Metal Mind Productions Set to Release Black ‘N Blue’s “Rarities”

Back in the mid 80’s, when rock’n’roll was still on everybody’s lips, dozens of bands tried to become “the next best thing” of the music industry. Although many have tried, only few succeeded to carve their names into rock history. Among them are Black ‘N Blue, a band that never got the proper acclaim for their work, but over the years proved that good music will always defend itself. Metal Mind Productions presents Black ‘N Blue’s album “Rarities”, a peep inside the closed doors of the group’s history, revealing a unique collection of rare and previously unreleased songs. “Rarities” remains a true treasure chest for all of Black ‘N Blue’s fans, with a portion of melodic pop-rock enough to satisfy even the most demanding enthusiasts of the genre. This album will get you on a night train straight to the 80’s – so fasten up and enjoy the ride!

New digipak edition is limited to numerated 2000 copies. Digitally remastered using 24-Bit process on golden disc. The album will be available on 5th May 2008 (Europe only).

Black ‘N Blue
“Rarities” (remastered)

Label: Metal Mind Records
Cat. No.: MASS CD 1156 DG
Barcode: 5907785032170
Format: CD Digipak (limited edition of 2000 numerated copies)
Genre: rock/glam/metal
Release date: 05.05.2008 Europe

Tracklist:

1. Violent Kid
2. Sign In Blood
3. Wicked Bitch
4. Cold Heart
5. Hold On To 18
6. Lickety Split
7. Serious Drag
8. So Long
9. Hell Yeah
10. Autoblast – Live
11. I’m The King – Live
12. Smooth Up

Bio
Black ‘N Blue was formed in 1981 in Portland, Oregon by vocalist Jaime St. James, guitarists Tommy Thayer and Jeff Warner, bassist Patrick Young and drummer Pete Holmes. In 1982 the group moved to Los Angeles, where they made their first recorded appearance on the acclaimed independent compilation “Metal Massacre” (which used to feature bands such as Metallica, Ratt and Malice). This caught the attention of Geffen Records and soon Black ‘N Blue signed their first record deal. The self-titled debut landed in stores in 1984, introducing a heavy dose of raw-sounding melodic pop-rock (which was best balanced in one of the band’s most famous hits from this album – “Hold On To 18”). The follow-up “Without Love”, released in 1985, brought a more polished and radio-friendly sound and included two hit singles – “Without Love” and “Miss Mystery”. A third track from this LP, entitled “Nature of the Beach”, appeared in the motion picture “Vision Quest” and was featured as a B-side on Madonna’s single “Gambler” (also from this movie). The same year Black ‘N Blue were granted a unique opportunity to open for Kiss, and eventually they became friends with Gene Simmons, who decided to produce their next two albums – “Nasty Nasty” (1986) and “In Heat” (1988). Both releases were aiming towards the raw sound of the debut, taking the band’s music on a new, heavier level. Unfortunately, the lack of effective record sales (although the band did sell over one million copies of their albums) resulted in Black ‘N Blue’s disbandment in 1989. The group members involved themselves in a number of projects – St. James recorded with bands such as Fright Train Jane and Dry Rot, Thayer with Doro, Harlow and Shake the Faith, while Holmes went on to form Monster with ex-members of Malice. But Black ‘N Blue was not forgotten. On Halloween of 1997 the band reunited for a single show, which was recorded and released as “One Night Only: Live”. The reunion was a one-time affair only, as no further touring followed this performance. The band reunited again in 2003, this time with guitarist Shawn Sonnenschein replacing Tommy Thayer (who found his place in Kiss). Black ‘N Blue begun touring again and wrote new studio material for their upcoming album (still waiting for a release date) – “Hell Yeah!”.
In 2007 the album “Rarities” hit the stores, much to the fans’ amazement. This compilation LP hides some of the band’s most valuable gems, beginning with five tracks from their earliest demos from 1983 – “Violent Kid”, “Sign in Blood”, “Wicked Bitch”, “Gold Heart” and “Hold On To 18”. Then the album takes us to the “Nasty Nasty” sessions from 1986 with the track “Lickety Split” – a powerful rocker worth putting on a regular LP. The three following songs recorded in 2002 – “Serious Drag”, “So Long” and “Hell Yeah” – give an insight to the band’s newest offering, which is yet to be released in the future. The compilation ends with two live tracks recorded in Detroit in 1984 – “Autoblast” and “I’m the King”, both coming from the stunning debut album.