First off, the cast of Spiders & Snakes is not pretty, and should take it easy with the excessive sleeve pics. Inside, the track titles give away the disc vibe, as cheap, tricked-out "Radio Stars" wind-up "Nonstop Rock" for the life-threatening pitch of "Party in Hollywood." Whatever decade these four dudes (look like who-knows-what) live in, they're having nothing but a good time here. Led by unsung Hollywood hero Lizzie Grey, Spiders & Snakes weave and coil through "2000 Rock & Roll" like the last decade never happened (Although the stark '90s production makes these festivities shrill; a little late-'70s tubular tuning would shoot these fireworks higher into the night.). The new version of the old scene, "Public Enemy #1" becomes an outrageous fete rather than a cautionary outlaw parable. The "take it all for yourself" dig at the end could be directed at Nikki Sixx, as Spiders & Snakes grand pooh-bah Grey co-authored the cut with Sixx back in the early '80s while comprising the band London (hence the album title). A Spirit-ed run through "Run, Run, Run" and the hot Mott stuff of "Rock and Roll Queen" (you know what I mean) avoids the mid-album ruts (Nigel Benjamin replaced the irreplaceable Ian Hunter in Mott the Hoople, and was also a member of London). The full-frontal rock assault does get a bit monochromatic. Nobody wants any ballads, but London Daze could benefit from a little shading. But these cartoonish cats are having a blast and want you to as well -- a rare and welcome stance. The next record may be brilliant (this is the fifth!), but who knows Spiders & Snakes shake things up, but must be past its prime and, like Hanoi Rocks, is a band caught in the wrong time. So who cares? Get out the heels, the hair spray and self-destruct with London Daze. The wonderfully limited vision of Spiders & Snakes incorporates all that matters: TV, radio, and rock & roll. Luckily the band doesn't know when to stop. The tacked-on '80 London demo is significant, surprisingly stacking up no-less than three mellow chill-pills that almost make me bite my tongue for the above ballad dis: "Nobody Loves You Like I Do" is a quality pop song. "Straight From the Heart" bleeds alr
01 London daze 02 Nonstop rock 03 Party in hollywood 04 Radio stars 05 Don't know when to stop 06 Public enemy #1 07 Run 08 run 09 run 10 Elvis' tv 11 Rock and roll queen 12 2000 rock & roll
13 Nobody loves you like i do 14 Straight from the heart 15 Dream girl