The Dead Daisies @ Trabendo, Paris - December 8th, 2016

Dead Daisies is more of a vanity project than a band. Rhythm guitarist David Lowy has assembled a great rotating cast of musicians, and the Dead Daisies past and current roster reads like a who's who of journeyman musicians for hire.

Last time I saw them they were opening for KISS on their 2015 European jaunt and back then the band included several Guns N' Roses member on hiatus while the reunion was brewing.

Their line-up seems to have stabilised somewhat around ex-Mötley Crüe Jon Corabi, who has been their singer for a couple of years now, Marco Mendoza on bass who has been with just about everybody (Whitesnake, Blue Murder and even a sacrilegious version of Thin Lizzy), Brian Tichy on drums (Ozzy, Whitesnake, Billy Idol...) and Doug Aldrich (Whitesnake, Dio...)

Needless to say these guys don't play polka/funk fusion. This is straight hard rock with an eighties flair. Even though they have several albums out now, covers constitute the bulk of their set and it's a good thing. As a covers band, they are the best out there. Fortunate Son, Join Together, Helter Skelter, We're An American Band and Midnight Moses were all given the muscular metal treatment and are a great deal better than their own generic material. I'd love to see them do an all-covers set in a bar on a Friday night.

They are a perfect opener, with a great catalogue of covers to get people all riled up for a little rock and roll. No more, no less.