"I Have the Skill" sounded so distantly familiar (not so much "No Turning Back"). I remember the album cover, too. I was still doing retail in '80. I'm not sure I knew they were of Sherbet (MCA?), whose album I had in the '70s, and found them to be suitable pop rock. There seem to be so many bands like this from that late-'70s/early'80s era...faceless, innocuous and pleasant easy- or pop-rock!
Thanks Brad! That RAF is definitely in my pop wheelhouse. I like how you call it "faceless, innocuous and pleasant easy- or pop rock." It's definitely a genre, or sub-genre, of some sort. I kind of think The Baby's would fall into that category too (and I love The Baby's).
I love The Babys, too....Waite's one of my favorite singers! I used to do both "Everytime I Think of You" and "Isn't It Time" regularly in karaoke a decade ago! The Babys certainly fit in that sub-genre, although, with hits, they're not as "faceless" as I was intending with completely hitless bands like Sherbs and RAF!
These were major label bands in the '70s whom no one has heard of, but, for those of us who took home several promos on a regular basis, your armload would be filled with these poor bands who never had a chance (for whatever reasons) at airplay and/or sales!
For every Babys who managed to break through, there'd be more than a handful of bands who languished completely unheard, and whose albums go for 25c in used record shops...if THAT much! A thorough article on these bands would be quite revealing....I think if people played, say, that first RAF song (in the article) 3 times a day for a week, it would become a "hit" in their car or living room to the point they'd be motivated to go buy it, just as if it had been on heavy rotation on their 1980 car radio!
I had Defying Gravity and The Skill on vinyl, but had forgotten about them for decades. The album collection was destroyed in a basement flood 20 years ago. But today I’ll be revisiting both of them. Thanks!!
"I Have the Skill" sounded so distantly familiar (not so much "No Turning Back"). I remember the album cover, too. I was still doing retail in '80. I'm not sure I knew they were of Sherbet (MCA?), whose album I had in the '70s, and found them to be suitable pop rock. There seem to be so many bands like this from that late-'70s/early'80s era...faceless, innocuous and pleasant easy- or pop-rock!
RAF was a similar band (on A&M) that same time frame (1980). In case you missed it, see whatcha think: https://bradkyle.substack.com/p/audio-autopsy-1980-david-valentine?utm_source=publication-search
Thanks Brad! That RAF is definitely in my pop wheelhouse. I like how you call it "faceless, innocuous and pleasant easy- or pop rock." It's definitely a genre, or sub-genre, of some sort. I kind of think The Baby's would fall into that category too (and I love The Baby's).
I love The Babys, too....Waite's one of my favorite singers! I used to do both "Everytime I Think of You" and "Isn't It Time" regularly in karaoke a decade ago! The Babys certainly fit in that sub-genre, although, with hits, they're not as "faceless" as I was intending with completely hitless bands like Sherbs and RAF!
Remember New England (Infinity Records, 1979...https://www.discogs.com/master/161296-New-England-New-England), or Artful Dodger (Columbia Records, 1975.....https://www.discogs.com/master/489751-Artful-Dodger-Artful-Dodger)?
These were major label bands in the '70s whom no one has heard of, but, for those of us who took home several promos on a regular basis, your armload would be filled with these poor bands who never had a chance (for whatever reasons) at airplay and/or sales!
For every Babys who managed to break through, there'd be more than a handful of bands who languished completely unheard, and whose albums go for 25c in used record shops...if THAT much! A thorough article on these bands would be quite revealing....I think if people played, say, that first RAF song (in the article) 3 times a day for a week, it would become a "hit" in their car or living room to the point they'd be motivated to go buy it, just as if it had been on heavy rotation on their 1980 car radio!
I had Defying Gravity and The Skill on vinyl, but had forgotten about them for decades. The album collection was destroyed in a basement flood 20 years ago. But today I’ll be revisiting both of them. Thanks!!
Awesome!
Thanks man, I appreciate it!