1988 Albums – Page 2 – Classic Rock Review

OU812 by Van Halen

July 22, 2013

by Classic Rock Review with No Comment Album Reviews

Following the success of the group’s first #1 album, 5150 (as well as the mammoth tour which followed), Van Halen scored similar success with the followed-up OU812 in 1988. These were the first two albums with lead vocalist Sammy Hagar (the “Van Hagar” era) and the first where Hagar began as a full and equal member of the group and his influence was reflected in the diversity and new direction of the music. None of the material for this album was written prior to the recording sessions at the band-owned 5150 studios and this led to a more improvised evolution to the material, resulting in OU812 being the final high quality output by the group overall.

The album also included no official production credit because the band felt there was no one who went in with a sold idea and dictated a sonic vision to everyone else. Unofficially, engineer Donn Landee and the band produced the record, which was the eighth overall for Van Halen. Work began on the album in September 1987 and continued for about seven months, with recordings taken place mere weeks before the album’s international release. While Hagar brought some elements of the band’s sound in new directions, guitarist Eddie Van Halen returned to the form of the band’s earliest work while continuing to purse keyboards as a second instrument for certain radio-friendly tracks.

The album’s unique title originated when Hagar spotted a delivery truck on the freeway with the serial number “OU812”. Finding this humorous when spoken aloud, he told the band and they decided to change the title in the 11^th hour from the previously planned “Bone”, which no one really like all that much anyway.

OU812 by Van Halen
Released: May 24, 1988 (Warner Brothers) Produced by: Donn Landee & Van Halen Recorded: 5150 Studios, Hollywood, September 1987 – April 1988
Side One	Side Two
Mine All Mine When It’s Love A.F.U. (Naturally Wired) Cabo Wabo Source of Infection	Feels So Good Finish What Ya Started Black and Blue Sucker In a 3 Piece A Apolitical Blues
Band Musicians
Sammy Hagar – Lead Vocals Eddie Van Halen – Guitars, Synthesizers, Vocals Michael Anthony – Bass, Vocals Alex Van Halen – Drums, Percussion

The rather awkward synth rhythm of “Mine All Mine” kicks off the album. The pure-eighties-soundtrack-like vibe does contain a bit of an off-beat edge by Alex Van Halen and a good lead guitar by Eddie Van Halen, but the corny ending makes it a parody of itself. “When It’s Love” is the album’s first classic with a great long synth intro before breaking into a 1984-era Van Halen riff. Hagar’s chorus melody is the real highlight here along with an excellent closing section which builds with intensity. “When It’s Love” reached the Top 10 and was the most popular song from that album.

After the album’s weakest moment, “A.F.U. (Naturally Wired)”, comes “Cabo Wabo”, which on the surface is a brochure for the Mexican resort town. That being said, this is still a pretty entertaining song with a good riff and harmonized vocals by bassist Michael Anthony. Hagar shines vocally on this extended track, came up with the song’s concept and later parlayed this into a premium tequila brand which later became a major point of contention between him and the Van Halen brothers. “Source of Infection” finishes the first side and was later dismissed by band members as a “joke song” with lyrics referring to a health scare.

Something totally unique for the band, “Feels So Good” is heavily synthesized but works its way through many interesting sections in an atypical arrangement. The unique drum beat by Alex Van Halen guides this pop song, which Hagar said was developed “Genesis style”. “Finish What Ya Started” is another one of the more unique songs in the Van Halen collection with a combination of picked electric and strummer acoustic throughout. The song was spawned on Eddie’s Malibu balcony when he jammed with Hagar with two acoustic guitars at 2:00am one morning.

“Black and Blue” contains a slow riff that is total Eddie Van Halen and raunchy lyrics inspired by groupies during the 5150 tour and became one of the most popular radio songs from the album. “Sucker In a 3 Piece” is the weakest point on the fine second side, seeming to be feeling its way through the first minute and a half, before settling on then vacuous lyrics and boilerplate melodies of the song proper. The closer “A Apolitical Blues” was originally recorded by Little Feat and written by Lowell George. This is pure blues, complete with piano and two bluesy guitars and was one of the rare covers during Hagar’s stint with the band.

OU812 was the second of four consecutive number one albums by Van Halen with Sammy Hagar at the helm, stretching into the mid 1990s.

Part of Classic Rock Review’s celebration of 1988 albums.

Outrider by Jimmy Page

July 18, 2013

by Classic Rock Review with 2 Comments Album Reviews

Buy Outrider

Although Jimmy Page had a pretty rich post-Led Zeppelin career, he only released one solo studio album, Outrider, in 1988. Originally intended to be a double album, the project was pared back when Page’s demo tapes were stolen, leaving him with no pre-production material. As a result, the single LP finished product has a bit of a hurried and unpolished sound, which Page himself referred to as “demo quality”. However, there is a certain charm to many of the pieces on the album which are more sound-oriented than composition-oriented, as Page heavily returns to the rock-infused blues which launched Led Zeppelin nearly two decades earlier. The album was recorded at a time when Page had moved on from his mid-eighties “super group” The Firm but was yet to form the various hyphenated collaborations of the nineties, including a reunion with Zeppelin band mate Robert Plant.

Six years before that eventual reunion, at the time of this album’s release, there were several positive signs including Page, Plant, and Jones reuniting during Atlantic’s 40^th reunion, Page showing up on stage a some of Plant’s solo concerts, and Plant co-writing and performing a song on this Outrider album for Page. In fact, “The Only One” featured three of the four Led Zeppelin members who would reunite on December 10, 2007, as the late John Bonham’s son, Jason Bonham, plays drums behind Plant and Page on the track. on the downside, even though this upbeat rocker reached the Top 20 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, the song itself seems a bit underdeveloped with a convoluted chorus, making it an opportunity lost for a great musical oasis.

Then 22 years old, Jason Bonham ended up playing on most of the album’s tracks. His former band, Virginia Wolf, had released two albums and toured the U.S. in support the of Page’s former band, The Firm. Listening to the album, there is no doubt that Bonzo’s son was a perfect match for this album.

Outrider by Jimmy Page
Released: June 19, 1988 (Geffen) Produced by: Jimmy Page Recorded: The Sol, Berkshire, England, Early 1987
Side One	Side Two
Wasting My Time Wanna Make Love Writes of Winter The Only One Liquid Mercury	Hummingbird Emerald Eyes Prison Blues Blues Anthem
Primary Musicians
Jimmy Page – Guitars, Synthesizers Felix Krish – Bass Jason Bonham – Drums, Percussion

There is a definite divide between the two sides of the original album. The first side is dominated by blues/rock riffs, including two instrumentals along with the Page/Plant track and two songs Page composed and recorded with vocalist John Miles. The second side contains selections with a lighter touch and features vocalist Chris Farlowe on three of its four tracks.

“Wanna Make Love” is the real gem of the first side with well-defined guitar riffs and blended slide guitars along with a good rock vocal melody by Miles. Although there is a “lead” area, it is not really a proper guitar solo, just a way for Page to reiterate the great effects chorus of bottleneck sounds and growling wah-wah. “Wasting My Time” starts the album with Page’s band mate in The Firm Tony Franklin on bass guitar. The first of two composed by Page and Miles, the song seamlessly alternates between the quasi-riff chorus and verse sections, all held together only by the steady drumming of Bonham along with some slight bluesy riff overdubs and a pretty decent guitar lead.

Jimmy Page

“Writes of Winter” is the first, riff-driven instrumental with a driving rhythm which echoes Joe Perry from Aerosmith who ironically cut his teeth by mimicking Page’s version of “Train Kept a Rolling”, the first song Zeppelin ever performed together. “Liquid Mercury” is another heavy, riff-driven piece which sounds like it should be the foundation for a proper rock song. Barriemore Barlow plays drums on this one as well as the final instrumental “Emerald Eyes”, a gently strummed acoustic piece with interesting overdubbed tremolo effects.

The rest of the album features Farlowe on vocals. Leon Russell’s “Hummingbird” is a moderate blues song which differs vastly from anything on the first side, both musically and vocally. “Prison Blues” contains sexual innuendo lyrically, shredding guitar by Page, and a solid bass by Felix Krish. “Blues Anthem (If I Cannot Have Your Love…)” wraps up the album with a true ballad which sounds like it provided inspiration for the Black Crowes (another group which Page would team up with in the future) a few years down the line. It is short and sweet acoustic lament to end a short and frantic album.

Outrider fared moderately on the charts, reaching the Top 40 in several countries. Unfortunately, the album hasn’t sustained much popularity through the years and Jimmy Page hasn’t attempted any kind of similar follow-up in the past 25 years.

Part of Classic Rock Review’s celebration of 1988 albums.

Naked by Talking Heads

July 14, 2013

by Classic Rock Review with No Comment Album Reviews

Buy Naked

Talking Heads eighth and final album was Naked , released in 1988. The album was an attempt at a quasi-concept album which brings the listener to an ironically serene world following an (apparently) man-made apocalypse. This may not have been the original intent, as the complex musical arrangements were composed and recorded before any of the lyrics which made up this theme were recorded. The four member group employed an additional twenty or so musicians of vastly different genres in order to achieve a world music sound through most of the album, making Naked the most musically diverse album by the band.

Talking Heads previous two albums, Little Creatures in 1985 and True Stories in 1986, were both very pop oriented, and the band wanted to try something completely different. They decided to record their next album in Paris, based on scores of improvisational tracks they recorded as the foundation for the new material. Steve Lillywhite was brought in to co-produce and he conducted day-long, improvised musical sessions with the group and several other musicians with one take selected for each particular track.

The lyrics and melodies were left until later when the band returned to New York. Lead vocalist and chief songwriter David Byrne added themes to the prerecorded tracks. The album’s title and cover were loosely based on a Chinese proverb; “If there is no tiger in the mountains, the monkey will be king”, which was also printed on the LP jacket of Naked. Although the musical approach works for most of the album, the apocalyptic lyrics laced with late-eighties fatalism tend to sound dated. Of course, the band was in the midst of slowly breaking up at the time, so that may have had an influence on the lyrical content.

Naked by Talking Heads
Released: March 15, 1988 (EMI) Produced by: Steve Lillywhite & Talking Heads Recorded: Studio Davout, Paris, 1987
Side One	Side Two
Blind Mr. Jones Totally Nude Ruby Dear (Nothing But) Flowers”	The Democratic Circus The Facts of Life Mommy Daddy You and I Big Daddy Bill Cool Water
Band Musicians
David Byrne – Lead Vocals, Guitars Jerry Harrison – Guitars, Keyboards, Vocals Tina Weymouth – Bass, Keyboards, Vocals Chris Frantz – Drums, Percussion

The first side is a collection of upbeat, well syncopated tunes. “Blind” is a funk track with an Afro-flavored groove and a full horn section which includes three saxophones, two trumpets, and a trombone. If not for the violent lyrical themes, the song may almost be considered a spoof on James Brown. “Mr. Jones” also includes a rich horn section, although this song is more swing than funk. Still upbeat and fun, it is a great musical blend and the closest to soulful vocals as you’ll get from Byrne. Drummer Chris Frantz
decided to use brushes and softer percussive techniques in order to give room to the various other percussionists.

“Totally Nude” contains a fine slide guitar by Yves N’Djock, along with Caribbean rhythms. However, this track does get a bit too crowded as the ensemble seems to be trying to do too many things at once. On his album Graceland a few years earlier, Paul Simon had much better success at making these diverse styles mesh together. “Ruby Dear” begins with blues-like drum beat before breaking into some odd yet intriguing verses, which employ a bit of sixties pyschedelia. This is the first of many tracks on which Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr appears.

Marr provides the sharply plucked leads on “(Nothing But) Flowers”, which was the most popular song on the album and the album’s best musically. Bass guitarist Tina Weymouth provides an overall fantastic groove to back up Byrne’s melodic vocals. The songs lyrics describe a world where modern conveniences has ceased and the world has reverted to a more natural state, which the protagonist originally favored but now longs the conveniences and culture of the modern world.

The original LP’s second side takes a bit of a dark turn, both musically and philosophically. “The Democratic Circus” starts as the closest to the 1980s new wave sound that you’ll find on the album, before later breaking out into rougher, riff-driven sections. “The Facts of Life” uses machine-like synth effects by Jerry Harrison, which is somewhat cool for about a minute or so, but after six and a half minutes gets quite mundane. “Mommy Daddy You and I” includes some bluesy squeeze notes above a deep synth bass and a rapid accordion by James Fearnley during the verses.

“Big Daddy” is a nice fusion song with a pure soul intro and blues elements led by the harmonica of Don Brooks. Lyrically it is analogous to the “big brother” figure in George Orwell’s 1984. “Bill” features Eric Weissberg, who found previous famous for his arrangement of “Dueling Banjos” in 1973. This song is really quite subdued and mellow, with the exception of the apoplectic lyrics. The closer “Cool Water” features dramatic, movie scene-like atmosphere with Byres singing monotone in the fashion of Nico from years passed. Marr adds to the intensity of the song with his guitar as Byrnes offers pleas for human fellowship through his lyric.

Talking Heads achieved a fitting swan song with their stylistically fruitful Naked, which reached the Top 20 on both sides of the Atlantic, becoming only the second album by the group to accomplish that feat. The band dissolved shortly after the album’s release, officially announcing their breakup in 1991.

Part of Classic Rock Review’s celebration of 1988 albums.

…And Justice for All by Metallica

July 10, 2013

by Classic Rock Review with No Comment Album Reviews

Buy …And Justice for All

Metallica brought their fusion of progressive thrash metal into the mainstream with the double LP …And Justice for All in 1988. The album was nominated for a Grammy and has been certified eight times platinum, selling eight million copies in the United States alone. The band’s fourth album overall, …And Justice for All, was the first to feature bassist Jason Newsted after former bassist Cliff Burton lost his life in a tour bus accident in 1986. The album was the first of a lucrative record deal and was intended to be released in 1987. However, Metallica was offered several lucrative festival dates that summer, which ultimately delayed the album’s release for another year.

Co-produced by Flemming Rasmussen, the album is noted for a rather sterile production. Newsted’s bass guitar is all but omitted from most mixes, which were actually engineered by guitarist/vocalist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich. Rasmussen did work on adjusting the overall guitar sound of Hetfield and lead guitarist Kirk Hammet, using layered techniques to achieve a harmonized sound which contrasted the thumping rhythms and riffs of the core.

The album gained near universal critical acclaim, especially within the progressive metal community. The dark lyrics drawn from subjects of struggle and strife, giving …And Justice for All a conceptual uniformity around notions of political and legal injustice. The tracks on the album were much longer in length than previous Metallica material, which actually caused much of the material to be dropped from future live shows due to their length and complexity.

…And Justice for All by Metallica
Released: September 6, 1988 (Elecktra) Produced by: Flemming Rasmussen & Metallica Recorded: One On One Recording Studios, Los Angeles, January–May 1988
Side One	Side Two
Blackened …And Justice for All	Eye of the Beholder One
Side Three	Side Four
The Shortest Straw Harvester of Sorrow The Frayed Ends of Sanity	To Live Is to Die Dyers Eve
Band Musicians
James Hetfield – Lead Vocals, Guitars \| Kirk Hammet – Lead Guitars Jason Newsted – Bass \| Lars Ulrich – Drums

A chorus of guitars swells to introduce “Blackened”, which treats the listener to a spectrum of rudiments and sudden stops to change into the song’s differing sections. Hammet provides a good guitar lead on both sides of a divide while Newsted receives composition credit on a track where he cannot be heard. The title song “…And Justice for All” follows with a gentle guitar intro, sounding Randy Rhoads inspired with some overdubs. Soon the group fires off into the main thrash metal riff sequence and works through the long and complex arrangement which includes Hammet’s two distinct sounding different guitar leads. Hetfield took the title from the last four words of the Pledge of Allegiance and uses the lyric as an ironic reflection on social injustice. “Eye of the Beholder” rolls in like a marching army, with the verse sounding a bit like some of the group’s future 1990s material.

“One” is the song that really put Metallica on the mainstream map. The simple and light intro and verses are fresh with plenty of guitar overdubs and melodic vocals, all leading to the standard but powerful metal riff during the song’s final sequence. The song became Metallica’s first Top 40 hit despite the fact that it received virtually no airplay of pop radio. However, the band did shoot a promotional MTV video (for the first time ever) which integrated some footage and dialogue from the 1971 film Johnny Got His Gun, which was the inspiration for the song in the first place.

The double LP’s third original side contains some less potent tracks. “The Shortest Straw” starts with a cool, deadened, almost-Zeppelin riff during the intro but retreats into typical Metallica during the rest of the song. Although it was the lead single from the album, “Harvester of Sorrow” is really kind of repetitive and mundane, while “The Frayed Ends of Sanity” contains an interesting intro riff before the nearly-eight-minute song falls into a repetitive pattern, making it way too long for lack of changes.

However, the album does finish on a strong note on its fourth and final side. The extended instrumental “To Live Is to Die” starts with acoustic fade-in and drums somewhat off in background before being interrupted by the stabbing rhythm of the second section. Overall, this nearly 10-minute piece is interesting with good overdubbed leads and a nice break in the middle with only a flanged guitar before it kicks back into a full arrangement. Burton posthumously received co-writing credit as the bass line was composed prior to his death and the spoken words towards the end of the song were written by Burton. “Dyers Eve” finishes the album with super speed drumming of Ulrich and some extraordinarily sharp rudiments. The group never lets up in this closer as if to try and squeeze every last bit of blood out of the final track of the album, which ends abruptly.

…And Justice for All was Metallica’s most complex, ambitious work ever and a surprise commercial success, reaching number six on the Billboard charts. While it is still regarded a quarter century later, fans and critics lament the odd mixing decisions, which leave some potent compositions tarnished with a half-spectrum sound.

Part of Classic Rock Review’s celebration of 1988 albums.

Rumble by Tommy Conwell and Young Rumblers

July 5, 2013

by Karyn with One Comment Album Reviews

Buy Rumble

Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers, a popular Philadelphia area “bar band”, caught the attention of Columbia Records when their 1986 independently released album, Walking on the Water, sold very well regionally. The band, which started as a three piece with band leader Tommy Conwell on lead guitars and vocals, Paul Slivka on bass and Jimmy Hannum on drums, was known for their high energy live performances. Aside from being an accomplished guitarist, Conwell was keenly tuned into his audience and gave them his all at every show by jumping off the stage into the audience and playing guitar while strolling along the top of the bar. When their first major label record, Rumble, was released in 1988, it did a fair job of capturing a bit of this live energy in the recording.

Rumble was produced by Rick Chertoff who had recent successes producing Cyndi Lauper’s multi-platinum debut album, She’s So Unusual and The Hooters’ first two successful major label releases, Nervous Night and One Way Home. He was charged with the task of making a polished, ready for mainstream radio, recording of an unpolished rock and roll band. This was quite a task when a major part of the band’s charm and appeal was the grit of their live energy.

By the time recording started, the band had grown from a simple rockabilly type three piece (albeit more “rock” than “billy”) to a full fledged rock and roll line up of five with the addition of Rob Miller on keyboards and Chris Day on guitar.

Rumble by Tommy Conwell and Young Rumblers
Released: July 10, 1988 (Columbia) Produced by: Rick Chertoff
Side One	Side Two
I’m Not Your Man Half a Heart If We Never Meet Again Love’s On Fire Workout	I Wanna Make You Happy Everything They Say Is True Gonna Breakdown Tell Me What You Want Me To Be Walkin’ On the Water
Group Musicians
Tommy Conwell – Lead Vocals, Lead Guitars Chris Day – Guitars Rob Miller – Keyboards Paul Slivka – Bass Jimmy Hannum – Drums

The songs on this album are straight up rock and roll with simple themes of youthful rebellion, friendship and love set to bluesy, rock and roll guitars and rhythms. Nothing about this album is really that new or innovative, it is just good old fashioned rock and roll done well by outstanding musicians with great work ethics and riveting stage presence.

The opener, “I’m Not Your Man” dives right in, featuring a bawdy, bad boy rant from Conwell preceded by a bluesy guitar riff. Conwell’s guitar is clear and sharp and shines on this song. This was the most successful single on the album rising to #1 on the Mainstream Rock tracks chart. The other popular song from the album is “If We Never Meet Again”, which has a catchy chorus hook and a very cool, twangy guitar interlude, which highlights Conwell’s versatility on guitar.

“Half a Heart” features Miller’s keyboards against a steady bass backbeat by the adept rhythm section of Slivka and Hannum. It is easily the most pop oriented tune of the whole album. “Love’s on Fire” continues the energy with driving guitars leading into the boogie beat, keyboard laden, aptly named “Workout”.

The second side includes “Everything They Say Is True”, which has a heavy keyboard riff, and “Breakdown”, probably the best overall song on the album both musically and lyrically. Its softly strummed intro gradually “breaks down” into a hard rocking ode to redemption that includes some fantastic guitar and earnest vocals from Conwell. George Thorogood is channeled through Conwell’s gruff and gritty vocals in “Tell Me What You Want Me to Be”. “Walkin On Water” is a rollicking tune that closes the album with a life is just a party vibe.

The Young Rumblers would go on to record two more albums for Columbia. Guitar Trouble, recorded with help from Bruce Hornsby, was released in 1989 to modest success and the final album was passed on by Columbia. Rumble would be the pinnacle of commercial success for this Philadelphia Rock and Roll band.

Part of Classic Rock Review’s celebration of 1988 albums.

Kingdom Come

July 2, 2013

by Classic Rock Review with One Comment Album Reviews

Buy Kingdom Come

Kingdom Come released their well-received, self-titled debut album in early 1988. Led by German born front man Lenny Wolf, who co-wrote most of the album’s material with the group’s manager Marty Wolff, the band scored their most popular and best-selling album right out of the gate. After the band’s lead single generated tremendous buzz well ahead of the album release, Kingdom Come went gold on the same day it was released and eventually went platinum status in the United States, Germany and Canada and peaked at #12 on the U.S. Album charts. Part of the initial attraction (and later critique) of the band was their audio likeness to classic-era Led Zeppelin.

Kingdom Come was formed shortly after Wolf and Wolff were signed to Polygram Records in 1987. They formed a five-piece group starting with Pittsburgh-based lead guitarist Danny Stag. Although Wolf was a guitarist himself, the duo decided that he would purely be a frontman and enlisted Rick Steier as a second rhythm guitarist.

The album was co-produced by Bob Rock, who forged a crisp and solid rock sound at Little Mountain studio in Vancouver and mixed it at the famous Electric Lady studios in New York City. There is little doubt that the Zeppelin-esque sound forging was intentional, as there was a huge appetite for that band’s reunion through the 1980s. The result of this was a tremendous amount pre-release buzz about the band, some of it mistaken rumors of a covert reunion of the surviving members of Led Zeppelin. But soon the quintet was dismissed as simply “clones” which crowded out any serious examination of their fine music.

Kingdom Come by Kingdom Come
Released: March 1, 1988 (Polydor) Produced by: Bob Rock & Lenny Wolf Recorded: Little Mountain Studios, Vancouver, Canada, 1987-1988
Side One	Side Two
Living Out of Touch Pushin’ Hard What Love Can Be 17 The Shuffle	Get It On Now Forever After Hideaway Loving You Shout It Out
Group Musicians
Lenny Wolf – Lead Vocals Danny Stag – Lead Guitars Rick Steier – Guitars Johnny B. Frank – Bass James Kottak – Drums

Despite the over-the-top Zeppelin comparisons, the main riff for the opener “Living Out of Touch” is more Robin Trower than Jimmy Page. The verse contains a calm strum over consistent bass and drum beat, with the riff returning during the chorus to give the song a more driving and intense vibe. “Pushin’ Hard” is more standard eighties hair metal, albeit with some good dynamics such as the mid section where everything comes down except a slow bass riff by Johnny B. Frank.

“What Love Can Be” is very bluesy, slow and deliberate – somewhat like Zeppelin’s “Tea For One” from Presence, but really more like “Ride On” by AC/DC from Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap. This moody and dark song contains some unexpected sonic treats which help it to rise above the typical power ballad while giving it room to still become a radio hit. “17” starts with big-bang drum beat by James Kottak before leading into a long intro section which is almost like a preview of Pearl Jam (who wouldn’t come along until 3 years later). However, once the verse kicks in, “17” becomes kind of sparse and repetitive. The first side concludes with “The Shuffle”, which is kind of fun and upbeat, breaking out of the deliberate pattern. Here Wolf mocks Stag’s guitar lines, much like Plant mocked Page’s on early Led Zeppelin albums.

The song which, by far, drew the most attention for Kingdom Come was “Get It On”. This song is driven by Wolf’s incredible dynamics along with a John-Paul-Jones-like bass and crisp duo guitar riffs. It even includes a John Bonham-like drum fill before the song’s grand conclusion. Allegedly, a cassette copy of the song’s mix was leaked to a radio station in Detroit, which started playing the song before its official release by the band, setting off a chain reaction which fueled the “Zeppelin reunion” rumors and giving “Get It On” tremendous airplay from coast to coast.

The rest of side two contains three fillers and one absolute masterpiece. Drummer Kottak and bassist Frank each co-wrote track with “Now Forever After” and “Hideaway” respectively. Both of these songs are pleasant enough but really dated in the sense that they could have been eighties movie soundtrack songs. The closer “Shout It Out” is even more disappointing, containing nothing much more than its cheap hook. The real gem is Stag’s “Loving You”, which is a real showcase for both Stag and Wolf. The song features fantastic arrangement and production techniques with the placement of eclectic instruments and reverb effects. From a sparse electric guitar beginning to the mostly acoustic song proper, the song goes to pastoral setting with majestic dynamics, accented by some slight fiddle and/or strings and the emotional dynamics of Wolf’s vocals, which peak here like nowhere else on the album.

Following the release and meteoric success of Kingdom Come in 1988, the band was chosen to open up the summer “Monsters of Rock” tour with many of the top hard rock / heavy metal acts of the day. The following year, the band released their follow-up LP, In Your Face, which had more modest sales and internal conflicts led to the band’s abrupt break-up in August 1989.

Part of Classic Rock Review’s celebration of 1988 albums.