FASTWAY – Fastway [Rock Candy remaster +7 bonus] 2012+FLAC

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Perhaps one of the most overlooked albums in Hard Rock history, FASTWAY‘s self-titled debut digitally remastered & expanded deluxe edition by Rock Candy Records was one of the most requested CD’s on this website ever. Featuring no less than 7 bonus tracks including hard to find B-sides and BBC sessions, these additional songs never appeared on CD before.

UK’s Fastway was originally formed by “Fast” Eddie Clarke and former UFO bassist Pete Way. Men out on the hunt looking to start a new and improved musical unit that would fuse traditional British Hard Rock with the energy and enthusiasm of the NWOBHM.
Sadly Pete Way’s tenure was short-lived leaving Fast Eddie to write and record the album with session bassist Mickey Feat, drummer Jerry Shirley (from Humble Pie) and – then unknown – Irish vocalist David King.

Issued in 1983 and produced by veteran studio wizard Eddie Kramer (Zeppelin, Hendrix, Kiss) “Fastway” cut an impressive form in a world obsessed with glam rock and thrash metal.
Embracing traditional values and emitting a sense of rough-hewn charm, Fastway’s music was big on riffs with clever use of melody and songs that packed a punch. In America the record found an enthusiastic home, helping to propel it into the Billboard top 30 charts attaining gold status.

Opener ‘Easy Livin’ is an uptempo rocker boogie-tinged number with screaming guitars and outstanding vocals from Dave King (often sounding like Robert Plant), one of the best songs from the early ’80s in this vein.
‘Feel Me Touch Me’ is more a 70s number driven by a monster riff, ‘All I Need Is Your Love’ has a killer groove, and ‘Another Day’ has more acoustic intro before building, and a hint of Zepplin-esque melodies.
The Eddie Kramer production adds to the classic sound as well as the all star cast.

This Rock Candy treatment on “Fastway” easily is one of the best remastering jobs the have done.
Everything sounds clear and punchier with a fantastic dynamic range.
And we have 7 awesome bonus tracks; the very hard to find B-sides ‘Crazy Dream’, ‘Back In The Game’ & ‘Far Far From Home’ – all which quality deserved to be in the main album – plus the terrific BBC Session at the Friday Rock Show taped 15/4/83.

01 - Easy Livin'
02 - Feel Me, Touch Me (Do Anything You Want)
03 - All I Need Is Your Love
04 - Another Day
05 - Heft!
06 - We Become One
07 - Give It All You Got
08 - Say What You Will
09 - You Got Me Runnin'
10 - Give It Some Action
BONUS TRACKS:
11 - Crazy Dream (B-Side 12'' Single)
12 - Back In The Game (B-Side 12'' Single)
13 - Far Far From Home (B-Side 12'' Single)
14 - We Become One (BBC Session Friday Rock Show)
15 - Easy Livin' (BBC Session Friday Rock Show)
16 - Give It All You Got (BBC Session Friday Rock Show)
17 - You Got Me Runnin' (BBC Session Friday Rock Show)

Dave King - vocals, harmonica
"Fast" Eddie Clarke - guitars
Jerry Shirley - drums
additional musicians:
Mickey Feat - bass (uncredited)
Eddie Kramer - producer, engineer, arrangements
turbo FLAC for subscr thx A.N.N!