The 1986 Listening Post - Black N' Blue - Nasty Nasty

Black n' Blue - Nasty Nasty

#350/2030

August 1986

Black ’n’ Blue

Nasty Nasty

Genre: Glam Metal

3.75 out of 5

Highlights:

Kiss of Death

There must be a behind the scenes story of this band. The lead guitarist, Tommy Thayer eventually became the lead guitar for KISS. Peter Criss appears on this thing as a vocalist and it was produced by Gene Simmons. But his joining up to work with them was still a decade away as written in the Thayer Wiki: “In 1994, Kiss' Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley hired Thayer to work part-time on their forthcoming book Kisstory, which led to other projects and eventually a full-time role with Kiss. Thayer's work for Stanley and Simmons began by performing such tasks as painting Stanley's house and cleaning out Simmons' gutters”.

So. 

You’ve got your own band. 

Fairbairn produces the sophomore album.

Kiss guys get involved. 

It goes nowhere.

You session for a bunch of people. 

Then you get hired to work on a Kiss book.

Then you are basically Paul and Gene’s task rabbit. (WHY IS THIS PART OF YOUR WIKIPEDIA BIO ENTRY????)

Then you are hired to be the 4th member of the band.

Weird, man. 

The title track is co-written by Gene and sounds very similar to his “Domino”. I quite enjoy both tunes. 

A fine example of 80s glam. 

https://open.spotify.com/album/49kjUcO89UFPDy7qxCnCtC?si=koOEO4-dQYm8C8tPOUt-Dg

The 1985 Listening Post - Black 'N' Blue - Without Love

Black 'N' Blue - Without Love

#323/958

August 25 1985

Black ’n’ Blue

Without Love

Genre: Glam Metal

4.25 out of 5

Highlights:

Rockin’ On Heaven’s Door

Without Love

We Got the Fire

Strange Things

Tommy Thayer is back.

You know what? I think this album is much better than their debut. Maybe that’s the Bruce Fairbairn influence. This is the hair metal sound we all know (and love…come on, you know you do) in full bloom. 

The title track IS the sound of 70s glam rock with 80s production. I could hear any of the big Power Pop bands covering it. Easily. It’s holding hands in the roller rink and going to the movies at the mall. 

A lot of this is the sound that Van Halen wrought but for some reason everyone either forgot how to do or just decided not to anymore. Isn’t that what VH really was all along? Glam Metal? Diamond Dave and all. Anyway, that’s what this record is. I like this stuff so most of it works for this guy.

But, listen to “We Got the Fire” and tell me that it isn’t begging for glisses. Dammit!

https://open.spotify.com/album/2Gb24RLBhF8NeX2qWka8nl?si=lsNHZfV6TUiptf7ipuqLxQ

The 1984 Listening Post - Black 'N Blue - Black 'N Blue

Black 'N Blue - Black 'N Blue

#368
February 2 1984
Black 'N Blue
Black 'N Blue
2.5 out of 5

Highlights:
The Strong Will Rock

The opening track, "The Strong Will Rock" sets the stage. This is a Brian May inspired rocker (I venture to say Brian heard it before he wrote "I Want it All"), a mid tempo Arena rocker with doubled vocals harmonizing with each other and noodley guitar licks.
The band alternates between sounding like Kiss (School of Hard Knocks") Ratt ("Autoblast", "One for the Money") and, well, every other wanna-be Van Halen band of the era.
It speaks volumes that the best track here is the cover of Sweet's "Action". You can't go wrong covering Sweet. ;)
An ok discovery, nothing to write home about. I mean, they are no Kick Axe.
The lead guitarist, Tommy Thayer, would go on to be the lead guitaris in Kiss...after he worked for them in a whole host of regards, from songwriting & archival book research to gutter cleaning. Honestly.
Just as honestly, Thayer seems like a really good guy.

https://open.spotify.com/album/36VYrDxC6NcJ69PGRabPud?si=7c_VWdOzTxq9U0E4BFqIWQ