Black Bambi?!

[phaffas]

My link

Black Bambi? Produced by Beau Hill? No comments on the page? Why have i not heard of this ever before...?

[Geoff]

wtf, I never knew anything was ever released from these guys! Heard some demos through the years and 'Lay me down' is a truly killer track.

 

Would love to hear this full album. Who's got it and who's going to give it to me?

[Evil Rick]

So Atlantic Records released it in 2001? After it was recorded in 1989?? That seems odd to me.

 

Count me in as very interested in hearing it, especially with Beau Hill involved!

[SUICIDE]

Only bootlegs floating around. The official album was shelved before it was released.

 

There is a label that has to be paid before they will allow anyone to release this.

[Stefan]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqh6TUri-ew

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2Y0HG3KUEU

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCNI_jjzoQM

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkL9XloGaek

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FK1VfULICD8

[Geoff]

I wonder if we did hear this full thing if it'd be apparent why this album never got released. It sounds like they may be one of those bands. They look awesome, have a good sound... but where are any decent hooks on half those tunes (a lot like Youngblood)? 'Black Mirror' is nice enough, just 'cause it's another uptempo tune. And like I said above, 'Lay Me Down' is worth it's weight in gold. Make an album with 10 songs like that and they wouldn't have had this album shelved, that I guarantee.

[AlphaMale]

And here ya go:

BLACK BAMBI - Black Bambi (remastered reissue 2017)

 

 

Here's another one from the vaults: BLACK BAMBI self-titled album recorded in 1990 with Beau Hill as producer but shelved due to music industry uselessness. "Black Bambi" finally got released in 2001, but now 20th Century Music has made it available again with a refreshed sound.

 

Black Bambi is another example of a band that has it all to make it big: great musicianship, the looks, a recording contract with Atlantic Records and a top producer in Beau Hill.

 

However, they were missing an important factor; luck.

 

The band initially came together when San Diego transplant Steven Ray Anastos left his band City Slick only to discover than another band from his hometown, Aircraft, had also called it a day. Having admired that band's material, Anastos decided to call guitarist Ronny Jones to see if they might put something together to test the waters and soon after Steven and the bulk of Aircraft were in business as BLACK BAMBI.

 

Playing their first show at The Whiskey A Go-Go on New Year's Eve 1987, the band ran through a handful of shows before the rhythm section was ousted in favor of bassist John Grimmett and drummer Dave Casey.

 

At this point the band's sound became more focused with a classic hard rock imprint, and a buzz was swiftly building throughout the major labels.

 

1989 would see the band sign with the legendary John Carter at Atlantic Records and they were immediately sent into Enterprise Studios with highly sought after producer Beau Hill behind the board for an album that was scheduled for an early 1990 release.

 

Opening slots with both Badlands and The Black Crowes followed and BLACK BAMBI were primed for major success. And then the bottom fell out.

 

Basically, they were orphaned. Carter parted ways with Atlantic Records right as the band were completing the album. The timing could not have been worse. BLACK BAMBI were left high & dry and there was no coming back from that.

 

 

Musically "Black Bambi" is pure late '80s sounding classic hard rock, with mature songwriting and that slick production from the era. Think a mix of The Cult 'Sonic Temple', Tesla, Badlands, Vain, Atomic Playboys, etc.

 

The track 'Dancing With The Shadows' is probably Black Bambi in microcosm: bright rhythm section, sharp guitars, lyrics that would pass the lips of The Cult frontman without a problem with a slightly Vince Neil-esque delivery and wrapped in a big-bollocked, airy production guaranteed to sound good on a Sunset Strip dancefloor at two in the morning.

 

There's songs like me 'Lay Me Down' and 'Cry Blackbird Cry' really sounding like lost glam metal classics, and it’s nice to get the chance to hear some ‘new’ hair metal recorded at the scene of the crime and not reimagined by post modern hipsters or balding has beens looking to reignite their glory days thanks to a small pay check from voracious nostalgia-loving record labels.

 

20th Century Music has done a very nice job with the tapes sound (this is not the poor bootleg floating the web). The album has just been digitally released and will be available on physical CD next Friday 18th.

 

Highly Recommended

 

01 - Mary's Birthday
02 - In the Meantime
03 - Cry Blackbird Cry
04 - Crucified
05 - Seven Miles to Rome
06 - Dancing with the Shadows
07 - Down
08 - The Celebration
09 - 99 1/2
10 - Broken Mirror
11 - Lay Me Down
12 - Soul of a Child

 

Steven Ray Anastos: lead vocals
Mark Crowley: guitar
John Grimmett: bass
Dave Casey: drums

 

produced by Beau Hill

 

BUY IT !

 

www.amazon.co.uk/Black-Bambi/dp/B073QZW6JB
20thcentury-music.com/black-bambi/

[AlphaMale]

https://www.amazon.com/Black-Bambi/dp/B073R13KSF/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1502939381&sr=8-1&keywords=black+bambi

[Glen]

Ouch -

 

'and its nice to get the chance to hear some new hair metal recorded at the scene of the crime and not reimagined by post modern hipsters or balding has beens looking to reignite their glory days thanks to a small pay check from voracious nostalgia-loving record labels.'

[Crazysam]

I've got a bootleg of this on cdr and I thought it was a good album. I'll likely pick this one up when they put the physical cd copy out.

[lettard]

I've got a bootleg of this on cdr and I thought it was a good album. I'll likely pick this one up when they put the physical cd copy out.

Physical cd available from 18th Aug from what I've seen,although the 20th century music page is of no use to order it from

[AlphaMale]

https://allthatshreds.com/black-bambi-finally-release-debut-album-30-years-later/

 

BLACK BAMBI TO FINALLY RELEASE THEIR DEBUT ALBUM 30 YEARS LATER

 

AUGUST 13, 2017 ANDREW CATANIA LEAVE A COMMENT

What do you do when all of your plans go sideways? Picture this: It’s 1990, and you’re in one of, if not the most hotly tipped rock band in the United States. Tons of press sold out club shows around Southern California and girls lining up as far as the eye can see.

 

And then, nothing. The ride comes to an abrupt halt, and you’re left scratching your head and wondering where and how it all went wrong.

 

Such is the story of Los Angeles’ one-time favorite sons BLACK BAMBI. Says the band’s frontman, Steven Ray Anastos, “Basically, we were orphaned. John Carter, our A&R guy, good friend & mentor, parted ways with Atlantic Records right as we were completing the album. The timing could not have been worse. We were left high & dry, and there was no coming back from that.”

Nearly thirty years after the band’s only album was shelved it sees the light of day through 20th Century Music.

 

Let’s go back to the beginning, though, shall we? The band initially came together when San Diego transplant Steven Ray Anastos left his band City Slick only to discover than another band from his hometown, Aircraft, had also called it a day. Having admired that band’s material, Anastos decided to call guitarist Ronny Jones to see if they might put something together to test the waters and soon after Steven and the bulk of Aircraft were in business as BLACK BAMBI. “We took off right out of the gate writing new songs and rehearsing nearly every single night. It was a fascinating time, and we were very optimistic that we had a sound that was unlike anyone else in Los Angeles at that time” recalls Anastos.

 

Playing their first show at The Whiskey A Go-Go on New Year’s Eve 1987, the band ran through a handful of shows before the rhythm section was ousted in favor of bassist John Grimmett and drummer Dave Casey. “When Ronny & I started looking for a new rhythm section we went back to the guys we had played with in previous bands. Dave was in my group City Slick and Ronny’s band Aircraft, and John and I had played together briefly in Mickey Knight. It came together pretty damn quick, and we never looked back.”

 

At this point, the band’s sound became darker and more focused, and a buzz was swiftly building throughout the major labels. 1989 would see the band sign with the legendary John Carter at Atlantic Records, and they were immediately sent into Enterprise Studios with highly sought after producer Beau Hill behind the board for an album that was scheduled for an early 1990 release.

 

Steven says, “We had the time of our lives during that recording process. It was a dream come true to be recording with a successful producer such as Beau Hill and in such a legendary studio. Lots of platinum albums came out of that room, and we had very high hopes that we would be the next in line. It was also the high point of the band’s relationship as friends.”

 

Regarding the band’s songwriting process, Steven says: Our songs always started with Ronny writing a cool guitar riff, which seemed to come very quickly to him back then, and I would write the melody and lyrics. I was reading lots of Vampire books at the time and was very much into poetry, Jim Morrison, etc., so lots of the lyrics are a little bit twisted and moody. Again, things always came together effortlessly, and John & Dave certainly added a solid backbone to our sound.

 

Opening slots with both Badlands and The Black Crowes followed, and BLACK BAMBI was primed for major success. And then the bottom fell out. John Carter left Atlantic Records soon after and suddenly the band had none at the label in their corner. Leaving the label shortly after, they began showcasing for other major labels with everyone having a different vision for the band than they had for themselves. Steven recalls: “We were broken hearted, man. Our dreams were slipping through our fingers, and there was absolutely nothing we could do about it. Naturally, the band began to splinter, and within a few months, we were done. Since that time, nearly 30 years actually, we have received countless emails & inquiries from all over the world asking if the LP is available and where it can be purchased. We truly appreciate your interest and your excitement about our lost album, and now we can say yes, it is available either on Limited Edition CD or digitally on iTunes. So, come and get it …Available August 18, 2017.

 

Good things come to those that wait, indeed.

 

Steven Ray Anastos – Lead Vocals
Ronny Jones – Guitars
John Grimmett – Bass
Dave Casey – Drums

[PeterS]

So after a couple of spins I'd suggest they were never destined to be world beaters but it's a solid enough album.

[CureTheSane]

Been listening to this later and it's pretty good.

If I'd heard it back in the day I would have loved it, but hard to hear it now with the same vibe.

Very Babylon AD sounding on some songs.