Kill For Thrills - Dynamite In Nightmareland album review

Pre-fame Gilby Clarke’s ode to the endless highway

Kill For Thrills Dynamite In Nightmareland album cover

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If you’ve ever wondered who dropped the ball with Kill For Thrills – them or us – this will give you plenty to chew on. This semi-super sleaze-rock band from LA boasted an eyebrow-raising pedigree, including guitar player Jason Nesmith (son of Monkees’ mad genius Mike Nesmith), bassist Todd Muscat (of hardcore punks turned Hanoi Rocks disciples Decry, and later of Junkyard), and frontman Gilby “I replaced Izzy in Guns” Clarke.

Following their debut Commercial Suicide EP, Dynamite From Nightmareland served as Kill For Thrills’ debut (and only) LP, and first hit the bins in the very busy year of 1990, where it was summarily dismissed and quickly forgotten.

The band followed suit soon after. But there was real potential in this band to be a sort of American Dogs D’Amour, replacing the sea of scarves and oceans of whisky with biker brawls and used leather, but leaving the hedonistic allegiance to the Stones and Hanoi thoroughly intact.

Not everything on Dynamite lands, but opener Motorcycle Cowboys remains one the best rabble-rouser anthems of the flash-metal era. Bad Reputation’s stellar reissue remasters the tracks for maximum rock’n’roll intensity and tosses in the debut EP as a bonus.

Live Preview: Gilby Clarke

Gilby Clarke was axed by 'pissed off' Axl Rose

Sleazegrinder

Came from the sky like a 747. Classic Rock’s least-reputable byline-grabber since 2003. Several decades deep into the music industry. Got fired from an early incarnation of Anal C**t after one show. 30 years later, got fired from the New York Times after one week. Likes rock and hates everything else. Still believes in Zodiac Mindwarp and the Love Reaction, against all better judgment.