27th July 2010
STOP PRESS…
JUST IN: THE GODZ ‘S/T’ & 1994 ‘PLEASE STAND BY’ AVAILABLE NOW
THE GODZ ‘S/T’ CANDY075
FORMED IN Columbus, Ohio this uncompromising four man hard rock band rapidly established a reputation as one of the most fearless, uncompromising acts on the scene. Produced by Grand Funk Railroad drummer Don Brewer, the GODZ debut album is an explosive statement laced with thick, bottom heavy riffs and simplistic, almost primal, guitar solos, whilst the lyrical content makes Kiss seem positively intellectual by comparison. Best of all, however, is the pure unrelenting power of the rhythm section; band leader and bassist Eric Moore outgonzoing Ted Nugent by a country mile.
1994 ‘PLEASE STAND BY’ CANDY078
FRONTED BY the charismatic Karen Lawrence, 1994: were one, in a long list, of those great North American hard rock bands that time and fame overlooked. This, their sophomore album, was released in 1979, Geoff Barton, then writing for Sounds magazine, and now, of course, Editor At Large of Classic Rock, made no secret of his love for 1994’s music and the charms of Karen Lawrence, going so far as to acclaim them as a veritable cracker box of explosive guitar based rock topped off by a stellar performance from one of the best (female) vocalists of the era; a deadly yet cool combination of Heart and Aerosmith.
AND INTRODUCING… GRIND THAT AXE
ROCK CANDY RECORDS is re-launching sister label Grind That Axe specifically to handle new releases from established artists. It will focus on fresh studio recordings from respected classic rock artists keen to move with the times and prove that energy and ambition is not solely restricted to fresh-faced upstarts.
The launch commences with two favoured artists namely Enuff Z’Nuff and Little Caesar both brandishing their finest recordings for some considerable time…
ENUFF Z’NUFF ‘DISSONANCE’ CANDYMAN001
BRAND NEW studio album reuniting the core duo of Donnie Vie and Chip Z’Nuff.A record full of all things sugar and spice with a sound that continues in the finest EZN tradition of razor sharp riffs and melodies to die for. This is a band that instinctively know how to inject the maximum amount of melody and muscle into every riff and squeeze the best out of every chorus. If you don’t believe us then plug and play tracks such as ‘Lazy Dazy’, ‘Code Red’, ‘High’ and the beautiful ballad ‘Roll Away’. Prime EZN with all the grand musical accoutrements you might reasonably expect. And, as a special treat, the album contains two additional bonus tracks not available on the Japanese release.
LITTLE CAESAR ‘REDEMPTION’ CANDYMAN002
LITTLE CAESAR, a tatted-up bunch of mean biker boys from Los Angeles, stood out a mile from the big haired, lipstick smeared glam contingent during the late 80s.They even scored a hit with a cool-as-a-cucumber cover of ‘Chain Of Fools’, a performance that separated the men from the boys by virtue of its pulsating energy and vocalist Ron Young’s gargantuan vocal delivery. In 2010, Ron and the boys can be found moving forward with a vengeance.The band has crafted a new album, titled ‘Redemption’, a record full of vim and vinegar. Going back to their roots – not that they ever left them – the emphasis is on tough-guy riffs, blues soaked vocals and the sort of earthy swagger that suggests men on one hell of a mission.
ALSO FRESH IN ON ROCK CANDY…
BARRY GOUDREAU ‘S/T’ CANDY076: When Boston were placed on ice by leader Tom Scholz after two hugely succesful albums guitarist Barry Goudreau broke rank electing to spend his downtime recording a solo album - the results were astonishing. If you thought TS had all the talent then think again as Barry Goudreau crafted a record that is every inch as good as the Mothership’s output. Of course his trademark sustain-drenched guitar sound can be heard right across the tracks. He also roped in appearances from fellow Bostonians Brad Delp and Sib Hashian together with vocalist Fran Cosmo who, ironically, would later become lead vocalist in Boston.
STEVE WALSH ‘SCHEMER DREAMER’ CANDY077: Steve Walsh was - and still is - lead vocalist with America’s premiere progressive rock band Kansas. Like Barry Goudreau, his talent couldn’t be contained within the confines of the mothership and recording a solo album seemed the most appropriate vehicle to bring a number of personal songs to the public. Of course the style and content was not a million miles away from the Kansas blueprint - long tracks with deft musical arrangements and Walsh’s most remarkable vocals. He even roped in several members of Kansas to guest on the record including super guitarist Steve Morse who, as any good rock fan will tell you, later went on to become a fully fledged member of Kansas and is now in Deep Purple.
RECENT ADDITIONS…
EXPORT ‘CONTRABAND’ CANDY073: Liverpool based Export were formed by guitarist/song writer Steve Morris and vocalist Harry Shaw. Following the release of a now highly collectable independently released album, they honed and shaped their sound in the form of tough yet melodic UK hard rock success stories such as Foreigner and Bad Company. Amazingly, the band’s strident brand of melodic hard rock caught the ear of Epic Records in New York, resulting in the first of two albums for the label. ‘Contraband’ showcases a superb collection of sophisticated melodic hard rock from the hands of gifted song writers and first rate players. A long time collectors favourite now available on CD for the first time!
EXPORT ‘LIVING IN THE FEAR OF THE PRIVATE EYE’ CANDY074: Originally released in 1985, this was the bands second album for the Epic label. Boasting cool song writing co-credits (including master of the art Bob Halligan Jnr.), and recorded in Philadelphia by seasoned producer Lance Quinn (Bon Jovi, Lita Ford), it presses all the right buttons on the catchy-yet-rugged melodic rock seismograph. The music is loud yet completely accessible and chock full of catchy hooks and expressive vocals courtesy of seasoned vocalist Harry Shaw. Again, a long time collectors favourite now available on CD for the first time!
BADLANDS ‘S/T’: Featuring super-guitarist Jake E. Lee, fresh from a massively successful tenure with Ozzy Osbourne, together with hugely talented vocalist Ray Gillen, Badlands are a prime example of a group that seemingly had it all in the palm of their hand yet somehow yet managed to spectacularly underachieve. The debut Badlands album is a blistering endorsement of the bands desire to resurrect the earthy blues rock sound of the early 70’s yet adding a contemporary side-order of melody and muscle. Spectacular!
BADLANDS ‘VOODOO HIGHWAY’: The Badlands debut album had seduced fans and critics alike with confident earthy blues rock performed with a sway and swagger that suggested it was just a matter of time before the band would achieve international fame and fortune. Crammed to the brim with solid yet melodic hard rock, the material is faithful to the band’s original concept and co-opts the best of the early seventies, lacing it with the sound of futuristic blues - many quite rightly citing ‘Voodoo Highway’ as the pinnacle of their creative achievements.
DUE IN AUGUST…
QUIET RIOT ‘III’ CANDY079
‘QR III’ is, as the name suggests, the band’s third album - originally released in 1986 – and displays some major changes, not only musically but also on the personnel front; bassist Rudy Sarzo was replaced by Chuck Wright (from Giuffria). Showcasing a far more mature sound, the band introduced keyboards and featured song writing that suggested that they had finally come of age, relying less on simplistic shout-it-out- loud hooks and more on multiple layers of rich melody with impressive muscle.The arrangements were mature without giving way to syrupy lullabies or saccharin ballads.
QUIET RIOT ‘S/T’ CANDY080
FOLLOWING the release of ‘Quiet Riot III’, outrageous frontman Kevin Dubrow was summarily fired from the line-up. Searching for a replacement vocalist, they quickly settled on ex Rough Cutt singer Paul Shortino, developed a chest thumping blues rock style. Despite the odds stacked against them the band’s final album, curiously self tiled, originally released in 1988 was a breathtaking statement, drinking from the same bluesy well as Whitesnake and Dio. Paul Shortino’s vocals are both impressive and effective, whilst the songs are little short of spectacular.
SURVIVOR ‘S/T’ CANDY081
SURVIVOR’s debut album, originally issued in 1980, is an impressive work, containing all the elements that would later provide a springboard to international stardom. The songs are dynamic, richly constructed, well produced (by Ron Nevison of Led Zeppelin, Heart & UFO fame) and combine just the right blend of melody and muscle. Indeed, the song ‘Youngblood’ has been cited as the prototype for ‘Eye Of The Tiger’, one of a number of tracks that identify the band as superior craftsmen of a sound that later grew to dominate the American airwaves in the 1980s. A classic sound from a classic band.”
SURVIVOR ’PREMONITION’ CANDY082
‘PREMONITION’, originally released in 1981, was Survivor’s sophomore album showcasing the band in an upbeat and, dare we say it, far more aggressive mood, harnessing a sound that leaps out of the speakers and wrestles you to the floor with little room for pleasantries. Naturally, the band’s greatest asset was still very much in focus; quality songs with hooks and melodies to die for. Tracks such as ‘Summer Nights’, ‘Light Of A Thousand Smiles’ (inspired by Journey), ‘Poor Man’s Son’ and the balls-out rocking of ‘Chevy Nights’ all contain a magical mixture of streamlined efficiency and brutal honesty, resulting in a sound that virtually defined the musical climate.
MAJOR LABELS ARE a fickle beast - licensing therefore is pitted with issues that often prevent scheduled release at the very last moment causing great disapointment all round, so we will not attempt to list forthcoming titles in future except in very few circumstances where the signs are all but a whisker away from completion. Just keep an eye on this page for a quick update of what is and what is not on deck. We can confirm however, with 100% accuracy, that following the above anouncements Rock Candy will also be working on these titles for reissue this year… Survivor ‘Caught In The Game’ + ‘Vital Signs’, Heavens Edge ‘S/T’ + Bonus Tracks, Circus Of Power ‘Vices’, Burning Tree ‘S/T’, Orion The Hunter, Witness ‘S/T’ + Bonus Tracks,’Mother’s Finest ‘Iron Age’, Starcastle ‘S/T’, Starcastle ‘Fountains Of Light’, World Trade ‘S/T’, Vandenberg ‘S/T’, Diamond REO ‘Dirty Diamonds’, Jeff Paris ‘Race To Paradise’ & ‘Wired Up’, Melidian ‘Lost In The Wild’, Stan Bush ‘S/T’, Sandy Stewart ‘Cat Dancer’… and many, many more for later this year including (eventually) Roadmaster, Axe and the complete overhaul of the Strangeways catalogue.