Big 1986

Most supergroups don't last long, and GTR was no exception to the rule. Steve Hackett and Steve Howe - lead guitarists for the prime periods of Genesis and Yes, respectively - formed the band in 1986, not with the intention of reviving classic prog rock, but with the idea of making a stadium-shaking hard rock band. It was two veterans with very clear musical identities of their own, teamed with a trio of supporting musicians eager for a big break. Not the ideal formula for a perfect rock album, since the scales were already tipped toward one side as the recording began. And, GTR's lone eponymous album didn't deliver the fireworks that Howe and Hackett fans desired. Part of the problem is that the two guitarists crowd each other out; it rarely sounds like they're trading licks, but rather like they're stepping forward for solos at their pre-scheduled times…

2014 five CD box set containing a quintet of releases from this New Wave act and their original frontman. Includes Kajagoogoo's first three albums: White Feathers, Islands and Crazy People's Right To Speak; plus Limahl's first two solo albums: Don't Suppose and Colour All My Days.
Kajagoogoo's light synth pop and pretty, photogenic look made the group an instant sensation in the early days of MTV. Led by vocalist Limahl (born Chris Hamill), the group also featured Steve Askew (guitar), Nick Beggs (vocals, bass), and Stuart Crawford (vocals, synthesizer). Produced by Duran Duran's Nick Rhodes, Kajagoogoo's debut single "Too Shy" hit number one in the U.K. in early 1983; it peaked at number five in the U.S. "Too Shy" and the following album White Feathers proved the band may have shared some similarities with Duran Duran and Naked Eyes…

Featuring new drummer Mark Brzezicki (formerly of Big Country), the prosaically titled U-Vox offered more of the same from these by-now-redundant synth stylists. The one exception was the single "All Fall Down," a slightly more imaginative variant on the formula. (The other two singles drawn from the album, "Same Old Story" and "All in One Day," were shallow echoes of the band's earlier releases.) "All Fall Down" was to prove their final chart entry.

Chicago's early-'80s return from the scrapheap did more than bring the group its biggest chart successes: it finally shattered the carefully maintained "faceless" image that had prevented any member from becoming an individual star. In the dawning age of video, the band needed a focal point, and bassist Peter Cetera – already the voice behind Chicago's soft rock smashes like "If You Leave Me Now," which had made significant inroads with the MOR audience – was the logical choice. So it wasn't a huge surprise that, following Chicago XVII, Cetera decided to use his new celebrity to strike out on his own.

Good '86 big band set led by tenor saxophonist and bass clarinetist Bob Mintzer, a fine player and arranger. These recordings are in a conventional format, with polished ensemble sections and good, occasionally great solos. They are well produced and mastered.