We Want More: Roxy Blue

 

   Have you felt the frustration when one of your favourite bands gets dropped in favour of something more commercial? It's a feeling all rockers who were around at the end of the 80s, and those who listen to the music decades later, have had to deal with, when they discovered their new favourite band only to find out that single album they released in the early 90s was the only album at all. Times were a-changing in the music industry in the late 80s/early 90s, and changing too fast at that. Grunge was here to stay and the hordes of hair metal bands that were signed each and every day were soon to be left out with no rotation, no shows, no Headbanger's Ball, and no interest from the record company who had signed them in the first place.

   Another such case would be Roxy Blue. Formed in Memphis, the four guys found themselves in the midst of a whirlwind when they were signed by Geffen records and heavily promoted as the next big band since, well, the biggest bands. A short-lived dream, as it turned out, since all the promotion and the noise could not save them from the fact that they, just like many others, were a little bit too late in breaking out into the rock scene.

   The band's debut album "Want Some?", released into the wild in 1992, has everything you'd want from a hair metal album: melodies that get you hooked right away, riffs to rock out to, hot musicians with long hair so fly they make you feel self conscious about your sad mop, outrageous artwork, and undeniably skilled musicians. Produced by Guns 'n Roses producer Mike Clink, the album even boasted of a "one take, live-to-tape track" (Rob the Cradle). The album is overflowing with electrifying energy, just like every live performance of theirs. MTV heavily rotated their music videos, the band went on tour supporting Babylon A.D., and somewhere along their crazy, shooting star-like rocket ride, won over hordes of headbanging fans. Fans who were left hungry for some more when the band, along with many others, suddenly disappeared from the spotlight, victims to the changing trends in the music industry.

   For those of you still wanting some more, you are in luck: FnA records came to the rescue, teaming up with Roxy Blue to deliver in 2013 three more albums for our pleasure: "Want Some More" picks up where "Want Some" left off, with material all the way from the early 90s that was originally intented as the demos for the band's second album that never happenedback then. "Stripped" on the other hand contains well known and beloved tracks of the band as well as previously unreleased material, and "Live at Nightmoves" is the band's obligatory live album, recorded during their last performance before they were signed and shipped off to LA to record their debut album.

   Already since they broke out in the rock scene, the band has been compared to Warrant and early Van Halen. Indeed the music is as electrifying and lively, and it's a must for every fan of Warrant, hair metal... oh just listen to it. No words needed.