The second gig I ever went to was Faster Pussycat at the Newcastle City Hall (with Dangerous Toys and The Almighty in support). I saw that they were touring this year and excitedly ordered tickets… only to have the tour postponed until the only week this year when I’m not in the country. Argh.
Regardless, I dug out a couple of the old albums and found myself a) listening to some very pleasant memories and b) even more gutted that I’d be missing the gig. Mind you, a week away in Crete is a fair swap.
Faster Pussycat are a hair-metal / rock band sitting somewhere around the Motley Crue side of things if you have to pigeon-hole them. Wake Me When It’s Over was their second album, and released in 1989. They’re cheesier (and cheekier) than some, with a side order of sleeze and a huge dollop of blues in their sound.
No more so is this blues element demonstrated than in “Gonna Walk” and “Cryin’ Shame”. I’d love to hear someone cover one of these using a proper bass and with a fat black guy on vocals. “Cryin’ Shame” is the closest thing to a title track with the chorus kicking off with the phrase “Wake me when it’s over and it’s done”.
The sleazier side of the band is shown during songs such as opener “Where There’s A Whip There’s A Way”, “Poison Ivy” and “Slip of the Tongue” – which is down pretty much the same alley (oo-er) as the Whitesnake track, but is definitely not the same song.
Of course, every glam metal band has to have a ballad or two thrust on there and Faster Pussycat don’t let the side down. Album closer “Please Dear” is the slow dance song that rounds things off nicely, but earlier on there is the classic “House of Pain”. This, in my opinion, is Faster Pussycat’s “Every Rose…”. I can see the lighters waving in the air as I type this.
These are just the highlights of a very strong album that’s survived since 1989 along with the band who made it. Well. Some of them, anyway. There have been more than a few line-up changes, fallings-out, legal threats, challenges for rights to the name of the band… all very rock and roll. To save me paraphrasing the whole lot, just check out the band’s Wikipedia page!
Regardless, it’s a shame I won’t get a chance to hear some of these songs live this year but if you’re into the likes of Crue, Poison, Cinderella et al then I’d definitely have a listen to this. If you like it, then see if there are tickets left for the tour in July. It’s all small venues (Bannerman’s in Edinburgh and Trillians in Newcastle to name two), so get in quick before they sell out!
