Soul Stealer

Hey Zoo Freaks, let’s crank the vibes and dive into the groovy swirl of “Soul Stealer” from Badlands’ 1991 jam Voodoo Highway, a track that’s pure, bluesy mojo with Ray Gillen’s vocals hittin’ like a cosmic love spell and Jake E. Lee’s axe riffs spinnin’ wild like a vinyl on a turntable. Word from the Zoo Crew’s crate-diggin’ archives—pulled from old X posts and fanzine chatter—says this tune was a live-wire moment during Badlands’ chaotic UK tour, where the band’s bad blood bubbled up like a scratched record. One Freak posted about catchin’ Gillen beltin’ “You ain’t nothin’ but a soul stealer” with straight-from-the-gut fire, like he was spillin’ his soul, while Lee’s solo danced like a funky spider across the strings, as seen in a grainy bootleg clip floatin’ online. Gillen dropped in a radio interview that the song’s about those late-night spirits that “grab your heart and won’t let go,” a nod to the heavy vibes and personal demons hauntin’ the band’s sessions, especially with his health struggles creepin’ in.

Badlands came together in ’88 when Jake E. Lee, fresh off the Ozzy Osbourne train after shreddin’ on The Ultimate Sin, wanted to lay down some real-deal, blues-soaked rock instead of metal flash. Dude’s got classical piano chops from childhood, but his sister’s Hendrix, Zeppelin, and Sabbath records flipped his world, pushin’ him to fuse soulful grit with mad skill. He teamed up with Ray Gillen, a cat who’d sung with Sabbath and was itchin’ to ditch the big-band scene for somethin’ raw, like their idols in Humble Pie. They snagged bassist Greg Chaisson, a Phoenix homie Jake knew from Osbourne tryouts, and drummer Eric Singer, Ray’s old Sabbath pal, to form a tight crew. Their 1989 debut LP dropped like a bomb, with critics diggin’ its Zeppelin-style swagger and MTV spinnin’ “Dreams in the Dark” like it was the hottest wax. Badlands kept it real, writin’ their own tunes free from label suits, though Ray’s AIDS diagnosis after the first album added a heavy, bittersweet groove to their story.

For the latest Badlands and Jake E. Lee vibes, hit up the man’s official spot at jakeelee.net. Get down with him on Facebook, Instagram, and X. Zoo Freaks lookin’ to vibe with the tribe can jump into the Badlands Band Appreciation Group on Facebook for rare tracks and stories, or spin through the fan-curated stash at Tom O’Lee’s Badlands Page for some retro love.