Overlooked and forgotten artists

(Paul says:)
Sorry to dominate the first couple of posts. (Gee, Ross, are you ever going to post anything?) I have the advantage, though, of having thought about this for a while, so Ross will soon carry us.

Today's theme is overlooked and forgotten bands (although the music you are hearing is totally forgotten, since it was available on playlist.com). Some of these are groups you still hear on classic rock radio, but I feel they are not remembered as often as they ought to be.

Track 1 - April Wine - Roller
One of my favorite guitar solos ever! The three lead guitarists each play 2 triplets (six notes) then harmonize on the last 2 beats, then repeat it over the following two measures. If this wasn't cool enough, over the next couple of bars they each play 1 triplet (3 notes), harmonizing on the final beat. This probably required a lot of practice! I've always wanted to play this one with a band. April Wine is one of my favorite groups from way back when I listened to records, and I think they are one of the more overlooked bands ever. Most people know this song, "Just Between You and Me," and "I Like to Rock," but if you get the chance to hear more April Wine, take it, eh.

Track 2 - Zebra - She's Waiting for You
I saw Zebra open for Sammy Hagar in 1985 and have been a huge fan ever since. This is power trio from Slidell, Louisiana, but they sound more like Zeppelin than bayou music. Randy Jackson has a decent voice in the low registers, but his command of a high falsetto is impressive. They rock pretty hard, too. The pickings on playlist.com aren't extensive, but seek to hear more from these guys, too. It's worth your effort!

Track 3 - Triumph - Magic Power
More popular (in terms of record sales) in Canada than Rush, this power trio is more melodic but rocks just as hard as their fellow Canooks. Since the first time I heard this song, it's been one of my favorites ever, as it describes - accurately - what music can do for the listener. Ironically, a similar theme to "Spirit of Radio." So many coincidences.

Track 4 - Y&T - Summertime Girls
I chose this tune because it was one that I played with my high school band, but I would recommend the album "In Rock We Trust" if you want to hear some Y&T. That said, this song is a great theme, and with the warmer weather, I always think of summertime girls.

Track 5 - Molly Hatchet - Beatin' the Odds
Everyone knows "Flirtin' with Disaster," but my friends in the Cache Valley (Utah)-based band Hex used to play this song, and I really came to dig it. With a backhoe! These guys rocked harder than 38 Special or Lynyrd Skynyrd, but their roots are the same (and one of their biggest hits was a sort of cover of The Allman Brothers Band's "Dreams," although they do it in 4/4 time).

Track 6 - Honeymoon Suite - Feel It Again
Another Canadian band (this is the last one today, I promise!), they sound a bit like Triumph. Their biggest downfall, I think, was the glut of bands that came out at about the same time - 1985. There was a glut of '80s metal/hard rock that came about right then, and between just the records and tapes bought by Ross and me, I can think of several new bands: Dokken, Zebra, Helix, Fastway, Autograph, and Black 'n Blue. It was the heyday of MTV, too, so new bands came and went very quickly, but HS deserved a longer look. Here's your chance!

Track 7 - Honeymoon Suite - Bad Attitude
I couldn't decide between their two big hits, so I've included them both.

Track 8 - Thin Lizzy - Cowboy Song
Known more for "The Boys Are Back in Town," "Jailbreak," and "Whiskey in the Jar," Thin Lizzy should've been a huge band in the states but never achieved that kind of success. Sadly, Phil Lynott, the bassist/lead vocalist and creative force, left us much too soon. I chose this song because I like it so much. I may never have noticed it, but it's tablature was published in a guitar mag a few years ago, and so I took a closer listen. It became my favorite TL song that very day!

Track 9 - Billy Squier - Lonely is the Night
I know, everyone is familiar with a bunch of Billy's stuff, and he had some big hits, but video killed this radio star. I've always thought he was a pretty dang good songwriter who doesn't get much acclaim anymore.

Track 10 - Kingdom Come - What Love Can Be
The biggest criticism of Kingdom Come (or Kingdom Clone, if you want to be derisive) was that they sounded like Led Zeppelin. I would think fans of LZ would want to hear more things that sound like them, but Great White, Whitesnake, and many others have been pooh-poohed (or is it poo-pooed? I've been told often that I don't know crap, and this proves it) for that criticism. I though plagarism was the most sincere form of flattery, but I guess not for LZ fans. These guys should have done more of their own style, but they did this so well that I couldn't resist including them. (You can also check out Stone Fury, the prior band of the lead singer whose name is Lenny something, but I can't recall right now.)

Track 11 - Coverdale Page - Shake My Tree
This collaboration/partnership was also criticized as Jimmy Page's attempt to make a new Zep record with Coverdale (who supposedly always wanted to be Robert Plant), and maybe it is, but it's a pretty good record in its own right. Until the real reunion, this will have to do.

I also wanted to include a band called Sweet Vine and their song "Mountainside," but I couldn't find it anywhere. Check that out, too, if you get the chance. (I have the CD, so you can send me an e-mail if you want at ross_and_paul@yahoo.com).

I may not post for a few days, so enjoy these lists in the meantime.

P