I hereby nominate Harem Scarem to be the most underrated hard rock band of all-time. Hailing from Canada, Harem Scarem was formed in 1987, off to a promising start during the peak of the melodic rock era with their first two albums. They were charting in Canada thanks to minor hits like "Slowly Slipping Away" and the power ballad "Honesty." Their second album, "Mood Swings," should have been all over U.S. radio, but it fell prey to the advent of grunge. Songs like "Saviors Never Cry" and "Sentimental Boulevard" would have performed well if released a few years earlier. The record remains a fan favorite among the band's extensive catalogue of 14 albums and was even re-recorded by the band in 2013. As the case for many rock bands, the 90s were a confusing decade for Harem Scarem. Struggling to find their sound, a few albums early in the decade were mixed. By the end of the decade they even changed their name to Rubber and issued two records under that moniker. The band returned to their original name and melodic rock sound with 2002's "Weight of the World," an amazing tour de force. "Outside Your Window" is just one of the highlights from this record that showcase the band's perfect mix of melody and grit, driven by the always stunning powerhouse vocals of Harry Hess and meaty riffs played by Pete Lesperance. The band has been releasing consistently great stuff ever since.
Ah, my theme song! John Wesley Harding is an English singer/songwriter who gave a nod to Bob Dylan by changing his legal name (Wesley Stace) to Dylan's 1967 album. Inspired by Dylan's songwriting and sounding a bit like Elvis Costello, John Wesley Harding has released 17 albums since he began his career in 1988 with a live recording, "It Happened One Night." Harding made a pretty big splash in the US in the 90s with critically acclaimed albums and plenty of airplay on MTV, mostly their alternative music show, 120 Minutes. In 1989, he gathered some fans with his acoustic rendition of Madonna's hit, "Like A Prayer," which primed the pump for his classic album (and still his best, in my opinion), "Here Comes The Groom." "I'm Wrong About Everything" is a wonderfully melancholic tune that appears on his 2000 record, "The Confessions of St. Ace," but became more widely known due to its inclusion on the soundtrack to the John Cusack film High Fidelity. When he's not busy writing songs, Harding is writing novels (under his birth name).
The Finnish hard rock band Hanoi Rocks never achieved mainstream success in the US, but were hugely influential in igniting the glam and hairband craze developing in the 80s. Led by the charismatic Michael Monroe, the band released a flurry of albums in the early 80s that have became cult favorites among fans of the genre. Among their more melodic cuts, "Don't You Ever Leave Me" seemed to have the most potential to make it on radio. The band also did a rousing cover of Creedence Clearwater Revival's hit, "Up Around The Bend" that remains a favorite.
The Hangmen were a little known garage rock band from Washington DC. They had a regional hit with "What A Girl Can't Do" in 1966, an energetic tune with attitude that sticks with you. The raspy vocals of lead singer Dave Ottley could have made these guys a household name. The ball was fumbled trying to make them a national act and Ottley quit later in the year.
In 1990, a little known band called Hand Of Fate released their one and only (self-titled) album. The band was led by Rick Boston, who previously played guitar on Belinda Carlisle's 1988 hit album, "Heaven And Earth." A cross between INXS and U2, it is astonishing the band was not well-received at the time. "Love Revolution" is one of the most radio-friendly tracks on the CD, but don't overlook "Good Life" and the acoustic ballad, "Heaven In Disguise." Boston went on to form Low Pop Suicide and has been involved in many other musical projects since Hand Of Fate failed to achieve commercial success.
Ah, the sunny pop of the early 70s. The harmonious trio Joe Frank & Reynolds Hamilton first hit the charts in 1971 with "Don't Pull Your Love," which went to #4. The group managed to top the charts in 1975 with "Fallin' In Love." They pretty much fell off the radar after that, probably because DJs were tired of saying their mouthful of a name. "Daisy Mae" was a minor hit that came in-between the group's two classics. It almost cracked the top 40, stalling at #41 in 1971. Nevertheless, it is a great tune from a lost era and underrated vocal group.
After the demise of the 70s group Orleans, lead singer John Hall took a stab at a solo career. His biggest chart success was his debut single, "Crazy (Keep On Falling)," which hit #42 in 1981. He only hit the charts once more in 1983 with the toe-tapping tune "Love Me Again." After his musical career faded out, Hall developed a hankering for politics and was elected to the US House of Representatives (representing New York) in 2006.
It took a long time to listen to the extensive discography of Daryl Hall and John Oates, who first teamed up in 1967 at Temple University in Philadelphia. The dynamic duo went on to become the most successful music duo in the rock era, surpassing the Everly Brothers. The two were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014, were the 4th biggest act in the 80s, and the 46th most successful in modern chart history. After making a big splash in the mid-70s, with hits like "Sara Smile" (#4), "She's Gone" (#7), and "Rich Girl" (their first #1), it seemed the blue eyed soul of Hall & Oates was universally loved. However, the rise of disco kept Hall & Oates out of the top 10 for years, despite their cranking out nearly an album a year. Things changed in a big way in 1980 when the boys covered "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" and it went to #12. They followed this up with one of the greatest chart runs of all time, racking up 5 additional #1 hits. They scored a dozen top 10 hits from 1981 to 1984. Finishing the decade on a high note with "So Close," which landed at #11 in 1990, the duo haven't graced the top 40 since. "You Must Be Good For Something" is one of the terrific songs that fell through the cracks during their lean years in the late 70s. The tune comes from their 1977 effort, "Beauty On A Back Street."
Few people realize that Daryl Hall has released five solo records outside of his longtime partnership with John Oates. Born Daryl Hohl in Philadelphia, Hall has scored only one top 10 hit outside of Hall & Oates. "Dreamland" went to #5 in 1986, still hot off the heels of the duo's staggering success. The subsequent singles, "Foolish Pride" and "Someone Like You," reached #33 and #57, respectively. All of these charting hits came from his second solo effort, "Three Hearts In The Happy Ending Machine," which got to #29 on the Top 200. He saw a final chart appearance in 1993 when "I'm In A Philly Mood" hit #82. "Let It Out" is another upbeat offering from his most successful solo work, "Three Hearts."
Halestorm is a hard rock band from York, Pennsylvania, formed by the brother and sister team of Lzzy (vocals) and Arejay Hale (drums). For me, it is the powerhouse vocals of Lzzy Hale that make the band worth mentioning. Lzzy delivers some of the greatest female rock vocals I've heard in recent years. I just wish the band could write better than average songs. They've yet to score a charting hit, but the band came close with "Here's To Us" in 2012. Whether you are one or want to get with one, "American Boys" is an anthem for all boys and girls. Huge meaty riffs, a catchy chorus, a homage to all things 'Merica, and striking, take-notice vocals...who could ask for more?
Sammy Hagar's career starts way back in 1973 when he became the lead singer for Montrose. He went solo in 1976 and released several albums before and after his time in Van Halen. Along the way, he also recorded as part of a supergroup called Hagar, Schon (Journey), Aaronson (Stories), and Shrieve (Santana) in 1984. In 1987, as his tenure with Van Halen started to take off into the stratosphere, Hagar released "I Never Said Goodbye," his ninth solo effort. The album's name derives from an MTV contest. It yielded hits like "Give To Live" (#23) and "Eagles Fly" (#82). "Back Into You" is another terrific AOR track that I thought would have performed well. His then buddy Eddie Van Halen even played bass and sang backing vocals on the record. Some extra trivia - what was Hagar's best chart performance as a solo artist? That was in 1982, when "Your Love Is Driving Me Crazy" hit #13. Perhaps his better known classic, "I Can't Drive 55," went to #26 in 1984.
Guster is an alternative rock and pop band hailing from Boston that formed in 1991. The band began as a more-or-less acoustic outfit and continues to keep a dynamic assortment of instruments in their songs, whether that is banjo or bongos. The common thread in all of their material is the keen attention paid to the craft of songwriting. The band broke into the mainstream with their 1999 record, "Lost and Gone Forever," which yielded the minor hit, "Fa Fa." My favorite record by the band, however, came next in 2003: "Keep It Together." Arguably one of their most consistent and melodic efforts, "Keep It Together" never disappoints. "Careful" is just one of numerous highlights, with others being "Amsterdam," "Diane," "Homecoming King," and the title track.
The Texas band Galactic Cowboys probably confuse a lot of people. The verses of their songs are aggressive speed metal but their choruses are some of the catchiest bubble gum pop you'll ever hear. You think you're listening to an Anthrax song but then the chorus will remind you of the Beatles. A bit like the formula King's X uses, but with even stronger juxtaposition of these vastly different musical styles. Their 1993 record, "Space In Your Face," contains a number of strong tracks I keep going back to. If you like "I Do What I Do," be sure to check out "You Make Me Smile," "Blind," and "No Problems," too.
The original lineup of Guns N' Roses released one of the best hard rock records of all time, 1987's "Appetite for Destruction," which yielded three top 10 hits including the #1 smash "Sweet Child O' Mine." Everyone was eager to hear more, so the band rushed out 1988's "G N' R Lies," perhaps a bit prematurely. A mix of live cuts and new songs, it performed very well off the heels of "Appetite" and the terrific acoustic ballad, "Patience," which went to #4. Fans would have to be patient for the next Guns N' Roses release, a double-album called "Use Your Illusion," which arrived in 1991. The band grew by leaps and bounds but divided fans who wanted "Appetite II." The bevy of songs (29 tracks) on the "Use Your Illusion" records was a mix of angst-driven rock, power ballads, cover tunes, and some overly long experimental tracks. Nonetheless, the band scored some big ballad hits including "Don't Cry" (#10) and "November Rain" (#3). Their rock tracks fared less well. It's so easy (you see what I did there?) for a lot of good songs to get lost in the woods of a double-album. "Civil War" is one of them. An epic ballad at nearly 8 minutes, it is a fan favorite and among the better lyrics Rose has ever written, a modest redemption from the dreadful lyrics of "One In A Million" from "Lies." "Civil War" has the added distinction of being the last song original drummer Steven Adler played on. The clip at the beginning is from the movie Cool Hand Luke, and the song Axel is whistling is "When Johnny Comes Marching Home."
