Seven Days Live

Poison

Armoury Records, 2008

http://www.poisonofficial.com

REVIEW BY: Paul Hanson

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 10/05/2008

My kids get on the bus every day and I tell them “Make good choices.” Bret Michaels? Make good choices, because lately, you’re skidding into the crapper. The “Rock Of Loverelease was pitiful. I was hoping this newly-issued live release, as a footnote to a dark time for the band -- namely the Richie Kotzen era -- would be a good choice. Sadly, no. This album captures the era in which original guitarist C.C. DeVille was replaced by Richie Kotzen; Kotzen was later kicked out and DeVille returned. This release is testimony to the fact that DeVille’s guitar work really is crucial to this band’s appeal.

Vocalist/guitarist Bret Michaels cusses too much on this release in a vain attempt to get the crowd riled up. He uses clichés like “I need your help tonight” while encouraging the audience to sing. He also asks, at one point, “Where are those f***in’ hands?” and then, in “Unskinny Bop” sings “What the f*** is going on?” instead of “What the hell is going on?” Blah blah blah. It’s beyond Michaels’ competence to come up with something original or it was impossible the night this release was recorded. my_heart_sings_the_harmony_web_ad_alt_250

The set list doesn’t help this release either; it couldn’t have been sequenced worse. The normally sharp Michaels leads his band through a disjointed escapade. Instead of continuing the “Here I am, let’s rock” attitude of opener “Ride The Wind,” the band launches into their ballad, called “Something To Believe In.” They follow that up with the equally low voltage “Stand.” Things finally get on track a bit for “Fallen Angel” and “Look What The Cat Dragged In” before suffering through “Until You Suffer Some (Fire & Ice).” Their debut single “Talk Dirty To Me” gets tucked into the end of their set list and its effect is nullified. When they come back for an encore, they play “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” instead of rocking.

Believe it or not, sometimes Kotzen doesn’t play the riffs well. It surprised me because I used to see Kotzen in the Shrapnel Records ads in the music magazines I read when I was younger. In concert, Kotzen misses the intro lick before the verse in “Something To Believe In.” Either that or it is played so softly that you can’t hear it. He also takes too many liberties with the riff in “Fallen Angel.” He doesn’t play the guitar neck slide leading into the solo that DeVille plays. The case could be made that Kotzen coming to Poison wasn’t his cup of vodka. Maybe he was bored. After all, to go from earning respect as a guitar shredder to playing DeVille’s trademark sloppiness must not have been difficult. What would be difficult would be DeVille ‘owning’ these songs and, despite all of Kotzen’s technical abilities, the inability to replicate DeVille’s personal touch. In other places, Kotzen sounds too precise, making the guitar sound too polished for a Poison release. This sounds like a cover band playing Poison songs.

Believe it or not, I do like Poison. I just have a higher standard than the band did when they decided to release this album.

Rating: F

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© 2008 Paul Hanson and The Daily Vault. All rights reserved. Review or any portion may not be reproduced without written permission. Cover art is the intellectual property of Armoury Records, and is used for informational purposes only.