Tonight

For the most part, I am a fan of deluxe reissues of older albums, as they usually contain previously unreleased material that rounds out the picture of the entire album. It's similar to an extended edition of a movie. Sometimes, as in the epic "Lord Of The Rings" films, the additional footage adds depth to the story and fills in some holes regarding character development and motivation. But then, there are some projects where the unreleased stuff only serves to illustrate that the film was just fine as released. It's called 'editing' for a reason, you see.

This album is NOT "Sticky Fingers". Seriously.

Such is the case with this 2008 reissue of the first album by hair-metal hellraisers, Motley Crue. While thankfully, there's no second disc of music or a dvd to ponder, there's enough extra stuff tacked on to market this to fans who've bought the album in various formats since its debut in 1981. Add some dubious 'remastering' to the package, which usually means "it's louder", and you've got a product to flog that should help keep the band members' 401K funds hopping. I should add that a quality mastering job can certainly provide an improved listening experience, but in some cases, the source tapes are only as good as they are and that's as good as it's gonna get. That's the deal here.

Among the new found filler is a cover version of the song "Tonight", which was the opening track from the 1973 album "Side 3" by The Raspberries. Although it's not uncommon for a stray cover tune to carry over from a bands' live set onto their recorded debut, I've gotta say that the Crue really whiffed this one. The track sounds like they listened to the song once on a boombox, then rolled tape and had a go at it. With some more work on the arrangement, it could have been a winner, but entire sections of the song are omitted, vocal cues are missed, and the take just falls flat. This recording is a very good example of what should rightly be left in the can. Down the road a bit, the Motleys proved they could do much better with their gritty take on "Smokin' In The Boys Room" by Brownsville Station, which scored well on the charts as a single and provided considerable help with record sales. Too bad they couldn't have done as well with "Tonight". Give a listen yourself and you decide.

The Raspberries

The one thing my wife will always have on me is the fact that the first rock concert she ever attended was The Guess Who and The Raspberries. My first concert was Golden Earring, Foghat, and Black Oak Arkansas; a show that could only sound good by drowning it in cheap beer. Although that billing was kinda cool back in '74, I wish I'd thought it through a little more, so my first show would have been something really awesome. But now, as then, I would have traded front row at that show, to sit in the nosebleeds to see The Guess Who and The Raspberries.

If Motley Crue had managed to capture half of the infectious joy that inhabits The Raspberries' original recording, they'd have nailed it. To be fair, that's kind of a tall order. Lyrically, the song is almost a sequel to their first hit "Go All The Way". The asking part about going all the way is done. Tonight, it's a given. That right there is Motley Crue's home turf, if you go by their album cover, and is all the more reason they should have put more work into their version of the song. Crank this one up and hope your kids don't figure out what Eric Carmen is singing about. This, my friends, is great rock and roll music. Enjoy!

As usual, Amazon is the online place to go for all things Motley Crue, if you are so inclined. As for The Raspberries, their original 70's albums are available on cd, but only as pricey Japanese imports. You and your wallet would be far better served with a solid "Greatest Hits" album. Vinyl lovers, take note. There is a very nice Mobile Fidelity vinyl edition of an earlier 'Best Of' album, coming out in early August.