Review: Slave Raider – Taking The World By Storm (Quite Possibly the Worst Album/Group Ever)
[jwopitz's rating - negative 5 out of 5 clenched fists]
I decided to do this review just for shits and giggles. My buddy Josh has the honor (or shame rather) of owning this album. Why Josh why!!!! There is a funny story behind this CD. Our buddy Homero probably procured this CD of shit from a used CD swap shop called the Record Rack (R.I.P.). I have no clue what the dude was thinking when he decided to pick this up and then proceed to lay down actual dough. I wasn’t there but I am sure it was a sight to see. Who knows. Maybe he was drunk. But soon after he gained ownership of it, he quickly gave it to Josh. Good move Homero! Now Josh bears the responsibility of owning this drink coaster.
But in all fairness this has provided plenty of comedy relief over the years. Its like an old book that provides discovery after years on a shelf. The occasional rummaging of friend’s CD collection only to discover the “WHAT THE HELL IS THIS DUDE?!?!?”. Great times.
This band just sucks ass. I can’t even objectively review this as I can’t get past a) the album art work and b) the names of the members. And here they are:
- Chainsaw Caine – WTF?!?! Couldn’t they find something that at least rhymed like Chainsaw Charlie?
- Nikki Wikkid – At least this rhyme.
- Lance Sabin – later to go on as Lance Bass in NSync, right?
- Letitia Rae – shut up!
- The Rock – no comment it speaks for itself.
In all honesty I have had the most fun time writing this post. It really brings back memories of laughing my ass off. I highly suggest you get this as, and use it as a coffee table coaster. Seriously!
Up the Irons!!!
I thought for sure this would be a “had to get it just cuz of the cover”. Your review had me rolling, man. Too funny!
> Now Josh bears the responsibility of owning this drink coaster. <
F’n priceless…
screw you guys…. I LOVE this band, they are so boss
seriously, letitia?
again, letitia?!?
in a band called Slave Raider
uh, does anyone see the irony here?
I found this bio of the band:
Slave Raider was an outrageous band from the Twin Cities who used chainsaws and covered themselves in “war paint.” However their over the top anthems failed to make heads turn outside their home state.
The band consisted of Chainsaw Caine (the eye-patch wearing vocalist), guitarists Nicci Wikkid and Lance Sabin, Letitia Rae (bass) and The Rock (drums). The debut album was released independently before being remixed by famed producer Chris Tsangarides for a 1988 release. The following UK tour would include Caine chain sawing in half a large cardboard cutout of Rick Astley and helped to increase The Raid (the term used to describe their rabid fans).
But the next album failed to push the band any further and by 1990 Wikkid had left and Rae replaced by Tommy D. The band was dropped after the third release and went their separate ways. A brief reunion occurred in 1998 when the original band minus Wikkid released a single commemorating their state’s football team. Occasional gigs have occurred since then, but Slave Raider is really just a memory.
Also, here’s a priceless quote from the lead singer:
SR: How many enemies did your outspokenness get you? Any war stories about dust-ups with other bands?
CC: Are you kidding me. That was a joke right. How many of those sissy boys were gonna stand up to The Saw. I mean, you’ve seen the pictures haven’t you. 6′ 2 190 lbs. with a Chainsaw in hand. Nobody said nothin not no how. Intimidation was my game and I played it well.
Is he on dope? CAN you BE intimidating when dressed like a chainsaw wielding pirate?
You leave poor taste in reviewing Slave Raider based on what? Bands today is all about showmanship and thearetics. Slave Raider not only made great music, but they certainly rocked the stage when I went to see them. Slave Raider may no longer be, but they will remain as one of my best bands I’ve enjoyed listening to. Last but not the least, if you don’t want that CD…I’d be glad to take it from your hands.
@Copper
I’d love to send you the CD but its currently serving as a coffee coaster on my coffee table. The looks from people’s faces upon seeing this CD is priceless. Showmanship? Theatrics? Nah man, its all about the comedy act.
@Copper and the rest of “The Raid”
Man you have now renewed my interest in this sorry excuse for a band. For those who have never heard or seen Slave Raider, goto http://www.seeqpod.com and do a search.
Check out the “Make some Noise” video. Image aside, their sound sucks. Maybe a cool concept for a tune, but poorly executed. The guitars sound like they were played through a Crate 12″ Practice Amp. Listen to the solos! WTF!!! These guys are running around like Dave Murray trying to solo. The problem is that their solos sound like shit. I could play that I am not even that good of a player. Hell, one of my 8 year old guitar students could play that solo better than they did.
Let’s revisit the Image thing. I generally don’t prescribe to the idea that in order to BE metal you have to LOOK metal. Yeah its cool as a band. But if you can’t decide if you want to be a pirate, the TX chainsaw guy or straight up metal, then metal might not be your strong suite.
I just want to say. I own the album. It is on tape. Yeah, It’s not your Metallica or AC/DC. But, they had a one hit song, that made was used in a movie. The movie was named, “License to Drive”, starring: Corey Haim, Corey Feldman, and Heather Graham. Song in the movie: Make Some Noise….. So these guys made some cash in the GREAT DAYS OF THE 80′s Music WORLD… MY opinion the BEST DECADE of MUSIC. Cause MTV was not all Reality SHIT. And You were FREE to ROCK….
All I can say Eric is…
Long live:
- knee high socks and running shorts
- pink polos w/ upturned collars
- Schlitz, Olympia and the other “old-man” beers our dad’s gave us sips of
- Caddy Shack
- the death of disco
- Headbangers’ Ball
- the 80′s in general
- the Alamo!
Good times indeed. Can’t believe that was 20 years ago. Slave Raider still sucks though.
You’re the one who sucks, silly bitch. Nobody gives a fuck what you think.
haha I just read this again. I dunno who provides more entertainment, the post or Eric. An while it is a late reply to your comment by two years (holy crap!) I will say, that by virtue of you commenting on this post, you do “give a fuck”. Otherwise you wouldn’t feel the need to defend the band or the supposed bass player.
Funny you think my name is strange, Letitia Rae; however it is my full given name from my mother. The band worked hard, and scored a record deal with RCA/Jive, much more than you or your couch-potato pot-smokin’ students or pals will EVER do.
Fuck You, idiot. Enjoy your coaster. Probably didn’t know you could sell it for up to $100, did you?
Sincerely,
Letitia Rae, former bassist of Slave Raider
Fuck ‘em ‘Tish. They’re idiots. I’d love to have a bass player like you in my band..SR rocked…
givem Hell Letitia…i loved the music you did with the raid and the show you put on when you went solo…great miss it..!!!!
‘Tish said it PERFECTLY… “fuck you idiot.” You guys don’t know and will NEVER know what the Raid was all about. Had to be there to understand. I was there. Press Bar, New Munich, Playland, Iron Horse, and dozens of other places that are now just a haze. They had their day in the sun. That’s a hell of a lot more than most can say…
Don’t hate.
hahaha! priceless.
Hey Letitia, let me try to make amends here, after all you were part of the metal scene. What if I did an in-depth interview of you. I won’t rag on Slave Raider aside from being objective and you can give your testimony to the world of metal from the inside. Whaddya think?
If anyone can send me Slave Raider’s DOA as a .MP3 or .WMA file to taylor_jones@kqrsrocks.com I would be VERY appreciative.
I was a casual fan of the band, but just love that song. (I can’t find just that song on any download sites, so if you have a method of sending it to me, I would really be grateful)
Thanks,
TJ
Slave Raider ROCKED!!! My friends & I would go to the Fox Lake Ballroom any time they were there & the place was always packed solid!! Some people would even have to stand outside. AWESOME memories!!
Well that’s cool man!
Letitia Rae punked your ass good, you silly bitch. While you’re sitting on your no talent ass, old Slave Raider cassettes are commanding good ching on Ebay. Fuckin’ loser.
Well Eric, I am certainly glad it took you 3 attempts to articulate you point.
I am sure your copy of Slave Raider will sell for more than enough to buy you and you buddies a 6-pack of Ol’ Milwaukee while you sit on your futon in your efficiency apartment remembering the good ol’ days. Cheers!!!
Feel free to come back and make more of an ass of yourself anytime.
All I’m going to say is that any jackass can write “Letitia Rae” as their name on this thing, as you can see. So just because what very well could be some fan with nothing better to do than defend this shitty band by imposing as the bass player claims to be Letitia Rae…it doesn’t mean it is.
-darkorchestra
(didn’t log in because…well, if I did, I couldn’t write “Letitia Rae” as my name, now could I?)
If anyone can send me Slave Raider’s DOA as a .MP3 or .WMA file to taylor_jones@kqrsrocks.com I would be VERY appreciative.
I was a casual fan of the band, but just love that song. (I can’t find just that song on any download sites, so if you have a method of sending it to me, I would really be grateful)
Thanks,
TJ
I too would like DOA by SLAVE RAIDER as a .MP3 or .WMA file to bocroxme@yahoo.com i would be very grateful! and pay for it even!!! The song rocks!!!
Thanks a bunch!
A.J.
i just finnished listening to all 3 slave raider albums at work on my itunes. slave raider is still one of the best 80′s bands ever, way under rated. if it wasnt for that grunge shit they would of went alot farther.
Your two dips**ts. This was a fabulous band from Minnesota based from the twin cities. They had a huge following they played cover tunes to perfection and wrote their own material like a RATT or Van Halen. Its evident the two of you know nothing about 80′s metal scene that would explain to your finite minds. The music was solid the only problem when they we’re marketing the band in LA, was the music scene was changing to Alternative & the newer metal that didnt play guitar solos. Simply a case of bad timing, they would have easily been the best band to come out of the twin cities. Slave Raider had it all. Heavy drummer, well timed Bass lines, sollid twin guitars an a typical metal vocalist. PERFECT. So MORONS perhaps stick to your green day limp biscuits, or maybe you would prefer the Romantics. MORONS
Some thoughts: If Slave Raider would have recorded more songs like “Black Hole” instead of party songs where the whole band chanted ridiculous choruses, they would have had a much better chance.
They should have watched “Spinal Tap” and steered way clear of that terrain. They had the talent and drive to not fall in that shallow pool (and drown).
They should have taken the question “What Do You Know About Rock ‘N Roll?” very seriously. Most bands of this era sound dated because they are all smack dab within the Big Hair Bubble. Rock ‘N Roll has its roots in the blues and other traditional strains. Bands like Van Halen and Led Zeppelin (who, sadly, inspired the Big Hair Movement) had so many more dimensions than all these copycats, because they were able to draw from the rich history of American styles. Slave Raider showed a few glimpses of this kind of depth, but only when playing live.
As a live act, they were one of the best to never make it (largely because of Chainsaw Caine). But the true test is the music, and their recorded music was as generic as hundreds of other Hair bands, most of whom had already made it while Slave Raider was cutting their first album.
A very revealing incident, in my opinion: Once, after seeing them perform at the Press Bar in St. Cloud, I went outside to the mall to watch a guy who would perform soulful renditions of Neil Young and his own songs. The man wasn’t the greatest singer, and he had no sound system and no “Act”, but he had soul. When Slave Raider came out of the Press Bar they glanced over at him and laughed. They had no idea what they could have learned from him. And now, I guess, the laugh has been on them.
id like to know what you do for a living because they still are VERY involved in the entertainment/music business and prolly make more then you do and they did well outside of min as well they toured europe! and aw let me ask you how many albums have you made? or better yet how many record companies you sign with? dick seed
I wanted to modify my opinion of Slave Raider’s recorded music from my previous posting. There are 2 songs they got right, and which reveal their true potential, and their live performances, pretty well: When The Devil Comes Out In Me, and Black Hole. No cheesy party chants. No tasteless, over-the-top guitar solos. Just straight ahead hard rock. That’s the Slave Raider I loved watching back at the Press Bar in St. Cloud. R.I.P.
Slave Rider’s was an FUCKING GREAT BAND.
Point. End.
I thought slave raider was alot of fun. their music was rockin, they had fun playing, they were decent musicians. I happen to have had the chance to produce quite a few of their music videos in the 80′s. Survival of the Fittest was my favorite. All the videos that we shot were done in a small studio with a small crowd and for the quality of equipment that was available to us, they matched anything that was on MTV at the time.