1988 ushered in the next, but short, era for .38 Special. It included a new singer, new guitarist, and new sound. The band downplayed their once heavy guitar driven tracks, instead favoring a more pop synth style. Though an abrupt shift, it paid off with the adult contemporary charts number one hit, Second Chance, which reinvigorated the band.
Despite this, Rock & Roll Strategy would be the only album from the band in the 80's which failed to receive any sales certifications. It would also serve as their last with A&E Records, which was sold at the end of the decade.
Listening to it, the new style of the band really doesn't resonate with me. Candidly, I found myself bored with it. With exception of Second Chance, which is what I bought the album for, I honestly had no interest.
By the back half of it, I was skipping tracks, just trying to find something that appealed. That never happened.
Overall, things ended on a pretty low point for me, and I'm definitely not going to call myself a fan of the group. I do like the hits, and I got a handful of other songs throughout my journey, which I suppose isn't a loss by any means.
.38 Special switched to label, Charisma Records, and released Bone Against Steel in 1991. New members Bobby Capps, and Scott Meeder came on board. The latter after the departure of Jack Grondin, who left to pursue a career as a Christian missionary.
Unfortunately, things for the label weren't too stable, and by 1992 the band found themselves on their own when Charisma folded. Additionally, after touring, Max Carl opted to depart, making room for Don Barnes to rejoin.
Since then the lineup has continued to change, and the band, though still periodically releasing studio albums, opts to focus on touring. Their most recent album, Milestone, was released in September 2025, their first in twenty-one years.
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| THIS WEEK ON THE CHARTS November 22, 1980 |
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| THIS WEEK ON THE CHARTS November 22, 1986 |
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