Flesh and Blood (Poison album)

Flesh & Blood
Studio album by Poison
Released	June 21, 1990
Recorded	1989 - 1990
Genre	Glam rock
Length	57:38
Label	Capitol Records
Producer	Bruce Fairbairn
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link Rolling Stone link
Poison chronology
Open Up And Say... Ahh! (1988) Flesh & Blood (1990) Swallow This (1991)
Alternate Cover
Original Banned blood version

Flesh & Blood is the third studio album released by the glam rock band Poison. The record was released on June 21, 1990 on the Enigma label of Capitol Records. It spawned the Top 10 hits "Unskinny Bop" and "Something to Believe In," as well as the hits "Ride the Wind," "Life Goes On," and "Flesh & Blood (Sacrifice)."

Musical style

While remaining true to the glam metal / hard rock genre, the record arguably reflected a significant growth in the sophistication of the band’s song writing and in the depth of its lyrics. This growth in sophistication was particularly evident in the guitar work of C. C. DeVille and the bass work of studio musician Rene Worst (who played on this release while Bobby Dall was in rehab). The anthemic staccato double-stop riff in "(Flesh & Blood) Sacrifice", and fast arpeggiated groove in "Unskinny Bop" stood in stark contrast to the simple power chords which characterized the band's first two records. The instrumental piece "Swampjuice (Soul-O)", also revealed a new musical depth.

Production and marketing

The record was recorded and mixed at Little Mountain Studios, Vancouver, British Columbia, with Canadian producer Bruce Fairbairn. The front cover of the album featured the Poison logo and album title as a tattoo on Rikki Rockett's arm. The cover was originally planned to have a slightly different version of the tattoo cover that featured the tattoo after being freshly inked. This showed the skin as red and inflamed. This cover was pulled though and instead a cleaned up tattoo was shown that did not have the inflamed skin. The original cover was released for the initial pressing in Japan but was subsequently removed from all later pressings (including those in Japan). The record’s marketing reflected the end of the more extreme elements Poison’s "glam" image, including its excessive make-up and teased, girlish hair (see Look What the Cat Dragged In).

Songs

Parts of the record reflected a darker, more serious side to the band, touching themes such as hard times and overcoming them ("Valley of Lost Souls", "Life Loves A Tragedy", "Come Hell Or High Water"), missing loved ones ("Life Goes On"), long-term relationships ("Don’t Give Up an Inch", "Ball and Chain"), and disillusionment ("Something to Believe In"). The fun side of the band remained intact, however, in tracks dealing with sex ("(Flesh & Blood) Sacrifice", "Unskinny Bop"), exhilaration from music or motorbikes ("Let It Play", "Ride the Wind"), and tongue-in-cheek poverty ("Poor Boy Blues"). The meaning of "Unskinny Bop", one of the band's most popular songs, has always been shrouded in obscurity. Guitarist DeVille later confessed that the phrase "unskinny bop" has no particular meaning. DeVille invented it as a temporary measure while writing the song, before vocalist Bret Michaels had begun working on the lyrics. The phrase was used on the basis that it was phonetically suited to the music. The song was later played to producer, Fairbairn, who stated that although he did not know what an "unskinny bop" was, the phrase was perfect.^[1]

Track listing

1. "Strange Days of Uncle Jack"
2. "Valley of Lost Souls"
3. "(Flesh & Blood) Sacrifice"
4. "Swampjuice (Soul-O)"
5. "Unskinny Bop"
6. "Let It Play"
7. "Life Goes On"
8. "Come Hell or High Water"
9. "Ride the Wind"
10. "Don't Give up an Inch"
11. "Something to Believe In"
12. "Ball and Chain"
13. "Life Loves a Tragedy"
14. "Poor Boy Blues"

Bonus tracks on the 20th anniversary remaster:

1. "Something to Believe In" (acoustic) - different lyrics.
2. "God Save The Queen"

Singles

• "Unskinny Bop"
• "Ride The Wind"
• "Something To The Believe In"
• "Life Goes On"
• "Flesh And Blood (Sacrifice)"

Band Members

• Bret Michaels - lead vocals
• C.C. Deville - lead guitar
• Bobby Dall - bass guitr
• Rikki Rockett - drums

References

1. ^ [1] Harper C, "In Samantha 7 Heaven: An Interview with C.C. DeVille of Samantha 7" Ink 19, Retrieved October 18, 2005.