JIZZY PEARL’s LOVE/HATE – Gonna Take You Higher (2021) + Crucified [rare EP / deleted]
If there’s a musician raised during the 80s debauchery on the Sunset Strip and still going strong in 2021, that’s should be JIZZY PEARL. Since his acclaimed band LOVE/HATE original line-up split, Jizzy has played, recorded and toured with platinum artists such as Ratt, L.A. Guns, Steven Adler and Quiet Riot, and at the same time has kept the band alive with his own version – JIZZY PEARL’s LOVE/HATE.
JIZZY PEARL’s LOVE/HATE is ready to release their new album ”HELL, CA.” which will be released in early 2022, and a 3-track advance has been presented showcasing LOVE/HATE rocking & raw as ever.
Additionally, we have here a request from one of you, the rare, hard to find JIZZY PEARL EP “Crucified“, a 6-tracker only appeared in digital format at the end of 2013 and soon retired / deleted from all platforms. It happens that founding LOVE/HATE guitarist Jon E. Love sued Jizzy for this EP, and since then the album has become much sought after.
From JIZZY PEARL’s LOVE/HATE upcoming CD ”HELL, CA.” we have the song ‘Gonna Take You Higher’ where surreal vocals and heavy guitars summon up visions of old Led Zeppelin and Richie Blackmore’s ‘Rainbow’. The song is about Jack Parsons, one of the pioneers of rocketry aviation who also happened to be a devotee of English occultist Aleister Crowley.
‘Wanna Be Somebody’ is the story of a girl that seeks fame and fortune in the bright lights of Hollywood, and ends up dancing on the dark side. It’s a punchy Sunset Strip-style rocker from Hollywood’s own Jizzy.
Final advance ‘Soul Mama’ is a rockin’-sockin’, hard-hitting rock anthem in the tradition of classic British Hard Rock.
The spirit of Sunset Strip is still well and truly alive and rockin’ and so is JIZZY PEARL’s LOVE/HATE. New record ”HELL, CA.” will be available in February 2022 through Golden Robot Records.
Regarding “Crucified”, Jizzy recorded the EP with his own musicians, but released it under the Love/Hate moniker. His ex bandmates took legal action and the EP was retired and made available again this time as ‘Jizzy Pearl solo’. But it was too late and finally “Crucified” was deleted from iTunes, Amazon, etc.
The title ”Crucified” comes from a failed publicity stunt in 1991 in which Pearl crucified himself on the famous Hollywood sign, only to get attention and push Love/Hate’s album sales. Pearl thought he would be up there for 30 or 40 minutes before their prank would be over, but that wasn’t the case. He was on the cross for several hours before being spotted by a local News helicopter, and Police helped.
Musically, ”Crucified” has a Love/Hate flavor of course, but it’s also very Pearl.
The opening track even pays homage to the 1991 event; “Hanging You Out To Dry” is one of the heaviest tracks on this six song EP — a short, sharp swaggering shock featuring Jizzy’s distinctive rasp over a clatter drums and Motörhead-esque oily guitars which spit attitude.
From there however ”Crucified” takes a much more melodic turn, beginning with “Sunny Day” a hazy, almost psychedelic buzz with churning riff. It’s simple yet effective with that swirling chorus of meandering solo and hissing percussion.
“You’re Making Me Nervous” doesn’t buck the trend; it’s another sweltering rocker with kicking drum as Jizzy wails, “Tell me why do you love me or hate me, do you want me to leave…”. It’s as if he’s baring his soul like he’s always done as the sweat drips from the walls and his vocal yap scratches the ears. It’s the type of song that grows on you like an invasive weed.
“I Don’t Want To be Your Baby” lightens the mood with a dreamy acoustic intro, evoking images of the early ’90s sleaze-ballad creations that wafts by on a summery organ before Jizzy barks, “It’s too late to say goodbye, it’s too late to hear you cryin’. I’ve seen enough of stormy days, I’ve had enough of your wicked ways”. Whether Jizzy Pearl is addressing his former band members we’ll never know, but it’s such a heartfelt track full of soul and simplicity.
Such is its class it wouldn’t seem out of place on Wasted In America (1992), which cemented Love/Hate’s place in rock ’n’ roll history as one of the best bands to never make it big.
With ‘Love Is All’ there is a touch of Led Zeppelin-ish Eastern swirl about the intro, mingling The Beatles with that summery early 90s rock experimentation as Jizzy croons effortlessly amid the tip-tap of bongo drums and a whining guitar. Trippy and elusive, it’s a track of drug-fuelled kaleidoscopic imagery that meanders with no real intent yet works as some type of hallucinogenic mantra.
And then we reach the final piece of the jigsaw, the bluesy sway of ‘Too Late’ with Jizzy’s cry of “You’re running away, running away with the sun in your eyes” over a solo which snakes and a drum that plods to great effect.
Much like Love/Hate‘s sporadic post-Wasted In America releases, ”Crucified” is the type of release that pushes boundaries and gets better with each listen. Jizzy Pearl and his old bandmates were never the most accessible group from the ’80s glam invasion, but they did leave us with several underrated gems over the course of their career.
The same could be said for ”Crucified”, an EP is which Pearl sounds as cantankerous and in-your-face as ever. One that is way too short, and yet fantastic throughout.
Highly Recommended
Only at 0dayrox
Jizzy Pearl’s Love/Hate new 2022 album advance:
01 – Gonna Take You Higher
02 – Soul Mama
03 – Wanna Be Somebody
Jizzy Pearl – Crucified: December 20, 2013 (retired/deleted)
01. Hanging You Out To Dry
02. Sunny Day
03. You’re Making Me Nervous
04. I Don’t Want To Be Your Baby
05. Love Is All
06. Too Late
Jizzy Pearl – vocals
Mike Szuter – guitar
Mark ‘Muddy’ Dutton – bass
Matt Starr – drums
retired from sale