STEVE JONES – FIRE AND GASOLINE [Rock Candy Remastered +1 bonus] 2019, MP3+FLAC
As requested, here’s in full quality the Rock Candy Records ‘Remastered & Reloaded” versions of the two ’80s albums by STEVE JONES. Here’s the second, “Fire And Gasoline“, released in 1989 and according to times, sporting a polished hard rock production.
As guests appear The Cult guitarist Billy Duffy & singer Ian Astbury (also co-writing & co-producing), plus Guns N’ Roses’ Axl Rose providing vocals.
I guess The Cult’s core members contribution is really accurate in “Fire And Gasoline”: overall, this album brings to my mind The Cult’s ‘Americanized album’ Sonic Temple.
Founding member of British punk pioneers the Sex Pistols, when the band disintegrated in 1978, the guitarist involved himself in a number of diverse projects but also faced some serious lifestyle issues. Relocating to the USA, amidst a period of serious drug dependency, he looked to a process of recovery by building a career as a solo artist.
His debut solo album ‘Mercy’ was a regarded as a tentative step towards redemption, but it was “Fire And Gasoline”, the follow up album, that really saw his creative juices flow freely.
It was a tougher and far more direct display of fire-power, bringing Jones’ guitar prowess once more to the fore.
Co-poduced by British studio wizard Mark Dearnley (AC/DC, Motorhead) with help from The Cult’s Ian Astbury, and recorded in his newly adopted home of Los Angeles, the album made much of Jones’ history of mayhem by concentrating on red hot riffs and shout-it-out-loud songs.
As good as biker hard rock gets, “Fire And Gasoline” was also bolstered by some interesting guest appearances, most notably from Astbury and Billy Duffy, and Axl Rose.
Although Jones self-penned the majority of tracks, there are also some notable co-writes with Rose Tattoo members in ‘Trouble Maker’, Motley Crue’s Nikki Sixx on “We’re Not Saints”, and again, Astbury in a couple of tracks.
Also present is a fire and brimstone cover of the Pistols classic “I Did U No Wrong”, re-done with a US hard rock flavor.
“Fire And Gasoline” rocks with a catchy feeling, it’s that kind of rock records that appeal everyone from metal to rock&pop fans, and it sounds relevant, not outdated at all in 2019.
Rock Candy has done again a very nice job with the remaster, now the album sounds punchier.
Highly Recommended
1. FREEDOM FIGHTER
2. WE’RE NOT SAINTS
3. GOD IN LOUISIANA
4. FIRE AND GASOLINE
5. TROUBLE MAKER
6. I DID U NO WRONG
7. GET READY
8. GIMME LOVE
9. WILD WHEELS
10. HOLD ON
11. LEAVE YOUR SHOES ON.
BONUS TRACK: 12. SUFFRAGETTE CITY
STEVE JONES – FIRE AND GASOLINE [Rock Candy Remastered +1 bonus] 2019, MP3+FLAC