Start @ One is a lost Killer Dwarfs album recorded in 1993 (with the exception of two tracks being written as bonus material) and released in 2013. If you were alive in the 80s, you have to remember Killer Dwarfs. The fantastic, uplifting song Keep the Spirit Alive from the album Stand Tall is still a personal anthem for me. The lyrics are strong, positive, and inspiring. Here's the chorus:
Keep the Spirit Alive
Keep the spirit alive.
Well, you gotta to survive.
And you'll never be the same
When the spark ignites your flame, yeah . . .
The same with a song they later did on the album Dirty Weapons, the stunning power ballad about taking chances and being the best you can be. That song was Doesn't Matter. Check out verse one:
Doesn't Matter
There comes a time in your life, oh yeah.
You've got to stand up and fight.
Get behind what you believe.
Get a grip on what you see.
There's a chance you just might get it right.
The Dwarfs have a history of spreading this positive message. They are a band that can make you feel good about yourself and who you are.
These guys are far too underrated for my taste.
Killer Dwarfs are a Canadian band formed in 1981. Their first album, entitled Killer Dwarfs (1983), included the ass-kicking Gotta Lose to Win and the blistering Heavy Metal Breakdown. Russ Dwarf's distinctive voice (love his tone and range) and the level of playing skill of all the guys in Killer Dwarfs immediately grabs you by the shirt and never lets go.
Other Killer Dwarf albums include Big Deal (1988), Method to the Madness (1992), and the much-appreciated live album Reunion of Scribes (2001).
But we're here to talk about the latest release by Killer Dwarfs, Start @ One. I can tell you this. I bought the album and started listening, and from the moment the opening guitar chords of Lonely Road kicked in, I was hooked. When Russ started singing, the deal was sealed. Killer Dwarfs were back in action. Yeah, with an album recorded some time ago, but still, Killer Dwarfs were back.
Not that I needed this album to prove they were back. To me, they have never gone away. I haven't stopped listening to them since Stand Tall, and the release of the live album was my proof that the Dwarfs had never really gone anywhere. Still, Start @ One was a pleasant treat; a new (old) studio album from Killer Dwarfs. What more could you ask for? Tracks like the opening Lonely Road, the driving force of Down in Hollywood, Adalina, and the beautifully haunting The Crowd make you wonder why this album has only just seen the light of day.
The guys in Killer Dwarfs (Russ Dwarf, Darrell Dwarf, Gerry Dwarf, and John Dwarf) are going on the road and bringing the Dwarf sound to a town near you in 2014. I know I'll be there.
Stay tuned for a blog about a CD I'm really stoked about and only recently realized existed, Wireless, from Russ Dwarf. It's one of my favorite when-the-hell-did-this-come-out-and-why-don't-I-have-it CDs (how's that for a hyphenated adjective?). I'll be doing an overview of Russ' solo stuff and really digging into Wireless with a song by song breakdown in an upcoming blog, plus I'll be doing an interview with Russ that will accompany that post. Be sure to check it out.
While you're at it, grab a copy of Wireless, Reunion of Scibes, and Start @ One here:
http://russdwarf.bandcamp.com/
Not that I needed this album to prove they were back. To me, they have never gone away. I haven't stopped listening to them since Stand Tall, and the release of the live album was my proof that the Dwarfs had never really gone anywhere. Still, Start @ One was a pleasant treat; a new (old) studio album from Killer Dwarfs. What more could you ask for? Tracks like the opening Lonely Road, the driving force of Down in Hollywood, Adalina, and the beautifully haunting The Crowd make you wonder why this album has only just seen the light of day.
The guys in Killer Dwarfs (Russ Dwarf, Darrell Dwarf, Gerry Dwarf, and John Dwarf) are going on the road and bringing the Dwarf sound to a town near you in 2014. I know I'll be there.
Stay tuned for a blog about a CD I'm really stoked about and only recently realized existed, Wireless, from Russ Dwarf. It's one of my favorite when-the-hell-did-this-come-out-and-why-don't-I-have-it CDs (how's that for a hyphenated adjective?). I'll be doing an overview of Russ' solo stuff and really digging into Wireless with a song by song breakdown in an upcoming blog, plus I'll be doing an interview with Russ that will accompany that post. Be sure to check it out.
While you're at it, grab a copy of Wireless, Reunion of Scibes, and Start @ One here:
http://russdwarf.bandcamp.com/
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