Like Jethro Tull, Billy Satellite is the name of a band. As far as I know, there is no individual with that name. Also, like the Bangles, their debut album came and went in 1984 with little notice except for keen persons like myself who had an ear out for some good straightforward rock. Unlike the Bangles or Jethro Tull, this self titled album would be the band's only release and they would drift off into obscurity living only in my memory.
Their album is the reason why Billy Satellite has lived in the back corners of my mind for over three decades. It is a really cool down to earth straight ahead rock album. All the elements to make the album great are there. Good vocals, some cool guitars and a sound rhythm section with a keyboard accompaniment that brings out the flavour of the mix really well. So, my question is, why didn't people take more notice of Billy Satellite? My only suggested answer is that with all of the heavy metal that was flying about at the time, they simply got lost in the hysteria. They definitely aren't a heavy metal band but they were a hell of a lot better than a lot of the non metal in this year.
If you want something to compare them to, then the closest would be Night Ranger but that might being doing them a disservice. They were unique enough to not need any comparison as far as this album is concerned. The first three tracks come straight at you with some of that good straight ahead rock that I have been talking about. The opener was also the highest charting single (#64). It is a good track but I like the following one, "Last Call." That is the standout for me with all the elements of a good hard rock song present. Track #3 is a good one too before the two ballads, "Trouble" being the better of the two. Then things go back to heavy rock with the cool, "Rockin' Down the Highway" and continue to do so for the rest of the album. "Turning Point" has a slight blues feel to it and the tempo change works well on the album. It has a good guitar solo but notes don't reveal which guitarist is responsible. That leads nicely to "Bye Bye Baby" which borders on a ballad and a rock song. Rock returns for sure with "Standing with the Kings" and that leads to the closer which ends the album very well.
Track Listing:
- Satisfy Me
- Last Call
- Do Ya
- I Wanna Go Back
- Trouble
- Rockin' Down the Highway
- Turning Point
- Bye Bye Baby
- Standing With the Kings
- The Lonely One
Billy Satellite[/caption]
Monty Byrom- guitars, vocals, keyboards
Danny Chauncey- guitars, keyboards
Ira Walker- bass
Tom 'Fee' Faletti- drums
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSqk8ODRsUs
While sitting here typing this, I have come to a conclusion as to why Billy Satellite didn't go further in 1984. It was that they were about four or five years too soon. Thinking about some of the bands in the late 80s, Danger Danger and Hurricane and Winger, these guys would have fit in well with that group. Unfortunately, they were five years too soon and although they had a cool album, it didn't do well enough for them to continue. They would split and go their separate ways.
Next post: Bruce Springsteen- Born in the USA
To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com
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