection that says differently. This song is so bad ass, and full of that bravado that only comes from growing up in bad place, like Ireland.

After that, it's Cheap Trick's Surrender (Live). I'm not a fan of this song. It's a good Pop song, and I see the appeal, but it's not for me. Also, eventhough I know this song was recorded live, it sounds studio engineered live.

There's this completely odd cut between that song and David Bowie's Rebel Rebel. It sounds like the type of cut you might find on a mix tape recorded off the radio. But, on to the Bowie classic.

This is one of Bowie's songs that I normally don't care about. It's a little too Disco for me, but in a British way. A lot of the Glam bands had a great ability to mix Disco rhythms into Rock songs, and come out with these really neat Pop songs. Most of the time I want nothing to do with it, and this is one of those times.

At the start I said that I like that there were only four Kiss songs on the album. One of those four is performed by The Donnas. Strutter is done in the same great style and fashion as the original Kiss classic. I enjoy listening to a chick sing it more than a guy, and I think it sounds better in this cover than it does when Kiss performs it. These girls are a flat out Rock Band, and I would normally feel bad for referring to any of them as a chick, but they are bad ass chicks.

The original bad girls of Rock N' Roll were the Runaways, and I am so glad that it's School Days that's on here instead of Cherry Bomb. Don't get me wrong, I love Cherry Bomb, but it's nice to hear other songs from them. Also, holy shit can they play. The bass in this song is just awesome, and the vocalist sounds so bad ass. I really think these girls could kick the shit out of any Rock's biggest bad boys. Lemmy will back me up on that too.

Now where I was happy that they put a different Runaways song on besides the normal hit, I was upset that they put this lame Sweet track on. I so would have rather had Ballroom Blitz instead of Little Willy. It's a funny and cute double entendre, but that's where my liking the song ends. After that it's all head shaking.

The album ends with the last Kiss song. I know what you are thinking, if you've never seen this album, "It must be Rock And Roll All Night." That is thankfully wrong. What a shitty cliche that would have been. Instead the album ends with Kiss performing Nothing Can Keep Me From You. This song is credited as being written by D. Warren, which on a quick search I can't figure out exactly which D. Warren it is. The song itself is boring and should have been left unrecorded.

All in all this isn't a bad collection of songs. Sadly most of the songs are pretty standard, and it's really only some of the covers that make this album really worth it. Although I do enjoy throwing this disc in my CD player from time to time, because of the mix of songs.

8/10 - content

7/10 - production

6/10 - personal bias