Hair-Metal.com

Short-lived Japanese-American Hair Metal group consisted of guitarist Takashi ‘Jam’ Ohashi and bass player Yasuhiro ‘Butch’ Hatae, both ex members of Seiki Matsu. The American members were vocalist Joel Ellis and drummer Randy Meers who were known as being members of the Los Angeles-based band Merry Hoax. Cats In Boots relocated to Tokyo and after hitting a #1 on the Japanese indie charts they got signed to EMI Records. “Kicked And Klawed” was their official debut and a huge success in Japan, reaching #3 on the local charts. However, despite great reviews and considerable MTV airplay, album sales were only moderate elsewhere and the band folded after a while.

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Official video from their self-titled debut on PolyGram Records in 1989. Fronted by singer Sandi Saraya, the band also consisded of former Danger Danger guitarist Tony “Bruno” Rey. Although the band had gained a fairly good exposure (much to Sandi’s sex appeal) and got some Billboard chart positions, they folded in 1992. Saraya left us a legacy two great albums that all Hair Metal fans should give them a try!

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Formed in 1985 in Los Angeles, and debuted in the same year by appearing in the Pure Rock compilation with the song “Make It Or Break It”. With this track, the band was noted by Chameleon Records with which signed a recording contract shortly after. Their debut album came in 1987 with the album Shattered Hearts, produced by the renowned Paul Sabu, who also contributed to the composition of some songs.

After the moderate success of the debut, the group came to the attention of Kiss frontman Gene Simmons, who convinced them to sign a contract to his label, Simmons Records (distributed by RCA) in August 1988.

The second album, “Don’t Touch Me There” released in 1989 was produced, on the advice of Simmons, again by Paul Sabu. This is because Simmons had appreciated the formula worked on the debut that he had produced. Pat Regan and Mikey Davis also participated in the production of the album.

“Don’t Touch Me There” was a great success, and this was extracted from the hit “Rebel With A Cause”, broadcasted well enough by MTV. In addition, the album reached number one in a few European charts. After the RCA broke agreements with Simmons Records, Silent Rage broke up for a period, and their members undertook other projects.

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After leaving King Kobra, and prior to forming Unruly Child, vocalist Mark Free was involved in the California band Signal, whose sound was the perfect blend of classic AOR artists like Journey and Survivor and newer Hair acts Bad English and Damn Yankees.

Signal’s 1989 debut Loud & Clear is an album that, given the musical climate in the late 80’s, really should have sold about a billion copies. Think of the really huge acts at that time – Bon Jovi, Bad English, Damn Yankees, and Bad Company – and the albums they were releasing. Loud & Clear is as good if not better than all of them, but sadly failed to gain the attention it deserved. This is just a classy arena rock album with melodies to die for, just enough keyboards, an amazing vocal performance, and the kind of memorable songs that would have fit on just about any 80’s movie soundtrack. “Does It Feel Like Love” should have been played every hour of every day on Top 40 radio in 1989, and “Could This Be Love” and “Run Into the Night” would have made great singles as well.

If you’re a fan of 80’s Hair Metal/AOR/melodic rock, “Loud & Clear” is a must-have album. Fans of Free’s work in King Kobra and Unruly Child will probably get the most out of this album, but it really should appeal to any child of the 80’s.

French reissue label Axe Killer reissued “Loud & Clear” in 2000. The reissue featured digitally remastered sound and expanded liner notes. “Loud & Clear” was reissued yet again in 2009, this time by Krescendo.

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