BENTWOOD ROCKER - The Works; Taken From The Vaults A / B (2000)

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

As promised on the previous BENTWOOD ROCKER posts, here it is the band's previously unreleased material they created after the recording company dropped them.
The Canadian's second LP "Take Me To Heaven" was quite successful, even released in Europe, and the group spend a complete year on the road with sold-out live performances. But then Quality Records broke up.

However, Bentwood Rocker attracted small indie label Aquarius Records who agreed to release in 1984 the single "Second Wind", produced by super-talented Ian Thomas.
After that, the band decided to stop touring and concentrate on writing and recording by themselves new songs during the rest of the decade.

All these songs never were heard until 2000's when the guys released through their own label a boxset entitled "The Works", including material recorded by Bentwood Rocker through all the phases of their career.
Apart from the first two official albums, the set included 2 CD's called "Taken From the Vaults A/CD and B/CD", featuring these new songs taped during the second half of the '80s.

In 1986 Bentwood Rocker renamed themselves 'The Sands Of Time' (the original name of the band in the Seventies) and released another single, "The Danger Of Remembering", also included into "Taken From the Vaults B/CD".
Most the tracks, despite the demo status, were professionally recorded with a pretty good sound.
So, as you can expect, this is classy mid-Eighties AOR with a melodic rock feel and classic rock touches.



All the tracks featured on my Bentwood Rocker compilation 'The Missing Tapes' are part of "Taken From the Vaults A/CD and B/CD", but the source it isn't the same. Here they are as presented by the band on "The "Works" boxset.
This material is a must have for AOR / Melodic Rock fans and collectors due its rarity status, but essentially, for its musical quality.
Rare & Good.


Taken From The Vaults A/CD
01 - Taleve (Reaching For The Sky)
02 - The Closer We Are
03 - Prisoner Of The Night
04 - Taking It To The End
05 - Lock It Up!
06 - Just Might Take Your Love
07 - Kiss It Goodbye
08 - Never Get Away
09 - Guns
10 - The Children Of Chernobyl
11 - While The Children Sleep
12 - You'll Know When She Comes
13 - Boys Will Be Boys

Taken From The Vaults B/CD
01 - Can't Let Go
02 - Walk Through The Fire
03 - Missing You Tonight
04 - The Danger Of Remembering
05 - Skeletons In The Closet
06 - Love's In The Air
07 - Second Wind
08 - You Married A Music Man
09 - Drift Away
10 - Take The Money And Run
11 - 7 Year Itch
12 - I Would Give Everything
13 - Gonna Last Forever
14 - I've Got A Feeling

Eric Baragar - vocals, guitar, keyboards
Steve Smith - drums, vocals
Dan Thompson - guitar, vocals
Mike Goettler - bass, vocals
Tim Campbell - guitar, vocals
Barry Haggarty - guitar, vocals





BENTWOOD ROCKER Taken From The Vaults A / B
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BENTWOOD ROCKER - The Missing Tapes (1983-86)

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

Let's continue with the BENTWOOD ROCKER saga started on the previous post; after their pretty successful LP Take Me To Heaven, the Canadian band ran out of recording contract when Quality Records ceased its operations.
However, Bentwood Rocker keep on recording demos and performing on the local concert circuit throughout the '80s.

One of these demos attracted small indie label Aquarius Records who agreed to release in 1984 the single "Second Wind", produced by super talented Ian Thomas.
In 1986 Bentwood Rocker renamed themselves 'The Sands Of Time' (the original name of the band in the Seventies) and released another single, "The Danger Of Remembering", on B & C records.
There's a lot more recordings by the band along the decade, all later released by themselves as 'The Works' in 2000 (to be featured here soon).

This "BENTWOOD ROCKER - The Missing Tapes (83-86)" is a compilation (including artwork) made by myself years ago and featured here on the blog. All the songs are present in 'The Works', but the files here come from my personal demo vault collection and were 'remastered' by me.
Most the tracks, despite its demo status, were professionally recorded, as are the aforementioned singles also included in "The Missing Tapes (83-86)".
All tracks are pure mid-80s commercial AOR plenty of catchy choruses and lots of synths.

"Can't Let Go" blends Foreigner with Survivor, the anthemic "Walk Through The Fire" is on par with any Surrender hit, "Missing You Tonight" reminds you of REO Speedwagon, and "I Would Give Everything", Franke & The Knockouts.
"The Danger Of Remembering" is an elegant, polished mid-tempo AOR tune, "Skeletons In The Closet" adds a little of radio friendly pop (and generous keyboards), while "Second Wind" is one of these kind of 'action movie soundtrack' AOR songs, and another personal favorite.



Funny thing; after featuring "BENTWOOD ROCKER - The Missing Tapes (83-86)" here on the blog in 2008, someone downloaded the files, pressed the songs on CD and sold various copies on eBay.
I strongly recommend to all rockin' AOR fans to grab this one as all - I mean ALL - tracks are superb.
A must have.


01 - Can't Let Go
02 - Walk Through The Fire
03 - Missing You Tonight
04 - I Would Give Everything
05 - Gonna Last Forever
06 - The Danger Of Remembering
07 - Skeletons In The Closet
08 - Love's In The Air
09 - Second Wind
10 - While The Children Sleep

Eric Baragar - vocals, guitar, keyboards
Steve Smith - drums, vocals
Dan Thompson - guitar, vocals
Mike Goettler - bass, vocals
Barry Haggarty - guitar, vocals




BENTWOOD ROCKER - The Missing Tapes
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BENTWOOD ROCKER - Take Me To Heaven [remastered CD reissue '09] (1982)

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

Canadians BENTWOOD ROCKER started as band in 1977, but several members were friends since many years before. They released an independent album which sold pretty well, and then Quality Records singed the quintet for a new record and promises of proper distribution.

The band moved to Florida, USA, and recorded this "Take Me To Heaven", a very fine slice of radio-friendly early '80s AOR tunes. Bentwood Rocker are strong in multi-part vocal harmonies performed by all members, present on all tracks.
Opener "Heart Says No" has a catchy rhythm similar to Americans Balance, followed by title track "Take Me To Heaven" plenty of pompy analog synths and a Spys vibe.
Track 3 "Throw Away Love" delivers a more stylized AOR with some classy melodies and again, lots of harmonies. These first three tracks worth the LP alone.
But there's more quality to enjoy.

"You" is a lovely mid-tempo ballad, "Best Man" is a muscular foot-tapping melodic rocker with sharp riffs and some early Loverboy, "New World Coming" rocks even harder, and the title of "Rock 'N' Roll Overload" says it all.



"Take Me To Heaven" worked well in Canada with minor success in America, but sadly Quality Records broke soon after the release of the LP. Bentwood Rocker continued touring, composing new material and recording, but they couldn't get a record deal. All that 'missing tapes' were later released by the band as "The Works", to be featured here soon.

"Take Me To Heaven" never was released on CD until 2009, when Bentwood Rocker reissued by themselves the album in limited quantities, with some backing tracks re-recorded and different tracklist (which works better in my opinion).
This is taken from the now rare "Take Me To Heaven CD edition", a collector's item.


1 - Heart Says No
2 - Take Me To Heaven
3 - Throw Away Love
4 - You
5 - Best Man
6 - New World Coming
7 - Turning All The Heads
8 - Too Old To Rock
9 - Rock 'N' Roll Overload

Dan Thompson - lead vocals, guitar
Eric Baragar - guitar, keyboards, backing vocals
Steve Smith - drums, backing vocals
Mike Goettler - bass, backing vocals
Barry Haggarty - guitar, backing vocals




BENTWOOD ROCKER Take Me To Heaven CD version
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BENTWOOD ROCKER - The Missing Tapes (83-86)

These canadians released a couple of rocker discs at the beginnig of the 80's.
The band disappear later, but they continue recording.
Here we have a selection of 'unofficial' tracks, recorded between '83-'86(?).
Most of 'em typical mid eighties american AOR - rock sound, some like a rockier CHICAGO.
"Second Wind" is absolutely SURVIVOR-like,
and "While The Children Sleep" vintage FOREIGNER.
Good songs, good attitude, good AOR.
Quite Rare stuff.


01 - Can't Let Go
02 - Walk Through The Fire
03 - Missing You Tonight
04 - I Would Give Everything
05 - Gonna Last Forever
06 - The Danger Of Remembering
07 - Skeletons In The Closet
08 - Love's In The Air
09 - Second Wind
10 - While The Children Sleep

Steve Smith - vocals, drums
Dan Thompson - vocals, guitar
Eric Baragar - vocals, guitar, keys
Mike Goettler - vocals, bass
Barry Haggarty - vocals, guitar


Re-Posted HERE
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