Butch Walker got his start playing lead guitar for a glam band called SouthGang before forming his own alternative rock outfit (and one of the most underrated bands of the 90s), The Marvelous 3. After their demise, he struck out on a prolific solo career as a singer, songwriter, and producer. Despite churning out tons of hit songs for a wide variety of other artists, Walker has yet to break onto the charts and remains an unsung hero in the music biz. His albums are as diverse as the acts he works with, but each one is a cohesive effort. If you're in the mood for arena rock, check out 2002's "Left Of Self-Centered." If you're in the mood for T. Rex-inspired 70s rock, check out 2006's "The Rise And Fall Of...Butch Walker And The Let's-Go-Out-Tonights." If it's a rainy Sunday and you need some acoustic tunes, check out 2015's "Afraid Of Ghosts." You get the idea. "Summer Of 89" is Walker doing what he does best - combining punk lyrics with a bold, bombastic chorus that begs you to sing along. The track comes from his excellent 2011 album, "The Spade."
Named after the SR-71 Blackbird aircraft, this Baltimore-based band rose to fame at the turn of the century with their single "Right Now." Co-written with Butch Walker (Marvelous 3), the tune almost hit the Top 100 in 2000. It comes from their debut record, "Now You See Inside." SR-71 seemed poised to hit the big time. "Now You See Inside" is packed with other potential hits, including "Politically Correct," "Non-toxic," "Fame," and the killer ballad, "Empty Spaces." Not sure who dropped the ball here, but I'm surprised this album didn't get more attention. Unfortunately, the band decided to sacrifice their sugary melodies for a dark and heavier sound on 2002's "Tomorrow," which proved to be a commercial flop. The album saw some personnel changes, too, with another Baltimore musician, John Allen (Child's Play, Charm City Devils), taking over the drums. The band leased a third album called "Here We Go Again" that was a strong return to form, but a day late and dollar short. It contained the song "1985," which was quickly redone by Bowling For Soup and became a popular hit, landing at #23 at 2004. The success showcased SR-71's frontman Mitch Allan's songwriting chops, which have served him well in writing tunes for others ever since. The band is also noted for rocking up other people's songs, including "In Your Eyes" (Peter Gabriel) and "Let It Whip" (Dazz Band).
Marvelous 3 released a trilogy of records in the late 90s that contain some of the greatest modern rock of the era. Mixing pop smarts with wit and delectable harmonies, Marvelous 3 should have been huge, but most people don't even remember the one song that got a lot of airplay in 1999: "Freak Of The Week." After the demise of glam band SouthGang, the multitalented guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Butch Walker formed Marvelous 3 with a couple of his old bandmates. For reasons science will never understand, the band didn't take off, and Walker walked to try a solo career (which we will get to eventually...be patient). Walker has found bigger success as a songwriter and producer for other notable acts. "Indie Queen" comes from what I feel is their best record, "Hey! Album," from 1998. Simply gorgeous and arguably the most persistent ear worm of the decade.
Most know Tommy Lee as the theatrical drummer for glam band Motley Crue, but during their downtime he's put out a couple solo records. In 2005, he released his sophomore album, "Tommyland: The Ride," which accompanied his book of the same title and his reality TV show, Tommy Lee Goes To College. "Good Times" was the lead off track to this album, and also the theme song for his TV show. The tune gave Lee his one and only chart appearance, making at showing at #95 that year. It is a fun song to play with the top down, thanks to a killer chorus that was taken up a notch by Butch Walker (SouthGang, Marvelous 3). Other guests on this solid effort range from Chad Kroeger (Nickelback) to Nick Carter (Backstreet Boys) to Dave Navarro (Jane's Addiction, Red Hot Chili Peppers).
