Izzy Stradlin: Life On His Own 01/21/2011
117°
By Brendan Gilsenan
Six years is a long time between releases - a very long time (yet still measly compared to the wait for Chinese Democracy). During the off years, Izzy maintained an easy life; motorcycling around world, recording when he felt the urge. By this time he had disbanded The Ju Ju Hounds, and being the one with the record contract, completed his sophomore album on his own timetable.
117° (1998) would inevitably be Izzy’s last album on his contract with Geffen. He, as well as other artists (including former Guns bassist Duff McKagan – who plays bass on this album), was dropped from the label when Geffen merged to form Dreamworks. But for the time being, Stradlin was still under the watch of a major label, who rejected his first submission for the album.
“Yeah I was pissed,” he said in an interview posted to fansite Chopaway.com. But the easy-going guitarist admits his frustration only lasted “for about five minutes.”
While the ex-Guns member made a career sticking it to the Man, in this case, the Man proved to be right. The complaint was that the record was lacking in slow songs completely. While rockers like “117 Degrees” and “Freight Train” are quality rock ‘n’ roll, 117° would have missed out a lot of its character without slow tempo tracks like “Gotta Say”.
The layover left time for the appearance of “Ain’t It A Bitch”, the last song written for 117°. “Ain’t It A Bitch”starts the album where the last left off. It’s a bluesy rocker fused with the sounds of the Stones. It’s familiar territory, and leads the album with a punch.
But from here Izzy delves into other influences, giving 117° a different face than its predecessor. There’s a blazing rendition of Chuck Berry’s “Memphis”; one of two tracks recorded before the Ju Ju Hounds parted ways. “Here Before You” draws from Johnny Cash. It opens with the crackling of vinyl and a slow, churning Cash imitation, before catapulting into an up-tempo, light rocker.
Overall, 117° is more diverse than Izzy’s debut. For punk, there is “Parasite”; rockabilly, there is a cover of Ronnie Dawson’s “Up Jumped The Devil”. Closing the album is “Surf Roach”, a Dick Dale-esque surf rock instrumental.
Although Izzy branched out from under the spell of the Rolling Stones and the Faces, his style and sound remains consistent with his previous work, and gives 117° a cohesive feel.
Perhaps it’s best that Stradlin was dropped from his label following 117°. On “Good Enough” he sings of his simple content with decisions made easily. “Good enough for someday/Good enough for me/Good enough for someone/Good enough ya see.” If it’s good enough to please Izzy, it’s good enough for the world. And this is about as far removed from the ideals of a major label as one can get.
Luckily the songwriting that comes to Izzy with apparent ease is not only good enough, it’s great. And the next wait would not be nearly as long as the first. While it took Izzy six years to finally buckle down and get 117° released, the coming years would see Stradlin releasing music at a rapid pace.
Next up is Ride On. Coming out only a year after 117°, Izzy’s new album would find itself only being released in Japan.
Follow Izzy Stradlin: Life On His Own here.
1. Ain’t It A Bitch
2. Gotta Say
3. Memphis
4. Old Hat
5. Bleedin
6. Parasite
7. Good Enough
8. 117 Degrees
9. Here Before You
10. Up Jumped The Devil
11. Grunt
12. Freight Train
13. Methanol
14. Surf Roach
By Brendan Gilsenan
Six years is a long time between releases - a very long time (yet still measly compared to the wait for Chinese Democracy). During the off years, Izzy maintained an easy life; motorcycling around world, recording when he felt the urge. By this time he had disbanded The Ju Ju Hounds, and being the one with the record contract, completed his sophomore album on his own timetable.
117° (1998) would inevitably be Izzy’s last album on his contract with Geffen. He, as well as other artists (including former Guns bassist Duff McKagan – who plays bass on this album), was dropped from the label when Geffen merged to form Dreamworks. But for the time being, Stradlin was still under the watch of a major label, who rejected his first submission for the album.
“Yeah I was pissed,” he said in an interview posted to fansite Chopaway.com. But the easy-going guitarist admits his frustration only lasted “for about five minutes.”
While the ex-Guns member made a career sticking it to the Man, in this case, the Man proved to be right. The complaint was that the record was lacking in slow songs completely. While rockers like “117 Degrees” and “Freight Train” are quality rock ‘n’ roll, 117° would have missed out a lot of its character without slow tempo tracks like “Gotta Say”.
The layover left time for the appearance of “Ain’t It A Bitch”, the last song written for 117°. “Ain’t It A Bitch”starts the album where the last left off. It’s a bluesy rocker fused with the sounds of the Stones. It’s familiar territory, and leads the album with a punch.
But from here Izzy delves into other influences, giving 117° a different face than its predecessor. There’s a blazing rendition of Chuck Berry’s “Memphis”; one of two tracks recorded before the Ju Ju Hounds parted ways. “Here Before You” draws from Johnny Cash. It opens with the crackling of vinyl and a slow, churning Cash imitation, before catapulting into an up-tempo, light rocker.
Overall, 117° is more diverse than Izzy’s debut. For punk, there is “Parasite”; rockabilly, there is a cover of Ronnie Dawson’s “Up Jumped The Devil”. Closing the album is “Surf Roach”, a Dick Dale-esque surf rock instrumental.
Although Izzy branched out from under the spell of the Rolling Stones and the Faces, his style and sound remains consistent with his previous work, and gives 117° a cohesive feel.
Perhaps it’s best that Stradlin was dropped from his label following 117°. On “Good Enough” he sings of his simple content with decisions made easily. “Good enough for someday/Good enough for me/Good enough for someone/Good enough ya see.” If it’s good enough to please Izzy, it’s good enough for the world. And this is about as far removed from the ideals of a major label as one can get.
Luckily the songwriting that comes to Izzy with apparent ease is not only good enough, it’s great. And the next wait would not be nearly as long as the first. While it took Izzy six years to finally buckle down and get 117° released, the coming years would see Stradlin releasing music at a rapid pace.
Next up is Ride On. Coming out only a year after 117°, Izzy’s new album would find itself only being released in Japan.
Follow Izzy Stradlin: Life On His Own here.
1. Ain’t It A Bitch
2. Gotta Say
3. Memphis
4. Old Hat
5. Bleedin
6. Parasite
7. Good Enough
8. 117 Degrees
9. Here Before You
10. Up Jumped The Devil
11. Grunt
12. Freight Train
13. Methanol
14. Surf Roach
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Izzy Stradlin: Life On His Own 01/14/2011
Izzy Stradlin & The Ju Ju Hounds
By Brendan Harte Gilsenan
Izzy’s first release after fleeing the spotlight in 1991 was Izzy Stradlin & the Ju Ju Hounds, released the following year. Slash may have brought the Zeppelin influence to GNR, but Izzy’s solo debut is saturated with the sounds of the Stones. From beginning to end, this album feels at home with the greats of 70’s rock ‘n’ roll, without sounded as dated.
What makes Izzy’s music so instantly enjoyable is the ease in which all aspects come together; his rough vocals, the bluesy rock riffs, the organic structure of the songs. Nothing is overly ambitious. It’s just really great straight forward rock ‘n’ roll.
Single, “Shuffle It All”, opens with a calming bass line that really stands out as a special moment on the album. Its hook of “Hoo hoo hoo! Shuffle It All!” is one of the most easily recalled lines on Ju Ju Hounds.
An appropriate appearance by Rolling Stones, and former Faces, guitarist Ron Wood comes towards the end of the album. A cover (or simply rerecording?) of “Take A Look At The Guy” off of Wood’s 1974 solo album, I’ve Got My Own Album To Do, features the veteran taking over vocal duties and playing lead guitar.
Izzy touches on punk on a couple tracks (“Bucket O’ Trouble”), and at times slows things down. “Come On Now Inside” features brilliant female backing vocals that really make it shine as the album’s closer.
Throughout Ju Ju Hounds, Izzy has you tapping your foot, feeling good (“Somebody Knockin’), and sympathetically sentimental (“How Will It Go”).
Often, members from big name bands go on to do their solo thing, and the results pale in comparison. Yet, although Izzy Stradlin’s first album away from Guns N’ Roses isn’t as ‘f-ck you’ in-your-face as his music with the band, the songwriting and performance on this album is of the same quality.
Next up is 1998’s 117°. We’ll take a look at the album, and why it took Izzy six years to follow up his debut.
Follow Izzy Stradlin: Life On His Own here.
1. Somebody Knockin’
2. Pressure Drop
3. Time Gone By
4. Shuffle It All
5. Bucket O’ Trouble
6. Train Tracks
7. How Will It Go
8. Cuttin’ The Rug
9. Take A Look At The Guy (featuring Ron Wood)
10. Come On Now Inside
By Brendan Harte Gilsenan
Izzy’s first release after fleeing the spotlight in 1991 was Izzy Stradlin & the Ju Ju Hounds, released the following year. Slash may have brought the Zeppelin influence to GNR, but Izzy’s solo debut is saturated with the sounds of the Stones. From beginning to end, this album feels at home with the greats of 70’s rock ‘n’ roll, without sounded as dated.
What makes Izzy’s music so instantly enjoyable is the ease in which all aspects come together; his rough vocals, the bluesy rock riffs, the organic structure of the songs. Nothing is overly ambitious. It’s just really great straight forward rock ‘n’ roll.
Single, “Shuffle It All”, opens with a calming bass line that really stands out as a special moment on the album. Its hook of “Hoo hoo hoo! Shuffle It All!” is one of the most easily recalled lines on Ju Ju Hounds.
An appropriate appearance by Rolling Stones, and former Faces, guitarist Ron Wood comes towards the end of the album. A cover (or simply rerecording?) of “Take A Look At The Guy” off of Wood’s 1974 solo album, I’ve Got My Own Album To Do, features the veteran taking over vocal duties and playing lead guitar.
Izzy touches on punk on a couple tracks (“Bucket O’ Trouble”), and at times slows things down. “Come On Now Inside” features brilliant female backing vocals that really make it shine as the album’s closer.
Throughout Ju Ju Hounds, Izzy has you tapping your foot, feeling good (“Somebody Knockin’), and sympathetically sentimental (“How Will It Go”).
Often, members from big name bands go on to do their solo thing, and the results pale in comparison. Yet, although Izzy Stradlin’s first album away from Guns N’ Roses isn’t as ‘f-ck you’ in-your-face as his music with the band, the songwriting and performance on this album is of the same quality.
Next up is 1998’s 117°. We’ll take a look at the album, and why it took Izzy six years to follow up his debut.
Follow Izzy Stradlin: Life On His Own here.
1. Somebody Knockin’
2. Pressure Drop
3. Time Gone By
4. Shuffle It All
5. Bucket O’ Trouble
6. Train Tracks
7. How Will It Go
8. Cuttin’ The Rug
9. Take A Look At The Guy (featuring Ron Wood)
10. Come On Now Inside
Izzy Stradlin: Life On His Own 01/12/2011
By Brendan Harte Gilsenan
Izzy Stradlin found fame with the biggest, and most dangerous band of the 1980’s and the early 90’s. As a founding member of Guns N’ Roses he toured the world, sold millions of records, and wreaked havoc upon countless hotel rooms. However, at the height of the band’s career, Stradlin suddenly quit in late 1991. The fame, and all the baggage that came with it, was something that Izzy never truly wanted at all.
He fled back to his home of Indiana, and has been quietly making music ever since. Stradlin has released 11 albums since departing from Guns N’ Roses. With each release there is no hype, no whirlwind of interviews, no world tour. He has quietly settled into the ease of releasing music how he wants, and when he wants. Since 2005’s Like A Dog, Stradlin’s albums have been released only online, predominantly through iTunes. There is no front man to peer out from behind, no record label to wrestle with. There is only Izzy and his music.
In the coming weeks I will trek through these releases from beginning to end – starting with 1992’s Izzy Stradlin & the Ju Ju Hounds and ending with last year’s Wave of Heat. And maybe by the end of it all, we will all have a little more insight as to why Guns N’ Roses lost some of its spark in late 1991.
Follow Izzy Stradlin: Life On His Own here.
Izzy Stradlin found fame with the biggest, and most dangerous band of the 1980’s and the early 90’s. As a founding member of Guns N’ Roses he toured the world, sold millions of records, and wreaked havoc upon countless hotel rooms. However, at the height of the band’s career, Stradlin suddenly quit in late 1991. The fame, and all the baggage that came with it, was something that Izzy never truly wanted at all.
He fled back to his home of Indiana, and has been quietly making music ever since. Stradlin has released 11 albums since departing from Guns N’ Roses. With each release there is no hype, no whirlwind of interviews, no world tour. He has quietly settled into the ease of releasing music how he wants, and when he wants. Since 2005’s Like A Dog, Stradlin’s albums have been released only online, predominantly through iTunes. There is no front man to peer out from behind, no record label to wrestle with. There is only Izzy and his music.
In the coming weeks I will trek through these releases from beginning to end – starting with 1992’s Izzy Stradlin & the Ju Ju Hounds and ending with last year’s Wave of Heat. And maybe by the end of it all, we will all have a little more insight as to why Guns N’ Roses lost some of its spark in late 1991.
Follow Izzy Stradlin: Life On His Own here.
