Power Station Overcomes Obstacles

Publié le par olivier

Power Station Overcomes Obstacles

When your bass player leaves the band mid-recording and his replacement dies, you might think your supergroup reunion just wasn't meant to be. Not if you're the Power Station.

Eleven and a half years after its self-titled album sold an estimated 1,5 million copies worldwide, a truncated version of the Power Station is back in the album racks here with the Oct. 14 release by Chrysalis of the album Living In Fear. A US release is being held until the group "can handpick the right company that believes in us," says drummer Tony Thompson.

By the group's admission, the record has vaulted innumerable hurdles to get this far. Chrysalis UK's publicity material for Living In Fear admits to the sea of changes in music since the act's inception in the days of "Tchatcherism, yuppies, and fairy-tale union of Charles and Di."

Founded on the pulling power of members John Taylor and Andy Taylor of the then red-hot Duran Duran and on bankable lead vocalist Robert Palmer, the Power Station first discussed a reunion in 1991. The project became a reality toward the end of 1993, only for bassist John Taylor to quit during recording (he is now a member of Maverick/Warner Bros. signing Neurotic Outsiders).

Former Chic bassist Bernard Edwards, who produced the first album and the nascent second, became John's replacement, only to die at the age of 43 in April 1996.

Basic production of Living In Fear was already complete when the band suffered this latest loss, and Edwards retains the production credit on the finished record. "When Bernard was at the helm, he kept us at bay," says Thompson, also a former member of R&B pioneers Chic. "This has been going on since I was 19 years old with this cat. I miss the brother, man."

The 1985 album reached the pop sensibilities of the respective members' audiences via the radio-friendly singles Some Like It Hot and a cover Of T. Rex's Bang A Gong (Get It On), which hit Nos. 6 and 9, respectively, on the Hot 100 that year. The album went platinum in the US.

The new set swings from the hard rock of the title song and the first single, She Can Rock It, to covers of Marvin Gaye's Let's Get It On and the Beatles' Taxman.

The record was made in seven studios, including the New York location from which the group took its name. Of the nine new titles, Palmer's songs are published by Mulino Music, John Taylor's by BMG and Thompson's by Tony Thompson Songs. Andy Taylor is published via Copyright Control.

Aware of the fashion-driven market of his home country, Englishman Palmer is undaunted. "Living In Fear is as up-to-date and as cutting edge as we can possibly make it," he says, "but to think that absorbing yourself in the music so totally means that you run a risk of being out of touch, to me is the wrong way of looking at it."

Adds Thompson, "I was told when we were doing this that we were going to have some problems (commercially). We just made a great album for ourselves, and at the end of the day, we hope the public likes it."

Andy Taylor says, "What's new about what's out now? Nothing. It's like a bad version of the '60s."

Nevertheless, the problems alluded to by Thompson have been pointed up in the UK by an indifferent reaction to She Can Rock It. Released Sept. 30 and backed by a live performance on the BBC's Top Of The Pops, the single made little headway at radio or retail.

The Top Of The Pops appearance didn't help, according to HMV head of rock and pop Jonathan Rees, who adds, "In fairness to Chrysalis, there wasn't ever a hard sell on the album."

Chrysalis UK managing director Mark Collen replies of the album's launch, "If you call a showcase at the Hanover Grand (in London Sept. 17), national press advertising, and a point-of-sale campaign low-key, then it's low-key." Among press coverage, he cites a substantial feature in the Sunday Times magazine section.

The Power Station live at London's Hanover Grand (Sept. 1996)

The Power Station live at London's Hanover Grand (Sept. 1996)

"The problem, and it's no surprise or secret," continues Collen, "is where they fit in terms of format, because they're not post-Britpop. Do I foresee a multi-million selling record? Possibly not, but it depends on how you're trying to judge these things. I judge them on musical merit."

National commercial rock outlet Virgin Radio has She Can Rock It on its "spot" playlist, which of late has afforded it roughly one play per day. Head of music Trevor White says of the album, "I think they've all drawn on their influences really well and come up with a very professional product. Whether it's still relevant in 1996 I don't know, but that's not to say it isn't a good piece of work."

The band is taking a hands-on-approach to the album's promotion and starts touring in Japan in December. "If the public gets hip to it, it's going to keep us busy for the next 18 months, and I can't think of anything I'd like to do more than play this stuff every night," says Palmer.

By contrast, when the group toured in 1985, Palmer declined to take part, preferring to pursue a solo career (Michael Des Barres took his place onstage).

This time, says Palmer, his next solo project can wait. "I've got 10 tracks cut for a record I'm going to bring out; it's called 'R&B'. But it's going to sit on the shelf (for now)."

Andy Taylor sounds a final defiant note. "Through all the hurdles, I really love what we've done," he says. "You can keep hold of that while Rome burns; then, when the fire goes out, you get on with it." 

Paul Sexton (Billboard - Oct. 1996)

Partager cet article