Artist: BADLANDS
Album: VODOO HIGHWAY REMASTERED (CD)

Year: 1991/ 2010
Media type: CD

UNQUESTIONABLY, BADLANDS were one of the brightest lights on the hard rock scene during the late 80’s and early 90’s. A mini supergroup of sorts (Jake E Lee from Ozzy Osbourne’s band, Ray Gillen, Greg Chaisson and Eric Singer from Black Sabbath), they had seduced fans and critics alike with their debut album, confident earthy blues rock performed with a sway and swagger that suggested it was just a matter of time before the band would achieve international fame and fortune.

Behind the scenes, however, things were not going well. Volatile personalities started to rip the group apart, with drummer Eric Singer being the first casualty on a conveyor belt of heartache and turmoil. It’s a wonder then that ‘Voodoo Highway’, originally released in 1991, proved to be such a magnificent follow up to their acclaimed debut. Crammed to the brim with solid yet melodic hard rock, the material is faithful to the band’s original concept and co-opts the best of the early seventies, lacing it with the sound of futuristic blues.

Sadly, the band’s combustible contents created a final rift that would scupper any chances of them continuing. Final concert dates, undertaken in the UK, proved to be a disaster, with singer Ray Gillen and guitarist Jake E Lee vowing never to work with each other again. The band’s legacy, however, has continued to gather momentum with many quite rightly citing ‘Voodoo Highway’ as the pinnacle of their creative achievements.

TRACKLIST:

All songs by Jake E. Lee and Ray Gillen, except were it noted.

1."The Last Time"
2."Show Me the Way"
3."Shine On" (Greg Chaisson, Lee, Gillen)
4."Whiskey Dust"
5."Joe's Blues" (Lee)
6."Soul Stealer"
7."3 Day Funk"
8."Silver Horses"
9."Love Don't Mean a Thing"
10."Voodoo Highway"
11."Fire and Rain" (James Taylor)
12."Heaven's Train" (Chaisson, Lee, Gillen)
13."In a Dream" (Gillen)

LINE-UP:

Ray Gillen: lead vocals
Jake E. Lee: guitar
Greg Chaisson: bass guitar
Jeff Martin: drums