Asphalt Ballet - S/T (Release Year - 1991)
Asphalt Ballet’s name comes from a motorcycle crashing at high speed and sliding across the pavement. Their music is no accident, even though the band eventually crashed and burned.
The self title debut from 1991 is a damn good one, by this San Diego five piece unit.
This CD blends the west coast sleaze sound with southern rock. It may sound like a strange combination, but it works.
Asphalt Ballet was a regular on the MTV headbanger’s ball back in the early 90’s. Three videos were released in support of this disc:
Soul Survive
Tuesday’s Rain
Unlucky Mr. Lucky 
After this release, the band was pushed to alter their sound to grunge, so they could stay current in the music scene. Needless to say, that decision would spell their demise.
I would have loved to have heard another disc, in the vein of this one, with the original band’s lineup in tact. I guess it just wasn’t meant to be.
This CD has several good songs including Hell’s Kitchen, Blood on the Highway, Goodbye Yesterday , and the three songs featured in the videos above.
Singer, Gary Jeffries has been in several bands since Asphalt Ballet, and is currently in a Dayton, Ohio band called Gary Jeffries and the Gator Stew Band. Guitarist Julius Ulrich, and drummer Michael Kiner are in a Hollywood Metal band called 13-A.
This disc has been out of print for a while, and regularly goes for over $20.00 on Ebay right now. This disc will appeal to most sleaze and southern rock fans. I like this one a lot. If you can find it, buy it, you won’t be disappointed.
Rating:
Out of 10
Track Listing:
1. Hell’s Kitchen
2. Soul Survive
3. Tuesday’s Rain
4. Unlucky Mr. Lucky
5. End of My Rope
6. Heaven Winds Blow
7. Blood on the Highway
8. Goodbye Yesterday
9. Wasted Time
10. Taking a Walk
11. Hangmans Swing
12. Blue Movie
13. Do It All Over Again
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