Power Station was a 1980s
supergroupIn the late 1960s, the term supergroup was coined to describe "a rock music group whose performers are already famous from having performed individually or in other groups." Supergroups tend to be short-lived, often lasting only for an album or two...
made up of singer Robert Palmer, bassist John Taylor, guitarist
Andy TaylorAndy Taylor is an English guitarist, singer, and songwriter, best known as a member of Duran Duran and The Power Station. He has also performed as a solo artist, and served as a record producer for C.C...
of
Duran DuranDuran Duran are an English rock band from Birmingham, United Kingdom. They were one of the most successful of the 1980s bands and a leading band in the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" of the United States. Since the 1980s they have placed 14 in the Top 10 of the UK Singles Chart and 21 in the...
, and former
ChicChic is an American disco and R&B band that was formed in 1976 by guitarist Nile Rodgers and bassist Bernard Edwards...
drummer
Tony ThompsonTony Thompson was a session drummer best known as a member of Chic. He was raised in the middle-class community of Springfield Gardens, in Queens, NY.-Chic:...
.
Bernard EdwardsBernard Edwards born in Greenville, North Carolina, was a bass guitar player and record producer, both as a member of Chic and on his own. He died of pneumonia while touring in Japan.-History:...
, also of Chic, was involved on the studio side as recording producer. For a short time he also functioned as Power Station's manager. The band was formed in
New York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States, and the center of the New York metropolitan area, which is among the most populous urban areas in the world. A leading global city, New York exerts a powerful influence over worldwide commerce, finance, culture, fashion and entertainment...
late in 1984 during a break in Duran Duran's schedule that became a lengthy hiatus. Power Station was named after
The Power Station recording studioAvatar Studios, formerly known as the The Power Station, is a recording studio at 441 West 53rd Street in Manhattan, New York City.The building was originally a Consolidated Edison power plant; but after a period of vacancy, it was used as a sound stage for the television game show Let's Make a Deal...
where their album was conceived and recorded.
Origin
On 23rd July
Duran Duran's charity concert at Aston Villa football ground 1983On July 23, 1983 Duran Duran staged an open air benefit concert at Villa Park, Birmingham, England in front of 18,000 people who paid £8.50 a ticket to raise money for MENCAP...
took place in aid of
MENCAPThe Royal Mencap Society is a charity based in the UK that works with people with a learning disability.-Profile:Mencap is the UK's leading learning disability charity working with people with a learning disability and their families and carers...
.
Duran DuranDuran Duran are an English rock band from Birmingham, United Kingdom. They were one of the most successful of the 1980s bands and a leading band in the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" of the United States. Since the 1980s they have placed 14 in the Top 10 of the UK Singles Chart and 21 in the...
had been known to be big fans of
Robert PalmerRobert Palmer may refer to:*Robert Palmer , English singer-songwriter; known for "Bad Case of Loving You ", "Addicted to Love"...
so he was invited to take part.
After Duran Duran's third album
Seven and the Ragged TigerSeven and the Ragged Tiger is Duran Duran's third studio album, released globally in November 1983. It would prove to be the last studio album for the band's original lineup until 2004's Astronaut....
, the members of the band split into two projects. One of these was the band
ArcadiaArcadia were the pop group formed in 1985 by Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes and Roger Taylor of Duran Duran, during a break in that band's schedule...
, which maintained the melodic and atmospheric aspects of the Duran Duran's previous recordings. The other was the Power Station, in which John and Andy Taylor worked with Palmer, Thompson, and Edwards to create a rhythmic harder rock sound. Roger Taylor was mainly the drummer for Arcadia, but also contributed percussion to the Power Station.
The group began as something of a whim—it was a one-time gathering of friends to provide backing to model and would-be singer
Bebe BuellBebe Buell is an American fashion model and singer, and Playboy magazine's November 1974 Playmate of the Month. She is also known for dating and marrying rock musicians....
who wanted to record a cover of the 1972 T.Rex song "Get It On (Bang A Gong)". Both Taylors were eager to branch out from the
synthesizerA synthesizer is an electronic instrument that is capable of producing a variety of sounds by generating and combining signals of different frequencies...
-heavy pop of Duran Duran and play some
Led ZeppelinLed Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in 1968 by Jimmy Page , Robert Plant , John Paul Jones and John Bonham . With their heavy, guitar-driven sound, Led Zeppelin are regarded as one of the first heavy metal bands, helping to pioneer the genre...
-flavored
rock and rollRock and roll is a genre of popular music that evolved in the United States after World War II in the late 1940s, from a combination of the rhythms of the blues, from the African American culture, and from America's country music and gospel music scenes...
; the participation of their idols from Chic lent the project a horn-inflected funk vibe that meshed surprisingly well with the crunching guitars and booming drums.
Soon the project evolved into the idea of a revolving
supergroupIn the late 1960s, the term supergroup was coined to describe "a rock music group whose performers are already famous from having performed individually or in other groups." Supergroups tend to be short-lived, often lasting only for an album or two...
; a tentative name for the band was Big Brother. The original plan for the one-album project was for the three musicians (Taylor, Taylor and Thompson) to provide musical continuity to an album full of material, with a different singer performing on each track. Those who were approached included
Mick JaggerSir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger is a Golden Globe and Grammy Award winning English musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, occasional film producer and actor, best known for his work as lead vocalist and frontman of The Rolling Stones.The Rolling Stones started in the early 1960s as a...
,
Billy IdolWilliam Michael Albert Broad , better known as Billy Idol, is an English rock musician. He first achieved fame in the punk rock era as a member of the band Generation X. He then embarked on a successful solo career, aided by a series of stylish music videos, making him one of the first MTV stars...
,
Mars WilliamsMars Williams is a versatile American jazz and rock saxophonist. Mars started out as an arranger and orchestrator, studying under the mentorship of Anthony Braxton and Roscoe Mitchell...
and
Richard ButlerRichard Lofthouse Butler is the lead singer of the Psychedelic Furs. He is also the founder and vocalist for the disbanded Love Spit Love.-Musical career:...
(of The Psychedelic Furs), and
Mick RonsonMichael "Mick" Ronson was an English guitarist, composer, multi-instrumentalist, arranger and producer. He is most well known for his work with David Bowie from 1970 to 1973, Bowie's glam rock period, including being part of The Spiders from Mars band.He also had a solo career, the most notable...
.
The group then invited Robert Palmer to record vocals for the track "
Communication"Communication" was released as the third single from the Power Station's 1985 debut album. It featured "Communication" , "Communication" and "Murderess" as the B-side...
". When he heard that they had recorded
demosA demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for musicians to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
for "Get It On", he asked to try out vocals on that song as well. Before long, they had decided to record the entire album with Palmer. The group was quickly signed with
Capitol RecordsCapitol Records is a major United States-based record label owned by EMI and located in Los Angeles and New York City as part of Capitol Music Group...
.
History
On February 16, 1985, the band performed "
Some Like It Hot"Some Like It Hot" is a song recorded by Power Station. It was the first single released from the group's 1985 eponymous debut album. It was released by Parlophone Records in 1985 and featured heavy use of the drums with Tony Thompson providing percussion. It was the band's biggest hit, peaking at...
" and "Get It On (Bang A Gong)" on the
Saturday Night LiveSaturday Night Live is a weekly late-night sketch comedy and variety show filmed in New York City. It made its debut on October 11, 1975, under a slightly different title. The show features a regular cast of comedy actors, joined by a guest host and musical act...
television show. It was the only time that Robert Palmer performed live with the original line-up.
In March 1985, the band issued the album
Power Station, produced by
Bernard EdwardsBernard Edwards born in Greenville, North Carolina, was a bass guitar player and record producer, both as a member of Chic and on his own. He died of pneumonia while touring in Japan.-History:...
with some informal assistance from
Nile RodgersNile Gregory Rodgers is an American musician, composer, arranger, and guitarist, and is considered one of the most influential music producers in the history of popular music.-Biography:...
. It reached number 12 in the UK and number 6 on the US album chart.
The album is sometimes referred to as
Power Station 33⅓ as the sleeve for the original
vinyl recordA gramophone record, commonly known as phonograph record, vinyl record, or simply record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed modulated spiral groove usually starting near the periphery and ending near the centre of the disc...
release bore that subtitle, indicating the speed of a
record turntableThe record player, phonograph or gramophone was the most common device for playing recorded sound from the late 1870s until the late 1980s.- Terminology :...
. Later
compact discA Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store sound recordings exclusively, but later it also allowed the preservation of other types of data. Audio CDs have been commercially available since October 1982...
issues used
CD as a subtitle instead. The album's cover graphics and color scheme, which were also used in the videos, were based on sketches by John Taylor.
Three singles were released from the album, two of them major hits. The first, "Some Like It Hot", reached number 14 on the
UK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record industry. The full chart contains the top 200 singles based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 of this list...
and number 6 on the U.S.
Billboard Hot 100The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday; while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
. (The
music videoA music video is a short film or video that accompanies a complete piece of music/song. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings. Although the origins of music videos go back much further, they came into their own in the...
featured the transsexual model
Caroline CosseyCaroline "Tula" Cossey is an English model. She is one of the world's most well known transsexual women, having appeared in a James Bond film and been the first to pose for Playboy...
, credited as "Tula".) The second single was "Get It On (Bang a Gong)" and it went to number 22 in the UK and number 9 in the U.S., while competing against the Duran Duran single "
A View to a Kill"A View to a Kill" is the thirteenth single by Duran Duran, released in May 1985.It was a stand-alone single, created for the James Bond movie A View to a Kill, and it remains the only James Bond theme song to have reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100; it also made it to #2 for 3 weeks on the UK...
," which was a US number one. A third single, "Communication", was not as successful; it barely reached the Top 40 in the U.S., and disappeared after hitting number 75 in the UK.
The band also released a collection of the band's three music videos called
The Power Station Video EP.
The group's unexpected success led to two incompatible results: the band decided to do a summer tour in America, and Robert Palmer decided to record a solo album to take advantage of his sudden name recognition. This inevitably led to Palmer's departure from the band. (Tony Thompson, Andy Taylor and Bernard Edwards from Power Station contributed to Palmer's very successful 1985 solo album
RiptideRiptide is an album by the British singer Robert Palmer, released in November 1985. It featured his hit single "Addicted to Love" which reached #1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1986, helped by a memorable music video...
.)
Power Station went on to tour with singer/actor
Michael Des BarresLord Michael Philip Des Barres, Marquis Des Barres is a British actor and rock singer. He is known for playing the recurring role of Murdoc on the television show MacGyver and for replacing the late Robert Palmer in the band Power Station, fronting the band at the 1985 Live Aid concert...
(formerly of
SilverheadSilverhead were a British band, fronted by the singer/actor, Michael Des Barres. They recorded two studio albums, Silverhead and 16 and Savaged , and were a part of the glam rock music scene of the 1970s....
, Checquered Past and
DetectiveDetective was an American rock band that toured and recorded in the late 1970s. Detective consisted of vocalist Michael Des Barres, guitarist Michael Monarch, bassist Bob Pickett, keyboardist Tony Kaye, and drummer Jon Hyde...
). Des Barres also performed with them at the
Live AidLive Aid was a multi-venue rock music concert held on . The event was organized by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise funds for famine relief in Ethiopia. Billed as the 'global jukebox', the event was held simultaneously in Wembley Stadium, London and JFK Stadium, Philadelphia...
charity concert in Philadelphia that summer.
Des Barres' friendship with actor
Don JohnsonDon Johnson is an American actor known for his work in television and film. Johnson made his screen debut in the 1970 film The Magic Garden of Stanley Sweetheart, but it wouldn't be until 1984 that Johnson would land his defining role...
led to the band's guest appearance on an episode of the TV drama
Miami ViceMiami Vice is an American television series produced by Michael Mann for NBC. The show became noted for its heavy integration of music and visual effects to tell a story. The series starred Don Johnson and Phillip Michael Thomas as two Metro-Dade Police Department detectives working undercover in...
. Similarly, his friendship with producer
Joel SilverJoel Silver is an American Hollywood film producer, director and co-inventor of the sport of Ultimate.-Biography:Silver grew up in South Orange, New Jersey. He attended Columbia High School in Maplewood, New Jersey and Northfield Mount Hermon School, where he is credited with inventing the sport...
led to Power Station writing a song called "We Fight for Love" for the
Arnold SchwarzeneggerArnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian American bodybuilder, actor, businessman, and politician, currently serving as the 38th Governor of the state of California....
action film
CommandoCommando is a 1985 American action film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. The film's use of humor in an action film context became a distinctive element in Schwarzenegger's later roles.-Plot:...
(1985). The track was originally titled "Someday, Somehow, Someone's Gotta Pay." An EP containing the song plus some live songs from their tour was planned for release that same year, but was scrapped by their record company.
The band folded late in 1985, as its members turned to other projects: John Taylor returned to Duran Duran, while Andy Taylor chose to leave Duran Duran in favour of a solo career. Tony Thompson was to take the place of
John BonhamJohn Henry "Bonzo" Bonham was an English drummer and songwriter, best known as the drummer of the band Led Zeppelin.He was renowned for his power, fast right foot, distinctive sound and "feel" for the groove....
in a re-formed
Led ZeppelinLed Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in 1968 by Jimmy Page , Robert Plant , John Paul Jones and John Bonham . With their heavy, guitar-driven sound, Led Zeppelin are regarded as one of the first heavy metal bands, helping to pioneer the genre...
, but he was nearly killed in a 1986 car accident before that reunion could get off the ground. The reformed Led Zeppelin only played one gig at the Live Aid concert in 1985. Palmer continued his revitalized solo career, while Des Barres released his second solo album in 1986.
Reunion and reissues
The band reunited ten years later with its original members, including Palmer. However, personal issues forced bassist John Taylor to withdraw from the project before the album was complete.
Bernard EdwardsBernard Edwards born in Greenville, North Carolina, was a bass guitar player and record producer, both as a member of Chic and on his own. He died of pneumonia while touring in Japan.-History:...
(former
ChicChic may refer to:* Chic , chic meaning stylish or smart* Chic , a thoroughbred racehorse* Chic , an American music group popular in the disco era* Chic , the 1977 debut album of the band Chic...
bassist) stepped in and completed the album
Living In FearLiving in Fear is the second album from the supergroup Power Station, released in 1997. The band had the same lineup as for their previous album in 1985. However, John Taylor was going through a divorce at the time and pulled out before the album was recorded. Instead Bernard Edwards, the producer,...
(1996) in his stead, and was prepared to tour with the group, but then died suddenly of
pneumoniaPneumonia is an inflammatory illness of the lung. Frequently, it is described as lung parenchyma/alveolar inflammation and abnormal alveolar filling with fluid ....
during a trip to Japan. The group decided to press on, and toured first with bassist
Guy PrattGuy Pratt is a well-known session bassist and also a songwriter, actor and comedian. He is the son of actor Mike Pratt. In Kensington and Chelsea, London, in 1996, Pratt married Gala Wright, the daughter of Pink Floyd keyboardist Richard Wright...
and then Manny Yanes and second guitarist
Luke MorleyLuke Morley is the lead guitarist, chief songwriter and producer for the rock band Thunder. Previously he was a member of 1980s group, Terraplane. He released a solo album in 2001 plus two records with Thunder singer Danny Bowes under the name Bowes and Morley...
instead, to moderate success. The group disbanded shortly after.
EMI released a new version of the album
Power Station on February 21, 2005, to commemorate the album's 20th anniversary. The package includes the original eight-song album, seven bonus tracks and a 40-minute eight-chapter DVD. Among the bonus tracks on the album is the track "Someday, Somehow, Someone's Gotta Pay" (from the
Commando OST), sung by Michael Des Barres.
In 2002, EMI Music issued The Best of The Power Station as part of their Ten Best Series. The final track is a previously unreleased live version of "
Dancing in the Street"Dancing in the Street" is a 1964 song first recorded by Martha and the Vandellas. It is one of Motown's signature songs and is the group's premier signature song.-Martha and the Vandellas original:...
," recorded at the
Hartford Civic CenterThe XL Center, formerly known as the Hartford Civic Center, is a sports and convention complex located in Hartford, Connecticut, USA, owned by the City of Hartford and operated by Northland Investment Corporation/Anschutz Entertainment Group under contract with the Connecticut Development Authority...
in 1985 and sung by Michael Des Barres.
Both Robert Palmer and Tony Thompson died late in 2003.
Personnel
- Robert Palmer - Vocalist
- Andy Taylor
Andy Taylor is an English guitarist, singer, and songwriter, best known as a member of Duran Duran and The Power Station. He has also performed as a solo artist, and served as a record producer for C.C...
- Guitarist
- John Taylor - Bassist
- Tony Thompson
Tony Thompson was a session drummer best known as a member of Chic. He was raised in the middle-class community of Springfield Gardens, in Queens, NY.-Chic:...
- Drummer
Other Members
- Michael Des Barres
Lord Michael Philip Des Barres, Marquis Des Barres is a British actor and rock singer. He is known for playing the recurring role of Murdoc on the television show MacGyver and for replacing the late Robert Palmer in the band Power Station, fronting the band at the 1985 Live Aid concert...
- Tour Vocalist (1985)
- Bernard Edwards
Bernard Edwards born in Greenville, North Carolina, was a bass guitar player and record producer, both as a member of Chic and on his own. He died of pneumonia while touring in Japan.-History:...
- Bassist (1995)
Albums
- The Power Station
The Power Station is the debut album by Power Station. It was released in 1985 on EMI. An anniversary edition was released 21 February 2005, featuring 7 bonus tracks, as well as a 35 minute DVD.- Background :...
(1985) #6 US
- Living In Fear
Living in Fear is the second album from the supergroup Power Station, released in 1997. The band had the same lineup as for their previous album in 1985. However, John Taylor was going through a divorce at the time and pulled out before the album was recorded. Instead Bernard Edwards, the producer,...
(1996)
- Best Of (2003)
- The Power Station: 20th Anniversary Edition (2005)
Singles
| Year |
Song |
US Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday; while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
|
US MSR Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks is a ranking in Billboard magazine of the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations, a category that includes stations that play primarily rock music. Modern rock stations are counted in the Alternative Songs chart.This chart began with the March 21, 1981 issue...
|
US Dance |
UK singles The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record industry. The full chart contains the top 200 singles based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 of this list...
|
Album |
| 1985 -January-March:*January 28 - Various artists, under the group name USA For Africa, including Ray Charles, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Billy Joel, Cyndi Lauper, Steve Perry, Kenny Loggins, Willie Nelson, Lionel Richie, Smokey Robinson, Kenny Rogers, Diana Ross, Paul Simon, Bruce Springsteen, Huey...
|
"Some Like It Hot "Some Like It Hot" is a song recorded by Power Station. It was the first single released from the group's 1985 eponymous debut album. It was released by Parlophone Records in 1985 and featured heavy use of the drums with Tony Thompson providing percussion. It was the band's biggest hit, peaking at...
" |
6 |
34 |
17 |
14 |
The Power Station |
| 1985 -January-March:*January 28 - Various artists, under the group name USA For Africa, including Ray Charles, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Billy Joel, Cyndi Lauper, Steve Perry, Kenny Loggins, Willie Nelson, Lionel Richie, Smokey Robinson, Kenny Rogers, Diana Ross, Paul Simon, Bruce Springsteen, Huey...
|
"Get It On (Bang a Gong)" |
9 |
19 |
- |
22 |
The Power Station |
| 1985 -January-March:*January 28 - Various artists, under the group name USA For Africa, including Ray Charles, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Billy Joel, Cyndi Lauper, Steve Perry, Kenny Loggins, Willie Nelson, Lionel Richie, Smokey Robinson, Kenny Rogers, Diana Ross, Paul Simon, Bruce Springsteen, Huey...
|
"Communication "Communication" was released as the third single from the Power Station's 1985 debut album. It featured "Communication" , "Communication" and "Murderess" as the B-side...
" |
34 |
- |
- |
75 |
The Power Station |
| 1996
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1996.-January:* January - At the trial of two American teenagers, Nicholaus McDonald and Brian Bassett, for the murder of Bassett's parents and young brother, defense lawyers attempt to lay the blame for the murders on the...
|
"She Can Rock It "She Can Rock It" is a song by the Power Station, released as their only single from their 1997 album Living in Fear. It was their fourth and final single. It featured "Power Trippin'" as its B-side, a rock-funk song written by the band for the U.S. version of the album, and also "Charanga" written...
" |
- |
- |
- |
63 |
Living In Fear |