St Paradise - St Paradise (CD)

Details: Digitally remastered edition. Includes booklet with 3,500 word essay, enhanced artwork with previously unseen photos and new interviews. St. Paradise were, it must now be said, an overlooked supergroup. A power trio that barely registered on the radar, despite the members' impressive musical accomplishments, that were very much in keeping with the late '70s hard rock zeitgeist. It was, in all fairness, a strange state of affairs that belied the quality of the music and drew attention to the fast shifting sands and volatile nature of the music business. They were formed by two former members of Ted Nugent's band; singer/guitarist Derek St. Holmes and bassist Rob Grange. Nugent, of course, was one of the biggest names on the hard rock scene during the second half of the decade, but it remained largely unknown that the vocals on Ted's records were mostly supplied by St. Holmes, a man that had lived in the shadow of Ted's enormous presence. Joining them on drums was Denny Carmassi whose accomplishments already included a four album stint with Montrose, one of the era's most revered acts. He was also a member of Sammy Hagar's solo band, appearing on two of his albums. Enlisting the help of producer Mike Flicker (Heart, Trooper) the band recorded their sole album in Seattle, for the Warner Brothers label, establishing a sound very much informed by their previous outfits, yet keeping a keen eye on the future. Issued in 1979, sadly the record underperformed despite it's impressive content and potential to impress.

Tracklist:

1. Straight to You
2. Gamblin' Man
3. Jackie
4. Miami Slide
5. Hades
6. Live It Up
7. Jesse James
8. Tighten the Knot
9. Beside the Sea