My Top Ten... AOR Songs.

  This isn't the post I originally had planned but until I can figure out how to scan an A3 pic with a scanner that's not-quite-A4 you're just going to have to wait on the infamous "Judge Anderson Page 3" pinup.
  I haven't ever done a "Top Ten" post before and since the summer is finally here I thought I'd  delve into the more melodic corner of my music tastes.
  In all fairness the title should really be "Top Ten AOR songs that aren't by Journey. Or Foreigner. Or Boston. Or Survivor." as I'm planning to put up some songs that don't get on Radio 2 and rarely appear on those "Ultimate Classic Rock" CDs you can get in Tescos.
 

Let's start with a British band.

Dare - Abandon

(Out Of The Silence - UK-1989)

Featuring Darren Wharton (Ex Thin Lizzy)  Dare were tipped for big things when they arrived 

on the scene but for one reason or another, it just never happened.

Interestingly, the first two albums featured science poster-boy Brian Cox on keys.

This was the lead single from the debut and proves you can rock with a keytar.

Honour to: MelodicRockAnthem

Spider - New Romance (It's A Mystery)

(Spider - USA/South Africa - 1980)

Holly Knight went on to write hits for all kinds of people but here's where she got her start, 

writing, playing keys and doing the all-important backup "Ooohhs" for this bouncy track.

Honour to: VagasFirebird

Boulevard - Lead Me On

(Into the Street - Canada - 1990)

I've always had this theory that using the word "Boulevard" in a song automatically makes it AOR.

(Up until Green Day cocked that up anyway.) so a band actually called Boulevard are going to deliver.

 And they do just that with this lush piece of pomp rock from the 2nd album. 

Honour to: Geemon06

Nelson - After The Rain

(After The Rain - USA-1990)

Blonde pretty-boys the Nelson twins got a lot of flak on their debut...mainly for being

blonde pretty-boys. Nice hair aside, the first album is essential summery AOR.

(This version of the promo video omits the overlong dramatic intro. You're welcome.)

Honour to: ThomasRBVA

Giuffria - Out of the Blue

(Giuffria -USA-1984

Another band put together by a keyboard player, in this case Angel's white-clad keyboard

 maestro Gregg Giuffria. Not surprisingly they're heavy on the synths and especially on

 this atmospheric track. Which, unusually for AOR, manages to get quite sinister at times. 

Honour to: ItaloDiscoFreak77

Giant - Stay

(Time To Burn -USA-1992)

Featuring producer/ master guitarist Dann Huff, Giant had a couple of minor hits with their first album 

but by the time the follow up arrived Grunge had kicked the legs out from under melodic rock.

Oh well. Enjoy the song, enjoy the tasty solo and contemplate things that could have been.

Honour to: GiantVEVO

Private Life - Last Heartbeat

(Shadows -USA-1988)

Despite being championed by Eddie Van Halen - he produced their first album and took them

 on tour - this female fronted crew eased smoothly into "Cult favourites" 

Personally I reckon Kelly Breznik's powerful  vocals need  a wee bit more recognition.

Fun fact: "Touch me" off the second album was covered by Tia Carrere for the "Waynes World" movie.  

Honour to: nasul43

Honeymoon Suite - Say You Don't Know Me

(Monsters under the Bed -Canada - 1991)

 This Niagara Falls ensemble appeared on the soundtracks to Lethal Weapon, Miami Vice, One Crazy Summer 

and The Wraith but were always more successful in their homeland than abroad.

 I had to sit down and think about which song I wanted as there's plenty to choose from, 

mostly on the first two albums, but in the end I went with this underrated rocker from album #4.

Honour to: AOR Spirit

Incidentally, I waited 20 years for a chance to see these guys live and believe me, it was worth it.  

Shooting Star - Train Rolls On

(Burning - USA - 1983)

Like REO Speedwagon, a band that started off as blue-collar rockers before evolving into something smoother. 

Here's a poignant piece from the fourth album.

Honour to; LinkHawk316

And to finish, another British band.

Vega - Kiss of Life

(Kiss of Life - UK-2010)

AOR may be unfashionable but it refuses to go away. 

There's been a number of young hopefuls  popping up in recent years, 

including this UK crew that manage to take the classic sound and make it fresh again.

Honour to: FrontiersRecords

 There's all sorts of bands that I'd have posted if I didn't mind this turning into a "Top 30." instead.
White Sister. Harlequin. Romeos Daughter. Aviary. Refugee. Dragon. White Widdow. Alexa. Crown of Thorns, 707, Fiona.... Maybe next time.

That's all folks.

PS. I had to reload the videos.
That sucked.