(Warner)
It comes as no surprise that the soundtrack album to Private Parts is full of various bits from Howard Stern's radio career. However, the surprise may be just how many bits there are. Of the twenty-nine listed tracks on the album, a full fifteen of them are culled from the movie (most of which are bits of Stern on the air). These bits serve to bookend a mixed bag of harder, alternative, and classic rock - with artists ranging from Marilyn Manson to Ted Nugent.
And while this does give the album a Singles meets Dazed and Confused musical sort of feel, as a whole, it doesn't hold up well. The movie out-takes are also part of the problem. Had they concentrated solely on clips of Stern on the air, then they would truly warrant their stature on the album. But with so many of them being scenes from the film (many of which would either require a lengthy lead-in or visuals to truly appreciate), the effect is nulled somewhat.
There is some synergy to the groupings of the songs and the movie clips with which they are paired. New songs like Marilyn Manson's "The Suck for Your Solution" and others are set with movie clips from the later part of Stern's career. And by the time we get to Van Halen's "Jamie's Cryin''", we're hearing movie clips depicting the early stages of the Stern mythology - when the music may have been better - but he sure as hell wasn''t as good as he is now.
Of the newer crop of songs, two groups made up of ex-members of Jane's Addiction serve up the best, with The Red Hot Chili Peppers (minus Anthony Kedias and replaced by an uncredited L.L. Cool J.) and Porno for Pyros giving the best two performances on the album. "Hard Charger" by Porno for Pyros is also notable for being the first time Dave Navarro, Stephen Perkins and Perry Ferrel have recorded since the break-up of Jane's Addiction.
Other new selections, ranging from interesting parings such as Howard Stern and Rob Zombie ("The Great American Nightmare") and Ozzy Osbourne and Type O Negative (a cover of "Pictures of Matchstick Men") are interesting on the first couple of listens, but don't hold much weight. And while it was nice to see "Cat Scratch Fever" and "Smoke on the Water" on the album, hearing those songs again was neat the first few times, but left me longing for something more.
Then again, Stern has always prided himself in his ability to manipulate the media to fit his needs. The soundtrack for Private Parts is no exception. It's got hip new artists like Marilyn Manson for the kids, Van Halen for the adults, and some movie clips to promote the film more than it already has been. And even if this attempt does come close to pleasing everyone on paper, the execution could have been better.
