Leave it to musician Tommy Lee to put out a soundtrack album with a twist. Tommyland: The Ride isn't just the offshoot product of a movie or television show or some other marketing tie-in. It's the music that goes hand-in-hand with Mr. Lee's autobiographical book Tommyland. And like any other great O.S.T.s, it tells a story all by itself.
If, in Tommy's own words, the point of Tommyland (the book) was to "paint you a picture of my life, and show you how it smells." then The Ride in turn must let you eavesdrop into what he hears in his head. And it does...in a manner surprising to many.
Case in point. A while back, one of the nephews came over to our house and I had Tommyland: The Ride in our CD player. Halfway through the first track, "Good Times", he stopped the conversation to ask about what we were listening to. Playing devil's advocate, I asked him who he thought it was and, just to be fair, I restarted the disc and cranked it up. He had no idea. After being told who it was, his response was "Tommy? Tommy Lee?? As in Motley Crue and Methods of Mayhem??? WOW! I gotta get this."
But I digress. Or do I? Tommyland: The Ride is not like any project that this drummer has been involved with in the past and that's a fact. And like the book, it offers insight into Tommy Lee, famous or otherwise.
Along for The Ride musically are quite a few musicians of their own fame. Jane's Addiction/Red Hot Chili Peppers/Panic Channel guitarist Dave Navarro, singer/songwriter/producer Butch Walker and The Cult/Camp Freddy guitar player Billy Morrison are only three on the long list of contributing string-slingers on board. Butch also takes part in the vocal duties as do Andrew McMahon (Something Corporate), Nick Carter (the Backstreet Boys), Joel Madden (Good Charlotte) and others. I'm leaving out many others, but only because to name them all, and their credits, is a daunting task.
Stylistically it's a fine study into the pop-rock genre. Both ballads and rockers are present, each tune with its own merits. And overall, it reminds me in part of Elvis Costello's early career days as the tunes are quite catchy yet the lyrics don't always paint a pleasing picture.
"Good Times" is a great start to the album. The beginning acoustic licks blend with a beat that is infectious, so much so that whenever I listen to the CD (which I have frequently since I got it) I have to hit the 'repeat track' button for at least five or six plays of this song in a row. The lyrics are part hopeful, part pensive and are easy to relate to. This should have been a hit single.
Article comments
1 - T. Michael Testi
Tink,
Nice job. Tommy is truly in a land of his own making. I am going to have to pick this one up myself.
Happy New Year!
2 - tink
OH!! There's something I forgot to mention in my article.
If you click on the link in the first sentence, it will take you to Tommy's website. Scroll down a bit and on the right side, you'll see a list of songs. All of the tracks on "The Ride" are there, as well as a couple of RockStar SuperNova tunes. Click on the song title, it will let you hear it in it's entirety. For FREE no less!!!
When you click on the link for "Good Times", you will also be able to view the video!
Thanks T.M.T., for giving me a great opportunity to add more info!!!
Check's in the mail...