Helix LIVE!

April 17, 2010 at the Wolf Den Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, CT

by Deb Rao
Staff Writer

Canadian rock band Helix made a rare U.S. appearance at the Wolf Den at the Mohegan Sun Casino on April 17. The band performed a blistering set that spanned their extensive career and also debut two new songs off of their new album Vagabond Bones at the U.S. concert including the title track, “The Animal Inside (Won’t Be Denied).”

Helix opened the show with “Wild In The Street,” and highlights of the set included “Deep Cuts The Knife.” The new material on Vagabond Bones has a great AC/DC vibe and went over very well with the die-hard Helix audience. Singer Brian Vollmer is a great live performer and has a bluesy kind of voice that rocked the house. Brian informed us that he has just got out of the hospital due to a bout with blood posioning that infected his finger and also just got over the flu. Brian gave an outstanding performance due to the circumstances surrounding his week and really held true to the old show biz saying the show must go on.

It was great to see the band perform in The States again. As I mentioned Helix has a new album out entitled, Vagabond Bones. It has their signature bluesy rock sound with great vocals produced by Aaron Murray. Helix conquered The States with a sledge-hammer performance that inspired the old MTV video hits,”Heavy Metal Love”, and “Rock You.” You could tell the band was having the times of the lives onstage that reflected in their attitude and amazing stage presence that rocked the house and took us back to the ’80s for 90 minutes of pure fun.

Helix Set List:
Wild In The Street
Vagabond Bones
The Kids Are Shakin
The Animal Inside (Won’t Be Denied)
Go Hard Or Go Home
Heavy Metal Love
Running Wild In The 21st Century
Make ‘Em Dance
Gimme Good Lovin
Dirty Dog
Make Me Do Anything
Deep Cuts The Knife
Billy Oxygen
Heavy Metal Cowboy
Rock You
Monday Morning Meltdown
No Rest For The Wicked

I had the opportunity to discuss the new Helix album Vagabond Bones with Brian Vollmer.

HRH The new album is out Vagabond Bones. Tell us about the writing process for this album. What was it like working with Sean Kelly?

BRIAN: We wrote all of these songs with Sean Kelly. Five of the songs we co-wrote with Moe Berg from Pursuit Of Happiness, which is a good Canadian act. Moe Berg has a long track record on Canadian radio. We had some very talented people working with us. Right down to Aaron Murray who co-produced the album and engineered it. Aaron is the top graduate of the Fanshawe College audiovisual course in London, Ontario. He was the protégé of Danny Broadbeck, who is the protégé’ of Jack Richardson who produced all of the Guess Who albums. Once again, we had all quality people from start to finish. On this album even though we didn’t have a lot of money. We still got a quality result.

HRH: How is the re-union going?

BRIAN: Great, Daryl and me punched each other a few times. (Laughter) No, it has been great.

HRH What inspired the band to get back together?

BRIAN: It happened by accident. For ten years I had been using rental players. Even though they are quite capable musicians. There is nothing like having the original guys. The end of 2008, we finished touring on the Christmas album and they all walked on me with the exception of Jim Larson. At that point, I went to Brent and said look man why don’t you come back. Touring is a lot different than when you were in the band transportation, money wise, rooming wise everything. So Brent thought about it for a couple of days and got back into it. Then Sean Kelly joined because he wanted to be in the band so bad that even though he is a great guitar player he joined as the bassist. That is how we struck up the writing relationship. On drums I had Rob MacEachern that drummed on the Power Of Rock And Roll. In about three months of Sean playing in the band, he got offered to play for Nelly Furtado for great money. So I give Sean my blessings no worries. As long as we continue to write together I am happy. At that point I went back to Daryl because I knew Daryl wanted to be back in the band and I said jump aboard. At that point it made sense to get Fritz back in. So I went to Rob MacEachern and I said, Rob here is the situation would you be a gentlemen and step aside? He said,” Sure.” Rob is a good guy and great drummer. So he stepped aside and suddenly the band went back together. Jim Larson left the band. He was replaced by Kaleb Duck who is the young kid out there that I call him the chick magnet. He has been great. For a 22-year-old kid, he is mature beyond his years and great player. We have taken him under our wing and he is having the time of his life too.

Helix Vagabond Bones

by Derric Miller
Staff Writer

There have recently been a few ’80s bands who reunited and actually accomplished what the Killer Dwarfs once wrote an anthem about — to “keep the spirit alive.” Danger Danger and KEEL are two of those bands who released new music that either equals or surpasses their past recordings, and now that Helix is back together with almost all the original members (including Brent Doerner and Greg Hinz), they achieved that summit as well. Their new studio album, Vagabond Bones, will bring a grin to your face and a beer to your mouth, and there’s little you can do to stop it …

One of the new ingredients the band added when writing the new release is Sean Kelly, the guitar hero and also lead man in Crash Kelly. Although Kelly had to leave the band for Nelly Furtado pastures, he was in Helix long enough to co-write the entire album with lead singer Brian Vollmer, and his talent helped Helix write the best songs they’ve penned in decades.

The title track, “Vagabond Bones,” is a bluesy, bare-knuckled bar rocker that is all smoky melody and actually, funny as well. When Vollmer sings, “You’ll never see my name on the walk of fame,” you can hear Helix doesn’t take themselves too seriously.

Up next, “Monday Morning Meltdown,” may be the most melodic song ever recorded by Helix. The chorus is Beatlesesque, while the verses are actually classic Helix. The song, about a man who basically goes on a weekend bender and wakes up in jail, is the most addictive track on Vagabond Bones. In a few ways, it’ll remind you of Enuff Z’ Nuff as well, but it’s more gritty and less … weed-y. Vollmer is one of those lucky singers who can bring the heat and edge, but also can smooth it out and croon when needed. (Teaching the Bel Canto vocal style obviously has kept Vollmer on top of his game, and then some.)

In an interview with Hardrock Haven, Vollmer told the story about how he came up with the track “Hung Over But Still Hanging In.” He was talking with Russ Dwarf (Killer Dwarfs) and that was Russ’ proclamation when Vollmer asked him how he’s doing. It stuck in Vollmer’s head until he got it out in song. You can tell the band used to imbibe heavily, with lines like, “I drink for nothing and I drink to forget. For no good reason and I ain’t done yet. Got a liquid education, and PhD, in alcoholic toxicity!” Again, the bluesy vibe carries through the composition, and the backing vocals are huge, thanks in part to the aforementioned Dwarf adding his vocals to the track.

“Best Mistake I Never Made” is the mellowest song on Vagabond Bones, sort of an acoustic, almost new country song (in a good way). Helix always writes with a sense of playfulness, and hearing Vollmer sing, “She was the best mistake I never made, the heaviest price I never paid,” you have to smile … because damn near every person can thank Lady Luck things didn’t turn out worse. It’s actually a true story, and Vollmer is baring his soul telling you what could have happened to him, and how grateful he is he ended up with his current wife and not the “shiniest pistol in town.”

The band released “Make ‘Em Dance” as their first single, and it’s a huge sing-a-long anthem. The hit-factor on almost all of Vagabond Bones is off the charts, and this is just another gem for Helix. Pumping, fun as hell, and buoyed with a quirky and repetitive guitar lead, this one bops around in your head for hours after just hearing it once.

Helix somehow sounds rejuvenated. Considering they released their debut 30 years ago, it’s impressive as hell that their newly found love for creating Rock N Roll shines through in every track. Vagabond Bones is good the first time you hear it, and better each listen after, which should be the goal of any studio album — you don’t digest it all at once. You should have a different favorite song on various listens of an album, you should eventually relate to different songs in various capacities, and you should want to keep coming back to the album again and again. That being said, you should pick up Vagabond Bones today.

Label: Perris Records

Online: www.planethelix.com

Track listing:
1. The Animal Inside (won’t Be Denied)
2. Go Hard Or Go Home
3. Vagabond Bones
4. Monday Morning Meltdown
5. When The Bitter’s Got The Better Of You
6. Hung Over But Still Hanging In
7. Best Mistake I Never Made
8. Make ‘em Dance
9. Jack It Up

Hardrock Haven Rating: 8.4/10

Brian Vollmer of Helix

by Derric Miller
Staff Writer

Helix lead singer Brian Vollmer checked in with Hardrock Haven to talk about their brand new studio album Vagabond Bones; adding Sean Kelly (Crash Kelly) to the band and writing with him; specific tracks like “Monday Morning Meltdown” and “Hung Over But Still Hangin’ On;” illegal downloading; upcoming tour plans; and a whole lot more.

 

Vagabond Bones is a rejuvenated Helix that is no-frills, unpretentious Hard Rock … exactly what the industry needs today. Check out the interview and then pick up Vagabond Bones immediately!

Online: www.planethelix.com

(If the embedded player doesn’t populate, click here to stream the interview in a stand alone player.)