This is the only contribution to AOR history from the Detroit five-piece The Automatix. And what a great addition it is.
Written by: Dangerzone
ARTIST: The Automatix
ALBUM: Night Rider
LABEL: MCA
SERIAL: MCA 5393
YEAR: 1983
CD REISSUE: Discogs Reissue List
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: USA
LINEUP: Bruce Nazarian – vocals, guitars * Randall K Jacobs – guitars, vocals * James A Noel – keyboards * Nolan Medenhall – bass, vocals * Jerry Q Jones – drums, vocals
TRACK LISTING: 01 When The Feeling Is Gone * 02 Niteside * 03 Just Keep Turning Me On * 04 Keep Away From That Girl * 05 Hold On Tight * 06 What A Man Should Know * 07 Take It To The Top * 08 Two Can Play
WEBLINKS: NA
The Automatix Background
This is the only contribution to AOR history from the Detroit five-piece The Automatix. And what a great addition it is.
Not much is known about The Automatix however. I had never heard of them until I chanced upon this at a second-hand record store for a whole dollar. What a find it was.
The Automatix play pure early 80’s AOR, that to their credit does not imitate any other act from the era. They mix their styles from ballads to outright hard rock, with a bit of MOR thrown in.
The whole soft to hard style is similar to Straight Lines 1981 ‘Run For Cover’, although musically worlds apart.
The album was produced by former Brownsville Station member Bruce Nazarian and drummer Jerry Q Jones, with a clean sound. Clearly, these guys had the talent to go further.
The Songs
The opening track ‘When The Feeling Is Gone’ will have you hooked from the start. The chorus is perfect, thrilling chord changes and harmonies, setting the tone for the majority of the album.
‘Niteside’ is the other worthwhile song on Side One, Nazarian’s vocal delivery reminding me of Gary Moore.
Sadly Side One is a letdown after the first two songs. ‘Just Keep Turning Me On’ and ‘Keep Away From That Girl’ both lack a strong chorus to really be effective.
Side Two is flawless by comparison. ‘Hold On Tight’ contains some blatant, glorious synth work. The MOR-tinged ‘What A Man Should Know’ has some hot, lengthy melodic guitar work.
The tracks which steal the show are ‘Take It To The Top’ and ‘Two Can Play’. Great anthemic hard rock.
Both are fast-paced, but the overall package, synth, guitar and vocal melodies, are on another level. Absolutely contagious, they will keep you listening for months.
Comparisons are pointless as The Automatix had a defined sound that could have taken them far.
In Summary
What a shame this was The Automatix’only offering. What’s even sadder is that the chance of finding this is nearly impossible. Unless of course you are lucky like I was.
However, this is a fantastic album that deserves to be heard by all AOR loyalists. If just to give The Automatix the recognition they deserve. Consigned to the dustbins of history, that might never happen.
Check out our rare Nov 2002 interview with Bruce Nazarian about this cult AOR band.
The Automatix on Video
Night Rider
