So, what have you been listening to lately?

[uwe]

What illness did he have?

[Dave W]

[Basvarken]

What illness did he have?

He had a stroke > fell down a flight of stairs > massive brain injury > spent three weeks in a coma > had to relearn how to talk and walk.


That is basically what the video that I posted is about...

[gearHed289]

Huh, Thunder seems to be on my radar lately. I vaguely remember the name from back in the day. The singer for the band I joined back in the fall is a huge fan, to the point of having their logo tattooed on his shoulder. He's from Northern Ireland, so I'm wondering if they got more attention in the UK? They're a little AOR for my tastes, but not unbearable. I need to dig in more and see what I hear.

[Basvarken]

They were/are rather popular among rock music lovers in Europe.
Their popularity was at a peak in the nineties. But until the accident they still toured regularly and made a new record every so often.

In my opinion their best work are the albums Laughing at Judgements Day and Behind Closed Doors
I saw them live about a dozen times. And they always delivered.

Here's the concert that broke them to the larger audience. Their performace at Donnington festival in 1990 as an unknown opening act.

[Dave W]

There are several groups calling themselves the Wannabees; these guys were from Finland.

From 1995.

[uwe]

He had a stroke > fell down a flight of stairs > massive brain injury > spent three weeks in a coma > had to relearn how to talk ...

I remember now, had read about it before, thanks.

[uwe]

There are several groups calling themselves the Wannabees; these guys were from Finland.

From 1995.

I like the punky garage approach, but that song needs a male and a female voice.

[Basvarken]

I think the Wannabees could have made a better effort. Sounds a bit gratuitous.

But to be honest singer Willem Duyn (Mouth) also commited a similar "sin"
with this Frankie Miller classic.
To you non-Dutchies it may sound alright, but the lyrics really make me cringe...

[Dave W]

How Do You Do is really very catchy. No deep meaning there. Easy to see why it became a big pop hit.

And now, here are the Wannabes from Austin. The 90s were their heyday.

[Basvarken]

I mentioned that I saw Thunder live about a dozen times. There's only one band that I've seen more often:
The Hoax. Another English band. Made their debut album at a very young age (bas player was only 17 I believe)

They had not one but two excellent guitarists who were both obviously heavily influenced by Stevie Ray Vaughan.
To see that band live as always amazing.

Their six hands on one guitar act was spectacularly funny

https://youtu.be/3iwjSgFSk4M?si=D4eO-glj2SZPDm2P&t=2153

starts at 35:53

[Alanko]

UFO! Live at the BBC!

I was surprised to hear a second guitarist on this, seemingly 'Tonka' Chapman. He takes the second half of the guitar solo in a more modal, fusion-y direction than Schenker.


I find live UFO a bit tricksy to listen to. Sometimes you get a nice twin guitar assault, sometimes you get a Wurlitzer piano banging away like an unconvincing rhythm guitar.

A bit like the Sensational Alex Harvey Band live. A second guitarist would have thickened stuff up, but instead you get a Farfisa organ through a wah pedal. Not the same!

[Basvarken]

When done properly it can be very convincing.
Took me years to figure out it was Edward playing a Wurlitzer.

[uwe]

I mentioned that I saw Thunder live about a dozen times. There's only one band that I've seen more often:
The Hoax. Another English band. Made their debut album at a very young age (bas player was only 17 I believe)

They had not one but two excellent guitarists who were both obviously heavily influenced by Stevie Ray Vaughan.
To see that band live as always amazing.

I have to say that performance was one of the most intense blues rock renditions I have ever heard. And I preferred it to much of what SRV did.

The Frankie Miller song was a cover too btw:

(timidly) I guess you could say they were Real Country from Manchester, UK, Dave?

[Basvarken]

Yeah I know. But Willem based his version on Frankie's version after that had been a hit in NL.