Summertime Spin: Bryan Adams- Reckless (1984)

I can admit that it wasn’t until the Summer of 69, oops  I mean the Summer of ’85 that I really got on board with the “Reckless” opus that was selling like hotcakes but had already been out in the shops since November ’84.

Bryan Adams was everywhere that summer as it was only a matter of time before I took the plunge and originally bought it on cassette tape.

Why the wait you ask? Simple. I had to stretch my funds until my summer job of washing dishes at the hospital. If Maiden, Priest, AC/DC, RUSH were to release music they took priority over everyone else musically that is.

Oh yeah add Rock Mags to that list!

So once young dEke’s had a little money in his pocket going Jing a little Jing I liked what I heard from the continuous rotation of Adams videos on MuchMusic!

“Run To You*,” One Night Love Affair”, “Heaven”, “It’s Only Love”, “Summer of ’69”, “Somebody”, basically more half the album was already out as singles so I liked what I heard especially the guitar chops of Keith Scott** who its say to safe is in my all time TOP 10 of 6 stringers!

But I have to say its those other four songs that seal the deal and they are not fillers by any stretch of the imagination.

“Kids Wanna Rock” (listen to those guitar licks courtesy of Mr. Scott), “Long Gone”, album closer “Ain’t Gonna Cry” (what an end of the album scorcher) and one of the best songs on “Reckless” that being “She’s Only Happy When She’s Dancing”  which has a Stonesy like guitar riff during the chorus and features the great Lou Gramm on backing vocals!

An absolute beginning of the record GEM! (see what I did there Mr. Geoff Stephen?)

After “Reckless” I was onboard with what ever Adams was putting out up until after his “Unplugged” release as for some reason Adams found the light fluffy avenue of rock and decided to stay on that street.

Fair enough…

But..

“Reckless” and the one that followed “Into The Fire”(1987) are such great pieces of rock that always deserve a spin at Arena Rock HQ’s!

I have an VHS insert in case Ladano wants to order a copy..

*- Adams offered Blue Oyster Cult “Run To You”  in which B.O.C turned Adams down so Bryan recorded it and kept it for himself.

Adams= Genius

Blue Oyster Cult= Dumb Ass Move

**- When Eddie Van Halen lists you as one his fav’s, I think it’s safe to say your doing something right on that 6 string!