gener8tr

I saw Hardline open for Mr. Big in Salem, Oregon the summer of 1992 and had absolutley NO idea who they were before that day. They took the stage and I knew on thing for certain: The dude with the Les Paul was Neal ******* Schon! After the show I knew one more thing: Those guys ******* rocked! Hardline will NEVER sound like that again. Do I still appreciate Gioeli's voice and several "Hardline" songs here and there? Of course, but Double Ecplise Part II there will never be. That was 20 years ago!

I know many of us have had the two original Giraffe CD's on our short-short-short want lists forever it seems. Well now you can have the next best thing as both CD's have been remastered and reissued for a limited time. Here's the link: http://www.popplusone.com/gilbert.html Don't know if these will hit the record-setting prices of the originals, but I bet they'll be worth triple the current value next year this time.

STEVE HOFFMAN mastered this one direct from the original master tapes. Remember the vinyl? That's what you'll get. Absolutely the BEST CD version available without a doubt. No compression, no trans fat and no addatives Trust me!

I didn't discover the BLUE TEARS debut until about 1999 or 2000. MAJOR travesty as it is one of the finest melodic rock CD's ever recorded in my opinion. I sure could have used that one during those long, cold years from 1992 - 1995.

This one rates up there with Treat's Coup De Grace for me. I can't quit spinning this one.

Ahhh, smart man Mick Jones is. Re-record and re-release all the classics and cut out of royalties Lou Gramm gets.

Okay, so I just finished listening to M.D. for the second time straight through and I must say, I haven't been this excited for a melodic hard rock CD since I first heard Hardline - Double Eclipse the summer of 1992. That's not to say I think it's the best album released the past two decades, but as far as immediate WOW FACTOR it rates right up there for me... and I admit I'm very hard to please. I usually need to warm-up to almost anything and everything new. For instance, I remember bringing KEEP THE FAITH home the day it was released in November 1992, and almost tossed it out the window that very same night. Looking back now, it's the last great album Bon Jovi released (in my opinion), and now that I'm 43 and no longer 18, I find myself reaching for KTF even more than Slippery when I need a Bon Jovi fix. Anyway, Hitchcock's new album simply rocks, and even the two ballads are crunchy enough to keep my interest. Ironically, the only song I really don't care for that much is the title track. This one will be getting plenty of run in my system(s)! Those dudes at Frontier Records simply have their shit together, PERIOD!

Obviously human life far outweights material posessions, but I am not going to lie... If I were to lose all of my vintage audio gear, CD and LP collection, etc. I'd feel like jumping off a bridge myself. Losing those Skid Row master tspes means we will NEVER get an audiophile reissue... not that Skid Row necessarily needs an audiophile reissue, but now even thinking about it is moot.

No need to feel "guilty" about liking The Outfield in my opinion. YOUR LOVE is one of the tastiest 80's pop songs you'll ever hear. Can't say I've stayed current with the band the past 25 years after PLAY DEEP was released, but I certainly spin the aforementioned record (yes, vinyl) at least every couple months or so. I may have to check out the new stuff for a nostalgia trip if nothing else. Once again I'll state the obvious... THE 80'S RULED!

I just listened to the entire new Night Ranger album. If this one is worthy of 100% then MIDNIGHT MADNESS should have it's own chapter in the Bible somewhere after Psalms. I score it 70 at best.

Saw this on MR today myself... and of course I'll be buying this one. Love me some P.O.L., and from Toby's description, I think this one has potential to be GREAT!

I saw them here in Portland, Oregon 6 weeks ago or so. Show was good, Phil sounded great, but the venue was small to begin with, and I honestly don't think there was more than 200 people there AT MOST... perhaps less. And to think, these guys opened for Def Leppard on the final leg of the Hysteria Tour in 1988 / 1989 playing to crowds in excess of 20,000. It's gotta be a bit humbling, no?

I have no problem admitting I am planted firmly in the 3:45 big radio hit camp as far as Journey goes, and Eclipse just doesn't meet that M.O. But I'll always have Escape, Frontiers and Raised on Radio to tickle my fancy, so I'm good.

On a related yet entirely separate subject, I picked-up the new 180 gram vinyl reissue of ESCAPE mastered by Kevin Gray for Friday Music and it is ******* AWESOME! Damn I wish everyone could hear just how much bettr music sounds on vinyl when played through a good system. Blows me away every time.

John, I do not have the new CD yet, but allow me to say something about HIGH GEAR if I may: The music, the vibe, the lyrics, the packaging, everything is awesome save for the BRICKWALLED / OVERLY LOUD / TURN IT UP TO 11 mastering. Yes, I understand this is the norm rather than the exception now-a-days as music is made more for iPod's and or car CD players than a serious audiophile home system, but damn, the compression levels just destroy the music for me. Yes, I'm a nitpicker, but you asked (even if it wasn't about this particular CD). Not trying to be a downer, just honest. Thanks for asking... it's nice that someone actually cares.

As far as songwriting goes... I remember reading an interview with Jon Bon Jovi sometime back (maybe a decade ago, actually) and he was asked this same question almost word-for-word regarding their latest release versus Slippery When Wet. His response was something along the line of "We were 22 years old when we wrote that album. It's a different world and we're different people now. We couldn't write that album again no matter how hard we tried." At the time I was pissed, thought of him as a liar, etc., etc., etc. But the more I think about it, the more I think it's true. Obviously those words stuck with me because 10 years later I still remember the interview, and think of it EVERY SINGLE TIME I'm disappointed with a new album from one of my favorite bands of yesteryear. Yeah, I think Jon is right... it's simply not the same anymore.

I'm digging these tracks for sure! I'll place my order as soon as NEH has it listed for sale.

FOOLS BLEED is good enough to have made ANY of the early albums (including the debut). The rest is just standard hard-rock filler in my opinion. Too bad, as I know they had better songwriting in them. I'm worried this may be the last hurrah from my hometown band (but hopefully not).

Gotta be honest, and yes, I realize and admit I am a "stuck in 1986" guy, but I DON'T LIKE THIS ONE AT ALL.

It's certainly not "You Can Still Rock In America" or "Don't Tell Me You Love Me" - but then again I suppose it's not 1984 anymore either. Do the rest of you guys around my age (43) still thank your lucky stars you grew-up when you did? When incredible albums were being released not once or twice per year, but once or twice per week! 1981 - 1986 (my junior high and high school years) was a magical run, and I am still proud to have been part of it. Regardless of whether or not the new Night Ranger album cuts the mustard (for me), they absolutely kick ass live. That Journey, Foreigner and Night Ranger trifecta is going to be awesome this coming fall!

yes i've seen couple of perfect score from Andrew, but don't know if 'Eclipse' will be that high for me, as the two singles posted earlier honestly didn't do much for me unlike 'Never Walk Away' and 'After All These Years' hit homerun at the very first listening hopefully the rest of album will be awesome Agreed... The two you mention, along with "Higher Place" are what I consider the most ESCAPE / FRONTIRES / RAISED ON RADIO-esque... and the Journey sound I enjoy the most. Certanily I will buy the new album, but my days of getting excited about anything "new" from my favorite "old" bands is over. I've been dissapointed so many times the past decade plus I'm simply jaded beyond reproach. Looking forward to the tour with Night Ranger and Foreigner, however.

The last one was so darn good, and I "thought" I heard rumblings about a new release last summer... anyone IN-THE-KNOW? Thank you!

I know 2011 isn't 1983, but God damn it I wish more bands were like Loverboy and would at least TRY to please the fans who put them on the map in the first place. I don't hate the new song, but it certainly doesn't stand up to even the worst song on Pyromania (is there a worst song on Pyromania?). Looks like I need to pull out my Autograph LOUD AND CLEAR CD to put a smile back on my face.

Jeff Warner told me personally this album was due in 2009 (when I saw the band live in late 2008)... my photos and mini write-up were even put onto the pages of melodicrock.com. A year later around Halloween 2009 I saw the band locally again, and this time Jaime said the album was to be released on Frontiers " Really soon." This is one whereby I'll believe it when I see it... but I hope for the best as I've been a fan since seeing them open for Night Ranger here in Portland back in 1983. EDIT - Hell, I could be a year off in my aforementioned statement... It may have been 2007 I spoke with Jeff and 2008 whereby Jaime said it was to be released on Frontiers... all these years just blend together now-a-days.

We had a semi-lengthy discussion on the subject several years ago on the album page. I even spoke to the drummer, and we were going to meet and discuss the entire project at length, but it just didn't happen. I still live near Poretland (have most of my life) and purchased the CD new back in about 1991 from a little place called Locals Only (all Portland area musicians). Anyway, back in the late 90's I traded a few used copies I found around town to PJ (remember him) and he sold them for a rather large bounty. After that I continued to look and was able to locate two more used copies. I sold one to a guy from Japan for $399.00, and another (lesser quality copy) to someone else in Japan for like $250.00. Neither lasted on ebay more than about one hour. Those of you who haven't been around these parts forever, or ebay since its inception might think I'm bullshitting, but I'm not, not one bit. There were times back in about 1997 or 1998 rare 80's rock and metal CD's were selling for $500.00 to $1,000.00 and up ON A DAILY BASIS on ebay (PJ made a KILLING back then). CD's like Stryper TO HELL WITH THE DEVIL (Japan), Chastain RULER OF THE WASTELAND (Japan) Apocrypha FORGOTTEN SCROLL (Japan) and many many, MANY more were setting records each and every day. Anyway, from what I gather Scream (vocals) was the only "real" member of HOT BOY, and the other guys were local hired musicians. If you check out the video for YOUNG, WILD AND FREE on ebay, notice the lead singer is NOT the same guy as the one on the CD cover. But that's another story I actually have at least 5 or 6 sealed copies of BARELY LEGAL on cassette tape. You think the CD is rare, has anyone else ever seen a copy of the cassette? Not that rare necessarily means valuable... ahh, you know what I mean.