The Pennsylvania hard rock band Fuel had a strong debut in the late 90s with their breakout hit, "Shimmer," which shined at #42 in 1998. After gaining this traction, their follow-up record, "Something Like Human," was even bigger, scoring a handful of successful singles and a peak at #17 on the Top 200. The record also gave Fuel their only top 40 hit with "Hemorrhage (In My Hands)" getting to #30 in 2000. I was surprised that the beautiful "Bad Day" didn't do better. It topped out at only #64 yet remains one of my favorite tunes by the band. Fuel's last chart appearance would be in 2004 with "Falls On Me," which hit #52.
Frozen Ghost is a pop rock duo from Canada who were put on ice during their time in the late 80s and early 90s. After doing time in the one-hit wonder band called Sheriff, Arnold Lanni and Wolf Hassel pumped out a trio of very underrated records. Their sound, which reminded me of The Fixx, was perhaps a little late for the times. "Should I See" was a modest hit and their only chart appearance, peaking at #69 in 1987. The lyrics of this tune are still relevant today.
From The Inside is a little-known AOR band that released two albums in the 2000s. If you are a fan of the under the radar "hairbands" Waysted from the 80s or Tyketto from the early 90s, you'll recognize the distinctive voice of Danny Vaughn. Vaughn is a talented singer/songwriter who should have gotten a lot more attention; not only was Tyketto underrated, but so was his solo career and other side projects like From The Inside. "Stop" is a great slice of melodic rock that is simply well written, well sung, well played. What's not to like?
After the demise of the legendary pop group ABBA, Anni-Frid Lyngstad (aka Frida) embarked on a short-lived solo career that yielded a lone top 40 hit with "I Know There's Something Going On." The tune landed at #13 in 1982. You may recognize some of the drums and backing vocals on her record, as Phil Collins had a heavy hand in it. Still, outside from the title track and a handful of others, the songs just aren't there and failed to make a lasting impression, even among die-hard ABBA fans. The rocking lead off track, "Tell Me It's Over," is an exception, and I wonder what kind of solo career Frida might have had if she rocked out like this more often.
Australian singer/songwriter James Freud was a member of the 80s band, The Models. Before and after, Freud strived to get a solo career off the ground. In 1989 he released "Step Into The Heat," in which the single "One Fine Day" generated some buzz. Freud released his final solo effort in 2008 called "See You In Hell," which contained a bevy of catchy rock tunes that should have been a breakthrough for this talented artist. "Junk" is just one of many highlights imbued with a fun sense of 80s attitude, not to mention reference to Deborah Harry. Freud struggled with alcoholism much of his life, even writing two books about it. Sadly, he committed suicide in 2010.
The quirky band from Australia, Frente!, arrived on the scene at the start of the folk pop revival in the 90s. They had only a single chart appearance, a chill-inducing unplugged version of New Order's classic song, "Bizarre Love Triangle." Frente!'s version went to #49 in 1994. Their breakthrough album, "Marvin The Album," should have spawned more hits, like this perky little ditty called "Dangerous." Alas, Frente! was not able to rise to the likes of Jewel or Jill Sobule stateside.
Freiheit is a quintessential synth pop band from the 80s courtesy of Germany. The band's name is German for liberty and political freedom. They were very successful in Europe, but never charted in the US. Our loss. In fact, I would probably never have heard of them if they didn't have "Keeping The Dream Alive" featured on the soundtrack to the movie Say Anything. The remarkable harmony vocals sucked me in right at the first listen and I still can't get enough of this beautiful song.
Ace Frehley, also known as Spaceman or Space Ace, was the charismatic lead guitarist for Kiss until going solo in 1983. While Kiss had a massive career resurgence in the late 80s during the hairband craze, Frehley did not have such luck. Listening to songs like "Calling To You" from his 1987 album, "Frehley's Comet," makes it hard to understand why. This catchy anthem was built for the melodic rock arena. Ace rejoined Kiss in 1996 until 2000.
Colorado's The Fray splashed onto the music scene with their brand of piano rock in 2006 with major hits like "Over My Head (Cable Car)" (#8) and "How To Save A Life" (#3), the latter of which was featured in two hugely popular medical shows at the time, Grey's Anatomy and Scrubs. But the band proved they can hold their own ground and hit the top ten again in 2008 with their follow-up, "You Found Me" (#7). By 2014, the band shook things up a bit and drifted away from their traditional sound. Their fourth album, "Helios," has a polished pop sheen to it with big hooks in the choruses to match. The upbeat tune "Closer To Me" seems to have all the makings of a hit but it did not see any chart action. "Love Don't Die" was released as the single from this album but it stalled at #60.
The iconic queen of soul, Aretha Franklin, has had a presence on the charts through four decades, earning her the rank of the 13th most successful artist of all-time. Her biggest hit of the 60s was the #1 smash "Respect." In the 70s, her biggest hit was the #2 cover of "Spanish Harlem." In the 80s, she topped the chart once again with George Michael, singing "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)." Finally in the 90s, she hit again with "A Rose Is Still A Rose," which went to #26 in 1998. Franklin's impressive catalogue of songs would take days to mine, but a lost gem I love is from her early days: 1967's "Save Me." This funky little number didn't chart, but reminds us to listen to all of Franklin's wonderful songs, not just the ones that landed on the charts.
The heavenly voice of Connie Francis made her the queen of pop through the 50s and 60s. She was no stranger to the top of the charts with #1 smashes like "Everybody's Somebody's Fool," "My Heart Has A Mind Of Its Own," and "Don't Break The Heart That Loves You." She also had a successful run in the movies spawned by "Where The Boys Are," which was also a #4 hit for her in 1961. Her last charting song in the 60s came in 1969 with the underrated tune, "The Wedding Cake." This bittersweet and realistic look at marriage only got to #91, but I don't think it should have been divorced from the charts so quickly.
