Airheads
(Arista)
by Paul Lee
So what do ‘ya expect from a movie called Airheads anyway? Personally, I didn’t experience this fine flick (ho, ho) but the preview I had to endure in the movie theater was enough to keep me far away. At least they put out a pretty tantalizing soundtrack. Maybe, with its sales, Fox Films can make up for the losers of their moronic comedy targeted at us rockers and grunge meisters.
What we have before us is a platter of plenty ‘o fascinatin’ tastes. It just oozes with fun and wackiness. From hardened metallic veterans to hard ‘n fresh newcomers, there’s a flavor for every rockin’ connoisseur.
To start the Airheads audio engine roaring, Motörhead guns it with the help of Ice-T and the weenie singer from Ugly Kid Joe, Whitfield Crane on “Born To Raise Hell.” I am a huge Motörhead fan, but this new version of a song from their most recent (and near brilliant) Bastards album feels like an Abrrams tank dropped from a transport plane onto your head. Granted, “Hellraiser” is supposed to be goofy, but Ice-T just makes himself useless and goofier by appearing on this track.
4 Non Blondes‘ attempt at the classic Van Halen tune, “I’m The One,” is not bad but forget the Eddie-guitar pyrotechnics… they left any attempt out. It’s sure a change hearing Johnette sing Dave. If there’s any woman who has the vocal cajones, it’s her. I suppose I can’t detail every song too much, after all, Scotty only gives limited space (and thank God for that, eh?). So, onto the important songs.
“Feed The Gods” is White Zombie‘s latest sacrifice to the dark forces. Holy eviscerated cows, man! It’s been a millennium since WZ has done an album, but if the next roars like “Feed The Gods,” hide your fragile items and protect the kids from this wonderful evil! WZ fires their assault with the force of demons. Remember, you were warned.
Prong unleashes a brief but totally furious tune called “Inheritance.” A quick burst of adrenaline that’ll leave you shaking with its animosity and anger. Another major monster is the Anthrax cover of The Smiths’ song “London.” I’ve never heard the original, but since I hate Morissey, this must be a better version. It kind of harks back to Anthrax’s cover of Joe Jackson’s “I Got the Time.” Primus keeps up their odd and annoying noise with “Bastardizing Jellikit.” With Les’ nasally geek-voice and astounding bass action, it definetly stays interesting even when it starts to grate on your nerves.
The rest of Airheads does some good in this world. Dig churns out some hard-progressive action with “Curious George Blues.” I hope to hear more from them soon. Stuttering John, of Howard Stern fame, does an AC/DC- type groove with “I’ll Take My Way Out of It.” It’s a catchy song that’s good for laughs. The rest of the songs, by the Ramones (“We Want The Airwaves”), Candlebox, The Lone Rangers, D Generation and Stick make some sparks but don’t make any roaring rock fires.
No, Airheads isn’t a monumental soundtrack, nor as wild as Judgment Night (another lame flick with a good soundtrack, go figure), but it has a number of chunky sonic assaults on it that are worth the price of admission to the soundtrack only.
Miraculous or not, this bitchin’ assortment of mania and even the lamer songs aren’t half bad. You want some variety that’ll blow the bejesus out of soundtracks like Reality Bites? Then dig into Airheads and ruin your auditory canal.
