After his relationship with Reinhold Mack soured, thanks to Billy's inability to control his temperamental nature, he turned to Robert John "Mutt" Lange to produce his next album. However, Mutt would already be committed to producing The Cars Heartbeat City. Upon its completion, the producer would find himself burned out, and suffering a breakdown. Squier would then turn to Jim Steinman to fulfill the role.
On a side note, this would have a trickle down to Def Leppard. The band had also asked Lange to produce their forthcoming Hysteria album. They too turned to Steinman and would work with him on early tracks for the album in 1984, but this would be derailed by the accident which took drummer Rick Allen's arm by the end of that year. Allen wouldn't return until August of 1986, making his first appearance at 1986's Monsters of Rock festival. At that point, Leppard would return to the studio with Mutt to finish the album.
But let's get back to Squier.
The artist had long felt Steinman's work with Meat Loaf for 1977's Bat Out Of Hell had resulted in, "the most passionate and exciting rock record of our time." However, with him in the producer's chair, a change in musical style would also occur. Rather than be heavily guitar driven like his previous work, synthesizers would now take the lead.
The end result would be another platinum album for Billy, though sales were noticeably still in decline. Further, his chart success was too. While his past two albums had both peaked at number five on the Billboard 200, Signs Of Life would "only" reach number eleven. However, it was in Australia and Canada where the album would impress even less, showing a massive drop in chart success.
Some, including Billy would blame his music video for Rock Me Tonight, and its director Kenny Ortega for the rapid shift. The music video would feature Squier in a pink tank top dancing from room to room like nobody was watching. While MTV host Martha Quinn would later comment that she recalled the video being well received at the time, there was definitely a correlation between its release, and the artist suddenly not selling out shows. Though others would argue that it was perhaps the shift in musical styles which led the decline, and not the actual video. Take a look. You be the judge.
Regardless of what it was, Squier would dismiss both of his managers, and insult the director, stating he had misled and deceived him. Ortega simply dismisses the accusations, probably the best response. No sense in arguing with a fool.
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The real shame in it all is that Rock Me Tonight is a really solid track, and the reason I bought Signs Of Life. Is it a goofy video? Oh, totally, but don't let that taint the song.
Yes, the album certainly sounds much different than its predecessors. The synthesizer work definitely takes the foreground, but this isn't necessarily a terrible thing. Tracks, All Night Long, (Another) 1984, and Can't Get Next toy You are pretty decent. Not his best work by any means, but not his worst.
What I will say is that I don't necessarily hear that flourish typical of Jim Steinman music. Had I not known he was the producer of the album, I don't think I would have picked up on it.
Overall, Signs Of Life is okay, and I can understand Squier's declining popularity at the time. I've been listening to it over the past four albums now. The songs are getting less and less appealing. He's just not capturing the energy of his debut, The Tale Of The Tape, and the hits of Don't Say No. What has been consistent is his unique vocals, which always shine through, regardless of whether the track is good or bad.
Billy would perform a series of shows in 1985, and contribute the song, Shake Down, for St. Elmo's Fire. Understandably, there was no music video for the song.
By 1986 he was back in the studio, working with producer Peter Collins on what would become Enough Is Enough. Despite featuring a duet with Freddie Mercury, the album would continue the decline of Squier's overall popularity, chart placement, and album sales. The peak was over.
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