Fortune - 2

[Stefan]

 

BREAKING NEWS: Frontiers Music Srl welcomes AOR cult heroes Fortune to the label for the release of a new studio album in early 2019! Mick Fortune says, "[w]e are looking forward to working with Frontiers in both a recording and a touring capacity! Exciting times ahead!"

Fortune’s lineup is comprised of: 
Mick Fortune (drums)
Richard Fortune (guitar)
Larry Greene (vocals)
Ricky Rat (bass)
Mark Nilan (keyboards)

The seeds of Fortune were planted by brothers Richard and Mick Fortune, who came from a family of professional musicians; their mother was a singer and their father a singer and bassist. Richard started playing the guitar when he was 16, and went on to play guitar and tour with Buddy Miles, Booker T & The MGs and Spirit, while Mick started out as an accordion, keyboard, and trombone player before switching to drums. The brothers cut an album, "Fortune" for Warner Brothers in 1978, but by 1982 had totally revamped the group with a new key acquisition being the recruitment of Roger Scott Craig. A classically trained pianist from the age of 8, the Irish born keyboard player was known for a successful stint with the Scouse pop group Liverpool Express in the '70s. With a lineup rounded out by Larry 'L.A.' Greene, also of Top Gun soundtrack fame, on vocals, and Detroit studio and Elton John bassist Bob Birch, Fortune eventually released their self-titled debut album in 1985 to a warm reception, especially in Japan and Europe.

Camel/MCA Records (the same label that had launched Night Ranger and Giuffria to stardom) released the debut and it is still highly regarded today by fans of the genre. For many fans of the genre, it is indeed considered one of the best, if not THE best AOR albums of all-time. While this is of course very much open to debate, the reality is that Fortune’s album is one of those lost gems from yesteryear that has aged like fine wine while the years have passed.

Shortly after that legendary self-titled album's release, Camel Records unexpectedly declared bankruptcy for undisclosed reasons and refused to give up the masters of the album, making an album re-release impossible until fairly recently. The band remained silent for years and while Larry Greene and Roger Scott Craig started working together with the band Harlan Cage (who released several albums in the second half of the 90’s and early 00’s), the Fortune brothers started the band back up again as a trio in 2006, until a proper band reunion happened in 2016 when the band performed at the Rockingham Music Festival in 2016 and then - thanks to the acclaim that followed that performance - in 2017 as well. These appearances ultimately led to discussions with Frontiers about a new studio album.

Follow the band on Facebook here:https://www.facebook.com/fortunerockers

[gener8tr]

Loved the '85 debut.  I'm certainly in on this one.

[Mafisen]

I like Harlan Cage a lot and they have covered several Fortune songs on their albums. I am definitely looking forward to this one. 

[Jez]

Interesting!..I like the debut, a fair bit,  but consider it a bit overrated compared to some AOR type folk around. Thankfully The lunatic  RSC isn't involved in this,  so it  might be one to watch....or not. Boulevard managed a great comeback album last year after nearly 30 years, so no reason why these guys can't do the same. My ears await

[Stefan]

From Frontiers:

BREAKING NEWS: Fortune will return with their first new album, "II", in nearly 35 years on April 26, 2019.

 

Tracklist:
1. Don’t Say You Love Me
2. Shelter Of The Night
3. Freedom Road
4. A Little Drop Of Poison (For Amy W.)
5. What A Fool I’ve Been
6. Overload 
7. Heart Of Stone
8. The Night
9. New Orleans
10. All The Right Moves

 

 

[gener8tr]

That keyboard intro is AWESOME and sounds exactly like 1985 to my ears. 

As with most vocalists some 30+ years later, the highs aren't quite as high, and no matter how hard engineers / producers try, it's just not analog unless it IS analog.  80's slick and sultry production is what made so many of those bands sound so damn good back in the day.

I like this one... 100% Must Have for me.

[Glen]

not convinced by that song. 

[Crazysam]

not bad, but similar to how I felt upon hearing the latest Hardline song, while I enjoyed the band's debut I'll have to hear more and better before I'd consider purchasing this new one

[Mafisen]

Good song. Hurry April. 

[Jez]

Really like that

[Invisible_man]

that intro is straight from 1985

[Geoff]

Not too bad. Probably worth a listen, I'd guess. 

[Stefan]

New song 'Freedom Road'.

 

 

[Thomas/Coastline]

A breath of fresh air from...1985. ; ) I like it.

[gener8tr]

Love it.  Can't wait for the new CD to arrive.

[kourosofsteel3]

Love "Don't Say You love Me".  Reminds me Keel's same titled opus which is my favorite Keel tune ( minus, of course,  the great solo and the rainbow in the dark key riff)

[heavyharmonies]

Yeah, this disc is really good. I was always a Harlan Cage fan back in the day, and Larry Greene's vocals are so recognizable. Thank goodness it was him on vox rather than RSC, nuttier than a fruitcake.