WILD BLUE - No More Jinx (Released: 1986)

WILD BLUE was an amazing high-tec AOR band that sadly only released an album on Chrysalis back in 1986. Their first single released Fire With Fire was part of the film of the same titled. The band consisted of Rennee Varo (vocals), Gene Black (guitars), David West (Keyboards) and Graham Broad (drums). This album is a must have for all AOR lovers... a GEM.








Sound bites:









Fire With Fire (official video, sadly is impossible to find it in better audio and video quality):

3 SPEED

This band is the proof of how cruel the music industry can be. Formed in middle 80's by Linda Chase (vocals) and other former members of Rock band IMAGE, this Massachusetts band only released tacks for some few soundtracks from the middle 80's. They signed to MCA/Curb in 1985 but the label never petitioned them for a full-length album. The quality of their music was incuestionable so they toured opening for acts such Pat Benatar or Joe Cocker. Their best known tune, Once Bitten, was taken from the O.S.T. of the film with the same title starring Jim Carrey.



 Sound Bite from Once Bitten's soundtrack:





Sound bite from RAD's soundtrack:





Sound Bite from Savage Streets soundtrack:



Once Bitten (official video):

URGENT

If you don't know this New York band probably you are from out of this world, so welcome to our world my extraterrestrial friend. URGENT released two album Cast The First Stone in 1985 and Think Out Loud in 1987. From their first album was released as single the magnificent Running Back reaching USA # 79... cult AOR, both albums are must have.







Sound bites from Cast The First Stone:






Sound bites from Think Out Loud:






Running Back (official video):

CATS IN BOOTS - Kicked & Klawed (Released: 1989)

Today is a good day for some Sleazy and no band is better for that issue than CATS IN BOOST. Those Los Angeles guys released only one official album on EMI back in 1989 entitled Kicked & Klawed containing new and re-recorded material from their previous non-official release Demostration: East Meets West from 1988. Two singles were released from Kicked & Klawed, Her Monkey and the awesome Shotgun Sally based on the true story of a New Jersey girl acquitted by reason of PMS (premenstrual syndrome) of shooting her boyfriend. If you are about to play this track follow my advise, turn up the volume to 10 and if you are with somebody else tell him to go, if not, probably you'll kick his ass pushed by the crazy rhythm of this shot of energy... let's have some fun!!!




Shotgun Sally (official video)

Her Monkey (official video)

COLLISION - S/T (Released: 1992)

Nik Chinboukas and Alex Kyriazis (both of Greek ancestry) formed the band COLLISION with bass player Gustavo J. Vitureira back in 1979 in New York. They had to wait for thirteen years to 1992 to release their first album on Chaos/Columbia. Produced by themselves this S/t album is pure raw Hard Rock with some influences by LED ZEPPELIN and even some Progressive touches. The band released a second album entitled Coarse in 1995 and a S/t EP in 1998. After that they changed their name to KOLLIZION releasing a S/t EP in 2005 and then disbanded. Now Chimboukas works as producer and engineer while Kyriazis is doin' as session drummer.
Their debut album is nothing espectacular but it's ok, though is worth having only for the cut Chains, the first single released by this band.

Sound bites:






Chains (official video):

HOLLYWOOD BURNOUTS

HOLLYWOOD BURNOUTS is an emergent german band able to bring to this new century all the sleazy rockin' vibe of the 80's. Sleazy and Glam Rock has been the cradle of amazing bands and tunes, you just have to take a listen to KIX, FASTER PUSSYCAT, BRITNY FOX...  but the weaker point of many of these band was the singer, HOLLYWOOD BURNOUTS overcomes this with strong vocals by Mike Nazzty, this guy's voice becomes raspy as tracks goes faster and he reaches higher tones, just take a listen to Roll The Dice... and that's the second issue, songwriting. It's difficult to find good playing and even better songwriting, that's something reserved to Rock monsters as CINDERELLA or MOTLEY CRUE but this guys seems to got it, just listen to Gimme Gimme Gimme if this tune had been released back in late 80's would had become an instant hit... funny, rockin' and with catchy chorus that could have been signed by POISON... don't miss this track.
Now we know this band is a perfect compendium of good playing and nice songwriting so at this point it's inevitable to mention guitarrist Chrizzy Roxx, with her Gibson Explorer and her attitude at the stage she is the living image of Rock & Roll, playing rhythm, backing guitars and some backing vocals in perfect merging with the rest of the band.
Is unavoidable thinking why this band still haven't got the support of a major label... and the only answer is because all those CEOS carried by fashion, SUCK!!!
This guys are true musicians and they rock like mad dogs so, if you've got the chance, don't miss them.

Sadly there's no sound bites but you can listen to them here:

http://www.hollywood-burnouts.com/
http://www.facebook.com/Hollywood.Burnouts

STABILIZERS - Tyranny (Released: 1986)

STABILIZERS only album was released back in 1986 on Columbia Records. This guys were some kind of Mr MISTER meets the New Wave. First single from this album was One Simple Thing reaching USA # 93 while the second one entitled Tyranny failed to chart. Five years later an unreleased track from Tyranny appeared as part of the soundtrack of the film If Look Could Kill. This song was Maybe This Time, an AOR masterpiece.






 Sound bites:







One Simple Thing (official video):

SEVEN - Into Love (Released: 1990)

Those guys looking like a boyband actually were a poppy-AOR band from Bournemouth, UK that only released a couple of singles on Polydor back in 1990. Both singles were produced by John Parr as you'll soon notice specially in the second one Man With A Vision reaching UK # 91, that a couple of years later was re-recorded by Parr himself. The first single released Into Love is a good AOR cut that sadly only reached UK # 78. They didin't gain commercial success so a full lenght album was never released.




 Sound bites:







Inside Love (official single):