Perhaps not well known for ’80s hard rock aficionados due not so well promoted at the time, American act SKIN & BONES were a very good glam rockin’ band plenty of melodic n’ catchy hooks. As requested, here’s the band 1990’s debut album in its Japanese edition including 2 bonus tracks.
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Hailing from Baltimore but based in New York, SKIN & BONES had it all: strong songs with MTV / radio potential, the looks, and a debut album – “Not A Pretty Sight” – recorded in England with a top class production team of ex Duran Duran guitarist Andy Taylor and legend Mike Fraser, who also mixed the whole thing.
With infectious songs – including songwriting contributions by Vini Poncia (KISS), Al Scotti (Bonnie Tyler) and Jeff Kent (Robin Beck) – ”Not A Pretty Sight” is a complete late ’80s melodic glammy hard record that shoulda pushed SKIN & BONES to higher places. But while the album was released in America, Europe and Japan, as being released by SKIN & BONES own label, the release lacked the proper promotion and distribution needed.
Rollin’ in with black stretch jeans painted on, stuffed into wild west boots and long dark manes, lookin’ like every other bandana wearin’ wasted rock ranger from Sunset Strip, the flash five pull from all the time-honored sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll cocktail throughout this debut disc.
”Not A Pretty Sight” is packed out with down in the gutter Crüe / Poison / L.A. Guns inspired rockers headed by the sultry swagger of “Nail It Down”, “Nymphomania”, “Resurrection Love” and the heat in the street, Summer night blast of “All The Girls In The World”.
The boys dust off and go bubblegum pop-metal on “My World”, while adding a pair of midtempo power ballads (“Cover Me With Roses” and “Let Her Go”) for the big hair blonde bimbo target market. The slow ones make room for front man Johnny “Vamp” Vance to flex his pipes.
While many will say “we heard it all before”, ”Not A Pretty Sight” sounds pretty different from the American / L.A. sleazy hard rock / hair metal crowd of the time. Andy Taylor provided a much more ‘Euro’ feeling on some songs, as well as Mike Fraser. This album has been ”sonically Frased”, and that’s a good thing in our book.
Highly Recommended
1. Nail It Down
2. Ressurection Love
3. Cover Me With Roses
4. Hey Stupid
5. Nymphomania
6. Kiss This
7. All the Girls in the World
8. Let Her Go
9. Out With the Boys
10. My World
11. Nail It Down Andy Taylor Remix
12. U Drive Me Crazy
Johnny Vamp - Lead Vocals, Harmonica
Jimi K.Bones - Lead Guitar, Slide & Acoustic Guitar, Vocals
Pete Pagan - Rhythm Guitar, Vocals
Steve Mach - Bass
Gregg Gerson - Drums, Vocals
Skin & Bones – Not A Pretty Sight (1990), Japan Edition, MP3+FLAC
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