MORNINGSTAR: Morningstar + Venus [Japanese remasters]

Requested in "REQUEST & FILL CORNER" section...

MORNINGSTAR is one of those bands that acquired cult status over the years.
Hailing from the US MidWest, Morningstar was founded in the Seventies and seems the group amassed quite a following in the Kansas City area, which attracted CBS Records offering a recording contract.
The self-titled "Morningstar" debut appeared in 1978, and surprised with its blend of pomp AOR and meaty hard rock.

Morningstar's sound can be compared with another iconic band from the same area; Shooting Star, but also Roadmaster, some Styx / Angel and alike, yet much more rocking. Indeed, although the songs feature really melodic vocals and lots of pompy keyboards / analog synths, the guitars are pretty prominent.
On this debut all songs are strong, but my favorite should be "Through The Night", a proto '80s AOR tune full of magic.



Second LP "Venus" appeared the following year (1979) delivering a more polished sound, still mixing rockers with pompy numbers. One of Morningstar's strengths were the excellent multi-part vocal harmonies reminiscent of another MidWest favourite; Starcastle.
Just listen the great "Let Me Dream".

Both Morningstar LP's sold well, but CBS wanted a more commercial sound for their signed artists as many bands in the same style started to develop (read Journey, REO Speedwagon). Morningstar didn't fit in the upcoming rock&pop AOR sound, and the label drop the band. The group disbanded soon after.
But this talented act delivered 2 very good records which are great examples to understand what the rocking 'pomp' movement was all about.



"Morningstar" and "Venus" only were released on CD in Japan in 1998, and sadly, now out of print.
These are not the best remasters I've heard, and the CDrips here are not at maximum quality, but believe me, both are almost impossible to find albums and really deserve a place into any collection.
Rare.


Morningstar:
1 - Shotgun Romance
2 - Premeditated Rendezvous
3 - Sunshine (Changin' Of The Season)
4 - Through The Night
5 - Sweet Georgia Peach
6 - Sad Lady
7 - Another Rock And Roll Show
8 - Turn Out All The Lights
9 - Too Much To Lose

Venus:
1 - Angel
2 - Everybody I Love You
3 - Lady Love
4 - Rock And Roll Rodeo
5 - Never Meant To Be
6 - Rosie
7 - Gimme Some Lovin'
8 - Hard Bargain Driver
9 - Let Me Dream

Rick Bacus - vocals, guitars, keyboards
Jerry Chambers - guitars, vocals
Michael Edmunds - guitars, vocals
Greg Leech - bass
Greg Harris - drums, percussion




MORNINGSTAR: Morningstar + Venus
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PAUL JANZ - Renegade Romantic [Japanese Edition] (1990)

Requested in "REQUEST & FILL CORNER" section...

PAUL JANZ was one of the most respected songwriters in Canada during the '80s. Also a talented vocalist and keyboard player, Janz started his career during the Seventies as part of the German-established popular Christian-oriented sextet Deliverance.
In 1980 Janz returned to Vancouver to become a jingle writer and a member of AORsters Prism briefly. A&M Records were highly interested in his musical abilities and signed Paul Janz as solo artist.
He released two records with the second spawning a single which won the Canadian PROCAN and CMPA awards, and then the label viewied a strong potential to launch Paul Janz as international artist.

Recorded in Los Angeles / Vancouver with producer Bill Drescher (the Bangles, Rick Springfield), Janz's 3rd solo album "Romantic Renegade" was released in 1990 and enjoyed a considerable success thanks to the single "Every Little Tear". Janz toured all over North America for two years.



Plenty of delicate melodies and with Janz's highly harmonized sweet vocals, "Romantic Renegade" is pure joy. His light AOR, sometimes poppy tunes easily can match Stan Meissner's work but even more keyboard oriented.
The more rocking tracks are true gems is the typical clean, polished Canadian style enhanced by the superb guitar work by Tim McKenzie, much in the vein of Dann Huff.

Tracks like the mentioned "Every Little Tear" (you can't stop singing its chorus), the catchy melodic rocker "Rocket To My Heart", the midtempo AOR heaven of "Hold Me Tender" (akin '80s Richard Marx) or the beautiful "Almost Heaven" are among the highlights.
"Stand" is the elaborated ballad, and then the excellent "One Lovin' Touch" start as another slow tune before exploding into a pumping melodic rock bliss around the 1:45 minute mark, and becomes another album highlight.



"Romantic Renegade" is a highly recommended CD for any light AOR / Melodic Rock fan with high class songwriting, arrangements, performances and a crystal clear production.
It was requested by a reader, and I don't know why I did not posted here this little gem by my own before.
This Japanese Edition sounds great, complete with full artwork.


01 - Every Little Tear
02 - Hold Me Tender
03 - Rocket To My Heart
04 - Almost Heaven
05 - Stand
06 - Stuck On You
07 - Love Walks In
08 - One Lovin' Touch
09 - Darling Drive
10 - Saddle Up

Paul Janz: vocals, keyboards, programming, synth bass
Tim McKenzie: guitars
Rob Bailey: keyboards, programming
Miles Hill: bass
Michael Root: drums
Jim McGillveray: percussion
Jim Bralower: programming
Tom Coclough: saxophone
Phil Chanel: additional keyboards




PAUL JANZ Renegade Romantic [Japanese Edition]
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ADDICTION - Get Hooked (1985)

Requested in "REQUEST & FILL CORNER" section...

Here comes a rarity, the only album by the San Francisco quartet ADDICTION entitled "Get Hooked", released by themselves in 1985.
Seems ADDICTION toured the Bay Area circuit and opened for the likes of The Tubes, Quiet Riot, The Outfield and others, but never got a major record contract, so the band founded their own label Independent Records.
This mini-LP is indeed an indie recording, produced by themselves but engineered by Gary Lyons (Aerosmith, Foreigner) so expect more than a decent sound.

Soundwise, "Get Hooked" is a mixed bag. Opener "Shadow Dancer" it's a quite poppy, radio friendly commercial tune including electric drums, not far to the aforementioned The Outfield early works.
"Talk To You" is a good, cool keyboard-driven AOR track with a catchy chorus. The synth sound and style (as on the entire record) is very classy, with a parping approach.

"Desire" is a midtempo with some Gregg Giuffria's Angel on it, "Nostalgia" adds some atmospheres in the vein of Day One (a band already featured here on the blog), while "Insanity" is the hardest track with muscular guitar riffs akin Cinema Face.
"Beware of the Wizard" has some light progressive touches, a slow tune with a pretty early '80s sound, then on "Radio Beat" I was expecting and commercial tune, instead it's some kind of a poppy track with broken drums and riffs.



As you see, there's mixed styles on "Get Hooked", with Addiction trying to resume their abilities into different arrangements. They are successful for the most part, but unfortunately the group disbanded soon and there was not opportunity to hear what would have been Addiction's next musical step.
Audio restored by me. Rare.


1 - Shadow Dancer
2 - Talk to You
3 - Desire
4 - Nostalgia
5 - Insanity
6 - Beware of the Wizard
7 - Radio Beat

Geno Orphanopoulos – Vocals, Bass
Dave Palladino – Keyboards, Backing Vocals
Kip Rich – Guitars, Backing Vocals
Joe Cuneo – Drums, Backing Vocals




ADDICTION - Get Hooked (1985)
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Music For Nations Presents: STRIKTLY FOR KONNOISSEURS - LP 2

Requested in "REQUEST & FILL CORNER" section...

And here it is "Striktly For Konnoisseurs" second LP.
In the '80s, Kerrang! Magazine was 'the one' you needed to check to be updated if Hard Rock / AOR / Heavy Metal was your thing. Their journalists in conjuction with the recently founded (and now legendary) Music For Nations label, compiled songs from American / Canadian bands that were pretty unknown at the moment and released a double-LP album under the title "Striktly For Konnoisseurs".
Despite its 'Germanic' title the vinyl was intended for the British audience, and only was pressed & published in UK.

You have here great tracks mostly taken from the first albums (late '70s / early '80s) of bands that later become pretty successful, like Legs Diamond, Angel (turned Giuffria), Wrabit, etc, besides wonderful cuts from acts that deserved to be huge such as Trillion, 707, Balance, and more.
Many of these albums were already reissued on CD some time ago, but others will remain forever into oblivion as the Reggie Knighton Band, Marcus or the awesome Mayday.
However, I have preserved the original full vinyl-rip because some tracks seems to be featured with a different mix, or, as happens with Canadian hard rockers Moxy's "Another Time Another Place", it's an exclusive version for this compilation.



I took notice of "Striktly For Konnoisseurs" some years ago thanks to a great collector (and frequent visitor of this blog) Mr. Homer64, who provided me a copy.
This is a new vinyl-rip, done by an English friend of mine and restored / cleaned / enhanced by me.
A true collectors piece.


LP 2

01 - Teri Desario - Caught
02 - Rex - Trouble
03 - Mayday - So Young So Bad
04 - Trigger - Gimme Your Love
05 - The Boyzz - Too Wild To Tame
06 - Ram Jam - Gone Wild
07 - Joe Perry - Let The Music Do The Talkin'
08 - Angel - The Tower
09 - Starz - Live Wire
10 - Reggie Knighton - The King
11 - Trillion - Give Me Your Money
12 - Max Webster - Oh War
13 - Starcastle - Wings Of White




STRIKTLY FOR KONNOISSEURS - LP 2
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Music For Nations presents: STRIKTLY FOR KONNOISSEURS - LP 1

Requested in "REQUEST & FILL CORNER" section...

In the '80s, Kerrang! Magazine was 'the one' you needed to check to be updated if Hard Rock / AOR / Heavy Metal was your thing. Their journalists in conjunction with the recently founded (and now legendary) Music For Nations label, compiled songs from American / Canadian bands that were pretty unknown at the moment and released a double-LP album under the name "Striktly For Konnoisseurs" in 1984.
Despite its 'Germanic' title the vinyl was intended for the British audience, and only was pressed & published in UK.

You have here great tracks mostly taken from the first albums (late '70s / early '80s) of bands that later become pretty successful, like Legs Diamond, Angel (turned Giuffria), Wrabit, etc, besides wonderful cuts from acts that deserved to be huge such as Trillion, 707, Balance, and more.

Many of these albums were already reissued on CD some time ago, but others will remain forever into oblivion as the Reggie Knighton Band, Marcus or the awesome Mayday.
However, I have preserved the original full vinyl-rip because some tracks seems to be featured with a different mix, or, as happens with Canadian hard rockers Moxy's "Another Time Another Place", it's an exclusive version to this compilation.



I took notice of "Striktly For Konnoisseurs" some years ago thanks to a great collector (and frequent visitor of this blog) Mr. Homer64, who provided me a copy.
This is a new vinyl-rip, done by an English friend of mine and restored / cleaned / enhanced by me.
A true collectors piece.


LP 1

01 - 1994 - Please Stand By
02 - Legs Diamond - It's Not The Music
03 - Desmond Child & Rouge - The Truth Came Out
04 - American Tears - Can't Keep
05 - 707 - Megaforce
06 - Marcus - Black Magic
07 - Reckless - Searching For A Dream
08 - Wrabit - Just Go Away
09 - Moxy - Another Time Another Place
10 - Tantrum - Applaud The Winner
11 - Zon - Circus
12 - Balance - Undercover Man




STRIKTLY FOR KONNOISSEURS LP 1
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