B-Sides (Helix album) explained

B-Sides
Type:compilation
Artist:Helix
Cover:B-Sides (Helix album).jpeg
Released:June 1999
Genre:Hard rock, heavy metal
Label:Break
Prev Year:1998
Next Title:Live! in Buffalo
Next Year:2001

B-Sides is a compilation album by the Canadian hard rock band Helix. It is their 13th official release and their fourth compilation album. Despite the title, it actually consists of no B-sides. It was released in conjunction with the 25th anniversary of Helix and featured a reunion of surviving members of the "classic" 1980s lineup on three tracks. It also compiled previously unreleased tracks from 1989 to 1998. As a bonus, it included two unreleased songs from the Helix independent years.[1]

Track listing and musician credits

All songs written by Brian Vollmer and Paul Hackman except where noted.

1. "Jaws of the Tiger" (3:42)
1989 re-recording of a song originally released in 1986 on the "It's Too Late" single, and available on Over 60 minutes with... (1990).

2. "Danger Zone" (4:25)
Featuring reunion of surviving members of the "classic" 1980s lineup. Song originally written for Back for Another Taste (1990). This was the final song that Brian Vollmer ever wrote with Paul Hackman.[2]

3. "S.E.X. Rated" (2:32) (Brent Doerner, Vollmer)
Featuring reunion of surviving members of the "classic" 1980s lineup.1999 re-recording of a song originally released in 1991 on the b-side of the cassette single to "Good To The Last Drop".

4. "Wanting You" (4:15) (O'Brien, Werner)
1999 recording of a song originally demoed for Back for Another Taste (1990).

5. "You Got Me Chained" (3:15) (Vandenburg, Steve Marinaccio, Vollmer)
1999 recording sessions to finish a song originally demoed for Back for Another Taste (1990).

6. "Devil's Gate" (3:32) (Mark Chichkan)
Recorded as a demo for 1998's Half-ALIVE.

7. "Love is a Crazy Game" (4:28) (Hackman, Marinaccio, Ray Lyell)
1999 recording sessions to finish an alternate version demoed for Back for Another Taste (1990), later re-arranged and re-recorded for 1993's It's a Business Doing Pleasure.

8. "Take It or Leave It" (3:36) (Gord Prior, Novocel)
Recorded as a demo for 1998's Half-ALIVE.

9. "You Got The Love That I Like" (4:28) (Hackman, Lyell)
1999 recording of a song originally demoed for Back for Another Taste (1990).

10. "Let The Good Times Roll" (5:53 – music ends at 3:53 followed by 2 minutes of silence) (Hackman, Dexter)
Featuring reunion of surviving members of the "classic" 1980s lineup. Song originally written for Back For Another Taste (1990).

Buried tracks

11. "Thinking It Over" (2:51) (Del Shannon)
Previously unreleased. Recorded in 1976.

12. "Like Taking Candy From a Baby" (3:06) (Doerner, Vollmer)
Previously unreleased. Recorded in 1978.

Production and credits

Compilation concept by Brian Vollmer
Track 1 produced by Ed Stone. Tracks 2, 3 and 10 produced by Dan Brodbeck and Daryl Gray. Track 4, 5, 7 and 9 produced by Dan Brodbeck. Tracks 6 and 8 produced by Daryl Gray. Track 11 produced by Dave Lodge. Track 12 produced by Bob Morton.

Helix at the time of release

Notes and References

  1. Book: Vollmer, Brian. Gimme An R! the story of Brian Vollmer, lead vocalist of Helix. Ball Media Corporation . 2004 . 0-9739849-0-2.
  2. Web site: Helix History – 1999 . June 5, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110715092132/http://www.planethelix.com/History/h1999.htm . July 15, 2011 . dead .