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ARTIST: Bastard
ALBUM: Tearing Nights
LABEL: Strand
SERIAL: 6.23619
YEAR: 1978
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: 
LINEUP: Karl Rothert - vocals, bass * Uli Meisner - guitars * Gunter Grutschkum - guitars * Thomas Korn - drums
TRACK LISTING: 01 Tearing Nights * 02 Make My Life A Dream * 03 Burning Heart * 04 Move On * 05 Lovers Grief * 06 Rock N Roll Is The Winner * 07 Dust On The Roof * 08 Faithful Love * 09 Daddy Was A Rock N Roller * 10 Get Up Wake Up |
BackgroundLong forgotten and perhaps virtually unknown to most in 2006 are Bastard, a late 70's German rock act who recorded three albums and promptly disappeared, leaving
The Scorpions to become West Germany's worldwide exporter of hard rock. Formed in Hanover in 1977, 'Back To Nature' was the first release in 1978 also, the bands moniker causing a slight stir, hardly representative of their basic
AC/DC style boogie. Members of the band went under assumed names, for what purpose is not known and according to a jumbled, horrifically translated German history page of the band, Bastard supported
AC/DC and
Judas Priest during their initial run which seemed as if Bastard were destined for success. Of course that wasn't to be, and 'Tearing Nights' is a slight letdown, not overly aggressive, surprisingly mild hard rock that is positively tame compared to
AC/DC.
The SongsAs
AC/DC were making their name during 1978 it's hard to accuse Bastard of snatching riffs, but the title track has 'Powerage' stamped all over it. Naturally it works, as any precise
AC/DC copy is worthy listening. The sax is broken out for 'Make My Life A Dream', giving it a
Nazareth and
Aerosmith flavour, the result? - some promising old fashioned rock and roll. Moving right on to another supposed influence, 'Burning Heart' takes
Bachman Turner Overdrive's trademark jangly guitar tone in no uncertain terms, with the vocal delivery close to Bachman also. More metallic is 'Move On', very
Scorpions influenced, but still with the basic twelve bar riffs. The slow blues of 'Lover's Grief' is almost unbearable, and even the sure fire 'Rock And Roll Is The Winner' doesn't live up to the title thanks to the same stale riffing that Bastard weren't good enough to get away with constantly. 'Dust In The Road' could be viewed as a companion to
Status Quo, but the remaining highlight is the raw boogie of 'Daddy Was A Rock And Roller' that manages to convince where the majority fails to in such areas.
In SummaryHardly essential, but with several highlights that would be of interest to boogie merchants out there. Bastard soldiered on for 1980's 'Live And Alive' before falling apart, with one time
Saxon drummer Fritz Randow among the bands ranks before the end of the line. Realistically Bastard never stood much of a chance, but if they had attempted a heavier direction they might have succeeded. In some parts of Germany Bastard are probably legends and still have a profile. If so it would be nice to know what became of the various members.
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