Ep. 40: The Scandal Tracks

RockPopandRoll

On this episode, take a tour with us - to the early 80’s - to Scandal, as we drop into the short history of the band that released an EP that was a scattering blast of five songs - including “Goodbye To You” and “Love Has Got A Line”. At the time, it was the best-selling EP in the history of Columbia Records. But did I ever really listen to, back in 1982 or 84 or 87 or whenever, all the five songs? Maybe.

Around this time, in 1982, Pat Benatar was coming towards the end of her best run. Scandal had that vibe - rock and roll crunch with a new wave-ish bite. Early 80’s production and the couple hits were all about the chorus making your hips move and your head nod.

Scandal threw five variations of their sound out there to see what's stuck. And did it with 80's killer keyboard playing, guitars-and-drums of the time, and a powerhouse singer out front.

Patty Smyth went solo in 1987 with her debut album. The first of two hits on it, "Never Enough" (the album's title track), was written by The Hooters’ Rob Hyman and Eric Bazilian (there are a surprising amount of Hooters connections to other artist's music of the era).

Rick Chertoff, who produced both The Hooters and Cyndi Lauper's debut megasmash album is involved too. Baby Grand, a pre-Hooters lineup, recorded an earlier version of "Never Enough".

Smyth said the album "was never supposed to be a solo record; it was meant to be a record by 'Scandal Featuring Patty Smyth'.”

So we listen to the EP. Let's dig into “The Warrior” album, and hear some of what we like - and don’t so much - with Smyth’s solo records. Still, at the essence of it all is a great rock and roll voice, some drops of rock and pop candy, and a whole bunch more to like than what was heard just on the radio.

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Read Rob's current and archived writing at rockforwardmusic.com

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