New Wave Outpost Forum

How's this for a forgotten early 80's power pop gem by <a href="http://www.steelbreeze.info/" target="blank">a Sierra Nevada area group that's still 'kickin it' in the biz</a> albeit on the music for hire circuit.

IMO: This one has all the requisite NW pop elements folks, a catchy solo synth intro which is followed by a driving percussive and bass beat that segues a searing guitar riff intro for the lead vocalist (who sounds a lot like Don Henley- dunno how that will sit with some of you folks)[B)]
BTW: Features a pretty decent guitar solo in there as well.

Anyone else remember this one?
Feel Free to give it a listen <a href="http://s56.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2CFY8QMCZJY9S3G7WNS6XWVT6W" target="blank">Here</a>

<IMG SRC="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v395/richp62/Icons%20Avatars/inot.gif">

The video had the band playing by the pool. The guitarist fell in, and was "electrocuted" with a flashing purple light. Cheesy effect, even for 1982, or whenever.

Went to their website. My first reaction was "what's a chick doing in the band?" Clicked their song list, and it appears she's a stand-in for Gwen Stefani. LOL.

[quote][i]Originally posted by plagiarism[/i]
<br>Went to their website. My first reaction was "what's a chick doing in the band?" Clicked their song list, and it appears she's a stand-in for Gwen Stefani. LOL.[/quote]

http://www.steelbreeze.info/band.htm
"Her side project is called "Gwen In Doubt," a tribute to No Doubt and their charismatic leading lady, Gwen Stefani."
Great, just what we need... more "No Doubt!" ... um no.

---------------------------
"Photography with a Vision"
http://www.cooganphoto.com

I remember the video well for not having seen it in over 20 years. (Does MTV even know where their copy is anymore?) Even though all the songs on the album were more or less the same, this was by far the highlight. That synth hook sold it.

There must have been some seriously bad blood between them and RCA Records. The debut album sold really well... made the Top 100... spawned two big hits. A year later, and they're independent. I can't even begin to imagine what went wrong. But it's pretty impressive how well it sold considering it boasts some of the ugliest jacket art (front and back) I have ever laid eyes upon.

I also bought their second album -- which I think I had to mail-order on account of it was impossible to find in stores -- and it had another good song in the title track, "Heart on the Line." (Not as good as "You Don't Want Me Anymore," but better than everything else on the debut.) It also had a horrible cover of The Grass Roots' "Temptation Eyes." They got a new singer for this record -- seemingly with the express purpose of mimicking Survivor and Foreigner to a "T."

I stopped paying attention after that. Until I got on the internet, I didn't even realize they had 3 more albums.

As for the people on that website... uh, I have no idea who on earth they are (is this like the new version of The Cars with no original members of The Cars actually in it?), but their original guitarist/songwriter was Ken Goorabian. You don't forget a name like that.

[quote]
As for the people on that website... uh, I have no idea who on earth they are (is this like the new version of The Cars with no original members of The Cars actually in it?), but their original guitarist/songwriter was Ken Goorabian. You don't forget a name like that.
[/quote]

Yeah... the only thing I noticed linking the current Steel Breeze with the original was the logo.

I just pulled out my s/t LP. There's a big photo of the original lineup on the back. And, uh... I don't even know how the kids on that website got permission to use the logo. They look like they'd be happier doing the music-for-hire circuit as Save Ferris or something.

Incidentally, what was the deal with "Heart on the Line?" Was this delivered to RCA and they rejected it? Shelved it? Locked it in a vault? What happened? I remember reading about it back in '83 in Billboard or one of those, I was really looking forward to it, and then... nothing. I thought the CD I bought about 10 years ago was a re-release, but the seeming lack of any vinyl copies for sale anywhere would seem to attest that wasn't the case.