Billy Sheehan Interview: Talks DLR

[chefcraig]

Addicted to that Rush for which they had their first video wasn't a world beater. I think i would have just stayed with Dave.

That song always cracked me up, because if you really listen to it, once you get passed all of the hammering and showing off, it's really just "Heard It On The X" by ZZ Top. "Green Tinted Sixties Mind" wasn't bad, nor was the home video from the early 1990s from San Francisco, yet outside of that...

The problem is, a little bit of that obnoxious lead singer goes a very long way.

[TJMKID]

Are you talking the tour or the album? If you mean the tour, I think that stands to reason. The Skyscraper tour was huge and they played an unreal number of shows, while the ALAE tour had replacement players and was cut short by Grunge. If you mean the album, then you're fucked in the head.

"Just Like Paradise" and "Damn Good" remain in my Top 5 solo Dave tunes of all time.

However, ALAE smokes the shit out of Skyscraper. Grunge and it's release 2 weeks before the Gulf War are the reasons it didnt become a huge album.

1987 saw the release of some epic hard rock albums and Skyscraper was quite weak compared to that level of competition --- Def Leppard's "Hysteria", Whitesnake's self-titled album, and of course the mighty "Appetite for Destruction".

[sonrisa salvaje]

My issue with Billy is that on one hand is talking about how he struggled all those years and then all of a sudden he is playing packed arenas with Dave and how great it was. Then on the very next album he doesn't agree with the direction, still plays on the record, and then splits? How about some loyalty Billy? So because he didn't agree with the direction he goes and forms Mr. Big to do what? Play sub par hard rock music in the style of the late 80's hair band craze. Wow. You really showed everyone Bill. Mr. Big opened for Rush for a while in 1990. I can't imagine any Rush fans giving 2 shits about them. Then they opened for the Scorpions for a while on triple bills beside the likes of White Lion, Aldo Nova and Great White. Thus, i ask did Billy win or lose?

[sonrisa salvaje]

I want to get this out of the way while i am venting. Dave was always ahead of his time. Skyscraper was like no other sound at the time. He didn't like to do what was comfortable and liked to venture out.

The biggest case in point about Dave being ahead of the curve is with his Las Vegas stint. Remember how all the sheep made fun of that? Look at what is going on now with Motley Crue, GNR and Def Leppard all playing stints at the Joint in Las Vegas.

Who has the last laugh now bitches? Kiss the ring.

[TJMKID]

I want to get this out of the way while i am venting. Dave was always ahead of his time. Skyscraper was like no other sound at the time. He didn't like to do what was comfortable and liked to venture out.

Skyscraper was most definitely Dave hanging out in left field for awhile.....but I listen to "Knucklebones" or "Stand Up" and cant help but feeling they sound dated.

But I can still listen to "Crying in the Rain" or "Mr. Brownstone" and fondly remember that '87-'88 still had balls.

[ELVIS]

ALAE (especially the song itself) isn't even listenable if you put it on directly following Skyscraper...

On production alone Skyscraper stands the test of time over that overproduced, slick sounding power rock mix...

[ELVIS]

Skyscraper was most definitely Dave hanging out in left field for awhile.....

No, It was Dave doing exactly what he wanted to do and that's what makes it interesting to me...

[DLR Bridge]

No, It was Dave doing exactly what he wanted to do and that's what makes it interesting to me...

Oh, I'll give it interesting for sure. Just a touch wimpy at times and not near as edgy as it could or should have been. Vai's too polished execution falls flat for me. Hina and Damn Good the only true stand outs. The rest is just fair or not good. I hate Hot Dog and a Shake.

[TJMKID]

No, It was Dave doing exactly what he wanted to do and that's what makes it interesting to me...

Dave's always been a headstrong artist with his own compass so we can admire that.

But when I hear "Hina" and "Stand Up" and compare it to the tasty hard rock stuff that came out in 1987.....it sounds weak and uninspired.

Dave phoned it in for most of SkyCrapper and he lost a lot of swagger when compared to EEAS.

[ELVIS]

I didn't like that song for a long time but it really kicks on a good system and it's pretty heavy at times...

[ELVIS]

Dave's always been a headstrong artist with his own compass so we can admire that.

But when I hear "Hina" and "Stand Up" and compare it to the tasty hard rock stuff that came out in 1987.....it sounds weak and uninspired.

Dave phoned it in for most of SkyCrapper and he lost a lot of swagger when compared to EEAS.

I agree with all of that, but ALAE is worse, in my opinion...

I just hate that radio rock formula sound...

[DLR Bridge]

ALAE is worse, in my opinion...

I just hate that radio rock formula sound...

I like the songs from ALAE better, but agree with you on the production end. That record does have a dated sound. Bob Rock. That can't be his real name.

[TJMKID]

I agree with all of that, but ALAE is worse, in my opinion...

I just hate that radio rock formula sound...

Production values aside (although I like the sound of ALAE) --- just seems like "Diamond Dave" returned on ALAE whereas he was kinda AWOL on Skycrapper.

Just crank a song like "Shoot It" --- that is Diamond Lee Roth swagger hitting back in a big way!

I listen to "Knucklebones" and Dave sounds like he's deliberately trying to sound like a cartoon character.

[ELVIS]

It's really Robert Rockless...

[FORD]

ALAE (especially the song itself) isn't even listenable if you put it on directly following Skyscraper...

On production alone Skyscraper stands the test of time over that overproduced, slick sounding power rock mix...

You don't think SkyCrapper was overproduced???