50 STATES OF HARD ROCK #30: NEW JERSEY
Release: Arson
Year: 1988
Line-up: Unknown
Track Listing:
1. EZ Street 04:33
2. Rock 'N' Roll Dreamin' 04:05 3. Love's a Gamble 04:44
4. Waitin' On the Light 04:18
5. Don't Push Your Luck 04:15
6. Spoiled Rotten 04:51
7. Pretty Face 05:27
8. Fight for Rock 04:10
With the kind of success fellow New Jersey-ites Bon Jovi were enjoying in the mid-to-late 80s, it's a wonder no one signed Arson simply on the fact they were from the same state and played the same kind of music. Not only that, they are damn good! Talk about a major missed opportunity.
A warning - the sound on this recording is extremely crappy. But through the shitty sound shines a band whose music is on par with the likes of Dokken, Bon Jovi and Tesla. The singer's voice reminds me a lot of Paul Rodgers from Bad Company.
I can't recommend this one enough - Arson is one of the true lost gems of the hard rock genre!
3 comments:
I grew up in New Jersey, and I can tell you that these guys were obscure even in their home state. I think part of their problem was their name. the name Arson sounds more like a thrash band than a mainstream hard rock act. These guys were definitely good, but they had no chance of making it with that name.
You're right, it is a bad name. When I was doing research on this band, I also discovered there was an arson fire that did a lot of damage in Passaic, New Jersey in 1985 - I'm sure that couldn't have helped a band with this name!
Hey guys....thanks for the post!
When I first gave a listen to this classic lost collection of rock....I was thinking to myself....I KNOW THAT VOICE...I KNOW THAT VOICE!!!!!
The singer from Arson sound almost identical to BRIAN HOWE...lead vocalist for Bad Company featured on the "Dangerous Age" album!
Could they be the same? sure sounds like it!
Thanks again and Keep Rockin'!
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