Hey, guys!  Didja miss me?  (And a million readers, in unison, flip me the bird!) - Thanks!  This is gonna be a different kind of 'From The Vault' addition to your metal brain cells...there are many reasons for this diversion (blow dryer brain damage, too many studs digging trenches into my spine, etc etc...), but the main reason you 40 readers check out my blogs is that the metal is heavy, the knowledge is relevant, AND I'M ALWAYS RIGHT!!!  (That's right...keep flipping me off!!)

Anyway, this blog REQUIRES reader participation...interaction...and working your arthritic hands to claw through any vinyl (remember those big black round things we used to collect?) you might have hidden in some milk crates around the house that you don't want your kids to find - think about that...'Dad?  What the HELL are these?  And what's with all the scantily - yes, teach your kids that word - dressed women on these cardboard 'things' that are surrounding these big black round things?'  Here's a better question...WHY are those BIG BLACK THINGS being HIDDEN???  I mean, come on!  It's either difficult to FIND the majority of this stuff, OR it's gonna cost you $25-$50 trying to buy these items on cd nowadays!  Now, if you're a 'fringe' fan of 80's metal, don't even bother trying to locate this stuff in your collection...if you relied on the radio and/or MTV to feed your metal appetite, than I feel sorry for you...BUT!  If you had the gumption to actually go to 'underground' record stores 'back in the day,' than maybe...just MAYBE...you can relate to me here...

I happened to read that 'compilations / soundtracks' are becoming 'in vogue' again...praise God!  I'm not gonna mention what started this new phenomenon, but I believe it's time to come up with some compilations to kick-start a revival of the music we all 'knew' and 'loved' - and to introduce 'new' metalheads with musical brainfood on what they missed because of being born too late...

So, without any further ado (or fondue...bad joke), THIS is my 'So THIS is what REAL 80's Metal Sounded Like' compilation...this is a 20 song collection...it's just 'metal,' not 'thrash,' 'speed,' or whatever...those might come later...GO BANG THY HEAD!

1) - Heaven - 'In The Beginning'

2) - Keel - 'Back To The City'

3) - Y&T - 'Hurricane'

4) - The Rods - 'Too Hot To Stop'

5) - Tygers Of Pan Tang - 'Gangland'

6) - Manowar - 'Death Tone'

7) - Great White - 'Out Of The Night'

8) - Exciter - 'Violence And Force'

9) - Metal Church - 'God Of Wrath'

10) - Sanctuary - 'Sanctuary'

11) - Mercyful Fate - 'Evil'

12) - Raven - 'Break The Chain'

13) - Roxx Gang - 'Scratch My Back'

14) - Quiet Riot - 'Put Up Or Shut Up'

15) - Saxon - 'Street Fighting Gang'

16) - Loudness - 'Road Racer'

17) - Accept - 'Breaker'

18) - Savatage - '24 Hrs. Ago'

19) - Icon - 'On Your Feet'

20) - Helix - 'Heavy Metal Love'

WHY did I pick these songs?  Well, that's an essay I need to write later...but, if you're with me, you'll understand...these are, in my metal mind, 'generic' choices...those of you live on a planet that revolves around Ratt, Poison and Motley Crue are probably wondering who the hell I'm talking about here...cool.  Open your metal mind and ears to some OTHER stuff...for my faithful?  You can't even remember (well, maybe...) half of the bands that are coming up for review (remember:  I'm an ALBUM reviewer, for crying out loud...LOUD!)...

Thanks for reading...and thanks to almost none of you (except for one reader who invited me to become a 'friend' on here...rock on, dude...) for responding to this drivel...I love this stuff - I love listening to it, reading about it, and arguing/debating/conversing about it.  Metal isn't a topic of conversation to me...it's a RELIGION (Way to go, Biff!)! 

One last thing...find, at all costs, and BUY Steel Panther's CD...

Metal fans, UP THE IRONS!  The revival starts with people like us...then, record companies...then, radio stations...(sort of...)...then, it's all one big orgasmic festival after another to inform this people that THIS MUSIC NEVER DIED...it just got pushed aside for bands that rode on the coattails...

For those who want to respond personally, here's my e-mail...can't wait to hear from you...pateewack@msn.com

LET IT RIP!!!