Tag: Year-1980

Reviews tagged to the year 1980.

Gamma - Gamma 2

Gamma – Gamma 2 4 (1)

Dont’cha just love the Gamma 2 cover? The sharkfin in the backyard cutting through the garden hose zeroing in on…

Read More Gamma – Gamma 2 4 (1)
J Geils Band - Love Stinks

J Geils Band – Love Stinks 3 (1)

And so at the dawn of a new decade, the J Geils Band rocked up with a new album, the…

Read More J Geils Band – Love Stinks 3 (1)
The Biz - A Matter Of Time

The Biz – A Matter Of Time 4 (1)

The Biz were a Canadian pomp outfit who released this very rare one-off effort back in 1980 (not 1978 as…

Read More The Biz – A Matter Of Time 4 (1)
Billy Squier - The Tale Of The Tape

Billy Squier – The Tale Of The Tape 3 (1)

After two albums with Boston based outfit Piper, it was with trepidation and bravery that front-man Billy Squier ventured out…

Read More Billy Squier – The Tale Of The Tape 3 (1)
Saxon - Wheels Of Steel

Saxon – Wheels Of Steel 4 (2)

In a year that saw the NWOBHM at its strongest, Saxon certainly made a huge claim to releasing the best…

Read More Saxon – Wheels Of Steel 4 (2)
Breathless - No One Leaves This Song Alive

Breathless – No One Leaves This Song Alive 4 (1)

In classic two-album-only syndrome, Breathless delivered two LP’s between 1979 and 1980. Here’s the second.

Read More Breathless – No One Leaves This Song Alive 4 (1)
Kiss - Unmasked

Kiss – Unmasked 4 (1)

With ‘Unmasked’ however, which along with ‘Crazy Nights’, it is easily the AOR highpoint of Kiss’s career.

Read More Kiss – Unmasked 4 (1)
Rush - Permanent Waves

Rush – Permanent Waves 5 (1)

With songs like ‘The Spirit Of Radio’ and ‘Freewill’, Rush were riding the airwaves and being more radio friendly than…

Read More Rush – Permanent Waves 5 (1)
Journey - Dream After Dream

Journey – Dream After Dream (Soundtrack) 0 (0)

‘Dream After Dream’ was Journey’s only Soundtrack album, it was mostly instrumental, though you’ll hear some searing guitar amidst the…

Read More Journey – Dream After Dream (Soundtrack) 0 (0)
Journey - Departure

Journey – Departure 0 (0)

Well early 1980 was a fun time in my life because Journey had just released their brilliant new LP ‘Departure’.

Read More Journey – Departure 0 (0)
Judas Priest - British Steel

Judas Priest – British Steel 4 (2)

It is Birmingham metal band Judas Priest that landed the big fish in 1980 with ‘British Steel’, which would anchor…

Read More Judas Priest – British Steel 4 (2)

Kansas – Audio Visions 0 (0)

‘Audio Visions’ represented the beginning of the end for Kansas Mk1 and creative differences and (as already documented elsewhere on…

Read More Kansas – Audio Visions 0 (0)
Oak - Set The Night On Fire

Oak – Set The Night On Fire 2 (1)

Oak were the New Hampshire band that released two major label albums but unfortunately did not live up to their…

Read More Oak – Set The Night On Fire 2 (1)
Van Halen - Women And Children First

Van Halen – Women And Children First 4 (1)

Van Halen’s ‘Women And Children First’ came between the impact of a stunning debut and a tepid follow up, and…

Read More Van Halen – Women And Children First 4 (1)
Couchois - Nasty Hardware

Couchois – Nasty Hardware 4 (1)

Couchois remind us of what an amazing time it was to be an AOR fan, with such classics as this…

Read More Couchois – Nasty Hardware 4 (1)
Trillion - Clear Approach

Trillion – Clear Approach 4 (1)

‘Clear Approach’ is Trillion’s second album, and if you’re looking for an AOR album of sheer class, where pomp rock…

Read More Trillion – Clear Approach 4 (1)
Fandango - Cadillac

Fandango – Cadillac 0 (0)

Fandango’s ‘Cadillac’ is great hard edged radio rock, though it’s not AOR in the purest sense.

Read More Fandango – Cadillac 0 (0)
Face Dancer - About Face

Face Dancer – About Face 3 (1)

Face Dancer’s second album ‘About Face’ isn’t as bombastic as ‘This World’. The material veering to a harder form of…

Read More Face Dancer – About Face 3 (1)
Black Sabbath - Heaven And Hell

Black Sabbath – Heaven And Hell 4 (1)

Obviously inspired, ‘Heaven And Hell’ was perhaps one of Black Sabbath’s greatest works, if not the best.

Read More Black Sabbath – Heaven And Hell 4 (1)
Roadmaster - Fortress

Roadmaster – Fortress 3.5 (2)

The fourth Roadmaster album ‘Fortress’, would see the band shed their pomp tendencies and focus on a crisp radio rock…

Read More Roadmaster – Fortress 3.5 (2)
Exile - Don'T Leave Me This Way

Exile – Don’t Leave Me This Way 4 (3)

We do have a few Exile album reviews on GDM, but I think we’ve overlooked the best of the lot…

Read More Exile – Don’t Leave Me This Way 4 (3)
Angel - Live Without A Net

Angel – Live Without A Net 3 (1)

Recorded during the 1979 ‘White Hot’ tour, this live Angel album was finally released in January 1980.

Read More Angel – Live Without A Net 3 (1)
Speedway Blvd - Speedway Blvd

Speedway BLVD – Speedway BLVD 3.5 (2)

This is an incredibly different style of melodic rock from Speedway BLVD and for music listeners circa 1980 this must…

Read More Speedway BLVD – Speedway BLVD 3.5 (2)
Hotel - Half Moon Silver

Hotel – Half Moon Silver 4 (3)

Hotel’s best record by far. You can definitely place a reservation in your record collection under ‘AOR’ for this particular…

Read More Hotel – Half Moon Silver 4 (3)