BRIAN ISLAND (Canada) - ST (1989)

Requested by Kissmar...

BRIAN ISLAND (real name Brian Cowieson) is a Canadian bass player and vocalist. The man has played with many local acts, written songs for other artists and scores for movies & TV shows.
He was part of the cult cancon AOR band Prototype which released a very good album back in '83.

For his one and only solo album, Brian required the services of his old partner in Prototype, guitarist & producer Dan Lowe.
Lowe, inventor of an enhancement method for stereo recording (named Q-Sound), also contributed on guitars and songwriting.
This recording sounds million bucks indeed, with excellent instrument separation and crisp edge.

Island's style is Hi-Tech AOR with high dosis of adult pop. A playground where the likes of Stan Meissner, Gowan or Stan Meissner hang out.
All the songs on this disc are catchy and highly enjoyable, featuring strong bass lines, very very good guitars and cool keyboards.

If you are fan of high quality Hi-Tech, perfect recording techniques and compact, glossy sounds, don't miss Brian Island.
This is a mega-rare CD, as far I know, only released in Canada.
Thanks Adriana!


01 - In spite of what you do
02 - Treat me like a lover
03 - No surrender
04 - Walk on water
05 - I'm your hero
06 - Night after night
07 - Major motion
08 - When you lose your love
09 - Draw the line


Brian Island: Vocals, Bass, Background Vocals
Brad Steckel: Guitar, Background Vocals
Brent Saks: Guitar
Amin Bhatia, Ted Alexander: Keyboards
Jerry Adolphe: Drums
Dan Lowe: add. Guitar
Backup Vocals: Martha Cobb, Debbie Hughes, Georgina Skebo, Deanna Dubbin





BRIAN ISLAND (Canada)
.

VON GROOVE - Von Groove [Japanese Edition] (1992)

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

Founded by Canadian vocalist / drummer Michael Shotten and bass player Matthew Gerrard (a songwriting duo contributing songs for Triumph among others) plus Croatian born guitarist simply called Mladen, VON GROOVE born in Gerrard's own basement recording studio in the early Nineties.
The tapes they recorded sounded so great that A&M Records signed the band and decided to release the material without modifications.

However Chrysalis wanted some 'sure fire' potential single hits, so Von Groove agreed to re-record 4 of the songs in Los Angeles with super-drummer Deen Castronovo (Bad English, Hardline, Journey) and famous (and talented) Richie Zito producing.


Simply put, "Von Groove" is one of the greatest Melodic Hard Rock records ever made. Killer songs, superb performances and brilliant production turns this CD a classic for the genre.
Someone asked for a HQ Cdrip so here it is from the Japanese edition, including 2 bonus tracks and full art.
A Must !


01 - Once Is Not Enough
02 - Better Than Ever
03 - Can't Get Too Much
04 - Once In A Lifetime
05 - Every Beat Of My Heart
06 - House Of Dreams
07 - C'Mon, C'Mon
08 - All The Way Down
09 - Arianne
10 - Slave To Sin
11 - Love Keeps Bringing Me Home
12 - Smaug
13 - Sweet Pain
Japanese bonus tracks;
14 - Soldier Of Fortune
15 - King Of Your World (Live)

Michael Shotton - lead and backing vocals, drums
Matthew Gerrard - bass, backing vocals, keyboards
Mladen - guitars, mandolin, backing vocals
Deen Castronovo - drums
Norm Arnold - percussion
Scotth Humphrey - keyboards, digital edition
Tommy Funderburk, Al Langlade, Grant Cummings - backing vocals




VON GROOVE - Von Groove [Japanese Edition] (1992)
.

GIUFFRIA III (Unreleased 3rd album + extras)

Requested by many...

Every American AOR fan recognize GIUFFRIA as one of the best exponents the genre had to offer during the '80s. Founded by ex-Angel keyboardist Gregg Giuffria, the band released two celebrated albums between 1984-86.
In 1987 the group recorded pre-production tracks for a third album tentatively named Pleasure Palace that never was.
This compilation feature most of these recordings, some of them later appeared in Giuffria vocalist David Glen Eisley's solo release called The Lost Tapes, others remain officially unreleased.

I have added as well the 3 tracks composed & recorded by Giuffria for the movie Gotcha!: "Say It Ain't True" it's the only available on CD included into the band's second album reissue (this is the remastered version), while the other two are ripped from the vinyl LP official Motion Picture Soundtrack.
Additionally, there's a nice Giuffria live recording with good soundboard quality, taped in 1985.



Compiled, edited and cleaned (especially the vinyl LP tracks) by me, plus myself-made artwork included.
Enjoy.


GIUFFRIA III:
01 - Stand Up
02 - Are You Ready
03 - Shot Down In Love
04 - Don't Turn Away From Love
05 - One Love
06 - Golden Town
07 - Fool's Paradise
08 - Only a Memory
09 - Reach Out
10 - The Rock Don't Stop
Gotcha! Soundtrack:
11 - Say It Ain't True (remastered)
12 - Never Too Late
13 - What's Your Name
Live:
14 - Do Me Right (Live)
15 - Don't Tear Me Down (Live)
16 - Lonely In Love (Live)
17 - Trouble Again (Live)
18 - Call To The Heart (Live)
19 - Line Of Fire (Live)

David Glen Eisley - vocals
Gregg Giuffria - keyboards, vocals
Lanny Cordola - guitars
Craig Goldy - guitar (live)
Chuck Wright - bass, vocals (live)
Alan Krigger - drums




GIUFFRIA III (Unreleased 3rd album + extras)
.

EXPORT - Living In The Fear Of The Private Eye remastered (1986)

Revamped post (as requested)

EXPORT was an obscure UK band that get signed by a major american label and released a self-titled in 1984.

For their second effort, both the label and the group decided to give the music and production an americanized sound.

"Living In The Fear Of The Private Eye" was recorded in Philadelphia during the end of 1985, with 'big name' producers/engineers Lance Quinn (Bon Jovi, Lita Ford) & Neil Dorfsman (John Farnham, Kiss) behind the desk, and top songwriting contribution by Bob Halligan Jr.

The result was a terrific collection of commercial (yet riff-driven) melodic / rockin' AOR songs, plenty of great choruses and catchy hooks, sounding american but retaining the typically british stamp.

The mastermind / guitarist of this band was no other than the talented Steve Morris, who later will enjoy success a part of HEARTLAND, SHADOWMAN, NEWMAN, GRAND ILLUSION, etc.

In the same ligue as their contemporaries STRANGEWAYS or RIO, Export never got the luck they truly deserved, being dropped by the label soon after this recording.

This vinyl is very hard to find and become a collector's item, but time makes its justice, and was recently released on a remastered cd for the first time.

That's why I am revamping this old post, don't miss this one.

Highly Recommended

1. Living In The Fear of The Private Eye

2. No Escape

3. Runnin' Back (For More)

4. Airwaves

5. You Make Me Wanna

6. Closer To You

7. Tear Me Apart

8. Summer Nights

9. Can't Say No

Harry Shaw : Lead Vocals

Steve Morris : Lead & Rhythm Guitars, Bkng Vocals

Chris Alderman : Bass, Bkng Vocals

Lou Rosenthal : Drums, , Bkng Vocals

George Wallace : Keyboards

EXPORT Living...
.