The following four new Rock Candy titles are all available now from www.rockcandyrecords.com for a discounted price including postage to anywhere in the world for the next two weeks ending on October 6.
MOTT 'DRIVE ON' CANDY245
THERE IS NO doubt that Mott The Hoople were one of the most influential British rock bands of the 1970s. Having gone from a struggling club band to wider international success, it came as something of a shock when leader Ian Hunter pulled the band apart by quitting in late 1974, taking flamboyant guitarist Mick Ronson with him to peruse a solo career. For the other members of Mott The Hoople this could have spelt disaster but fortunately their resolve and determination overcame all obstacles resolving to carry on with a revised line up.
Enlisting new guitarist Ray Major and unknown vocalist Nigel Benjamin (recommended to the band by Bad Company and former Hoople guitarist Mick Ralphs), the band reconvened, still signed to CBS, but under the new handle of Mott. It was this line-up (also featuring former MTH stalwarts Pete 'Overend' Watts, Dale 'Buffin' Griffin and Morgan Fisher) that recorded 'Drive On' one of the year's most surprising and exciting albums.
Although it exploring some of the more grandiose musical themes touched on by latter day MTH, the album is also a hot-bed of hard rocking, allowing the extraordinary vocals of Nigel Benjamin to take centre stage. It's this full-on direction that lent the record a sense of urgency that still impresses to this day ' a fact that hasn't escaped the attention of Def Leppard vocalist Joe Elliott who has, in recent years, persistently championed these songs in concert and on newly recorded versions.
Special Deluxe Collector's Edition, fully remastered sound, contain bonus track, companion essay from Joe Elliott, 16 page full colour booklet, new interviews, 3,000 word essay, enhanced artwork and rare photos.
TRACK LISTING: 1. BY TONIGHT 2. MONTE CARLO 3. SHE DOES IT 4. I'LL TELL YOU SOMETHING 5. STIFF UPPER LIP 6. LOVE NOW 7. APOLOGIES 8. THE GREAT WHITE WAIL 9. HERE WE ARE 10. IT TAKES ONE TO KNOW ONE 11. I CAN SHOW YOU HOW IT IS BONUS TRACK: 12. SHOUT IT ALL OUT
MOTT 'SHOUTING & POINTING' CANDY246
WHEN IAN HUNTER and Mick Ronson quit Mott The Hoople in late 1974, many thought that the band would become just another fondly remembered and well respected entry in the history of rock. Few would have gambled on the remaining band members rising up, dusting themselves down and getting back in the ring ready to fight another day. Re-tooled under the newly abbreviated moniker of Mott, the band recruited guitarist Ray Major and super talented yet unknown vocalist Nigel Benjamin, releasing 'Drive On', one of the most impressive albums of 1975.
Finding support at all levels, the band reconvened for the follow up album 'Shouting And Pointing', issued in 1976, a far more panoramic record which took the original Mott The Hoople blue-print, using it to their advantage, increasing the energy level and constructing songs that utilized ambitious arrangements. Nigel Benjamin was a real find, a man seemingly without any vocal ceiling who was also a great frontman.
Produced by studio veteran Eddie Kramer (Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin) at the Manor studios in Oxfordshire and mixed by the equally esteemed Bill Price (Sex Pistols, Guns 'N Roses) the material is both challenging and commercially addictive. Songs such as 'Collision Course', 'Storm' and 'Hold On You're Crazy' rock the house but its 'Career (No Such Thing As Rock And Roll)' and the title track that construct a vivid picture of the band's grandiose ambitions.
Special Deluxe Collector's Edition, fully remastered sound, contain bonus track, companion essay from Joe Elliott, 16 page full colour booklet, new interviews, 3,000 word essay, enhanced artwork and rare photos.
TRACK LISTING: 1. SHOUTING & POINTING 2. COLLISION COURSE 3. STORM 4. CAREER (NO SUCH THING AS ROCK 'N' ROLL) 5. HOLD ON, YOU'RE CRAZY 6. SEE YOU AGAIN 7. TOO SHORT ARMS (I DON'T CARE) 8. BROADSIDE OUTCASTS 9. GOOD TIMES BONUS TRACK: 10. 'TOO SHORT ARMS (I DON'T CARE)' (Remix)
BULLETBOYS 'S/T' CANDY203
THERE IS NO getting away from it, Los Angeles in the late 80s was ground zero for hard rock and heavy metal. The Sunset Strip was home to literally hundreds of up and coming acts, all desperate to place their stake in the ground and climb the ladder to a bigger and better future. One such act was the BulletBoys, a lean and mean rocking machine who's melodic yet raw sensibilities set them apart from the competition by a country mile.
However, although the band's upward trajectory was a veritable rocket powered climb, it hadn't always been that way for the individual members. Guitarist Mick Sweda had been in lauded but poorly performing rockers King Kobra and towards the end that band's existence it also featured bassist Lonnie Vencent and vocalist Marq Torien. It was these three renegades that jumped ship to form the BulletBoys.
With shrewd management and a desire to impress, the band stayed away from the LA clubs and concentrated on rehearsing and writing songs, a plan that paid handsome dividends when Warner Brothers records, and, in particular, their head of A&R legendary producer Ted Templeman (Van Halen, Montrose), jumped at the chance to sign them. With Ted in the production seat, their self titled debut album, issued in 1988, quickly attained gold certification harboured a string of energy infused tracks that still sound great today.
Special Deluxe Collector's Edition, fully remastered sound, Produced by Ted Templeman (Van Halen, Montrose), 12 page full colour booklet, new interviews, 3,000 word essay, enhanced artwork and rare photos.
TRACK LISTING: 1. HARD AS A ROCK 2. SMOOTH UP IN YA 3. OWED TO JOE 4. SHOOT THE PREACHER DOWN 5. FOR THE LOVE OF MONEY 6. KISSIN' KITTY 7. HELL ON MY HEELS 8. CRANK ME UP 9. BADLANDS 10. F#9
DANGER DANGER 'S/T' CANDY200
New York, New York. So good they named it twice. Well, if that sort of shtick was good enough for ol' Blue eyes then it was certainly good enough for late 80s New York area melodic hard rockers Danger Danger whose songs 'Naughty, Naughty' and 'Bang Bang' helped to emphasise the point perfectly. Not that they needed to accentuate anything but the music, an impressive commodity that took then from the relative obscurity of the New Jersey bars and clubs to European stages and the wide screen appeal of MTV.
Formed in 1986, the band concentrated on forging songs and a sound that would secure them a foothold on the burgeoning melodic hard rock scene. Obscure they may have been but inexperienced they were not. Several of the band had not only paid their dues locally but had played with or backed a number of other artists, including Talas, Joe Lynn Turner, White Lion, Michael Bolton, Saraya and underground pomp rock legends Prophet.
Fashioning memorable songs with firebrand riffs, the band were signed by the Imagine label (a division of Epic Records, headed by Industry legend Lennie Petze) and put into the studio with Lance Quinn (Bon Jovi, Lita Ford). The band's self titled debut album, issued in 1989, instantly produced a hit single with the MTV friendly 'Naughty Naughty', a song that defined the band's appeal as one of the best high-energy melodic rock bands of the era.
Special Deluxe Collector's Edition, fully remastered sound, 5 bonus tracks, Produced by Lance Quinn (Bon Jovi, Lita Ford), 12 page full colour booklet, new interview, 3,000 word essay, enhanced artwork and rare photos.
TRACK LISTING: 1. NAUGHTY NAUGHTY 2. UNDER THE GUN 3. SATURDAY NITE 4. DON'T WALK AWAY 5. BANG BANG 6. ROCK AMERICA 7. BOYS WILL BE BOYS 8. ONE STEP FROM PARADISE 9. FEELS LIKE LOVE 10. TURN IT ON 11. LIVE IT UP BONUS TRACKS LIVE 1990 11. BOYS WILL BE BOYS 12. BANG BANG 13. GROOVE OR DIE (instrumental) 14. NAUGHTY NAUGHTY 15. ROCK 'N ROLL HOOCHIE KOO
