Old Dude School of Rock- 1988- Part 3

Man, I thought 1984 with 28 releases would be the year I bought the most records but it’s looking like 1988 is going to top that. Having said that some of these purchases that you gathered by now have been so-so. 

Having said that, here are more of the Hard Rock that I bought.

I basically ignored buying any Yngwie before 1988 and the only reason I did buy Yngwie was when he put out the album ‘Odyssey’. Yngwie hired Joe Lynn Turner who sang on the brilliant 80s Rainbow records so Yngwie gets a pass and that’s why I bit. I didn’t mind this album. ‘Heaven Tonight’ was a great single and all the songs that Turner had sung on this record Joe actually wrote the lyrics for. Yngwie and all that jerking off on his guitar instrumentals would bore the piss out of me but when Yngwie wanted to be a “team” guy and not a “me” guy I was onboard. Ok, I was only on board for this record lol

I got taken for a ride on this album. I never bought the debut Vincent Invasion album from 86 but I did buy this one ( All Systems Go)and it was an orgy of guitars which gave me a headache after one listen. I really wanted to give Vinnie a pass as he did some killer stuff with KISS between 82-83. But clearly, the Invasion lost its battle as this album did nothing. 

ALL SYSTEMS FAILED!

Dubrow gets the boot from Frankie and hires Paul Shortino (Rough Cutt) and makes a new QR album which sold squat.  ‘Callin The Shots’ was good but I can’t really recall any other ones on this album. I’m not knocking it I just don’t recall anything from it. 

Honeymoon Suite went to L.A and hooked up with Ted Templeman and released what I think is there best record the guitar-driven ‘Racing After Midnight’. Lots of cool stuff on this one. Johnnie Dee and Derry Grehan cooked up a bunch of cool rock like the title track, ‘Fast Company’, ‘Tears on the Page’, ‘Lookin Out For Number 1’, and a song that still gets played on our local crap radio which is ‘Love Changes Everything’. This record sold well in Canada but something funny was going on as when I caught the tour here in the summer of 88 as attendance had dropped off by a lot at our local dump gardens. Just two years earlier in 86, H.S  drew about 5,000  in 88 about 2500. Just like Helix in 87 Honeymoon Suite puts out a good rock record but for some reason, people just don’t care about seeing the live show. Too bad as this album is pretty damn solid.

‘Second Sighting’ the second full release by Frehley’s Comet came and went and while many of us bought it it was apparent something weird was going on in Camp Frehley. Second Sighting is a mellower record than the debut from a year earlier. Tod Howarth took a ton of heat as everyone says his tunes softened this record but to his defense Ace wasn’t writing the good catchy rock tunes.  So what do you do? You put it out and it doesn’t sell and than Frehley’s Comet ran out of cash on tour as the dates dried up and in the end, no one gets paid and the finger-pointing began. Not saying this is a good or bad record just saying that when your leader shows up with not too much in his magic bag for licks it’s not going to end well.

Kip Winger scores a record contract and puts a band together with some talented cats and puts out a debut album that sold well. ‘Seventeen’! lol, What can you say about that tune? Reb Beach dialed up some good solo’s on this album and opener ‘Madaline’ is a pretty good tune that sets the pace for this record. Winger ballads never did anything for me but some of the rock stuff did.  

I read Stephen Pearcy’s book from a few years go and in it, Steve-o says that bassist Juan Croucier’s Bass parts were done by Juan on a computer and not Bass? haha, Lazy ass! For all the Ratt kookiness going on behind the scenes, I like this album as I like RATT’s 80s output. Lot’s of neat stuff on here. Opener ‘City to City’ is a great lead-off track. How about Warren DiMartini’s intro guitar work on’ Way Cool Jr’.  Some cool stuff on this album and for some reason when Tbone and I had tickets to go see RATT/Great White and KIX in the summer of 89 the Duluth gig got scrapped due to lack of tickets! 

Man, when I read the hype on the self-titled Kingdon Come album that was produced by Bob Rock I was onboard. Sure some parts Zeppelin ok most parts Zep but who cares. The songs/production are all killer on this record and I really dug this album and still do that I now even own it on vinyl. Lenny Wolf got blasted by all those around him for cloning Zep but whatever, what artist doesn’t swipe a lick or 10 from someone!

Clap for the Wolfman.

Ok, how about a Part 4? Yep were headed that way. Watch out for some more fun around these parts in a few short days!