The following four new Rock Candy titles are available now from www.rockcandyrecords.com for a discounted price including postage to anywhere in the world for the next two weeks ending on June 1st.
RAGE 'OUT OF CONTROL' CANDY260
LIVERPOOL'S MOST FAMOUS export was, undeniably, the Beatles, a band that would become the UK's most successful musical export. Of lesser impact of course, but much loved on the local scene, were 70s rock stalwarts Nutz, a band that reached a certain level of success but, ultimately, buckled under numerous financial and business pressures. However, the one great benefit of that demise was the subsequent birth of Rage, a unit fit for the emerging hard rock explosion being pioneered by the NWOBHM.
Signed to the French based Carerre label, home of Saxon, Rose Tattoo and Dokken, Rage utilised the prevailing zeitgeist of the time, quickly establishing themselves as an influential part of the emerging scene. Their debut album 'Out Of Control', issued in 1981, was produced by man of the moment Pete Hinton (Saxon, Demon) giving the material a contemporary, rough hewn, sheen which garnered great critical reaction and laid the foundations for intensive live work.
Musically, the songs focussed on tight riffs and memorable hooks, giving vocalist Dave Lloyd a platform to ably demonstrate his range and style. Look out also for some incredible guitar soloing from Mick Devonport a man, who during his previous tenure with Nutz, had obviously been hiding his talent under a bushel. Material such as 'I Don't Wanna Leave', 'Money', 'Out Of Control' and 'Roll The Dice' perfectly demonstrates why they were seen as one of the UK's brightest hopes.
Special Deluxe Collector's Edition, fully remastered sound, 2 Bonus Tracks, 12 page full colour booklet, new interviews, 3,500 word essay, enhanced artwork and rare photos.
TRACK LISTING: 1. OUT OF CONTROL 2. WHAT HAVE I DONE WRONG? 3. SHE'S ON FIRE 4. ROLL THE DICE 5. FALLEN IDOL 6. MONEY 7. I DON'T WANNA LEAVE 8. RAGE 9. THANK THAT WOMAN BONUS TRACKS: 10. DOUBLE DEALER 11. BOOTLIGGERS
RAGE 'NICE 'N' DIRTY' CANDY261
LIVERPOOL BASED OUTFIT Rage were been born out of the ashes of well-respected 70s hard rock unit Nutz, a group who had released four well received albums for A&M Records. With relations cooling between the label, the band and their management, it was decided, out of sheer frustration and political uncertainty, to cut off those associations and move on to pastures new, albeit under a different name.
Re-branded as Rage, the band signed to enterprising independent label Carrere Records (home of Saxon, Rose Tattoo and Dokken) and began their fight back by releasing the album 'Out Of Control'. Surprisingly, it also became an entree into the emerging NWOBM movement, a scene that embraced Rage as not only defenders of the faith but also as an exciting new prospect that would undoubtedly reach new heights in the future.
'Nice 'N Dirty', the band's second album, originally issued in 1983, played to their strengths, showcasing a determined and rugged sound befitting the hard rock zeitgeist prevalent at the time. It also signalled the addition of second guitarist Terry 'Tony' Steers, helping to reinforce their more muscular approach. Perfectly produced by Peter Hinton, the album contains a number of impressive tracks, including the prophetic 'American Radio Stations', 'Wasted Years', Heartbreaker' and 'Long Way From Home'.
Special Deluxe Collector's Edition, fully remastered sound, 12 page full colour booklet, new interviews, 3,500 word essay, enhanced artwork and rare photos.
TRACK LISTING: 1. AMERICAN RADIO STATIONS 2. WASTED YEARS 3. WOMAN 4. HEARTBREAKER 5. SILVER AND GOLD 6. LONG WAY FROM HOME 7. ONLY CHILD 8. BLAME IT ON THE NIGHT 9. WILD CAT WOMAN 10. READY TO GO
RAGE 'RUN FOR THE NIGHT' CANDY262
WHEN LIVERPOOL BASED 70s hard rock legends Nutz were forced, by their record company, to change their name to Rage at the turn of the decade, many long time fans were apprehensive that they would also alter their musical approach. Fortunately that was not the case, with the band choosing, if anything, to adopt a much more hard-hitting style. A sound that would rather unknowingly align them to a new breed of guitar fuelled bands operating under a banner known as the NWOBHM.
For Rage, this scene provided them with the perfect opportunity to not only update their sound but to also wipe the slate clean. Signed to the fast rising independent label Carrere, they issued two well received albums before settling in to record their third record, the slightly more refined 'Run For The Night', a record that would be the band's bid to hitch their wagon to the more melodic, arguably AOR, side of rock genre.
Self produced, the band enlisted the help of fellow Liverpudlian songwriter Steve Morris, of revered AOR rockers Export, to help with material. For the first time they also utilised well crafted keyboard support lending a bold sheen to their third and final album with tracks such as 'Fantasy', 'Can't Say No', 'No Prisoners' and the hard rockin' 'Lady Killer' taking pride of place. A fitting finale to this well respected and highly cherished band.
Special Deluxe Collector's Edition, fully remastered sound, 12 page full colour booklet, new interviews, 3,500 word essay, enhanced artwork and rare photos.
TRACK LISTING: 1. CRY FROM A HILL 2. FANTASY 3. CAN'T SAY NO 4. LIGHT YEARS 5. LADYKILLER 6. NO PRISONERS 7. RUN FOR THE NIGHT 8. BADLANDS 9. NEVER BEFORE 10. ROCK FEVER
VICIOUS RUMORS 'S/T' CANDY267
IT'S WELL KNOWN that the San Francisco Bay Area produced many fine bands during the 1960s and 70s, but they were almost exclusively in a psychedelic or hippy-trippy folk style. However, by the 1980s the pendulum was swinging towards heavier rock acts, a scene led by the emergence of local thrash and power metal mavericks, including Metallica, Death Angel, Exodus and Testament. It was a surprising turn of events but one that provided a healthy, some might say insatiable, taste amongst a new breed of fans for fast and furious shredding.
Vicious Rumors were amongst the pioneering acts of the Bay Area scene and, despite their uncompromising style, they also earned a well deserved reputation as the thinking man's power-metal outfit. Never afraid to infuse their sound with intricate twists and turns, the musicianship indicated that they might have had more in common with progressive metal than pure thrash. Indeed, guitarist Mark McGee had actually been a member of pomp prog gods Starcastle for a brief moment in time.
Progressing through two independent albums and gaining a solid following, they eventually signed a major deal with industry heavyweights Atlantic Records and cut this self titled album in San Francisco. Issued in 1990, it is a record of extreme maturity, harnessing their power-metal onslaught with precision and force. Featuring killer tracks such as 'Don't Wait For Me', Ship Of Fools' and the title track itself, the album is still impresses to this day.
Special Deluxe Collector's Edition, fully remastered sound, 12 page full colour booklet, new interviews, 3,500 word essay, enhanced artwork and rare photos.
TRACK LISTING: 1. DON'T WAIT UP FOR ME 2. WORLD CHURCH 3. ON THE EDGE 4. SHIP OF FOOLS 5. CAN YOU HEAR IT 6. DOWN TO THE TEMPLE 7. HELLRAISER 8. ELECTRIC TWILIGHT 9. THRILL OF THE HUNT 10.AXE AND SMASH
