The Toy Box: 1986

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Retro Spins: Bonnie Tyler - Secret Dreams And Forbidden Fire

Leaping over 1983's Faster Than The Speed Of Night, which I've already done a Retro Spin on, today, I come to 1986's Secret Dreams And Forbidden Fire. While it's Bonnie Tyler's sixth studio album to date, it was only her second with Columbia, having left RCA after releasing 1981's Goodbye To The Island.

Many tracks that would encompass the album would come from Tyler continuing to work with Jim Steinman between 1983 and 1986. It's during these sessions that the song, Holding Out For A Hero would be recorded, and contributed to the 1984 Kevin Bacon film, Footloose. As such, it's a bit odd that it would get dusted off and added to her studio album two years later. At that point, it was more than readily available on that soundtrack and had candidly run its course.

Steinman in turn recruited Desmond Child to assist with writing tracks, and in doing so, made a very specific request for one song. He wanted a song about androgyny. The verses have to sound like Tina Turner, the B Section has to sound like The Police, U2, or Hall & Oates, and the chorus has to sound like Bruce Springsteen. The directive spawned the song, If You Were A Woman (And I Was A Man). The album would also include the track, Ravishing, which Steinman originally wrote and contributed as Hulk Hogan's theme for the World Wrestling Federation compilation album released in 1985, appropriately titled, The Wrestling Album.

Upon its release, it received very mixed reviews, with most negativity being directed towards Jim Steinman. Some critics were just flat out rude about it, such as Steven Wine, who stated, "Only Bonnie Tyler's parents would want to listen to her sing the same song for six minutes, but three of the eight tunes on [the album] exceed that span." He'd go on to say the album was a, "bombastic bore."

Things didn't settle down from there. Tom Ford stated that "although Tyler proves able to do some interesting things, she is outdistanced by the tiresome ponderousness of the material," concluding that "the prissy, self-indulgence here is just too much to stand." Meanwhile, Paul Speelman opined that Tyler and Steinman were "deeply entrenched in a rut," and found the music to be excessive. He would say, "There are banks of synthesizers, layers of percussion, dramatic electronic gimmickry and huge production: no wonder poor old Bonnie had to yell to be heard above that lot."

Say what you will, the music video for If You Were A Woman, And I Was A Man is an absolute 80's banger! I mean, come on. There's a guy in full shoulder pads, and head gear playing a violin that eventually starts smoking. It makes absolutely no sense, but at the same time, it makes complete sense. It's the 80's, baby!

On that note, let's dive right in!

First and foremost, what you listen to depends on which version you buy. The original vinyl featured eight tracks, which were also included on the CD and cassette releases. However, the CD includes one additional track, Before This Night Is Through. The cassette version includes all nine of these songs, plus Under Suspicion.

Right here is where I'm going to get potentially controversial for Bonnie Tyler fans.

Yes, the CD and vinyl formats had the most restriction back then, in terms of runtime. It's because of this that there are not only omitted track, as noted above, but many of the songs vary in run times from version to version. The best example of this is Loving You Is A Dirty Job (But Somebody's Got To Do It). On the vinyl, this track is seven minutes twenty-eight seconds. On CD, it's seven minutes forty-seven seconds, and on cassette, it's seven minutes forty-nine seconds. I would argue that finding a standard runtime for songs, probably the shorter versions, and omitting the 1984 track, Holding Out For A Hero, would have allowed for the remaining nine tracks to fit on all three formats. It just doesn't make sense to have this varying degree of alternate versions.

Further, I will echo what the critics said, the runtime of a lot of songs is way bloated. You just don't need a seven-minute Bonnie Tyler song. Her tunes should be to the point, and radio edit friendly. I daresay this is what led to them including Holding Out For A Hero on the album. Without it, there's nothing really to put out there for airwaves to promote the record. But again, its inclusion is unnecessary from being readily available for the prior two years at this point, and let's face it, everyone owned the Footloose soundtrack. Candidly, it's also just lazy to include it.

For me, If You Were a Woman (And I Was a Man), and Rebel Without A Clue are the only two standout tracks. I wanted to like Ravishing, mainly because it did take me back to the 80's of watching WWF on cable. But ultimately, I prefer my version to be from Hulk Hogan's Rockin' Wrestling.

The version on Tyler's album is hindered by two thing. First, the lyrics are dumb. Second, at six minutes twenty to twenty-four seconds (depending on the format you're on) it's too freaking long. That's actually ironic for me to say, since Rebel Without A Clue has a runtime over eight minutes.

Of course, since we're on the subject, if you're down with the Hulkster, and a true Hulkamaniac, then you can't top his true theme, Real American!

Better watch out, Bonnie Tyler, Hulk Hogan is high jacking your post. But actually, that's not a bad thing, as I honestly don't really have anything else to say about Secret Dreams And Forbidden Fire. It's just not that good, and I can understand where the critics came from with this one. Sure, they didn't have to be so mean about the way they put it, but the bottom line is it's bloated, and kind of boring.

Bonnie released one final album in the 80's, 1988's Hide Your Heart, or Notes From America, as it was called when released in the USA. That's where I'll pick up, and subsequently end my journey through her discography.

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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: Wang Chung - Mosaic

Today, I'm continuing on with the 80's studio discography of Wang Chung. However, the key word in that sentence was "studio". As such, while the guys would record the soundtrack, To Live And Die In L.A. (as well as contribute to other soundtracks) between 1984's Points Of The Curve, and 1986's Mosaic, I'll be skipping that one, for now.

By the end of 1984, the band had been reduced to the two core and founding members, Jack Hues, and Nick Feldman. The two would opt to continue on, not replacing the most recently departed, Darren Costin. It's honestly not surprising, considering that when Dave Burnand left prior to him that he too wasn't replaced. Instead, they just moved on with reduced numbers. They would, however, select producer Peter Wolf to work on their new record, and he would fill in on various instruments, among other studio musicians.

Mosaic would go on to be Wang Chung's biggest selling album, being certified gold in the USA. Ironically, though it remains their biggest seller in their career, it actually charted lower than their previous two releases. With it would come three top forty singles, two of which would crack the top ten, only leading to more confusion as to how the overall album failed to chart better.

Among the singles was their most notable, Everybody Have Fun Tonight. It would peak at number two and carve out the band's name as its own verb, urging everybody to Wang Chung. This was followed by Let's Go, which peaked at number nine. The last, Hypnotize Me, would later be contributed to the Steven Spielberg film, Innerspace, and chart at number thirty-nine.

For me, I bought the album for Everybody Have Fun and was pleasantly surprised when it dawned on me I not only knew Let's Go, but that it was a forgotten favorite from my childhood. As for the final single, it really wasn't my thing, and this kind of mirrored the remainder of the album.

It didn't help that I consistently got pulled away from it, and as a result was listening to tracks in batches of two or three. This perhaps contributed to me not really getting into it all because I couldn't listen to it consecutively, making it feel a bit disjointed. With that said, I doubt I'll go back and play through it again. It didn't have that much potential.

Wang Chung would head out on the road in support of the album, partly as the opening act for Tina Turner's Break Every Rule world tour for their US portion. From there, it would be three years before they returned to the studio for what would become not only their final album of the 80's, but their last for quite some time.

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Retro Spins: M + M (Martha And The Muffins) - The World Is a Ball

I am so relieved that today is my last day of Martha And The Muffins, AKA M + M. In terms of Retro Spins, this has been among the most fatiguing and unenjoyable experiences. After six very expensive albums, I am not a fan. In fact, I'm kind of ticked off because of how much their CD's cost. Kids, this is a perfect reason why you don't just buy albums without hearing or knowing something about them.

Ugh...okay...let's go.

Martha Johnson and Mark Gane took a few years to record what would become 1986's The World Is A Ball. However, upon its release, while it would chart slightly higher in Canada than its predecessor, 1985's Mystery Walk, it would only yield one minor hit, Song In My Head. Following its lackluster reception, the two would decide to take a hiatus.

Thank God!

The World Is A Ball, the opening track, is kind of okay. It's got a peppy beat that makes it easy to get into. But top ten material it is not. Further, I'm not about to let my guard down with it. I've fallen for that before in previous albums, only to be met by mediocrity, and boredom.

I swear track two and three, I Watch I Wait, and Watching The Boys Fall Down are set to the exact same music. It was at this point that I started skipping through tracks, listening for a few second. However, by track five of ten, I did something I haven't done in a long while. I gave up, and turned it off.

Seriously, I'm done with Martha And The Muffins, M + M, or whatever you want to call them. While my normal layout of these posts would have be going into the future of them past 1989, frankly, I don't care. They could have created time travel, and colonized mars, I couldn't care less. All I want is to distance myself from them as much as possible at this point.

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Retro Spins: The Human Leage - Crash

Today I'm wrapping up the 80's discography of The Human League. They're a band that stumbled under the original lineup, but who massively broke out upon sole remaining member, Philip Oakey taking the reigns, and guiding the band to mainstream success with 1981's Dare.

When I last left off on their history, they had released not only their 1984 follow-up, Hysteria, but Oakey had collaborated with Giorgio Moroder on not only Together In Electric Dreams for the film, Electric Dreams. The two would then release a studio album together. While it would not prove to be popular, it would contain the aforementioned hit.

Despite the success the band had found, key songwriter Jo Callis would opt to leave, though no information is noted as to why. This was followed by their manager, Bob Last, who's reason for departure also appears to be undocumented. However, he was never replaced by anyone else.

Jim Russell would join as drummer, and together, the group returned to the studio to begin work on their next album. Unfortunately, under the production of Colin Thurston, things didn't go well, and the material recorded shelved. Concerned with the lack of progress, Virgin Records paired them up with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis to produce a usable album. This only led to more clashes as the two producers outright rejected most of the bands conceptual ideas for songs, and any subsequent material they contributed. The end result would be 1986's Crash.

While the album would prove to be a success, specifically led by the single, Human, the band would go on to say that Crash wasn't the album they wanted to make. Adrian Wright, who was essentially sidelined in the studio would leave the group after its release. Following the supporting tour, Ian Burden and Jim Russell both left, replaced by Neil Sutton and Russell Dennett. But I'm getting too far ahead now. First, let me play through the actual CD.

I'll preface by saying that Human is probably my favorite from the group. However, being penned by producers James Harris III, and Terry Lewis, it definitely sounds off in comparison to the musical styles of previous albums. In fact, this sounds more like a Janet Jackson record in retrospect. This makes sense considering their extensive work with her since the 80's. But I agree. A Human League album this is not.

That's both a pro and con. It's a con because you don't truly get an honest presentation of the band. If you were to hear this and then go back in time to their other albums, things wouldn't add up. However, if you look at it as a standalone album, it's actually a bit better, to me, then what has come before it.

There were a couple standout tracks to me, which included Are You Ever Coming Back?, I Need Your Loving, and of course, Human. However, there are also a couple of honorable mentions in there that weren't too bad. These included Jam, and Party.

The Human League, now consisting of Philip Oakey, Joanne Catherall, Susan Ann Sulley, Russell Dennett, and Neil Sutton, entered the 90's, and released their first album in four years, Romantic? While it would chart decently in the UK, overall it wouldn't prove to be a successful comeback. It would further be the last for Virgin Records, who abruptly cancelled their contract in 1992.

It would take them a couple years to produce demos and obtain a new contract, releasing Octopus in 1995 on East West. The song Tell Me When, would give them their first UK top ten since 1986, but would end up being a one and done album for the label. The reason being that it changed management hands in 1998, and their contract was once again cancelled. By this point, Dennett had also departed, having left in 1996.

Despite not having label support, they'd continue to tour, taking little to no breaks since 2000, with Oakey, Catherall, and Sulley remaining as the consistent mainstays. Further, they've released two additional studio albums, 2001's Secrets, and 2011's Credo. Presently, they've embarked on the massive Generations tour, which has them performing across the USA in 2026, and scheduled for Australia and New Zealand in 2027.

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Retro Spins: W.A.S.P. - Inside The Electric Circus

With lead guitarist, and co-founding member Randy Piper gone, seats were shuffled internally for W.A.S.P. Blackie Lawless would return to rhythm guitar, and Chris Holmes would shift to lead guitar. This left the position of bassist open, which Johnny Rod would step in to fill.

Though their momentum was climbing, the content of their music, and visuals of their live shows painted a large target on their backs for the PMRC, who began publicly denouncing the band. This led to a lot of trouble for them, as planned venues would receive backlash, and even bomb threats. The band members themselves received hundreds of death threats, and Lawless was even shot at twice, though never hit. All of this negativity, and free publicity, did nothing more than fuel their popularity, which continued to grow.

Inside the Electric Circus was released in 1986, and with it came a massive support tour, including shows with Iron Maiden, Raven, Slayer, and Saxon. Though the album would be a hit among fans, critics would not be so kind, labeling it "7th grader rock." This criticism would hit Lawless the most, who upon reading about it prompted him to take a break and reevaluate the band's creative direction. In later re-releases of the album, liner notes would include Lawless stating that the album was, "a tired record from a tired band."

My initial listening session was interrupted by track six (of twelve). While this is something that would prompt me to restart the album, I honestly didn't feel inclined to. Mainly because by this point, I hadn't heard anything that necessarily tickled my fancy. As such, I simply picked up where I left off when I got back to it.

Overall, it just felt like a pretty basic and generic album. Lyrics like those for Mantronics come off as silly, and really put that 7th grader aspect noted above in a spotlight:

Mantronic, I'm on the loose
Bionic, my neck in the noose
Mantronic, I'm still the king
Bionic, half man and machine

It's goofy, and as a result, can't be taken seriously. None of this is helped by a grown man screaming like he just stubbed his entire foot on the side of a bed. I can definitely side with the critics on this one and can see why rethinking the band's direction was needed.

Taking a break from recording didn't mean the band was sitting idle. They not only continued to tour, but released the live album, Live...In The Raw (1987). However, during this period, several lineup changes occurred.

Drummer Steve Riley would be the first to depart, leaving to join the band, L.A. Guns. He was replaced by Chad Nelson. Glenn Soderling would then replace him but not perform with the band as Holmes would fall ill, halting shows. Soderling would leave shortly thereafter, replaced by Kelly Martella. However, he too would leave in 1988 and join the band Silent Rage.

Without a drummer in place, W.A.S.P. returned to the studio to record what would become their highest selling album of all time, 1989's The Headless Children. It would be the first to not feature any overly sexualized content and pave the way for a new era of the band, one often drenched in political topics. It would also wrap up their 80's era, and my journey through their discography. But that all happens tomorrow, when I actually play through it.

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Retro Spins: Warlock - True As Steel

After hearing their debut album, I wanted to share the find with my girl. While she dug the music and agreed the guitar work sounded like Randy Rhodes during his work with Ozzy Osbourne, she did not enjoy the vocals of Doro Pesch at all. So much so, that by song three, she turned it off. Bummer! On the bright side, my co-worker who has been hipping me to some 80's metal stopped by my office as I was literally playing through this album, and said he'd been listening to Warlock all weekend, based on my recommendation, and that he dug it. I'll take that win!

With the loss of Rudy Graf, who left Warlock after the tour for their previous album, I found myself pondering a question. Would the band be as good? Graf was a major contributor to the writing of tracks for their first and second albums, and while the second didn't really resonate as much with me as a whole, the guitar work continued to stand out as superb. In particular, the slick solos.

Niko Arvanitis would be brought in to replace him. However, only contribute to two songs, True As Steel, and Fight For Rock. The latter would also be used as the title for what would become their 1986 EP. This would serve to garner the band attention in the USA, primarily due to their first music video for the song, which aired on MTV's Headbanger's Ball. The EP would feature six tracks in total, three of which would transfer over to their third studio album, True As Steel.

Though not as well received, True As Steel would become their highest peaking album, reaching number eighteen in Germany, but still failing to chart anywhere else in the world. Led by Fight Of Rock, the song, they also began seeing considerable airplay on US radios.

August 16, 1986 (great day!) would make Doro Pesch the first female vocalist to lead a band at Donington's Monsters Of Rock. Warlock would play amongst the likes of Def Leppard, Motörhead, Ozzy Osbourne, and Scorpions. They'd then open the festival in Maimarktgelände Eisstadion in Mannheim, West Germany. This would include many of the previous acts noted, as well as the McAuley Schenker Group and Bon Jovi. They'd spend the rest of 1986, as well as part of 1987, supporting shows for W.A.S.P. and Judas Priest.

The album does fare a bit better than yesterdays. While it has lost that sound reminiscent of Rhodes, it does manage to churn out some solid tunes. Some of which stood out to me; Mr. Gold, Love In The Danger Zone, Lady In A Rock 'N' Roll Hell, Love Song, and the instrumental album closer, T.O.L.

Overall, it's just another solid rock experience from Warlock, and once again keeps me excited to continue on. Sadly, I only have one more.

After touring, Pesch would spend time in the USA with new manager, Alex Grob to promote the band, and arrange further tours. Unfortunately, guitarist Peter Szigeti, and bassist Frank Rittel were unwilling to commitment to the changes that would come about transferring to the United States, prompting them to leave the band. They would be replaced by Tommy Bolan, and Tommy Henriksen.

Things seemed to be going great, with Warlock recording their fourth album, 1987's Triumph and Agony. However, behind the scenes, something devious was taking place. Something which would greatly impact the band, cost them their name, and leave Doro Pesch locked in a legal battle for the rights to her own legacy. That all unfolds tomorrow as I go into Warlock's final album.

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Retro Spins: Judas Priest - Turbo

Though it will have been just a day between my last Judas Priest listening session, the truth of the matter is that it took several days for me to finally get around to 1986's Turbo, much to my chagrin.

After delivering 1984's Defenders Of The Faith, the band would take a hiatus from performing, with the only exception being an appearance at the Philadelphia side of Live Aid in 1985. Their setlist included Living After Midnight, The Green Manalishi (With the Two-Pronged Crown), and (You've Got) Another Thing Comin'.

Returning to the studio, the band initially intended to deliver a double album, Twin Turbos. The idea was to have one record which provided a mainstream commercial sound, with the other returning to the roots of heavier hard rock. The concept was eventually aborted after pushback from the label, with the peppy tracks becoming Turbo.

However, this wouldn't be a calm period for singer Rob Halford. His continued struggles with substance abuse were escalated from growing issues with an ex-boyfriend whom he nicknamed "Brad". Things would take a traumatic turn when Brad committed suicide in 1985. The tragedy would lead Halford to rehab, where he swore to get clean, and by January 1986 he completed the treatment. If there's a light to the story, on January 6, 2026, Rob celebrated forty years of sobriety.

Turbo would be released that following April and be the first to incorporate synthesized guitars and forego the usual sci-fi and fantasy lyrical themes in exchange for love and romance. This was Judas Priests response to the changing landscape of 80's music, which was favoring more synth pop-oriented music over hard rock and heavy metal. The strategic shift proved to be favorable, with the album being yet another success for the band.

The shift is very noticeable from the start, and while it works, it's a bit of a system shock at first. Ultimately though, I dig it. It's like Judas Priest meets Bon Jovi, and the two meld together. I could go for more of this style.

Halford on the other hand considered it his love / hate album, stating in 2008, "The only agenda we've ever had in Priest was to really give every album its own life and I think we've achieved that on everything from Rocka Rolla up to the new one, Nostradamus. That said, if ever there was a controversial record in terms of what people might have expected from us, it's Turbo. It was the fact that we moved into a different atmosphere, but that's where we were at that particular time. Some of the technological advances like the pedal boards that Glenn and KK used were giving us options for different sounds and experimentation. Personally, I think there are still some great tracks on that album ... It's one of the recordings that divide opinion."

That's a fair assessment, and I suppose I'm in the unpopular camp among fans, wherein I liked it quite a bit. Standout tracks for me were Locked In, Parental Guidance, Rocky You All Around The World, Out In The Cold, Hot Love, and reckless.

Despite being a successful, guitarist K.K. Downing would admit it wasn't their biggest selling album. He attributed this to the changing landscape that was visualized across MTV, saying, "Even Ozzy went to the hairdressers." Halford would also admit that he felt his substance abuse at the time contributed to lackluster lyrics.

For better or worse, the remaining tracks initially intended for the double album release were salvaged and made their way to 1988's Ram It Down. Though the band's fanbase would be large enough to push it to gold certification, critically, it was considered a flop. Being their last release in the decade, tomorrow will wrap up my Judas Priest journey.

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Retro Spins: Iron Maiden - Somewhere In Time

Preparing for today's Retro Spin, and through crossed my mind. That being that I really want to be done with Iron Maiden and move on to other things. The music's been okay, good even, but seven albums from the decade is a bit excessive to play through back-to-back.

Returning to the studio after their demanded time off, Maiden brought with them a renewed focus, and a change in sound that would incorporate synthesized bass and guitars. Where in previous albums focus was on guitars, bass, and drums, delivering straight up thrash metal, this inclusion would add textures and layers to the sound.

Somewhere In Time would be their first album since his joining that Bruce Dickenson would receive no writing credits. This was simply because all the ideas he brought to the table were rejected by the band.

It would go on to become their highest charting to date on the Billboard 200, peaking at number eleven, as well as charting across several other countries. Once again, it would fair the best in the UK, where it mirrored the success of the previously released Powerslave, peaking at number two. To support its release, Iron Maiden once again hit the road, performing one hundred fifty-seven shows across the world.

If there was a change in sound for the band, I didn't hear it. For me, it was relatively more of the same that I'd already gone through multiple times leading up to this point. Frankly, writing this post twenty-four hours after that listening session has actually hurt it more than helped because at this point, I don't even really remember any of it.

I did note that opening track, Caught Somewhere In Time had a solid intro that grabbed my attention immediately. I even went as far as to jot down tune, Sea Of Madness, and Stranger In A Strange Land as standout tracks. However, and truthfully, at this point, I couldn't tell you how any of them went.

With that in mind, I suppose the best way to sum up Somewhere In Time would be to state it's nothing better or worse than what they did before, but ultimately, unless you're a diehard fan, it's also forgettable. Frankly, it's a bit disappointing. Iron Maiden is a legacy act, and I was really expecting better than this.

As I head into tomorrow, I close out their decade with 1988's Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son. Am I expecting it to be the silver lining and standout that's going to change my mind? No. Do I hope it will? Absolutely. If nothing else, to make it worthwhile to have spent so much money on all of their 80's albums.

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Retro Spins: Megadeth - Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?

With the success of their debut album, Megadeth would gain the attention of major labels. This would lead to Combat Records ultimately selling their contract to Capitol Records. While this came with a larger budget, and a new producer, recording would be difficult for the band, who were all abusing various substances.

The band were no strangers to the world of drugs and alcohol. In particular, Mustaines overuse, and subsequent volatile temper, led to him being let go from Metallica as their lead guitarist in 1983, just prior to them recording their debut album, Kill 'Em All. As their guitarist since 1981, he not only helped hone their tight knit live presence but penned some of the songs which they would use for future albums.

Wanting revenge on his prior bandmates, Mustaine would set to task on forming the greatest metal band of all time. One which not only had better songs, but harder and faster ones. The name for his new band would ultimately come from a pamphlet by California senator Alan Cranston that read: "The arsenal of megadeath can't be rid no matter what the peace treaties come to." However, at first, Megadeth was used as a song title which Mustaine penned.

In 1983, he formed the band, Fallen Angels, which included Lor Kane on vocals, Robby McKinney on guitar, Matt Kisselstein on bass, and Dijon Carruthers on drums. At the suggestion of Kane, the band soon changed their name to Megadeth. Shortly thereafter, McKinney, Carruthers, and Kisselstein would depart, replaced by David Ellefson, Richard Girod, and Greg Handevidt. Mustaine would also take over vocal duties himself after a series of singers fronted the band but ultimately didn't produce the sound he was looking for.

With the lineup in place, they set to task on recording a three-track demo, entitled Last Rites, something I touched on yesterday. However, with the release of Metallica's 1983 debut, the band realized they would have to retool some of their current songs which they were performing live. Combat Records would take notice, and sign them to the label, releasing their 1985 debut, Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good!

Prior to the release of their debut, the lineup would change again, with core members, Dave Mustaine, Chris Poland, David Ellefson, and Gar Samuelson. Killing Is My Business would crack the Billboard 200, peaking at one hundred sixty-nine, and receive relatively positive reviews, which drew the attention of larger labels. This brings us full circle to the opening paragraph.

Of course, it wouldn't be Megadeth if history wasn't muddy. Depending on who you asked, Combat sold the contract to Capitol of their own accord. From the band's perspective, they left because of their dissatisfaction with budgetary limitations imposed by Combat. Regardless, the end result was 1986's Peace Sells... But Who's Buying? It boasted clearer production, and a more sophisticated lyrical style from Mustaine. The album would be noteworthy for its socially conscious lyrics, and the single Peace Sells, would receive a video, which was played regularly on MTV. It would become the band's first platinum selling record, and peak at number seventy-six on the Billboard 200.

Because of the history between the two, it's challenging to listen to Megadeth without drawing comparisons between them and Metallica. I know it's not fair to do so. They should be given the chance to stand on their own merits. But, like I said, it's difficult to do so.

For me, that comparison is that whereas Metallica played fast, they still managed to craft songs that had clear song structure, intros, versus, choruses, bridges, and of course, solos. On the other hand, Megadeth nails the intro portion well, but then just launches into speed. This makes it difficult to distinguish where the versus stop, and where the choruses begin.

Depending on your tastes, or desire for the day, that could be a good thing, or bad. Regardless, there's no doubt that the band members aren't talented. Playing fast is one thing. Playing fast and coherently is something else entirely. Megadeth certainly nails the later. Vocals aside, the music is a banger.

While everything essentially feels like it runs together, it's difficult to distinguish between the various tracks. However, I was able to discern and note two particularly better tunes in the bunch. Those were Peace Sells, and My Last Words.

Overall, I'm enjoying my listening session through the band. I think one of the standout things for me is that they write relatively confined songs, with each typically ranging between three and four minutes. This is definitely counter to Metallica, who think a song needs to be eight to ten. Does this shortened style contribute to the above noted lack of song structure? Possibly.

Ongoing substance abuse would lead to Samuelson and Poland being asked to leave the band. Samuelson would be replaced by Chuck Behler, who was already traveling with them on tour as a standby. Poland would be replaced by Jay Reynolds.

Side note: That tour began as the opening act for Alice Cooper's Constrictor Tour but eventually led to the band heading off to the UK to headline their own shows.

Six weeks into recording their next album, and final for the decade, 1988's So Far, So Good... So What!, the band dropped Reynolds and brought in Jeff Young. While Reynolds was a decent guitarist, the band found he was unable to perform the necessary solos for tracks, prompting them to instead hire his teacher, Young.

I'll pick up there tomorrow.

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Retro Spins: Peter Cetera - Solitude/Solitaire

Yesterday's Retro Spin through Peter Cetera's 1981 was a massive surprise. A hidden gem through and through, and an album I'm glad I took the chance on.

Cetera was in the middle of recording his solo debut for Columbia when the label dropped Chicago from their roster. This resulted in him needing to buy the rights before it could be released. When Chicago signed with Warner Bros. they would also agree to release his solo album. However, this would come with unforeseen strings.

While Warner Bros. released the album to appease Cetera, they ultimately didn't want him to have a solo career for fear it would ruin their investment in Chicago. An overall lack of support and promotion from the label ended up burying the album.

Chicago would become his main focus over the next few years, but upon releasing their opus, Chicago 17 in 1984, the artist would once again want to visit his solo career. He'd propose to the band to take a hiatus after tours to allow him to work on solo projects, but this would be declined. Ultimately, this led to him departing in 1985.

1986 would see the release of his sophomore solo album, Solitude/Solitaire, and with it would come major hits. The album as a whole would peak at number twenty-three on the Billboard 200, producing two number one hits on the Billboard Hot 100. More on that below.

Big Mistake is a smasher of an opening track and only gets bigger and better with its explosive guitar solo towards the end. It definitely sets a high bar for the album and leaves me riding the waves I was still on from his previous.

They Don't Make 'Em Like They Used To delivers the sound that I equated with Cetera from the 80's. Synth pop smooth rock. In hindsight, I think this is where he got lost for me as an artist. He had good music but got trapped in the middle of spectrums. On one side, for me, there was the new wave and pop sounds of Duran Duran, Prince And The Revolution, Cyndi Lauper, etc., and on the other side was Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, Guns 'N Roses, and the other harder stuff. Peter Cetera was the 80's music my dad liked.

This was all the more prevalent with track three, his Karate Kid II soundtrack contribution, Glory Of Love. Now don't get me wrong, I would happily listen to that soundtrack as a kid specifically for this tune. Though I'd never admit to anyone I liked it (at the time). These days, that shame is gone. It's the song I bought the album for, mainly because Karate Kid II never got a CD release. Glory Of Love would become Cetera's first number one solo hit, spending twenty-one weeks on the charts.

The tempo stays slowed down at this point, but songs don't necessarily get bad. Quite the contrary, I'm just tired of talking about how enjoyable each one was. Dare I say I'm a Peter Cetera fan?

Despite the success that Glory Of Love was, the biggest hit to come from the album was the accidental duet with Christian contemporary artist, Amy Grant, Next Time I Fall In Love. Though he didn't write the song, when Cetera heard the demo, he immediately knew two things; 1) he wanted to sing it, and 2) it should be a duet. However, he wanted the female vocals to be an unexpected surprise to listeners. He found that in Grant, who was looking for an opportunity to cross genres into pop rock music. Though it turned out to be a successful career move for her, the Christian community did not take the transition well, calling her a sellout, and accusing her of turning her back on the ministry. Regardless, the song would become his second solo number one hit, and her first, also spending twenty-one weeks on the charts.

As a whole, the album's solid, and a real surprise to me as a result. I really didn't expect to be enjoying Peter Cetera as much as I am. I'm still riding that high, and ready to dive into his third and final 80's album, 1988's One More Story. It actually features my all-time favorite track from him.

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Retro Spins: Alice Cooper - Constrictor

By 1983, Alice Cooper was in a bad spot. Career wise, his albums were selling less and less, and his popularity declining with each new release. Worst of all, he was so dependent upon drugs and alcohol, that he would state retrospectively that he didn't even remember recording music between 1981 and 1983. His health had not only severely declined, but his marriage was on the brink of being over, with his wife filing for divorce.

At the bequest of his manager and wife, he'd return to rehab, his second since his failed 1977 attempt at cleaning himself up. This time, he'd not only complete the course successfully, but recommitted his life to Jesus. Cooper was not only able to salvage his marriage, and remains with Sherly Goddard to this day, but he hasn't relapsed once!

By 1985 he was ready to make a comeback. Though I wasn't able to pinpoint the actual timeframe, during the early 80's Twisted Sister frontman would be giving an interview, which during he would continuously sing the praises of Cooper not only for his music, but the inspiration he bestowed upon him. Cooper would hear about the interview, and call up Snyder, thanking him for the kind words. This would lead to not only a long-time friendship between the two, but collaboration on Be Chrool to Your Scuel from Sister's 1985 album, Come Out And Play.

This was followed by him starring in the b-flick, Monster Dog, which he also contributed two songs to. However, the true test would be when he returned to the studio to record and release 1986's Constrictor. Could he be a devout Christian and Alice Cooper? Would the world accept this? Did he have any music worth listening to?

The answer was yes. Cooper has not only had a storied second half of his career, but Constrictor was met with praise from critics. The album even saw his return to the Billboard 200, and gold sales certification.

What I was hoping to get out of it was a glimpse of the things to come with 1989's Trash. Fortunately, this happened in abundance. It's a solid rock album from start to finish. The guitars are back, the synthesizer used in moderation, and Cooper's voice booming with power.

While I won't call it perfect from front to back, it's a solid entry. If nothing else, it's great to hear a straightforward rock album in comparison to he's previous "experimental" albums. Tracks Teenage Frankenstein, Life And Death Of The Party, and The World Needs Guts stand out for me. The latter thrashing with sweet guitar licks.

Also included on the album is Cooper's contribution to Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives, the track, He's Back (The Man Behind The Mask). It's not so good, but it's awesome that he contributed to the franchise. Considering there wasn't a soundtrack until 2019, and that only includes the score, it's cool to have the song included on the album. Otherwise, it's likely it would end up as lost media, and who wants that?

Always the showman, he entered 1987 in style, making an appearance in WrestleMania 3, appearing in behind-the-scenes monologues with Jake The Snake, and escorting him to the ring. Jake would go on to (scripted) loose that match, prompting Cooper to throw his snake on Jimmy Hart. Man, those were the days of good WWF rastlin'!

Back to the studio, he'd release Raise Your Fist And Yell in September of that year. That's where we dive into tomorrow, and it's actually my last album in his discography to play through, as I've already done a Retro Spin on 1989's Trash. See you tomorrow for the wrap party!

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Retro Spins: Book Of Love - Book Of Love

My exposure to Book Of Love came about in the same way I've talked about multiple times before. I was pursuing Future Flashback's list of 10,000 80's songs on their playlist. This is a resource which has served to grow my own CD collection considerably as I discover "new" music from the era.

Boy, was the first tune I heard from them, and I must admit that part of the alure was the music video. Its simplistic filming style, among that of the choice of clothing of each member screamed out 80's to me. I mean, come on. You've got lead singer Susan Ottaviano, dressed in a formal gown, keyboardist, Jade Lee rockin' a cut off dress, but leggings underneath, additional keyboardist, Lauren Roselli doing her own thing as a pirate, and multi-instrumentalist, Ted Ottaviano stepping out on the town in a shiny suit coat and pants.

Despite sharing the same unique last name, Ted and Susan aren't related. They met in high school, where they became good friends. Susan would head off to Philadelphia after graduation to attend college, and there she would meet Jade, forming the band Head Cheese with additional member, Celeste Ries. They'd release a three-track seven-inch record in 1981, which would be co-produced by Ted, who also contributed to the writing and instrumentation.

Ted was also off at school in New York, where he met Lauren. Though there is a gap in history around this time, Celeste would eventually leave the group, and the remaining members, now along with Lauren continued working periodically, though having to do so between their respective schools. Book Of Love would be formally established in 1983.

That same year, Susan would produce the compilation album, I'd Rather Be in Philadelphia, which was released by Burn Potential Records, the same label that released their initial 7 inch. Book Of Love would contribute their own song, Henna, to the album, becoming their first official release as the group.

After completing college, both Susan and Jade relocated to New York to be with Ted and Lauren and focus on the band full time. The nightlife of the city was just what they needed to perform their music, meet other bands, and in general prowl the streets with other relatable misfits. The area also gave them the opportunity to record multiple demos at Noise studio, among them, Boy. Lauren would pass this on to radio DJ Ivan Ivan, who in turn put it in the hands of Sire Records president, Seymour Stein. Stein would sign the band in 1984.

When they began work in 1985 on what would become their self-titled debut, they would repay Ivan by bringing him in as producer. Boy would be released as the first single and shoot up the dance charts to number seven. With a hit burning up the charts, all of them would quit their jobs, and focus solely on promotion. Meeting Depeche Mode at a party would also garner them the opportunity to be their opening act for their North American tour. Mind you, this was during a time where they only had five songs completed, and no full album yet on shelves.

That would come in April 1986, when the album was finally released. This was followed by the singles You Make Me Feels So Good, and Modigliani (Lost in Your Eyes), the latter which peaked on the dance charts at number seventeen. Their final single, I Touch Roses, would reach number eight. Depeche Mode would once again invite them to be their opening act. With hits under their belt, and a full album in hand to promote, they did just that.

Part synth pop, part punk, part new wave, part tubular bells, their debut throws everything at you at once, while also managing to mix it all together smoothly. Though it's not a perfect record by any means, it is enjoyable from start to finish. In comparison, I'd say they're like Altered Images, or Romeo Void.

Standout tracks for me included Modigliani (Lost in Your Eyes), Still Angry, and of course, Boy. I did opt to go back and listen to I Touch Roses a second time, just to see if there was something I missed the first time around. Personally, I did not. It wasn't what I'd call a hit.

Overall, this was a good listening session. It was something different, something new, but cemented in an era I'm incredibly fond of. Admittedly, I do think the chimes and bells are a bit overused, but I suppose at the same time, it also serves as their signature sound stamp. It's not a bad thing in the long run, I just wish it was used in a bit more moderation.

Despite its massive success, Book Of Love's self-titled debut wouldn't actually receive a CD release until 1988. When it finally did, it included five additional bonus tracks. However, these were all simply remixes of existing tracks from the original LP / cassettes. This was most likely to capitalize on their follow-up album, Lullaby, released that same year. Lullaby would also serve as their final for the decade, but we'll get into all of that tomorrow.

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Retro Spins: Billy Squier - Enough Is Enough

Billy Squier peaked in 1981, with the Reinhold Mack produced, Don't Say No. He'd then have two more consecutive platinum albums with 1982's Emotions In Motion, and 1984's Signs Of Life. However, a steady decline was in motion, with sales and chart success declining between the two latter releases. Some would blame the over-the-top dancing showcased in his music video, Rock Me Tonight. Others would simply state it was his shift in musical styles from guitar heavy tracks to synthesizer driven ones. Whatever the cause, 1986's Enough Is Enough would only serve to see further sales and chart popularity declines.

As I dug through the catalog of albums from Billy when putting together my own personal want list together, I came the song, Love Is The Hero. Playing it, something immediately jumped out at me. That was Freddie Mercury singing! Well, yes, please!

Though Freddie isn't physically included in the video, his vocal track remains present, and overall, the song just rocks. It's not only a hidden gem for Squier, but one for the Queen legend. It's almost a shame that Billy's star had fallen so drastically by the 90's because it would have been awesome to see him perform this song at Mercury's tribute concert.

Speaking of concerts, Squier himself didn't set out on tour to promote Enough Is Enough. It raises an interesting question. Did the album fail because of his own continued decline from 1984? Or did it fail because he didn't support it with a tour? Regardless of the answer, the album would only peak at number sixty-one on the Billboard 200 and become his first since his debut to not sell enough units to gain any sales certifications. Love Is The Hero would also not perform as well as I would have expected, peaking at number eighty on the Billboard Hot 100.

Things start out pretty okay with Shot O' Love, a solid rock track. What I noticed in it was that it seemed to take guitar heavy Billy from his earlier years, and blend it with his new synthesizer driven music. It's a good combination, and like I said, delivers a solid rock track.

This is followed by Love Is The Hero, the clear standout for the album. Mercury would also co-pen the track, Lady With A Tenor Sax. While Billy does a decent job on it, I must admit the original demo version from Freddie is far superior. I'll drop that version down at the bottom of this post if you want to check it out.

Unfortunately, I quickly found myself derailed by Freddie, which led me down a rabbit hole to the soundtrack for the film Zabou, which in turn led me to a random search of the Karate Kid limited edition scores on CD. So, that detour was...expensive. Further, it also took my attention from this album, and before I knew it, we were on track seven of ten.

I kind of blame Billy for all of this. If Enough Is Enough would have been worth listening to from start to finish, I would have never been sidetracked. The tune, Til It's Over did manage to refocus me on the album, but being the second to last song was a little too late. What I particularly noticed was that sections of the instrumentation sounded reminiscent of Stairway To Heaven. It's all the more disappointing that the album closes on a high note with Wink Of An Eye, a punchy rock track. Disappointing because the potential was clearly still there. Billy can deliver good music; it just seems to happen fewer and farther between as time goes on.

Time would continue to pass, as it would take Billy three years to finally produce what would become his final album of the decade, 1989's Hear & Now. It would also bring with it his last Billboard Hot 100 charting track and continue his downward slide in popularity and sales. My Billy Squier Bingo card gets filled up tomorrow, as I check that one off.

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Retro Spins: The Flirts - Questions Of The Heart

Today's the day. I'm on my final 80's album from The Flirts. It was a journey that initially started out great, but by album three (of five) started to wear a bit thin. The "newness" wore off, and the overall lack of hits was definitely becoming a problem for me. It will be interesting to see if the girls close out the decade with something solid.

It's interesting to note that Miss You would peak in 1986 at number fifteen on the Billboard Dance Charts. However, the song doesn't appear to have been released on any studio album. Instead, it seems it was only released as a single in two different formats. The first is the twelve inch single, which features three different mixes, and the second, a seven-inch single which includes Voulez Vous from 1985's Blondes Brunettes & Redheads as the B-side.

Well, this one took a unique turn. The opening track, All You Ever Think About Is (Sex)! brings with it a very mature theme. Additionally, the once new wave sound is overtaken with a more R&B, somewhat rap style. It's different. I don't know if it's in a good way, but different, nonetheless.

Another thing I noticed was the overall lack of singing. Several tracks were filled with standard line reading. That's a unique style in moderation but doesn't work when it's the whole schtick.

Everything became a giant joke with track three, Boys On The Beach. Here, let me give you a taste:

Save the dolphins
Down with people who wear dead animal furs
Free lunch, free dinner, free rent for everyone
Save the whales
Equal pay for equal (something incoherent)
Feed the starving muskrats of Beverly Hills
People unite against nuclear conflict
Outlaw dogcatchers

It then does a complete 180, with the girls singing about radios blasting, the sun shining, and boys on the beach. Further mind-numbing lyrics include the opening to Special Angel:

Is there really life on other planets?
No!

I'm just going to say what keeps crossing my mind. Questions Of The Heart is a really dumb album, and a real lame way to close out the decade, studio album wise.

While The Flirts wouldn't release another studio album until 1992's Take A Chance On Me, they did produce two additional twelve-inch singles. The first was 1988's A Thing Called Love, and the second, 1989's After School. Both would feature multiple mixes of their respective track, but both would also not find any chart success.

About the only noteworthy aspect I found was for After School, which featured Full Force. Though I've never heard any of their studio albums, I am familiar with them for working with Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam on their 1985 debut album.

As for The Flirts, Questions Of The Heart wraps up my trip through their 80's discography. Like I mentioned many times throughout the multiple albums, while there's nothing Earth shattering to be found here, it was still a fun time listening to all of that new wave goodness. I'd definitely like to find more albums like this. Not necessarily new wave, but 80's oriented, new to me, but also fun at the same time. That's good stuff.

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Retro Spins - Huey Lewis And The News - Fore!

After three years of grueling tours, producing music videos, and essentially non-stop self promoting, 1983 Sports, finally reaching number one on the Billboard 200 in 1984, and by 1985 had become a platinum album. It would eventually reach 7X platinum in the USA, Diamond in Canada, and gold in the UK, making it their bestselling album of all time.

Their success only ballooned more in 1985 when the band contributed tracks to the film, Back To The Future, which Huey Lewis would also have a cameo in, but also for joining USA For Africa to be part of We Are The World. However, the band would come under scrutiny, when in that same year, they backed out just two-weeks prior to performing on the Philadelphia side of Live Aid. Their concerns that the money raised for the show wouldn't actually be used to benefit Etheopian famine would ironically also be alleged by Spin Magazine a year later, who suggested it had indeed been misspent.

In between 1983 and 1985, Huey Lewis also took time off to sue Ray Parker Jr. over allegations of copyright infringement for Parker's theme to Ghostbusters. Candidly, this aspect alone is actually what drives the most of my "hate" for Huey Lewis and his band.

The theme to Ghostbusters is awesome, far superior to I Want A New Drug, and personally, I think Huey's just jealous of that fact. If you would have played the guitar riff for any school kid in 1984, I guarantee you they'd say, "That's Ghostbusters." Huey Lewis And The News wouldn't even have crossed their minds, mainly because that was the band their parents liked, which only adds more to why kids (in my circle) didn't like them. I dare say if you played that riff today for children of the 80's, they'd still call out Ghostbusters before I Want A New Drug.

Regardless of whether it was plagiarized or not, an accusation which to this day Parker denies (me too frankly), I prefer the film's hit over their single, or frankly any of their music. Huey Lewis And The News was music for old people, and now that I'm one of them, I suppose that's why I can appreciate them more, but always, and never more, than the Ghostbuster's theme.

Well, that got derailed fast. I suppose we can sum up this post by saying, Huey Lewis And The News...Eh...But Ghostbusters theme, rad!

Oh...right...I still have to listen to Fore!...I'd rather go listen to Ghostbusters. Ugh...

Okay, I actually really like the opening track, Jacob's Ladder. But that's it! Well...I mean, maybe Stuck With You...and Doing It All For My Baby. But that's it, no more...Oh now Hip To Be Square's On, and then I Know What I Like.

Look, it's not a good album, okay! It can't be! It's Huey Lewis And The News! I mean, look at the album cover. That's just a bunch of dads hanging out on a sidewalk. That's not cool! Dads don't make good albums!

Yeah, it's a good album. It has quite a few hits. Another rare thing I'm all in on with this one is the original European release versus the USA version. Much like Madonna's Like A Virgin, I'm all about this release because it contains an additional track. In the case of Fore!, it's The Power Of Love. Yes, I know that the soundtrack to Back To The Future is not only easy to get, but also really cheap, but I like the novelty of it being included officially on a studio album.

The remaining tracks on the album are okay, but noticeably weaker than the hits. They're okay, but don't have that polished "remember me" feel. At least not for me.

Despite also reaching number one on the Billboard 200, Fore! wouldn't perform as well as its predecessor sales wise. Whereas Sports received the above noted sales certifications, Fore! would "only" achieve 3x platinum in the USA, and 3x platinum in Canada. It would, though, fare better in the UK than Sports, surpassing its gold sales to reach 2x platinum. It would also reach gold in Germany. Successful, yes most definitely, but still underperforming in comparison. This, unfortunately, would be the beginning of a steady decline in sales and popularity the boys.

They'd record and release one final album for Chrysalis Records, 1988's Small World. However, upon completion of their contract, sought out a new label, eventually signing with EMI USA. But now I'm getting ahead of myself. First, I need to wrap up their 80's discography, which concludes tomorrow with their 1988 album.

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Retro Spins: Bobby Brown - King Of Stage

Bobby Brown was in the stratosphere of popularity in 1988. His second studio album, Don't Be Cruel not only solidified him as a solo artist, but catapulted him to mainstream success with three number one hits, My Prerogative, Don't Be Cruel, and Every Little Step. There's also the honorable mention of Roni, which peaked at number two, held back from the number one spot by Karyn White's Superwoman, and Rock Wit'cha, which peaked at number three.

This was followed by an onscreen appearance in the Ghostbusters II film, as well as several contributions to the soundtrack. The song, On Our Own, would also become a number one hit on the Billboard R&B Charts.

For a young kid like me, at the time, Bobby Brown was the new hot act. A fresh face among the crowd of other artists of the time. All the while, never dawning on me until my older years his history with New Edition, and surprising me all the more to find he had an album prior to Don't Be Cruel.

1986's King Of Stage hit my radar several years ago, and I considered multiple times picking it up, but never did. In fact, I never even added it to my Discogs want list. Instead, I just tucked it in the back of my mind, periodically looking at the various listings on ebay, but ultimately moving on.

About a week ago, my girl and I picked up the biopic, Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody, and while watching it, I once again found myself looking at his solo debut on ebay. I had recalled in previous searches that while it wasn't an expensive album, it was a bit more than I wanted to pay. So, when I found one for around ten bucks, I went ahead and grabbed it.

As I dug into the history of it all, I was surprised to see that Brown actually had a number one hit from this album as well. That track being, Girlfriend. As a ballad, I felt it was not only a terrible way to start the album off as the opening track, but in general didn't find it to be all that good. Admittedly, I was worried that I had once again bought a dud.

Things do pick up relatively quickly, and songs such as Girl Next Door, Love Obsession, and the title track, King Of Stage, all shine through. This is the Bobby Brown I want to hear. A bit of pop, funk, and R&B, all encased in a solid beat that gets your head bobbing, and your toes tapping.

When the track Seventeen fired up, a good one by the way, I swear I've heard it before, but I couldn't tell you when. It's very familiar in the back of my mind, but I can't pinpoint why. Regardless, I'm glad to have it among the bunch.

King Of Stage is definitely not the opus that was Don't Be Cruel, but it's a solid standalone. I think what benefits this album, specifically to me, is the time and history with Brown. I don't see this as the type of album I'd pick up without knowing who he was, and having heard the massive hits he would later produce. In a way, it was also fun to hear something "new" from him. I think that's part of the appeal to picking up music from artists you know, but have never heard. It's like visiting an old friend, picking up where you left off, but also experiencing something different.

Beyond that, there's not much more to say. If you're reading this, I'm sure you know already who Bobby Brown is, about the turmoil that was his marriage to Whitney Houston, the drug addiction, his time with New Edition, and so forth. Basically, what I'm saying is that there's not much more I think I could add that you don't already know.

I know there are complaints from Whitney fans about the biopic released in 2022, specifically for skirting around certain subjects, and the overall accuracy of some of the events. However, I would still recommend checking it out if your a fan of her or Bobby. I'd also offer that picking apart biopics for accuracy would be futile in general. I don't think any of them are necessarily true facts. Rather, I like to call them the history of an artist or band, as they wish it happened, but not necessarily how it did.

Speaking of such, who's excited about the April 24, 2026 release of Michael? That movie is going to shatter box office records, and I can already see all the awards coming to the cast and crew. Not to mention the impact it's going to have on Michael's album sales. It's all going to be massive, like Thriller all over again.

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Retro Spins: Toto - Fahrenheit

Toto was formed in 1977, and brought with them a combination of pop, rock, soul, funk, hard rock, R&B, blues, and jazz. Their style led a storied history, consisting of fourteen studio albums, fifty million records sold worldwide, and multitude of massive hits.

The member's roots can be traced back to humble beginnings as studio musicians, working on albums for the likes of Steely Dan, Seals and Croft, Boz Scaggs, and Sonny and Cher. David Paich would be the first to rise to fame after contributing the majority of the writing to Scaggs album, Silk Degrees.

Rewinding a tad, Paich met Jeff Porcaro when they were in high school together and formed the band Rural Still Life. During this time, they would frequently work together on recording sessions but would often talk about starting a new band. They'd ultimately invite Scaggs alum David Hungate, and Steve Lukather to join them, also nabbing Pocaro's brother Steve, and Bobby Kimball to round out the group.

The boys signed with Columbia Records and records their self-titled debut in 1978. The problem was that at this point, they didn't have a name. Depending on who you ask, their name would come from any number of scenarios. One recount states that in order to distinguish their own demo tapes from other bands' in the studio, Jeff Porcaro wrote the word "Toto" on them. Another explanation was that singer Bobby Kimball's "real" name was Robert Toteaux, pronounced "toto". Regardless of which story you go with, the band announced at a press conference in 1980 that the name was based on the dog from The Wizard Of Oz.

Singles, Hold The Line, I'll Supply The Love, and Georgy Porgy, featuring Cheryl Lynn, quickly catapulted them up the charts. However, critics would quickly dismiss them, despite being nominated for a Grammy Award for Best New Artist.

Undeterred, Toto embarked on their first tour of America, and upon completion, returned to the studio to record 1979's Hydra. Inspired by George Lucas' cult film THX 1138, the album would feature the hit 99. Despite the songs massive appeal and popularity, Lukather would later reflect on how much he hated the song, thus why it was rarely performed after the Hydra support tour.

By this point, the band were no strangers to promotional music videos. For their debut, they recorded ones for their three aforementioned hits, and for Hydra, recorded four more: 99, Hydra, St. George And The Dragon, and All Us Boys. In a way, they were helping to pave the road for an upcoming MTV and consistently released new videos to support their albums.

Toto ventured into arena rock for 1980's Turn Back. While it would later become a fan favorite, at the time it was poorly received. Lukather would later recount that while the studio let them do what they wanted for the album, upon its release essentially told them to get back to work and produce a hit record of be dropped. They responded with one of the most commercially successful albums of all time, 1982's Toto IV.

Hits Africa, Rosanna, Waiting For Your Love, Make Believe, and I Won't Hold You Back, catapulted the band into 80's superstardom. Aided by music videos for the first three noted singles, Toto was not only dominating radio stations, but MTV. Rosanna would be the biggest among the bunch, leading to multiple Grammy nominations, with the band ultimately winning six. Steve Porcaro would also contribute to the writing of Human Nature for Michael Jackson's Thriller, with several members of Toto contributing as session musicians.

At the peak of their popularity, David Hungate would opt to leave the band to pursue a career as a session musician in Nashville. This decision was mainly based on the popularity of Toto IV, which Hungate felt would prevent him from spending time with his family. Third brother, Mike Porcaro, was brought in to replace him.

Things were on a downward spiral for Bobby Kimball as well. Battling substance abuse, the singer reached a point where it severely affected his vocal performance, reliability, and ability to record during the Isolation album sessions. The decision was made to fire him in 1984. Prior to replacing him with Fergie Frederiksen, the remaining members recorded and produced the soundtrack to Dune.

Isolation wouldn't perform as expected, ultimately being labeled a failure. Though it would reach gold status, mainly aided by the singe Stranger In Town, critics and fans would pan it for simply not sounding like Toto IV. While the band toured in support, this would wrap up relatively quickly in just three months. Frederiksen was also fired at this point, with Lukather stating he simply didn't mesh with the band.

With Frederiksen out, and new member, Joseph Williams, son to composer John Williams in, Toto began work on what would become Fahrenheit. The album is noted for bringing the band back to its pop rock roots, and despite Williams singing on the majority of the songs, it would be the two Lukather sung tracks, I'll Be Over You, and Without Your Love, which would become the takeaway hits.

To me, Fahrenheit feels too polished and over produced. Perhaps one would think that's a crazy assessment, but it's overly glossy finished product kind of detracts from it. There's no room, or perhaps tolerance for imperfections from the band, and the end result is that it just feels like it's trying too hard.

Yes, it does have some good stuff on it. Among the bunch, for me, were Till The End, Can't Stand It Any Longer, I'll Be Over You, and the title track itself. It's by no means a bad album. It's just trying too hard to be perfect.

I think one of the key aspects that is missing for me is the harmony aspect that made previous hits stand out. Williams is for sure a good singer, but his voice doesn't mesh as smoothly with Lukather as Kimbell's did. The album also seems to stay in a downbeat tempo, not reaching the dance friendly levels of prior releases. Again, it's okay, but there's definitely a steady decline in quality from Toto at this point.

Tired of the rock and roll life, and the grueling touring schedule that came with it, keyboardist Steve Porcaro would opt to leave the band after the album was released. The band would opt not to replace him and instead carried on as five members.

In 1988, Toto released their final studio album of the decade, which is what I'll be listening to tomorrow. Until then, this post has plenty of words at this point.

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Retro Spins: Chicago - Chicago 18

By 1985, Chicago was riding the waves from their previous year opus, Chicago 17. The six-time platinum album catapulted the band into mainstream success, solidifying their names in the minds of a new generation. To help in this, the band would embrace MTV and start releasing music videos. They'd also contribute the song, Good For Nothing, to USA For Africa's We Are The World.

It was also around this point in time that Peter Cetera wanted to focus on a solo career. He proposed to the band to mimic the schedule of Genesis and Phil Collins, though probably not in those words, taking a hiatus after tours to allow him to do this. The members declined, prompting him to leave. This decision would pretty much bite the band on the backside. Cetera would go on to have massive solo chart hits with Glory Of Love for The Karate Kid Part II, One Good Woman, and the Amy Grant duet, The Next Time I Fall. Chicago on the other hand, well, not so much. Jason Scheff would be brought in to replace him.

Prior to the release of 1986's Chicago 18, the band would win Favorite Pop/Rock Band/Duo/Group for the second time at the 13th Annual American Music Awards. However, this would be the last time they'd receive such an award. Upon its release, 18 would drastically underperform. In comparison to the six-time platinum status of the previous album, reaching gold, which it did, was simply unacceptable.

With the potential I saw on the tail end of my Chicago 16 Retro Spin quickly dissipating, I guess I'll pause there, and jump in.

Chicago 18 isn't devoid of hits. It does, after all, contain Will You Still Love Me?, If She Would Have Been Faithfull..., and the updated 25 Or 6 To 4, which was an MTV stapple at the time. But that loss of Cetera is definitely noticeable.

Niagra Falls opens the album with a decent start. It's got a catchy hook to the chorus and captures the synthpop sound of 17. I daresay Scheff and Bill Champlin are trying to channel their own inner Peter Cetera vocal sound. However, this quickly does a 180, and suddenly we're back to post pop Chicago, blaring horns and all. It's not my favorite sound of the band, and as a result, doesn't resonate well.

I think, and don't get mad if you're a Chicago fan, but I think they forgot what made them popular in the 80's, and instead reverted back to a style which saw them steadily decline in popularity as the 70's progressed into the 80's. If you'll recall from my previous post, that sound didn't work well for them at all with their 1980 released XIV, and actually resulted in them being dropped from their label. With all that said, Will You Still Love Me remains a beast of a song, and despite the other hits from the album, it's definitely the superior standout.

Eighteen would be the last album produced for the band by David Foster, who cited growing creative tensions and strained relationships with the members. Ironically, the sound Foster produced, which put the band at the peak of their popularity was also what they held him in contempt for, feeling he had ruined their jazz sound in lieu of power ballads and pop hits. Talk about biting the hand that feeds.

Chicago themselves would close out the 80's with 1988's Chicago 19, and 1989's Greatest Hits 1982–1989. Both would serve as a last hoorah for the band's overall popularity, and from there a return to form of declining sales would occur. More on that tomorrow.

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