Steve Stevens - Memory Crash

Billy Idol guitarist s new solo album
With help from King s X bass wizard / vocalist dUg Pinnick (performing Robin Trower s Day Of The Eagle )
Featuring drummer Brian Tichy (Billy Idol, Derek Sherinian)

Special Digipak Edition

**

I think the time is right for me to make a record that is totally me my world, Stevens says of Memory Crash.

Boasting such tracks as Water on Ares , Hellcats Take the Highway , Small Arms Fire , an interpretation of Robin Trower s Day of the Eagle (featuring Dug Pinnick of King s X), and the rousing/psychedelic Cherry Vanilla , Memory Crash is a journey through another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind , to steal a line from Rod Serling. It s virtually musical cinema. I have a lot of weird little segues going on with this record, Stevens says. I ve always loved that about the prog records, like Dark Side of the Moon. You enter this little theater of the mind. It s a true headphone experience.

Nothing encapsulates this more than the sizzling wah-wah- and flanger-inflected instrumental Cherry Vanilla. I just happened to have a recorder with me when I was on my way to an appointment, says Stevens. There were these women walking by, talking amongst themselves, so I caught them on tape. I just wanted to capture this moment of people s everyday lives and problems. On the track you also hear this other voice that says, Hey, man, can you dig what is going on in the world today , or something to that effect. He goes on to say, Man, you just gotta play a stone groove. Other words, when all else fails, just play a good guitar groove.

Indeed. A freaked-out, Hendrix-meets-Stevens vibe is prevalent in the interpretation of Robin Trower s Day of the Eagle , a tune Stevens says Dug Pinnick takes to church with a Sly Stone spin.

Jimi wasn t the only influence that crept up on Stevens. He revisited a cast of legendary characters, from Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, King Crimson, and Yes, to Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Bo Diddley, and Jeff Beck. Yet, despite the presence and interplay of diverse and distinct musical elements, Stevens never surrenders his own creative identity.

I spent a long time before making this record watching old archival footage and retrospectives on bands like Pink Floyd and Yes, just soaking up what made them tick, Stevens says. But this record is not a retro gimmick at all. It s still very much a Steve Stevens record.


Steve Stevens, the wizard of guitar effects and longtime musical partner of fist-pumpin , punk-pop bad boy Billy Idol, is one of the most refreshingly creative guitarists in all of rockdom.

Prepare to have your mind blown, again, when the atomic playboy drops his first solo record in nearly eight years, Memory Crash -- an electro-centric sonic tour de force that makes a serious musical impact. No gimmicks. No over-the-top production. No compromising. It s just Steve Stevens, his guitar, and his beloved effects all the ingredients that have made him a global star.

Stevens says. At the end of the day, this instrument, the guitar, has been with me since I was a kid, and it still fascinates me. I still have a love affair with the guitar. Product Description

Yikes! This album rocks in so many ways.

OK, we all know this guy is the guitar soul of Billy what's his name's early albums. He makes great guitar noises and squeals. But, this album is way deeper than that. This album simply rocks. Listen to it and you won't be able to sit still.

His musical influences are all over the map. Robin Trower, Jeff Beck, Mason Williams, greasy slide guitar, twangy steel, flamenco, all smashed together in driving Rock and Roll.

What are you waiting for? Just buy the album and get your Stone Groove on. November 20, 2008

Another solid recording from Steve

I'm really enjoying this recording. This is my 2nd Steve Stevens CD after Flamenco A Go-Go. This CD has a more varied sound than Flamenco which I really like though I probably like Flamenco A Go-Go more. The cover of Robin Trower's Day Of The Eagle is EXCELLENT with Dug Pinnock on vocals. I will be buying more Steve Stevens CDs. October 24, 2008

Explosive, innovative, even beautiful

As a long time fan of Steve Stevens' playing, I was tremendously excited when I heard of a new solo record. After a first listen, I was not disappointed. The guitar playing is incredibly virtuostic, delving into flamenco, blues, solid riffs, and experimental "sound efx", as usual. The speed and sheer precision of the playing is mind-bending. The songwriting and melodic structure is exciting, and occaisionally pushes the envelope. It may not be as adventurous as Steve Vai or Mike Keneally, but is definately moreso that Satriani. I am not a fan of the blues, and was a little disappointed when the songwriting occaisionally went down this road. (The Blues are just too repetitive for my tastes.) But despite the form, even these songs leapt out of their standard nature at the fingertips or Mr. Stevens. Any fan of "Black Light Syndrome" will enjoy this record. October 20, 2008

old school & worth the time

Great album start to finish - classic guitar the way it was meant to be
after listening to this one we - picked up some of his older stuff - really growing
highly recommended August 5, 2008

Monster Album

This album ROCKS. I had seen Billy Idol in Reno and knew that Steve Stevens was a good guitarist, but the live show blew me away completely. Steve can shred with the best of them, and this album delivers the most outrageous hooks you've ever heard. August 2, 2008

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