By DJ Monk
Time flies, doesn’t it? It doesn’t feel like 30-plus years since I first pulled the self-titled debut album by the Dan Reed Network from its sleeve and asked myself “what the fuck is this” as I revelled in its fresh blend of Chic/Michael Jackson style funk meeting hard rock. Then, two years later, along came its successor, ‘Slam’, and it was a case of “holy fuck” as it exploded in my aural cortexes like one of those Refresher chews of the same era. Now, three decades later, both of those landmark albums have been given a fresh lick of paint and relaunched into this undeserving rock ‘n’ roll Überverse for our renewed aural delectation.
For those few readers unfamiliar with the history of the band, Dan Reed Networkwere formed in Portland, Oregon in 1984, and signed to Polygram/Mercury Records early in 1987, who put them in the studio with producer Bruce Fairbairn (Aerosmith, Bon Jovi) to record their self-titled debut album, which was hugely acclaimed when released in the winter of 1987 and spawned the band’s first Top 40 Billboard hit, ‘Ritual’.
While at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony in January 1989 in New York, Dan Reed met up with legendary funkster producer Nile Rodgers (a gentleman whom I’ve also had the pleasure of spending time with) and this meeting led to the creation of the bands breakthrough second album, ‘Slam’, produced by Rodgers. ‘Slam’, which better represented the group’s sound and accelerated Dan Reed Network’s growing status in Europe, led to Bon Jovi adding the band as their main support on the European leg of their ‘New Jersey’ tour in 1989 (I missed the Belfast gig due to a last minute change in work arrangements, but a good mate thoughfully bought me a T-shirt, which I still have, and occasionally wear) and then The Rolling Stones adding them to their European ‘Urban Jungle’ tour as special guest act in 1990.
But 30 years down the line, do both albums stand the test of time? The ethos of ‘Slam’ is as relevant as ever as Dan Reed himself told me:
“Out of all the DRN tracks I am probably most happy with the lyrics and intention of the title track ‘Slam’, which I am sad to say is as valid, if not more so, than it was 30years ago. The current political climate of building walls both physically and in our mind seems to have gotten even more prevalent than it was back in 1989, and for that reason alone I am looking forward to going out on the road and sharing these songs and thoughts. Because we often perform many songs from ‘Slam’, I feel a lot of the tracks hold up well after all these years, especially ‘Cruise Together’ and ‘Rainbow Child’, which often seem like the audience’s favourites, judging by their reactions. It’s going to be a full-on night of hard driving grooves and soaring melodies and a celebration of past, present and future.”
As Reed says, many of the songs are staples of DRN’s, thankfully increasingly common, live shows. Revamped versions of ‘Get To You’, ‘Ritual’ and ‘Baby Don’t Fade’ remain guaranteed show-stoppers, while the likes of ‘Slam’ itself and ‘Tiger In A Dress’ raise roofs whenever they are played… and I’ll happily admit to having shed a tear or two during ‘Rainbow Child’, no matter if it’s Dan performing it acoustically at an intimate club show or in the pissing rain on top of a Welsh mountain!
So, to be brief, the answer to the question I asked above in most definitely YES. Both albums definitely stand the test of time. OK, they are both very much of their own times, but the fresh coat of paint definitely has refreshed them and they still stand up in their own rights as powerful, energetic and inventive pieces of rock ‘n’ roll history. They should be an essential part of any true music afficiando’s collection.
‘Dan Reed Network’ and ‘Slam’ are re-released on Friday (25 October).
Dan Reed Network play the following dates, with Gun and FM:
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