Wicked Lady exemplifies the "record collector" bands that gain new life thr… Read Full Bio ↴Wicked Lady exemplifies the "record collector" bands that gain new life through reissues: in this case, Kissing Spell's albums The Axeman Cometh and Psychotic Overkill. Their appearance marked some belated recognition for the power trio, which Northampton singer-guitarist Martin Weaver formed in 1968 with drummer "Mad" Dick Smith and bassist Bob Jeffries. However, Wicked Lady never came within a whisper of the stratospheric status attained by Cream, or the Jimi Hendrix Experience. The band's liberal use of feedback -- and large biker following -- kept them relegated to clubs, even during the twilight hours of the psychedelic era.

Awash in drink and drugs, Wicked Lady split up in 1970, but Smith and Weaver soon regrouped with new bassist, Del "German Head" Morley. The new lineup duly set about documenting its existence, as captured on Psychotic Overkill -- whose feel is looser than Axeman Cometh. The effect is a shotgun marriage of Black Sabbath-style rifferama, supported by a less risk-taking rhythm section. Weaver's vocal style lacks charisma, but his wah-wah and fuzz-driven guitar style carries the day. The highlights include a bluesy cover of Hendrix's "Voodoo Child," the sex 'n' drugs snapshot of "Sin City," and the howling, 21-minute epic, "Ship Of Ghosts."

But Wicked Lady's erratic ways proved too difficult for clubowners, who eventually refused to let them play. (At one gig, the band reportedly played the same song over and over until an irritated management pulled the plug on them.) Wicked Lady imploded in 1972, but Weaver rebounded that same year by joining the Dark, a more psychedelic- and progressive-outfit. Their Round The Edges album became a Holy Grail for collectors -- because only a handful of copies were made for band members and their associates. (Kissing Spell reissued the album in 1991.) Weaver next teamed with classically-trained keyboardist Dave "Doc" Wadley -- who'd worked with a pre-Sabbath Tony Iommi -- in the Mind Doctors.

Kissing Spell also reissued On The Threshold Of Reality, an album of laidback instrumental "head" music.Weaver most recently surfaced on the re-formed Dark's Anonymous Days (1996), which featured material written in the 1970s and 1990s.

Rebel
Wicked Lady Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Every evening when the sun goes down
You do the things you shouldn't do
Like a vampire with a need for blood
There's a fire inside of you

Driving on empty through the streets of life
But your wheels are catching fire
Don't try to tell me everything's alright

Cause I know that you're a liar

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Wicked Lady's song "Rebel" tell the story of an individual who is indulging in reckless behavior despite the potential consequences. The song compares this person to a vampire who has a constant thirst for something that is not good for them. The line "there's a fire inside of you" suggests that this person is driven by some inner desire or passion that may be difficult to control.

The lyrics also reference the fact that this person is "driving on empty through the streets of life," which suggests that they are possibly lost or directionless in their actions. However, despite this sense of emptiness, there is still a reckless energy that is fueling them, which is symbolized by their "wheels catching fire." The final line of the song, "cause I know that you're a liar," suggests that the person may be in denial or trying to hide their true motives from the people around them.

Overall, the lyrics to Wicked Lady's "Rebel" create a vivid picture of an individual who is driven by their impulses and desires, even when it is to their own detriment.

Line by Line Meaning

Every evening when the sun goes down
As the night approaches, you engage in activities that are considered inappropriate and wrong according to social norms.

You do the things you shouldn't do
You engage in actions that are considered unethical or immoral, even though you know they are wrong.

Like a vampire with a need for blood
You have an insatiable desire and craving for something that is not easily attainable, just like a vampire that needs blood to survive.

There's a fire inside of you
You possess an intense passion and energy that drives and motivates you to continue the way you live your life.

Driving on empty through the streets of life
You are living a life that lacks fulfillment, and you are aimlessly wandering through it without a specific goal or direction.

But your wheels are catching fire
Despite the emptiness and aimlessness, you are still moving forward in life at great speed, with your goals driving and burning within you.

Don't try to tell me everything's alright
You cannot deceive me by telling me that everything is fine when it clearly is not.

Cause I know that you're a liar
I am well aware that you often deceive and manipulate others, and your words cannot be trusted.

Contributed by Chase R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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