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Scraping Genius Off The Wheel

HELMET. MEANTIME. LIVE. SOON.

 Monday, January 10th, 2011 at 3:00pm by

Much like 2006′s Monochrome, last year’s Helmet album Seeing Eye Dog didn’t do much for this longtime fan. In fact, it sent me back to the band’s older glorious records like Strap It On and Betty, reminiscing on the days when the pioneering quartet reigned in that golden age of American noise rock. So it gave me great pleasure to learn that they too intend to look back on those days, by playing all of 1992′s seminal Meantime LP live on tour.

A full list of dates have yet to be released, but according to BrooklynVegan’s Black Bubblegum the tour will run from March 17th through April 5th. What’s even cooler is that the openers are Saint Vitus and Crowbar. That’s right, folks: this is a PROPER nostalgia tour for headbangers of a certain age.

In the back of my mind, of course, are these niggling little doubts. After all, save for frontman Page Hamilton, none of the other members from the Meantime era are currently in Helmet. So essentially, we’re getting Page & Pals Present instead of the proper reunion that fans have been clamoring for. I’m also concerned that they’ll stick this one in a few venues that are a bit too large. Still, this is a pretty damn heavy album, and if done right it will be a maelstrom of sound and sweat and fists in a live setting. Oh well, consider me psyched.

-GS

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  • http://www.coreymitchell.com Corey Mitchell

    Boioioioioinnnnnnnggggg!!!!

  • http://www.coreymitchell.com Corey Mitchell

    Gary, why no Phil Spector murder-fro avatar?

    • http://www.metalsucks.net/category/scraping-genius-off-the-wheel/ Gary Suarez

      He has other wigs, you know.

      Have you seen the documentary The Agony And Ecstacy Of Phil Spector? Highly recommended.

      • http://www.coreymitchell.com Corey Mitchell

        Unfortunately, I have not seen the doc yet. Haven’t been able to get ahold of a copy yet. Heard it was muy bien.

  • http://eddiebanchs@mac.com Eddie

    Still one of the best albums I have ever bought. Still in constant rotation in my CD player 17 years later.

  • Dirtman73

    Seeing Eye Dog is a huuuuuge improvement over the previous two albums. I just don’t understand the hate.

    Helmet doesn’t play post-hardcore anymore guys. Get over it and move on.

    • stu1

      No, they play mediocre rock. All of the reunion albums are embarrassing.

  • Nick

    I saw Helmet on their Betty tour, they were awesome.

  • Skylar

    I think I came a little even I saw the tour line up. Hoping for a NY date.

  • fester

    helmet cover band plays helmet songs.

    • Karl J

      Exactly. I know Page is the brains and driving force, but Stanier and Bogdan were clearly the heart and soul. Nothing has been the same since they exited. I really want to like the newer stuff, but just….don’t. I have such a fondness for everything up through Aftertaste that I wish he had gone with a new band name after those dudes left.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Sanskar-Wagley/1376400331 Sanskar Wagley

    I read on Noisecreep that Helmet replaced High on Fire

    • Stu

      Yeah, I’d heard that from a friend at a club. kind of not really a replacement.

    • anotherThinkingMan

      Really? I’m a longtime Helemt fan, but would rather see HoF!

  • kmfcm

    Helmet got the Nobody wants to hear your new shit” memo, I see.

    . . . And with Crowbar?
    This better hit NYC.

    I’ve wanted to see them for a long time (and they keep getting awful tours)

  • dread

    Of course they’d play the “breakthrough” album (read: the album with the song that got air time). I’ve never understood Meantime. I mean it’s a solid album, but Strap it On is way noisier and heavier, and Betty is more interesting. I actually thought Aftertaste was pretty good, too, once I gave a chance 10 years later.
    Don’t get me wrong, this is good stuff, but everyone seems to think it’s just the cat’s pajamas, and I would rather see “Rude” live than “Unsung” every day of the year.
    Maybe people don’t play it loud enough.

    • http://www.metalsucks.net/category/scraping-genius-off-the-wheel/ Gary Suarez

      A tour playing Strap It On in its entirety would be incredible.