Friday, December 21, 2007

Blonz - Blonz [1990]

Country: USA
Year: 1990
Line-up: Nathan Utz (vocals), Steve Taylor (guitar), Dennis Ogle (guitar/keyboards), Michael Fandino (bass), Aaron Tate (drums)

Track Listing
1. Miracles
2. Hands Of Love
3. It's The Same
4. Trouble Child
5. What's On Your Mind
6. One And Only
7. Rainbow
8. Skintight
9. Last Call (For Alcohol)

Request of: Mel

Fletchanator's comment: Another band with a lot of potential that was never realised was Blonz. This album was produced by a couple of guys from 70s prog rockers Kansas, and some of the songs were written by the likes of Joe Lynn Turner and the singer from Fierce Heart. After Blonz split, Utz, Taylor and Ogle formed Chaingang. I would compare the Blonz sound to Bon Jovi with Tesla's Jeff Keith on vocals. It's good stuff. Check it out.

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

War Babies - War Babies [1992]

Country: USA
Year: 1992
Line-up: Brad Sinsel (vocals), Tommy McMullin (guitar), Guy Lacey (guitar), Shawn Trotter (bass), Richard Stuverud (drums)

Track Listing
1. Hang Me Up
2. In The Wind
3. Cry Yourself To Sleep
4. Sweetwater
5. Sea Of Madness
6. Blue Tomorrow
7. Satellite
8. Death Valley Of Love
9. Big Big Sun
10. Killing Time
11. Care (Man I Just Don't)

Request of: Thomas

Fletchanator's comment: The only album released by this Seattle band, who were fronted by former TKO vocalist Brad Sinsel. Their sound can best be compared to Cinderella - it's blues-infused hard rock with a gravelly-voiced lead singer. Not quite at the level of that legendary band, but good stuff nonetheless.

Sunday, December 16, 2007

Dangerous Toys - Dangerous Toys [1989]

Country: USA
Year: 1989
Line-up: Jason McMaster (vocals), Scott Dalhover (guitar), Danny Aaron (guitar), Mike Watson (bass), Mark Geary (drums)

Track Listing:
1. Teasn', Pleasn'
2. Scared
3. Bones In The Gutter
4. Take Me Drunk
5. Feels Like A Hammer
6. Sport n' A Woody
7. Queen Of The Nile
8. Outlaw
9. Here Comes Trouble
10. Ten Boots (Stompin')
11. That Dog

Request of: Kevin

Fletchanator's comment: I've already uploaded their second album on here, and now here's the debut effort. Dangerous Toys were from Texas but had their own brand of LA-style sleaze rock, which got them a degree of fame in the late 80s and early 90s. I like this album better than the follow up. Highly recommended.

Concrete Jungle - Wear and Tear [1988]

Country: USA
Year: 1988
Line-up: J.C. Ryan (vocals), Chris Young (guitar), Marc David (bass), Michael X (drums)

Track Listing
1. Ride On The Line Of Love
2. How Can Love Just Fade Away
3. Nobody Moves
4. When I'm Gone
5. Wear And Tear
6. Great Balls Of Fire
7. Ladies Of The Night
8. Sweet Missy
9. Between The Lines
10. Cuts Like A Knife
11. Hand Over Fist
12. One Nighter

Request of: Sergio

Fletchanator's comment: Another one-album-and-out hair metal band, Concrete Jungle were a hard rock four piece from New York City. This, their only album, is a slice of groove-laden rock in the style of Lillian Axe and Danger Danger.

Sunday, December 9, 2007

Hanoi Rocks - Two Steps from the Move [1984]

Country: Finland
Year: 1984
Line-up: Michael Monroe (vocals), Nasty Suicide (guitar), Andy McCoy (guitar), Sam Yaffa (bass), Razzle (drums)

Track Listing
1. Up Around The Bend
2. High School
3. I Can't Get It
4. Million Miles Away
5. Underwater World
6. Don't You Ever Leave Me
7. Boulevard Of Broken Dreams
8. Boiler
9. Futurama
10. Cutting Corners
11. Two Steps from the Move
12. Don't you ever Leave Me (12 Inch version)
13. Oil and Gasoline
14. Magic Carpet Ride

Request of: Trayce

Fletchanator's comment: Legendary glam rockers who originated in Finland and took the Sunset Strip scene by storm with this, their sixth album overall and first on a major worldwide label. Sadly it was the last album for drummer Razzle, who was famously killed in a car crash in which Motley Crue's Vince Neil was driving. By 1985 the Rocks had split, but they came back a few years ago to tour and record again. This album showcases a band that were true pioneers of LA hard rock, inspiring the likes of LA Guns and GNR. Highly recommended!

Saturday, December 8, 2007

Odin - Fight for your Life [1988]

Country: USA
Year: 1988
Line-up: Randy O (vocals), Jeff Duncan (guitar), Aaron Samson (bass), Shawn Duncan (drums)

Track Listing
1. 12 O'Clock High
2. Love Action
3. She Was The One
4. I Get What I Want
5. Serenade To The Court
6. Modern Day King
7. Stranger Tonight
8. Time And Time Again
9. I'm Gonna Get You
10. Push
11. Fight For Your Life

Request of: Jon

Fletchanator's comment: The fourth album by Odin, and the third one I've uploaded here (along with Don't Take No For An Answer and The Gods Must Be Crazy). It's also the last Odin album (not counting a compilation, By the Gods), because singer Randy O left to join Lostboys. More melodic metal than hard rock, Fight for your Life still includes some good glam moments.

Star Star - The Love Drag Years [1992]

Country: USA
Year: 1992
Line-up: Johnnie Holliday (vocals), Jay Henning (guitar), Weeds (bass), Deon (drums)

Track Listing
1. Fly Boy
2. Science Fiction Boy
3. The Love Drag Years
4. Nervous
5. Cowboys In Space
6. Baby Shoulda' Known
7. Groovy Guru Gangster Girl
8. Diggy Dragster
9. Treasure Or Trash
10. My Little Cuisinette

Request of: Trayce

Fletchanator's comment: Another band that only managed one album release before grunge killed this style of music, was New York sleaze rockers Star Star. Their sound is glam rock, with vocals that are dripping with sleazy attitude in the vein of Babylon AD and Faster Pussycat. A definite must for fans of sleaze glam rock.

TNT - Knights of the New Thunder [1984]

Country: Norway
Year: 1984
Line-up: Tony Hansen (vocals), Ronni Le Tekro (guitar), Morty Black (bass), Diesel Scan-Dahl (drums)

Track Listing
1. Seven Seas
2. Ready To Leave
3. Klassik Romance
4. Last Summer's Evil
5. Without Your Love
6. Thor With The Hammer
7. Break The Ice
8. U.S.A.
9. Deadly Metal
10. Knights Of The New Thunder
11. Eddie (bonus track)

Request of: Diego

Fletchanator's comment: The second album by Norwegian rockers TNT, and the first to feature American-born vocalist Tony Harnell (who billed himself as Tony Hansen at the time). This album signified TNT's move away from Viking-themed power metal to groove-laden hard rock (although a couple of songs have Viking lyrics), which would reach a peak with their next recording, Tell No Tales. There are some great hard rocking tunes on this album and it's worth it just for Harnell's awesome voice - you should definitely check it out.

Salty Dog - Every Dog has its Day [1990]


Country: USA
Year: 1990
Line-up: Jimmi Bleacher (vocals), Pete Reeven (guitar), Mike Hannon (bass), Khurt Maier (drums)

Track Listing:
1. Come Along
2. Cat's Got Nine
3. Ring My Bell
4. Where The Sun Don't Shine
5. Spoonful
6. Just Like A Woman
7. Sim Sala Bim
8. Keep Me Down
9. Heavy Heart (She Comes Easy)
10. Lonesome Fool
11. Slow Daze
12. Sacrifice Me
13. Nothin' But A Dream

Request of: Thomas

Fletchanator's comment: This is the only release by LA rockers Salty Dog. The best way to describe the album is "sleaze blues". Their sound mixes southern rock and LA sleaze to create a sound that's a mix of LA Guns, Bulletboys and Jackyl. Another band that sounds similar is Cats in Boots (another band I'll upload sometime), so if you like them, you'll like Salty Dog.

Andy Taylor - Thunder [1987]

Country: UK
Year: 1987
Line-up: Andy Taylor (lead guitar/vocals), Steve Jones (guitar), Patrick O'Hearn (bass), Mickey Curry (drums)

Track Listing
1. I Might Lie
2. Don't Let Me Die Young
3. Life Goes On
4. Thunder
5. Night Train
6. Tremblin'
7. Bringin' Me Down
8. Broken Window
9. French Guitar


Fletchanator's comment: From the land of bizarre collaborations comes this, the first solo album by Duran Duran guitarist Andy Taylor, with support from former Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones. The result? A slice of pure AOR/hard rock. Weird, I know, but apparently Taylor had been wanting to make this kind of music for a while, and quit Duran Duran when their musical direction started drifting from what he wanted to perform. Thunder is solid AOR with some harder rock overtones.

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