CARMINE APPICE’s Guitar Heroes (2010)

Europe release only

Carmine Appice has legendary status in the world of Rock ‘N’ Roll.
A founding member of Vanilla Fudge, Cactus and King Kobra; Carmine has also played with Paul Stanley, Pink Floyd, Stanley Clarke, Ted Nugent, Blue Murder, Ozzy Osbourne, to name a few.
While playing in Rod Stewart’s outfit he co-wrote ‘Young Turks’ and the classic ‘Do Ya Think I’m Sexy’.

In the late ’90s Appice created the ‘Guitar Zeus project’, an opportunity to record with some of the best guitarists in the world. A total of three Guitar Zeus albums were released.
“Guitar Heroes” compiles the best of those performances on one album for the first time in Europe.

Carmine Appice: “Guitar Zeus for me was an amazing experience, working with so many great guitarists. It was fun picking out songs for each.
Each guitarist loved the songs. It was an awesome experince. I would do it again in a minute even though it was a lot of work.
I consider these drum tracks to be some of my best drum performances in my career.”

Most of the top guitarists of the previous 20 years are present here.
The Guitar Zeus band itself consists of Mr. Appice on drums of course, the Fretless Bass wonder Tony Franklin (Blue Murder, The Firm) and the amazing vocals and rhythm guitar of the great Kelly Keeling (Baton Rouge).
With this solid foundation, the 17 tracks picked for this compilation are a good example of what the entire Guitar Zeus thing is all about.
Not a Heavy Rock record at all and actually with a bluesy feel and retro-eighties, this album delves into quite a few different emotions.

Some of the best standout solos come from the chromatic licks of Steve Morse (The Dregs, Kansas, Deep Purple) in the song “Four Miles High”, the soulful Doug Aldrich (Whitesnake, Bad Moon Rising, Dio) in “So Long”, the always competent Bruce Kulick on “Snake”, or the one and only Zakk Wylde, where you know it’s him after 2 notes on the cool “Code 19”.

But the “Guitar Heroes” show is completely stolen by 2 players; Ted Nugent and Yngwie Malmsteen. While I was a bit miffed in the unrecognizable lead work of some of my favorite players (Brian May, John Norum), Nugent’s work on “Even Up The Score” are quite possibly his finest lead work in his storied career. Very inspired, indeed.
And while one would expect Yngwie to do his neo-classical shredding, he does NOT, but rather restrains himself and does some very tasty blues infused lick work. I have always wished Yngwie would slow down and do more bluesy playing and on the song “This Time Around” (also featuring the awesome pipes of King’s X’s own Dug Pinnick) you get to hear what Yngwie can really do. This is also the heaviest tune on the record.

“Guitar Heroes” is a great opportunity to catch some of the biggest guitar heroes of the past two generations doing what they do best, and occasionally offering some surprise turns in the process.
This is some of Appice’s finest work behind a drum kit, and each tune runs over with the vibrant energy of a new relationship.
If you yearn for the days of the strutting guitar god, then “Guitar Heroes” is for you. A trip back to the ’80s.
Very well done.

01 – Jennifer Batten – Guitar Zeus Part 1
02 – Dweezil Zappa – Dead Wrong
03 – Yngwie Malmsteen – This Time Around
04 – Steve Fister – Blaze
05 – Steve Morse – 4 Miles High
06 – Ted Nugent – Even Up The Score
07 – Bruce Kulick – Snake
08 – John Norum – Nothing
09 – Brian May – Nobody Knew
10 – Doug Aldrich – So Long
11 – Slash – Where You Belong
12 – Zakk Wylde – Code 19
13 – Rick Derringer – Everybody’s Comin’
14 – Earl Slick – Here Comes The Nite
15 – Richie Sambora – Gonna Rain
16 – Steven Seagal & Seymour Duncan – Gz Blues
17 – Leslie West – Guitar Zeus Part 2

Kelly Keeling: Lead & backing vocals, rhythm guitar & keyboards
Tony Franklin: Fretless bass guitar
Carmine Appice: Drums, percussion & background vocals

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