Y&T: Contagious(1987)

 

So after the 1985 Tbone*  approved ‘Down For The Count’ in which I didn’t approve Y&T still went about their business and in doing so retooled their sound, signed a new deal with Geffen records and released in September of 1987 ‘Contagious’.

I thought I would give Y&T the benefit of the doubt and purchased ‘Contagious’ on cassette for the Walkman that was in overdrive at the time  and to be honest I never ever even thought of buying this on Album.

POP QUIZ QUESTION: When you think back to 1987 what huge hard rock album ruled supreme on the charts well into 1988 and was also on Geffen records?

No cheating folk’s…Got your Guess? Ok scroll down….

POP QUIZ ANSWER: Whitesnake  or as I call it the John Sykes Guitar Exhibition  with the 1987 album would be the answer! Whitesykes ruled video and radio time back than. If you guessed another Geffen act ‘Guns N Roses’ good one but Whitesnake came out in April of 87. Guns ‘Appetite for Destruction’ was released in July of 87 but ‘Appetite’ didn’t really take off until the summer of 88…

Why the Pop Question you ask?

Well Y&T not only being on the same label as Whitesnake also used Hugh Syme who also designed the cover artwork for Whitesnakes 87 album and Y&T also went for a more hard rock modern approach as well in the tunes! Syme by the way was Rush’s Art Director for basically all of Rush’s albums.

I guess the suits at Geffen were banking on the fact that hopefully some mojo in the form of huge success would finally take Y&T to the next level.

Did it?

For starters Drummer Leaonard Haze(RIP) departed and was replaced by Jimmy Degrasso. Four outside writers were brought in perhaps to get song’s on the radio including the song ‘Bodily Harm’ that Y&T didn’t even have a hand in writing.

Taylor Rhodes a song doctor you could call him had 3 co writes and is the chap responsible for ‘Bodily Harm’.

Suits want. Suits get! Y&T with a new label had to play by the rules!

Acquiring Contagious 31 years later on vinyl is an interesting listen as to be honest outside the title track I couldn’t even recall any of these songs. So do these songs stand the test of time?

The production of the album is very 1987 in hard rock circles. Producer Kevin Beamish  keeps the guitars and drums cranked of course but it’s the late 80’s and big time catchy like hook’s are the choice of many!

The song’s ‘Contagious’ ‘L.A Rocks‘ ‘Armed and Dangerous’ ‘Rhythm or Not’ and especially the non written band track ‘Bodily Harm’ subscribe to this theory of big time ‘Ohh-Ohh-Ohh’s that are used throughout.

Contagious the song is the best out of these with Armed and Dangerous being a close second. Bodily Harm is the one that is a little to obvious for my listening buds now and back than.

Posted the video for Contagious and man you just gotta love those old Metal Vids as in this vid the Geek is  not cool. Hangs with Y&T becomes cool and gets the girl! Shit,this is Tbone’s life in HighSchool except he got a car not Y&T to hang with in his car! Instead he got…Me! haha

Beautiful!

The only song on here that really sounds like the old Y&T is the musical only  blues driven tinged ‘I’ll Cry for You’ which closes out the album.

Guitarist/Lead Vocalist Dave Meniketti and Guitarist Joey Alves(R.I.P) play some great guitar and such and I will say Meniketti being the main songwriter of the band must have had a ton of pressure on him to produce songs and to keep the band moving forward.

Contagious is a good not great album by these guys and outside of a few live albums by Y&T throughout the years was the last actual store purchased studio  product that I bought by these guys!

Seriously, like 31 years ago!

Give these guys credit for always trying but like so many acts at the time  always came up a little short!

I will give Dave Meniketti his due that he’s still out there touring the clubs and flying the Flag of Y&T…

Gotta respect em for that!

*-After the ‘Verbal Hazing’ Tbone took after the Down for the Count album I think he avoided Y&T at all costs. Who can blame him really but then again maybe he snuck  a few more of these kind of albums under my radar like the time he thought he could get away with hiding  the ‘Bad English’ debut from me! To his credit Tbone has been great fodder to write about. Better yet it’s all true!

 

 

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