Great Rock Albums of 1986: Phantom, Rocker and Slick- Cover Girl

I’m afraid this post is going to be a bit short and sweet. Usually, if I don’t have an album I wish to post about, Youtube has always been forthcoming which enables me to listen to it several times before posting. Even if I can’t listen to the entire album all at once, I’m at least able to tap in the individual tracks from the album and listen to it that way. Unfortunately, this time, Youtube has only allowed me three songs from the second album from Phantom, Rocker and Slick called “Cover Girl.”

To be honest, I didn’t know that they had actually put out a second album until fairly recently. I had always assumed that due to the lack of commercial success of the debut album, that they never put out another album. Turns out I was wrong. The album was released in the US after I had gone to the UK and because I was one of the few people back in 1985 who really enjoyed the debut, I was excited to listen to the second one.

Judging from the three tracks, it seems evident that Phantom, Rocker and Slick didn’t vary what they did on the first album. Once again, we are treated to some really good and well played straight ahead, no frills rock and roll. Those three tracks are all very good in my opinion and it’s difficult to choose a favourite from the three. One thing I can say is that I think Earl Slick’s best guitar solo comes on “Still Have Time.” Then again, their cover of the Hollies’ classic, “Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress” is done rather impressively. Since, there’s little more I can say, I’ll put all three tracks here and see what all of you think.

Track Listing:

1. Cover Girl
2. The Only Way to Fly
3. Sidewalk Princess
4. It’s Good to Be Alive
5. Still Got Time
6. Can’t Get it Right
7. Going South
8. I Found Someone Who Loves Me
9. Enough is Enough
10. Dressed in Dirt
11. Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress

Slim Jim Phantom- drums, backing vocals

Lee Rocker- bass, lead vocals

Earl Slick- guitar

I am going to venture a theory as to why Phantom, Rocker and Slick never went on to greater glories. That theory is that in the mid 1980s, people were either in the top 40 camp or the heavy metal one. Therefore, neither group was really interested in the straight ahead rock that these guys produced. Okay, John Cougar Mellencamp was an exception but I think that it’s not right that Phantom, Rocker and Slick didn’t go further.

Next post: I will stick with albums released in America after I went to England, the next one is Fiona- Beyond the Pale

I hope Youtube will give me more than three tracks.