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Cheap Trick – The Flame (Mitchell/Graham) b/w Through The Night (Zander/Petersson/Nielsen) 1988

After 49 weeks rooting through the rushonrock archives we’ve finally arrived at the one piece of seven inch vinyl which whips us into a hair metal-induced frenzy like no other.

Absolutely all the ingredients are here – a power ballad which comfortably tugs at the heartstrings, a band with the class and experience to pull off a song controversially penned from an outside source and, in this case, a stunning piece of shaped vinyl.

Our well worn copy sounds like s**t but it looks amazing. The flames bursting forth from the black vinyl effect body and the classic ‘Trick on ‘Trick logo make this an absolute must for serious fans of the late 80s scene. Read the rest of this entry »

Quireboys – I Don’t Love You Anymore (Gray/Bailey) b/w Mayfair (Gray/Bailey) 1990

By virtue of a rather fetching red rose shaped picture disc, the Quireboys enjoy the rare distinction of hitting The Vinyl Countdown twice – but they can’t quite manage to bag the top spot.

This teary ballad showcased singer Spike’s full vocal range and was perfect for an era when the bigger the emotion and the bigger the production the better.

Apart from the unique cut of this seven incher, the real treat for fans is the original version of Mayfair on the B-side. A classic track harking back to Spike’s childhood days in Newcastle it’s still a great party tune in 2009. Read the rest of this entry »

Great White – House Of Broken Love (Russell/Niven/Lardie) b/w Bitches & Other Women (Medley) 1989

The fourth of a quartet of singles culled from the fantastic …Twice Shy, House Of Broken Love was probably the pick of the tunes from an album bursting with hair metal potential and true blues rock pedigree.

While it failed to match the chart success of Once Bitten, Twice Shy or The Angel Song this song is, nevertheless, another fine example of vocalist Jack Russell at his emotive best.

And if the shaped picture disc doesn’t do justice to Great White’s trademark sound then there’s no getting away from the fact that this record looks fantastic.

Backed with a marvelous medley featuring snippets of some bona fide Stones classics it’s clear where this great rock and roll band’s influences lie. And these days Great White are greater than ever! Read the rest of this entry »

Spinal Tap – Bitch School (Smalls/St Hubbins/Tufnel) b/w Springtime (Smalls/St Hubbins/Tufnel) & Talk With Tap Pt1 1992

For any fan of seminal spoof meisters Spinal Tap, the lure of a shaped ‘mini Stonehenge’ picture disc was too much to resist.

Bitch School preceded the band’s early 90s comeback album Break Like The Wind and lyrically it was right up there with the Tap’s most socially sensitive work.

Using the Stonehenge imagery was a masterstroke and including the first part of an exclusive interview with the band made this seven incher an instant collector’s item. Read the rest of this entry »

Joan Jett & The Blackhearts – I Love Rock N Roll (Hooker/Merrill) b/w Love Is Pain (Jett) 1982

Originally released in 1982, the re-release of Jett’s number one US single followed a decade later and opened up the former Runaway to a whole new audience of hair metal devotees.

Tracks like 1988′s I Hate Myself For Lovin You and 1990′s Dirty Deeds had ensured the original rock chick was already a favourite on MTV.

But the clamour for more of her best known tune was too much and in 1992 she remixed I Love Rock N Roll on a self-released four-track Japanese EP of the same name – sparking a resurgence in all things Jett. Read the rest of this entry »

Terrorvision – Oblivion (Terrorvision) b/w What Do You Do That For? (Terrorvision) 1994

One of the most versatile, long lasting, enduring and commercially successful Brit Rock bands to emerge from the late 80s/early 90s, Bradford’s Terrorvision were at home playing sweaty clubs and cajoling vast arena crowds.

Their knack for writing a catchy pop rock anthem was spotted by the rushonrock team way back when – the day we heard American TV and loved it.

By the time Oblivion was released the band had supported Def Leppard at Don Valley Stadium and were pushing ever closer to the Top 20 – this cracking tune peaking at 21 and the highest charting of the five singles culled from the classic How To Make Friends And Influence People. Read the rest of this entry »

Thunder – Dirty Love (Morley) b/w Fired Up (Morley) (Limited Edition Shaped Pic Disc) 1990

This was the song which launched the British blues rockers as a serious chart busters and potential contenders. Out of the ashes of Terraplane rose a slick outfit quite capable of competing with America’s hair metal invasion and for a good while they did just that.

Dirty Love was still the favourite set closer for Danny, Luke and the boys as late as this year’s slew of emotionally charged farewell shows – its memorable riff and uptempo chorus bagging a top 40 spot in the UK charts and making number 55 on the US hot 100. Incredibly Thunder never charted again on the other side of the Atlantic. Read the rest of this entry »

Poison – Stand (Michaels/Dall/Rockett/Kotzen) b/w Native Tongue/Scream (Michaels/Dall/Rockett/Kotzen) 1993

By the time Stand hit stores hair metal was clinging on for dear life in the face of the unrelenting advance of grunge and US audiences had all but deserted Brett Michaels and co. in 1993.

This excellent song, from the mature yet underrated Native Tongue record, may have hit 25 on the UK singles chart but it only just limped into the top 50 of the Billboard Hot 100.

And pretty soon after Poison were forced to accept defeat with the likes of Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden stamping all over their MTV heartland. Read the rest of this entry »

Tora Tora – Walkin’ Shoes (Douglas/Corder/Francis/Patterson) b/w Love’s A Bitch (Corder/Douglas/Francis/Patterson) 1989

Mixing hair metal excess with a cool Southern rock vibe, Tora Tora landed a major record deal out of Memphis and their debut album Surprise Attack hit the top 50 on America’s Billboard Top 200.

This single sounds like it could have come straight of NYC mob White Trash’s 1991 record with vocalist Anthony Corder a dead ringer for the Trash’s Dave Alvin and it’s a catchy little tune with a great guitar hook. Read the rest of this entry »

Testament – Trial By Fire (Skolnick/Peterson/Billy) b/w Nobody’s Fault (Tyler/Whitford) 1988

Taken from the album The New Order, which hit 136 on the Billboard Hot 200 and ultimately broke the band as a commercial prospect, this Testament classic still sounds massive today.

Had there been a big five when it came to thrash metal monsters breaking out of the US in the late 80s then Chuck Billy and his bombastic crew would have made the cut.

As it was the Big Four – Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax – enjoyed even greater success and remained in a superstar club all of their own. But tracks like Trial By Fire prove Testament’s class and those of us who have witnessed the band live in 2009 will testify to the fact that they’re still going strong. Read the rest of this entry »