The man (and the band) who first brought shock rock to the masses, Alice Cooper became one of the most successful and influential acts of the '70s with their gritty but anthemic hard rock and a live show that delivered a rock & roll chamber of horrors, thrilling fans and cultivating outrage from authority figures (which made fans love them all the more). The name Alice Cooper originally referred to both the band and its lead singer (born Vincent Furnier).
Stevie Nicks built her legend on the California-Babylon chronicles she perfected in the Seventies with Fleetwood Mac, and in the Eighties on underrated solo gems like The Other Side of the Mirror. But she still has that eternal edge-of-17 tremor in her voice. The gypsy queen is in royal form on In Your Dreams — it's not just her first album in 10 years, it's her finest collection of songs since the Eighties.
Harlequin's roots began as a Winnipeg circuit band in early 1978. The band reigned of singer George Belanger, guitarist Glen Willows, Gary Golden on keyboards, drummer David Budzak and Ralph James on bass. Within a year they were doing regular gigs across mid and eastern Canada and were signed to Epic Records in 1979. Their debut album, VICTIM OF A SONG was produced by Jack Douglas, who'd previously worked with the likes of Cheap Trick, Patty Smith, Aerosmith and John Lennon. Released that fall, it immediately made an impression with both the critics and the fans alike. "Sweet Things In Life" and "You Are The Light" both became instant radio staples across the country and Harlequin was rewarded with a debut gold record. Backed by the solid writing of other tracks like "Turn Around" and their first single "Survive", the band was heralded as one of the country's most promising new groups.