Retro
80's heavy metal band featuring Mick Rowe (ex-Tempest, Midnight Orchestra)
on guitar and vocals. (Mick's brother is Jamie Rowe of Guardian fame. Mick & Jamie were in Tempest together.) Formed from the ashes of
Mick's previous band Goliath (Music Cartel Records), Nineteen88 was created
to play "good time rock that has something for everyone" as Handsome Mick puts
it. "We all grew up listening and playing different styles of music, we consider
Nineteen88's sonic territory to include AC/DC,
JET, and Big & Rich. but include a nod to the past heros of 80's rock music.
We are not a cover band in the least, but we do not try to hide those Classic
influences, if we did, the music wouldn't be as honest".
Nineteen88 - The Great American
Rock and Roll Spectacle (independent) 2005
1. "Welcome to The
Show" (:26)
2. "Big Rawk" (3:25)
3. "Pedal to The Metal" (3:26)
4. "Play your Guitar" (3:39)
5. "Highway of Rock and Roll" (3:27)
6. "The Metal Pokey" (3:35)
7. "Rock All Day" (3:35)
8. "Whatever" (:55)
9. "Hard Rock Girls" (3:28)
10. "Rock And Roll" (4:04)
11. "Where Did The 80's Go" (3:22)
12. "U.S.A" (4:25)
) Nineeen88 mainman Mick Rowe has been around the block a few times and has been in bands like Midnight Orchestra and Tempest. Mick brings in elements of all his past years of experience into his new band. Nineteen88's "The Great American Rock and Roll Spectacle" is a nostalgic look back to when attitude and hard rockin' was more important than technical prowess. As the song "Rock and Roll" states, "The Rock we play is rudimentary, but the life we live is elementary..." That sums up Nineteen88 pretty well. Their sound combines guitar heavy riffs not unlike AC/DC with a slightly more modern approach, not unlike The Darkness. "Play Your Guitar" in particular has that Angus Young feel to the music, even if Mick's vocals are miles away from Bon Scott or Brian Johnson. The vocals on this CD have more of a gritty, almost Southern rock vibe. Likewise "Highway of Rock & Roll" reminds me of bands like Krokus and early Def Leppard with it's pulsing bass and crunchy guitar riffs. Imagine if a song like Krokus' "Long Stick Goes Boom" had been written in 2004 and you might get the idea here. Overall, this is the idea of this entire CD. It's an intentional nostolgic trip. Of course some may accuse the band of being corny, but I am not sure that Nineteen88 take themselves to serious. With a song like "The Metal Pokey", based on the "Hokey Pokey", it is pretty obvious that this band is about fun enjoying a good laugh. I can just picture the massive Handsome Mick Rowe on stage singing this song on stage. "Put your fist in the air...raise 'em to the sky, you've got your Marshall stack turned way to high, you do the metal pokey, turn your life around. You love the metal sound." Likewise "Rock All Day" features a small bit taken from the Bay City Rollers. Gotta love some good time rock n roll. Turn it up to eleven!