WITNESS (Philadelphia, US) - Witness [Special Extended Edition 2007] (1983)

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

Not to be confused with the female-fronted act of the same name, this WITNESS is the Philadelphia-based band who enjoyed considerable popularity in the Pennsylvania / New Jersey area during the first half of the '80s.
Witness is often remembered for their energetic performances, but also for their flamboyant 130,000 watt light show, some kind of a record at the beginning of the decade for an indie band without national management.
In 1980 Witness released a 45rpm single which sold like hot cakes, and continued with a busy show schedule.

In 1983, Witness went into the studio again to record "Witness", a miniLP including 6 wonderful tracks.
The sound & style is first half of the Eighties Pomp / AOR with a Melodic Rock pulse in-between. Just check the melodic bliss of 'One Good Reason' with a Balance feel, the pompy synths of 'Make Me Feel Right' in the best Arc Angel vein, or the Journey influenced anthem 'You Don't Know'.

If you need a pure Pomp number, 'Theresa' fits in that category, a terrific pumping track with all the '80s magic. "Look Around" is a great midtempo ballad again with a Steve Perry & Co atmosphere, and why not, REO Speedwagon.
Then 'You Do It Anyway' adds a bluesy touch to its melodic rock heart, very dynamic as well.

"Witness" was a private release vinyl pressed in limited quantities which become sold-out soon. Never reissued in any form (such a crime), in 2007 the band and former member Mitchell Schecter decided to release by themselves a CD with all Witness recordings.
We have here the '83 miniLP but also the band's impossible to find first single, two unreleased tracks from 1984 showcasing the group with a more poppy AOR sound and electronic drums, plus two live tracks.



Obviously the transfer was done from vinyl as the master tapes were lost, and although all was pretty home-made done, the sound is fine. I did a little clean-up & enhance in the Camelblue's way...
This the kind of requests that are a pleasure to fulfill, as this material not only is extremely rare, but at the same time damn good.
A must for collectors, and suckers for timeless '80s Pomp AOR.


01 - One Good Reason
02 - Make Me Feel Right
03 - You Don't Know
04 - Theresa
05 - Look Around
06 - You Do It Anyway
07 - She Gets Down (1980 single) (bonus track)
08 - Finally Fallen In Love (1980 single) (bonus track)
09 - Bleedin' In The Heart (unreleased) (bonus track)
10 - She Made Me Cry (unreleased) (bonus track)
11 - When I'm With Her (live) (bonus track)
12 - One Good Reason (live) (bonus track)

Billy Spence - vocals
Mike Disston - guitars
Steelman Disston - guitars
Mike LaBuono - keyboards, synths
Roy Altemus - bass
Tim Rooney - drums
Kent Warner - bass
Mitchell Schecter - drums






WITNESS [Special Extended Edition 2007] (1983)
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