Customer Reviews

Stick It to Ya

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I can't believe 15 years has passed since this album was released. But you know what? It still sounds good today. I know Slaughter's been lumped in the cheesy hair metal category, but they actually showed a lick of talent as musicians.

After Mark Slaughter and Dana Strum left the Vinnie Vincent Invasion, they recruited guitarist Tim Kelly (RIP) and drummer Blas Elias and began recording songs. The result was "Stick it To Ya," an album that spawned three hits: "Up All Night," "Spend my Life With You," and "Fly to the Angels." But the rest of the songs on the album (while not deep), are actually pretty good --"Eye to Eye," for example, is a great overlooked song.

I've heard criticism of Slaughter's live show, but when I saw them tour for this album, opening for Kiss, the four of them were really quite good. This was a strong album to launch their brief career, one that actually has a bit of staying power.

The albums after this one haven't been as consistant. "The Wild Life" had a lot of hype surrounding it and one minor hit. "Fear No Evil, actually better than "The Wild Life" faired even worse. But at this time, the pop metal scene was rapidly falling out of favor, and Slaughter was deemed another hairband casualty. Too bad, because they actually showed some promise in the songwriting department. Like I said, to me, this still sounds pretty good... I'll probably still be listening to it ten years from now!

By the time the 1990's had arrived, it would not be too long until the hair band era died. As a matter of fact,when hair bands died, the only ones that survived were Motley Crue, Bon Jovi, and Poison. That was too bad, because among others, there was another one of those talented hair bands that would find their talent soon underrated due to the succesful arrival of grunge rock. That band was Slaughter. Once Mark Slaughter and Dana Strum were gone from The Vinnie Vincent Invasion, they started Slaughter and hired two musicians who, at the time, were unknown: drummer Blas Elias and guitarist Tim Kelly. The talents of Slaughter, Strum, Elias, and Kelly all resulted in "Stick It To Ya", an underrated rock classic. This album gave Blas Elias and Tim Kelly the opportunity to really show off their talents for the first time, and Mark Slaughter and Dana Strum both shined when they were with Vinnie Vincent, but this was the first time they got to show off their songwriting talents. Neither one of them co-wrote any of Invasion's songs. Songs like "Up All Night", "Mad About You", "Loaded Gun", etc are all fun to jam along to, and ballads like "You Are The One", "Spend My Life", "Fly To The Angels", among others, are also enjoyable to listen to. While "Fly To The Angels" was written about letting go of someone, "You Are The One" sounds like a song any guy missing his girlfriend would write for her as a "Please Come Back" song. "Spend My Life" makes for not only a great hard rock song, but it would also serve as a good song for a wedding. "Desperately" polishes a slick 80's feel with the lyrics and the bass line, proving that Dana Strum is one of the most talented and underrated bassists in rock music. All of the songs on this album are great, and if you like Slaughter, then you will probably not find one weak moment on this CD. Unfortunately, the death of original Slaughter guitarist Tim Kelly in a car crash in 1998 would slow Slaughter down, and to this date, even though they are still touring, Slaughter has only put out one album with Jeff Blando, who was hired as Kelly's replacement. But you can catch Mark Slaughter on the road either with Dokken, Warrant, Alice Cooper, or on a tribute record. Also, a few years ago when I was lucky enough to get to see Blue Man Group perform live, I got to see Blas Elias perform live as the Blue Man Group drummer, as it is Elias himself who does all of the Blue Man shows at The Luxor. If you ever go to Vegas, make sure you don't miss the Blue Man Group show- Elias and the show itself are both great! Do you miss the days when hair bands like Warrant were big? Are you a fan of hair bands like Motley Crue? Well, if the answer to both of those questions is yes, pick up either the original version of this album or the re-issued version that has four bonus tracks and new liner notes. You won't be dissapointed.

When I first heard Fly to the Angels and Up All Night, I knew I liked this band. Marc Slaughter has a nice lead vocal and sings some good ballads. Slaughter is what I would call a pop metal band in line with Firehouse and White Lion. They put out some nice rockin' ballads, not much hard stuff.

Their debut album is chocked full of good songs, especially Spend My Life, Eye to Eye, Burning Bridges, You Are the One, Mad About You and Desperately. I could skip She Wants More and Loaded Gun. Wingin' It is kinda fun, too.

This is the best album from Slaughter. The 1992 release, The Wild Life, is okay. Mass Slaughter (their "Best of" album) is made up primarily of these first two releases.

STICK IT TO YA, the first album from band Slaughter, is a classic album for any rock listener. It is filled with songs that exude a good-time rock and roll feeling, while not compromising the intergrity of the music. This re-release of that album was a welcome addition to my music collection.

The additional materials are demos of the original stuff and it is very interesting to hear how the songs matured from demo stage to release.

I definitely recommend this album...even if you already have the original.

I am 27 yrs old and when this album came out in 1990, I was 20. Hearing this all over again, reminded me of the wonderful times I spent with my best friend Christine, bonfires at the beach with friends, parties, going for drives without a destination. I feel so old when I look back. Time flies...Thank you for the memories and the CD again.

I can't believe 15 years has passed since this album was released. But you know what? It still sounds good today. I know Slaughter's been lumped in the cheesy hair metal category, but they actually showed a lick of talent as musicians.

After Mark Slaughter and Dana Strum left the Vinnie Vincent Invasion, they recruited guitarist Tim Kelly (RIP) and drummer Blas Elias and began recording songs. The result was "Stick it To Ya," an album that spawned three hits: "Up All Night," "Spend my Life With You," and "Fly to the Angels." But the rest of the songs on the album (while not deep), are actually pretty good --"Eye to Eye," for example, is a great overlooked song.

I've heard criticism of Slaughter's live show, but when I saw them tour for this album, opening for Kiss, the four of them were really quite good. This was a strong album to launch their brief career, one that actually has a bit of staying power.

The albums after this one haven't been as consistant. "The Wild Life" had a lot of hype surrounding it and one minor hit. "Fear No Evil, actually better than "The Wild Life" faired even worse. But at this time, the pop metal scene was rapidly falling out of favor, and Slaughter was deemed another hairband casualty. Too bad, because they actually showed some promise in the songwriting department. Like I said, to me, this still sounds pretty good... I'll probably still be listening to it ten years from now!

The test of time is probably the most important stat when it comes to how good a record is. This record I believe has stood the test of time. Released 15 years ago, most of the songs here are predictable and not original, but haw many artist are?

It seems to be that the general public have not been kind to bands like Slaughter, Mr. Big, Extreme, Firehouse, XYZ, and Winger. While everything before it (Motley Crue, G-N-R, Def Leppard, Bon Jovi and Van Halen) and everything after (nirvana, Peral Jam, and Counting Crows) are reveared today. Do you really think any of those bands are better then the afore mentioned? If you are now between the ages of 27 and 32,(I'm 30) you may be the few people that loved those late 80's early 90's bands that had talent. it is a shame there is not more of us. but I regress
Stick it to Ya had a sound that really was different. It really didn't sound like 80's hair bands, but it wasn't new either. Dana Strum's Bass maybe the reason for this. He is a Bass player that probably should have been a guitar player. Mark Slaughter's Vocals, albit annoying at times are still professinal. Of the 15 track here, most of the fisrt half (Eye to Eye, Burning Bridges, Fly to the Angle) are classics no matter what the average Coldplay fan will tell you. The second half of the disc can start to sound like filler at times. Mad About You, and Desperately are the stand out tracks nearing the end of the CD

I followed Slaughter into the 90's and would attend shows where maybe only 100 people would show up and the band would always put on a good show and sign fans CD's and pictures afterwards.

If you have any doubts about getting this disc, do so. It maybe the best $5.00 you spent

I used to hear the song "Up All Night" on the radio and I thought it was cool, that was like 1998. I eventually got tired of the song and Slaughter because that was the only song the radio station would play. Now around 5 or so years later I finally got my copy of it. I have to say I was really surprised by how good it is. Songs like "Burnin' Bridges," "Up All Night," "Eye To Eye," and "Fly to the Angels," all rock. Some of the album is just too sappy for my taste but I enjoyed most of it thoroughly.

The only thing I regret about Slaughter is that I had a chance to see them in concert and I didn't go because at the time I didn't know much about them, around 1998. I won't make that mistake again.

I recommend checking out some of Slaughters other stuff also. Their latest studio albulm BACK TO REALITY is excellent. Slaughter is a good time rock n roll band, and i see no reason for negative reviews. I do not understand why the band lost their popularity, because the quality of their music is higher than some of the 80's bands who still get attention. Maybe because they didnt take the low road to get that attention. They stayed true to themselves, their fans, and their music. The guys in slaughter are great they took the time to make me feel like the world on several occasions. I dont really know Jeff Blando, but Blas, Tim, Mark, and Dana are all wonderful to their fans, and i will always give them the credit they deserve as musicians and as people. I recommend all their albulms and the live show. I would love to see slaughter once again get the recognition they deserve, but either way i will always buy their material and merchandise and be in the front row everytime their in my city because slaughter kicks my a**

Arena Rock... great sweeping attacks on guitar, great vocals, touchy feely lyrics. A fine representation of what embodied Arena Rock or Hair Bands of the '80s. Strip off the makeup and Aqua-Net and you still have solid musicanship at the end (a highly refined end) of the era and genre.