Andy Lyon – Lyon’s Share

Andy Lyon
Lyon’s Share
1991 Little Valley Records
Canada

Side One:

1. Don’t Give up on Love
2. Stay the Night
3. Little by Little

Side Two:

1. So Much More
2. I’ll Be There
3. Time Will Tell

As you can hear in the YouTube video below, the quality of this rip is a bit rough. I don’t know if it was the recording of the original tape, degradation over time, or the quality of the equipment used. Or all of the above. Just the way it is sometimes with these older tapes. Note that there is a musical channel tag at the beginning of the video that is not the tape itself. Not sure why that was needed. The sound here is slick commercial metal/AOR sound that was dominating in the late 80s/early 90s. Andy also has a shorter demo called I’ll Find My Way, but I don’t know if that was before or after this one. He is most known as the original lead singer for Angelica. He recorded demos with Angelica, but wasn’t able to record on the debut Angelica album in 1989. This demo sounds close to Angelica in style (although a bit less metal), so it probably gives an idea of what could have been.

Missing Information: Who else played on this?

The Nameless – June 91 Demo

The Nameless
June 91 Demo
1991 (no label)
Northern Ireland

Paul Dunlop – Vocals, harmonica
Ted Leath – Guitar, vocals
Sean McTaggart – Guitar, vocals
Eamonn Gavigan – Bass
Laurence Doherty – Drums

Side One:

1. Shelter from the Storm
2. No Strings Attached
3. Heaven Above
4. Man on the Rock
5. Watch Where You Wipe Your Feet

Side Two:

1. Sophistication
2. Heaven or Hell
3. Nobody Knows Your Name
4. Big End

BandCamp Bonus Tracks:

1. The Master
2. Speechless
3. Backdoor (91 version featuring Jeanette Hutton)

This is proof that you should always check online to see if any demo you hear about is out there. Turns out, this band has uploaded all of their music (including unreleased bonus tracks) to BandCamp for free download. This hard rock band released this demo in 1991. They look heavy metal on the cover, but seem to keep the music more in the classic hard rock vein (with a noticeable AC/DC influence). Seven of the tracks here were remastered and included as bonus tracks on the band’s 1994 release Green (“Shelter From the Storm” and “No Strings Attached” were not given the remaster treatment). The BandCamp download includes two unreleased tracks as well as the 1991 version of a track later re-recorded for Green.

The Exit – Twist of Fate

The Exit
Twist of Fate
1991 (no label)

Eloy Padilla – Vocals, keyboard, programming
Jerome Martinez – Guitar
John Padilla – Bass
Tom Padilla – Keyboards, programming
Deborah (Padilla) Bolyard – Drums

1. Desire
2. Twist of Fate (sample happy 7-inch remix)
3. Change
4. In Your Arms
5. Dancing With Angels

Saw this demo on eBay and looked for some more information on it. I found the entire album plus 6 remixes on SoundCloud from… Sweet Jazz Popeye? Is there a connection between the two groups? I also think this might be the same band that later released a demo in 1993. The singer sounds the same, but they seemed to have gone more slow Goth on that demo. Here they are more upbeat and euro-dance in style. A bit of Goth rock here and there – especially with the song “Dancing With Angels” (this is where they get the closest to the 1993 demo). Honestly, I’m also not too convinced they are the same band as well. Anyone know for sure with er way? I have seen 1989, 1990, and 1991 listed for the release date of this tape. There are also two “unreleased mix” versions of two songs from this demo on YouTube (see below), but to be honest they sound just like the released versions of the songs on the tape. The SoundCloud page adds 5 alternate mixes and an unreleased song called “I Think of Thoughts” as it was played on the radio back in the day.

 

The River (live from Greenbelt)

The River (live from Greenbelt)
1991 What? Records
London, England, United Kingdom

Side 1:

1. Iona – Iona
2. Martyn Joseph – Power of Your Love
3. Martyn Joseph – 4 the $
4. Armstrong – Ain’t No Honor
5. Armstrong – His Love
6. Sam Hill – What Are You telling Me
7. Sam Hill – Now Then Forever
8. The Woebeggones – I Hear a Train Coming (traditional)

Side 2:

1. River City People – Huskerson Street
2. River City People – Every Day I Carry the Blame
3. River City People – Hush Little Baby (traditional)
4. Nanette Williams – My Baby Just Cares for Me
5. Nanette Williams – Swing Low Medley (traditional)
6. Ben Okafor – No Matter What It Is
7. Ben Okafor -Stay Here With Me
8. Mechanic Manyeruke Et Al – O When the Saints (traditional)

This is technically a release from a label – a small label, but one with major national distribution. What? Records is known for releasing classics by Iona, Tonio K, Dave Perkins, Ideola, and others. But I can’t find this release listed anywhere online. It also appears to have some underground-ish acts on it. All tracks were recorded live at the 1990 Greenbelt Festival.

• We all know who Iona is, and they deliver a very Celtic ethereal live track here.
• Martyn Joseph is probably more well known over in the UK than here; he plays two acoustic songs from a couple of his late 80s albums.
• I can’t find out exactly who Armstrong is – solo act or band? There are two acoustic tracks with male vocals that have a bit of grit and soul.
• Sam Hill plays a couple of acoustic tracks as well, one from Thunder and Rain.
• The Woebeggones appear to be a band that formed to play at Greenbelt festivals and grew from there. They perform a down home cover of a gospel classic here – something you will see many artists did for this compilation.
• River City People play two songs off of their EMI debut along with a traditional song
• Nannette Welmans, who seems to be known for funk/pop music at this time, covers a jazz standard and a gospel standard in a very jazzy style that Norah Jones would popularize years later.
• Ben Okafor plays live versions of two of his songs from two late 80s albums.
• Mechanic Manyeruke closes out the live set with a traditional jazz standard as well.

Rhema – Songs of Integrity

Rhema
Songs of Integrity
1991 (no label)
Schaunburg, Illinois, USA

Ron Nickson – Lead vocals, background vocals, guitars
Michael Gniot – Lead vocals, background vocals, guitars, bass
Bart Cooper – Drums

Roxane Gniot – Organ

1. Lend Me Your Ear
2. Miracle
3. Wasted
4. Permanent Bonds

The first song on this starts off as a mellow also Jesus Music sounding song, but quickly kicks into an almost jangly alternative rock number, but it keeps building in rock intensity until it finally fades out at the end. The next song is kind of an Eagles-ish rock number. It looks like the band is two guys that played a lot of things, but also brought in others to help record as well. Some of that includes programmed instruments, which you can kind of tell – but they aren’t going for electronic or indie rock music. “Wasted” is probably their heaviest song, but is doesn’t get into hard rock territory. Looks like this is a band that has some varied sounds, but sticks mostly in the arena rock realm of Petra, White Heart, etc. As you can see on the cover, most of these songs appear to have been written in the 80s (copyright dates range from 1981 to 1990),

The Last Dance – Everyone

The Last Dance
Everyone
1991 (no label)
Fountain Valley, California, USA

Jeff Diehm
Rick Joyce
Tony Tullai

Side 1:

1. Everyone Cries
2. Like a Doll
3. Black Roses
4. Remembrance

Side 2:

1. Watch Me Fall Down
2. Country
3. Tami
4. Alone
5. Broken Heart (bonus track)

I have heard a large number of albums by The Last Dance (including the later compilation that had this tape on it) – but I had not heard this tape on its own until it appeared on YouTube. The Last Dance is considered a classic band in the gothic/darkwave scene (or more technically, the “third wave of the gothic rock movement” as Wikipedia calls it.). This appears to be their first demo, followed in 1992 with Angel. It is interesting how, while they go better later, they were still really good here as well. Through tragedy and trial and a few hiatuses they were still active up until at least 2015. Maybe they are still going today? Not sure, but I hope so. Note that the videos that I found on BandCamp appear to be a 1995 remaster with a bonus track not on the 1991 release.

Love in Grey – Demo

Love in Grey
Demo
1991? (no label)

1. Shadows
2. War Drum
3. Cold Grey Sky
4. Rain

This is labeled as “pre-Atomic Opera,” and it does share a song with For Madmen Only (“War Drum” – but a different version). But I don’t know the story of this particular demo as it is not specifically mention on their Wikipedia entry. The old Atomic Opera website says they started in September 1991, so I guess it would be 1991 (or 90) that this was released. Anyway, it sounds like Atomic Opera, just an earlier version. It also might have been when Frank Hart lived in Missouri and before he moved to Houston. I don’t think any of the other songs here were re-recorded on later projects, even though “Shadows” does sound familiar. It might have been re-worked into a different song. None of these songs were on their 1999 demo collection called Alphas and Oranges, even thought that CD does have a song called “Love in Grey ” on it.

Missing Information: Who played on this? What year was it released?

Billy Sunday – eleven-12 (THIRTEEN)

Billy Sunday
eleven-12 (THIRTEEN)
1991 (no label)
Livonia, Michigan, USA

Steve Guthrie – Keyboards, lead vocals, backing vocals
Michael Routledge – Guitar, backing vocals
William Pope – Bass guitar, vocals
Michael Frederick – Drums, percussion, vocals

Side One:

1. Cheez-Puf
2. Eleven-12 (Thirteen)
3. I Love You
4. For a Thousand Years
5. He Used to Dance
6. Let It Ring

Side Two:

1. Radio Daze
2. Have It All
3. Friends That Fly
4. Streets of Gold
5. Rain

I thought I had heard of this one, but apparently I haven’t. I wish that I had. They kind of sound like Living Colour out of the gate, especially the lead singer. But they also like to mix funk, jazz, gospel, pop, and prog into their music. Living Colour is more metal than Billy Sunday, and Billy Sunday likes to experiment more with extended jams. They just go off in random directions during random parts of the song. While they don’t sound exactly like any jam bands, jam band fans would probably dig this. BTW – if you aren’t aware, “Billy Sunday” is not a member of this band, but a famous baseball player turned minister. But does that mean you file this under “B” or “S”?

Zuriel – Zuriel

Zuriel
Zuriel
1991 (no label)
Hamilton, Ohio, USA

Tony Royer – Lead vocals, keyboards, rhythm guitar
Keith Strong – Vocals, lead guitar, rhythm guitar
Larry Brown – Bass
Tome Johnson – Drums

Side 1:

1. Run
2. The Flame
3. Wake Up
4. Dreams

Side 2:

1. High Bridge
2. Fashion Scientific
3. The Lottery
4. The Challenge

I had to look up the name of this band as well – it is a Hebrew name from Numbers 3:34 usually meaning “The Lord is My Rock.” They start off with a hard rock/almost metal song, but then switch to an 80s AOR style song. They continue with the 80s AOR on the third track as well. Then it is an 80s power ballad. Of course, this is all on a tape put out in 1991, so it’s a little dated by that point. The tape gets warbly for side 2 – it sounds like the person converting it should have just stopped the tape, flipped it over and played it the other way. That usually works for me except in cases of damaged tape (which this doesn’t sound like). But anyways, side 2 is all rock and/or AOR, so it seems the first track was just an outlier.

Shock – Mensajero Del Rock

Shock
Mensajero Del Rock
1991 (no label)
Ensenada, Bajo California, Mexico

Elena Coker – Vocals
Omar Battani – Guitars
Pedro Quezada – Bass
Juan Bahena – Drums

1. Yo lo Puedo Hacer por Ti (4:06)
2. Voy a Pelear (4:40)
3. Deseo Escapar (4:26)
4. America (3:02)
5. Mensajero del Rock (3:31)
6. Abriendo Caminos (3:14)
7. La Noche es Larga (4:26)
8. Esclava (4:40)

This band used to be called Sacro, and like I noted on their 1986 demo Yo Voy a Pelear, I don’t know what the songs are about – but I am told they are Christian. Well,  I should say that this band is the bassist and singer from Sacro. I was also told this is more hard rock that the traditional metal of Sacro. I guess “hard rock” is what people are calling commercial metal these days. But in 1991, this would have been the type of metal that was ruling the charts (at the beginning at least).