Tag: 1987

Contagious – Be Ready – 1987

Contagious were a Metal band our of California. This was their short run demo that was released on vinyl. They had an album subsequent to this on Regency records. I kind of liked this demo but I feel the production left a little to be desired. The info says that it was produced by Randy Thomas but I sincerely doubt it was the SCB Randy Thomas. While some of the songs are rather simplistic I took a liking to “He’s The Light” but unfortunately it didn’t make it onto their subsequent album.

Tracklist
1 – Water Then Fire – 3:00
2 – Jesus Is The Way – 3:40
3 – He’s The Light – 2:45
4 – One Way, One Truth – 3:04
5 – Nowhere To Run – 3:13
6 – Lost And Lonely – 3:57

Credits
Bass Guitar, Lead Vocals – Mark Lewis
Drums, Keyboards, Backing Vocals – Ryan Crampton
Engineer – Fred (On The Road) Tadesco, Randy Thomas
Guitar, Backing Vocals – Mike Gribionkin
Mastered By – Wally Traugott
Photography By – Rick Bergquist
Producer – Contagious, Randy Thomas
Written-By – Lewis, Gribionkin, Crampton

Companies, etc.
Recorded At – Lamda Studios
Mastered At – Capitol Mastering
Distributed By – Regency Music
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Contagious Music
Copyright (c) – Contagious Music

First Strike – Crank It Up – 1987

This demo is a bit of an odd situation. The band had already had a successful album in 1984 with Exit Records. So this demo came out after they already had a record deal. Exit Records went bankrupt in 1987 the same year as this demo so I know there’s a story as to what happened between the band and Exit. The band were an established Hard Rock/Metal ban as their first album was very well received. Why they had to shop around a demo I’m a little unsure. The band however did have a new lead singer on this demo with Dave Campanaro replacing Tony Gunn. So all the clues, new lead singer, defunct record company, lead me to believe there is a story here. Anyway let’s talk about the demo. It’s only 4 tracks but quite frankly they are 4 album ready tracks. They continue their Hard Rock/Metal style that I liked so much on their studio album. If you liked the album you’ll love this demo.

Tracklist
1 – Some Kind Of Lover – 4:46
2 – Don’t Let Me Walk Away – 3:45
3 – Power – 4:49
4 – Come Back – 3:07

Credits
Bass, Backing Vocals – Chris Salmon
Drums – John Delaney
Guitar, Backing Vocals – Pat Boylan, Tim Larkin
Vocals – Dave Campanaro

The Imperials – This Year’s Model – 1987

This was The Imperials first album after the departure of long time tenor Jim Murray and lead singer Paul Smith. Apparently their departure made for a rather odd decision for this album. It is much more youth oriented, and in fact you could argue it was a total pop album. This caused all sorts of consternation from their regular fans who were expecting another worship oriented album. I actually snicker at how they would have reacted on their first listen to this album. The album is well done and actually quite enjoyable. Let’s face it these guys knew what they were doing and probably could have put out a top notch heavy metal album. Try envisioning that for a minute. But alas the new pop sound must not have sold well as the next album they were right back to their worship oriented sound. Pity actually, this was a good album.

Tracklist
1 – Holding On (First Love) – 5:22
2 – Fallin’ – 4:03
3 – Warriors – 4:54
4 – How Do I Get You? – 5:38
5 – Wings Of Love – 4:38
6 – Power Of God – 4:07
7 – Outlander – 6:47
8 – Get Ready – 4:38
9 – Devoted To You – 3:44

Credits
Arranged By [Rhythm Track] – Keith Thomas (tracks: A1, A2, B1)
Art Direction – Joan Tankersley
Artwork [Jacket Concept] – Joan Tankersley, Lynn Nichols
Bass – Jimmie Lee* (tracks: A2, B4)
Drum Programming – Keith Thomas (tracks: A1, A2, B1)
Drums – Paul Leim (tracks: B4, B5)
Engineer [Second] – Bill Whittington, Danny Johnston, J.T., Spence Chrislu, Wade Jaynes
Executive Producer – Lynn Nichols
Guitar – Mark Grendel (tracks: A2 to A4), Tom Hemby (tracks: B2, B4, B5)
Keyboards – Keith Thomas (tracks: A1, A2, B1, B4, B5), Shane Keister (tracks: A4, B4)
Lyrics By – Chris Eaton (tracks: A3, B3), Jimmie Lee (tracks: A2, B4), Ron Hemby (tracks: B2, B5)
Mastered By – Doug Sax
Mixed By – Nick Froome
Mixed By [Assistant] – Ed Goodreau, Rob Jaczko
Music By – Chris Eaton (tracks: A3, B3), Jimmie Lee (tracks: A2, B4), Keith Thomas (tracks: A1, B1)
Photography By [Back Cover] – Aaron Rapoport
Photography By [Front Cover] – Ellen Schuster
Producer – Brown Bannister
Programmed By [Fairlight] – Carl Marsh, Peter Kaye, Rhett Lawrence, Shane Keister
Programmed By [Synclavier] – Steve Schaffer
Recorded By [Overdubs] – J.B., Jeff Balding
Recorded By [Rhythm Tracks, Assistant] – Joe Schiff
Recorded By [Rhythm Tracks] – Steve McMillan
Synthesizer [Fairlight Iii] – Carl Marsh (tracks: A1, A3)

Watchmen – Fear No Evil – 1987

Watchman formed in Tacoma Washington in 1984 and briefly called themselves Crosswalk before going with Watchman instead. This was their introductory demo released in 1987. It has a strong commercial sound and I noticed that several reviewers at the time compared them to Dio. There are strong keyboards which always sounds a little off to me when listening to a metal album. The standout thing on this demo for me was the quality of the production. It is very well engineered and I’d actually like to know who mixed and produced it. It sounds very well done to me and if they did it themselves they deserve credit for it. Anyway we have here 7 commercial oriented metal songs and a ballad. Regency Records must have liked it as much as I did as they signed them to a record deal after the demo.

Tracklist
1 – Fear No Evil – 4:55
2 – Tug Of War – 3:18
3 – Set Free – 4:12
4 – The Healer – 3:33
5 – Kingdom Come – 4:57
6 – Power From The Lamb – 4:23
7 – Christian Soldier – 3:18
8 – His Song – 5:00

Credits
Vocals – Greg Sweet
Keyboards – Kevin Antholt
Bass – Doug Larson
Drums – Kevin Whisler
Guitars – Dave Van Liew

Lightforce – Battlezone – 1987

This was the first full album release from Lightforce but it was self released. I’m not really sure where the line is between a demo and a self released album but anyway I digress. Originally this was released on cassette only but a vinyl version appeared in 2019 courtesy of Soundmass records. It was also included in a 2003 compilation entitled 1986 To 1989. This album has a pretty raw feel which I believe was entirely intentionally. Though this is an early version of Mortification the Lightforce had their own sound and it is a little more commercial. While metal is not one of my preferred styles of music I quite liked the track “Reigning With The King”, I think it cold have been a pretty popular track if it had wider distribution.

Tracklist
1 – Choose To Win – 4:31
2 – Evil Desires – 2:54
3 – Reigning With The King – 5:40
4 – Eyes of Destruction – 5:42
5 – I Won’t Conform – 2:41
6 – The Day Is Near – 2:34
7 – Battlezone – 2:44
8 – Fast Lane – 3:52

Credits
Bass – Steve Rowe
Cover, Layout, Design – Scott Waters
Drums – Errol Willenberg
Guitar – Cameron Hall
Vocals, Keyboards – Steve Johnson

Soldier – Louder Than Hell – 1987

Soldier formed in 1986 in the Bay area of California. They very quickly went into the studio and recorded this 3 track demo. For good measure they tossed 4 live tracks on to the demo too. Soldier was very well received in the California CCM Metal scene. They had a cult following that stuck with them for years though the band broke up in 1988. Copies of their demo’s were next to impossible to find but Millenium Eight Records stepped up in 2002 and released both demo’s together on one CD (These tracks are from this CD). The CD must have sold well as Roxx Records released an anthology from Soldier in 2018. It includes almost everything, if not everything the band ever recorded.

Tracklist
1 – Heart of Stone – 3:03
2 – Somebody New – 3:45
3 – Angel – 4:08
4 – King of the City (live) – 3:13
5 – Glory & Honor (live) – 3:01
6 – Priceless Heart (live) – 5:23
7 – Heart of Stone (live) – 4:03

Credits
Rick Hunter Martinez – Guitars
Jimmy Arceneaux – Vocals
Marc Allen – Bass
Jason Souza – Drums

Jerusalem – Dancing on the Head of the Serpent – 1987

This was the 5th studio album from Jerusalem and was the first studio album they put out into only English. From mid 85 until this album Jerusalem had taken a break as it is reported they were pretty well exhausted form touring. This album had a change in lineup as Reidar Paulsen stepped in on keyboards to replace Dan Tibell. Dan did return in the 90’s. This album was somewhat controversial or at least the cover was. The image of someone stomping the head of a demonic image was apparently shunned by many music stores who either hid it under the counter or refused to carry it entirely. How did we ever survive these things. Thanks goodness they were there to look out for us. Yes that was said with a healthy dose of sarcasm. The US version of the album was a remix from the Swedish version but essentially you’re here for hard rock with some keyboards and Jerusalem serves it up excellently as usual.

Tracklist
1 – Dancing On The Head Of The Serpent – 4:07
2 – Plunder Hell And Populate Heaven – 4:07
3 – Rebels Of Jesus Christ – 3:18
4 – Listen To Me – 4:30
5 – Woe, Woe…The Great Fall – 3:25
6 – We’re Gonna Take Europe – 3:39
7 – Come Higher – 3:59
8 – Catch The Devil, Catch The Thief – 4:40
9 – The Night When Revelation Came Into My Life – 4:46
10 – Still – 4:05

Credits
Arranged By – Jerusalem
Band [Jerusalem Is], Bass, Backing Vocals – Peter Carlsohn
Band [Jerusalem Is], Drums, Backing Vocals – Michael Ulvsgärd
Band [Jerusalem Is], Keyboards, Backing Vocals – Reidar I Paulsen
Band [Jerusalem Is], Vocals, Guitar – Ulf Christiansson
Cover – Rolf Jansson
Engineer [Engineered By] – Göran Buller
Photography By – Ulf Nilsson
Producer [Produced By] – Ulf Christiansson
Written-By [All Songs By] – Ulf Christiansson

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Refuge Records
Copyright (c) – Refuge Records
Distributed By – Spectra Distribution
Recorded At – Jerusalem Studio
Glass Mastered At – Nimbus, Virginia
Published By – Ulf Christiansson
Published By – Place Of Refuge

Geoff Moore – The Distance – 1987

This was Geoff’s last solo album before putting together a band and being Geoff Moore and the Distance. There must be some correlation between this album being call The Distance and his subsequent band being named The Distance but I don’t know what it was. The band for this album consisted of Dan Huff, Gary Lunn and Mark Gersmehl all from Whiteheart along with Bill Smiley doing some backup vocals and producing the album. This album has an excellent pop/rock sound and it was another album I missed in the 80’s but love it now. The CD version of this album had a bonus track Duet with Larry Norman doing a rocking version of Larry’s “Why Should The Devil Have All The Good Music”.

This was Geoff’s last solo album before putting together a band and being Geoff Moore and the Distance. There must be some correlation between this album being call The Distance and his subsequent band being named The Distance but I don’t know what it was. The band for this album consisted of Dan Huff, Gary Lunn and Mark Gersmehl all from Whteheart along with Bill Smiley doing some backup vocals and producing the album. This album has an excellent pop/rock sound and it was another album I missed in the 80’s but love it now. The CD version of this album had a bonus track Duet with Larry Norman doing a rocking version of Larry’s “Why Should The Devil Have All The Good Music”. There is actually a music video for that track also and we have it here;

Tracklist
1 – Winning Back The Rock – 3:19
2 – Never Wanna Go Back – 3:44
3 – Familiar Stranger – 3:17
4 – Tomorrow – 4:00
5 – Didn’t He – 5:47
6 – Face The Music – 4:31
7 – Trouble Tonight – 3:46
8 – Sooner Or Later – 3:27
9 – Obey – 4:42
10 – Inside Out – 3:55
CD Bonus Track
11 – Why Should The Devil Have All The Good Music – 4:03

Credits
Steven Curtis Chapman – Composer
Tommy Dorsey – Horn, Keyboards
Ric Florian – Vocals
Mark Gersmehl – Composer
Pam Mark Hall – Composer
Dann Huff – Guitar
Gordon Kennedy – Composer, Guitar
Brent King – Percussion
Gary Lunn – Bass
Randy Matthews – Composer
Marty McCall – Vocals
Chris McHugh – Drums
Geoff Moore – Composer, Primary Artist, Vocals
Farrell Morris – Percussion
Phil Naish – Keyboards
Dale Oliver – Composer, Slide Guitar
Gary Pigg – Vocals
John Slick – Organ
Billy Smiley – Composer, Producer, Vocals
James Stroud – Drums
Arlin Troyer – Composer
Mark Tucker – Photography

Russ Taff – Russ Taff – 1987

Now I will admit that I didn’t listen to this album in the 80’s because I didn’t really like Russ Taff. Boy did I miss a great album because this is a strong pop album with some fantastic hits. The opening tune “Shake” is a great Rock & Roll song and the album also has a very good cover of “I Still Believe” by The Call. I don’t know for sure but this has to be one of Russ Taff’s most successful albums. It spawned 5 singles with “Walk Between The Lines” making it to #1 and even pushing The Call cover “I Still Believe” up to #5 which is quite surprising given that this is a straight out Rock & Roll cut. Dann Huff (White Heart) joins in on guitar on a few tracks and you hear his influence. Mark Williamson (Mark Williamson Band & Lyrix) sings backup on a few tracks as does Charlie Peacock. Great bunch of artists to push this album pretty high on my liked list.

Tracklist
1 – Shake – 4:21
2 – Walk Between The Lines – 5:33
3 – Believe In Love – 5:03
4 – Down In The Lowlands – 5:08
5 – This Love Is Strong – 4:59
6 – I Still Believe – 4:31
7 – Steal Away – 0:43
8 – (Living On The) Edge Of Time – 3:41
9 – Higher – 4:54
10 – Breathe Life Into Me – 4:24
11 – Healing Touch – 4:42

Artists
Harry Browning – Vocals (Background)
Robbie Buchanan – Synthesizer
Lenny Castro – Percussion
Bill Champlin – Vocals (Background)
Tamara Champlin – Vocals (Background)
Nathan East – Bass
Chris Eaton – Composer
Tommy Funderburk – Vocals (Background)
James Hollihan, Jr. – Composer
James Newton Howard – Composer, Synthesizer
Dann Huff – Guitar (Electric)
Paul Jackson, Jr. – Guitar (Electric)
Michael Landau – Composer, Guitar (Electric)
Paul Leim – Drums
Lynn Nichols – Vocals (Background)
Jack Joseph Puig – Producer
Neil Stubenhaus – Bass
Russ Taff – Primary Artist, Producer, Vocals (Background)
Carmen Twitty – Vocals (Background)
Tata Vega – Vocals (Background)
Larry Williams – Saxophone

Credits
Art Direction – Joan Tankersley
Cover, Design [Logo Design] – Joan Tankersley, Patrick Pollei
Crew [Studio Crew] – Bernadette B., Deborah Klein, Leeza Jillian Tender
Design Concept [Cover Concept] – Joan Tankersley, Lynn Nichols
Engineer [Assisted By] – Bart Stevens, Billy Whittington*, Julie Last, Koji, Steve Ford, Wade Jaynes
Executive-Producer – Lynn Nichols
Management – Zach Glickman
Mastered By – Doug Sax
Photography By – Phillip Dixon
Producer [Produced By] – Jack Joseph Puig
Recorded By, Mixed By – Jack Joseph Puig
Technician [Technical Assistants] – Mike Wambsgans, Steve Hazelton

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Word, Inc.
Copyright (c) – Word, Inc.
Manufactured By – A&M Records, Inc.
Distributed By – A&M Records, Inc.
Made By – Digital Audio Disc Corp.
Manufactured By – DADC – DIDX-2775
Recorded At – Shnaze Studio
Recorded At – Ocean Way Recording
Engineered At – The Hop
Engineered At – Studio 55, Los Angeles
Engineered At – Wayne Cook Studios
Engineered At – Mama Jo’s
Mastered At – The Mastering Lab

Boys Club – Demo 2 – 1987

In 1987 when their Branded tour was over Gym and Sim from Undercover decided to form a new project and cut a couple demo’s. Ojo was off doing is own thing and took Gary with him. Gym and Sim were joined on Drums by Rod Learned (Berlin, yes that Berlin “Sex”) on Drums, Jeff Sheets (Dead Artist Syndrome) on Keyboards, and Fred MacGregor (no idea who he is) on Bass. This is the second of these 2 demos. It has 3 tracks that would make it oneto the Undercover album “Balance Of Power”. Land of Luxury, Time, and Love Me Dangerously which is a really great tune. Also strangely there is a cover of Clapton’s “White Room”.This is all I know about this project. The demo itself has an excellent new wave feel and sound. I don’t understand why someone didn’t pick this album up and release it. The quality of the mix/production is as good as anything else that came out at the time. Maybe it was legal issues due to two members being signed to Broken Records but that’s just a guess. Anyway it’s a great demo and a treat for Undercover fans who want a little more.

Tracklist
1 – You And I – 3:01
2 – Love Game – 4:14
3 – Land Of Luxury – 5:49
4 – Hope It Never Comes To This Again – 3:49
5 – Here Comes The Fire – 4:42
6 – Time – 7:47
7 – Used To Be – 4:11
8 – White Room – 4:14
9 – Once Is Never Enough – 3:34
10 – We Ride – 3:37
11 – Love Me Dangerously – 3:00
12 – Crazy – 3:28

Credits
Bass – Fred MacGregor
Drums – Rod Learned
Keyboards – Jeff Sheets
Vocals, Guitar – Gym Nicholson
Vocals – Sim Wilson