This 2-disc collection has been requested over and over again: “Kollection“, a KING KOBRA 2-CD release put together by King Kobra founder Carmine Appice some time ago.
The package includes the complete “King Kobra III” (appeared in 1988 and out of print) completely remastered by Appice himself with the help of friend engineers, and a second CD full of B-Sides & Rarities titled “Hollywood Trash & More“, many of them previously unavailable in North America, plus the never released track “Subway”, featuring C.C. DeVille from the band Poison on guitar, a much sought after recording by King Kobra fans.
It’s funny, but while ‘King Kobra III’ has been hated by first-time King Kobra fans, the more we listen to these songs, the more we like ’em.
“King Kobra” III was originally released in 1988 via the small label New Renaissance Records, featuring new vocalist Johnny Edwards in the ‘hard to fit shoes’ of Mark / Marcie Free who quit the band a year before.
Edwards does a very good job, and there’s some killer, criminally underrated songs here in the vein of King Kobra’s first album or Quiet Riot.
When “Kollection” was released some time ago we heard some comments that “King Kobra III” is not remastered at all here. Well, they should listen carefully as indeed it’s fully remastered. I guess these people heard the digital files put online by some dubious sources / websites.
And the bonus disc “Hollywood Trash & More” includes solid tracks deserving to be listened, some featuring Mark / Marcie Free and others the very good Kelly Keeling (Baton Rouge) on lead vocals.
“Kollection” is a great opportunity to listen the very hard to find “King Kobra III” plus some rare recordings from the mighty King Kobra.
Highly Recommended
DISC 1: King Kobra “III” (1988-Out Of Print) Remastered
01 – Mean St. Machine
02 – Take It Off
03 – Walls Of Silence
04 – Legends Never Die
05 – Redline
06 – Burning In Her Fire
07 – Perfect Crime
08 – It’s My Life
09 – #1
Johnny Edwards – lead vocals
Jeff Northrup – guitars, backing vocals
David Michael-Philips – guitars, bass, backing vocals
Larry Hart – bass
Carmine Appice – drums, percussion, backing vocals
Johnny Rod, Bryson Jones, Peter Criss – backing vocals
DISC 2: “Hollywood Trash & More” (B-Sides & Rarities)
01 – Do It
02 – Bitch
03 – The Gift
04 – Hollywood Trash
05 – Jessy
06 – The Edge
07 – Watch What You Think
08 – Angels
09 – Blaze
10 – Freedom
11 – Ready To Strike
12 – Take It Off
13 – Here Comes The Night
14 – Subway (featuring C.C. Deville of Poison) [bonus]
Mark Free – vocals
Carmine Appice – drums, percussion
Kelly Keeling – vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards
Johnny Rod – bass
Dave Michael-Phillips – guitar
Steve Fister – guitar
Mick Sweda – guitar
Earl Slick – guitar
C.C. Deville – guitar track #14