The Toy Box: 1981

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Retro Spins: Bonnie Tyler - Goodbye To The Island

Prior to listening to her album, Faster Than The Speed Of Night, I think I could count the number of Bonnie Tyler songs I knew on one hand of a Ninja Turtle; Total Eclipse Of The Heart, and I Need A Hero. An interesting tidbit about the latter was that while it came out in 1984 on the Footloose soundtrack, was that it would be dusted off for her 1986 studio release, Secret Dreams And Forbidden Fire.

But I'm getting way too far ahead.

Born Gaynor Hopkins on June 8, 1951, she was discovered by Roger Bell at the age of twenty-four (1975) performing with her band, Imagination under the name, Sherene Davis. It was the name she'd switched to in 1969 to avoid confusion with Welsh folk singer, Mary Hopkins. However, when RCA Records began negotiating her contract shortly thereafter, she was once again prompted to change it, selecting Bonnie Tyler.

RCA would choose a unique strategy to promote their new artist, inviting thirty journalists to meet her over a four-course meal. This was followed by the single, Lost In France, which would climb the local charts to number nine, prompting an appearance on Top Of The Pops. The release of her next single, More Than A Lover would not be as favorable, and actually be banned by the British children's TV series, Get It Together. Tyler would actually be grateful for the offhanded exposure and publicity.

Folling this, her 1977 debut, The World Starts Tonight would hit store shelves. While it would fail to chart in the UK, it would peak at number two in Sweden. However, persistent singing would lead her to visit a doctor for a chronic sore throat. It was here that she learned that nodules had grown on her vocal cords, necessitating surgery. Though the procedure was successful, she was instructed to rest her voice for six weeks. During this recovery period, frustration would lead her to screaming out, creating her permanent raspy tone.

1978's Natural Force, issued in the USA as It's A Heartache would be the first to feature her new, and signature vocals. The album would go gold in the USA, and platinum in Canada. While this prompted her first US tour, RCA also wanted another album straight away, leading to 1979's Diamond Cut. By this time, Tyler was growing frustrated with the label, feeling they were pushing her to record country-oriented music, something she didn't want to do. Though she'd finish her contract with them with 1981's Goodbye To The Island, upon being invited to renew for an additional five albums, she'd instead walk away.

It's interesting that Tyler felt this way, because as I was playing through the album, my mind kept trying to decipher what it sounded like. It was upon reading about the reference to country music that it clicked, and felt very much so prevalent with the current track I was on, At first, Wild Side Of Life, and the one that followed, Whiter Shade Of Pale.

That aside, what it definitely sounds is dated. Mind you, I'm not saying it's bad. It just doesn't hold up well, quality wise. You know how some old albums have that flat sound to them?

Music Lesson: Old albums often sound flat because they lack dynamic range and deep bass. Vinyl physical limitations required cutting low-end frequencies so the needle wouldn't skip. Early recording equipment (like primitive tape machines), mono mixing, and mastering meant for AM radio also restricted the overall depth.
There were physical and historical limitations. These included:
Vinyl Mastering: To keep the needle from jumping out of the groove, engineers rolled off low-end frequencies and compressed the audio.
Frequency Roll-Off: Early microphones, analog tape, and cutting lathes simply couldn't capture the ultra-low or ultra-high frequencies we are used to today.
Dynamic Range: Unlike modern music created during the "loudness wars" which pushes overall volume to the max, older records have a lower average volume.

So, yeah, basically the vinyl mastering is what this one has. But with all that aside, there's still good songs to be found. For me, these were I'm Just A Woman, Wild Love, and Sitting On The Edge Of The Ocean. No, it's not the best I've heard from Bonnie Tyler, but it's serviceable.

After her contract expired, Tyler obtained a record deal with Columbia, who prompted her to begin the search for a producer that she wanted to work with. Though her first choice was Meat Loaf alum, Jim Steinman, she also considered Phil Collins, Jeff Lynne and Alan Tarney. With Steinman flat out declining, she may have indeed had to go with a backup plan. However, after sending him some rock demos she was working on, and meeting with him, he would ultimately agree, leading to her biggest album at the time, the aforementioned 1983's Faster Than The Speed Of Night.

As I noted above, I've already played through that one, so my next stop is her 1986 released, Secret Dreams And Forbidden Fire. But before I head there, fun fact. Did you know that after the second verse of the song, Getting So Excited from Faster Than The Speed Of Night, that Jim Steinman speaks the words, "I'd do anything for love, but I won't do that"? Foreshadowing to Meat Loaf's comeback song? You decide.

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Disclaimer: They Toy Box does not endorse or contribute to piracy. Retro Spins posts are intended for educational and entertainment purposes only. None of the music discussed here is available for sale, downloading or distribution.

Retro Spins: Martha And The Muffins - This Is The Ice Age

At $200.00, Martha And The Muffin's This Is The Ice Age, is their most expensive album in their discography to collect on CD. In general, none of them have been reasonably priced, and this is mainly because they didn't exist on anything other than vinyl and cassette for the longest time. They were slowly released by various labels between 2003 and 2017, a period when the world had seemingly shifted to digital formats. Meaning when CD's were produced, it was in by no means any form of volume. As such, funding pressed discs from that musical wasteland period does tend to get costly. So, to that regard, I understand what's driving the price, but that doesn't mean I have to like it.

Leading up to the recording sessions that would ultimately churn out their third record, bassist Carl Finkle would depart for undisclosed reasons and be replaced by Jocelyne Lanois. She'd introduce them to her brother, Daniel, who the band felt would be the best choice as producer for their next album. However, this would come with a caveat from Virgina Records, who informed the band that selecting an unknown producer would also mean they'd work with a lower budget.

The end result would be a more experimental album, one which would become a hit in their native Canada. It peaked at number thirty-six, and spawned two dance chart singles, Women Around The World At Work, and Swimming.

That's a perfect segue into today's Retro Spin, as the latter kicks the album off. While I'm not necessarily a fan of the vocals of Mark Gane on the track, he shines through with his fantastic guitar work, which makes the song quite enjoyable.

The second aforementioned single would follow but really didn't impress me all that much. In fact, that's pretty much the territory I once again find myself with Martha And The Muffins. Just not really impressive.

What I did notice, was that in the absence of Martha Ladly as co-vocalist, Gane was stepping in more as more to sing tracks. The problem here is that his style is very monotone, and candidly, quite boring. It doesn't add anything to any of the songs he takes the lead on.

As if to decide things weren't monotonous enough, the band shove a two-and-a-half-minute instrumental track in the middle of the album. It's very drab, serves as more atmospheric than a display of solid musicianship, and feels like its only purpose is to fill space. It misses the mark of everything that makes an instrumental track good. If I had to choose any additional standout tracks, I suppose Casualties Of Glass was decent, but as a whole, the album is pretty unsatisfying.

Needless to say, the "investment" on the albums is not paying off at all. But at least I wasn't the only one at this point who wanted to quit. Not wanting to tour anymore, Nick Gane would leave the band after the release of This Is The Ice Age. He'd be replaced by Nick Kent. Following the supporting tour, Andy Haas would also depart, citing creative differences. However, the band would not replace him and instead carry on as a four piece.

Unfortunately for me, I'm only at the halfway point of the band's 80's discography. With three more to go, I'm not looking forward to any of it. I don't know if I'll jump into their next album tomorrow, or if I'll tap out for a while. I'm really not enjoying their music.

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Retro Spins: Squeeze - East Side Story

I love to see all the connecting threads when poking around the history of music from the 80's. There are so many recognizable people in the industry that pop up here, there, and everywhere, linking everything together. Such is the case with today's Retro Spin.

Despite not having a band, Chris Difford stole 50p from his mother's purse in 1974 and placed an advertisement to put a card in a local sweetshop window to advertise for a guitarist to join his group. Glenn Tilbrook would be the only person to respond. The two began writing songs together, and soon added Jools Holland on keyboards, and Paul Gunn as their drummer.

In the early years, they performed under several names, which included Captain Trundlow's Sky Company, and Skyco. However, they would eventually adopt the name Squeeze, a tribute to the Velvet Underground album of the same name.

Gilson Lavis joined in 1975, replacing Gunn on drums. Additionally, bassist Harri Kakoulli would be added to the lineup. Together, they became part of the local scene, which included Alternative TV and Dire Straits.

Initially they would sign to Miles Copeland III's BTM Records, but the label would go under in 1976. This resulted in their early singles and debut EP, 1977's Packet of Three, being released on Copeland's other label, Deptford Fun City label, an affiliate label of I.R.S., ironically also co-founded by Copeland with Jay Boberg in 1979. Apparently, the man has owned many labels, and it's quite a messy pile to sift through.

Side note: Miles Copeland III had a brother in the industry. You may have heard of him, Stewart Copeland, drummer for The Police.

Velvet Underground co-founder, John Cale, would be brought in to produce the band's 1978 self-titled debut. However, the songs he worked with the guys on would be deemed uncommercial, and their self-produced tracks, Take Me I'm Yours and Bang Bang would ultimately become their first hit singles.

Because of an already existing banded called, Tight Squeeze, for releases outside of the UK, the band was required to adopt the name, UK Squeeze. This would be something that would stick with them through 1985's Cosi Fan Tutti Frutti.

While the original lineup would return to the studio to record their second album, 1979's Cool For Cats, Harry Kakoulli would be fired shortly thereafter, with no public explanation ever being given. He would be replaced by John Bentley. The new lineup of Difford, Tilbrook, Holland, Bentley, and Lavis would record and release 1980's Angrybargy, their most popular album to date at the time, and the one which garnered them their first Billboard 200 album, peaking at number seventy-one.

Holland would depart in 1980, wanting to carve out a solo career. However, this wouldn't be something which would come immediately for him, nor be as successful as his time with Squeeze. It wouldn't be until 1987 that he formed Jools Holland and His Rhythm & Blues Orchestra. Holland would be replaced by Paul Carrack.

For their 1981 album, East Side Story, Carrack would be handed a microphone by producer Elvis Costello and asked to re--record the lead vocals on the Difford and Tilbrook penned, and initially sung by Tilbrook, Tempted. The song would later become a staple of the decade and be the one the band was predominantly remembered for. However, the reality of it was that the song would actually chart the lowest of all their Billboard Hot 100 hits, which only included three. Tempted would peak at only forty-nine.

Further, not being written by Carrack, he would only be paid for recording the song. All royalites would go to Difford and Tilbrook. It wouldn't be until he re-recorded the song in 2010 for his own retrospective album that Carrack would get royalties, but only if his version is used over Squeeze's.

Part of the problem with writing all of the above, is that it detracts me from actually listening to the album. As a result, East Side Story really only got attention from me when I remembered it was on.

While mildly paying attention to it, I did conclude that it was essentially more of where their debut left off. That's not necessarily a bad thing. In Quintessence, Tempted, Picadilly, and Labelled with Love were the standout tracks for me.

Wanting to pursue his own solo career aspirations, Paul Carrack would leave the band after the album's release. He'd be replaced by Don Snow, and this revised lineup would record 1982's Sweets From A Stranger. Negative reviews, burnout, and stress from constant touring would come to a head, and the band would break up. But fear not, their story wouldn't end there. But we'll pick up there tomorrow for that story.

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Retro Spins: Devo - New Traditionalists

It's interesting how something as simple as a pamphlet can inspire the inception of an entire band. Jocko Homo Heavenbound which included a winged devil illustration called, "D-EVOLUTION". However, it was this very thing found by Mark Mothersbaugh, who showed it to Gerald Casale and Bob Lewis, that would start to kick things off. That same pamphlet would later inspire the Devo tune, Jocko Homo.

The first iteration of Sextet Devo featured Casale, Lewis, Mothersbaugh, brother Bob Casale, Rod Reisman and Fred Weber. Though this lineup would only perform together once in 1973. Someone had the foresight to film the event, and it's actually been released on Devo's The Complete Truth About De-Evolution (1993).

The lineup would continue as the Casale brothers, Bob Lewis, Mark Mothersbaugh, and his brothers Jim and Bob Mothersbaugh. Though in 1974, Lewis would step down as a member and actually take on the role as band manager. They'd record music videos for Secret Agent Man and Jocko Homo and stay together until Jim's departure in 1975. He'd be replaced by Alan Myers. The core members were now in place; Gerald Casale, Mark Mothersbaugh, Bob Mothersbaugh, Bob Caslae, and Alan Meyers.

Fame would start to come with the 1976 Chuck Statler directed film, The Truth About De-Evolution. After it won first place at the Ann Arbor Film Festival, David Bowie would take a direct interest in the band. Bowie would make it his mission to get them signed with Warner Bros. Shortly thereafter, they were asked by Neil Young to participate in his film, Human Highway. Filming would begin in 1978, and not wrap up until 1981, with it eventually being released in 1982. Devo would play nuclear garbage men and provide Mark Mothersbaugh with his first opportunity to score a soundtrack.

In 1977, Devo released their first single, Mongoloid backed with Jocko Homo. This was followed by a cover of the Rolling Stone's (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction. This was followed by the EP, B Stiff, released on Stiff Records. This was followed by another EP, Mechanical Man (1978), which contained so many demo versions that people initially thought it was a bootleg.

By this point, both David Bowie and Iggy Pop were pushing Warner to sign the band, and eventually they acquiesced. While Bowie initially agreed to produce their debut, previous commitments required him to back out. Brian Eno was brought in to fill the roll, and the end result was 1978's Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!

An appearance on Saturday Night Live would garner them national attention, and riding this wave, delivered their sophomore album, Duty Now for the Future (1979). Though not as successful as its predecessor, it did allow the band to tour Japan, as well as appear at Don Kirshner's Rock Concert that same year.

As part of their act, the guys embraced the Church of the SubGenius, a parody religion. Under this guise, they would perform as the band, Dove, serving as their own opening act as a joke. Dove would then appear in the 1980 televangelism spoof film Pray TV.

1980's Freedom Of Choice would serve as the band's breakthrough album with its hit, Whip It. This not only put them on radio airwaves but become a staple on MTV during its early years. Additionally, their boom in popularity allowed them the opportunity for a massive tour of Japan, UK, Germany, Canada, France, Italy, and Netherlands, in addition of course to the USA. Multiple television appearances also followed. The EP DEV-O Live kicked off 1981 for them, and was followed by their next album, New Traditionalists, which is where we start things off today.

My first exposure to this one was the song, Race Of Doom, which randomly came across my shuffle list one day. It immediately got my attention, as was added to my regular rotation. As such, I was kind of looking forward to today's Retro Spin, anxious to see what more would come from it.

It certainly delivered a synth pop and new wave filled listening experience, and an enjoyable one at that. I also found some other noteworthy tracks, which included, Jerkin' Back 'N' Forth, and Through Being Cool. The latter was a bit of a shock for me, because I initially recognized it. No, not from hearing it on the radio, but instead in the animated film, Heavy Metal.

Along with the single, Working In The Coal Mine, which was recorded during the Freedom Of Choice sessions, Devo contributed Through Being Cool, which plays during the bar scene, with an animated band performing it. While Working In The Coal Mine appears on the soundtrack, and plays during the end credits of the film, Through Being Cool was not included on the record.

From there, Devo worked with Toni Basil as her backing band to record her debut, Word Of Mouth. The album would also feature Basil covering three songs from Devo, Be Stiff, Space Girls, and You Gotta Problem. Of course, most notable from that would be the smash hit, Mickey.

Not ready for a rest, they returned to the studio to record 1982's Oh, No! It's Devo. This is where we'll pick up tomorrow.

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Retro Spins: The Human Leage - Dare

Well, yesterday's Retro Spin, and my start of making my way through the 80's discography of The Human League was a bust. 1980's Travelogue wasn't for me, and it left me in a relative mundane state to want to continue on through their albums. But today, perhaps there's hope. With 1981's Dare, I at least know I'm going to get a hit that I know and like.

Computer operators, Ian Craig Marsh and Martyn Ware, met at the youth arts club, Meatwhistle in 1977. The event provided an unstructured space for teenagers to experiment with music, early video equipment, and drama, fueling the two's creativity. Together, they purchased a Korg 700S synthesizer and learned how to play it. They'd be invited to perform at a friend's 21st birthday party, and in turn, form the band, The Dead Daughters.

A few months later, they added friend, Adi Newton, and changed their name to The Future. Newton would serve as another synth player, but leave relatively early to form the group, Clock DVA. Rather than focus on adding another keyboardist to replace him, the two focused on finding a singer. While they initially had their sights set on Glenn Gregory (Heaven 17), he was unavailable. Instead, they turned invited a school friend, Philip Oakey to take the helm. The only snag was that Oakey had no musical background. Instead, he was more so known for his sharp style of dressing. Ware would say he was ideal because, "he already looked like a pop star".

The trio would change their name to The Human League, taking it from the boardgame, StarForce: Alpha Centauri. They'd be signed to the independent label, Fast Product, when Ware's friend, Paul Bower delivered their demo to owner, Bob Last. They released their first single and began performing live around the area. However, quickly became concerned of their stagnant stage presence from their reliance on technology and tape machines to deliver most of the music. To help with this, they brought in director of visuals, Philip Adrian Wright.

Their live performances began to see a boost, aided all the more by being invited to support Siouxsie and the Banshees. However, their biggest surge in popularity would occur in 1978, when David Bowie attended one of their shows, and stated to NME that he'd, "Seen the future of pop music".

1979's The Dignity of Labour EP would soon be released by Fast Product but be their last with the label, as they'd be approached and signed by Virgin Records. However, because of his early support, the band would extend an offer to Bob Last to take the role as their manager. Then the problems began. Despite offering the band creative freedom, Virgin immediately set stipulations and began demanding changes to their style for their first single to make them more commercial. Since they had received such a large advance, which they couldn't pay back, the band was in no position to push back, but requested the single, I Don't Depend on You, be released under the name, The Men.

The single would fail, and as a result, the label would permit them to return to their original sound and style for their 1979's studio album debut, Reproduction. The was led by the single, Empire State Human, which also failed. As a result, Virgin cancelled the anticipated tour which would have followed.

Virgin allowed The Human League to release the EP, Holiday '80, in 1980, which garnered them their first TV appearance on BBC TV's Top of the Pops. Unfortunately, their claim to fame as pioneers of electronic pop music was usurped by Gary Numan, which began causing internal rifts between Ware and Oakey. Whereas Ware wanted to stay true to their original roots, Oakey pressed for a more pop oriented sound. Things would come to a head, prompting Ware to walk out, and with him went Marsh.

Last tried to reconcile the three, but ultimately, it was deemed they simply couldn't go on together. Oakey would stay as The Human League, while Marsh and Ware would form Heaven 17 with their original choice for a singer, Glenn Gregory. In keeping the name, Oakey not only assumed all the debt of the band so far, but the obligations of the contract with Virgin. Further, the split required that he pay the two departed members one percent of royalties for the next album. Things got further complicated, as without a band, Oakey was pressed for how to perform at the upcoming tour, which was just ten days away, and the news already reporting that the band was done.

That seems a good place to pause on the history of the band until tomorrow. For now, let's dive into 1981's Dare.

I'm sorry to say that it was more or less the same drivel I was greeted by last time, with the exception of closing out with Don't You Want Me. Overall, it was a pretty lackluster listening session, which left me bored. In fact, that boredom actually equated to me paying very little attention to the music, which quickly fell to the background.

Frankly, I'm not seeing the appeal of The Human League. Rather than a legacy band of the 80's, I kind of feel like they just got lucky a handful of times. I'm not impressed. The band is 0 - 2 in my book, and I'm not enjoying hearing their albums so far. Rather, I'm drudging through them at this point simply to check them off.

Candidly, that sucks. Listening to music should be an enjoyable experience. Not a mundane checkbox. Sadly, for now, that's what it's become with The Human League. Maybe that will change with tomorrow's album, 1984's Hysteria. Sadly, I don't foresee it being as impactful as the Def Leppard variety.

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Retro Spins: Hanoi Rocks - Bangkok Shocks, Saigon Shakes, Hanoi Rocks

Welcome to Finland! Home of Hanoi Rocks, the band credited, or as lead singer Michael Monroe would say, blamed for the look and style that would become 80's glam hair metal. Men with big hair, makeup painted faces, and tight leather. Or, as Steven Tyler would say, "Dude (Looks Like A Lady)".

The band was formed by Michael Monroe, and friend, Andy McCoy in 1979, but soon expand to include Stefan Piesnack, Nasty Suicide (Jan-Markus Stenfors), Nedo Soininen, and Peki Sirola. Though they began touring local Finnish clubs, by 1980 relocated to the UK. While most of the members lived on the streets, begging for money, McCoy stayed with his wealthy girlfriend. As Monroe would state in a later interview, when invited to people's homes, the first place the boys would hit would be the refrigerator.

A deal was made with Johanna Kustannus, to release the debut single, I Want You / Kill City Kills, followed by a 102-day tour which kicked off in January 1981. The tour would be credited as the longest in Finnish rock history and also hone the boy's energetic onstage presence.

To keep pushing them forward, the band released the second single, Tragedy / Café Avenue in February 1981, following it a month later with their debut album, Bangkok Shocks, Saigon Shakes, Hanoi Rocks. Dubbed, The Muddy Twins, Monroe and McCoy would produce the record themselves. The album would become a relatively immediate success in Finland, peaking at number fourteen.

When I fired it up, I was expecting the likes of Mötley Crüe or Twisted Sister. Instead, I got something reminiscent of the early 80's punk scene, more comparable to The Ramones. It wasn't terrible by any means, just surprising.

I found enjoyable tracks in Village Girl, Cheyenne, 11th Street Kidzz, and Walking With My Angel, but most surprisingly, the original version of Don't Never Leave Me. Granted I had only recently come across this song, but I associated it with the much slower paced 1984 version from their album, Two Steps From The Move. While the latter version is definitely the superior, this faster tempo one isn't horrible.

Lead singer, Monroe, is by far among the likes of Freddie Mercury, Steve Perry, or candidly anyone else who could consistently hold a note. He frequently sings off key, aiming for notes that are clearly out of his range, which perhaps is part of the charm. It certainly makes his vocals unique, and for now, I'm interested in hearing more from Hanoi Rocks.

I will say that what Monroe lacks in hitting notes, he more than makes up for in his skill on saxophone and harmonica. I can honestly say that the sax isn't something I often equate with hair metal, but it works here. In particular on Walking With My Angel, and Pretender, where it's very prevalent.

After an extensive tour throughout 1981 of Sweden and Finland, the band returned to London to record their second album, Oriental Beat (1982). A lineup change would also soon occur, one which would not only change the course of the band, but end in tragedy. At the risk of getting too far ahead of the changes that would soon come, I'll stop there.

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Retro Spins: Judas Priest - Point Of Entry

Hot on the heels of their decade debut, 1980's British Steel, I'm jumping into 1981's Point Of Entry. My previous listening session had been a bit of an eye opener. Not only did I really enjoy what I had heard, but I realized that Judas Priest had songs I had completely forgotten about. What became more interesting to me was digging into the band's history and finding out that none of the original members who formed it were even part of it when they recorded their debut album, 1974's Rocka Rolla.

The band was formed in 1969 by lead singer Al Atkins, bassist Brian "Bruno" Stapenhill, guitarist John Perry, and drummer John "Fezza" Partridge. This lineup would shift up relatively quickly, as Perry would take his own life at the age of 18. Ernest Chataway would fill the roll, but as part of their history, it's noteworthy that future guitarist Kenneth "K.K." Downing would also try out for the band at this time. While they initially started out as Earth, they would soon adopt, and take their name from the Bob Dylan tune, The Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest. Fred Woolley would join in 1970, replacing Partridge.

After recording a demo, the band obtained a three-record deal with Immediate Records. Unfortunately, prior to them being able to record anything, the label went out of business. The band would split up in 1970.

Later that year, Atkins would come across the band, Freight, who were rehearsing without a singer. It featured K. K. Downing on guitars, his childhood friend Ian "Skull" Hill on bass, and drummer John Ellis. He'd join them, and they'd adopt the name, Judas Priest. While they performed throughout 1971, but 1972 Ellis quit, and was replaced by Alan Moore. Prior to the end of the year, Moore too would quit and be replaced by Chris "Congo" Campbell.

Judas Priest signed on with Black Sabbath bassist, Tommi Iommi's management label, Iommi Management Agency, where Atkin continued to write material for the band. However, with a family to support, and bills to pay, he left in May of 1973. Campbell too would depart around this time, with both being replaced soon thereafter by drummer John Hinch and vocalist Rob Halford. With Atkin's departure, Judas Priest officially had no original members in the band.

After performing their first tour of Europe, Judas Priest returned to England and signed with Gull Records. At the suggestion of the label, they took on a second guitarist, Glenn Tipton. The lineup for their 1974 debut, Rocka Rolla consisted of Rob Halford on vocals, Gleen Tipton and K.K. Downing on guitars, Ian Hill on bass, and John Hinch on drums. Though a 1987 remastered release would also include credit for Alan Moore for his drums on the bonus track, Diamonds and Rust.

At the rist of this post becoming a novel, we'll pause there and get into the album.

Point Of Entry kicks off with Heading Out To The Highway, a solid into track to the album. That rocking sound that I familiarized myself with in their previous record was definitely present, and I was all in on it.

As expected, I didn't know any of the tracks on the album. At least, that's what I thought. For some reason, when Troubleshooter started up, I could have sworn I've heard it before, but if I did, I can't pinpoint when or where. Still, I feel in the back of my mind that I know it from somewhere.

Unfortunately, coupling all of the history above together did serve to take a lot of my attention away from the album as a whole, and while I didn't necessarily hear anything I would call bad, I also wasn't really attuned to it all to say what I heard. It was nice background noise, I suppose, but that's also not what I was wanting to get out of it. I may need to take some time and listen to this once again, but that's not going to happen any time soon. I have too many albums to get through.

My next stop is 1982's Screaming For Vengeance, which is actually the first album I got from Judas Priest, and the only one I owned for several years before finally branching out. I'll talk about all of that tomorrow, and then with 1984's Defenders Of The Faith swing back around to their continued history.

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Retro Spins: Iron Maiden - Killers

I was a bit surprised by how well my introduction to Mr. I. Ron Maiden went yesterday with their self-titled debut. My initial exposure to the band was previously very limited, pretty much to what was included on the various Guitar Hero or Rock Band games.

Bassist Steve Harris formed them in 1975, originally as Ash Mountain. However, the members preferred the other name he'd come up with, Iron Maiden, which Harris took inspiration from the film adaptation of The Man in the Iron Mask to come up with.

The original lineup consisted of Harris on bass, Terry Rance and Dave Sullivan on guitars, Ron Matthews on drums, and Paul Mario Day on vocals. Day would be the first to depart, lacking the energy and charisma needed. He'd be replaced by Dennis Wilcock, a fan of Kiss who would often incorporate fake blood and makeup into the shows.

Wilcock asked Dave Murray to join, also on guitar, causing grief with both Sullivan and Rance. Though these frustrations would end in a very temporary disbandment of the group, it was quickly reformed in 1976 with Murray as the sole guitarist, alongside Wilcock on vocals, Harris on bass, and Matthews on drums. Harris and Murray remain the band's longest-serving members and have performed on all of their albums.

Bob Sawyer was recruited to the band as a second guitarist, but fired in 1977 after embarrassing the band onstage, while pretending to play guitar with his teeth. Tensions also began to cause a rift between Murray and Wilcock. Both Murray and Matthews were let go. A new lineup consisting of Harris, Wilcock, new guitarist Terry Wapram, Barry Purkis on drums, and keyboardist, Tony Moore. However, the latter would be let go after a single gig in 1978, when Harris decided he didn't want keyboards as part of the band's sound.

Murray rejoined in early 1978, and when Wapram disapproved, he was fired. Weeks later, Wilcock would leave to form a new band with Wapram, and though he wouldn't join them, Pukis would also depart. Doug Sampson, who attended the last gig with Wilcock and Pukis would join the band.

By the summer of 1978, Harris, Murray, and Sampson spent their time rehearsing, and looking for a new singer. The band called it a chance meeting at a pub where they met Paul Di'Anno, and ultimately recruited him as their new vocalist. Additionally, they wanted to bring in a second guitarist, but Harris would say of this, "Davey was so good he could do a lot of it on his own. The plan was always to get a second guitarist in, but finding one that could match Davey was really difficult".

Hoping to secure more gigs, Maiden recorded a four-track demo on New Years Eve, 1978. Neal Kay, the manager of the club, Bandwagon Heavy Metal Soundhouse, was given a copy, and liking it so much, he frequently played it at the club. This led to the band reaching number one on the Soundhouse charts, for Sound magazine.

Rod Smallwood also received a copy of the tape, and so impressed, he signed as their manager. With their popularity continuing to grow, they recorded a second demo, The Soundhouse Tapes. All 5,000 copies sold out within weeks. Their overall popularity soon attracted the attention of EMI, who signed them in December 1979.

Prior to beginning work on their debut, Murray's childhood friend, Adrian Smith to join as the band's second guitarist. However, when he declined, Dennis Stratton was instead hired. Unfortunately, health issues soon resulted in Doug Sampson departing. Stratton suggested new drummer, Clive Burr, who was hired. The band would make their first appearance on EMI's compilation album, Metal for Muthas, released in February 1980. This was followed by their self-titled debut in April.

Iron Maiden, the album, would debut at number four on the UK charts. In addition to the title track, it would feature early fan favorites, Running Free, Transylvania, Phantom of the Opera and "Sanctuary, the latter only appearing on US pressings initially. The band departed on a support tour, headlining for Kiss's Unmasked tour. Though upon completion, Dennis Stratton, was let go for creative and personal differences. Adrian Smith was once again asked to join and did.

December of 1980 brought them to the Rainbow, where they performed and recorded the video, Live at the Rainbow. Excerpts, Iron Maiden, the song, and Wrathchild would be put into heavy rotation on MTV during its first hours, making them the first heavy metal videos on the channel.

Having a lot of material already written prior to their debut album, it was relatively easy for Maiden to couple together their second album, 1981's Killers. Unhappy with the production of their first record, the band brought in producer, Martin Birch, who would continue to work with them until his retirement in 1992.

The boys embarked on a world tour, opening for Judas Priest. In total, they booked one hundred thirty-two shows, performing across the globe. In addition to this, they also appeared at several festivals, playing before as many as 100,000 people. The album as a whole would peak at number twelve in the UK, and seventy-eight on the Billboard 200, among charting in several other countries.

While I'd love to say the album was another solid banger, my initial listening session was frequently interrupted by a fire alarm at the office, which kept going off. This resulted in me having to restart the album.

Restarting it, I was once again greeted by the amazing instrumentation and vocals that impressed during their first record's listening session. Standout tracks from Killers, for me, were Genghis Khan, Purgatory, and Drifter. Though as a whole, it was a solid album. I can definitely hear the upped production values. Overall, things just sound crisper and clearer.

With that said, what I didn't necessarily hear were as many catchy hooks or riffs, in particular from the guitars. Yeah, sure, Murray and Smith are wailing, but they're just not developing sounds that are necessary catching my attention. Still, not a bad album. Just maybe not as good as their first.

Drug abuse contributed to a lot of erratic behavior from Paul Di'Anno, resulting in his dismissal in '81. He'd say in a later interview, "It wasn't just that I was snorting a bit of coke, though; I was just going for it non-stop, 24 hours a day, every day ... the band had commitments piling up that went on for months, years, and I just couldn't see my way to the end of it. I knew I'd never last the whole tour. It was too much". In September, Bruce Dickinson would audition for the job and be immediately hired. Dickenson would head out on a series of shows with the band prior to recording their third album, 1982's The Number Of The Beast. That's where I pick up tomorrow.

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Retro Spins: Simple Minds - Sons And Fascination / Sister Feelings Call

It's often interesting to go back into the history of bands which I knew of, enjoyed massive hits from, but stayed relatively away from their discographies. Such has been the case with Simple Minds. While I'm only one album in so far, two after today, it's been unique. Playing through their 1980 released Empires And Dance, their third album overall, I was introduced to a disco and electronica infused record. It definitely doesn't echo their 1985 powerhouse, Once Upon A Time, which prior to starting was my only exposure to the band, with exception of their Breakfast Club contribution. It was different, for sure.

As noted yesterday, while the band started on Zoom Records with owner / manager Bruce Findlay, he'd decide to shut the label down, and focus strictly on managing Simple Minds. This would lead them to a deal with Virgin, who would release their 1981 double album, Sons And Fascination / Sister Feelings Call.

While the first 10,000 pressings would release both together, the two would soon be split up. This resulted in some shifts on the charts. The original double album would peak at number eleven in the UK, but only the first half, Sons And Fascination, would chart elsewhere. It would, however, become their first gold certified album.

For me, it was interesting to find that the original pressing of the CD was not the ideal version to own. The reason being that when it was released in 1985, limitations in length were still a factor. Much like Prince's 1999, decisions had to be made on what tracks to cut if it were to be pressed onto disc. Sure, Virgin could have released it as a two-disc set. However, the label would not commit to the increased cost to do so. This resulted in tracks League of Nations, and Sound in 70 Cities, both from Sister Feelings Call, being cut. It wouldn't be until 2003 that a remastered version would contain all fifteen tracks.

The American would become their first single to peak on the UK charts, at number fifty-nine. Love Song would follow, and peak at forty-seven. Additionally, the song would reach the top twenty in Australia, and thirty-eight in Canada.

The album does shift to a more post-punk / new wave sound, and the vocals of Jim Kerr resonate more with the more popularly known era of Simple Minds. Though it still sporadically hits and misses the mainstream sound that would make many, if not most of the tracks radio friendly.

It does have some standout tracks, Sweat In Bullet, Love Song, and Seeing out the Angel from Sons And Fascination, and Theme For Great Cities, and Sound In 70 Cities from Sister Feelings Call. However, as a whole, it's a rather bland and bloated pair of albums. At least for me.

I've yet to hear that one track that makes me say, "Yes, this is what I want from Simple Minds." Or perhaps better stated, I already have, and that's from their 1985 released Once Upon A Time. There are still two more albums to go before getting to that point, so maybe something will pop. At least that's what I'm hoping. As for Sons And Fascination / Sister Feelings Call, it's not really for me. It's not bad, just bloated. Too long for its own good.

Shortly after the recording sessions, Brian McGee would quit, citing the grueling touring schedule had exhausted him, that he didn't feel he was getting the credit he deserved for his contributions, and ultimately wanted to spend more time with his family. The latter is a bit odd of a statement considering he would go on to join the band Endgames, and later Propaganda.

Kenny Hyslop would initially be brought in to replace McGee for the first leg of the tour which followed, and he would also contribute to the studio track, Promised You A Miracle, for the forthcoming album. It would be deemed that Hyslop was not clicking with the other members, and be replaced by Mike Ogletree, who would not only fill in for the second half of the tour, but also record a few tracks for the next album. However, he too would be replaced by Mel Gaynor who finished the album when the band didn't like Ogletree's drumming style.

1982's New Gold Dream (81–82–83–84) would serve as the breakthrough album Simple Minds needed. But before I get too far ahead of myself, I first need to get to tomorrow where I'll play through it.

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Retro Spins: Peter Cetera - Peter Cetera

Coming off my recent venture through the 80's era of Chicago, I was a little hesitant to dive into Peter Cetera. I also didn't own his debut solo album at the time and didn't know if I wanted to buy it. However, not having it only served to make me not want to go through his other two albums of the 80's just yet.

This aspect didn't get much better when I saw the asking price of said 1981 self-titled debut. At $20.00 (average) for a used copy, that wasn't a very intriguing purchase option. As I looked further at the album on Discogs, I soon discovered that the reason for this was because his solo debut didn't actually get a release in the USA until 2004 by Wounded Bird Records.

I'm familiar with the label for its release of Ēbn-Ōzn's Feeling Cavalier. The label specializes in forgotten media from the 60's through 80's, and I definitely recommend checking out their catalog. Lots of niche stuff to be found.

Things start out really solid with Livin' In The Limelight and drew me in right away. The guitar work of Steve Lukather (Toto) is immediately recognizable. While he didn't contribute beyond the opener, I Can Feel It keeps the energy up and even touches on a bit of a Chicago sound, less the horn section.

From there, things got a bit weird as Cetera experimented with his vocals. The vocals of How Many Times seems to want to channel Eric Clapton, and it really doesn't work. Then there's Holy Moly, where I can't even explain the vocal styling, but it does manage to be entertaining.

While side one of the album close out uneventful, side two picks up with the slower rocker, On The Line. It's followed by the equally good, Not Afraid To Cry, a more acoustic and twangier guitar sounding track.

My head kept bobbing, and my foot tapping with Evil Eye, and the peppy Practical Man. Seriously, where has this album been my entire life? I don't know what disappoints me more, that I didn't hear it until now, or that it only peaked at 143 on the Billboard 200. I'll go into more detail on that aspect tomorrow.

The album ends with the slow-paced Ivy Covered Walls. It's one of the weaker on the album, but ends things on a softer note, achieving what every artist should strive to do, leave them wanting more, and more I definitely wanted.

This turned out to be a great purchase, and I'm really happy with that. It was totally worth the expense, and it excites me to dive into his next solo album, 1986's Solitude/Solitaire. This is an absolute hidden gem of the 80's, and one I highly recommend.

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Retro Spins: Alice Cooper - Special Forces

Yesterday, I not only touched on the 1980's Alice Cooper album, Flush The Fashion, but also the history of the original iteration of the band, featuring the lineup of Vincent Furnier, Glen Buxton, Michael Bruce, Dennis Dunaway, and Neal Smith, who stayed together until 1974. Today, I continue my journey with 1981's Special Forces, and will also deep dive into the solo years of Alice Cooper.

When the band broke up, Furnier was interested in continuing a solo career. As of 1968, people had begun to refer to him directly as Alice Cooper, and wanting to continue using the name without any legality issues, would choose to change his name to that in 1975. Building off the momentum of the band's success between 1971 and 1974 with hits such as I'm Eighteen, School's Out, Billion Dollar Babies, and No More Mr. Nice Guy, Cooper returned to the studio to release the 1975 classic, Welcome To My Nightmare.

This was followed by 1976's Alice Cooper Goes To Hell, and 1977's Lace And Whisky. However, a steady decline, fueled mostly by drug and alcohol abuse, would begin with 1979's From The Inside, and continue throughout the 80's. Cooper himself would state that he was so heavily using cocaine during this time that he doesn't even remember recording albums between 1981 and 1983.

1981's Special Forces would be his last album to peak on the Billboard 200 (at 125), until 1986's Constrictor. It would also be his last album that he would tour for until the aforementioned '86 release. Forces would also continue the trend of changing musical styles, with the sleek hard rock sound being pushed aside for synth pop. It went as far as to reimagine one of his own previous tracks in this new style, Generation Landslide '81, and as a whole confused long time fans.

Though I'm no Alice Cooper aficionado, I do hear the very different musical style from what once was he shock rocker of the 70's. It's as if he's trying to keep up with he likes of the Cars, which is unfortunate. Alice Cooper was a persona who built himself from the ground up, so to hear him trying to be like other bands of the time is a bit disappointing.

While certainly a misstep, I won't say it's a total failure. There are standout tracks here, such as Who Do You Think We Are, Seven And Seven Is, Skeletons In The Closet, and You're A Movie. But as a whole, this doesn't sound like an Alice Cooper album, and that's ultimately not what you want when you put on one of his albums.

Cooper would release the pop-punk oriented, Zipper Catches Skin, in 1982. Critics would describe it as a mixture of the Knack and Cars, which sounds great on paper. However, as I said above, one doesn't pick up an Alice Cooper album with the intensions of not hearing an Alice Cooper album. Who knows, maybe it will turn out o be a hidden gem. I guess I'll find out tomorrow.

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Retro Spins: Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers - Hard Promises

Thanks to the radio's incessant playing of Tom Petty's Free Falling, I have a very difficult time listening to his music. I'm just so burned out on it from just that one song repeatedly being hammered into my ears. It's because of this that I've had several of his albums, 70's through 90's, but to this day never played one of them. Well, it's time to grit my teeth, and check them off.

Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers were catapulted to mainstream success with their 1979 album, Damn The Torpedo's, the third in their studio discography. It was because of this that when it came time to release his 1981 follow-up, Hard Promises, MCA wanted to capitalize by moving his albums into the "superstar pricing" category, a higher price reserved for the biggest sellers as a way to squeeze more money out of the fans. Petty objected and did so vocally through the local press. The artist even considered not turning over the album for release, or renaming it Eight Ninety-Eight, the standard price of albums at the time. MCA eventually stepped down from the matter and released it for the regular price.

Led by single, The Waiting, which would peak at number nineteen on the Billboard Hot 100, the album itself would eventually go platinum, peaking at number two on the Billboard 200. Mirroring Stevie Nick's 1981 release, Bella Donna, Hard Promises too would contain a duet with the two, with Insider. However, this tune wouldn't prove to be better than the Nicks album's Stop Draggin' My Heart Around.

Two additional singles would follow. The first being A Woman in Love (It's Not Me), which would peak on the Hot 100 at seventy-nine. The second, Thing About You, would actually make its way to Billboards US Hot Country Songs charts, where it landed at number fourteen.

Playing through it, I didn't expect much. My Petty fatigue has long since run its course. I will say it was nice to hear his voice again, considering he passed away in 2017.

I do appreciate that as an artist he seemed to embrace multiple music styles. He can definitely rock, but at the same time cross genres to country, and new wave. Through and through, he's a solid song writer, and The Heartbreakers definitely know their instruments. I can find no fault in the overall presentation.

There were also a handful of standouts, but not necessarily long-term memorable ones. These included King Roads, Letting You Go, and A Thing About You. Insider is also a pretty solid track, and I suppose based on the lyrics actually serves as the album title track.

Overall, it was much better than I expected. I think my first impression, or lack of desire to hear it was driven by my own fatigue. But ultimately, I can appreciate it as a whole. I dare say I may also be looking forward a bit to jumping into his 1982 follow-up, Long After Dark. While I wish that was where I was heading next, I did completely skip over Sade, which in chronological order will have already been posted.

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Retro Spins: Billy Squier - Don't Say No

Don't Say No is the first album from Billy Squier that I purchased. Specifically, for the track, The Stroke. It wasn't ever a song that I really dug. Instead, it fell under the category of, "Yeah, I know that song." However, this purchase would become instrumental, as in researching his music during this time, I discovered several more tracks I knew from him, and even a collaboration with Freddie Mercury. Before I knew it, my mild interest in one song led me to picking up four of his albums. Among today's Retro Spin, this included, Emotions In Motion (1982), Signs Of Life (1984), and Enough Is Enough (1986), the latter being the aforementioned collaboration with Mercury.

When Squier began working on his second solo album, he initially reached out to Queen guitarist Brian May to produce it. However, obligations had him tied up, and instead he recommended Reinhold Mack. Mack had previously worked on Queen's The Game, but prior to that had built up an illustrious career working with the likes of T. Rex, Deep Purple, Electric Light Orchestra, and The Rolling Stones, to name a few).

Upon its release, the album blasted up the Billboard 200, peaking at number five. To date, it remains Squier's most successful album of all time, going 3X platinum in the USA, and platinum in Cananda. Three singles would hit the Billboard Hot 100, The Stroke (peaking at 17), In The Dark (35), and My Kind Of Lover (45). The three tracks would also have music videos produced, which would see steady rotation on MTV.

The album also features Lonely Is The Night, which has become a fan favorite, and has been incorporated into Squier's live shows for decades. Despite receiving considerable airplay at the time, it was never released as a single.

In retrospect, and making sense now based on the above history, The Stroke sounds an awful lot like Queen's Dragon Attack. So much so, that the lyrics between the two songs could easily be interchangeable. While it may have been the song I purchased the album for, it's definitely not the best of the bunch.

Instead, I would consider In The Dark, and My Kind Of Lover, to be far superior. Depending on the day of the week, not necessarily in that order. Lonely Is The Night is also decent, but definitely at the bottom, in terms of favorability to me.

I went back and forth in my head with Nobody Knows. It starts out with a solid acoustic guitar intro, but then launches into a high pitched Squier, which sounds intriguing, while at the same time repelling the ears. The song does eventually break open, and his true voice comes through, and it's a unique journey getting there. It's simply both good and bad at the same time. This is followed by I Need You, which is a pretty solid tune.

Overall, it was a pretty good listening session, but I want to say I enjoyed his debut a little more. Perhaps it's because of how new to me everything was with said debut. Or perhaps it's because, like I said, the hits just overshadow everything else.

Based on the massive success, Mack and Billy would work on his next album, Emotions In Motions (1982), which would become another smash success for Squier. However, the two's working relation would dissolve shortly upon its release, and Billy's popularity and sales would drastically tank over the years which followed. The decline all starts tomorrow.

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Retro Spins: Toto - Turn Back

They're considered the most prolific session musicians of all time, and combined have performed on over five thousand albums for other artists which have sold over five hundred million copies. When they're not crafting other's music, they're focusing on their own. If you haven't heard of Toto, it's because you haven't existed since 1978, or were just born.

Turn Back was the band's first foray into the 80's, and the last album I picked up from them. It wasn't on my want list, and candidly, I only picked it up because it was the last from the decade that I didn't have. Even then, it took me quite some time to do so, because I wasn't willing to pay the $20.00 price tag that most people were asking for it. Mainly because I didn't know anything on it and therefore wasn't going to drop a bunch of cash on an album which was frankly going to be either a hidden gem, or a waste of money.

My first listening session of Toto goes all the way back to 2019, where I played through IV. I then wouldn't come back around to them until 2022 for Isolation, an album I also knew nothing from initially. That one garnered the hidden gem, Endless, and I was hoping to come across something like that with Turn Back.

I'm a bit skeptical though. Despite yielding the band's first hit in Japan, Goodbye Elenore, it failed to chart any singles elsewhere. As a whole, the album would eventually reach gold but be considered a failure for underperforming based on expectations.

Steve Lukather himself would say of it;

We wanted to prove we were an arena rock band. It’s probably the weirdest record we’ve done, certainly sonically, but we were really proud of it when it came out. It didn't really catch on -- over the years, it's sold, and now it's kind of a cult favorite with fans, but at the time it was kind of a stiff. And then we panicked -- we never even went on the road for that one. The record company was like, "Okay, guys. We let you do what you want to do. Are you gonna give us a hit record? Because if you don't, we’re gonna drop you."

I don't know why I have a tendency to favor the underdogs. I think Turn Back is pretty solid. No, it doesn't contain your finely tuned Africa or Rosanna, nor is it as polished in comparison to the opus, IV. However, there are quite a few enjoyable solid rock tracks here. For me, those include; English Eyes, A Million Miles Away, Goodbye Elenore, and the first Toto track penned by Lukather, Live For Today.

Frankly, I'm glad I bought this one. It definitely qualifies as a hidden gem. Picking this one up also put Toto back on my radar in general, and I went backwards to pick up Hydra, the gap I was missing between their 1978 self-titled debut and this one. I now have their complete run of records (okay, CD's) through 1988's The Seventh One. Do I need any of their albums from the 90's? I mean, maybe. I'm certainly going to look and see what I might be missing out on.

Both IV, and Isolation followed Turn Back, 1982, and 1984, respectively. Fahrenheit was then released in 1986, which is where I'll pick up tomorrow. In review of the tracks, it appears I know less of Toto then I know. A quick glance yielded only one tucked in my memory, I'll Be Over You. However, based on today's listening session, this serves to only excite me a bit of all the treasures to be found.

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Retro Spins: Kix - Kix

What the heck is Kix? I've never heard of them. I came across three of their four 80's albums while perusing my local used CD shop, and decided I'd not only pick them up, but eventually grab their fourth off ebay...or was it Discogs? Point being, I picked up all four, knowing nothing about the band, or any of their songs.

The lineup that would become Kix's first iteration came together in Hagerstown, Maryland by Donnie Purnell, Tee, Tunes, and Donnie Spence. While they started with the name, Kix, this was soon changed to Tee and Tunes. Ronnie "10/10" Younkins joined in December of 1976, but immediately thereafter, Tee and Tunes would depart.

In 1978, while known as The Shooze, Steve Whiteman joined, alternating drums and vocals with Spence. However, Spence would relent singing duties to Whiteman, stating he had a higher range.

A chance encounter with Brian "Damage" Forsythe, led to him joining the band. This was followed by Jimmy "Chocolate" Chalfant, and the departure of Spence, completing the classic lineup of Purnell, Whiteman, Younkins, Forsythe, and Chalfant.

Securing a recording deal with Atlantic Records, the quintet recorded and released their self-titled debut in 1981. Though it featured fan favorites from their live shows, the album failed to chart, nor make much of an impact at all.

It's a fairly generic hard rock / early metal album but not necessarily polished like your massive successors of that same year; AC/DC (For Those About to Rock We Salute You), Def Leppard (High 'n' Dry), Motley Crue (Too Fast For Love), Ozzy Osbourne (Diary of a Madman), Van Halen (Fair Warning), or Black Sabbath (Mob Rules). It's by no means bad, but it's also not the type of debut that necessarily excited me for the things to come.

Of the nine tracks, Heartache was really the only one that stood out to me. Still, it wasn't enough to excite me for future albums, and I started to wonder if I'd gotten myself into another one of those situations where I bought something because it was from the 80's, but not necessarily something worth having.

I suppose only time will tell in that aspect, and I'll only find out by continuing my Kix journey. Tomorrow I'll head into 1983's Cool Kids and see where that one takes me.

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