RAYMOND MAY - Unadulterated Addiction (1988)

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Raymond May was born in Sri Lanka and raised in the westernmost of Canada's provinces, British Columbia. At his teens he went to London and joined 'The Unknowns', who released one single.
Still in UK, by 1985 Raymond competed in a local Battle Of the Bands event. Bryan Adams' manager Bruce Allen was one of the judges and signed May to his new record label, Penta.

Raymond May's debut "Unadulterated Addiction" was produced by Bruce Fairbairn (Bon Jovi, Loverboy) together with ex-Payolas Paul Hyde and released in 1988.
The album has a typical Canadian radio-rock style made famous by Bryan Adams, present on tracks such as "You Turn Me On", "Living In Exile", "Turn Your Love Light On", but May has a more American way of singing.
In fact, some songs have an Americana vibe, heard on "True Pretender" and the good ballad "Yellow Ribbons". On other tracks Raymond reminds me Billy Squier ("True Life", "Living In Exile"), while "New Emotion" has some kind of hair-metal intentions.

Well produced and performed, "Unadulterated Addiction" is a fine dish of Rock music, nothing to die for, just a pleasant listen.
Soon after touring opening for Aerosmith, Penta broke up and Raymond May ended without contract. This is his only album -out of print- ripped from the very rare CD version pressed by Elektra Records.


01 - Romantic Guy
02 - True Life
03 - New Emotion
04 - You Turn Me On
05 - True Pretender
06 - Living In Exile
07 - Turn Your Love Light On
08 - Tiger And The Butterfly
09 - Yellow Ribbons
10 - Ride 'Em High

Raymond May: Vocals, Guitar, Bass
Naoise Sheridan: Guitars
John Webster: Keyboards
Chris Taylor: Drums


RAYMOND MAY - Unadulterated Addiction