Starz

Live at the El Mocambo Starz

In the mid-seventies the airwaves were in serious danger of being overtaken by light AM hits. A few bands waged war on this trend and began to launch a combined attackof heavy guitars and unforgettable melodies. Among the leaders of this revolution were Starz, a musical army of soldiers carrying an arsenal of roaring guitars, driving drums, thunderous bass and powerful vocals. Exploding onto the musical scene with their self-titled debut album in 1976, Michael Lee Smith (lead vocals), Richie Ranno (guitar), Brenden Harkin (guitar), Peter Sweval (bass) and Joe Dube (drums) quickly established themselves as rock and roll mainstays. Songs such as Detroit Girls, Fallen Angel and Boys In Action enabled Starz to stake their claim on the hard rock map. In support of their debut the band invaded hundreds of cities around the world, setting out to conquer every audience with their barrage of hook-laiden rock anthems. Word of their exciting live show spread through the rock and roll community like rapid machine gun fire and Starz became a must see for every rock and roll fan. In 1977 Starz released VIOLATION, an album which critics still hail as one of the best hard rock albums ever. Both Kerrang and Hit Parader included the disc as one of the Top 100 Hard Rock Albums Of All Time. VIOLATION had numerous tracks that were doing well with radio including Rock Six Times, Cool One and Sing It Shout It, but the breakthrough the band was looking for came when Cherry Baby was released as a single. The song climbed to the top of the rock charts and even found a place in BILLBOARD's Top 40. Starz had now risen through the ranks to become a legitimate headliner. Starz went on to release two more albums in 1978, ATTENTION SHOPPERS and COLISEUM ROCK, and once again garnered extensive radio play with songs such as She, It's A Riot and Any Way That You Want It. After parting ways wth their management and record company, Starz continued to tour for several years. The success of these tours was a testament to the loyal following the band had accumulated over the years. By the time Starz finished touring in the early 80's, they had left us with four studio albums and a wealth of concert memories. Undoubtedly, Starz' studio albums are classic, but to fully understand the band all it takes is one listen to this CD. Here the band shines and displays the energetic force that is Starz.