ROGER DALTREY - Under A Raging Moon + bonus (1985) CD version

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

This request is a pleasure to fulfill; "Under A Raging Moon", the 1985 solo album by The Who's vocalist ROGER DALTREY.
Despite the record was commercially pretty successful, not much people know that Daltrey's music around the mid-Eighties had a very different vibe than The Who. In fact "Under A Raging Moon" is a true '80s product, both in sound & style.
With a glossy production courtesy of Alan Shacklock (Bonnie Tyler, Jeff Beck) who also play various instruments and co-wrote a song, "Under A Raging Moon" sounds like a cross between John Parr and Bryan Adams Eighties recordings.

So it is not strange that the Canadian songwriting team Bryan Adams / Jim Vallance contributed two tracks here, and John Parr the title track.
Daltrey's bandmate in The Who Pete Townshend provided opener 'After The Fire', originally written for The Who to perform at Live Aid during their reunion show, but that never happened. Townshend gave it to Daltrey instead, and became the album's hit reaching the # 48 at the Billboard singles chart.

We have more quality tracks in the melodic 'Breaking Down Paradise' penned by Russ Ballard (who also plays guitar), the excellent 'Don't Talk to Strangers' including a beautiful guitar solo by Robbie McIntosh (The Pretenders), the AOR 'Move Better in the Night' written by the great Chris Thompson and talented Stevie Lange, or the pure '80s 'It Don't Satisfy Me'.
Speaking about the Bryan Adams / Jim Vallance songs, 'Let Me Down Easy' it's like a clone of Adams' hit Somebody (from his Reckless album), while 'Rebel' is a completely different beast, a moody rocking mid-tempo plenty of substance.

Then we have title track 'Under A Raging Moon', a very special song. It is penned by John Parr (who also contribute backing vocals), but he wrote it as a tribute to the late The Who drummer Keith Moon, so it's was more than appropriate to be recorded by Roger Daltrey.
Apart from the touching lyrics (and a passionate vocal performance by Daltrey) there's a true 'drummer' tribute featuring seven stars in this matter performing a part: Roger Taylor (Queen), the great Cozy Powell, Martin Chambers (Pretenders), The Police's Stewart Copeland, Carl Palmer (ELP, Asia), Mark Brzezicki (The Cult) and Zak Starkey, the latter playing drums all over the record as well.

The presence of Zak Starkey is also a special note: apart of being Ringo Starr's son, his godfather was... Keith Moon. At age 8, Zak became interested in music when Moon gave him a drum kit.
"Under A Raging Moon" was Starkey's second album that he had worked on (at the time only 20 years old) and he does a stupendous job. Later he became a highly requested drummer having played with Oasis, The Waterboys, The Who and many more.



"Under A Raging Moon" is a stupendous '80s album with strong melodic songs, top class musicians (even gifted Asia's John Payne provide backing vocals here) and terrific production.
Incredibly, "Under A Raging Moon" never was remastered, but this UK edition on CD (including the extra track 'Love Me Like You Do' not present on the vinyl LP) sounds wonderful.
As bonus, I put two tracks; the b-side of the 12'' Limited Edition Gatefold single 'Under A Raging Moon' - Daltrey's version of The Who's classics 'Behind Blue Eyes / 5:15' recorded live in 1985 - and 'Quicksilver Lightning', Daltrey's main title track for the Quicksilver movie soundtrack (1986).
A true '80s delight.


01 - After The Fire
02 - Don't Talk To Strangers
03 - Breaking Down Paradise
04 - The Pride You Hide
05 - Move Better In The Night
06 - Love Me Like You Do [CD only]
07 - Let Me Down Easy
08 - Fallen Angel
09 - It Don't Satisfy Me
10 - Rebel
11 - Under A Raging Moon
12 - Behind Blue Eyes + 5:15 (Live) [12'' B-side, bonus]
13 - Quicksilver Lightning [Quicksilver OST, bonus]

Roger Daltrey - lead vocals, keyboards
Mark Brzezicki - drums, percussion
John Siegler, Tony Butler - bass
Robbie McIntosh - guitars
Bryan Adams - guitars
Russ Ballard - guitar and harmony vocals (Track 3)
Nick Glennie-Smith - keyboards
Mark Feltham - harmonica
Bruce Watson - E-bow
Mark Williamson - harmony vocals (Tracks 2, 6)
Annie McCraig - backing vocals (Tracks 3-5, 7, 8, 11)
John Payne - backing vocals (Tracks 3-5, 7, 8, 11)
John Parr - backing vocals (Track 11)
Alan Shacklock - keyboards, sequencing, acoustic guitar, synths, percussion, production
On track 11, drummers in order of performance:
Martin Chambers
Roger Taylor
Cozy Powell
Stewart Copeland
Zak Starkey
Carl Palmer
Mark Brzezicki
Mark Brzezicki and Zak Starkey - outro


ROGER DALTREY Under A Raging Moon + bonus
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