Rock trio The Winery Dogs release their live album Unleashed in Japan. It would almost be too easy to call The Winery Dogs just a “supergroup”. Singer/guitarist Richie Kotzen made history with Poison and Mr. Big, bassist Billy Sheehan played together with Steve Vai, David Lee Roth, Mr. Big, Talas, UFO and many others, and drummer Mike Portnoy was the backbone of prog metal icons Dream Theater. But The Winery Dogs are so much more than just a supergroup...

Unleashed In Japan is the new live album from The Winery Dogs. For fans it includes some of their most memorable tracks and includes a handful of covers - most notably Poison's 'Stand'; Richie Kotzen's 'You Can't Save Me'; and Elvin Bishop's 'Fooled Around and Fell in Love'. However, Kotzen is a member of The Winery Dogs, so whether you can call their rendition of 'You Can't Save Me' a "cover" is debatable.

The album contains 10 tracks (49 min, 37 sec) and I was surprised to hear 'Fooled Around And Fell In Love', which is obviously where Journey's inspiration for 'Lights' seems to have come from.

It's an enjoyable album - certainly one their fans will be proud to own.

01 - 'Elevate' (Live)
02 - 'Criminal' (Live)
03 - 'Time Machine' (Live)
04 - 'I'm No Angel' (Live)
05 - 'Not Hopeless' (Live)
06 - 'Stand' (Live)
07 - 'You Can't Save Me' (Live)
08 - 'Shine' (Live)
09 - 'Fooled Around And Fell In Love' (Live)
10 - 'Desire' (Live)

8

Nick Smithson