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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DAY ONE - One Look (1985) restored audio

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

This is something that I was owing to myself, an audio restoring of "One Look", the one and only LP from American Pompsters DAY ONE. So when it was requested it was easy; I set to work on it.
DAY ONE's sound is quite vintage considering the year of its recording, 1985. It's very early Eighties, with a style inspired by STYX and Giuffria's ANGEL, albeit truly personal.

Day One was commanded by ex- FUSICIAN keyboardist Craig Otte, so expect wonderful synths, mini Moogs, Prophet, etc, all over here, but also rocking guitars and a punchy rhythm section. The lead vocals could be more polished but, heck, seems the album was recorded live in the studio, and considering this are pretty good.
After the 'spacial' orchestrated synthetizers of intro "Time And Space", "Take It Slow" does not take things slow at all: this is a kicking Pomp rocker with lots of harmony vocals and two solos: guitar and of course, keyboards.
Next tittle track "One Look" adds a melodic rock touch especially during the chorus, quite infectious for sure, followed by the slightly progressive ballad "Waves Of Time" with some Styx on it.
A candy-floss keyboard opens the NEW ENGLAND sounding "Early Warning", a catchy tune sporting a raw guitar solo.

"What Else Can I Say" returns to Pomp territory with great guitar/keys interplay, followed by the even more pompy "Listen", filled with lovable Prophet V swirls and a marching rhythm.
Some pump bass lines drives "We Will Survive", an AORish cut with a pure early '80s feel, and next arrives perhaps the most Pompy track on the LP and a personal favorite: "Promises Don't Last Long".
The disc ends with the acoustic piece "Expressions", just nylon six-strings, some synths in the background and vocals, showing that Day One were not a one trick pony.



DAY ONE's "One Look" is regarded a one of the best private pressing LP's from the '80s, really hard to find and fetching ridiculous prices at eBay. It was reissued digitally not so long ago by a disreputable 'label', but I am sorry, their vinyl transfer sucks.
This one is not the best rip of the world (not mine, I don't have this rarity original) but at least it sounds clean and de-crackled.
Pomp Rules, as a friend likes to state.


01 - Time And Space
02 - Take It Slow
03 - One Look
04 - Waves Of Time
05 - Early Warning
06 - What Else Can I Say
07 - Listen
08 - We Will Survive
09 - Promises Don't Last Long
10 - Expressions

Greg Hughson - vocals, guitars
Craig Otte - keyboards, vocals
Larry Cohn - bass, taurus pedal, vocals
Billy Hall - drums, percussion




DAY ONE - One Look
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