SONIC WAVES...Album Reviews

Coney Hatch/Friction(1985)

29 Comments

unknown-18

After I read Coney Guitarist Carl Dixon’s Autobiography Strange Way To Live the title of the third Coney album Friction has more substance to it than just the title.

Crappy Record Company not doing anything to promote the third Hatch release,  a producer not sure which direction to go with these guys(Max Norman) plus add in a new drummer(Barry Conners) Coney is fighting to survive.

Friction is a different Coney compared to the self titled and the second album Outta Hand.

It’s a sound that is matured somewhat and perhaps an eye on more mainstream rock that was out at the time. A little more polish added to smooth off those rough edges sonically.

The song’s are great Coney Tracks that 32 years later I appreciate more as in This Ain’t Love/She’s Gone/Fantasy and Bassist Andy Currans rocking Wrong Side Of Town. Lead Guitarist Steve Shelski plays brilliantly a little more melodic than what was on the first two Coney albums but still has enough juice to get the job done.

It’s a shame this album was dead upon arrival but as a Fanboy I bought this at the time and it has aged like a fine wine.

200-word

ontario-bands-week

29 thoughts on “Coney Hatch/Friction(1985)”

    1. True the debut Coney album would be right up your alley so to speak. The second Outta Hand was a little more polished still decent but not as good as the debut.
      The thing as well is Outta Hand came out the same week as Pyromania on the same label in the U.S and we all know who got the promo push form the record company. Dixon explains it perfectly without sounding bitter in his book. He said they were getting a ton of radio play but because of the payola of radio Coney was screwed..
      The third album for sure is more streamlined and i’m with you on your call of it. They were basically adrift. Dixon also wrote that they went from opening for Priest and Maiden in 20,000 seaters to being third on a bill opening for Accept/Rough Cutt and playing to about 3,000 a night….
      His book is great read…

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  3. Hahah two logos! Was this a 200 word review too??

    Seems so many bands had to streamline to “make it” and then find that it didn’t work! Still some of these types of albums can be quite good. Some aren’t…I’ll have to check out Friction! I do like Max Norman as a producer.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. yup all 3 of my posts are 200 words this week that way i was able to contribute to these shenanigins as well!
      Friction is like I said to Joe is better than now as it dropped and was out of place a the time.
      It’s full of of Hard Rock Gems…
      Norman also produced the Outta HAND as well…

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    2. Knowing that your an Aldo Nova fan he covered Hey Operator on his Subject album. It’s a different take on Coney’s original. Aldo was also slated to produce this album Friction but it didn’t work out for some reason ….

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

  5. You know, this is a band I’ve never got to yet… (I’ll see myself out…)

    Still, cool post! I came here to learn! Also, I am a big supporter of the 200 word post. And the 80 word one, too.

    Like

    Reply

  6. New to me, but that track is okay. I believe we’ve all said this before, but are so many bands fall through the cracks, eh? Be it the result of label focus being elsewhere or just having too many similar bands. Anyhoo, I’ll check this lot out… seek out the debut, though?

    Like

    Reply

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.