Hailing from New York, Danny Vaughn's post-Waysted band, Tyketto, arrived on the pop metal and hairband scene just a little too late. Had it been released earlier, their debut album from 1991, "Don't Come Easy," could have been remembered as a classic along with late 80s albums by Bon Jovi, Poison, and Warrant. The band released a fairly decent track to start their career, "Forever Young," but it failed to chart and didn't bring sufficient attention to the band. This meant that better cuts on the album, including "Seasons," "Sail Away," and the terrific ballad "Standing Alone," got far less attention than they deserved. Tyketto's sophomore record, "Strength In Numbers," was dropped, but ultimately picked up by another label in 1994. Vaughn has one of the best voices in rock--he's released solo records and other projects such as From The Inside. Unfortunately, none have given him the wider recognition he deserves. A reunited Tyketto continues to make new records and tour today. "Wings" might have been a better choice to introduce this band to the world. It is a much stronger song, and far more memorable.
Before going country in 1965, Conway Twitty was at the forefront of rock and roll and rockabilly. He scored big with hits like the #1 smash from 1958, "It's Only Make Believe," as well as "Danny Boy" (#10) and "Lonely Blue Boy" (#6). Twitty would go on to dominate the country charts until his death by an aneurysm in 1993 at the age of 59. He scored 40 #1 hits on the country charts. He occasionally crossed back over to the Top 100 with songs like "You've Never Been This Far Before," which reached #22 in 1973. His final Top 100 appearance was in 1976 when "Don't Cry Joni" peaked at #63--the song featured his daughter Joni Lee on guest vocals. "It's Drivin' Me Wild" goes back to his early rock roots.
Twisted Sister was a band from New York that helped pioneer the melodic hard rock era of the 80s with their monster hits "We're Not Gonna Take It" and "I Wanna Rock," which cruised to #21 and #68, respectively, in 1984. Propelled by their unforgettable music videos and the theatrics of lead singer Dee Snider, the band seemed poised for longterm success. However, they ventured into power ballad territory with "The Price" (not a bad song by any means) and hit a snag. Equally perplexing was the decision to release a cover of "Leader Of The Pack" (originally done by The Shangri-Las) as the first single from their follow-up to their breakthrough "Stay Hungry" album. It sputtered out at #53 in 1986, marking the band's final appearance on the Top 100. Twisted Sister returned with a new LP in 1987, "Love Is For Suckers," with help from members of Kix and Winger. Despite "Hot Love" hitting all the right buttons for a radio-friendly hit, it seemed no one was interested anymore.
The Turtles were a 60s pop band from California that had a short but impressive run on the charts in the late 60s. Their first hit was an emotive cover of Bob Dylan's "It Ain't Me Babe," which soared to #8 in 1965. By 1967, they topped the chart with the #1 smash, "Happy Together," which reigned supreme for three weeks. The Turtles would grace the Top 10 throughout the remainder of the decade with "She'd Rather Be With Me" (#3), "Elenore" (#6), and "You Showed Me" (#6). But their hot streak came to a crawl and the band was back in their shell by 1969 when "Lady-O" stalled at #78 and became their final chart appearance. "I Get Out Of Breath" would have been a better single to go out on. Taken from their final album, 1970's "Wooden Head," this is a song about dealing with the perplexities in life.
Tina Turner has been churning out chart hits since the 1960s as part of the husband-wife duo, Ike & Tina Turner. After they split in 1976, Tina Turner continued to perform and slowly put pieces into place for one of the biggest comebacks in pop music history. The comeback arrived in 1984. Her cover of Al Green's #1 hit from 1971, "Let's Stay Together," reached #26 in 1984, nearly a decade since her last chart appearance with Ike. But what really launched her comeback was the next single, "What's Love Got To Do With It," which spent three weeks at #1 and won all kinds of awards. Turner was on fire for the remainder of the decade, nearly hitting the top spot twice more with "We Don't Need Another Hero (Thunderdome)" and "Typical Male." She scored more hits teaming up with other famed songwriters and performers like Holly Knight (of Spider and Device), Bryan Adams (who wrote and sang with Tina on "It's Only Love" (#15) and wrote her #97 song from 1993, "Why Must We Wait Until Tonight?"), and Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits (who wrote the #7 title track to her comeback album, "Private Dancer"). While Turner is largely known for her soft pop, she always put a rocker or two on her releases. "Back Where You Started," another one written by Bryan Adams, is one of best rock songs of 1986. It comes from the album "Break Every Rule" and won a Grammy for Rock Female Vocal, yet remains largely unknown.
Married for the duration of their chart career, which spanned from 1960 to 1975, Ike and Tina Turner populated the airwaves with their versatile brand of R&B, rock, funk, and pop. They reinvented the stage show and made the performance as much a spectacle as the music. Ike and Tina got their run on the charts started in 1960 when "A Fool In Love" peaked at #27. Among their biggest hits: "It's Gonna Work Out Fine" (#14), "Nutbush City Limits" (#22), "I Want To Take You Higher" (#34), and "Proud Mary" (#4). Their divorce ended their run on the charts, but Tina would became bigger than ever after her comeback in the 80s. Ike passed away in 2007 at the age of 76. "Baby-Get It On" exemplifies the diversity of musical styles this talented duo could master. A full out funky rocker, this single surprisingly only reached #88 in 1975, and marked their last chart appearance as a group.
The blues man from Missouri, "Big Joe" Turner, did not get to enjoy a run of hits on the Top 40, but many of his songs remain classics of the early rock and roll era. While they didn't chart, two of his songs are rock and roll Hall of Famers: "Roll 'Em Pete" from 1938 and "Shake, Rattle, And Roll" from 1954. The best he could muster on he chart was "Corrine Corrina," which featured The Cookies and went to #41 in 1956. His only other chart appearance came in 1960 when "Honey Hush" reached #53. "Wee Baby Blues" is a terrific hit that should have been another classic in his roster. The single version, featured here, is as danceable as anything else released at the time. Turner died of a heart attack in 1985 at the age of 74.
KT Tunstall is a versatile singer and songwriter from Scotland who could be found all over the American airwaves in 2006 with her infectious hit "Black Horse & The Cherry Tree," which reached #20. She followed this up with the equally successful "Suddenly I See," which peaked at #21. For inexplicable reasons, her follow-up records failed to ignite significant interest in the US and she has yet to make a return to the chart. Here's hoping that changes. From 2007, "Little Favours" is one of those songs that should have been another feather in her cap.
Led by Fee Waybill, The Tubes formed in San Francisco back in 1972 and started their run on the charts in 1976 when "Don't Touch Me There" landed at #61. After a short chart break, they came back in a big way in the early 80s. "Don't Want To Wait Anymore" peaked at #35 in 1981 and in 1983 they scored their biggest hit with "She's A Beauty," which soared to #10 and has become an 80s classic. "Beauty" was co-written with Steve Lukather (Toto). Despite this exposure to a larger audience, The Tubes could not sustain their luck on the charts. They had a few minor follow-ups with "Tip Of My Tongue" (#52), "The Monkey Time" (#68), and "Piece By Piece" (#87) before disappearing forever. Waybill continued in the biz playing and writing big hits for others, notably Richard Marx. "Talk To Ya Later," another tune co-written with Toto's Lukather, reaches back to 1981 and should have been their career launching single.
I had high hopes for the band Tsar when I first heard their self-titled debut record in 2000. With their punk attitude and delectable melodic hooks, this energetic band seemed like the perfect antidote to the post-grunge era. But for some reason, Tsar failed to gain any traction and my hopes were dashed. There are many songs I could highlight here, but I'll go with "MONoSTEReo" - the chorus is amazing.
The Truth is an obscure duo from Britain that earned some attention in the US with an album entitled "Weapons Of Love" in 1987. They sound like a typical pop rock band of the era, mixing guitars with synth keyboards like Johnny Hates Jazz and Tears For Fears. The title track reached #65. There isn't too much that stands out from this album, so I'm not surprised further chart success eluded the band, but "Cover Up My Face" is a highlight worth another listen.
Truman is a singer and songwriter with a gritty rock edge who released his one and only record (that I can find) in 2004. Don't have much more on this album, other than I thought it deserved much more attention than it received. "Used" is the track that kicks things off and gives you a good idea what the rest of the album, "Payne Avenue" sounds like.
Canadian rock band Trooper never established a foothold in America, although they did score a minor hit in 1978 when their classic anthem "Raise A Little Hell" reached #59. America should have heard a lot more from these guys. "Drivin' Crazy" comes from their 1978 release, "Thick As Thieves," the same record that yielded "Raise A Little Hell" (and in my opinion, the band's best album). There are lots of other highlights scattered throughout their catalogue, which spans 9 albums over 3 decades, mostly from the 70s. "Knock 'Em Dead Kid," "We're Here For A Good Time (Not A Long Time)," "Round, Round We Go," and "Janine" all worth a spin.
The Troggs were an English band who hit it big in the US when their classic "Wild Thing" soared to #1 for two weeks in 1966. They returned to the Top 10 in 1968 when "Love Is All Around" peaked at #7. It would be their last chart appearance. "With A Girl Like You" is one of the catchiest songs in the band's catalogue, and it clocked in at #29 as the flip side to "Wild Thing." It is often eclipsed by the success of "Wild Thing," so we're letting it shine here.
Trixter is a rock band from New Jersey that caught the tail end of the hairband craze. Their self-titled debut album from 1990 did really well, despite a lack of impressive chart performances for the singles. Their best was their first, "Give It To Me Good," which peaked at #65. "One In A Million" and "Surrender" stalled at #75 and #72, respectively. By the arrival of their sophomore record, "Hear!", in late 1992, grunge was in full swing. Nothing charted from this album, despite a strong single in "Road Of A Thousand Dreams." The band went on hiatus, with members pursuing other projects (see 40 Ft Ringo), until their reunion in 2007. They've released two new records since their reunion. "Nobody's A Hero" was a great tune from "Hear!" that might have been a hit a few years earlier than its release. Actually the perfect song for our current times.
The Trews are a roots rock band from Canada that deserve some major label attention state side. This is the title track from their 2011 album, which marked a leap towards a more polished and radio-friendly sound. Earlier Trews records, such as "Den Of Thieves" captured more of their raw rock energy, if that is your preference.
I don't remember how I heard of this project, but I am so glad the record found its way into my collection. The brainchild of singer and songwriter Justin Dillon, Tremolo released a single album in 2004 entitled, "Love Is The Greatest Revenge." Every song is an earworm with a rocking chorus and thoughtful lyrics. I'd rank it as one of the best releases of that year, and I'm disappointed that we've never heard more from Tremolo. "You Were Born For This" is just one of many highlights from this underrated record.
The Tremeloes are a successful yet often forgotten English group from the late 60s. They nearly hit the Top 10 twice with the songs "Here Comes My Baby" and "Silence Is Golden," which reached #13 and #11, respectively. Another Top 40 single they released was "Even The Bad Times Are Good," which peaked at #36 in 1967. "My Little Lady" was a single released on the tail end of their short career in 1968. Not sure why happy little tunes like this didn't keep them going. But chart success runs in the family for lead singer Len "Chip" Hawkes. In 1991, his son, Chesney, scored a Top 10 hit with "The One And Only" (#10).
Treat is a Swedish melodic hard rock band that released several successful albums in their native land in the 80s, but called it quits in 1993. Despite the popularity of the genre, Treat was never able to connect with music fans in the US enough to make an appearance on the charts. In 2006, the band released a compilation album with a couple of new tracks. Sales exceeded expectations and prompted the group to reunite and start making music again. Three albums later, Treat fans seemed pleased. "Roar" is a powerful anthem from their 2010 album, "Coup De Grace." A strong return to form by this underrated AOR band.
Formed in Glasgow, Scotland, the soothing soft rock band Travis released their debut album, "Good Feelings," in 1997. Picking up some steam in the UK, the group generated a buzz and received significant airplay in the US with their sophomore effort, "The Man Who." The album became a worldwide hit, as did their 2001 release, "The Invisible Man." Unbelievably, Travis never scored a chart hit in the US. "Why Does It Always Rain On Me" is a terrific tune that should have been a hit. It comes from "The Man Who."
You would think that combining the talents of Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Roy Orbison, Jeff Lynne (ELO), and George Harrison (The Beatles) would produce a supergroup that crushed the charts. But this collection of musical superstars, who called themselves The Traveling Wilburys, never even cracked the Top 40. The Traveling Wilburys managed to score two chart appearances in 1988-89, when "Handle With Care" and "End of The Line" reached #45 and #63, respectively. They came from their debut album, "Vol. 1." Despite a lackluster performance on the chart, the record was critically acclaimed and won a Grammy. Shortly after the record's release, the band endured the sad and untimely passing of Orbison, who died of a heart attack at 52. The Wilburys decided to soldier on as a foursome. In keeping with their quirky nature, their sophomore effort was entitled, "Vol. 3," but it failed to yield any charting singles. That was the end of the line for the band. "She's My Baby" was from "Vol. 3" and should have given The Wilburys a much-needed boost.
