HANOI ROCKS 'Another Hostile Takeover' CD
(Official Website)
"Another Hostile Takeover" really is a surprising album but, unfortunately surprise comes from the fact that it is extremely disappointing. I never thought I could say nor write something like that about a HANOI ROCKS album but I'm forced to write out this terrible report. On this album, the musicians play their mid-tempo, predictable and tasteless same old songs one after the other as if they wanted to offend their own legend (masochism or commercial aims?) Michaël Monroe and Andy McCoy, both gods deprived of power came back to earth and now speak every human being' language … You can't put you arms around a memory. So don't try.
/Franckie

HANOI ROCKS 'Twelve Shots On The Rocks' CD

I got myself a rose tattoo years ago to pay tribute to some Finnish semi-Gods and here I am 18 years after "Two Steps Fom The Move" listening to the new HANOI ROCKS album. After all these years waiting for a come-back, it's a bit strange to see Monroe and Mc Coy together again. I have to admit that if "Twelve Shots On The Rocks' cannot compete with its predecessors, it's an album which beats most of the solo albums of the two companions, "Too much Ain't Enough" and "Peace Of Mind" being the only ones really worth checking out. Nevertheless, we must not forget that Michael already did a very good come back with the awesome DEMOLITION 23 album and that Andy and his CHERRY BOMBZ did more than keeping the flame alive. So what about this 2002 HANOI ROCKS version?

Whereas Nasty, Sam and Razzle did have a strong image and presence, it seems like the new members just have a session musician role, everyone focusing their attention on Michael and Andy. There's been a few changes on a musical level too, the sound is heavier and Andy Mc Coy's love for Chuck Berry's and Johnny Thunders's music seems to be less palpable today. What else? Michael plays saxophone just on slow songs now, and his vocals are not backed up by those backing vocals I used to love. The drums sound and playing also make me regret the old times. However, despite the change of style, songs like "People Like You", "A Day Late, A Dollar Short", "Delirious" and the bluesy "Gypsy Boots" are quite good and just a few bands of today can't compete with such songs, unlike "Watcha Want" which is one of the more indegistible song Michael Monroe ever wrote... But it is unfortunate that Andy, the only writer in the 80s didn't do a lot on those songs. This fact makes of this album something like the latest Michael Monroe release with an exceptional guitar player though.

Well, we have to realize that the HANOI ROCKS that we used to know does not exist anymore. I was among those who refused to admit that the death of Razzle could put an end to the story and I believed for long that everything could start again like in the past. I was wrong. "Twelve Shots On The Rocks" is a good album but things have changed, the magic vanished and I'm realizing that with sadness. Michael and Andy have matured (and that's probably a good thing), I haven't...They managed to make their music evolve but my eyes will stay on those years which have changed my life. Gonna take a holiday down Malibu Beach... That's what I'll do!
/Franckie

HANOI ROCKS "People Like Me".
(Official website)
What can I say? I was so afraid to be disappointed with these new tracks that I must admit that I now think they're quite good, even if the sound that made of HANOI ROCKS a unique band in the 80s as well as the exciting backing vocals of Andy McCoy don't seem to be topical questions anymore. I also wish I could feel the presence of Razzle's ghost behind the drums. "People Like Me" reminds me a bit of the vocals of "Million Miles Away", co-written by the greatly missed Stiv Bators and covered by Michael Monroe on his first solo album, however, the musical approach here seems closer to "Not Fakin'It". "Lucky" has got this refreshing thing that one could find in "Italian Girl" and there's an awesome saxophone solo in it. "Winged Bull" stands somewhere between "Oil & Gasoline" and "Million Miles Away". So, everybody should be satisfied with these new songs and let's forget those like me who will remember with nostalgia the infancy of the greatest rock band ever. Be thankful to the band who added the video of "People Like Me" to the single. This video makes us want to see again our favourite enemy brothers on stage. Many of you will probably regret that Nasty, Sam and Gyp don't take part in the reunion, but we have to give a chance to the new members, and let's hope that the forthcoming album will not prompt us to pace up and down the Boulevard Of Broken Dreams... /Franckie

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