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Grand Illusion / The Book Of How To Make It
Probably, you would remember two AOR Heaven releasing album of Promotion's; "Not for sale" and "Yeah yeah", gained great reviews in AOR-press all over the world. In May 2000, Escape Music signed the band. The first thing the label demanded that the band should get rid of "that stupid name", personally I did not think the name "Promotion" so stupid, rather very unique band name! Thus the boys finally settled for "Grand Illusion". The band explained that a slight change of direction, more emphasis on guitars, (heavy guitars) had done, but the Grand Illusion trademarks, the outstanding vocal work from Peter Sundell and Per Svensson and Anders Rydholm's classy melodies are intact from the Promotion years. Together with Ola Karlsson's witty lyrics and some groovy drumming by Christian Sundell the Grand Illusion sound was created. I agree that Grand Illusion succeded to keep their excellent melodies and outstanding vocal works. However, from my point of view, it is so regrettable that we cannot listen to the great horns on the album, which absolutely made this band very different from other melodic rock bands. Release: Release Date: April 7, 20001 (Europe), March 23, 2001 (Japan) Label: Escape Music, UK (ESM063), Avalon/Marquee, Japan (MICP-10235) Tracks: 1. Feeling Strangely Fine 2. Don't Wait To Know 3. Boys Last Night Out 4. Accidentally On Purpose 5. The Book Of How To Make It 6. Whatever 7. 105 (And Running) 8. Parachute 9. The Desperate Man's Plea * 10. Don't Wait Up 11. Crazy From The Heat 12. The Hardest Part *Bonus Track(s) only for Japanese edition Producer: Anders Rydholm Grand Illusion: Peter Sundell: Lead and Background Vocals Anders Rydholm: Bass, Guitar and Keyboards Per Svensson: Lead and Background Vocals Christian Sundell: Drums Ola Karlsson: Guitar - Musicians - Guitar: Stefan Leoson, Robert Vadadi, Per Thuresson #GrandIllusion
1 AOR Melodic Rock Avalon/Marquee, JapanTakeito
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Franke & The Knockouts / Below The Belt
After successful debut album release, Knockouts welcomed Tommy Ayers as the second keyboard player of the band. However, the band lost the drummer, Claude LeHenaff before starting to record a follow-up album in 1982. Thus Franke & The Knockouts:completed the second album “Below The Belt” with session drummer Al Wotton, but shortly after the album’s release, Tico Torres, later known as the Bon Jovi drummer, joined the band. The first single from the album “Without You (Not Another Lonely Night)" reached number 24 on Billboard Hot 100 in June. Release: 1982 Label: Millennium Records, USA (BXLI-7763) Tracks: 1. Never Had It Better 2. Without You (Not Another Lonely Night) 3. Just What I Want 4. Any Way That You Want Me 5. Morning Sun (Dream On) 6. Shakedown 7. Keep On Fighting 8. Have No Fear 9. Gina Bonus Track(s) added to the reissued CD version(s): 1998 Escape Music Ltd., UK (ESM035 released in September, 1998) 10. Every Little Bit Helps Producers: Peter Solley , Franke & The Knockouts Frank & The Knockouts: Franke Previte: Vocals Billy Elworthy: Guitar Blake Levinsohn: Piano, Organ Tommy Ayers: Piano, Synth, Organ Leigh Foxx: Bass - Musicians - Drums: Al Wotton Guitars: Ricky Hitchcock Percussion: Richie Puente #Franke&TheKnockouts
1 AOR Melodic Rock Escape Music, UKTakeito
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Franke & The Knockouts / Makin’ The Point
After Franke & The Knockouts had released 2 albums under Millennium Entertainment (distributed by RCA), they switched to MCA Records in 1984 and released the third and last album of the band “Makin’ The Point”. Whilst Tico Torres, later known as the drummer of "BON JOVI" was with the band, your eyes must stop at the name of Jeff Porcaro as one of the guest musicians. In terms of commercial sales, the third album should have been unsuccessful. The band disbanded in 1986, having achieved three top 40 U.S. singles and two Top 50 albums.Having said that, it should be noted that they wrote and recorded the original versions of Eric Carmen's 1987 hit single "Hungry Eyes" as well as the song "(I've Had) The Time of My Life", both of which were featured in the 1987 movie “Dirty Dancing”. The album “Makin' The Point" was reissued with this original version of "Hungly Eyes" as the bonus track in 1998. Release: 1984 Label: MCA Records, USA (MCA-5473) Tracks: 1. Outrageous 2. You Don't Want Me (Like I Want You) 3. Come Rain Or Shine 4. You're All That Really Matters 5. Carrie Why? 6. So Cool (Nobody's Fool) 7. One Good Reason 8. Blame It On My Heart 9. Can't Get Enough Of You Bonus Track(s) added to the reissued CD version(s): 1998 Escape Music Ltd., UK (ESM030 released in March, 1998) 10. Hungry Eyes Producer: Bill Schnee Frank & The Knockouts: Franke Previte: Vocals Billy Elworthy: Guitar Blake Levinsohn: Piano, Organ Tommy Ayers: Piano, Synth, Organ Leigh Foxx: Bass Tico Torres: Drums - Musicians - Electric & Acoustic Piano: Blake Levinsohn Guitars: Billy Elworthy Keyboards: Kim Bullard Drums: Jeff Porcaro Percussion: Lenny Castro Bass: Nathan East Sax: Marc Russo #Franke&TheKnockouts
1 AOR Melodic Rock Escape Music, UKTakeito
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Frank & The Knockouts
New Jersey born Franke Previte started to sing with the band called “Oxford Watch Band” in late ‘60s and then formed the heavy metal band “Bull Angus” that released an album on Mercury Records in 1971. After Bull Angus, Previte signed with Buddha Records as a R&B singer in late’70s but he wasn't really getting the energy in a more R&B direction by Grammy-winning producer Tony Camillo. Thus, Previte decided to combine his rock sprits and R&B roots for some blue-eyed soul-style rock ‘n’ roll, and started Franke & the Knockouts in the early ‘80s and signed to Millennium Entertainment (distributed by RCA) and the self-titled first album was released in 1981. The first single ‘Sweetheart” reached number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 in June of the year, which reminded me of Toto’s debut single “Hold The Line”. In 1998, Escape Music, UK started to reissue all three band albums on CD with bonus tracks.The first album was reissued with the unreleased Franke's version of Oscar winning tune "Time Of My Life" featured in the movie "Dirty Dancing" (duet with Rochele Cappelli). Release: March, 1981 Label: Millennium Entertainment, USA (BXL1-7755) Tracks: 1. Come Back 2. Sweetheart 3. She's Runner 4. You're My Girl 5. One For All 6. Tonight 7. Running Into The Night 8. Tell Me Why 9. Annie Goes Hollywood 10. Don't Stop Bonus Track(s) added to the reissued CD version(s): 1999 Escape Music Ltd., UK (ESM040 released in March, 1999) 11. Time Of My Life (duet with Rochele Cappelli) Producers: Steve Verroca Frank & The Knockouts: Lead Vocals: Franke Previte Guitar: Billy Elworthy Piano, Organ: Blake Levinsohn Bass: Leigh Foxx Drums; Claude Lehenaff - Musicians - Keyboards: Tommy Ayers Percussion: Jimmy Maelen Background Vocals: Charlie Dominici, Brooklyn Dreams #FrankeandtheKnockouts
1 AOR Escape Music, UK Millennium Entertainment, USATakeito
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Dakota / The Last Standing Man
Bill Kelly and Jerry Hludzik was successful in early 1970’s when they released a single “Timothy" written by Rupert Holmes, which peaked number 17 on Billboard Top 100 chart in 1971. In 1978, they teamed up as the Jerry-Kelly band and released an album with Epic Records.The band changed the name as Dakota and released the first self-titled Dakota album with the track “If It Takes All Night” peaking at number 78 on the Billboard Charts in 1980. In 1984.the second album "Runaway" was released on the MCA/Full Moon label, engineered by Humberto Gatica, and produced by Danny Seraphine. The band stopped performing in 1987, but the 3 remaining members (Kelly, Hludzik and Rick Mankiller) created a local release, "The Lost Tracks". Whilst Bill Kelly moved to Nashville and separate, Huldzik and Manwiller embarked on getting back on the scene from across Europe and eventually singed a deal with Escape Music to re-release "The Lost Tracks" album slightly modified as "Mr.Lucky" in 1994. The success of “Mr. Lucky” in Europe and Japan led to the members to restart writing together again, and put together yet another album of the band. "The Last Standing Man" was the real brand-new studio album of the band. Release : 1 December, 1997 Label: Escape Music, UK (ESM023) Tracks: 1. Hot Nights 2. Somebody's Hero 3. Water (Instrumental) 4. Mama Teach 5. Only Game In Town 7. Run With The Wind 8. Struggles With The Heart 9. The Last Standing Man 10. Little Heartbreaker 11. Finding You Tonight 12. Over In A Minute 13. This Voice 14. Methods Of Modern Man Producers: Jerry G. Hludzik and Rick Manwiller Dakota: Jerry G. Hludzik : Bass and Lead Vocals Rick Manwiller: Keyboards and Back Vocals Jon "JL" Lorance: Guitars Eli M. Hludzik: Drums, Percussion and Additional Vocals #Dakota
AOR Melodic Rock Escape Music, UK CDTakeito