Tag Archives: Classic Rock

AIRRACE – Back To The Start (2011)

Well, as often happens, I get into (or pick up) an album, and some of the names and associations lead to further records and bands to look into. I previously posted on the debut from NWOBHM band MORE, which featured singer Paul Mario Day (RIP), who went on to a few other bands of note, but it is guitarist Laurie Mansworth, who left after the first album and soon put together a new band. AIRRACE would be Mansworth’s new band, and over a few decades the band put out 3 albums.

The first AIRRACE album, Shaft Of Light, came out in 1984 and was the debut of drummer Jason Bonham, who’s connection to Led Zeppelin manager Peter Grant helped the band land a record signing. Bonham left after that to join VIRGINIA WOLF, before forming his own band BONHAM. The band also included keyboard player Toby Sadler (ex White Spirit, and pre Samson), singer Keith Murrell, and bass player Jim Reid. The debut was produced by Beau Hill (who at that point, had produced Ratt’s Out Of The Cellar), Anyway, that album got great reviews. It had a lighter 80s AOR production sound to it. It did feature the single “I Don’t Care”, as well as rockers like “Promise To Call” and “Not Really Me” . After Bonham left, the band seemed to fade away, with Murrell joining MAMA’S BOYS for a bit, and Mansworth going on to various other things, most notably producing THE TREATMENT. In 2009 Rock Candy released a 25th anniversary edition of Shaft Of Light, with bonus tracks. This anniversary edition lead to the band reforming for shows and eventually a new album.

Mansworth, Murrell, and Reid returned for Back To The Start was released in 2011, joined by Chris Williams (keyboards), Dean Howard (guitar), and Simon Dawson (ex Outfield; now Iron Maiden’s drummer). Back To The Start was a better sounding and more hard rocking release, with guitars more up front, and a much more lively production. Still had that 80s appeal, with the keyboards and the backing vocals reminiscent of Journey. Back To The Start is a fairly solid listen beginning to end, with standout tracks being opener “Keep On Going”, “So Long”, “Call Me Anytime”, and the riff driven “Enough Of Your Loving”. Well worth checking out, but not easy to find, as this only got a CD release on Frontiers (Italy), as well as a Japanese release. Here’s hoping someone reissues this one (yes, I need one).

Laurie Mansworth put together a new line-up for the third AIRRACE album, 2018’s Untold Stories, which included singer Adam Payne, drummer Dhani Mansworth (The Treatment), and bass player Rocky Newton (MSG, Lionheart). Since 2019 Laurie has put together a new band ‘MANSWORTH’, and from what I read they were recording an album.

LINKS:

https://www.frontiers.it/album/4892

Arjen Anthony Lucassen – new solo album ‘Songs No One Will Hear’.

I really loved Arjen Lucassen’s Sonic Revolution album from 2023, Golden Age Of Music, so I am looking forward to Arjen’s upcoming solo concept Songs No One Will Hear, out next month. Currently listening to this album, and enjoying it; another amazing collective of stories, songs and performers and production from Arjen! (more to come) So far there are 3 singles from it, with the most recent “Goddamn Conspiracy” just out today.

*Check that out below, along with the previous 2 videos. See ordering info and links below press info…

Also on the same day, Arjen is re-releasing his very first solo album from 1993, Pools of Sorrow, Waves of Joy, as a deluxe version, with tons of demos, previously unreleased and new tracks. Check that out HERE.

Photo Credit: Lori Linstruth

Arjen Anthony Lucassen’s latest solo album, the apocalyptic Songs No One Will Hearis set to be released in a month, on Sept. 12th, 2025 on Inside Out Music. 

True to his signature style, this album offers an eclectic blend of tracks, moving seamlessly from powerful, epic songs to lighter, more playful ones. At its core, Songs No One Will Hear is bound by a profound concept: what would people do if they only had five months left to live because of an asteroid impact? Expect an emotional rollercoaster, delving into both the light and dark aspects of human nature.
 
Guiding the album is narration from Mike Mills (Toehider) along with collaborators like Irene and Floor Jansen (Nightwish, After Forever, Kamelot), Robert Soeterboek, Marcela Bovio, and Patty Gurdy, adding depth to the album’s diverse sound!

Pre-order here:
https://ArjenAnthonyLucassen.lnk.to/SongsNoOneWillHear-Album

LINKS:

www.arjenlucassen.com
www.instagram.com/ayreon_official/
http://www.youtube.com/@ArjenALucassen
www.facebook.com/ArjenLucassenOfficial
www.twitter.com/arjenlucassen

SWEET – ‘Sweetlife’ reissued

Metalville Records is reissuing SWEET’s 2002 album Sweetlife. At the time SWEET consisted of guitarist Andy Scott, along with drummer Bruce Bisland (Widlfire, Statetrooper, Praying Mantis), keyboard player Steve Grant (Top Secret, The Animals), and bassist Jeff Brown (Widfire, Statetrooper, Cats In Space) – also handling lead vocals here.

As a fan of The Sweet’s 70s albums, I have a hard time getting in to much Sweet beyond Brian Connolly, and then more so after Steve Priest left the band (albeit the Live At The Marquee with Phil Lanzon and Paul Mario Day is a solid release). But Sweetlife has some very good tracks, notably “Everything”, “Never Say Forever”, “Everybody Wants To”, “You’re Crazy”, and the acoustic “Leap Of Faith”. The band tries real hard on this album to recapture the magic, especially with excellent backing vocals throughout this. A pretty good album overall. I am curious to see how far back Metalville will go with these Sweet reissues.

The album offers 11 outstanding AOR songs. Long out of print and sought after by many fans, the album is finally back in stores on CD and vinyl. 

LINKS:

www.thesweet.com 

www.metalville.de

www.facebook.com/metalville 

MORE – Warhead (1981)

MORE released 2 albums back in the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal period, and both with very different line-ups. It is the band’s debut Warhead that is the better of the 2 and of most interest. On the debut MORE consisted of bassist Brian Day, drummer Fran Darch, guitarists Laurie Mansworth and Kenny Cox, and singer Paul Mario Day, who was known to many as the first Iron Maiden singer. MORE were signed to Atlantic Records (UK, US, etc..) and with US Southern rockers Blackfoot also being on Atlantic (and very popular in the UK at the time) Al Nalli (producer/manager- Brownsville Station, Blackfoot) and Henry Weck (Brownsville Station) were brought in to produce the first album.

The band had debuted on the Friday Rock Show in 1980, playing 4 songs.

Warhead features 8 tracks, with side 1 one opening with a good riff rocker “Road Rocket”. This side also features a decent ‘metal’ version of the Arthur Brown classic “Fire”, which seems like an odd choice for a cover, but as a fan of AB, I find it pretty cool and interesting. It is side 2 which is the better side (IMO), opening with the title track, which features a big intro, which makes me wonder why this wasn’t the first song on the album!? It also includes another fine riff driven rocker in “We Are The Band”, and standout here is the closing cut “I Have No Answers”, which gallops along in places, and to me, is the closest thing to Iron Maiden here. Two singles were released from Warhead – “Fire” in the US, with the non-LP “Lord Of Twilight”, while the UK and other countries got “We Are The Band”, backed with the non-LP “Atomic Rock”.

I don’t know how well Warhead did at the time, but the band did shows in Europe (Monsters Of Rock) , and opened for Iron Maiden on their Killers tour. It seems more of a curious collectable as it features Day (with his connections to Iron Maiden and Sweet), as well as guitarist Laurie Mansworth, who went on to form Airrace, and later manage The Treatment. Both Paul Mario Day and Laurie Mansworth left the band before the 2nd album (tho’ Day had a songwriting credit on it). Paul Mario Day went on to record 2 albums with Wildfire (which included Andy Scott Sweet members Jeff Brown and Bruce Bisland) before joining The Sweet as well. Guitarist Kenny Cox went on to record with ’80s band Mammoth, which also included John McCoy (Gillan) and Nicky Moore (Samson). Cox passed away in 2022 (RIP).

Warhead is well worth checking out, at the least, appealing to fans of Samson, Tank, and a few others from the NWOBHM era. There is a ‘More’ still performing to this day, albeit with no original members.

RIP Paul Mario Day.

New DEEP PURPLE book: ‘Stealing Deep Purple’

A new DEEP PURPLE book is available. Stealing Deep Purple tells the story of the short-lived bogus band from 1980, and fronted by original DP singer Rod Evans. Deep Purple 1980 (the ‘new’ Deep Purple, then) played shows throughout Canada, the US, and Mexico before being stopped. This period is a curious and often overlooked chapter in the band’s history, though not being Deep Purple. There’s been many articles and DP fan accounts written online in the past, but Scottish author Steve McLean has researched this thoroughly for this book (373 pages). Looking forward to this one. Deep Purple 1980 kinda capped off an era where many big bands saw their name hijacked by corrupt managers and used to make money using bogus line ups (see also Fleetwood Mac, Steppenwolf, Herman’s Hermits…)

Order Stealing Deep Purple HERE.

About the book:

This is the story of Rod Evans, the little known original singer of Deep Purple, who decided to reform the band for a continental tour in 1980. The problem was that this Deep Purple contained no other members of the original group and that Rod, who had been fired long before their 1970s heyday, had no real legal rights to use the name.

The tour was comprised of riots, cancelled shows, on-stage fights, arrests, terrible performances and a massive court case. The who episode has become stuff of legend, with no two accounts seemingly the sames. Evans effectively ‘stole’ Deep Purple….. And he would have gotten away with it too if it wasn’t for all the posters, ticket sales and press coverage.

Using over 200 newspaper, magazine, book and media sources plus brand new testimonies from the people who were there, Steve McLean attempts to piece together what actually happened in this real life Rock’n’Roll Swindle.


They all had something down their spandex pants. We couldn’t tell if it was vegetable or plastic… Let’s just say it was pretty obvious those bulges weren’t real...Every time I watch that scene in Spinal Tap, I think of Deep Purple 1980.” Llory McDonald.

LINKS:

About

TEN WORDS OR FEWER INTERVIEW: Steve McLean, author of Stealing Deep Purple

https://www.thehighwaystar.com/news/2025/07/16/stealing-deep-purple/

DAVE COUSINS – Strawbs’ singer, songwriter

Dave Cousins was the singer, main songwriter, and leader of British band THE STRAWBS. He passed away July 13, at the age of 85. The Strawbs were a unique band, starting as folk rock, then evolving and adding elements of progressive, and hard rock over time. From 1972-73 the band had 3 UK hit singles – “Lay Down”, “Part Of The Union” (#2) , and “Shine One Silver Sun”.

Back in 2008 I received a few Dave Cousins solo albums (CD), His latest album – The Boy In The Sailor Suit, and a reissue of his 1972 album Two Weeks Last Summer. At the time I wasn’t very familiar, but I knew “Hero And Heroine”. I went and saw him, while promoting these discs, when he played a ‘songs & stories’ solo show at Hugh’s Room in Toronto. It was an entertaining, intimate show. Afterwards, Dave came out and greeted people, signed albums, got in pictures. I recall seeing a few posters in the Hughs Room hallways that were from previous Strawbs (Acoustic Strawbs) shows, so reckon the band had quite a following in Toronto for many years. This tour was captured in the live album Duochrome.

After that, my buddy Ed and I walked a few blocks over to a used record shop, where I picked up a handful of Strawbs’ LPs. On another day, just prior to or after the show I interviewed Dave. A bit of this was used in a local music paper. For some time now I’ve been intending to dig out the tape, and fully transcribe it.

The Strawbs last album was 2023’s The Magic Of It All.

LINKS:

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/jul/20/dave-cousins-obituary

https://www.strawbsweb.co.uk

https://www.loudersound.com/bands-artists/strawbs-founder-and-singer-dave-cousins-has-died-aged-80

GEORGE KOOYMANS – RIP. to guitarist & co-founder of GOLDEN EARRING

George Kooymans was the guitarist and co-founder of the band that became The Netherlands biggest band passed away on July 22nd. . For those not familiar, aside from a few hits, the band that became Golden Earring was formed in 1961 as ‘The Tornados’, and by 1970 had dropped the ‘s’ from their name ‘Golden Earrings‘, and had the line up that would see the band until the end, in 2021 when it was announced the band would finish after Kooymans was diagnosed with ALS. Kooymans, Barry Hay (vocals, flute, guitar), Rinus Gerritsen (bass, keyboards), and  Cesar Zuiderwijk (drums), played together from 1970, with their last performance from 2019 being released as ‘You Know We Love You – Live In Ahoy 2019‘.

George Kooymans was the band’s guitarist, as well as major songwriter, backing singer, and also sang lead on a number of songs throughout the band’s history. Kooymans co-wrote the band’s biggest known worldwide hit “Radar Live”, with singer Barry Hay in 1973, and he also penned the band’s massive 1982 comeback hit “Twilight Zone”. He sang lead on such classics as “Silver Ships”, “Buddy Joe”, “Lonesome DJ”, and “Hold Me Now”. Aside from the 26 Golden Earring studio albums, dating back to 1965 (Just Ear-rings), Kooymans also released solo albums in 1971 and ’87, and made 2 albums with Frank Carillo, the most recent Mirage, released in 2022.

AdditionalnLinks:

https://www.dutchnews.nl/2025/07/george-kooymans-co-founder-of-golden-earring-dies-aged-77/

https://www.guitarplayer.com/guitarists/golden-earring-radar-love-guitarist-george-kooymans-has-died

https://www.metaltalk.net/george-kooymans-a-tribute-to-the-golden-earring-legend-lost-to-als-at-77.php

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/george-kooymans-guitarist-golden-earring-dead-obituary-1235392319/

HEAVEN And EARTH – a look back with 10 songs

Photo: Alun Williams, Chambers Of Rock

HEAVEN And EARTH is the band lead by British born guitarist/ songwriter Stuart Smith, with the band name taken from Smith’s 1998 solo album. As of 2021, Heaven And Earth released 5 albums (including Smith’s debut), as well as a mini-album of new and previously released songs. In his younger years Smith played in a band (in England) named ‘Stallion’, who made some recordings (unreleased). He also became a friend to Ritchie Blackmore, who Smith learned from as a player. Needless to say if you’re a fan of Deep Purple and Rainbow, Heaven And Earth fits in that class, and is highly recommended . And like Blackmore, Stuart Smith’s band would. Change line ups from album to album, always featuring great players and singers.

From the time of the first album I interviewed Stuart then, and as well for the the next few after. I’ll try and add these links below. Choosing just 10 songs was a tough task, for this sort of retrospective of Heaven And Earth. The band has been put on pause since the last album, while Smith is working on other (non recording) projects, but here’s hoping we’ll hear more from the band (in some version) in the future.

Heaven And Earth

Way back around 1999, this debut solo CD from Stuart Smith was sent to me. I had no idea who he was at the time, but going through the album’s credits and seeing names like Glenn Hughes, Richie Sambora, Joe Lynn Turner, Chuck Wright, Carmine Appice and even Kelly Hansen (yes, I had the Hurricane albums!), I thought this might be good! And I wasn’t disappointed. A number of excellent songs and performances here, but it’s the album’s title track that I liked the most, and I think best represents the album. This one, sang by Joe Lynn Turner is kind of a power ballad,; reminds me of something that might have suited Deep Purple’s Slaves and Masters. Later editions of this CD (as Heaven And Earth, featuring Stuart Smith) included a number of bonus tracks.

Prisoner

I believe Kelly Hansen was intended to be the H & E singer after Stuart’s solo album, but when Hansen got the opportunity to join Mick Jones’ new version of Foreigner, Smith had to find someone else. So, new singer on 2000’s Windows To The World was Kelly Keeling (ex Baton Rouge, Blue Murder, MSG). I loved this album, it is packed with classic songs ala 80s Rainbow, Deep Purple, early Whitesnake…

A classic riff/intro leads in to a smooth melodic rock tune, not overly heavy, but a memorable chorus, brilliant solo. An easily likeable song. I really liked Kelly Keeling as the singer on this album, he really fit that Deep Purple family (closer to Coverdale, IMO) In another era this could’ve been a huge hit for a number of bands.

Politician

Another killer riff, and this rocker is another highlight here, taking aim at a politician Stuart disliked at the time. Windows To The World was produced by Howard Leese (Heart, Bad Co), who also adds guitar, bass, and strings to a few songs here. Richie Onori on drums, Marvin Sperling on bass, Arlen Schierbaum on keyboards , The Japanese edition (which I’d like to find), adds a couple of extra tracks, notably a cover of “I Don’t Need No Doctor”.

Windows To The World included a number of other good songs, a very solid album, including “Dogs Of War”, “World’s Apart” and “Away From Harm”.

Screaming For Redemption

Following Windows To The World, there was a brief phase with legendary LA singer Paul Shortino. This short lived line up recorded 4 songs as part of the Taste Of Heaven CD, which featured 4 previously released songs, as well. Dave Chamberlain on bass, Scott Warren (Dio) on keyboards.

Waiting For The End Of The World

When Dig came out in 2013, it featured another new line up. It included upstate New York singer Joe Retta. At the time Retta and Smith were also part of Steve Priest’s SWEET, and had released Live In America in 2009. Fantastic production on this album. There is lots going on in this track between the guitars, acoustics, synths and Hammond organ…It’s only 5 minutes, but feels longer. Reminds me a bit of Rainbow, a bit of Kansas…and although not on my list, I like the way the ending flows in to the next track “Sexual Insanity” .

House Of Blues

It was hard not to choose more from Dig,; the run of the first 8 tracks is awesome! In there are a few other greats like “Victorious” and “Back In Anger”. But this is another favorite, a heavy blues rock track. Excellent album, cover design / photography by Glen Wexler, cool band logo by Ian Wexler.

I Don’t Know What Love Is

This is the ballad from Dig. Such a grand production, with the backing vocals, strings, acoustic guitar, Stuart’s big solo and Joe Retta’s vocal. Not to forget Chuck Wright’s bass lines. Chuck was a huge part of this album, and a few others. Again, in another time this song could’ve been a huge hit for someone.

Hard To Kill

The title track to the band’s follow-up to Dig, (IMO, a hard act to follow!) When I initially got this album (1 of 2 H&E albums on vinyl), I liked it, but was pre-occupied at the time with personal stuff (moving, etc…), so I kinda put it on the back burner for a bit. It later became a fast grower of an album, and with the similarities n cover art, a nice partner to Dig. The title track is a great lead off rocker for this album.

Walk Away

Also from Hard To Kill, Stuart comes up with another fine riff and intro. This one is easily likeable, with a great, memorable chorus. As a follow up to Dig, Hard To Kill is a bit more blues rock, and a bit less polished, like the band has settled into a comfortable sound. Ty Bailie on keys, Kenny Aranoff on drums.

At The End Of The Day

From the last Heaven and Earth album ‘V’, released in 2021. A strange time for the band, as more changes occurred, most notably gone was singer Joe Retta. I gotta admit, the album caught me off-guard, not just because of the changes, but because what seemed like a lack of press at the time, and I was not overly floored upon first listen. Whether it was the overall sound, the change of singers, or whatever, it took me a while to warm up to this one, and it is the album’s last song that really stood out for me before anything else. There is a lot of good songs here like “Drive”, “Ship Of Fools”, and “Nothing To Me”, and the band sounds great, but this song here is classic, with Stuart’s opening riff/intro, and most significantly this being the best to feature the powerful vocals of Italian singer Gianluca Petralia here. Starting off as a ballad, and building into a heavy 70s styled rock epic, heavy on the guitar, bass, and Hammond organ. Joining Stuart Smith here were keyboard players George Barabas and Mike Mangan, bass player Lynn Sorensen (also credited as producer), and legendary drummer Simon Wright.

LINKS:

https://www.facebook.com/officialheavenandearth (*the band’s website it no longer up and running, as far as i can tell. there is also a FB fan group)

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1464569973726123

https://www.travellersintime.com/UniversalWheels/ssmith.html

https://www.travellersintime.com/UniversalWheels/stuartsmith.html

https://www.travellersintime.com/UniversalWheels/SSmith13.html

https://www.travellersintime.com/UniversalWheels/JRetta13.html

https://www.travellersintime.com/UniversalWheels/GlenWexler2014.html

https://www.travellersintime.com/uw/index.htm

*I have a couple further interview, which links to, are no longer working. One day I will just transfer all these to a new site.

TOP 10 Canadian Albums of 1978

Been some time since I finished a top 10 Canadian list, though I’ve got a few years started….1978 was a good year! If there’s any glaring omissions (in your opinion), please leave it in the comments!

APRIL WINE – First Glance

The first April Wine album to feature guitarist Brian Greenway and the start of the band’s most commercially successful era. Featured the breakthrough US radio hit “Roller”, as well as “Coming Right Down On Top of Me”, “Rock n Roll Is A Vicious Game”, and dark heavy cut “Silver Dollar”. Arguably the band’s best album.

RUSH – Hemispheres

The band’s 6th studio album, released in October of that year, featured the classic “The Trees”, as well as epic “La Villa Strangiato”.. The last to feature such lengthy conceptual tracks.

SAGA – Saga

The debut from Toronto’s SAGA (or, Oakville), a band with rock, pop and more so prog influences. It is the first half dozen albums that make up the band’s classic period for me, with Saga featuring such songs as “How Long” & “Humble Stance” (both featured on the live ‘In Transit‘ album a few years later), as well as favorites “Will it Be You”, “Perfectionist” and ‘Tired World”. Classic album and album cover!

FM – Black Noise

Originally released in early 1978 by the CBC, in limited edition vinyl. Black Noise would go on to become a progressive rock classic. It was rereleased later the same year via Passport (Canada), and eventually on CD in 1994 – where the original trio of Cameron Hawkins, Martin Deller and Nash the Slash undertook a mini-tour in Ontario to promote it’s release. I saw 2 of these shows, got the CD & poster signed. A must-hear album featuring the hot “Phasors On Stun” (Star Trek Reference), “One O’clock Tomorrow”, “Journey”, and the title track. Amazing stuff!

STREETHEART – Meanwhile Back In Paris

The Regina, Saskatchewan band’s debut album, released in May (or June?) . Fronted by legendary Kenny Shields (RIP), and originally featuring guitarist Paul Dean & drummer Matt Frenette, along with bass player Ken ‘Spider’ Sinnaeve, and Daryl Gutheil on keys. This features the classic “Action”, as well as favorites “Move on Over”, “Pressure” and “Look At Me”. Dean left before the 2nd album and was soon joined by Frenette to form Loverboy. Sinnaeve, who’s played with numerous Canadian acts would also later join Loverboy. Meanwhile Back In Paris would go platinum in Canada. Paul Dean would record a new version of “Action” for his first solo album in 1989.

GODDO – Who Cares?

Released very early in the year, this Toronto trio’s 2nd album was a fine follow up to their excellent debut. Featured classics like “Tough Times”, “Sweet Thing”, “Oh Carole (Kiss My Whip)” and closing epic “Too Much Carousing”. The 1994 reissue of this added a half hour of outtakes.

TEAZE- On The Loose

Windsor, Ontario’s TEAZE’ 2nd album, and full of party rockers, anthems, and a few ballads. Includes opener “Gonna Have A Good Time Tonight”, plus rockers like “Ready To Move”, “On The Loose”, and ‘Never Again’, as well as ballads “Stay Here” and (country influenced) “Sweet Misery”.

TROOPER – Thick As Thieves

Released in June. Thick As Thieves was the last Trooper album produced by Randy Bachman. Best known for featuring their trademark hit “Raise A Little Hell”. Kind of a middle of the road rock album, with the only other real rocker being favorite “Gambler”. It also featured 2 further singles, both sung by keyboard player Frank Ludwig – “The Moment That It Takes” and the excellent “Round, Round We Go”.

PRISM – See Forever Eyes

The 2nd album from Vancouver’s PRISM. This one released in June saw a few line up changes, and featured 4 singles, notably “Flyin” and “Take Me Away”, both from new guitarist Alan Harlow. One of the band’s best!

MOXY – Under The Lights

The 4th and final Moxy studio album. This one featuring the vocals of Mike Rynowski (aka Reno). A decent album, tho’ different from the previous ones. Reno, of course, went on to huge success with Loverboy, and Under The Lights would be reissued as Thinking About You (with just Reno on the cover). Earl Johnson has more recently put together a new version of Moxy…I wonder if they perform anything from this album(?)

*Other albums from ’78 that I either didn’t make my top 10, and in a few cases I don’t have – WALTER ROSSI – 6 Strings, 9 Lives, ZON – Astral Projector, BOB SEGARINI – Gotta Have Pop, BTO – Street Action (1 of 2 featuring the late Jim Clench instead of Randy B), CHILLIWACK – Lights From The Valley, THE GUESS WHO – Guess Who’s Back (post Burton Cummings, hmm), RANDY BACHMAN – Survivor, BILLY WORKMAN – Billy Workman (this is one I am looking for, if anyone has it….), EDEN – Eden (interesting prog album, does anyone have this?), AERIAL – In The Middle Of The Night (interesting sounding band from Saskatchewan, w/ Hugh Syme cover design) , FOSTERCHILD – Troubled Child

BAD COMPANY – Holy Water (1990)

Holy Water was the 3rd studio album from the reformed BAD COMPANY, fronted by Brian Howe. The band had reformed in the mid ’80s, but with Paul Rodgers not involved, Howe was recommended by Mick Jones (Foreigner), who had his eye on Howe as a potential replacement to Lou Gramm.

Produced by Terry Thomas (ex CHARLIE), Holy Water featured 13 tracks, more than half co-written by Howe & Thomas, with the producer also co-writing a few others. Holy Water would become the most successful Bad Company album of this period, featuring 3 hit singles – “If You Needed Somebody”, “Walk Through Fire”, and the title track. Bad Company, during this era had adjusted to the times, with a more AOR, pop-rock approach, but still guitar driven (more so here), with blues feel at times on Holy Water (courtesy Mick Ralphs’ guitar); kinda like a heavier Foreigner (IMO), and a bit of that Def Leppard 80s glam-rock feel. Lyrically, not very original, nor much different to the types of things many other 80s acts were writing about (see above mentioned bands, Loverboy, etc..) This album included other favorites and potential singles, with songs like “With You In A Heartbeat”, “Stranger Stranger”, “Fearless” (that intro reminds me of that Damn Yankees hit….wonder which came first?), plus “I Don’t Care” and “Boys Fight Dirty”, The last song is the most different here, “100 Miles”, a tasteful acoustic ballad, sung by Simon Kirke.

I really liked this era of the band, never having been a huge Bad Co fan, I thought the albums with Brian Howe especially the latter 3, were good. A shame that Howe (and this era) doesn’t get more credit for keeping the band going, And very successfully. Songs from this period are not included on any Bad Company compilations, and barely mentioned at the band’s official website (and not positively). Recently Friday Music released a limited 35th anniversary  turquoise colored vinyl of Holy Water. Friday Music also released a 2-CD Holy Water w/ Dangerous Age (the previous Bad Co album), with a few bonus tracks in 2013. (RIP Mick Ralphs and Brian Howe)

Holy Water PRODUCER: Terry Thomas Atco 91371 – Classic rockers follow up 1988’s certified -gold “Dangerous Age” with an invigorating set of hard -edged stompers, laced with blues and pop sensibilities. Title track /first single is a kicking, radio-ready anthem, as is “Boys Cry Tough,” both of which are highlighted by singer Brian Howe’s powerful pipes. Contrast comes from “If You Need Somebody” and “100 Miles” (sung by drummer Simon Kirke), a pair of well -sung, cliché -free ballads. (Billboard, 06/90)

BAD COMPANY If You Need Somebody (4:21) PRODUCER: Terry Thomas WRITERS: Howe, Thomas PUBLISHERS: Warner Chappell /TJT Songs /Phantom /WB, ASCAP Atco 4 -98914 (c /o Atlantic) (cassette single) – Sensitive rock ballad is given depth and dimension by singer Brian Howe’s heartfelt performance. One of many fine tracks on the band’s current “Holy Water” set. (Billboard, 10/90)

BAD COMPANY Walk Through Fire (4 48) PRODUCER: Terry Thomas WRITERS: Howe. Thomas PUBLISHERS: Chappell /TJT Songs, Phantom /WB. ASCAP REMIXER: Larry Dvoskin Atco 4053 (c /o Atlantic) (cassette single) – Third helping from band’s excellent “Holy Water” album is an acoustic – softened pop /rocker that is fueled with a sing -along chorus and well – produced performances. Equally strong choice for top-40 and album rock radio formats. (Billboard, 1991)

LINKS: