Lost/Forgotten Album #13

[Jon]

 

 

This one came out of the blue (neat, a PUN), kind of a request from Rjhog and I'm here to please.

 

A suergroup formed in the late 80's, Blue Murder consisted of John Sykes (Tygers of Pan Tang, Thin Lizzy, Whitesnake), Carmine Appice (I believe he's played for everyone) and Tony Franklin (The Firm). Cozy Powell and Ray Gillen were also briefly in the group before the above mentioned lineup was in place.   

 

I can remember some of these songs getting significant airplay on both radio and MTV, most notably "Valley Of The Kings", "Jelly Roll" and "Billy". Good stuff, and to me it was much better than most of the metal coming out at the time, this being 1989 when this album was released.

 

It's one of those albums that I have picked up on vinyl, cassette and CD, it's that good. A bit 80's sounding here and there, but sometimes that's not a bad thing.

 

The followup was released four years later, titled "Nothin' But Trouble" (with a couple different members) which, in my opinion, was nothin' but bad. I might have to go back a listen to it again, haven't heard it for over 15 years and maybe my opinion will change. Bummer I only have it on cassette though.

 

A live album was released next (in Japan only), titled "Screaming Blue Murder" and that was that. 

 

 

Blue Murder

 

1. Riot

2. Sex Child

3. Valley Of The Kings*

4. Jelly Roll*

5. Blue Murder*

6. Out Of Love

7. Billy*

8. Ptolemy*

9. Black-Hearted Woman 

 

 

Availability: Can be had for around 3+ bucks.

 

MSoTW: A couple people really think last week's trck was Uriah Heep. I will neither confirm or deny if this is true. This week might bea little bit hard? Maybe not.

 

 

[Scott]

Ok, that too

[RJhog (Admin)]

Thanks for putting this up Jon. I'll listen at some point this week.

[Jon]

Sure, no problem.

[RJhog (Admin)]

Jon, thanks a million for posting this album. I only like the songs with no asterisk beside them...just kidding. I really like this album. I don't know how I missed this in 1989. The closest band I can think of here would be Whitesnake.

I really love the vocals. Who is the vocalist?

It's very typical of that time period, and like Jon said, that's not a bad thing. I think "Out Of Love" is a killer power ballad, which, as we all know, every band had to have at least one at that time. Again, in my book, not a bad thing.

This is on my Amazon wish list as of today.

Oh yeah, I don't know the MSoTW, as usual, but it's quite a peculiar song. I kinda like it.

[Niels (Mod)]

I think, that you are asking Jon, but I'll answer: It's John Sykes both on guitar and vocals. At the time of the release in 1989, his vocals were critizised in the reviews, I read, fx. Kerrang! , and I don't really like the vocals myself. I think Sykes should had brought in a "real" singer, like Joe Lynn Turner or someone else, but that's just my opinion. I might add a Blue Murder-video later today in VOTW.

[Jon]

I don't have a problem with the vocals at all, don't think they sound too bad. Remember though that Ray Gillen was originally going to be the lead singer, but it went to Sykes instead.