THE MORE THINGS CHANGE TURNS 23
By Machine Head
At 23 years of age, our 2nd album is officially old enough to get ten ton hammered!
Filled with such live staples as "Ten Ton Hammer", "Take My Scars" and "Struck A Nerve", TMTC sounds as fresh and heavy today as it did back then.
TMTC fun facts:
- First 2 songs written for the album we're "The Frontlines" and Struck A Nerve”.
- "The Frontlines" was debuted in Europe on the 1995 headline run for "Burn My Eyes” while drummer Chris Kontos was still in the band, and inspired an uber-awesome message board of the same name. "Struck A Nerve" was debuted later that year on 1995 BME U.S. headline run w/ Stuck Mojo and Wickerman.
Watch Chris Kontos play it below:
- The album was recorded and mixed at The Plant in Sausalito, CA, Scream Studios in Burbank, CA, Parr St. studios in Liverpool, England, Hyde Street in San Francisco, CA and finally Larrabee Studios in West Hollywood.
- Prior to re-amping technology, TMTC was remixed 3 times and guitars were re-recorded 3 times to achieve the ultimate heavy guitar tone! It STILL out-heavy's most modern metal guitar tone.
- While mixing in Liverpool, the boys spent a wild night getting hammered with Ian Gillian of Deep Purple fame. He listened to the entire TMTC album at near deafening volume, and drank with the boys til 7AM sharing the most insane rock-n-roll stories EVER!
- Robb infamously banned MH A&R guru Monte Conner from ever attending an MH studio session again.
- The boys would take a chance on their 3rd remix bringing in a young, unknown engineer named Andy Sneap to assist. His talents, and fresh perspective greatly helped the album. He would become one of the most sought-after metal producers of today, and currently performs as lead guitarist in Judas Priest
- Problems plagued the recording including: Entire guitar tracks and vocals getting erased (this was pre-pro tools), Robb stress constipation, didn't poop for a week.
- It debuted in the Top 20 in Europe/UK, and #138 on the US Billboard charts, and sold 10,000 copies in the U.S. it's first week.
- Videos for "Ten Ton Hammer" and "Take My Scars" featured live footage shot at The Berkeley Square in Berkeley, The Trocadero In Philadelphia, and The Vic Theater in Chicago.
- 6 tours criss-crossed the U.S. including 3 headline tours, Ozzfest MainStage slot (2nd band of day), main support to Corrosion Of Conformity, and main support Pantera. Support on headline tours came from Vision Of Disorder, Downset, Neurosis, Snot, Drain STH, Napalm Death, Skinlab, Entombed, Misery Loves Company, and Coal Chamber
- On this day 22 years ago the boys were at an HMV doing a record store meet-n-greet in London.
- Favorite song among band members at the time: the rarely played "Blood Of The Zodiac”.
- TMTC would go on to sell half a million albums worldwide.
What do YOU remember about The More Things Change? Many reviews at the time felt it was not as strong as BME, do you agree? Did you see us live on this album?
Head over to our Facebook or Instagram and share your stories!!