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).
Hard rocking melodic bands with big hair and big choruses were a dime a dozen in the late 80s, but Baltimore's Child's Play stood a cut above the rest and deserved much wider recognition. Fueled by the powerhouse yet soulful vocals of Brian Jack, their major label debut, "Rat Race", failed to poke its head out above the crowd in 1990. A few years later, the band broke up and drummer/singer John Allen joined the alternative band SR-71. Allen would pair up with Child's Play's guitarist Nicky Kay once more to form modern rock band Charm City Devils in 2007. Sadly, Brian Jack passed away in 2012. "Knock Me Out" is just one of many examples why I think this record should have done much better. If you like this kind of music, be sure to also check out "When Hell Freezes Over", the title track, and the excellent acoustic ballad, "Wind".
