Great? Rock Albums of 1983: Chris DeBurgh- The Getaway

Don’t bother scrolling down to see if I’ve written “April Fool” at the bottom of the post, I am seriously posting about this album because I actually bought it in 1983. There is a cautionary moral to my tale. Throughout my entire record buying life, I had one record buying rule: Never buy an entire album on account of one song. This rule has probably saved me lots of money over the years  but one time, in 1983, I broke my rule and the result was Chris DeBurgh, “The Getaway.”

In May of that year, Chris’s best known hit, “Don’t Pay the Ferryman” got a considerable amount of airplay on the radio and I liked it. I liked the rather rock sounding lead guitar breaks between the verses along with fantasy quest sounding lyrics. Plus I liked eerie introduction to the song, the keyboards and acoustic guitar got my attention straight away. My point, “Don’t Pay the Ferryman” is a decent rock song. Now, I could blame it on my lack of living space whilst still in the marines as normally, I would have bought the song on 45. (Remember those?) However, I didn’t want to risk the record breaking while packed with all my stuff for that final trip home, so I bought “The Getaway” on cassette.

In tradition of the time, “Don’t Pay the Ferryman” opens the album. The joke here is that I could have stopped the tape there but I didn’t. Sometimes, I think that maybe I should have. After the big hit, the next three songs are totally mellow out love song ballad type things. None of them really grabs my interest. Then things speed up for the next two songs. Both “The Getaway” and “Ship to Shore” are not ballads but still not rock. They are both trendy pop songs and though I’ve heard worse, nothing to get excited about. Then after another ballad, things take a slightly interesting turn.

“The Borderline” is a ballad but the lyrics are quite interesting. The song is about two lovers who live in neighbouring countries who are about to go to war. Since the nations of Europe fought like cats and dogs from the fall of the Roman Empire until World War 2, this situation probably happened a lot. Another nice surprise is as the song nears the end, you are treated to a rather decent guitar solo. The credits don’t say who plays it but hats of to whoever it was. After “Where Peaceful Waters Flow,” which sounds like it has a choir harmonizing on it, comes the closer in three parts. The beginning called “Revolution” sets the song up for its glorious middle where that guitarist gets to shine again on “Light a Fire.” This part is the rockingest on the album and maybe a metal band should cover just those two minutes. Then in typical fashion on the album, “Liberty” is another ballad to end the song, except I have come to like the keyboard exit that ends the album in a eerie manner similar to how the album started. So, with “The Getaway,” we have a good beginning and a half decent end to the album. It’s just the in between that lets it down.

Track Listing:

1. Don’t Pay the Ferryman
2. The Island
3. Crying and Laughing
4. I’m Counting on You
5. The Getaway
6. Ship to Shore
7. All the Love I Have Inside
8. The Borderline
9. Where Peaceful Waters Flow
10. Revolution
11. Light a Fire
12. Liberty

Chris DeBurgh

Chris DeBurgh- vocals, guitar, piano

Rupert Hine- synthesizers, percussion, backing vocals

Jim Giblin- bass

Steve Negus- drums

Phil Palmer- guitars

Dave Caddick- piano on I’m Counting on You

Tim Wynveen- guitars

Anthony Thistlewaite- saxophone

Steven W Tayler- woodwinds, saxophone

Nigel Warren-Green- cello

Anthony Head, Sue Wilkinson, Diane Davison, Miriam Stockley- backing vocals

I have come to this conclusion, I theorize that Chris DeBurgh had the potential to be a great rock singer. Instead, he sang ballads and other mellow out songs. “The Getaway” is evidence of both. Still don’t do what I did and buy this album on account of a really good opening song.

Next post: Modern English- After the Snow

To buy Rock and Roll Children, go to http://www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/RockAndRollChildren.html

Also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle and on sale at Foyles Book Shop in London

 

 

1983- When I Got Out of the Marines

Throughout several posts, I have stated that my experiences while serving in the US Marines played a big part in shaping me into the metalhead I am today. My experiences, which included a radio station that played some really cool hard rock, WXQR in Jacksonville, North Carolina, opened my musical mind to a wide range of musical tastes and styles. Before the marines, I had to be content with an old AM radio and glean music other people were listening to. I knew I loved the really hard rock but never actually stepped boldly forward into that world. The marines gave the opportunity to do that and it is why I am putting my release from active duty in 1983 as a moment in music history. At least it was for me.

Let’s start with the final days leading up to the day I got out. D-Day minus five was the last time I got a military haircut. I remember that because I wouldn’t cut my hair again for 17 months! It’s also why I gave the barber a generous tip. Minus four was a bit of a drag as it was Sunday and they put me on duty as ‘Duty NCO.’ D-Day minus three was the first day I began checking out. All that means is that I had to go to various places around the base and sign out with them. I was able to break the back on that on the first day and got many of the more minor places like the Red Cross signed out as well as my field gear turned in. I was also able to close my bank account with the local bank on base. More of the same with minus two although I was able to get confirmation that I would have proof of my contributions to the Veteran’s Educational Assistance Program. That was important because I was set to go to college in September. I completely finished checking out on minus one, the big relief being I had the all clear from my physical. Okay, not a huge worry. I also confirmed my flight for the next day. However, a slight paranoia gripped me so out of fear of some higher rank coming into my room and doing an inspection, I completely cleaned it. Fortunately, my fears were for nil.

Now onto the night before I got out. My company was on primary air alert and therefore combined to base but because I was now considered ‘non-deployable,’ I was allowed out for one last night in town. After a good pig out at an all you can eat for $5 chicken restaurant, I went to my old stomping ground, the Driftwood for one last time.

The Driftwood- June 29, 1983 would be the last time I would see this place.

My ego would like to think that they held this event just for me as it was my last night but in reality, I know it wasn’t. That night at the Driftwood, they were having a ladies’ pudding wrestling tournament. Needless to say, I made sure I had front seats for the event. There were only three matches, the last one was the male manager against two ladies and opening match ended with one lady getting pinned rather quickly. For me, the main event was the middle match. Angie, who I spoke about when I posted about Joan Jett, (she could really move to “I Love Rock and Roll.”) vs another equally attractive lady named Theresa. The match had no winner but I didn’t care, I just liked watching them roll around in the pudding for fifteen minutes. For me, there wasn’t a better way to celebrate my last night in the service.

Not actual action from that night.

On D-Day, I woke up very excited. I put on my dress uniform and completed the final formalities, including getting paid and having my lieutenant tell me what a patriotic young man I was and I said it was a pleasure to serve. After saying good-bye to many of my comrades, I caught the shuttle to the airport and caught the plane. I first had to fly to Charlotte and had an hour and a half layover. Thankfully, a guy from my company who had re-enlisted and was going to his new assignment and another from a different company in my battalion also caught that short flight. So while we were all awaiting our connecting flights, we had a few drinks at the airport bar.

The flight from Charlotte to Philadelphia didn’t seem as long as I had feared and once I picked up my baggage, my mother and brother were waiting for me. My mother immediately noticed my mistake to wear the shirt I had worn the night before as I had a chocolate pudding stain on it. She wasn’t too impressed when I told her how it got there. We drove home and the rest you could say was history. One of the first things I did was to unpack my cassettes. My sister was rather impressed with my ammo cans which held so many of them. She told me about a TV show called “Video Rock” and since we didn’t have MTV yet, that would become a regular viewing feature for me for the next few months.

The famous ammo cans

When I got out, I thought I had the world at my feet. One thing I knew that I was a hell of a lot more knowledgeable in music than four years prior. Musically, I had found myself and knew that I was going to be a metalhead and I have the marines, though they wouldn’t be too impressed to hear it, to thank for that.

Next post: Chris DeBurgh- The Getaway

To buy Rock And Roll Children, go to http://www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/RockAndRollChildren.html

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Great Rock Albums of 1983: INXS- Shabooh Shoobah

Before I proceed into the post about my first experience of Australian new wave band INXS, I thought I would be like some of my fellow bloggers and mention a good bargain I picked up on an album. Last Saturday, I was in my local Morrison’s supermarket when I happened past the CD section. Normally, I might only take a sweeping glance at their CD display as most of it is chart stuff. However, something interesting caught my eye. There on the shelf was the classic Bruce Springsteen, “Born to Run” album for just £3 ($4.50). Since my previous cassette copy of this album fell victim to my car stereo in 1990, I naturally had to pick it up. Now, let’s go into the post.

My first experience of INXS came a couple of months after I left the marines in 1983 and came by the way of the single “Don’t Change.” It wasn’t metal, it wasn’t Southern Rock nor could I put it into any sort of category but new wave, all I know that I liked the song. I liked the hard guitar sound in the background and though I thought they could have been a bit more dominant, it still worked. The keyboards were played smartly and complimented the song very well. However, having been burnt not long before this, I hesitated in buying the album “Shabooh Shoobah” right away. It was via a working companion that I was finally treated to it.

“Shabooh SHoobah” illustrates exactly where I was musically at this time in 1983. While my full conversion to heavy metal had already taken place, I wasn’t completely repulsed by what was being played on the radio at the time. When I listened to the album, I found it quite to my liking. While I wouldn’t exactly call it hard rock and there are no blistering guitar solos, there is sufficient guitar on it. Furthermore, I like Michael Hutchence’s vocals. He has that sinister sounding voice that gives a dark sounding tone to many of the songs. Track two, “Look at You” is prime evidence of this. Even with some of the more upbeat sounding songs like “Don’t Change” his voice doesn’t make the song some kind of happy pop song. Some more good examples are “Spy of Love,” “Here Comes” and “Golden Playpen.” I must also point out the saxophone playing of Kirk Pengilly on the album. I am always a bit skeptical when a band employs horns in rock but I have to say, Pengilly’s abilities are more than sufficient to pull it off here.

Track Listing:

1. The One Thing
2. To Look At You
3. Spy of Love
4. Soul Mistake
5. Here Comes
6. Black and White
7. Golden Playpen
8. Jan’s Song
9. Old World New World
10. Don’t Change

INXS

Garry Gary Beers- bass

Andrew Farriss- guitar, keyboards

John Farriss- drums, percussion

Tim Farriss- guitar

Michael Hutchence- vocals

Kirk Pengilly- guitar, saxophone, vocals

It has been questioned why a song by INXS, (not from this album), appears on the soundtrack to “Rock Star,” a film about a heavy metal band. Being in possession of said soundtrack, I don’t think that song is out of place on it. As the album “Shabooh Shoobah” shows, they had the potential to go in any direction. There is just enough of a rock vibe on this album to satisfy me along with some new wave creativity. On the downside, I can’t help thinking with their next album, they kind of went in the wrong direction.

Next post: The Night Before I Got Out of the Marines

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Also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle and on sale at Foyles Book Shop in London

 

 

 

Great Rock Albums of 1983: The Police- Synchronicity

When I returned home from the marines on the last day of June of said year, the album “Synchronicity” by the Police was the one I came home to. It seemed every time I turned on the radio, the song, “Every Breath You Take” was playing and if I left the radio on for any amount of time, rest assured, it would be played again. While that song may have been a big hit, (number one on both sides of the Atlantic) it wasn’t one to me. In fact, when I heard it, I began to pine for such Police classics as “Roxanne,” “Message in a Bottle” and my all time favourite Police jam, “Don’t Stand Too Close to Me.”

Fortunately, one song does not an album make. I will be posting about a reverse situation in the very near future but enough of that for now. The great thing about Police albums is that it was guaranteed there would be at least one song that I really love. In the case of “Synchronicity,” it is “Synchronicity II.” That is a really catchy up-beat jam and recently, I have began to wonder how it would sound if metalized. Plus, the lyrics, “Another working day has ended, another Russia has to face,” has always amused me. “Synchronicity II” definitely ranks up there with the classics previously mentioned.

In addition to the two tracks already named, the album had several other radio friendly hits, “King of Pain” and “Wrapped Around Your Finger” being the most prominent. In spite of this, with “Synchronicity,” The Police pretty much remain true to their reggae based roots. “O My God” is the best example of this and “Murder By Numbers” another one. The latter did get some air play as well. At the same time, I did have a good laugh when listening to “Mother,” a very amusing song with Andy Summers doing the lead vocals. Furthermore, the great musicianship still remains on this album. Now, some people have been quick to assume that with all the radio hits on “Synchronicity,” The Police sold out on the album. I was, at first, ready to assume that on account of “King of Pain” and “Every Breath You Take.” However, those might be radio hits but the album itself is everything The Police were known for.

Track Listing:

1. Synchronicity
2. Walking in Your Footsteps
3. O My God
4. Mother
5. Miss Gradenko
6. Synchronicity II
7. Every Breath You Take
8. King of Pain
9. Wrapped Around Your Finger
10. Tea in the Sahara
11. Murder By Numbers

The Police

Sting- bass, lead and backing vocals, oboe, saxophone

Andy Summers- guitar, keyboards, lead vocal on “Mother”

Stewart Copeland- drums, percussion, xylophone, co-lead vocals on “Miss Gradenko”

“Synchronicity” would be the last album The Police would record together. The band would split after the tour. Apparently, Sting’s ego became bigger than the rest of the band. Joking aside, from what I heard, Sting and Stewart Copeland just couldn’t stand one another. In any case, it could definitely be said that they went out on a high.

Next Post: INXS- Shabooh Shoobah

To buy Rock and Roll Children, go to http://www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/RockAndRollChildren.html

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Great Rock Albums of 1983: Peter Gabriel- Security

To be perfectly honest, Peter Gabriel pretty much escaped my listening ears throughout most of the 1980s. The reason was that by 1983, I was a full fledged metalhead and he was too soft for me. Sure, I heard some of his stuff compliments of radio, including, “Shock the Monkey,” the big hit from this album, “Security” and his 1980 hit, “Games Without Frontiers” continues to be my favourite song of his. It wasn’t until 1990, when my then wife, asked for his “Greatest Hits” album for Christmas, that I really started listening to him and that is the reason why I am posting about the “Security” album now.

This album is further proof that I might be mellowing with age a bit. I stress, a bit, just play a Slayer album and that will reinforce it. “Security” is a good progressive rock/new wave album. Note: I only call it new wave because to ignorant American record executives, anything that didn’t sound mainstream was branded such in 1983. Anyway, “Security” opens very mysteriously with “The Rhythm of the Heat,” where a subtle keyboard intro grabs your attention and fortunately, the song is strong enough to keep it. I especially like what they do with the drums at the end of the song. Those heavy drums appear again in the third track, “I Have the Touch” and are done just as nicely. Sandwiched between those two songs is the rather interesting “San Jacinto.” Listening to it, especially with the repeated lyric, “Hold the Line,” I ask myself if this song is about the battle in 1836 that gave Texas its independence from Mexico. I wonder because I’ve just finished watching the series of “Texas Rising.” Still, it’s probably the hardest song on the album, I do hear guitars on it.

Things seem to slow down after “Shock the Monkey.” The remaining songs aren’t as catchy as their predecessors but still worth listening to. “Lay Your Hands on Me” has some good moments with the chorus and what becomes the trademark heavy drums. The two combine to close out the song very memorably.

One label you can not give to this album is synth pop. Sure, keyboards dominate the album but they’re done very well. Peter Gabriel shows that he is a true talent with the songs on it, both as a singer and as a writer, leaving me to agree with several people who claim that the true talent went when he left Genesis. Having been given the “And Then There Were Three” album in 1983, I would be inclined to agree.

Track Listing:

1. The Rhythm of the Heat
2. San Jacinto
3. I Have the Touch
4. The Family and the Fishing Net
5. Shock the Monkey
6. Lay Your Hands on Me
7. Wallflower
8. Kiss of Life

Peter Gabriel

Peter Gabriel- vocals, electric piano, programming

Tony Levin- bass, stick

David Rhodes- guitar

Jerry Marotta- drums, percussion

Larry Fast- synthesizers

I won’t say that I’m fully converted to Peter Gabriel, but I do like this album. With what was to pass as mainstream in the golden decade, I am glad to discover that there were some artists who played true progressive rock without selling out, unlike Gabriel’s previous band.

Next post: The Police- Synchronicity

To buy Rock And Roll Children, go to http://www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/RockAndRollChildren.html

Also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle and on sale at Foyles Book Shop in London

Great Rock Albums of 1983: Berlin- Pleasure Victim

Everybody forget all about the 1986 single, “Take My Breath Away” for a moment, well actually, you can forget about it all together for all I care. Three years earlier, the artists behind that single didn’t sound very much like that. In 1983, when new wave was mentioned, Berlin was the second name that came to mind after Missing Persons. They too, incorporated everything I associated about the new wave genre back then.

Berlin came to my attention in said year when I heard their first single, “Sex, (I’m A)” on the radio. It was the lyrics to the song that caught my ear. Hearing “I’m a bitch, I’m a slave, I’m a Goddess, I’m a little girl when we make love together” amused me very much. Note: I know the above isn’t in the correct order of the song but all those lyrics appear in it. Still it’s a cool song. The rest of the album, “Pleasure Victim,” follows in what I call the new wave vein. While keyboards and synthesizers dominate the songs, they are used very well and not played in the dumb choppy way that synth pop bands would later use. There is a hint of guitar in them as well, especially in the hardest song, “Masquerade,” which is my number one on the album. “The Metro” is also a good tune, probably because I remember it as their second single from the album. Though, I’m not impressed with the last two songs on “Pleasure Victim,” the other songs are good enough to carry the album. Listening to it again after so many years, I remember why I liked the new wave sound in 1983.

Let’s talk about ladies for a moment. In this case, it’s Berlin’s lead singer Terri Nunn. She has a great voice, as good as any of the female singers around at the time. Both her and Dale Bozzio were every bit as good as the one female singer who got most of the accolades throughout the mid 1980s. Fifty 80smetalman points if you can guess who I’m referring to here. Anyway, Terri Nunn didn’t get the respect she deserved back then both as a singer and as a beautiful woman. I don’t remember seeing any Terri Nunn posters around at the time. Thinking about her and Dale Bozzio, there is little to choose from in physical beauty or vocal ability.

Terri Nunn

Track Listing:

1. Tell My Why
2. Pleasure Victim
3. Sex (I’m A)
4. Masquerade
5. The Metro
6. World of Smiles
7. Torture

Berlin

Terri Nunn- vocals

Chris Ruiz-Velasco- guitar

David Diamond- synthesizers, backing vocals, guitar

John Crawford- bass, co-lead vocals on “Sex (I’m A),” synthesizer

Daniel Van Patten- drums, percussion

Reflecting back to 1983, I think the year was a reckoning for the two bands I will forever associate with new wave. A year later, Missing Persons would continue to go in the new wave direction and their album would commercially flop, though I still intend to visit it. For Berlin, they would essentially become a top forty band but that’s further down the road. For now, “Pleasure Victim” was a cool new wave album that was different to all that was around at the time.

Some personal notes here: Another thing that softened the blow of not being able to see Hell’s Bells this weekend is the fact that my Bloodstock tickets came this week. I’ll be going for all three days, so look out come August! The other was that I got a ‘like’ on Twitter from none other than David Gilmour of Pink Floyd fame for my post reporting the passing of Keith Emerson. To me, that’s a huge honour.

Next post: Peter Gabriel

To buy Rock And Roll Children, go to http://www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/RockAndRollChildren.html

Also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle and on sale at Foyles Book Shop in London

 

Rest in Peace- Keith Emerson

Keith Emerson

Apologies for opening my big mouth or actually typing fingers. When mikeledano posted about the death of Beatles producer George Martin, I commented that I hoped that March wasn’t going to be a repeat of January when we had so many rock legends taken from us. Well, it looks like March is going to follow January because just days after Martin’s passing, I was very saddened to read about the passing of 1970s progressive rock legend, Keith Emerson. According to internet reports, Keith died, aged 71, from a self inflicted gunshot wound at his home in California.

Keith Emerson was one third of the great progressive rock band, Emerson, Lake and Palmer. For many of us who lived in the 70s, they were the chosen gods of progressive rock. Great hits like, “Fanfare for the Common Man” and “Lucky Man” are still fondly remembered. Keith played keyboards and many would agree with me that he was a true wizard at his chosen instrument. Just listen to “Fanfare for the Common Man” and you’ll see what I mean. In the 80s, he reunited with Greg Lake and with drummer Cozy Powell, formed ELP. I’ll definitely be visiting those albums.

I never saw them but Emerson Lake and Palmer were said to be amazing live!

Tributes are already pouring in for Keith, including those by both former band mates. Thus, it only leaves me to say Rest in Peace, Keith and thank you for your great skills and contribution to music over the years.

 

 

 

Great Metal Albums of 1983: AC/DC- Flick of the Switch

Once again, I’m mixed things up here and throwing in a metal album. Usually I don’t visit metal album until the second half of my journey through any given year but there are exceptional circumstances. Those of you who have been following for a while have probably guessed why I’m writing about an AC/DC album. That’s right, AC/DC tribute band Hell’s Bells are coming to town this weekend. Unfortunately, they picked the same weekend as my step-granddaughter’s christening so I won’t be able to see them this time. Therefore, as my consolation prize, I thought I’d visit their 1983 album, “Flick of the Switch.”

Hells Bells at their usual greatness

What kind of drugs was I on in 1983? I remember listening to some of this album and not being very impressed with it. In fact, and this is going to confirm I must have been on drugs, I rated this album below their 1985 “Fly On the Wall” album. An album most AC/DC stalwarts say was their worst. Recently, I listened to the entire album after so many years and hell, this album is pretty good. Okay, it’s not near the same level as “Back in Black” or “Highway to Hell” or even “For Those About to Rock, We Salute You,” but this is in no way, shape or form a bad album.

From the very first note, “Flick of the Switch” has everything that has made AC/DC legends for forty odd years. It has all the trademark riffs that they had been known for, the tight rhythm section of Malcolm Young, Cliff Williams and Phil Rudd. Brian Johnson’s voice hadn’t begun to suffer and he still hits some pretty good high notes on the album. The closer, “Brain Shake” is the perfect example of that. Most importantly, Angus Young still blows people away with his solos. When I hear them on the songs on this album, I don’t get that ‘it’s all been done before’ feeling. There may have been a desire to go back to rawness and their might have been in fighting between Rudd and Malcolm but AC/DC come together to put out a fine album.

You know, I can’t  find a song that I don’t like on “Flick of the Switch.” On the other hand, I find it difficult to pick ones that stand out. When I hear one track and think, “That’s pretty good,” the next one comes on and is just as good. If there is one standout track, it would have to be “Guns for Hire” and that’s only because I heard it before on the “Iron Man 2” soundtrack. Then again, “Badlands” is also a really cool song.

Track Listing:

1. Rising Power
2. The House is On Fire
3. Flick of the Switch
4. Nervous Shakedown
5. Landslide
6. Guns for Hire
7. Deep in the Hole
8. Bedlam in Belgium
9. Badlands
10. Brain Shake

AC/DC

Brian Johnson- lead vocals

Angus Young- lead guitar

Malcolm Young- rhythm guitar

Cliff Williams- bass

Phil Rudd- drums

Now that the drugs have totally cleared my system, I can say that “Flick of the Switch” isn’t the worst album by AC/DC. It’s a good, solid album that may have come too soon after their classics. On the down side, it would be during this tour that Phil Rudd would leave the band and be replaced by Englishman Simon Wright. The result would be that this band from Australia wouldn’t have any members who were actually born there.

Next post: Berlin- Pleasure Victim

To buy Rock And Roll Children, go to http://www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/RockAndRollChildren.html

Also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle and on sale at Foyles Book Shop in London

 

 

Great Rock Albums of 1983: Missing Persons- Spring Session M

Whenever someone says new wave in the 1980s, the first artist to enter my brain is Missing Persons. For me, they were everything I thought new wave was back then. They weren’t hard or heavy like metal but they didn’t sound like a trendy top forty band or even synth pop. They were completely different in a good way. Furthermore, Missing Persons was a band who could actually play well. Then again, any band that features the likes of Terry Bozzio, Warren Cuccurullo and Patrick O’Hearn has to be good. If those names sound familiar it is because these three played with Frank Zappa throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s and as we know, Zappa always had the best musicians playing for him. So it was quite clear that Missing Persons weren’t going to be a Tinseltown Rebellion band that Frank recorded a good parody about.

Before I launch into the fullness of Missing Persons’ 1983 album, “Spring Session M,” I would start with the singles from the album. The first one I heard on the radio upon my return from serving in the Far East was “Words.” My first impression of it was that the lead singer was trying to sound like a fourteen year old girl. At first, I thought it was amusing but listening behind the vocals, I heard the music and it sounded okay. The guitar wasn’t heavy on a bang your head along to it scale but enough to catch my interest. The synthesizers were used very intelligently without taking over. My conclusion was that it was a good song after all. However, the third single, “Walking in LA” has a guitar hook that definitely works and Dale Bozzio’s voice sounds much better on it. The other single, “Destination Unknown” is a more way out there song with some good keyboard hooks. Those were enough to get me to listen to the rest of the album and I wasn’t disappointed.

Dale Bozzio

The rest of the album is as solid as the three singles. The songs are just hard enough to catch the ear of this metalhead and think, “This is okay” and the keyboards and synthesizers are done just as intelligently. Dale Bozio does not sound like a fourteen year old on the other songs, in fact her vocals are quite decent. Her best effort is on the track, “Tears.” However, the rest of the band plays consistently well throughout the entire album. The two opening tracks seem to stand out the most although “Bad Streets” is probably the closest they come to a rocker. It is the heaviest song on the album and done very well and Cuccurullo does hammer out a pretty cool guitar solo.

Track Listing:

1. Noticeable One
2. Windows
3. It Ain’t None of Your Business
4. Destination Unknown
5. Walking in LA
6. U.S. Drag
7. Tears
8. Here and Now
9. Words
10. Bad Streets
11. Rock and Roll Expression
12. No Way Out

Missing Persons

Dale Bozzio- vocals

Terry Bozzio- drums, backing vocals, percussion, synthesizer

Warren Cuccurullo- guitar, backing vocals

Chuck Wild- keyboards, synthesizers

Patrick O’Hearn- bass, keyboards, synthesizers

If new wave had continued in this direction, I would have been more into it. Missing Persons were talented musicians all as shown in the album “Spring Session M.” Unfortunately, things went down hill fast after this and my musical tastes went in a harder direction.

Next post: AC/DC- Flick of the Switch

To buy Rock and Roll Children, go to http://www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/RockAndRollChildren.html

Also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle and on sale at Foyles Book Shop in London

Great Rock Albums of 1983: The Tubes- Outside Inside

Thoughts have always lingered in the back of my mind that The Tubes were one of those bands I should have checked out ages earlier but never got around to doing so. They had been around since the early 1970s and I had heard of them but never listened to them let alone bought any of their records. It took until 1983, during my final weeks before before leaving the marines that I finally got to hear them. That was only because their only top ten hit, “She’s a Beauty” got plenty of airplay on the radio. I have to admit, it was a very good song and I did delight in listening to it again after so many years. Some additional useless info: “She’s a Beauty” is about conversing with ladies in a private conversation booth. While I got up to many vices while in the marines and some since leaving, I never had that experience.

Don’t ask me why but before I finally heard the above song, I always thought The Tubes to be punk. Maybe that was because of the fact they never had any real air play until 1983 and most music that didn’t make it to radio was considered to be that. However, listening to the album, “Outside Inside,” it is a far cry from anything punk. I wouldn’t even call it new wave. If anything, their sound is progressive rock at best but I have to say, there isn’t really anything that comes to mind I can compare them to. That’s always a good thing in my book because that makes them unique. Most of the songs on the album are keyboard dominated. The best ones are “No Not Again” and “Glass House” although “Theme Park” deserves an honourable mention. There are some rather way out sounds on it along with some good harmonizing. Then there are some more harder rock tunes like “Out of the Business” and the funkier “Monkey Business” with the top ten single bridging the gap between the two camps and resulting in an album I regret not paying more attention to back in the day.

Track Listing:

1. She’s a Beauty
2. No Not Again
3. Out of the Business
4. The Monkey Time
5. Glass House
6. Wild Women of Wongo
7. Tip of My Tongue
8. Fantastic Delusion
9. Drums
10. Theme Park
11. Outside Lookin’ Inside

The Tubes

Fee Waybill- vocals

Bill Spooner- guitar, vocals

Roger Steen- guitar, vocals

Rick Anderson- bass

Michael Cotten- synthesizer

Mingo Lewis- percussion

Prairie Prince- drums

Vince Welnick- keyboards

Martha Davis- guest vocalist on “Monkey Time”

In the eyes of many less educated, The Tubes will be considered one hit wonders with “She’s a Beauty” being their only contribution. This is not true in the least. After listening to “Outside Inside” and reminiscing about their top hit, I am sorely tempted to go back into their archives and listen to what I’ve missed all those years. I think I’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Next post: Missing Persons- Spring Session M

To buy Rock and Roll Children, go to http://www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/RockAndRollChildren.html

Also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle and on sale at Foyles Book Shop in London