<font size="4" face="Arial">I believe that Howard Johnson also did quite a bit of the Kerrang! Hanoi stuff though. I think whoever got in there with them did it. But there is no doubt that Dome was around then and probably has first hand account.Originally posted by fading ways finland:
I?m answering to my own question:
Yes, it was Dave Dickson. Here?s a link to an AMAZING interview, huge Hanoi-fan/ writer Jon Reed interviews Mr. Dickson few years ago about his relationship to Hanoi. VERY interesting stuff, take time as it?s LOOOONG.
http://www.jonreed.net/sys-tmpl/tableofcontents/
There?s also other stuff about HR in his site.
<font color="#FF0000"><font size="1">[ April 13, 2005 02:50 PM: Message edited by: fading ways finland ]</font></font>
True, of course he wasn?t ALWAYS writing about them, but he was the one who wrote the most, and was actually the first (or one of the firsts) who got into them from UK press, and editor who Hanoi thought was "their guy" in the press. Of course there were others, too, but Dickson maybe the most.
Really, everybody who?s at all interested about Hanoi/ 80?s scene should check that Jon Reed?s interview about Dickson, must be one of the best/ most deep interview that I?ve ever read.
Would it be a cop-out if I said "All Those Wasted Years" was my favourite, on first listen? [img]biggrin.gif[/img]
So to reflect on Hanoi Day here, it's been an interesting experience. I think it will require further research to determine a winner from the studio albums though.
Two Steps From The Move has the songs that I knew as 'Hanoi tracks', and the production is slick, but I agree a little sterile at times.
I do like the upbeat stuff from Oriental Beat and Back To Mystery City too.
I wouldn't consider any of the albums duff, they all have something to offer me. So on the whole, I'm pleased with my purchase. [img]graemlins/thumbs_up.gif[/img]
Many, many, many people consider "All Those Wasted Years" to being the best. Nothing wrong with that. It gets the least play from me though. But I just am not a live album fan.
I see where there's a little conflict on the liner notes. It says that it became apparent to the band after Oriental Beat, that Gyp Casino wasn't working out, and Razzle joined after a conversation at the Marquee, and went on a Far East tour.
Self Destruction Blues was put out as a collection of B-sides and outtakes to tide the fans over, until they got back in the studio. Razzle was on the artwork, but didn't play on any of the tracks.
After the tour, they recorded Back To Mystery City. But the back cover of the album in the boxset says Gyp was on drums for this one, so someone's made a balls-up here, have they?
I see on that interview linked up above, that Mystery City was Razzle's first studio album with the band, so Castle/Sanctuary have made a mistake on the sleeve of disc 4.
I'm on disc 4 at the moment.
As the booklet says, the influence they had on other bands is as much part of the Hanoi legacy, as their own controversies, personal battles and music.
I'm sure it was amazing at the time, but there's no disguising it's over 20 years old now. But then so is early Crue/Bon Jovi/etc.
On first listen, the quality appears to get better, the further into the compilation I get. Guess I'm a sucker for a more professional sound, as opposed to the raw-ness of the earlier stuff.
I did always enjoy Hanoi's ability to forget what they did. They attack so many bands for ripping them off, but I dare you to listen to the song "Mystery City" back to back with The Dead Boys "3rd Generation Nation" and tell me Hanoi was being original and NOT ripping somebody off. Or even The Dictators song (if I remember which one it is) "Two Tub Man" (or it is "Science Fiction Gone Too Far") and then give Hanoi's "Mental Beat" a listen. Hanoi ripped many, many, many people off, but they supposedly did it as a "tribute" type of thing. [img]graemlins/sure.gif[/img]
Actually, that's my least favorite one. "Tragedy" is awesome, but there are only a couple other decent songs on that one. It gets better, trust me, starting with Disc 2 (my favorite Hanoi album) I don't have this box set, but it looks like I might have to get it, since I have all this stuff, but only on cassette.
Keep letting us know what you think.
On disc 2, I like tracks 1,2, and 6-11.
Is this the one you have?
http://www.play.com/play247.asp?pa=p...D&title=602276
The 6 cd box set?
It looks like there is also a 4 cd box set, with the same name, that leaves off some gems like "Ice Cream Summer".
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