MR

One of my favorite vocalists -- Les Carlsen from Bloodgood. His voice always reminded me of a rougher version of Steve Perry, and he had opera training under the same teacher that taught Geoff Tate from Queensryche and Steven Patrick of Holy Solder (who sent me some of his breathing exercises -- sweet!). I've heard others make the Carlsen/Perry comparison as well.

One of my favorite videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0k4mosk4zcU (sorry, didn't want this to get buried in the YouTube thread).

Paul Jackson SHREDS, btw...

Carlsen was a great singer and Bloodgood was great back then. Their first four albums were really heavy in a Priest/Maiden vein and then they went a bit more commercial with "All Stand Together", which was still a pretty good album. I have 15-20 of their tracks on my favorites list. Good stuff.

conversationpc wrote:Their first four albums were really heavy in a Priest/Maiden vein and then they went a bit more commercial with "All Stand Together", which was still a pretty good album.

"Rock And A Hard Place" was my first Bloodgood album, and I loved it. Got "Detonation" shortly afterwards, which was much heavier, but had that awesome song, "Alone In Suicide". I think "Out Of The Darkness" was next, and was the first with Paul Jackson on guitar. "All Stand Together" is much lighter in general, but is a real fave for me -- several great melodic rock songs on that album.

I remember their live album "To Germany With Love" was one of those that could fetch over $200 on eBay before they re-released it. I have everything they've done.

I'm glad they are back together, and hope to catch them if they play anywhere close again. Really looking forward to a new album if they follow thru with plans.

They were one of the first Christian metal bands, at a time when it wasn't acceptable for Christians to even listen to metal, much less play and sing it.

He does sound a bit like SP in parts...and, lots of energy. Is this a Christian band?

tammy wrote:He does sound a bit like SP in parts...and, lots of energy. Is this a Christian band?

Yes. They started out back in the mid 80s and were active through the early 90s and just reunited not long ago.

tammy wrote:He does sound a bit like SP in parts...and, lots of energy. Is this a Christian band?

Yes, a Christian band -- here is their official website: http://www.bloodgoodband.com/ I discovered them back in the late 80's, I believe. One thing I love about that video is the theatrical aspect of it. I love the way they raise Les up and lower him down right before he starts singing, and the other stuff going on during the guitar singing. Plus, Michael Bloodgood (the bassist the band was named for) comes out headbanging, and it just gets me going from the start.

Here is a video of them performing "Heaven And Earth" at the Cornerstone Festival just this year. Bad sound quality, but you can tell his voice is as strong as ever. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=as9Lpjs0__A

Oz Fox from Stryper is also playing with them now, and is in this video.

RipRokken wrote:Yes, a Christian band -- here is their official website: http://www.bloodgoodband.com/ I discovered them back in the late 80's, I believe. One thing I love about that video is the theatrical aspect of it. I love the way they raise Les up and lower him down right before he starts singing, and the other stuff going on during the guitar singing. Plus, Michael Bloodgood (the bassist the band was named for) comes out headbanging, and it just gets me going from the start.

Here is a video of them performing "Heaven And Earth" at the Cornerstone Festival just this year. Bad sound quality, but you can tell his voice is as strong as ever. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=as9Lpjs0__A

He does still sound strong there. Their also look a little paunchier as well.

Oz Fox from Stryper is also playing with them now, and is in this video.

I was wondering who that was. Oz is really an underrated player, in my opinion.

conversationpc wrote:They were one of the first Christian metal bands, at a time when it wasn't acceptable for Christians to even listen to metal, much less play and sing it.

They also had their own style, and weren't considered a clone of some secular band like Whitecross (RATT) and Barren Cross (Iron Maiden) were. Most importantly, they meant business, and were serious, sincere believers. Michael Bloodgood is also a pastor of a church. I never heard any monkey business about them.

RipRokken wrote:They also had their own style, and weren't considered a clone of some secular band like Whitecross (RATT) and Barren Cross (Iron Maiden) were. Most importantly, they meant business, and were serious, sincere believers. Michael Bloodgood is also a pastor of a church. I never heard any monkey business about them.

Whitecross did sound a bit like Ratt but I believe that was due more to Scott Wenzel's vocals than anything else. I never really cared much for him as a singer but Rex Carroll was one of the better, if not the best, guitarists in world of Christian music and one of the best all the way around. He even put out a really good album called "The Rex Carroll Project' back in the early 90s. Some good blues on that one.

Anyway, musically speaking, Carroll was an excellent blend of the styles of Eddie Van Halen and Yngwie Malmsteen. Great, great player. Unfortunately, the only time I had a chance to see them live was just after Carroll had left the band. Carroll admits that he and Wenzel didn't get on very well together at times but they seem to have mended things in the recent past.

That was awesome man!

Never heard that before, but I can definitely hear Perry in spots. He phrases a few words like him. (lieeiiight). He even has a few of Perry's moves down! Very cool. Thanks for posting it.

G.I.Jim wrote:That was awesome man!

Never heard that before, but I can definitely hear Perry in spots. He phrases a few words like him. (lieeiiight). He even has a few of Perry's moves down! Very cool. Thanks for posting it.

Hey, I never thought about the moves, but I think you are right -- they are similar. I think that killer scream at the end is the result of mixing Steve Perry's DNA with Rob Halford's. Glad you enjoyed!

RipRokken wrote:

G.I.Jim wrote:That was awesome man!

Never heard that before, but I can definitely hear Perry in spots. He phrases a few words like him. (lieeiiight). He even has a few of Perry's moves down! Very cool. Thanks for posting it.

Hey, I never thought about the moves, but I think you are right -- they are similar. I think that killer scream at the end is the result of mixing Steve Perry's DNA with Rob Halford's. Glad you enjoyed!

conversationpc wrote:Whitecross did sound a bit like Ratt but I believe that was due more to Scott Wenzel's vocals than anything else. I never really cared much for him as a singer but Rex Carroll was one of the better, if not the best, guitarists in world of Christian music and one of the best all the way around. He even put out a really good album called "The Rex Carroll Project' back in the early 90s. Some good blues on that one.

Anyway, musically speaking, Carroll was an excellent blend of the styles of Eddie Van Halen and Yngwie Malmsteen. Great, great player. Unfortunately, the only time I had a chance to see them live was just after Carroll had left the band. Carroll admits that he and Wenzel didn't get on very well together at times but they seem to have mended things in the recent past.

Yes, they didn't always sound like a RATT clone, but you can tell with some songs they were going for that sound (maybe the label made them do it). One song that comes to mind is "Straight From The Heart" -- from the opening riff, it sounds like "Lay It Down". Scott mentions the RATT connection in an interview on Liberty 'n Justice's website when asked his thoughts on Stephen Pearcy:

To be honest, Rex was the first to say that I sounded like him, but I didn't know who he was. I was listening to Rez Band and Petra at the time and not listening to secular music. We fashioned some of our music after them, since the comparisons where there.

In the same interview, he discusses what it took to bring he and Rex Carroll closer again: http://www.libertynjustice.net/gettoknow_scott.php

Did you know that Stephen Pearcy and Scott Wenzel both sang on 1 Liberty 'n Justice CD? I also only found out recently that he and Rex Carroll completely re-recorded their album Whitecross 1987 -- I haven't heard the new album yet. Hey, there is an interview w/Kevin Chalfant on Liberty 'n Justice's website, too -- http://www.libertynjustice.net/gettoknow_kevinc.php

If anyone's not familiar with Whitecross, here are a few of their older songs:

"We Know What's Right" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FezcHn6ituc
"No Second Chances" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lP7eYP0bS8
"Down" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lP7eYP0bS8

and check the killer Rex Carroll solo at the start of this song...

"Because of Jesus" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOFC5EIvFjE

Best Whitecross album to me hands down is "Equilibrium" -- AWESOME album!

RipRokken wrote:and check the killer Rex Carroll solo at the start of this song...

"Because of Jesus" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOFC5EIvFjE

That looked like the "In the Kingdom" lineup.

Best Whitecross album to me hands down is "Equilibrium" -- AWESOME album!

I'll take "Triumpant Return", thanks. To be honest, though, I don't think I've ever heard "Equilibrium".

conversationpc wrote:I'll take "Triumpant Return", thanks. To be honest, though, I don't think I've ever heard "Equilibrium".

Oh, dude... it's fantastic! I believe it was the first album without Rex Carroll, and it has a heavier sound to it, and even better production. Excellent song-for-song.

RipRokken wrote:

conversationpc wrote:I'll take "Triumpant Return", thanks. To be honest, though, I don't think I've ever heard "Equilibrium".

Oh, dude... it's fantastic! I believe it was the first album without Rex Carroll, and it has a heavier sound to it, and even better production. Excellent song-for-song.

The first album without Carroll was "Unveiled". Pretty good album in its own right.

conversationpc wrote:The first album without Carroll was "Unveiled". Pretty good album in its own right.

Ahh, I forgot about that! I don't think I've ever owned it or even heard the whole thing. They have a very unique song from that album called "Goodbye Cruel World" that I like a lot, and only discovered it on YouTube a few months back. I remember reading (I think in that Wenzel interview above) that he and Rex were just out of ideas, and he needed to take things in another direction.

RipRokken wrote:

conversationpc wrote:The first album without Carroll was "Unveiled". Pretty good album in its own right.

Ahh, I forgot about that! I don't think I've ever owned it or even heard the whole thing. They have a very unique song from that album called "Goodbye Cruel World" that I like a lot, and only discovered it on YouTube a few months back.

I don't remember that song in particular but there was one tune on there that I can't remember the name of right now that sounded a lot like AC/DC. Rick Cua played bass on that one, too.

conversationpc wrote:I don't remember that song in particular but there was one tune on there that I can't remember the name of right now that sounded a lot like AC/DC. Rick Cua played bass on that one, too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuM6j5Uu5hk

RipRokken wrote:

conversationpc wrote:I don't remember that song in particular but there was one tune on there that I can't remember the name of right now that sounded a lot like AC/DC. Rick Cua played bass on that one, too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuM6j5Uu5hk

Don't care much for that song. The one I was thinking of is "Salt City". Great tune.

conversationpc wrote:Don't care much for that song. The one I was thinking of is "Salt City". Great tune.

It's definitely different... haha! I've never heard "Salt City"... wonder if it's on the "One More Encore" CD I have?

I can hear why they make those comparisons... great stuff!

anyway wrote:I can hear why they make those comparisons... great stuff!

I love Bloodgood, and really hope they put out something new. I think they are planning to. Hope to catch them at a show, too.

Here's another song I love from them -- really love the chorus, and it's kinda Journey-sounding!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9EdymX0SA4