Personnel: Jizzy Pearl (vocals, guitar); Michael Lardie (guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, keyboards); Pete Reveen, Stoney Curtis (guitar); David Moreno (drums).
Audio Mixer: Michael Lardie.
Recording information: Tone Factory, Las Vegas, NV.
Photographer: Kelly Garni.
It seemed like if you were a veteran '80s pop-metal rock act who needed a "singer for hire" in the early 21st century, former Love/Hate frontman Jizzy Pearl was the man for you. After all, it was during this period that Pearl could be spotted fronting either Adler's Appetite (a Guns N' Roses tribute band, which featured original GNR drummer Steven Adler) and Ratt (which only included original members Warren DeMartini and Bobby Blotzer at that point). And while singing other band's tunes undoubtedly helped pay the bills for Pearl, it was certainly not a fruitful outlet for working up new songs. As a result, Pearl issued his first ever solo album, Vegas Must Die, in 2005. Interestingly, the album was issued on the Shrapnel label, which is best known for issuing releases strictly by shredding metal guitarists. But the tunes here are equal parts Brian Johnson-era AC/DC and '80s-era Sunset Strip metal, as evidenced by the slow blues boogie of "True Love" and the acoustic ditty "You Don't Own Me," which is akin to the second half of Guns N' Roses' Lies. Longtime fans of Love/Hate starved for new product (Pearl's former band hadn't issued an album since 1999) should find some solace in Vegas Must Die. ~ Greg Prato
