ILLUSTRATOR - Somewhere In The World (1989)

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

Part of the American CCM AOR movement, Gaube's bros. band ILLUSTRATOR released two solid albums in the second half of the '80s. This kind of bands developed an interesting performance during the era launching radiable and commercial discs with a very good artistic production.
Illustrator's self-titled debut (posted on the blog) gained considerable success in CCM circles and mainstream radio, but it was their 2nd "Somewhere In The World" which achieved recognition between secular AOR fans, thanks to its catchy melodies and lush harmonies.

With a crisp production by Freddie Piro (Fortress, 707, Ambrosia) the overall sound on "Somewhere In The World" is typically polished '80s AOR with a pumping rock&pop punch, nice riffs, cool synths, and smooth lead vocals by Nathan Gaub helped by great harmony vocals provided by his two brothers and some stellar contributors such as Tim Miner and Cindy Cruse.
Speaking about additional personnel, the one & only Dann Huff (Giant) provides most the guitar solos on the album raising the bar.

Opener 'New Way To Love' is a highlight with its bouncy rhythm, sparkling keys and a killer Huff-trademark guitar solo. 'Dying To Meet You' has some Toto on it, then ballad 'Hold My Heart' brings to mind Illustrator's mates in the CCM, Liaison (a band featured on the blog aeons ago).
The 'mysterious AOR' of 'Cryin' Time' is another fav of mine, with that cadence akin the 'slash flick' soundtracks from the era. Love it.

There's a nice cover of Glenn Shorrock / Little River Band 'Help Is On It's Way', and some Canadian influences on the elegant semi-ballad 'Listen'.
If you need more sumptuous '80s AOR look no more and press play on the delicious 'Shoulda Been Love', a track that always brought to my mind Mickey Thomas' Starship.



After this record Illustrator taped another album but it was shelved, finally appearing in 2011.
"Somewhere In The World", alongside the self-titled debut were re-released some time ago as 2-on-1 CD, but honestly, I didn't liked the sound transfer.
This is taken from the original 1989 Ocean Records CD release which sounds much better, complete with artwork.


01 - New Way To Love
02 - Dying To Meet You
03 - Hold My Heart
04 - Cryin' Time
05 - I Surrender
06 - Help Is On The Way
07 - Listen
08 - Shoulda Been Love
09 - Feels Like
10 - Carry The Cross

Nathan Gaub - lead vocals, keyboards
Dan Gaub - guitars, vocals
Dawndee Gaub - keyboards, vocals
Mark Matthews - lead vocals, bass, keyboards
Kirk Allen - drums, vocals
additional musicians:
Dann Huff - guitar solos
Don Wallace - keyboards
Randy Lee - saxophone
Tim Miner, Cindy Cruse, Alan Ebensberger, Julie Philpott - backing vocals




ILLUSTRATOR Somewhere In The World (1989)
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TIM MOORE - Flash Forward [Japanese Ltd Edition remastered] (1984)

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

Philadelphia-based songwriter, musician and singer TIM MOORE released five solo albums and in-between was part of various bands and worked as session multi-instrumentalist. Several of his penned songs were successful singles for other artists.
Moore's first record was produced by Nick Jameson (which very nice solo album was featured on this blog), then his second effort included what remains his best-known song in the US, 'Rock and Roll Love Letter', a hit for the Bay City Rollers a year later. Moore's guitar work on the song got the attention of Rolling Stones' guitarist Keith Richards, and since then the two became friends and collaborators.

Despite of being signed by L.A. based Asylum Records, Moore didn't record in California until his third album, featuring the likes of Jeff Porcaro, Michael McDonald, David Foster and the Eagles Timothy B. Schmit as session musicians, among others.
All these albums received very good reviews but failed to chart and Moore concentrated in songwriting, achieving success in hands of other performers.

However, in 1984, Tim Moore recorded this "Flash Forward", entirely performed by himself layering guitar, keyboard, bass, keyboards, drums and programming, even the backing vocals alongside the lead.
Produced by Blondie engineer, Rob Freeman, the album scored a moderated single in the US, but for the first time, Moore found success outside North America when the ballad 'Yes' was used in a Brazilian soap opera. The single went straight to #1 for three months and Moore toured all over Brazil.

Musically, this is pure middle-Eighties rock&pop with elaborated arrangements and delicate vocals from Moore. There's a new version of 'Rock and Roll Love Letter' with a true '80s sound, the aforementioned ballad 'Yes', a great midtempo in the AORish 'Body And Soul' with a sound akin Canadian bands of the era, and a very cool keyboard filled tune in the radio-ready 'Surrender'.



"Flash Forward" is a quite unknown and nice '80s product, very well recorded & produced.
This is, as far I know, the only reissue of the album appeared in Japan on a mini-LP replica / Paper Sleeve, remastered. It was a Limited Edition - now out of print - including as bonus track a remixed version of 'Yes'.
Very rare.


01 - Let's Get Activated
02 - Yes
03 - Body And Soul
04 - I'll Find A Way
05 - Anything And Everything
06 - Rock & Roll Love Letter
07 - Surrender
08 - Telepath
09 - Theodora
10 - Get It Outta My System
11 - Yes (Brazilian Machine Version) [Japan bonus]

Tim Moore: all Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Keys, Synths, Drums, Programming







TIM MOORE Flash Forward (1984)
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IN 3-D - Barrage (1987)

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

Hailing from Waukegan, IL, IN 3-D was a fleeting band from the mid-Eighties which anyway managed to release two LP's. They were part of the fruitful American CCM movement from the era aiming for non-secular exposure mixing rock&pop melodies with the typical '80s clean Lite-AOR sound.

"Barrage" was their second an final album before split. IN 3-D was often compared in some ways to The Police due the strong bass-guitar presence, but musically on this album there's a lot guitar riffs, keyboard flourishes and song skeletons more in common with Lite AOR.

Songwriting is mature, at places pretty elaborated for a band of this musical ilk still retaining catchiness. Some tracks aren't exactly my cup of tea in style, but overall you can file "Barrage" as a Lite AOR effort.
'Some Other Day', title track 'Barrage' and 'Holding On' are really fine tunes, with compelling arrangements and production.



Very rare CD and quite hard to track down (plus very expensive) this is the European Edition of "Barrage" appeared via a small indie company with a slightly different artwork.


01 - Now You Did It
02 - Barrage
03 - Too Much To Lose
04 - Some Other Day
05 - Anytime
06 - Holdin' On
07 - Love Will Find A Way
08 - Face To Face
09 - Love Is Lost
10 - Dunga Dunk
11 - Final Fire

James Neave - Vocals, Bass
Nail - Keyboards, Guitar
Randy Kerkman - Guitar
David Geer - Drums, Percussion




IN 3-D - Barrage (1987)
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REQUEST & FILL CORNER 19

From now, all request & fills goes in this post Comments.
If you need an album or a single track, request it here, if you have it, be kind with other readers, upload the file and post the link here as well.
Access to this page will be placed at the right column ------>
(the "CLICK HERE" neon sign)
It will be opened in a new window.

Check this section regularly.
You'll find many albums uploaded by readers, not present on the main blog ...

Help each other people!


and don't forget to check out ARCHIVES:

ARCHIVES PART 14

ARCHIVES PART 15

ARCHIVES PART 16

ARCHIVES PART 17

ARCHIVES PART 18


take a deep look at the end of each part...


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LION (USA Pomp) - Lion (1982)

Requested in "Request & Fill Corner" section...

It's time for some Pomp-AOR for the soul... this LION from Washington state, released this unknown and very good private LP of Pompy AOR in 1982, clearly influenced by Styx. But musically they go forward and some songs are really uptempo, full of analog keyboards (I mean A Lot), and elaborated guitar solos.

There's two vocalists (Kurt Hansen [R.I.P.] would later sing on Head East cult classic album 'Choice Of Weapons') spanning multi-part harmony vocals and layered choruses.
All tunes are goodies, but my pick is last track 'Time Won't Wait' featuring an over a minute flaming guitar solo.



If you're still wondering what is 'Pomp Rock', listen this little gem: you have keyboard / guitar duel galore, hyped up vocals and swirling analog keyboard effects. That's it.
Styx, Roadmaster, Head East, Ziggurat and why not, New England fans, must have this one. And aficionados of early '80s AOR variants will rejoice as well
Very good vinyl rip cleaned by myself.


01. On The Run
02. Over Your Shoulder
03. The Palace
04. Send Up A Rainbow
05. Queen Of The Forest
06. Where You Are
07. Waters Waiting
08. Time Won't Wait

Kurt David Hansen - lead vocals, bass
Kevin Wakefield - lead vocals, keyboards
Gary Hanson - guitars, vocals
Alan Clark - guitars
Rick Wakefield - drums, percussion


LION (USA Pomp) - Lion (1982)
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THE PAUL GODFREY BAND - More Of The Same Excellence; The Anthology (1988/2008)

Established in the San Fransisco Bay Area, during the '80s there was several incarnations of THE PAUL GODFREY BAND, fronted by guitarist and songwriter Paul Godfrey.
By the middle of the decade, the group turned a female-fronted melodic rock band with the classic American sound from the genre spiced with radio-friendly AOR melodies. At charge of the mic was Celeste Alexander, Paul Godfrey's wife.
After several demos, The Paul Godfrey Band recorded their self-titled 8-track debut LP released via private label Dolphin Productions in 1988. Only few vinyls were pressed resulting sold-out in few months and turning over the years a collector's piece.

However, two years after the album was re-released for the first time on CD re-entitled 'Magic Touch' including two previously unreleased tracks.
Yet again, the reissue went out of print soon becoming another highly-priced, hard to track down artifact that only true connoisseurs of AOR-tistry ever got to hear.

Fortunately, twenty years after the original LP, the album was re-released again including the 2 extra tracks, plus 5 previously unreleased demos recorded by the band in 1987, hence the 'more of the same excellence' title.
While these demos are good and fun, the real pearl here is the main album, a collection of pure US '80s Melodic Rock / AOR of the highest order, at least female-fronted speaking.
This pop-up comparisons to bands / artists in the same style like Scandal or Cindy Valentine but The Paul Godfrey Band at places sound like many well known all-male bands in the genre. Additionally, Paul provides back up / supporting vocals on most tracks, and full leads on 'Wild Ones'.



There's no weak tracks here, even the two cuts left-off in the original LP release are among the best of the bunch. All are catchy, plenty of keyboards and melodic riffs, plus great guitar (solos) contributions by master Marc Bonilla and John Wedemeyer (Starship).
"More Of The Same Excellence; The Anthology" is a delicious slice of pure mid-80s American Melodic Rock / AOR still unheard by many fans of the genre. 
Requested by a friend... request yours!


01 - Magic Touch
02 - Only One
03 - Love Lies Deep
04 - Never Felt This Way Before
05 - Too Many Lonely Nights
06 - Tonight
07 - Can't Get My Mind Off You
08 - Wild Ones
09 - Hold On
10 - Got Lucky (Demo) [bonus track]
11 - Hot Night In The City (Demo) [bonus track]
12 - Jenny (Demo) [bonus track]
13 - Can't Live Without You (Demo) [bonus track]
14 - Tonight (Demo) [bonus track]

Paul Godfrey: lead & back-up vocals, guitar
Celeste Alexander: lead vocals
Paul Fox: bass, vocals
Kirk Gibbs: keyboards, vocals
Norm Plischke: drums
additional musicians:
Marc Bonilla: guitar
Don Frank: drums
David Nowlin: bass
John Wedemeyer: guitar
Doug Caldwell: keyboards




PAUL GODFREY BAND - More Of The Same Excellence
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BILL WRAY - Seize The Moment (1983)

BILL WRAY started as solo artist in the Seventies releasing several albums but since the mid-80s focused his career writing and producing songs for other artists including Loverboy, Eric Martin, Lisa Hartman, Trixter, just to name a few.
He is also known as an active contributor to lovely '80s soundtracks. Wray has penned and / or performed tracks for 'Tilt', 'Private School', 'Navy Seals' or the mythical AOR tune 'No Mercy' included in the 'Lionheart' OST.

His (last?) solo album, "Seize The Moment" is a cool Rock 'N Roll album featuring some really good early Eighties radio-friendly AORish tracks.
Opener "(You're A) Heartbreaker" is a clear proof of that, from the first notes you can hear those magical keyboards to die for. This was the b-side of the first and only single, a melodic and commercial tune hungry for radio airplay.

Follower "She Loves The Radio" has a title that speaks for itself: absolutely catchy and wimpy AOR song with massive synths. A winner.
Then "Goin' Down" (the lead single) is a vintage R'nR with some honky piano and classic rock structure. "After All These Years" is the ballad here, a nice classic soul-bluesy rock slow tune with female buck-up vocals.
The AORish "Someone To Love" including a fine guitar solo ends the 'side A' of this vinyl.

"Tonight" is a fresh commercial rocker with a contagious chorus, followed by the retro-rock "Somethin' I've Gotta Do" that doesn't do much for me.
But "Jealous" has a very nice AOR feel thanks to the keyboard arrangement and the midtempo pace. Very good song. "Young Girls Rule The World" is a cheap 'ol rock while the southern tingled "You And Me Tonight" is a gentle semi-slow classic rocker.



Well produced and recorded with a classy American radio-rock sound, "Seize The Moment" is interesting due the aforementioned AOR tracks
An album not easy to find only released on vinyl LP, restored by myself including artwork.


01 - (You're A) Heartbreaker
02 - She Loves The Radio
03 - Goin' Down
04 - After All These Years
05 - Someone To Love
06 - Tonight
07 - Somethin' I've Gotta Do
08 - Jealous
09 - Young Girls Rule The World
10 - You And Me Tonight

Bill Wray - vocals, guitar
Craig Hull - guitar
Dennis Belfield - bass, guitar
Nicky Hopkins - keyboards
Jeff Silverman - keyboards, synths
Mike Baird - drums
Lenny Castro - percussion




BILL WRAY - Seize The Moment
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EARL VALENTINE - Danger Zone (The Unreleased Album)

As promised in the previous EARL VALENTINE post, here's the unreleased stuff the band recorded during the '80s. None of these tracks appeared on any Earl Valentine albums.
Earl Valentine as band released 3 LP: their debut in 1980, the featured on the blog Night Blindness (1987) and the last one, more like a Earl Valentine-solo album and musically oriented to AC / MOR.



I suspect the material on this "Danger Zone" was recorded between 1984 / 88 judging the mid-Eighties AOR sound & style (check the video-tracks below), all highly enjoyable stuff, that despite the programmed drums and the demo nature all have a pretty good sound.
Edited & compiled by me plus a little home-made artwork.


01 - Danger Zone
02 - Call Me
03 - Thinking Of You
04 - Stay
05 - If We Knew
06 - Thinking It Over
07 - It's Just A Matter Of Time
08 - It's Over
09 - Love Me If You Want
10 - Destiny
11 - All In The Name Of Love
12 - Hold On








EARL VALENTINE - Danger Zone (The Unreleased Album)
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DUGAN McNEILL - In The Velvet Night (1989)

This is a request from a post originally featured here more than 7 years ago

To complement Chameleon's discography here's vocalist & bass player DUGAN McNEILL solo album "In The Velvet Night". The record was gestated four years after Chameleon split, so the musical orientation chosen by McNeill is pretty far removed from early '80s light AOR vein of his former band.

To be clear, "In The Velvet Night" is 'adult rock & pop' material with contemporary AOR traces in a style according to the era. Think 88-92 Canadian sound, like Glass Tiger or Bryan Hughes Group (Beau Geste) then add some English styling and a hi-tech stamp on some songs.



"Stranger Than Paradise", "There Goes My Heart Again" and specially "Love You Today" are the highlights for me, elegant tunes with a nice atmosphere and McNeill smooth vocals.
A fine, pretty unknown album.


01 - Walls Come Down
02 - Israeltown
03 - Stranger Than Paradise
04 - Eyes Of A Child
05 - Take A Chance
06 - There Goes My Heart Again
07 - Ghost On The Radio
08 - I Will Be There
09 - Love You Today

Dugan McNeill: vocals,bass, guitar, keyboards
Donny Paulson: guitar
Dik Shopteau: bass, guitar
Kurt Barkdull: drums, percussion
Charlie Adams: drums, percussion
Stephanie Eubanks: backing vocals
Yanni: keyboards (uncredited)


DUGAN McNEILL - In The Velvet Night (1989)
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