Vie’s Verses – Sometimes The Past Is Best Left In The Past
One performance that I was most looking forward to at this year’s M3 Music Festival was Slaughter. I’ve always been a huge fan of the band dating all the way back to Mark Slaughter and Dana Strum’s Vinnie Vincent Invasion days. I was the first kid on my block to own All Systems Go and I was one of the first to own Slaughter’s debut, Stick It To Ya.
I had not seen Slaughter in a live setting since 2000, so I was overly excited about their appearance. I even determined that I would skip Hurtsmile’s set so that I could enjoy every moment of Slaughter. There was even a part of me that desperately wanted to believe the band was going to slip in a performance of “Love Kills” from the aforementioned Vinnie Vincent Invasion days. I knew that was highly unlikely, but I was still hopeful.
When Slaughter took the stage, I was giddy as a school girl with a crush. I couldn’t wait to start singing along with the band and reliving the glory days of my youth. Then the music started. At first I could not recognize what song was being performed. I thought that the band needed a moment to adjust the soundboard. Then Mark Slaughter started to sing. It was all downhill from there.
Mark Slaughter had no voice. That was apparent from the very beginning of their set. And how did Slaughter try to make up for that fact? They raised the volume on their guitars to a level of
distortion that destroyed their music. It wasn’t until the chorus when I realized that the opening song was “The Wild Life.”
I’m not saying that I expected Slaughter circa 2011 to sound like Slaughter circa 1990 or even Slaughter circa 2000, but at some point as a band you have to ask if you are delivering a product worth charging the public. Mark Slaughter looked heavy and had no voice. It’s not that he just couldn’t hit the high notes, he couldn’t hit any notes. He could barely be heard.
As a band, Slaughter owes it to their fans to determine if they are able to perform or not. I’m not sure how the band could give a performance like they did at M3 and honestly think that they are ready to go on the road (Slaughter will be doing select festivals and a couple of shows with Whitesnake this summer). Sometimes it’s best to examine your band and ask if you are truly able to continue on.
Every proud athlete and entertainer comes to this point in their career and they all want to labor on. Some even believe that they can. Then they get out onstage and are unable to produce. Unfortunately, that is the position Slaughter is in. While the music still sounded decent, it was far from great. And it was painfully obvious how Mark Slaughter was straining behind the microphone. Perhaps it’s time for the band to say goodbye and hang it up. Perhaps it’s best for the past to be left in the past and remembered for nostalgic purposes only.
I will still listen to my Slaughter (and Vinnie Vincent Invasion) albums with fondness, but I don’t think I could ever see the band live again. Their set was so disappointing, that I was almost upset with myself for sitting through the whole thing. I wanted to believe that it was going to change and that Mark’s voice was going to kick in strong at any moment. Perhaps he was saving it for “Fly To The Angels.” He wasn’t. Unfortunately, there was no voice left. This is something that Slaughter should consider and examine before they take the stage again later this year. Sometimes you have to hang it up and move on.
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Hard Rock Hideout 
I saw Slaughter with Winger on the 5th of July 2014. It was just bad. I compare him to Don Dokken at this state with the exception that Dokken can still sing just can’t sing as high. Perfectly normal. Suchis life. Kip Winger on the other hand still sounds fantastic. Zoltan is a show all by himself. Great job by him.
There are some that say that mark slaughter never could sing. I disagree…in fact, he was still sounding good in 06 07. So hopefully he opts for another vocal operation to perform at a respectful level again. Tom keifer of cindarella had vocal surgery twice and once recently. He sounded like 1988 last year. Klaus mein of scorpions had it done 30 years ago and still sounds great. Paul stanley had it last year. It is very painful to watch. The guy doesnt look bad at all for age 48. But he cant do it and he is trying so hard. I have to respect him for going out there like that. Afterall, those are his songs. Maybe he could get better? He couldnt get any worse. BACK TO REALITY was awesome, released in 1999. To bad they didnt record anything since.
OOOhh….There but for the grace of God. I’ve done many shows where I feel I’ve not given my best (despite my best efforts) – Itry to plan my day so that the show is the optimum point of it, but sometimes flights, drives, sleeping at the wrong times conspire against you. If the guy can’t do it anymore, I sympathise. Perhaps the way to go would be to lose a bit of weight, concentrate on the guitar and get a guy in that can do his material justice, but I understand that decision would be a painful one. Make no mistake, singing this kind of material is very, very hard work as one gets older, and only a select few are in good enough shape to keep at it. However much it hurts, stepping aside and letting someone else share the burden might be the answer, for both him and the fans alike.
Rob Rockitt:
Mark has struggled with vocal cord issues since 1992. He HAS APPLIED personal, professional and surgical decisions(successfully) to continue to perform with Slaughter(for decades -his following still supports him and the band). If during an isolated event a note or 2 is missed or reassigned to a different register, – TO ME, it’s a creative choice or possible sound distortion -(human or mechanical), that all performers progress through as a potential at any concert. If something happens: You either execute a plan (if you expected it might happen), or jump over it and continue. THE RULE: In ANY EVENT, CONTINUE IF AT ALL POSSIBLE.
Preconceived Perfect Scores applied to CARELESS MEMORIES-always disappoint.
ROB, you haven’t seen them since 2000? They had other projects-they have had to grow and change. You indicated you were not expecting a recopied photo from the late 80’s, or early 90’s ,2000 from the performance. Heard their new music?
Your solution MAY BE a good one FOR YOU . Just look at the Slaughter old photos and listen to the Old Slaughter music.
AND Rob-
Thank-You for sharing-I appreciated your take. It has been my experience
that the rush from “A School Girl Crush Energy” adds very little to the depth and accuracy for a fair and honest review.
You spanned EXPECTATIONS back decades-for your remarks. I understood clearly that you felt YOU WERE NOT expecting Vinnie Vincent flash backs. Respectfully, you sounded JUST THE OPPOSITE.
A lot has happened since the early days of Mark and Dana. Jeff and Zoltan are more progress and growth, AFTER A LOT OF CHANGE.
Did you misplace all the information you have at your disposal-or were you
setting up for a reaction? I respectfully disagree. They were more than
“DECENT”.
After new music, new musicians, and overall growth has resulted in the evolution that is their sound now. The decisions as to what problems require immediate action along with what cannot be improved, is still in THEIR bathroom mirror.
AND Rob,
Are you selling Jenny Craig? The personal remark you were unable to resist including even though the guy is NOT morbidly obese and the last time you saw him he was 35 years old? If you are offering him a commercial
-call his agent-Where were you going with that remark?
I can understand giving a single performance a weak review-but you don’t see Slaughter for almost 11 years and use your high powered opinion to say,
“Pack it up”? We disagree.
Hey Dolly.
With all due respect but you do sound like a passive agressive, pissed off Mark Slaughter fanatic(agent?) with a good grasp in english and serious problems with Keyboard CAPS.
There’s no possible defense for performances like that, any way you try to spin it.
Oh so now, being overweight is just a fact of like for anyone who get’s old? really?
“A note or 2 is missed or reassigned to a different register”… are you kidding right?
Did you actually see the performance in the video below or you just blinded reacted to the review?
All this bullshit about “personal growth” to justify a miserable performance for an aging rocker is truly pathetic. Go see an Aerosmith concert and think again..
I know is hard to say goodbye, but Rob is right.
We all grow older and have hurdles to overcome… life is too short to tell any band or singer to give up their livelihood and dreams. Unlike sports, music is art and sometimes the musician or singer paints with a different brush as years begin to pass along. Long live Mark Slaughter. \m/
Sad and pathetic. I wasn’t there but judging from this video, you’re 100% correct. Shameful and disrespecting toward any fan they still have left.
What? No mention of Zoltan Chaney? This amazing drummer totally stole the show. Even if Mark’s voice isn’t what it used to be, I’d prefer to see Slaughter than not see Slaughter.