HEAVY PETTIN... THE BAND'S BEST ALBUM
Dave Roth | 07/14/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"BIG BANG is by far HEAVY PETTIN's best album. It has some of the finest rockpoptastick toons to emerge from the 80s, and to this day they still sound fresh. Songs such as 'Born to Burn', 'This is America', and 'Madonna on the Radio' are classic examples of how a rock band can sound commercial without losing credibility. However, and by far, BIG BANG's greatest asset is 'Lonely People'. Listen to the Chicagoesque rhythm behind this track: it is amazing how a repetitive riff can work well in a song without sounding played out. 'Lonely People' is a Punky Mendoza song ( PETTIN's lead guitarist ). It is credit to PUNKY that this album is Pettin's best. He didn't write much for the first two albums, but his contribution to four on BIG BANG must surely be a BIG part in the overall appealingness of this album. BIG BANG is one of those albums you just love to have in your collection. Play it once, twice, three times, and more. The songs just grow on you like poisonless ivy. BIG BANG's main appeal is, however, it's diversity. There is music on this album for a wide audience. Not only rock fans will love BIG BANG, but so to will poppers, punksters and the open minded rapper. Perhaps the grungemen will find it difficult tweeking their abused ears in order to adjust to a polished sound. Nevertheless, BIG BANG is BIG MUSIC for everyone. I've waited long enough for this album to be released on CD. Now I'm off to listen to those songs that have given these ears much pleasure over the years. BIG BANG... BUY BIG NOW..."
THE LONG LOST PETTIN ALBUM ON CD
Dave Roth | San Diego, California | 07/22/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"It always amazes me that the music and film industry are able to sell the same old tosh whenever some new article of technology hits the market. Think of all those vynals we used have lined up against the wall like some squared off military unit fit for nothing else but pleasure to our ear drums. Then what happens? Yeah CD technology muscles in and off we go and re-buy all those faves on an everlasting format. For bands like HEAVY PETTIN, however, technology is a great thing ( any chance of getting this mob on DVD I wonder ). PETTIN's BIG BANG is essentially a CD album. It was written at the time CD technology was in its infancy, and the producers of the album make use of digital sounds that transfer without loss or is hindered by hiss. BIG BANG is a brilliant album in many ways. Not least for the songs ( more about them later ). One thing we notice from BIG BANG is the contribution of all band members. PUNKY MENDOZA, for example, was rather low key on the first two, but on BIG BANG PUNKY makes his mark. This is so with BRIAN WAUGH. He too contributes to more on this album than he did on the first two platters. It is this coming together of the band that makes BIG BANG BIGGER than Lettin Loose or Rock Aint Dead. In PUNKY we find that there is more to the drudgery of rock/metal that can be found in his song LONELY PEOPLE. The underlying riff to this song has one of the most complicated sequences I've ever heard on guitar ( incidently, it was PUNKY who played bass guitar on this track. ) LONELY PEOPLE is a fantasic song and desertves, even to this day, radio attention. Another song that involved all five members is THIS IS AMERICA. I can't help but laugh at the outro of this song, but the party atmosphere and the sheer American sentiment of the song makes this a killer track. Being an American this track meant much to me. Being an American listening to Scottish rock stars chant of my country made it all more appropriate to how much the song means to me. In all BIG BANG is a tremendous effort from a now defunct band ( where are you guys? we need you back on the road ). If you want to buy an album out of chance the BUY BIG BANG."
Punky Mendoza the guitar god
Dave Roth | 03/09/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Dave Roth of San Diego was correct in his analysis of Punky
Mendozas intricate guitar playing.The guy is a god,the most
underrated guitar player on the planet.Buy the Big Bang or check out his latest project Criminal Minds,they really rock.
..."
Track Listings (9) - Disc #1