My Remedy

Remedy is a sophisticated and modern melodic rock band formed in Stockholm, Sweden in 2022 by Roland 'Rolli' Forsman. With a strong connection to the 80s, but with a highly modern touch, the band is driven by energetic guitars, vocals and catchy songs in a blend of rock, pop and metal. The band has an edge to its playing, and with its blend of retro and modern rock, this gives the guys a unique sound.

In March, Universal Music reissued a trio of Status Quo albums first released in the late 80s and early 1990s. These new CD editions offer a generous amount of bonus material. Perfect Remedy (1989) and its follow-up Rock ‘Til You Drop (1991) are both expanded to three-CD deluxe editions while Thirsty Work (1994) is a two CD set. The bonus content includes B-sides, 12-inch mixes, edits, outtakes, live performances and more.

If there's one thing listeners have learned about the solo projects of Yes members (or former Yes members), it's that no one should expect their solo output to be a carbon copy of Close to the Edge or Fragile. That has been true of Chris Squire and Alan White; it is also true of Steve Howe, whose solo projects have ranged from Yes-minded to not so Yes-minded. This 2003 release finds a 56-year-old Howe leading a five-man group called Remedy, which unites the guitarist/singer with two of his sons (keyboardist Virgil Howe and drummer Dylan Howe) as well as saxophonist Gilad Atzmon and bassist Derrick Taylor…

Bearing in mind that almost anything Status Quo chose to do could only be a vast improvement on their last album, Ain't Complaining, Perfect Remedy was very well titled – and that despite being far from perfect itself. Indeed, "Tommy's in Love" is arguably the worst song the band had ever recorded, while "Not at All" only sprang to attention when it became the band's worst performing 45 since the very early '70s. It's also worth remembering that, while the album does abandon its predecessor's attempt to locate a new band sound, that's only because it thinks it has found one, in the form of producer Pip Williams' slick, country-rock approach. It has a little more in common with some of the band's efforts from the early '80s ("Living on an Island" would have fit nicely in here), but still you can't help wondering what was wrong with the band's own sound? And how long before they get back to it?