Meanstreak was an all-female thrash band from Westchester, New York, that was active from 1985-1994. They were playing at legendary New York metal club L’Amour when Mercenary Records asked them to contribute the song “Lost Stranger” to their compilation album L’Amour Rocks. The favorable reaction that the track generated lead to Mercenary issuing Mean Streak’s one and only full-length album RoadKill.
Meanstreak is notable for several reasons; not only were they one of very few all-female acts in the world of thrash, but three of the ladies went on to marry members of progressive metal titans Dream Theater. Perhaps the band’s greatest contribution to metal though was their drummer Yael. She would go on to become a metal legend and one of the most respected female drummers in the world.
The Metal Masters clinic held their annual concert on January 22, 2014 at the House Of Blues in Anaheim, CA, where members of metal giants like Slayer, Anthrax, Megadeth, Testament, Pantera, and more shared the stage to play songs together from their respective back catalogs.
Pro-shot footage of the 3-hour headbanging event, Metal Masters 5, is now online and you can watch it here below.
Some of the songs played were Iron Maiden and KISS covers, but most were from the aforementioned bands, like Slayer’s “South Of Heaven” and “Raining Blood” and Pantera’s “I’m Broken,” “Strength Beyond Strength,” and “Mouth For War.” And the all-star jam finale? Pantera’s “Fucking Hostile,” sung by frontman Phil Anselmo and Testament’s Chuck Billy; a nice touch was seeing bass titan Billy Sheehan playing along on this one, and on Slayer’s “Mandatory Suicide” WITH the guys from Slayer. Too awesome.
In this era of Katy Perry pop music and gritty alternative metal there isn’t as clear a place for bands that play straight ahead hard rock and metal. This is the new alternative in many ways as it was when the genre was first born of punk music in the ’70s. Many of the best musicians from the ’80s and early ’90s still have a lot of creative energy but there just isn’t the call for the bands that they were once a part of; or these musicians are older and more experimental.
What’s more and more popular are the super bands, new groups made up of strong musicians from a variety of bands from that era. An example, and possibly the most successful super band currently playing music today, is Chickenfoot, which features Sammy Hagar (Van Halen) on vocals Joe Satriani on guitar, Michael Anthony (Van Halen) on bass, and Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers). Another example of one of these super bands touring and releasing music is Black Country Communion. The Winery Dogs features Richie Kotzen (Poison), Billy Sheehan (Mr. Big), and Mike Portnoy (Dream Theatre) on drums. While Kotzen was a member of Mr. Big for a time in the ’80s he was just as well known as a solo artist and guitar virtuoso.
Flying Colors Flying Colors
Mascot Label Group/Music Theories Recordings
Release date: March 26, 2012 (U.S.) CD | MP3
March 27, 2012 (UK) CD | MP3
When your band Dream Theatre or Deep Purple takes a rest, what is a man to do? Stroke your blond hair and cradle your guitar? Trim your beard and twiddle your drum sticks? Well, no. Late in the year 2010, guitarist Steve Morse and drummer Mike Portnoy decided to start a new band.
For facts’ sake, it was around this time that Portnoy and DT parted ways. But the prog-metal powerhouse and the hard rock fret flyer made for an impressive, if slightly unusual, pairing. The Flying Colors band started to stretch its wings with the addition of Neal Morse, the keyboard player from the spectactularly nerdy-named Spock’s Beard; bass player Dave LaRue; and lead vocalist Casey McPherson. In nine intensive days at the beginning of last year the album Flying Colors was finally recorded.
Students of the Unusual™ comic cover used with permission of 3BoysProductions
The Mercuri Bros.™ comic cover used with permission of Prodigal Son Press
