‘The Power Station DLX’
The Power Station, the commercially successful side project of Duran Duran’s Andy and John Taylor, gets a shiny new reissue with The Power Station DLX.
DLX is the latest deluxe edition of the supergroup’s 1985 debut, released to celebrate its 40th anniversary (now 41st in ‘Durantime’). The album is a true deluxe reissue, at least the CD box, which includes a liner notes interview with the Taylors, the band’s only surviving members, as well as the studio album, raw instrumentals, remixes and live performances. Buyers of the LP will have to shell out again on Record Store Day, when Power Mad: Live At The Spectrum drops on vinyl.
The funk-infused rock of The Power Station is on full display on the remastered studio album (the first disc), and the group’s performance at Live Aid and their contribution to the soundtrack of the movie Commando, ‘Somewhere Somehow Someone (We Fight For Love),’ are highlights of the second disc. By then, singer Robert Palmer had left to embark on the most commercially successful period of his solo career, and the Taylors and Chic drummer Tony Thompson soldiered on for a bit with new vocalist Michael Des Barres.
The live show features Des Barres, who sounds better than remembered but sorely lacks Palmer’s blue-eyed soul swagger. As on the album, ‘Harvest For The World,’ featuring co-lead vocals from Andy Taylor, is a highlight. And the Duran covers, ‘The Reflex’ (played with ‘Communication’) and a rocked-up version of ‘Hungry Like The Wolf’ are fun, though Des Barres is a no Simon Le Bon either.
But DLX is worth it, especially on CD, and especially considering that the forthcoming Duran Duran reissues look to be bare-bones versions. But it’s still good that the brilliant The Wedding Album and the not-bad Thank You will finally be back in print.
The Damned ‘Not Like Everybody Else’
The Damned are also looking back these days in the wake of founding guitarist Brian James’ death last year. They pay tribute to him with their latest album, Not Like Everybody Else, a collection of covers that inspired James himself.
The Damned hammered out the LP in just five days following a tour last fall. It’s a bit rough around the edges at times, but that may be the point, as the band’s debut album with James, the opening salvo of English punk rock, was recorded in a similar spirit.
‘I know a lot of music these days can be done remotely, with participants sometimes on different continents,’ the band’s Captain Sensible told ClassicRockHistory.com. ‘But The Damned still do it in an old-school style in a big, old noisy room, all together. I think you can hear the excitement and fun of the sessions on the record.’
Captain Sensible moved from bass to guitar after James departed and hasn’t looked back. (James went on to form goth rockers Lords Of The New Church.) Here, Sensible delivers an album highlight with a cover of Pink Floyd’s ‘See Emily Play,’ taking on lead vocals. Elsewhere, Dave Vanian’s gothic drama takes center stage, particularly on the album’s strong second half, including The Lollipop Shoppe’s ‘You Must Be A Witch,’ The Animals’ ‘When I Was Young’ and The Stones’ ‘The Last Time,’ featuring James’ guitar from his last live shows with the band in 2022.
After James left The Damned in 1977, the band reformed and were never better, delivering the one-two punch of Machine Gun Etiquette and The Black Album, the latter with current members Vanian, Sensible, drummer Rat Scabies and bassist Paul Gray. Now with the addition of keyboardist Monty Oxymoron (who regretfully doesn’t appear in the new LP’s cover art), they’re a force, both live and on record.
