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Salad Days Magazine | December 9, 2024

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‘Demolition 23.’ Early 1990′s Self-Titled album to be released digitally for the first time ever

‘Demolition 23.’ Early 1990′s Self-Titled album to be released digitally for the first time ever
Salad Days

On October 14 with 3 Bonus Demo Tracks. Band consisted of ex-Hanoi Rocks frontman Michael Monroe, Jay Hening, Sami Yaffa and Jimmy Clark. Produced by Stevie Van Zandt.

LP was a return to thier punk roots and features originals + covers of tracks by Johnny Thunders, UK Subs and The Dead Boys. Stevie Van Zandt’s Wicked Cool Records has announced plans to reissue the sole album from Demolition 23., digitally for the first time ever, and on CD + ‘Blue Smoke’ vinyl, on October 14. The band, which formed in NYC in 1993, consisted of former Hanoi Rocks frontman Michael Monroe, ex-Star Star guitarist Jay Hening, Monroe’s Hanoi Rocks bandmate Sami Yaffa on bass, and Jimmy Clark on drums. ‘Demolition 23.’ (which had a limited release in 1994, but has since been out of print for years) was produced by Van Zandt, and features collaborative songwriting efforts between Monroe, Van Zandt, and Jude Wilder, and one track (‘Deadtime Stories’) co-written by Monroe/Stiv Bators. The album, a return to the members’ punk roots, also includes covers by Monroe’s influences and friends, including Stiv Bators (‘Ain’t Nothin’ To Do’) and Johnny Thunders (‘I Wanna Be Loved’). Many of the songs from the record have become staples in Monroe’s live sets, which recently have included festivals and a stint opening for Alice Cooper. The digital and CD release of ‘Demolition 23.’ includes all of the original songs, along with 3 bonus demos. See track listing below. The physical versions of the album include a booklet with photos and liner notes from Monroe, detailing each song with additional notes written by all of the living band members. The vinyl also includes a download card for the bonus tracks. The band’s logo was designed by Yaffa, who continues to play with Monroe to this day. In advance of the self-titled album’s re-release, a track titled ‘Hammersmith Palais’ has been released to streaming sites, along with a demo version of the song.

Michael Monroe on the single ‘Hammersmith Palais’:

“Hammersmith Palais was this great club in London where we saw a lot of brilliant, legendary shows by some of the coolest bands ever. I played there once guesting on sax and harp with the Lords Of The New Church. Unfortunately in later years, the place was closed down and replaced by a boring office building. The song also refers to some great, fun times in the past that will never return.”

Michael Monroe on the re-issue of ‘Demolition 23.’:

‘The Demolition 23′. album is one of my favorite albums of my career and definitely one of the best. I had the pleasure and privilege of having my great friend Little Steven as the producer. This was originally going to be a Michael Monroe solo album, but we had put together such a strong group with Sami Yaffa on bass, Jimmy Clark on drums and Jay Hening (RIP) on guitar, that I decided the band should have a name. Sami Yaffa suggested Demolition 23 from the William Burroughs book ‘Exterminator’ and it immediately hit a nerve. Little Steven and I had been writing the songs with very much an authentic kind of punky rock&roll attitude and style. We also wanted to pay homage to the late legendary unsung heroes and my friends Stiv Bators and Johnny Thunders by covering one song each– The Dead Boys‘Ain’t Nothin’ To Do’ and Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers’ ‘I Wanna Be Loved’“.

‘Demolition 23′. Tracklist

1 Nothin’s Alright

2 Hammersmith Palais

3 The Scum Lives On

4 Dysfunctional

5 Ain’t Nothin’ to Do

6 I Wanna Be Loved

7 You Crucified Me

8 Same Shit Different Day

9 Endangered Species

10 Deadtime Stories

11 Hammersmith Palais (Demo)

12 Dysfunctional (Demo)

13 The Scum Lives On (Demo)

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