Great Rock Albums of 1985: The Power Station

 

If I had been writing this blog thirty years ago, as the albums were coming out, this one off album from The Power Station would not have been included. Thinking back to then, when I heard the first single, “Some Like It Hot,” I thought, “No thanks.” To me it was just another synth pop song, only this one had a cool guitar solo. What also didn’t help was that the band featured two members of Duran Duran. In 1985, metalheads and Duranies were at odds with one another, so this was another reason not to like this band. However, throughout the many years, The Power Station have slowly grown enough on me that I was willing to include them.

On the subject of Duran Duran, I didn’t want to admit it back then but they were all talented musicians, John and Andy Taylor especially. It was only very recently I learned that they weren’t actually brothers. I will not take the fact they are so talented away from them but that doesn’t change the fact that they music that didn’t appeal to me. Anyway, what the Taylors did here was to get with drummer Tony Thompson from the band Chic and a lead singer named Robert Palmer and together, they put out an album that wasn’t too bad.

Another criticism aimed at The Power Station by metalheads back in 1985 was to do with the second single, the cover of T-Rex’s “Get It On (Bang a Gong).” Metalheads argued that they had totally butchered a classic T-Rex song but was that assessment fair? In my view, there are portions of this version of said classic that would have Marc Bolan spinning in his grave. Especially that woo-hoo-hoo part at the beginning. However, they do remain true to the basics of the song. The guitar comes through very clear and while not as good as the original, it still has me bobbing away to it when it’s played. Furthermore, it does have me wanting to include John Taylor in that ever expanding list of underrated guitarists.

Most of the remainder of the album is still too synth pop for me, even after all these many years. There are a good number of keyboard and brass players who contribute which makes it possible. It does have some flashes of more heavier rock. I like the intro and the guitar solo on “Communication” and their cover of “Harvest for the World” is nicely done. I could call that track more soft rock. However, going against the grain of the rest of the album is the track “Murderess.” This is a hard rocker, well it is in terms of this band but it does make the hidden gem the best song on the album. In spite of the fact that I still am not a huge Power Station fan but I can’t fault their musicianship either. These guys, especially John, were serious about music and the playing on it was top notch, credit where it’s due there.

Track Listing:

1. Some Like It Hot
2. Murderess
3. Lonely Tonight
4. Communication
5. Get It On (Bang a Gong)
6. Go to Zero
7. Harvest For the World
8. Still In Your Heart

The Power Station

Robert Palmer- vocals

John Taylor- guitar

Andy Taylor- bass

Tony Thompson- drums

At first, I thought it was a case of me mellowing with age but while I am more open and accepting of the Power Station these days, this album still doesn’t quite do it for me. Saying that, there are some good moments and the musicianship on the album is first rate.

Next post: I’m away on a client holiday with work so the next post won’t be until next week. When it is, it will be: Night Ranger- Seven Wishes

To buy Rock and Roll Children: email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com 

Great Rock Albums of 1985: The Hooters- Nervous Night

Thanks to everyone who wished me well on my holiday. It was just a long weekend at the Butlin’s Holiday Camp in Skegness and then a couple of days at Cleethorpes but it was nice. Now, I’m back and it’s back to the tour of the 1980s through my eyes.

Skegness Fair and park

Probably no one remembers when I posted about a band called Beru Revue a few months back. So, to refresh everyone’s memory, Beru Revue were a local band out of Philadelphia who were very popular in their native area but never broke out and made it elsewhere. At the end of that post, I mentioned that another band from Philadelphia would break out and rise to national attention in 1985. That band was The Hooters and they did so with their second album, “Nervous Night.”

It might not be well known but before this album came out, The Hooters had some previous commercial success when they co-wrote Cyndi Lauper’s second big hit single, “Time After Time.” Trust me, The Hooters’ version of the song totally blows Lauper’s out of the water. At least I think so. Looking back into history, one shouldn’t have been surprised when they did make the big time. I remember their first single and one of my favourite tracks on the album, “All You Zombies” getting played quite a bit on the radio. Then to my surprise, on a visit to Rhode Island, I saw the video to said song played on a local music channel. That confirmed that The Hooters had actually made it.

My theory behind the the success of “Nervous Night” was it down to the music being a bit different. Some called it new wave or punk because that was the label given to any music that didn’t fit any mold in 1985. I always think it’s great when you can’t pigeonhole music that’s good. The closest track that may fit into the mold others try to impose on it would be the fourth one, “Don’t Take My Car Out Tonight.” There is a synth sound supporting a hard rock sounding guitar along with some of the other unique instruments the band plays like a melodica. Saying that, it’s all done well. “Hanging on a Heartbeat” can also fit this mold and it does have a good guitar solo.

The two more successful singles “And We Danced” and “Day by Day” are also unique but still very commercial radio friendly. It’s probably why both either hovered around or cracked the top 20 in the singles charts. However, there are two possible hidden gems. While, “Where Do the Children Go,” which Patty Smyth makes a guest appearance on, did get some airplay on radio and MTV, it didn’t chart as well as the other two singles and most people have forgotten it. I haven’t. This is a brilliant song, especially the way the mandolin is played on it. The other hidden gem is “Blood From a Stone” which rocks a little more. The song is about working people struggling to keep their heads above water during a time when wages were being cut and people were only given part time jobs to make the unemployment figures look good. Even now, these lyrics ring true:

“I work hard to pay the rent and support my government

The highways and the railroad tracks

I’m not giving it up till they give it all back

You can laugh and but it’s no joke 

You got to fix the thing that’s broke

There’s no meat only bone, but you can’t get blood from a stone.”

“South Ferry Road” is a pretty good rocker as well and “She Comes in Colors” has a sound reminiscent of The Cars.

Track Listing:

1. And We Danced
2. Day By Day
3. All you Zombies
4. Don’t Take My Car Tonight
5. Nervous Night
6. Hanging on a Heartbreak
7. Where Do the Children Go
8. South Ferry Road
9. She Comes in Colors
10. Blood From a Stone

The Hooters

Eric Bazilian- lead vocals, guitars, mandolin, saxophone

Rob Hyman- lead vocals, keyboards, melodica

Arthur King- bass, vocals

John Liley- guitar

David Uoskkinen- drums

I’ll let you decide if The Hooters version is better than Cyndi Lauper’s

I think most people believe it’s great when a local artist makes the big time and for most people in the Delaware Valley, it was The Hooters in 1985. This would be their year as “Nervous Night” would win several awards and the band would open the Live Aid Concert. Yes great things and two years later, The Hooters would be one hit wonders in the UK but that’s a story for another day.

Next post: Fiona

To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com 

Great Rock Albums of 1985: Lone Justice

My first hearing of the band Lone Justice in 1985 came not through MTV or the radio, nor did it come from anyone recommending I buy their debut album. I first heard about them when I was told they were supporting then legends, U2. Then two days before I was going to see them, my local radio station played their first single, "Ways to be Wicked." I liked it and that gave me a greater expectation of the band when I finally did see them and on that night, I wasn't disappointed! In 1985, U2 and Lone Justice made a very good combination.

Lone Justice are listed in Wikapedia as country rock and I don't disagree with that assessment. Thre is definitely a country music influence and the album is too rock to be considered country. Have a listen to "Don't Toss Us Away." However, I think a better assessment is Southern Rock meets new wave. When listening to the rock guitars you can hear what was then called modern synths compliments of one Benmont Tench from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Mike Campbell from the same band lends his guitar skills as well and there is even contributions from Little Steven who most of the world knows from Bruce Springsteen's band. With this accompaniment assisting, it's no wonder the album is so good. Not that I am taking anything away from the band because those players weren't with them when I saw Lone Justice live and the band was quite capable of holding their own. Not only did they play material from this album, they also delighted the crowd to covers of CCR's "The Fortunate Son" and "Sweet Jane."

"Ways to Be Wicked" has always been my favourite Lone Justice song, probably to the exposure on radio and eventually MTV. Other songs which really stand out for me are "After the Flood" and "Soap, Soup and Salvation" which is about the extreme poverty that was rising in America during the mid 1980s. Again, I take nothing away from the rest of the album and while the musicianship is first rate, the driving force behind each and every song is the vocals of Maria McKee. She may be small in height but her vocal range makes her ten feet tall. Thinking about it, I'm rather disappointed that more wasn't said about her vocal ability back then because she is phenomenal.

Track Listing:

1. East of Eden
2. After the Flood
3. Ways to be Wicked
4. Don't Toss Us Away
5. Working Late
6. Sweet, Sweet Baby (I'm Falling)
7. Pass It On
8. Wait Til We Get Home
9. Soap, Soup and Salvation
10. You Are the Light

[caption id="attachment_4703" align="aligncenter" width="334"] Lone Justice[/caption]

Maria McKee- guitar, harmonica, vocals

Ryan Hedgecock- guitar, vocals

Marvin Etzioni- bass, backing vocals

Don Heffington- drums

Additional Musicians:

Mike Campbell- guitar

Tony Gilkyson- guitar

Bob Glaub- bass

Little Steven- guitar

Benmont Tench- piano, organ, synthesizer, backing vocals

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Df-a3Ns4MHE

Three years after seeing Lone Justice and hearing their debut album, I mentioned to someone who was heavily into the band that I had seen them support U2. He responded that U2 should have supported Lone Justice. I wouldn't have gone that far but I can appreciate his feelings. Lone Justice should have achieved much more than they did and this album proves it.

Next post: Warlock- Hellbound

To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com  

Great Rock Albums of 1985: Eric Clapton- Behind the Sun

 

In my last few posts, I have recollected how back in 1985, I thought several great rockers from the 1970s had sold out and gone too commercial only to realize that I was wrong when finally getting around to listening to their album. However, I never said this about guitar god Eric Clapton when his “Behind the Sun” album came out in the same year. Ironically, all the music critics at the time said he did exactly that, citing his collaboration with Phil Collins on the album. One said that Eric was in danger of turning his back on his faithful following and liable to end up playing his greatest hits on the Vegas circuit. What do critics know?

It was on tour for this album when I finally got to see Eric Clapton in his full glory in concert. I do make a passing comment about it in “Rock And Roll Children.” Memories from that piece of history have brought up two items from that night. One, Eric did play a lot of his greatest hits that evening but he did play some from the album too. The other and I think this might be down to management, his two female backing singers were dressed kind of new wave but that didn’t affect his brilliant music played that evening. If anything, I thought the biggest act of sacrilege from the show was that he let the rhythm guitarist play a solo on “Cocaine.”

If Eric Clapton sounds new wave or too commercial on the “Behind the Sun” album, I sure as hell don’t hear any evidence of it. To me, this was Eric Clapton at his usual best. Even looking at the two singles released from the album, “She’s Waiting” and “Forever Man” do not give me any thought that he was trying to go too commercial 80s here. “She’s Waiting” is everything I had always remembered and liked about his music and “Forever Man” reminds me of his great hit with Derek and the Dominoes, “Layla.” So again, I shoot down the accusation that Eric was trying to sound too commercial. One song that totally refutes that claim is my vote for hidden gem, “Same Old Blues.” Here, he shows how he got the nickname ‘Slow Hand’ as he solos all through the song, classic blues guitar at its very best.

Some my counter claim by citing his cover of the 1979 disco hit by one hit wonder Amii Stewart, “Knock on Wood.” Clapton’s version of this song sounds nothing like the original disco tune. He puts his own spin on the song, that’s a certainty. If there’s any variation from traditional Clapton, it has to be with “See What Love Can Do” which sound rather calypso but it’s played very well with a classic Clapton guitar solo it. In fact, what I love about the album is the fact that he solos his way all the way through it and that’s what I have always liked about him. He is truly a guitar god.

Amii Stewart

Track Listing:

1. She’s Waiting
2. See What Love Can Do
3. Same Old Blues
4. Knock On Wood
5. Something’s Happening
6. Forever Man
7. It All Depends
8. Tangled In Love
9. Never Make You Cry
10. Just Like a Prisoner
11. Behind the Sun

Eric Clapton

Eric Clapton- lead guitar, lead vocals

Phil Collins- drums (tracks 1,3,4,9,10), shaker (tracks 7 & 9)

Donald Dunn (From the Blues Brothers)- bass (tracks 1,3,4, 7-10)

Jamie Oldake- drums (tracks 1,3,4, 7-10)

Chris Stainton- synthesizers, organ, piano (tracks 1,3,4, 7-10)

Marcy Levy- backing vocals (tracks 1-3 and 6-9)

Lyndsey Buckingham- rhythm guitar (track 5)

James Newton Howard- synthesizer (track 5)

Jerry Lynn Williams- backing vocals (tracks 2 & 5)

Lenny Castro- congas, percussion (tracks 2 & 6)

Ray Cooper- percussion, gong, bongos (tracks 1,3,7,8)

Nathan East- bass, backing vocals (tracks 2,5,6)

Steve Lukather- rhythm guitar (tracks 2 & 6)

Shawn Murphy- backing vocals (tracks 1,3,7,8)

Michael Omartian- synthesizer (tracks 2 & 6)

Jeff Procraro- drums (tracks 2 & 6)

Greg Phillinganes- synthesizer, backing vocals (track 5)

John JR Johnson- drums (track 5)

J. Peter Robinson- synthesizer (tracks 1,3,4 7-10)

Ted Templeman- shaker, tambourine, timbales (tracks 5 & 6)

When “Behind the Sun” came to my attention, I was glad that a classic album from a great musician was able to fill the gap in what was a few metal starved months for me. This album was never too 80s pop in my view, it just cooks.

Next post: Lone Justice

To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com 

Tribute to Beru Revue- A Great Philadelphia Band

 [caption id="attachment_4551" align="aligncenter" width="328"] Beru Revue[/caption]

Living in Southern New Jersey, I was very much influenced by what was happening in Philadelphia which was fifty miles away. I rooted for their sports teams, most of the time, except when the Phillies played the Dodgers, the Eagles played the Steelers or the 76ers played the Celtics. However, I have always been a die hard Flyers fan. Most importantly though, Philadelphia was where I went to see most of my concerts. Which is why most of the concerts in "Rock And Roll Children" take place at the Spectrum. Furthermore, Philadelphia radio stations were far superior to the one in Atlantic City, also I got treated to some of the bands coming out of there. One of these bands was Beru Revue.

[caption id="attachment_107" align="aligncenter" width="300"] The Philadelphia Spectrum, now sadly torn down.[/caption]

Back in the mid 1980s, Beru Revue made several trips to South Jersey clubs and I was lucky enough to catch them three times. Their brand of rock, considered new wave by most was definitely unique. They combined great musicianship and if you listened to the lyrics, keen political awareness while maintaining a sense of humour. This gave them a pretty large cult following around the clubs of the Delaware Valley, (comprising Eastern Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey and Delaware.) One of their songs, "Hoods A Go Go For the 80s" got airplay on local radio, unfortunately, their fame never spread much beyond that. Although I did take two friends who were visiting from Rhode Island to see them and they were so impressed, they bought Beru's EP.

Beru Revue:

Bob 'Beru' McCafferty- lead vocals

Greg 'T-Bone' Davis- guitar

Gerry Healy- guitar

Johnny Sacks- bass

Buzz Barkley- keyboards

Tommy 'Sir Francis Drake' Pinto- drums

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qP3kvxEnhC0

This is my favourite Beru Revue song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhREhk4sqIs

Hopefully, you've had a listen and agree with me that Beru Revue were far too good to be just a locally known band. Even to this day, I have cool memories of them. Maybe one reason they never made it nationally or internationally was the fact that Philadelphia has produced so many great musical acts over the years. One such band would get national attention in 1985, you'll read about that in the near future and a year later, a Philly metal band would do the same. However, I lament as to what a great contribution to the music world Beru Revue would have been if they had been luckier.

Next post: 1985- The Backlash Begins

To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com

Great Rock Albums of 1984: Big Country- Steeltown

 

After much contemplation, actually thirty plus years of it, I have arrived at the conclusion that Scottish rockers, Big Country have been given a bad rap by many in the rock world. I think that because of their first big hit "In a Big Country" from their 1983 album, "The Crossing," which sounded a little new wave pop to some and the fact that MTV played the video to death. What also didn't help them was that on this, their 1984 album, "Steeltown," they went on tour with Hall and Oates, which led me and many others to conclude they were simply a top forty band. In truth, they weren't and had some interesting sounds that metalheads and those not into trends could like together.

What they do so well on this album and their others as well is to blend the hard rock, new wave with their Celtic roots. Blended together, it makes a very interesting but enjoyable sound. The title track is the prime example of what I mean. One minute you are gently rocking away to it and the next you find yourself lost in the Celtic melody of the song. An added bonus is the political/historical message in the lyrics. "Steeltown" is about the town of Corby where many local Scots went to work in the newly opened steel mill in 1935 only to find themselves unemployed when it shut down in the early 1980s following the decline of the steelworks. The song was very apt for that time.

The rest of the album follows along in the same vein. Hard rock with great local melodies entwine themselves in every song. One thing I find on a personal note is that "East of Eden" was their only top 20 single from the album but I think that there are better songs on it and with me, that's usually the criteria for a good album in my twisted mind. As far as singles go, I prefer the non top 20 reaching one, "Where the Rose is Sown." That only made it to 29  but it has all the things I like on the album. "Come Back to Me" is also an interesting one. It's kind of a ballad but it's not but it does have some nice drum work on it. "Rain Dance" also stands out for me and "The Great Divide" is the hardest rock track but I can't say there's a bad song on here.

Track Listing:

1. Flame of the West
2. East of Eden
3. Steeltown
4. Where the Rose is Sown
5. Come Back to Me
6. Tall Ships Go
7. Girl With Grey Eyes
8. Rain Dance
9. The Great Divide
10. Just a Shadow

[caption id="attachment_3247" align="aligncenter" width="295"] Big Country[/caption]

Stuart Adamson- lead vocals, guitar, piano

Mark Brzezicki- drums, percussion, vocals

Tony Butler- bass, vocals

Bruce Watson- guitar, mandolin, sitar, vocals

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pBfIMLzDfE

For the reasons I mentioned at the start of the post, this album largely passed me by in 1984. Don't worry, I've already given myself 40 lashes for it. It would be the next album when I would stop and say, "Hey wait a minute, these guys are pretty good." Still, better late than never and I can say that this album is the real deal.

Next post:  REO Speedwagon- Wheels Are Turnin'

To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com 

Great Rock Albums of 1984: Billy Satellite

 

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:

1. Satisfy Me
2. Last Call
3. Do Ya
4. I Wanna Go Back
5. Trouble
6. Rockin' Down the Highway
7. Turning Point
8. Bye Bye Baby
9. Standing With the Kings
10. The Lonely One

[caption id="attachment_4045" align="aligncenter" width="324"] 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 

Great Rock Albums of 1984: The Bangles- All Over the Place

 

Before Prince and other more commercial types got their claws into them, The Bangles debut album, "All Over the Place" was a solid new wave sounding album. When the video for the single, "The Hero Takes a Fall" appeared on MTV one day, I thought to myself, I like this song. It wasn't heavy but there was just enough guitar in there for me.

"The Hero Takes a Fall" never broke the top forty charts in 1984, most likely because I liked it. What it did do was to further my intrigue into this band and I liked what I discovered. Like, I said above, "All Over the Place" is a decent album. There is a strong new wave sound but it stops a just short of being a hard rocker and in no way did it knock Girlschool off top spot as my favourite all female band.

The funny thing is that the album could have been a cool metal album if they had let loose with the guitars a bit more. One song that typifies this is "All About You." There is a guitar bit that sounds okay but it would have sounded amazing if they had put a fuzz box in there. The same thing could have been said about "Restless" and "Tell Me." However, there is another song that stands above even those. "Dover Beach" is where lead guitarist Vicki Peterson really gets to shred a little. I'm not going to say she's a hidden guitar great because of one solo but it would have been nice to hear her shred a little more. She does shred a little bit on "Going Down to Liverpool" but because the song is in the early Beatles form, her guitar solo sounds like something from "A Hard Day's Night." Not a bad thing and the song is okay, it just doesn't make it any real rocker.

"He's Got a Secret" is another decent song. It's about a man whose cheating on his partner and there is some good guitar work in it. However, it is the vocals of Susanna Hoffs which punctuate the song for me. Actually, the hardest rock song is, "Silent Treatment" and it's good to hear the band really let loose. I think that song should have been the closer as I was never very impressed with the one that actually is.

Track Listing:

1. The Hero Takes a Fall
2. Live
3. James
4. All About You
5. Dover Beach
6. Tell Me
7. Restless
8. Going Down to Liverpool
9. He's Got a Secret
10. Silent Treatment
11. More Than Meets the Eye

[caption id="attachment_4040" align="aligncenter" width="292"] The Bangles[/caption]

Susannah Hoffs- rhythm guitar, vocals

Vicki Peterson- lead guitar, vocals

Michael Steele- bass

Debbi Peterson- drums, vocals

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAbYsxd3ADg

While I wasn't the only one who took notice of the Bangles in 1984, they pretty much came and went through the year unnoticed. Unfortunately, the wrong people, as far as this metalhead is concerned, did take notice of them and would turn them into a top forty band. That is why "All Over the Place" would be the only Bangles album I would ever listen to.

Next Post: Billy Satellite

To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com 

Great Rock Albums of 1984: U2- The Unforgettable Fire

 

Unlike the Greg Kihn Band, after their successful 1983 album, "War," followed by a successful live album, U2 didn't vanish into obscurity. Maybe Greg Kihn should have released a live album. That's all hindsight anyway. What is history is the fact that U2 followed up their success with the really cool album, "The Unforgettable Fire."

I don't think I've said this in previous posts about U2 but the one thing their music definitely did was appeal to Metalhead and Duranie alike. For those who don't know, a Duranie is someone who was into Duran Duran and similar type music. Those people listened to U2 and did not feel that they were going too weird in their music tastes while Metalheads could do the same without any feeling of selling out and going mainstream. "The Unforgettable Fire" album continues this trend for the band as both of those groups bought this album up.

Reading the history behind the making of the album, the band has said that they were trying to steer a different direction with it as they didn't want to be labeled as another arena rock band. Let me be totally honest here, I have never heard anything different in the sound of "The Unforgettable Fire" than what they had accomplished with their previous three studio albums. What U2 had been able to do very well with all four of their albums to date was make different sounding songs without having to change their overall style. I have always believed it was a case of more of this with the fourth album.

With "The Unforgettable Fire" the hits come out straight away, probably because I heard the first single, "Pride in the Name of Love" on the radio before I bought the album. History states that the single was released first so that's probably why. Still, it ranks up their among my favourite U2 songs of all time. The second single, "Bad" is the second single released and that stands out as well while at the same time, you know it's a good U2 song. I could never fathom why the title track never charted in North America as it's a really cool track as well. If anything, I would rate it above "Bad." But if you know me by now, albums aren't about the singles on them and there has to be some hidden gem in the album. For me, that track is "Wire." If I had my way, that would have been released as a single. I like the little guitar lick The Edge uses at the beginning before it goes into a good rocking song. In fact, The Edge shows his guitar skills all through the song. Actually, "Indian Summer Sky" is a really good song and that's what you need for a good album.

The other thing which definitely appealed to me back in 1984 was U2's use of politics in their music. This continues with this album, especially as two songs are dedicated to the late Martin Luther King Jr, one of them being the first single. "Bad" was about heroin addiction and the idea for the title track came when the band was visiting the war museum in Hiroshima, Japan. Put these things in with the music on the album and it's no wonder why I liked it so much.

Track Listing:

1. A Sort of Homecoming
2. Pride in the Name of Love
3. Wire
4. The Unforgettable Fire
5. Promenade
6. 4th of July
7. Bad
8. Indian Summer Sky
9. Elvis Presley and America
10. MLK

U2

Bono- lead vocals,

The Edge- guitars, keyboards, backing vocals

Adam Clayton- bass

Larry Mullen Jr- drums

Heavy metal was going strong in 1984, so was U2. This album is clear evidence of that fact.

Next post: Steve Perry- Street Talk

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Great Rock Albums of 1984: Rod Stewart- Camouflage

 

Rod Stewart has always been a top forty artist in my book. He's had a string of hits over the past four decades, some of them I actually liked, especially during the 1970s and 80s. I confessed to this fact when I visited his 1982 "Tonight I'm Yours" album some time ago. One of those singles I like happened to be the single, "Infatuation," from the 1984 album, "Camouflage." The song does venture  towards the new wave/hard rock borderland and even more so with the guitar solo by Jeff Beck. That brings me to the video for the song. Rod continues his string of cheesy videos that started with "Young Turks" where everyone is dancing on the hoods of cars and carries on with "Infatuation. In this video, Jeff Beck pops up in the hotel room from out of nowhere to play his solo. I understand that Mike LeBrain has had the same problem. Whenever he stays in a hotel room, Jeff Beck shows up. To quote a title from another song on "Camouflage," some guys have all the luck.

After the opener, "Infatuation," things go downhill pretty fast. While, I applaud Rod Stewart for a decent single at first, with the next track, I'm ready to place a bounty on his head for his act of sacrilege. He covers the Free classic "All Right Now" and it is a totally synthed out version. If he had kept to the script set down by Free, his voice would have carried the song but with all the synthesizers, I have to say, "No Rod!" But that's not the only cover he has destroyed. On track four, he sings a cover of the Todd Rungren classic, "Can We Still Be Friends." Like "All Right Now" there's nothing wrong with his voice on the song but again, the synthesizers ruin it for me. While this sacrilege isn't as bad, it's still bad enough that even Jeff Beck's guitar solo can't save it.

Jeff does improve things with a solo on the track after, "Bad For You." This one is more in line with the opener and sounds quite good. "Heart is On the Line" is one of those pop sounding songs that isn't bad but it's not one I want to listen to over and over. "The title track is much more sharper. Rod's voice takes control of it and therefore the synths that appear on it are only in the background. Plus there's a good use of horns adding a bit of diversity. Had Jeff belted out a solo on it, it might have been my favourite track. The closer, "Trouble" typifies how unbalanced "Camouflage" is. The keyboard intro makes you feel it's going to be a cool prog rock song only to fade away into a ballad. Now, Rod has always been able to sing a good ballad and does so here but the intro leaves me disappointed with the rest of the song.

Track Listing:

1. Infatuation
2. All Right Now
3. Some Guys Have All the Luck
4. Can We Still Be Friends
5. Bad For You
6. Heart is On the Line
7. Camouflage
8. Trouble

[caption id="attachment_2485" align="aligncenter" width="259"] Rod Stewart[/caption]

Rod Stewart- vocals

Jeff Beck- guitar

Jim Cregan- guitar

Robin LeMesurier- guitar

Michael Landau- guitar

Jay Davis- bass

Tony Brock- drums

Kevin Savigar- keyboards

Michael Omartian- keyboards, percussion, backing vocals

Jimmy Zavala- harmonica

Gary Herbig- saxophone

Jerry Hey, Chuck Finley, Kim Hutchcroft, Charlie Loper, Gary Grant- horns

Was "Camouflage" great? I tend not to think so, however, it could have been so if there weren't so many synth versions of classic rock songs. The songs that are good are but others let the album down. It seems here, he was comfortable being a top forty singer.

Next post: Roger Waters- The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking

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Great Rock Albums of 1984: The Cars- Heartbeat City

 

Way back in the early days, when I posted about The Cars' 1978 self titled debut album, Stone from Metalodyssey commented that The Cars were ahead of their time. I totally agree with this and will add to it by stating that they continued to be ahead of their time with their albums from the early 1980s. However, by 1984 time had caught up with them and what they were doing wasn't so advanced. It seemed that many bands were influenced by them and were copying what they were doing. But no matter what other bands were trying to do, there will only be one band called The Cars and to paraphrase a quote at the time by former WWE manager, Lou Albano, they were "often imitated but never duplicated." Proof in the pudding is their 1984 album, "Heartbeat City."

[caption id="attachment_3824" align="aligncenter" width="300"] 'Captain' Lou Albano[/caption]

What is so great about this album is while others may have been trying to copy The Cars, they didn't do anything different from what they had done before. Yet, "Heartbeat City" still manages to sound fresh. Some will point to the biggest hit from the album, "Drive" and say that they did change. A few misguided individuals, who know not this band, have labelled them one hit wonders, WTF? My rebuttal comes with my favourite track on the album, "You Might Think" which was also a top ten hit for the band. For me to like a song that makes it into the top ten singles chart is saying something.

"Heartbeat City" is another successful marriage of hard rock and more synthesizer oriented sounds of the early 1980s performed by the band. A great example is the hidden gem that is "Stranger Eyes." That is a song which is a foundation for the union I have just described. Then there are other tracks, some of them were even released as singles like "Magic" and "It's Not the Night." I do love Greg Hawkes keyboard work on the latter of the two although the I like the more hard rock on the former. Am I being wishy washy? Most probably but when an album can be so diversified and still catch and hold my attention, then it must be said that The Cars did something very right on this album.

Track Listing:

1. Hello Again
2. It's Not the Night
3. Magic
4. Drive
5. Stranger Eyes
6. You Might Think
7. I's Not the Night
8. Why Can't I Have You
9. I Refuse
10. Heartbeat City

[caption id="attachment_834" align="aligncenter" width="334"] The Cars[/caption]

Ric Ocasek- rhythm guitar, lead and backing vocals

Ben Orr- bass, backing vocals, lead vocals on tracks 4, 5 and 7

Elliot Easton- lead guitar, backing vocals

Greg Hawkes- keyboards, backing vocals

David Robinson- drums, percussion

Time might have caught up with The Cars but that didn't stop them from doing what they did best and putting out a great album in "Heartbeat City." Some have said that this was their best album, though I've always been partial to their first. However, I wouldn't enter into any debate about it.

Next post: J Geils Band- You're Gettin' Even While I'm Gettin' Odd

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Great Rock Albums of 1984: The Go Gos- Talk Show

 

Cause and effect here: From what I remember, the third album from The Go Go's received hardly any radio airplay although the first single, "Head Over Heels" got a decent video play on MTV. That is the effect, the cause was because I think "Talk Show" is the best of their three albums in the early 1980s. They had matured as a band by this album and while the music is still in the pop-rock, new wave vein, their playing had really improved and why it's my favourite Go Go's album.

Of all five ladies who comprised the band, the one whose musicianship really struck me was that of lead guitarist Charlotte Caffey. I'll be the first to admit that she doesn't hold a candle to Girlschool's Kelly Johnson in the female lead guitarist sweepstakes, she does some okay solos on the tracks. "Turn to You," "Beneath the Blue Sky" and "You Thought." She also plays keyboards and her best efforts if probably on "Head Over Heels." Fair play, Caffey is a very underrated musician for sure. Speaking about underrated, I think that drummer Gina Schock is much better drummer than what she's given credit for. All drummers reading this are welcome to comment here.

Actually, I think "Talk Show" is heavier than their previous albums, "Beauty and the Beat" and "Vacation." The songs I mentioned in the previous paragraph are all fairly hard. Not metal but they are hard enough to be a step up, "Turn to You" especially. "I'm the Only One" is even harder though. It almost explodes onto you at the beginning and that is kept up throughout the song making it the hardest rock song on the album. Plus, it has Caffey's best guitar solo. Okay, it's my favourite track on the album. "Capture the Light" is pretty good as well and "Mercenary" is a cool closer that gives further support to my feelings in Gina Schock's drumming.

Track Listing:

1. Head Over Heels
2. Turn to You
3. You Thought
4. Beneath the Blue Sky
5. Forget That Day
6. I'm the Only One
7. Yes or No
8. Capture the Light
9. I'm With You
10. Mercenary

[caption id="attachment_2299" align="aligncenter" width="401"] The Go Go's[/caption]

Belinda Carlisle- lead vocals

Charlotte Caffey- lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals

Jane Wiedlin- rhythm guitar, backing vocals

Kathy Valentine- bass, backing vocals

Gina Schock- drums, percussion, backing vocals

It is possible that "Talk Show" being my favourite Go Go's album was why they broke up after it. I hope it's not the case but after 1984, the Go Go's would be no more. Lead singer, Belinda Carlisle would have a successful solo career towards the end of the decade, (I'll cover those albums in due time) and Jane Wiedlin would have a couple of hits but for me, she'll always be Joan of Arc in "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure." Still, the end of the road for a band that was just discovering how good they could be.

Next post: A Poll

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Great Rock Albums of 1984: The Pretenders- Learning to Crawl

 

Normally, I tend to go off artists who have too many commercial radio hits, especially if they altered their sound in order to gain that commercial airplay. Fortunately, I can't say the same for The Pretenders with their album, "Learning to Crawl." There are a good number of songs on this album which I remember getting a good amount of play on radio and more so on MTV. Some even breached the Top 40! Do you know what the best part is? The Pretenders made little or no change to their sound. They simply did what they did so well on their first two albums and in my not so humble opinion, they did it better on "Learning to Crawl."

Let's start with the songs we do know. "Middle of the Road" was the first single I remember hearing when the album was released in January, 1984. At this stage in my life, I was becoming very politically aware and found myself seeking out music with political overtones. While The Pretenders aren't really a politically motivated band, the lyrics of "Middle of the Road" did get my attention. Also the fact that it's a good straight forward rocker and very worthy to be the opener.

Although it was released as a single in 1982, (see my posts on one hit wonders of 1982), "Back on the Chain Gang" was included on the album. Even more reason for me to like it and what's more, they didn't change the song for the album. It's still my all time favourite Pretenders song of all time. I was surprised to see that the ballad like, "Thin Line Between Love and Hate" only reached 83 on the US charts. I did remember hearing it a lot at the time and it often gets used in romantic films.

One song that I can identify with more and more theses days is "My City Was Gone." On this song, Chissie Hynde laments how her home town of Akron, Ohio has changed beyond recognition. I can feel for her on this one. Since I've been living in the UK, every time I return to New Jersey for a visit, I see that it has changed. At first, it was just less woodland and like in the song, more shopping malls. However, the arrow through my heart happened in 2001 when I went to my childhood stomping ground of Wildwood. All my favourite amusements, especially the walk through pirate ship, were gone and replaced by go-cart tracks. It was then I realized my childhood had died. During the same visit, I discovered the woods I used to build forts in, (that's dens for my UK readers), was bulldozed down for new housing. So Chrissie, I can feel for you on that song.

Now for the non hits. I say non hits but there is a definite, I heard this before feel whenever I listen to "Time the Avenger" and "Show Me." I'm talking about those songs themselves, I can't remember hearing either one anywhere else but the album but they give me the feeling otherwise. The band goes a little country with "Thumbelina." I was used to frequent a bar that had live country music back then because it was staggering distance from my house and that song wouldn't have been out of place if had been played there. "I Hurt You" is a solid song and the closer, "2000 Miles," does get some airplay around Christmas time.

Track Listing:

1. Middle of the Road
2. Back on the Chain Gang
3. Time the Avenger
4. Watching the Clothes
5. Show Me
6. Thumbelina
7. My City Was Gone
8. Thin Line Between Love and Hate
9. I Hurt You
10. 2000 Miles

[caption id="attachment_3795" align="aligncenter" width="295"] The Pretenders[/caption]

Chrissie Hynde- lead vocals, rhythm guitar, harmonica

Robbie McIntosh- lead guitar, backing vocals

Malcolm Foster- bass, backing vocals

Martin Chambers- drums, percussion, backing vocals

Additional Musicians

Billy Bremner- lead guitar on "Back on the Chain Gang" and "My City was Gone," rhythm guitar on "Thin Line Between Love and Hate"

Tony Butler- bass on "Back on the Chain Gang" and "My City Was Gone

• Andrew Bodnar- bass on "Thin Line Between Love and Hate"

Paul Carrack- piano, backing vocals on "Thin Line Between Love and Hate"

Three weeks into 1984 and things were starting off very well musically for this year. The "Learning to Crawl" album from The Pretenders was part of that.

Next post: The Go Gos- Talk Show

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Great Rock Albums of 1983: Billy Idol- Rebel Yell

 

Not sure if history would agree with me but thirty years ago, I thought that 1983 was Billy Idol's year. After all, he made my Spring and my final weeks in the service bearable with "White Wedding" from his first album, which was cool in itself. Then, at the end of the same year, he released the follow up, "Rebel Yell." While I thought, actually I still do think it, that the first single and title track wasn't quite as good as "White Wedding" or even "Dancing with Myself," I still thought it was an all right song.

"Rebel Yell" is more of a new wave album than its predecessor. Billy uses more keyboards on the songs although unlike the emerging synth pop that was manifesting itself at the time, they don't dominate them. On the title track, the keyboards help to usher in the start of the song but it goes more traditional hard rock for the rest of it. The same sort of thing happens with the tracks "Crank Call" and "(Do Not) Stand in the Shadows" and both songs are enjoyable. In fact, the hardest song on the album for me is "Blue Highway" and probably why it's my favourite.

There are some more slower songs on here like "Eyes Without a Face" which did score as a big hit for him in the singles charts. That song marked a move away from punk to a more new wave sound. The same can be said for "Flesh For Fantasy," but I like that one a little more. It did take me a few careful listens before I fully appreciated "Daytime Drama." That's because if you listen closely, there is some good guitar work in support. However, unlike hardcore punk or metal, it doesn't come out and hit you in the face. I have to now concur with 1537's assertion that Steve Stevens is a really good guitar player. Therefore, while I still don't think that "Rebel Yell" quite hits the level of Idol's self titled album, it's still a good album.

Track Listing:

1. Rebel Yell
2. Daytime Drama
3. Eyes Without a Face
4. Blue Highway
5. Flesh for Fantasy
6. Catch My Fall
7. Crank Call
8. (Do Not) Stand in the Shadows
9. The Dead Next Door

[caption id="attachment_3089" align="aligncenter" width="194"] Billy Idol[/caption]

Billy Idol- guitar, vocals

Steve Stevens- guitar, bass, keyboards, synthesizer

Phil Feit- bass on Rebel Yell

Sal Cuevas- bass on Eyes Without a Face

Steve Webster- bass

Judi Dozier- keyboards

Jack Waldman- keyboards

Thommy Price- drums

Greg Gerson- drums on Rebel Yell and Do Not Stand in the Shadows

Mars Williams- saxophone on Catch My Fall

Perri Lister- backing vocals on Eyes Without a Face

The more I think back, the more convinced I become that 1983 was Billy Idol's year. Two albums and four big singles prove that point. It is also why I thought that "Rebel Yell" would be the best way to end the tour of 1983.

Next post: Great Albums Killed by the Cassette Player

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Great Metal Albums of 1983: Tank- This Means War

 

Whenever a group of bands are identified with a certain area and style of music, there are those who stamp their names as standard bearers of that music but if you look down the list, there are many other bands in that group who typify that style but don't get the recognition they probably deserve. For example, when Southern Rock was at its commercial hey day in the very early 1980s, bands like Molly Hatchet, The Outlaws, 38 Special and Blackfoot were the bands people identified with that form of rock. Not many would be able to identify Doc Holliday, Johnny Van Zant Band or Mother's Finest to name just a few and they were just as good as the ones previously mentioned.

The same applies to the new wave of British Heavy Metal, (NWOBHM), which came out right after. Living in the US at the time, I knew and adored Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Saxon, Motorhead, Def Leppard but bands like Diamond Head, I only knew because I had seen them live. As for Tank, they came to my attention because I just happened to see one of their albums in the import section of my local record store. It wasn't the one I'm posting about now.

To be honest, I didn't listen to "This Means War" until I actually came to Britain and that was late 1986. A new friend who we nicknamed 'Trendy Bastard' because he dressed a little too much like Bon Jovi, had an extensive collection of music and one night, treated us to the album. It definitely made an impression on me because although I never bought this album, it has stuck in my mind for all these years.

All of the elements of NWOBHM are present on "This Means War." When I listen to it, I hear influences from Motorhead and Judas Priest. The songs are fast paced but not at a real break neck speed. Still, the power and rhythm combine to make them catchy. Algy Ward's vocals sound closer to that of Rob Halford and done competently.  Guitars are also done well, prime example being "I Won't Ever Let You Down," though I'm not quite ready to add Peter Brabbs and Mick Tucker to my guitar list. The best examples of what I'm talking about are the tracks, "This Means War," "If We Go, We Go Down Fighting," "Just Like Something From Hell" and "Echoes of a Distant Battlefield."

Track Listing:

1. Just Like Something From Hell
2. Hot Lead, Cold Steel
3. This Means War
4. Laughing in the Face of Death
5. (If We Go) We Go Down Fighting]
6. I Won't Ever Let You Down
7. Echoes of a Distant Battlefied

[caption id="attachment_3686" align="aligncenter" width="259"] Tank[/caption]

Algy Ward- bass, vocals

Peter Brabbs- guitar

Mick Tucker- guitar

Mark Brabbs- drums

Was it because so many British metal bands were gaining status in the US the reason why Tank got left out? While they might not have been as spectacular as the greats who did achieve, they were still a cool band and as "This Means War" proved to me, they deserve some recognition.

Next Post: KISS- Lick it Up

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Great Rock Albums of 1983: Big Country- The Crossing

 

It was the beginning of December in 1983 when MTV finally came into my household. That was because we were offered a really good deal on it, so my mother agreed to it but that's not important here. What I did discover almost straight away was that while many an act owed their success to MTV, that channel also had the potential to kill an act. In those first few weeks, just about every time we switched on the channel, the video for Big Country's first big hit, "In a Big Country" would be playing. It got played to the point that whenever it came on, either me or my sister and even my then 12 year old brother would crack the sarcastic comment, "Hey, never seen this one before." The irony is that when I first heard that song, I thought it was decent enough. I liked Big Country's Scottish Celtic-folk sound mixed in with a bit of hard rock. It was definitely something I would call new wave. Unfortunately, the over saturation of the song on MTV put me off and as a result, I never got to appreciate how good their debut album, "The Crossing" was.

Another ironic point about this album was that by chance, I saw the video for their second single, "Fields of Fire." I say by chance because unlike "In a Big Country" they hardly played it and that's a shame because I preferred "Fields of Fire" to the other one. It is a bit harder. Throughout "The Crossing," the folk-rock combination weaves its way in, out and around all the tracks. The first three or four tracks edge closer to the more progressive side. There are some very interesting musical arrangements here, especially with the song, "Chance." Things tend to sound a bit more harder after that, although the track "1000 Stars" does slightly remind of U2. Furthermore, I do like the acoustic folk sound on "The Storm." But "Harvest Home" is more hard rock for and that is followed by my favourite track, "Lost Patrol." Another song, I will add to my list of songs that would sound good metalized.

At first, I didn't know what to think about the closer, "Porrohman." But once I sat down and really listened to it, I found it to be one of those that absorbs you in and you have no choice but to just enjoy it to its end. A great song to end the album with. One more point I have to make is about the vocals of Stuart Adamson. What makes his vocals good is that they fit right in with the music and that does well here.

Track Listing:

1. In a Big Country
2. Inwards
3. Chance
4. 1000 Stars
5. The Storm
6. Harvest Home
7. Lost Patrol
8. Close Action
9. Fields of Fire
10. Porrohman

 

Stuart Adamson- vocals, guitar, piano, ebow

Bruce Watson- guitar, vocals, ebow, mandolin, sitar

Tony Butler- bass, vocals

Mark Brzezicki- drums, percussion,vocals

Did you know that some people actually consider Big Country to be one hit wonders. I don't. From what I heard from their later work, they seem to go a bit more harder. Still, they were never one hit wonders. That label kept people like me from hearing how good "The Crossing" actually was.

Next post: Robert Plant- The Principle of Moments

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