The following five new Rock Candy titles are available now from www.rockcandyrecords.com for a discounted price including postage to anywhere ending on July 17.
GIRL 'SHEER GREED' CANDY307
CRASHING AWKWARDLY in to a scene that was almost exclusively primed for down and dirty hard rock, Girl were utterly out of step with the times. Hard rock bands during the very early 1980s complied with a strict in-vogue youth uniform of denim, leather and greasy long hair. The NWOBHM, as it was labelled, may have been a force for good but it certainly wasn't tolerant of aesthetic deviation' something that Girl found to be a major stumbling block.
Dressed to kill, they resembled a car-crash combination of Duran Duran, Japan and the New York Dolls. Musically, however, their riff-tastic style was more in tune with Aerosmith, Cheap Trick and Kiss. The band's somewhat androgynous look, penchant for eye makeup and cocky pouts, set them apart and there was no getting away from the fact that visually these guys were totally out of step with the scene. Sadly, therefore, they suffered some ridicule; despite the fact that they were actually trailblazing a style that was later successfully utilised by acts such as Hanoi Rocks, Motley Crue and Ratt.
Signed to Jet Records (owned and operated by the Mr Big of rock, Don Arden), this, the band's debut album, co-produced by Chris Tsangarides (Y&T, Thin Lizzy) and Nick Tauber (Def Leppard, UFO), made the critics swoon, but on the streets it was a different story, with the band failing to make inroads and wrestling with a label that didn't quite 'get it'. It remains, however, a masterpiece of musical juxtaposition boasting explosive tracks like 'My Number', 'Hollywood Tease' and an OTT cover of the Kiss Klassic 'Do You Love Me'.
SPECIAL DELUXE COLLECTOR'S EDITION, FULLY REMASTERED SOUND, 2 BONUS TRACKS, FEATURES PHIL COLLEN (DEF LEPPARD) AND PHILIP LEWIS (GIRL) 20 PAGE FULL COLOUR BOOKLET, 3,500 WORD ESSAY ABOUT THE MAKING OF THE ALBUM WITH NEW BAND INTERVIEWS, ENHANCED ARTWORK AND PREVIOUSLY UNSEEN PHOTOS.
TRACK LISTING: 1. HOLLYWOOD TEASE 2. THE THINGS YOU SAY 3. LOVELY LORRAINE 4. STRAWBERRIES 5. LITTLE MISS ANN 6. DOCTOR DOCTOR 7. DO YOU LOVE ME 8. TAKE ME DANCING 9. WHATS UP 10. PASSING CLOUDS 11. MY NUMBER 12. HEARTBREAK AMERICA BONUS TRACKS: 13. YOU REALLY GOT ME (B-Side) 14. LOVE IS A GAME (Single)
GIRL 'WASTED YOUTH' CANDY308
THEY COULDN'T have been more different; five musical rouges from London who had, almost by accident, joined a NWOBHM street party and found themselves sticking out like dandies in bare knuckle cage fight. That these guys were unique was the least of their worries. Fortunately, they made amends by tooling up with razor sharp riffs, knock out hooks and raw production. They were also fronted by a charismatic lead vocalist that taunted the crowd by blowing kisses to bikers.
'Wasted Youth' was the band's second album for Jet Records, originally issued in 1982, and one that was recorded in two phases, amidst getting bogged down in the sort of unnecessary label aggro that had already started to erode their faith. Learning from their previous visual faux pas, they decided to dial down the glam look and concentrate on beefing up their sound, with tough guy bravado and a dress code to match. It was a brave attempt to redress the balance but, despite the coordinated effort and finely honed material, the project was still not firing on all six with a label still unable to connect the dots.
'Wasted Youth', sadly, was lost in space, a fate accentuated by the departure of guitarist Phil Collen, accepting an offer to join Def Leppard for their epoch making 'Pyromania' album. Later, Phil Lewis went on to front highly successful rock outfit LA Guns. Both of them left behind a 24 Karat legacy, one that has been hailed by several high profile musicians as a huge influence on the glam rock explosion.
SPECIAL DELUXE COLLECTOR'S EDITION, 2CD SET, FULLY REMASTERED SOUND, 12 BONUS TRACKS, FETAURES PHIL COLLEN (DEF LEPPARD) AND PHILIP LEWIS (GIRL) 16 PAGE FULL COLOUR BOOKLET, 4,000 WORD ESSAY ABOUT THE MAKING OF THE ALBUM WITH NEW BAND INTERVIEWS, ENHANCED ARTWORK AND PREVIOUSLY UNSEEN PHOTOS.
TRACK LISTING: DISC ONE 1. THRU THE TWILITE 2. OLD DOGS 3. ICE IN THE BLOOD 4. WASTED YOUTH 5. STANDARD ROMANCE 6. NICE 'N' NASTY 7. McKITTY'S BACK 8. 19 9. OVERNIGHT ANGELS 10. SWEET KIDS DISC TWO 'Live at the Marquee 23/10/1981 1. ICE IN THE BLOOD 2. ICEY BLUE 3. MAD FOR IT 4. OVERNIGHT ANGELS 5. OLD DOGS 6. BIG NIGHT 7. SWEET KIDS 8. WASTED YOUTH 9. NICE & NASTY 10. MY NUMBER 11. STANDARD ROMANCE 12. THRU THE TWILITE
TARGET 'S/T' CANDY309
ARGUABLY THE BRITISH rock scene was hugely influenced by the massive commercial impact of American melodic rock bands that emerged during the late 70s. However there was a time, earlier in the decade, when British rock cast a huge impact on American music. Acts such as Free, Bad Company, Trapeze and Deep Purple were the hot ticket items of the time and their influence was staggeringly persuasive' not least on Target.
Memphis based Target were keen students of the British sound and forged their style and identity with exacting accuracy. It was a style that showcased vocalist Jimi Jamison's (later to join Survivor) vocals perfectly, a wonderful combination of rough-hewn growls delivered with velvet smoothness, sitting proudly atop songs that packed a decidedly blues rock punch. The combination was hugely compelling.
Discovered by Black Oak Arkansas frontman Jim Dandy and his manager, in a Memphis Club, the five piece band were soon signed to A&M records and put in to the legendary Ardent Studios, with producer John Ryan, to cut this, their debut album. It is a work of sublime proficiency, digging deep into soulful grooves and muscular rock. Despite a concerted effort, including a thirty date US tour opening for Black Sabbath, the record failed to resonate commercially with the public at the time but did it provide a healthy platform from which to launch their follow up album.
SPECIAL DELUXE COLLECTOR'S EDITION, FULLY REMASTERED SOUND, 2 BONUS TRACKS, FEATURES JIMI JAMISON, 12 PAGE FULL COLOUR BOOKLET, 3,500 WORD ESSAY ABOUT THE MAKING OF THE ALBUM WITH NEW BAND INTERVIEWS, ENHANCED ARTWORK AND PREVIOUSLY UNSEEN PHOTOS.
TRACK LISTING: 1. LOVE JUST WON'T QUIT 2. BAD BOY 3. LET ME LIVE 4. JUST A LITTLE TOO MUCH 5. CAN'T FAKE IT 6. 99 ' 7. YOU NEED A WOMAN 8. LET ME DOWN EASY 9. WORKIN' SONG 10. ARE YOU READY BONUS TRACKS: 11. YOU NEED A WOMAN (LIVE 1978) 12. LET ME LIVE (LIVE 1978)
TARGET 'CAPTURED' CANDY309
MEMPHIS DURING THE 70s was a hot bed of musical talent. Sure, its blues and r 'n' b roots had always been proudly on display, but with the explosion of FM radio, bigger live venues, and the establishment of a renown studio (Ardent), the city seemed to be providing its home grown musicians with an opportunity to set the world on fire. None of these possibilities were lost on Target, a cabal of tough rockers keen to stamp their identity on the local scene and beyond.
Riding a wave of creativity and seeking to maximise their already solid reputation as a band to watch, Target took the recording of this, their second album, with an impressive sense of purpose. Their debut album had been well received, but 'Captured', originally issued in 1977 on the A&M label, showcased a band looking to maximise not only their sound but also their image, profile and appeal.
Retaining their southern rock roots, the album was recorded by producer Paul Hornsby (the Allman Brothers Band, Marshall Tucker Band, Grinderswitch) at the famed Capricorn Studios in Macon, Georgia. Tougher than the debut, the album oozes a decidedly British blues rock influence, bringing to mind Humble Pie, Bad Company and Trapeze, with vocalist Jimi Jamison developing his unique, velvety rasp, which would later serve him well as the frontman of Survivor. Sadly, swamped by insurmountable business and managerial problems, Target eventually dissolved, leaving behind two fine but now little known albums.
SPECIAL DELUXE COLLECTOR'S EDITION, FULLY REMASTERED SOUND, 6 BONUS TRACKS, FEATURES JIMI JAMISON, 12 PAGE FULL COLOUR BOOKLET, 3,500 WORD ESSAY ABOUT THE MAKING OF THE ALBUM WITH NEW BAND INTERVIEWS, ENHANCED ARTWORK AND PREVIOUSLY UNSEEN PHOTOS.
TRACK LISTING: 1. IT'S ONLY LOVE 2. SHINE THE LIGHT 3. RUNAWAY 4. JUST FOR YOU 5. MAYBE IN TIME 6. MAKE OUR DREAMS COME TRUE 7. HOLDIN' ON 8. ROCK AND ROLL LAUREATE BONUS TRACKS - LIVE 1978 9. HOLDIN' ON 10. RUNAWAY 11. MAKE OUR DREAMS COME TRUE 12.JUST FOR YOU 13. MAYBE IN TIME 14. IT'S ONLY LOVE
BULLSEYE 'ON TARGET' CANDY313
BACK IN THE day, long before MTV or the internet, new artists and records just sort of escaped into the record stores with little explanation or indeed fanfare. For us in Europe the situation was even more mystical. We would keep an eye on the import racks looking for new stateside releases that showed some kind of musical promise. Boston, Kansas, Starcastle and Journey all came to our attention via this random method of discovery and Bullseye were no exception to this.
With roots in the Boston, Massachusetts scene but coming together in New York City, they quickly secured a record deal with the prestigious Columbia label, and set about recording their debut album, with producer Rob Stevens (who'd previously worked with prog rockers Crack The Sky), at the renowned Le Studio, Morin Heights, Quebec, and finished it in NYC at the Hit Factory. It was a match made in heaven, with the results displaying a musical maturity that defied the band's relatively fresh faced status.
Housed in a striking cover that suggested something special indeed, those of us that ventured deeper were delighted to find a well honed record, exploding with melodic hard rock firepower, and one that always kept songs at the forefront of the objective. Originally issued in 1979, tracks such as 'Moonwalk', 'Seventh Heaven' and 'I've Changed' lead the way but it's 'Treat Me Right' that will spark the most recognition as Pat Benatar went on to secure a hit single with it in 1980.
SPECIAL DELUXE COLLECTOR'S EDITION, FULLY REMASTERED SOUND, 3 BONUS TRACKS, 12 PAGE FULL COLOUR BOOKLET, 2,500 WORD ESSAY ABOUT THE MAKING OF THE ALBUM WITH NEW BAND INTERVIEWS AND ENHANCED ARTWORK.
TRACK LISTING: 1. TREAT ME RIGHT 2. SEVENTH HEAVEN 3. I'VE CHANGED (NEVER WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN) 4. MOONWALK 5. IN THE HEAT OF THE SUMMER 6. MY OLD CAR 7. DON'T LET HIM KNOW 8. WHAT CAN I SAY 9. DON'T LOSE A DAY 10. MARCH ON, TIME BONUS TRACKS: 11. IT'S OVER 12. AGELESS 13. OLIVIA
