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 29th of May.
ROUGH CUTT 'S/T' CANDY292
'DURING THE EARLY 80's, hard rock was fast turning into a red hot commodity. Los Angeles appeared to be at the epicentre of the movement, with a number of acts getting primed and ready for big success and nearly all uniformly subjected to shuffling line-ups and temporary arrangements. So it comes as no surprise to learn that Rough Cutt's formation had mutated with the help of a number of serious players, including future members of RATT, Giuffria and future Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Jake E. Lee.
Mentored by Ronnie James Dio, who recorded demos for the band, and subsequently managed by his wife Wendy Dio, the band secured a coveted deal with label giant Warner Brother's Records. With a settled line up, featuring vocalist Paul Shortino and impressive guitarist Amir Derakh, they set about recording their debut album with British producer Tom Allom (Def Leppard, Judas Priest, Y&T), in their native Los Angeles.
The record took on the hallmarks of a seriously exciting statement, bristling with the sort of riffs and hooks that launched a thousand imitators as the years rolled on. With crisp, clean production and expertly crafted songs such as 'Dreamin' Again', 'Black Widow' and 'Take Her' setting out their stall in majestic fashion. Released in 1984, the album surprisingly failed to connect commercially, despite touring the North America with Dio, yet secured the band enough of a following to record an equally revered follow-up.'
SPECIAL DELUXE COLLECTOR'S EDITION, FULLY REMASTERED SOUND, 16 PAGE FULL COLOUR BOOKLET, 3,500 WORD ESSAY ABOUT THE MAKING OF THE ALBUM WITH NEW BAND INTERVIEWS AND ENHANCED ARTWORK. TRACK LISTING: 1. TAKE HER 2. PIECE OF MY HEART 3. NEVER GONNA DIE 4. DREAMIN' AGAIN 5. CUTT YOUR HEART OUT 6. BLACK WIDOW 7. YOU KEEP BREAKING MY HEART 8. KIDS WILL ROCK 9. DRESSED TO KILL 10. SHE'S TOO HOTT
ROUGH CUTT WANTS YOU! CANDY293
'FOR ROUGH CUTT their career was, in retrospect, all about missed opportunity. As one of the first L.A. based bands to excite the early eighties scene, and signed to label behemoths Warner Brothers Records, they were expected to feed the flames of a growing interest in hard rock. Their debut album was, in turn, feted and praised, but failed, despite being championed by Ronnie James Dio, to connect commercially with the record buying public. Pretty soon, they were being overtaken by fellow contenders such as Quiet Riot, M'tley Cr'e and Dokken.
Despite the lack of achievement, the band was ushered back into the studio to record a follow up album, 'Rough Cutt Wants You!' issued in 1986. In contrast to their debut, it was a record of stylistic advancement, showcasing the band in a more mature light, something more befitting their real ability. Produced by one of the truly great producers of the era Jack Douglas (Aerosmith, Cheap Trick, Starz), and recorded in their home town of Los Angeles, the sound is less abrasive and far more focussed, relying on great arrangements and sublime rhythms.
Tracks such as 'Don't Settle For Less', 'Double Trouble', 'Bad Reputation' and, especially, 'The Night Cries Out (For You)' finds them casting their net wider by introducing a sophistication beyond the regular meat 'n potatoes that you might expect from such a hard rocking collective.'
SPECIAL DELUXE COLLECTOR'S EDITION, FULLY REMASTERED SOUND, 12 PAGE FULL COLOUR BOOKLET, 3,500 WORD ESSAY ABOUT THE MAKING OF THE ALBUM WITH NEW BAND INTERVIEWS AND ENHANCED ARTWORK. TRACK LISTING: 1. ROCK THE USA 2. BAD REPUTATION 3. DON'T SETTLE FOR LESS 4. HOT 'N' HEAVY 5. TAKE A CHANCE 6. WE LIKE IT LOUD 7. DOUBLE TROUBLE 8. YOU WANNA BE A STAR 9. LET 'EM TALK 10. THE NIGHT CRIES OUT (FOR YOU)
HENRY PAUL BAND 'GREY GHOST' CANDY323
'THE ETERNAL APPEAL of southern rock lies mainly in its integrity and righteous sense of belonging. It's a music that had been condensed from folk, blues and traditional country, then shot through with electric rock 'n roll. Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Allman Brothers Band were the kings of the genre, each giving birth to a new breed of groups who built their reputation on those very foundations.
The Outlaws, a fiery guitar driven ensemble from Tampa, Florida took the same blue print and blazed their way from the clubs and bars to headline status in some of the largest venues in the US. Henry Paul was an integral member of the band as a songwriter and vocalist, until he struck out on his own in 1979. Enlisting the help of several gifted friends, he formed his own band and signed an impressive contract with Atlantic Records, going on to craft one of the best southern rock albums of the 70s, a record that has continued to garner a dedicated following and much critical acclaim.
Crammed full of well written and arranged songs, including 'Cross Fire' and 'So Long', the album's unquestionable highlight is the title track itself, a poignant epic written very much as a tribute to Lynyrd Skynyrd and in particular front man Ronnie Van Zant. It is a track that has it all; heart wrenching lyrics, a brilliant arrangement and a lengthy guitar solo in the finest southern rock tradition. Truly a milestone in the genre's long and proud history.'
SPECIAL DELUXE COLLECTOR'S EDITION, FULLY REMASTERED SOUND, 12 PAGE FULL COLOUR BOOKLET, 3,500 WORD ESSAY ABOUT THE MAKING OF THE ALBUM WITH NEW HENRY PAUL INTERVIEW AND ENHANCED ARTWORK. TRACK LISTING: 1. SO LONG 2. CROSS FIRE 3. FOOLIN' 4. WOOD WIND 5. GREY GHOST 6. I DON'T NEED YOU NO MORE 7. LONELY DREAMER 8. ONE-NIGHT STANDS 9. YOU REALLY KNOW (WHAT I MEAN) 10. ALL I NEED
VAN WILKS 'BOMBAY TEARS' CANDY319
'IF TEXAN MUSIC has a 'sound' then Van Wilks would be the perfect example. You may never have heard of him, but that's okay, as he never really intended to be place himself on a pedestal. Van's debut album has become something of a cult artefact amongst aficionados of the obscure, ignored at the time of release but, over time, it has been slowly picking up a reputation as one of the most intelligent and compelling releases of the era.
'Bombay Tears' is not blues rock, jazz rock, hard rock or acoustic rock but a wonderfully addictive combination of all those styles and more. It emits a certain laid back vibe that provides a warm, comforting backdrop to what you might imagine Texas to sound like if it could talk. The beauty of this album is its shifting, yet widescreen soundscape, kitted out with a brace of well written and arranged songs that, although stylistically divergent, have a common thread, from full on hard rock to hard-nosed boogie and even jazz.
Oh, and in case you don't know, Van is a renowned blues guitarist, carving out a reputation that has even caught the ears of master craftsmen from the Lone Star State, including ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons. Originally released in 1980 and produced by John Stronach (Joe Walsh, Sammy Hagar and REO Speedwagon), this first time on CD release has been bolstered by the addition of the rare 1982 independently pressed 'Boystown' EP.'
SPECIAL DELUXE COLLECTOR'S EDITION, FULLY REMASTERED SOUND, 12 PAGE FULL COLOUR BOOKLET, 3,500 WORD ESSAY ABOUT THE MAKING OF THE ALBUM WITH NEW VAN WILKS NTERVIEW AND ENHANCED ARTWORK. TRACK LISTING: 1. DANGER IN THE DARK 2. 1959 3. TRAVELIN' 4. JUVENILE LICKS 5. DE LA COUPOLE LA MER PLEURE 6. BOMBAY TEARS 7. CAN'T CRY ANYMORE 8. SIRENS IN THE NIGHT 9. EYES LIKE LIGHTNING 10. OLDER THAN YOU KNOW 11. LIVING ON BORROWED TIME BONUS TRACKS: 12. BOYSTOWN 13. STREETLEGAL 14. NEVER SAY NO 15. SMALLTOWN GIRL
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