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The hard rock of the 70s had its sacred monsters (no need to name them), the 80s saw the birth of new weapons for the conquest of women (Whitesnake above all), while the 90s represent natural selection. When there are too many and new species threaten to invade the scene, the majors proceed with wild and random deforestation. Budgets, contracts, and productions are cut. A genre takes the path of extinction in reality and that of the "oldies" in TV reality rotations. But among the oak trunks that have always stood splendidly firm is the robust and gnarled one of Tesla, a Californian band that has never known any crisis from a production standpoint and, objectively, I don't think they've ever released an album that could be rated with less than four stars. Or bullets?
The Tesla I want to talk about are in their most flourishing period and have already released two studio albums. The first in 1985, Mechanical Resonance, a hard rock calling card lacquered with blues in the sound and street in the production. The second in 1989, The Great Radio Controversy, in which they continued to emphasize the compactness of hard rock, taking a decisive path and abolishing the slightest fashionable and glamorous contaminations of the era. After all, having a past on stage alongside Dokken and David Lee Roth - to name a few -, the production of their first demos entrusted to the legend Ronnie Montrose and signing immediately with Geffen, which has always aimed more at quality hard rock than at sleaze trends, couldn't leave any doubts. With these credentials, Tesla arrives in 1991 at the moment of truth: once the horse is saddled, with five years of preparation where the technique has been increasingly refined, the guys are ready for the "now or never". And the answer is forever.
An hour of great, surprising, complex, multifaceted, rich, well-assembled hard rock of primitive creation, that shows the Sacramento boys in their best form both in the compositional phase (pieces and songwriting by master craftsmen of hard rock), in the creative one and, if we want, also in the encyclopedic one. Mastering a genre means living with your hands constantly on the tools of the trade and your mind busy absorbing, processing, and elaborating sounds to produce a quality product. The universality of Psychotic Supper is its greatest strength. It's a convergence record where the main currents of the genre get to know each other, respecting and immediately finding the right balance for peaceful coexistence. Notable, indeed, is the strategy in the selection of the tracklist. Arranged in this way, the 13 massive tracks show that the word randomness never crossed the mind of anyone involved in making the album. A sonic wall with foundations designed by sound engineers, erected to defend a genre and jealously guard it over the years. Target achieved to a great extent.
It starts with Change in the Weather, an unusual opener for a hard rock album, which would immediately please fans of bands like Molly Hatchet: it begins at a country/southern pace, in a well-engineered and tested device designed to last an hour. Solid and well-structured guitars keep time, constantly challenging themselves in pursuit of the complex rhythm riff. Solos emerge in clusters, alternating between virtuosity and rawness lasting several seconds. With Edison's Medicine, Tesla's branded hard rock takes hold. A cult track for the band, the second of the album contains the musical choice that most characterized the group. It is from here onwards that one can rightly speak of a Tesla sound no longer in its embryonic stage. Then there's Don't De-Rock Me. I interrupt the rhythm with a period because you always need to catch your breath after such a piece. A rock so hard it can be defined as a close friend of heavy. Jeff Keith sands his voice even more for the occasion and reaches a sonic short circuit along with all the other members going full throttle in a powerful piece, as three shocking solo sessions kick off. I've never heard such hard rock in my life. You catch your breath with Call It What You Want, melodically rough, a track for tender-hearted hardrockers. Another everlasting composition by Tesla is Song & Emotion, a ballad full of dramatic pathos that confirms a sophisticated use of electricity and acoustics, for an overall very plastic sound that gives way to roughness only at the apex of each song. Time is a track, certainly the only one, victim of street infiltrations followed by the few acoustic seconds that play the role of an interlude, of Government Personnel. When the second round begins, there's immediately Freedom Slaves, hard rock invested by ascending currents that take the genre to the edge of its existence, in front of a chasm with no visible bottom. Had Enough is a motel-style hard rock, to be lived in jeans and a flannel shirt. It precedes What You Give, the true ballad of Psychotic Supper, which starts from Keith's raspy voice and an incredibly engaging acoustic accompaniment, climbing to a magnificent and explosive orchestration of sounds that decree the rightful success (also chart success) of a track with noble origins. After this song, naturally, the level of attention decreases but the quality does not drop a millimeter. After 10 songs, Tesla has already proven what they needed to and allow themselves three more easy-going, relaxed tracks suitable for listening while riding a motorcycle, as I like to say. Among Stir It Up and Toke About It, I prefer Can't Stop, unleashed hard rock that has yielded to melodic advances.
Approximately 130 concerts for the tour that followed the album. Hard rock for defenders. A practically unmissable album.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
02 Edison's Medicine (Man Out of Time) (04:46)
You're guilty of crime in the first degree,
Second and third as well.
My jury finds you'll be serving your time
When you go straight to hell.
'Cause he was Lord of the Lightning,
Though "socially fright'ning",
But never out to sell.
Their nickels and pence
Meant more than did sense,
And not the sensible thing.
Nor did the man outta time, man outta time.
Thought you was crazy. You was one of a kind.
Man outta time, man outta time.
All along, world was wrong. You was right.
All that he saw, all he conceived,
They just could not believe.
Steinmetz and Twain were friends that remained,
Along with number three.
He was electromagnetic, completely kinetic,
"New Wizard of the West."
But they swindled and whined that he wasn't our kind,
And said Edison knew best.
He was the man outta time, man outta time.
Thought you was crazy. You was one of a kind.
Man outta time, man outta time.
Said you was outta your mind!
You took a shot and it did you in.
Edison's medicine.
You played your cards, but you couldn't win.
Edison's medicine.
I spent twelve years of hard time,
More like the best years of my life.
Never heard or read a single word
About "the man" and his "wicked mind."
They'll sell you on Marconi.
Familiar, but a phony.
Story goes they sold their souls
And swore that you'd never know...
About the man outta time, man outta time.
Thought you was crazy. You was one of a kind.
Man outta time, man outta time.
Swore you was outta your mind!
You took a shot and it did you in.
Edison's medicine.
You played your cards, but you couldn't win.
Edison's medicine.
03 Don't De-Rock Me (05:10)
I ain't no program on your television screen.
They only taught me what they wanted me to be.
Heard all your so-called facts. Now hit me with the truth.
Takes a lotta nerve the way you played me for the fool.
It's my personal selection to fly in my own direction.
No time for fuckin' 'round with mediocrity.
Takes ev'rything I got just tryin' to be me.
Life's like a highway. We're all try'n' to stay on time.
Travel atcha own speed. You take your lane, I'll take mine.
Don't believe all that you hear or half of whatcha see.
'S'waste o' time to criticize. Don't de-rock me.
[Chorus:]
Don't de-rock me. Don't de-rock me.
You be you and I'll be me. Don't de-rock me.
"Backstage Betty", banana in her cherry, in the shower down on her knees.
Like to think she'll own ya if she'll do all that ya please.
Hurts like a mother bein' cursed by a punter who's five sheets to the wind.
Won't stop at nothin', claimin' to be cousin till security lets 'em in.
Now I'm no symbol of perfection, so why deal with this infection?
Tired of bein' treated like some piece of property.
Fakes, lies, patronizin' don't sit well with me.
Blastin' down the highway, try'n' to stay between the lines.
You can get to where you're go'n'. Just don't ignore the signs.
Don't de-rock me. Don't de-rock me.
'S'waste o' time to criticize. Don't de-rock me.
[Chorus]
04 Call It What You Want (04:30)
I'm in love with a lady
And I know the lady's in love with me
And she knows how to always be there
That's why she's willin' and ready
But now and then, every once in a while
Something inside of me, maybe inside of her...
Have you ever had one of those days
Where it all is going wrong
And it just can't seem to get along?
But through it all you know you're gonna make it.
Call it true love
Call it not meant to be
You can call it anything at all, you see.
Call it what you want
It's all the same to me.
Music means a lot to me
Like love, I make it when I can.
All I am is all I'll ever be
And that's just a boy from Texarkana.
But now and then oh, but once in a while,
They start treating me like some kind of superstar.
Need I mention, at the end of the day
What matters most of all
It's not where you're at
Or where you're comin' from
When all is said and done
You can call it...
Heavy metal, hard-core, pop, punk, or thrash
You can call it anything, it don't matter to me
Call it what you want
It's all music to me
Call it communism, call it free
Some call the ocean what some call the sea
Call it what you want
That doesn't change a thing for me
Not a thing...
Baby's lyin' in the cradle
Universe is all within his reach
Wearin' rags or mink and sable
Needs a guidin' hand or it's out on the streets
Now momma's out
She's never at home
Daddy's taking care of business
He's out on the road
It's rainin' cats and dogs
But the child within us all must face the storm
Call it individuality
Some call it fate, others reality
Call it what you want
It doesn't matter to me
Call it communism, call it free
Some call the ocean what some call the sea
Call it what you want
That doesn't change a thing for me
Not a thing!
08 Freedom Slaves (06:40)
I pledge no allegiance to your flag.
I feel I got me some damn good reasons for feelin' bad.
Way they take away ev'ry mother's son,
If you want freedom now, it's got to be won.
It's only bullets. It's just a gun.
Ain't gon' hurt no one.
I don't know what they must be thinkin'.
Makin' decisions on a hard night's drinkin'.
Momma, gon' take your little boy.
Gonna make him 'to a man,
Make him a stranger in a strange land.
[Chorus:]
Freedom slaves
What have you done
Freedom slaves
With ev'ry mother's son?
Freedom slaves
Can't ya see that we're all freedom slaves?
Freedom slaves
What have you done?
Freedom slaves
And all for number one.
Freedom slaves
It's clear to see that we're all freedom slaves.
No sign of justice nor liberty
By takin' an Indian Nation, 'cause they was all that we wanted to be.
All good people from the Kingdom of the Sun.
Welcome to freedom. Now, there's work to be done.
It's only natural to know it's wrong.
Why did it go so long?
I don't know what next they'll be killin',
Rapin' the land with pollution and spillin'.
Here's to the tired, to the hungry, to the helpless and the poor.
Is there no glory for blisters and sores?
[Chorus]
Who are those people?
So patriotically sittin' back of tables
POn their asses, lickin' labels, tryin' to change me.
You'd think the way they act, the way they carry on,
You'd think that I was the devil's Seventh Son.
But it's only words. It's just a song.
Ain't gonna hurt no one.
[Chorus]
Freedom slaves.
Freedom slaves.
Freedom slaves.
Attention!
About Face!
March!
Left, right, left, right, left, right.
Your momma, she was a....(fade out)
09 Had Enough (04:49)
Me and the boys are gonna rock tonite.
Drinkin' double shots, feelin fine. Mmmm, I like it!
I like the way, the way it makes me feel.
Now, I'm in love witcha, Lady Mary Jane.
You put my mind at ease, make me feel no pain.
Keep takin' me, keep takin' me higher, well, and higher.
Light my fire!
Ain't it funny?
'Cause the more I drink, the more I smoke, well, the better she looks.
And, honey, that's a whole lot better, whole lot better than before.
Lord! 'Cause you look so good. Yes, you look so fine.
Let's steal away and blow each other's minds.
Come on, baby. Keep takin' me higher. Yeah, yeah, yeah, and higher!
[Chorus:]
I've had enough!
Ah, maybe too, too much.
And with a little luck,
You know I'll get back up
On my feet again.
Ah, too much!
Too much to drink, too much to smoke.
I wasn't lookin' when it took a hold on me.
And it sure got a hold on me.
Oh, and it won't let go. Oh no.
I've never been this far before.
Have I reached the point, the point of no return?
When will I learn?
[Chorus 2x]
I've had enough!
I've had enough!
Ah, maybe too, too much.
I've had enough!
10 What You Give (07:15)
Who's the one that makes you happy?
Or maybe, who's the one always on your mind?
And who is the reason you're living for?
Who's the reason for your smile?
I feel so lonely and I know I'm not the only one
To ever feel this way
I love you so much that I think I'm goin' insane
I'm goin' crazy, Outta my head
Goin' crazy, Outta my head
Can't think about nothin' but your good, good love
And what you give
Everyone needs somebody
And you know
Everybody needs someone
Well then I guess it's true
Everybody needs a special kind of love
And you're the only one I'm thinking of
You mean the world to me
You are my only
I feel so lonely and I know I'm not the only one
To carry on this way
I love you so much I lose track of time
Lose track of the days
I'm goin' outta my head
Goin' crazy, Outta my head
Can't think about nothin' but your good, good love
And what you give
It's not what you got, It's what you give
It ain't the life you choose, it's the life you live
It's only what you give
It's not what you got
But the life you live
It's the life you live
And you're the one that makes me happy
Oh yeah baby
And you're the one always on my mind
Well then I guess it's true
You are my reason
My one and only
That I've been living for
Why can't forever be
Forever and nothing more?
I feel so lonely and I know I'm not the only one
To ever feel this way
I love you so much I lose track of time
Lose track of the days
I'm goin' outta my head
Goin' crazy, Outta my head
Can't think about nothin' but your good, sweet love
And what you give
It's not what you got, It's what you give
It ain't the life you choose, It's the life you live
It's not what you got, It's what you give
And it ain't what it's not, But what it is
Only what you give
It's not what you got, But what you give
Only what you give
It's only what you give, yeah
Can't get enough girl, of that sweet lovin' baby
What you give
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