Rocks In The Attic #133: The Honeydrippers - ‘The Honeydrippers: Volume One’ (1984)

Imagine a band with Robert Plant on vocals, and Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck and Nile Rodgers all on guitar. That’s who The Honeydrippers are. Put together in the early ‘80s by Atlantic Records president Ahmet Ertegün, this is a very short (17 minutes) collection of five ‘50s R&B covers.

As a standalone album, it’s pretty poor. It suffers from a mid-‘80s production, which takes away any of the smoky ‘50s atmosphere they were aiming for, and replaces it with a crystal-clear sound reminiscent of throwback records of the time. It might have gone down a little better if it had been released a year later, in the wake of the ‘50s nostalgia stemming from 1985’s Back To The Future, but other than a very successful single (Sea Of Love), it seems to have faded into history.

For a Zeppelin fan, it’s a nice little curio - Plant and Page reunited on record for the first time since the death of John Bonham, with Page’s fellow Yardbird Jeff Beck thrown in for good measure. Rounding out the ‘supergroup’ is Nile Rodgers on guitar (and production duties) and Blues Brother Paul Shaffer on keys.

It’s a shame this project was never repeated. I’d have been interested to hear volumes two, three and four. Although maybe they wouldn’t have given the fourth one a title.

Hit: Sea Of Love

Hidden Gem: Rockin’ At Midnight

Rocks In The Attic #87: Prince & The Revolution - ‘Purple Rain (O.S.T.)’ (1984)

I recently wrote that of all the soundtracks in my vinyl collection, Air America is the film I know the least as I’ve only seen it once. That’s actually incorrect - I’ve never seen Purple Rain.

I don’t know where I stand on Prince. People say he’s a genius, but I don’t really see it. Although, maybe I haven’t heard his genius work - I only own this and 1989’s Batman soundtrack. I’d go and see him play live if I got the opportunity, just on the reputation of his touring band, but in general I don’t think I’m in on the joke.

Hit: Purple Rain

Hidden Gem: I Would Die 4 U

Rocks In The Attic #32: Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble - ‘Couldn’t Stand The Weather’ (1984)

If you ever wonder what a Jimi Hendrix album in the 1980s would sound like, you only have to listen to this. Paying tribute to him on Voodoo Chile, the rest of the album sounds like it might have been recorded by Hendrix, with only the crisp 1980s production dating it to that decade.

This is Vaughan’s second solo album - a year after he played guitar on Bowie’s Let’s Dance. It’s a fine album, aside from the aforementioned dated 80s production.

It’s a shame Vaughan died so young. As Dennis Leary - or was it Bill Hicks? - once said, “Stevie Ray Vaughan is dead, and we can't get Jon Bon Jovi onto a fucking helicopter!"

Hit: Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)

Hidden Gem: Tin Pan Alley