The songs featured on this list are from “obscure” European rock bands, from what I consider, arbitrarily, as the “third-tier” and “fourth-tier” of success. These guys were big enough to sign a record deal, get a video or two made, perform as the opening act for “second-tier” groups. But they failed to achieve consistent, sustained success. They didn’t headline stadiums or gain traction on MTV. Their work wasn’t mainstream when it was new, forty years ago. Now, these songs are relics, fading fast. I’ve done my part here to curate and promote work that deserves to be remembered. Here are a few of my favorite “obscure” European rock songs from the 1980s.
Note: You were likely under the impression that the 1980s began in 1980 and ended after 1989. Incorrect. The 80s began around 1981 or 1982, and extended until 1991, or 1992—which is why some of the songs on this list were released in the 1990s but still made it onto a list of 80s music. Further, please note that The 80s are a feeling and a vibe that can be aspired to and indeed reached without respect to release date.
Bonham, “Guilty” (The Disregard of Timekeeping, 1989)
British drummer Jason Bonham, son of the late John Bonham (Led Zeppelin), formed his namesake band in 1988. In 1989, their debut album, The Disregard of Timekeeping, went Gold—mostly on the strength of “Wait For You,” which peaked at 55 on the US charts. “Guilty,” the follow-up single, failed to chart.
Smooth and soulful, “Guilty” moves at a slower tempo than most songs in the genre. With a heavy, purposeful blues vibe ala—naturally—Led Zeppelin. The song feels like something written in the 70s but produced in the 80s. The chorus is awesome, with layered backing vocals (that I suspect the band was unable to replicate live). The instrumental break, which in hard rock/metal is almost invariably Guitar Solo time, is dedicated to the violin. It’s gimmicky, but I like it.
Nepotism sucks, but Jason is a talented drummer. His placement within the band, front and center, is distinct and adds a fun element—plenty of complex drum fills. The band built around Jason is very capable, with a great aesthetic reminiscent of Whitesnake. Everyone is suspiciously pretty, which, when paired with Jason’s pedigree, makes me wonder if Bonham wasn’t something of an industry concoction, rather than an organic, homegrown rock band.
Blue Murder, “Valley of the Kings” (Blue Murder, 1989)
After John Sykes was dismissed from Whitesnake, he formed Blue Murder—a supergroup-trio with ultra-high musicianship. The distinctive, original line-up only put out one album, which Bob Rock of later-Metallica fame produced. The album has achieved something of a cult following, but it’s initial release was commercially disappointing—in large part because the first single, “Valley of the Kings,” didn’t fare well on MTV. I could have forecast that for them. As much as I love the song, eight-minute debut singles about the slaves in Ancient Egypt are not typically going to grant your band access into the mainstream market. The more commercially viable second single, “Jellyroll,” also fell flat—no doubt as a downstream result of “Valley of the Kings.”
“Valley of the Kings” isn’t for the casual fan—it’s for real rockers, man. John Sykes is an indulgent mother fucker, and he indulges here. Not many guys can sing like Sykes. And not many guys can play guitar like Sykes. And not many guys are as pretty as Sykes. He’s an uber-talent, golden-god type rock star and he knows it. His sustained vocals and extended guitar parts are brilliant, if not radio friendly. He shares the stage, fortunately, surrounding himself with fretless bass playing Tony Franklin, and one of the industry’s most recognizable drummers, Carmine Appice. The result stands apart from the hordes of rock bands—it’s super-charged blues, with something like hints of funk. The ambitious sound is matched, here, with ambitious subject matter. The lyrics read like something from the heavy metal genre. Maybe Iron Maiden or Metallica. It’s fun to hear this sort of content—the blood will flow, a thousand souls plead for mercy!—laid over less aggressive guitar work and sung without anger. Unorthodox, but it works.
McCauley Schenker Group, “Anytime” (Save Yourself, 1989)
Whether McCauley Schenker Group’s “Anytime” belongs on a list of obscure European rock is challengeable. For one, the band was formed in Los Angeles. But vocalist Robin McCauley is Irish and guitarist Michael Schenker is German—so they’re European in my book. And then there’s the fact that “Anytime” charted, reaching all the way to #69 on the Billboard Top 100. Well, that was 32 years ago and I’m guessing you’ve never heard of it. I’m comfortable calling the work obscure.
Regardless, “Anytime” is simply one of my favorite songs ever. By the time “Anytime” came out in 1989, many power ballads had become formulaic, predictable—a harbinger of the genre’s upcoming decline—but “Anytime” serves as a shining beacon of what a power ballad can be. It’s haunting and perfect, with one of the genre’s all-time best vocal performances. The synth intro is so thick and atmospheric, finally giving way to a great acoustic guitar line like something from a Def Leppard verse. The verse builds into a subdued but powerful chorus. The harmonized guitar solo (which harkens an Iron Maiden arrangement) never indulges, only complements the song.
Vandenburg, “Burning Heart” (Vandenberg, 1982)
Dutch guitarist Adriaan van den Berg (aka Adrian Vandenberg) formed Vandenberg in 1981. The band’s first ever single, “Burning Heart,” actually did quite well—reaching #39 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Vandenberg toured with Ozzy Osbourne and KISS in support. Making this song a questionable entry on an “obscure” songs list. But “Burning Heart” represented a brief moment of mainstream relevance for Vandenberg. The band is best remembered for Adrian, who replaced John Sykes in Whitesnake, and laid down the guitar solo in the iconic 1987 version of “Here I Go Again.”
Somber, thoughtful, and dynamic, “Burning Heart” is a proto-power ballad, rooted more in the 1970s than 80s. I suspect that Ritchie Blackmore inspired Adrian’s approach to the guitar. The main guitar line, nimble and harmonic-laden, and especially the guitar solo—low-gain, simple—remind me of Blackmore. Note: Adrian has a bizarre technique, during the solo, he doesn’t wrap his thumb around the neck of the guitar, but rather lets his fifth digit hang with the rest. Despite being the namesake of the band, Adrian gets out of the way, and lets vocalist Jos Veldhuizen carry this thing with a front-and-center vocal performance.
The video is as simple as the song.
Frontline, “Another Love” (The State of Rock, 1994)
German AOR band, Frontline, released The State of Rock at a time when the state of rock was at its nadir—a low point the genre never really recovered from. Grunge and industrial sludge had replaced hard rock and metal on the marquee. The fun was gone. The musicianship was gone. The sex appeal was gone. Even fucking guitar solos were gone. The 90’s were a dark time for 80’s rock fans. Frontline’s debut offered a glimmer of hope, a stubborn hold-out of a better era.
The song itself is exquisite. Tasteful synthesizer, multi-layered guitar parts—all with rich, sustaining tone. The chorus is catchy but never cheesy: Another love, another nightmare! Another love, another lonely night to share! The content is relatable but never dull.
The video—as far as I know, Frontline’s only one ever—looks like a late 80’s production, too. Hot model changing. Same hot model, later, with a medieval sword, unexplained. Hot model again, with blood being smeared on her lips. Awesome. The lead singer, Stephen Kaemmerer, places a call from a pay phone. Guitarist, Robby Boebel, rocks a reverse banana headstock. Speaking of which, the guitar solo is wonderfully restrained, an extension of the song with a full emphasis on melody. Zero shredding. It’s really nice.
Accept, “Midnight Mover” (Metal Heart, 1985)
Germany’s second greatest rock band, Accept, offered Metal Heart as a slicker, more commercially viable option to their previous, heavier fare. Granted, “slicker” is relative, and nothing with Udo Dirkschneider singing is ever going to be fully slick or commercially viable. Udo makes AC/DC’s Brian Johnson sound like Peabo Bryson. Udo, an acquired taste, is as gruff as they come.
Metal Heart is the follow-up to the band’s iconic Balls to the Wall album. Metal Heart lacks the depth of its predecessor, but a few gems are sprinkled throughout, most especially, “Midnight Mover.”
Short and sweet, “Midnight Mover” gets to the point. The song emphasizes where Accept has true talent: songwriting. The chorus is catchy. The verse has energy, always moving forward. Personally, the guitar line from the verse is one of my favorites.
Lead guitarist Wolf Hoffman lays down a tasteful solo, infused with his classical tendencies. Hoffmann is terribly underrated. He’s not flashy relative to his contemporaries, and he’s a bit heavy-handed sometimes, but his solos are always seem intentionally constructed, note-by-note, and confident. To a trained ear, he’s a very recognizable player.
The music video for “Midnight Mover” is nearly unwatchable. I don’t mean that in an artistic sense, I mean that in a physical sense. I think flight training programs, which screen candidates for motion sickness, should skip all the fancy testing and just show candidates this video. If they can get through it without chucking, they can likely fly without incident.
Talisman, “I’ll Be Waiting” (Talisman, 1990)
When I first heard the Swedish band Talisman, the prominence of the bass guitar caught my attention. It was well played, and it often carried the verses. So, it made sense when I learned that Talisman’s bass player, Marcel Jacob, founded the band and served as chief songwriter. Jacob teamed up with fellow Yngwie Malmsteen alum Jeff Scott Soto for Talisman’s self-titled debut.
“I’ll Be Waiting” is a super catchy debut single. The pre-chorus and the chorus itself are both ‘big, sexy hooks.’ I love that they used vocal-style synthesizer during the verse. When used sparingly, as Talisman does here, it’s a very satisfying sound.
Soto has had a hell of a career. Yngwie, Talisman, W.E.T., Trans-Siberian Orchestra. He even had a brief stint in Journey. My primary familiarity with Soto is his work on Yngwie’s first two records—where a 20-year-old Soto overdoes it a little bit. His work with Talisman is more relaxed and fitting, as demonstrated here, on “I’ll Be Waiting.”
Lionsheart, “Can’t Believe” (Lionsheart, 1992)
British twins, the Owers, formed Lionsheart in 1990, asking Steve Grimmett to be the vocalist. Grimmett is best remembered as the front man for Grim Reaper. Well, no. Grimmett and Grim Reaper are best remembered for being destroyed, repeatedly, on MTV’s Beavis & Butthead (as the title characters watch and critique multiple Grim Reaper videos).
Beavis & Butthead suck. Although, Grim Reaper does rate pretty high on the Spinal Tap scale. Lionsheart’s “Can’t Believe” absolves all sins, however. This song is great.
For me, the hallmarks are the chorus and the rhythm guitar. Actually, the chorus is one of my favorites, particularly, the “call,” Can’t believe I carry on!….How was I supposed to know?! And typically, I wouldn’t go for such busy, or such heavy rhythm guitar, especially when it’s behind the vocal parts. But Mark Owers pulls it off here. Very tight, very percussive.
The video has a real 1992 industrial vibe going on. Unfortunate.
Kingdom Come, “Do You Like It” (In Your Face, 1989)
Kingdom Come’s second biggest hit revolving around “it,” I enjoy this song so much I made my own lo-fi cover.
Stone Fury’s Lenny Wolf (featured on Part One) is the original singer for German band Kingdom Come—a band often maligned as a Led Zeppelin rip-off. Kingdom Come’s second album In Your Face, (Kingdom Come In Your Face, get it?) kicks off with “Do You Like It,” an up-beat gem. KC broke up before they could even tour in support of this album, so it didn’t have much staying power.
The song’s centerpiece is the fantastic, A-string driving intro/chorus riff. The thing motors without ever sounding harsh or aggressive.
The video is generic but fun, although it never received heavy airplay, even in its heyday. But Kingdom Come will always have the epic, mythical 1988 Monsters of Rock Tour, in which they opened for Metallica, Dokken, Scorpions, and Van Halen. What a freaking lineup. Oh, and Kingdom Come’s biggest hit, “Get It On,” can be heard during the 1998 teen-flick Can’t Hardly Wait.
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