Underrated classics from Led Zeppelin, Montrose and Thin Lizzy are among King Bazo's top five picks for his favorite classic rock songs.
The Melvins frontman is currently touring as one half of King Dan with Mr. Bungle's Trevor Dunn. Dunn collaborated with Bazo on the 2020 album Gift of Sacrifice. The pair have since released four-song EPs under two aliases, I'm Afraid of Everything and Eat the Spray. The North American leg of King Dan's 2024 tour, with Bazo on acoustic guitar and Dunn on stand-up bass, will wrap in Phoenix, Arizona on September 26 before heading overseas. More information on shows and tickets is available at Ipecac.com.
“Our setlist has a couple of songs off my first acoustic album, a couple Melvins songs, a couple from the Gift of Sacrifice album, and I really let Trevor have his way. I just bring that guy out on stage and let him do his thing and let me love him, and that's what I want,” Bazo told UCR. “That's the beauty of playing live. A third of the show is really good, a third is pretty good, and a third is just shit. And you never know when that's going to happen. The best show of the tour could be Tuesday night in Tallahassee, but you never know. You can't predict that. So that's the one thing you can't get with the internet, which is the experience of going out on stage and playing in front of people. Going to a show and seeing the performers is something you can't get with a download.”
“There's something about music that moves us more than any other form of art. I don't know why,” Bazo said while explaining his choice. “Music has always been with us, even in the most primitive cultures there's always some kind of music that speaks to us in a way we can't define. It's like magic, for me it's magical, it takes me somewhere that's not on this earth. I wanted it to be classic rock. I knew I had to stick with it, but there are so many bands that do that to me, like The Birthday Party, Tom Waits, there's too many to mention.”
Montrose, “Space Station #5” (Montrose, 1973)
“Yeah, I guess I knew them from '77… I think what got me into Montrose was Edgar Winter's 'Frankenstein,' which (guitarist Ronnie) Montrose played on and inspired him to form his own band. But 'Space Station #5,' produced by Ted Templeman, was a pre-Van Halen record. Ironically, Sammy Hagar joined Van Halen a few years later. That song starts off really weird, with all that noisy guitar or whatever. But I think that Hagar song is great. That riff is great. Hagar's vocals… For those of you who don't know, Sammy Hagar is a damn good singer in the right circumstances. That voice he screams at the beginning of that song gets me every time. I'm like, 'Oh my God, this is the music I've lived for.' This is what I wanted. I wanted pure adrenaline. You don't need coffee to listen to this in the morning. The guitar riffs are amazing, people just don't know about them… It's a really great record, the whole record is good. But that song in particular is the best for me… I don't care what people say about Sammy Hagar, that record is so great.”
Kiss, “Calling Dr. Love” (Rock 'n' Roll Over, 1976)
“I think Gene Simmons has the greatest rock vocals of all time. He really doesn't get the credit he deserves as a singer. I also think he's pretty underrated as a bass player. But the best thing about this song is that it has one of my top two favorite Ace Frehley guitar solos. The solo on “Dr. Love” is incredible, just awesome. I love this song, great riff from the beginning, never gets old. But listen to that guitar solo again. Ace is great at it. Really original and weird sounding. Second only to “Strange Ways” in the standards of Ace Frehley guitar solos.”
Read more: The Melvins talk Kiss fandom, covers and performing together on stage
Led Zeppelin, “Achilles' Last Stand” (From Presence, 1976)
“A seriously underrated record. I think it was their least-selling album. (This is true of albums that came out when Led Zeppelin was still around, but it still sold over 3 million copies.) I could be wrong, but I think it sold less than their other albums. I think it's a really good record. That song is one that a lot of people hate. I don't get it. It's really fast for Led Zeppelin, a crazy song to have as an album opener. Not a hit, but it's nine minutes long. Very original, just… I don't know, but if I'm working out alone at home or in a hotel gym, I'll put on 'Achilles' Last Stand.' If I practice to that song for nine minutes straight, it'll work. The guitar work on this song is really weird. To me, this is probably the most underrated Led Zeppelin song.”
Harry Nilsson, “Jump Into the Fire” (Nilson Schmilsson, 1971)
“I think I first heard it in the '80s and thought, 'Oh, this is a cool record.' I didn't know who Harry Nilsson was until it was on the soundtrack to the movie 'Goodfellas.' It was so good. And of course I had to track down that album. I think he died when he was like 53, which is a shame. But I love the vocal effect on that song, and the bass playing is really good, and the drum solo. It's a great song, I never get bored of it. He's a great singer, and even though he didn't write 'Everybody's Talkin', I think he defined it on 'Midnight Cowboy.' That song was a real hit in that movie. But 'Jump Into the Fire' is great. You can see that if he'd wanted to do straight up rock, he wouldn't have had a problem.”
Thin Lizzy, “The Rocker” (From Western Wanderer, 1973)
“Yeah, I was about 12 years old. The Jailbreak record is, to me, their best record for sure. I think 'Cowboy Song' is a really good song. It's always interesting to hear a black Irish guy sing about the American cowboy. 'The Rocker' is also one of my favorite rock guitar solos I've ever heard. I think[Eric Bell's]use of the wah-wah is amazing. His wah-wah solo is so subtle, I love it. Same with 'Space Station #5.' I still remember the feeling I got when I heard that song when I was 12, and I hope I never forget it. The magic has always been there. That song has the aggression, the intensity, the passion, everything that's good about rock music.”
Listen to King Bazo and Trevor Dunn perform “Mock She” (Kiss' “Shock Me”)
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Gallery credit: Matthew Wilkening
