Requested in "REQUEST & FILL CORNER" section...
BILOXI was a short-lived melodic hard rock band from the city of the same name in Mississippi, not exactly the Rock capital for this kind of music. Anyway, commanded by talented singer and bass player Clyde Holly (RIP), the group made some impact in the L.A. area during the last agonizing months of the genre (before the grunge ruined all) with their debut 'Let The Games Begin' in 1993.
But Clyde & Co. started to work together in the second half of the '80s and managed to record a professional demo in 1989.
The good sales of 'Let The Games Begin' attracted Japanese label Zero Corp Records (EMI-Toshiba) to sign Biloxi and release in Asia not only the album, but also the earlier '89 six-track recording, entitled "Checkmate... The Game's Over".
Although their full length debut is a really good melodic hard rock album with some pomp overtones, I largely prefer this "Checkmate... The Game's Over", because it owns the real US Melodic Rock / AOR sound and style from the second half of the eighties.
Somehow Biloxi reminds me here US wonders White Sister, perhaps because Clyde Holly's vocal timbre recalling Dennis Churchill. There's also some Firehouse touches in few melodies, but what steals the show are their AOR delivery in tunes like the wonderful "Listen To Your Heart". A gem if you ask me.
Despite being demos, as said, all the tracks in "Checkmate... The Game's Over" were professionally recorded, but Zero Corp Records transferred the tapes without any remastering.
Well, I did mine.
I have enhanced the overall sound, attenuated the hiss, and properly (for a home studio) mastered the chunks. I doubt you'll find a better version of "Checkmate... The Game's Over" out there.
This is pure '80s stuff, very recommended indeed.
1 - Someone To Love You
2 - Listen To Your Heart
3 - One In A Million
4 - I'll Meet You On The Other Side
5 - Love Prevails
6 - Out On The Streets Again
Clyde Holly - lead vocals, bass
Pat McNulty - guitar, backing vocals
Billy Orrico - drums, backing vocals
Rich Symons - guitar, backing vocals
Douglas R. Docker - keyboards, backing vocals
BILOXI - Checkmate... The Game's Over
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Tuesday, August 20, 2013
BILOXI - Checkmate... The Game's Over (1993-94) re-worked
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5 Comments:
fooking stellar!
There is NO other better version out there ... ")
Cheers
Wow, Camel, very nice post! What an outstanding band Biloxi is. Once again you have made my week. Keep up the great work, I love this blog soooo much (-:
I'm here to set the record straight on this CD entitled "Checkmate...The Game's Over". This is actually a 6-song demo tape (Yes...a cassette) that Biloxi made in 1989. The band members listed on the CD are not accurate. No offense to the band members listed, but the actual lineup that performed these tracks at that time was:
Clyde Holly - Lead Vocals and guitars
Jim Toucey - Keyboards and vocals
Levell Price - Bass and Vocals
Tony Radford - Drums
We tracked this 48 track demo at Chameleon Studios, in CA (Owned by Joe Branam). The sessions were engineered by Chuck Fetyko. The demo was co-produced by Chuck Fetyko and Biloxi. We were in studio B while John Fogerty was locked up in Studio A. Sheena Easton was in the showcase studio auditioning band members for "The Lover In Me" Tour at the time.
All guitar work was done by Clyde, including 4 of the guitar solos. The solos on songs 4 & 5 were played by our good friend Jerry Campos. Also, song 3 is actually entitled "Livin' Time" and song 5 is called "Goodbye Love". I was part of the original lineup with Clyde from 1988 thru 1992. The first few years on the keys and then the last 2 years on the drums.
Jim Toucey
I have the strong suspect (better, I am 99% sure...) this "Checkmate..." issue was a CD bootleg with a fake/bogus ZERO label and code attached on it, since no copy is never found anywhere even from specialized japanese resellers. Even the band on the notes of their CD Baby entry says it was a bootleg!
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