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Power Station (band)
Encyclopedia
Power Station was a 1980s supergroup
made up of singer Robert Palmer, former Chic
drummer Tony Thompson
, and Duran Duran
members John Taylor (bass) and Andy Taylor
(guitar). Bernard Edwards
, also of Chic, was involved on the studio side as recording producer. For a short time he also functioned as Power Station's manager. The band was formed in New York City
late in 1984 during a break in Duran Duran's schedule that became a lengthy hiatus. Power Station was named after The Power Station recording studio
where their album was conceived and recorded.
. Duran Duran
had been known to be big fans of Robert Palmer so he was invited to take part.
After Duran Duran's third album Seven and the Ragged Tiger
, the members of the band split into two projects. One of these was the band Arcadia
, which maintained the melodic and atmospheric aspects of Duran Duran's previous recordings. The other was the Power Station, in which John and Andy Taylor worked with Palmer, Thompson, and Edwards to create a rhythmic harder rock sound. Roger Taylor was mainly the drummer for Arcadia but also contributed percussion to the Power Station.
The group began as something of a whim—it was a one-time gathering of friends to provide backing to model and would-be singer Bebe Buell
who wanted to record a cover of the 1972 T.Rex song "Get It On (Bang A Gong)". Both Taylors were eager to branch out from the synthesizer
-heavy pop of Duran Duran and play some Led Zeppelin
-flavored rock and roll
. The participation of their idols from Chic lent the project a horn-inflected funk vibe that meshed surprisingly well with the crunching guitars and booming drums.
Soon the project evolved into the idea of a revolving supergroup
; a tentative name for the band was Big Brother. The original plan for the one-album project was for the three musicians (Taylor, Taylor and Thompson) to provide musical continuity to an album full of material, with a different singer performing on each track. Those who were approached included Mick Jagger
, Billy Idol
, Mars Williams
and Richard Butler
(of The Psychedelic Furs), and Mick Ronson
.
The group then invited Robert Palmer to record vocals for the track "Communication
". When he heard that they had recorded demos
for "Get It On", he asked to try out vocals on that song as well. Before long, they had decided to record the entire album with Palmer. The group was quickly signed with Capitol Records
.
" and "Get It On (Bang A Gong)" on the Saturday Night Live
television show. It was the only time that Robert Palmer performed live with the original line-up. The horn section for Power Station's SNL appearance included saxophonist Lenny Pickett, who would join the show's house band that fall and eventually become the show's musical director.
In March 1985, the band issued the album Power Station, produced by Bernard Edwards
with some informal assistance from Nile Rodgers
. It reached number 12 in the UK and number 6 on the US album chart.
The album is sometimes referred to as Power Station 33⅓ as the sleeve for the original vinyl record
release bore that subtitle, indicating the speed of a record turntable
. Later compact disc
issues used CD as a subtitle instead. The album's cover graphics and color scheme, which were also used in the videos, were based on sketches by John Taylor.
Three singles were released from the album, two of them major hits. The first, "Some Like It Hot", reached number 14 on the UK Singles Chart
and number 6 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100
. (The music video
featured the transsexual model Caroline Cossey
, credited as "Tula".) The second single was "Get It On (Bang A Gong)" and it went to number 22 in the UK and number 9 in the U.S., while competing against the Duran Duran single "A View to a Kill
," which was a US number one. A third single, "Communication", was not as successful; it barely reached the Top 40 in the U.S., and disappeared after hitting number 75 in the UK.
The band also released a collection of their three music videos called The Power Station Video EP.
The group's unexpected success led to two incompatible results: the band decided to headline a summer tour in America with Paul Young
, Nik Kershaw
and Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
. Robert Palmer decided to record a solo album to take advantage of his sudden name recognition. This led to Palmer's departure from the band. (Tony Thompson, Andy Taylor and Bernard Edwards from Power Station contributed to Palmer's very successful 1985 solo album Riptide
.)
Power Station went on to tour with singer/actor Michael Des Barres
(formerly of Silverhead
, Checquered Past and Detective
). Des Barres also performed with them at the Live Aid
charity concert in Philadelphia that summer.
Des Barres' friendship with actor Don Johnson
led to the band's guest appearance on an episode of the TV drama Miami Vice
. Similarly, his friendship with producer Joel Silver
led to Power Station writing a song called "We Fight for Love" for the Arnold Schwarzenegger
action film Commando
(1985). The track was originally titled "Someday, Somehow, Someone's Gotta Pay." An EP containing the song plus some live songs from their tour was planned for release that same year, but was scrapped by their record company.
The band folded late in 1985, as its members turned to other projects: John Taylor returned to Duran Duran, while Andy Taylor chose to leave Duran Duran in favour of a solo career. Tony Thompson was to take the place of John Bonham
in a re-formed Led Zeppelin
, but he was nearly killed in a 1986 car accident before that reunion could get off the ground. The reformed Led Zeppelin only played one gig at the Live Aid concert in 1985. Palmer continued his revitalized solo career, while Des Barres released his second solo album in 1986.
(former Chic
bassist) stepped in and completed the album Living In Fear
(1996) in his stead, and was prepared to tour with the group, but then died suddenly of pneumonia
during a trip to Japan. The group decided to press on, and toured first with bassist Guy Pratt
and then Manny Yanes and second guitarist Luke Morley
instead, to moderate success. The group disbanded shortly after.
In 2002, EMI Music issued The Best of The Power Station as part of their Ten Best Series. The final track is a previously unreleased live version of "Dancing in the Street
," recorded at the Hartford Civic Center
in 1985 and sung by Michael Des Barres.
Both Robert Palmer and Tony Thompson died late in 2003.
EMI released a new version of the album Power Station on February 21, 2005, to commemorate the album's 20th anniversary. The package includes the original eight-song album, seven bonus tracks and a 40-minute eight-chapter DVD. Among the bonus tracks on the album is the track "Someday, Somehow, Someone's Gotta Pay" (from the Commando OST), sung by Michael Des Barres.
Supergroup (music)
In the late 1960s, the term supergroup was coined to describe "a rock music group whose performers are already famous from having performed individually or in other groups"....
made up of singer Robert Palmer, former Chic
Chic (band)
Chic was an African American disco and R&B band that was organized during 1976 by guitarist Nile Rodgers and bassist Bernard Edwards. It is known best for its commercially successful disco songs, including "Dance, Dance, Dance " , "Everybody Dance" , "Le Freak" , "I Want Your Love" , "Good Times"...
drummer Tony Thompson
Tony Thompson
Anthony T. "Tony" Thompson was a session drummer best known as a member of Chic. He was raised in the middle-class community of Springfield Gardens, in Queens, NY.-Chic:...
, and Duran Duran
Duran Duran
Duran Duran are an English band, formed in Birmingham in 1978. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s and a leading band in the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" of the United States...
members John Taylor (bass) and Andy Taylor
Andy Taylor (guitarist)
Andy Taylor is an English guitarist, singer, songwriter, and record producer, best known as a member of Duran Duran and The Power Station....
(guitar). Bernard Edwards
Bernard Edwards
Bernard Edwards born in Greenville, North Carolina, was a bass player and record producer, both as a member of the Funk/Disco band Chic and on his own. He died of pneumonia while touring in Japan.-History:...
, also of Chic, was involved on the studio side as recording producer. For a short time he also functioned as Power Station's manager. The band was formed in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
late in 1984 during a break in Duran Duran's schedule that became a lengthy hiatus. Power Station was named after The Power Station recording studio
Avatar Studios
Avatar Studios, formerly known as The Power Station, is a recording studio at 441 West 53rd Street in Manhattan, New York City.The building was originally a Consolidated Edison power plant; but after a period of vacancy, it was used as a sound stage for the television game show Let's Make a Deal...
where their album was conceived and recorded.
Origin
On 23 July Duran Duran's charity concert at Villa Park 1983 took place in aid of MencapMencap
The Royal Mencap Society is a charity based in the UK that works with people with a learning disability.-Profile:Mencap is the UK's leading learning disability charity working with people with a learning disability and their families and carers...
. Duran Duran
Duran Duran
Duran Duran are an English band, formed in Birmingham in 1978. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s and a leading band in the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" of the United States...
had been known to be big fans of Robert Palmer so he was invited to take part.
After Duran Duran's third album Seven and the Ragged Tiger
Seven and the Ragged Tiger
Seven and the Ragged Tiger is the third studio album by English pop rock band Duran Duran, released globally in November 1983. It would prove to be the last studio album for the band's original lineup until 2004's Astronaut....
, the members of the band split into two projects. One of these was the band Arcadia
Arcadia (band)
Arcadia were the pop group formed in 1985 by Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes and Roger Taylor of Duran Duran, during a break in that band's schedule. However, Roger Taylor appeared in only a few band photographs and in none of the music videos, and stated he was only to be involved in the recording side...
, which maintained the melodic and atmospheric aspects of Duran Duran's previous recordings. The other was the Power Station, in which John and Andy Taylor worked with Palmer, Thompson, and Edwards to create a rhythmic harder rock sound. Roger Taylor was mainly the drummer for Arcadia but also contributed percussion to the Power Station.
The group began as something of a whim—it was a one-time gathering of friends to provide backing to model and would-be singer Bebe Buell
Bebe Buell
Beverle Lorence "Bebe" Buell is an American fashion model and singer, and Playboy magazine's November 1974 Playmate of the Month. She is also known for dating rock musicians. She is actress Liv Tyler's mother from a brief relationship with Aerosmith vocalist Steven Tyler...
who wanted to record a cover of the 1972 T.Rex song "Get It On (Bang A Gong)". Both Taylors were eager to branch out from the synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
-heavy pop of Duran Duran and play some Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
-flavored rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
. The participation of their idols from Chic lent the project a horn-inflected funk vibe that meshed surprisingly well with the crunching guitars and booming drums.
Soon the project evolved into the idea of a revolving supergroup
Supergroup (music)
In the late 1960s, the term supergroup was coined to describe "a rock music group whose performers are already famous from having performed individually or in other groups"....
; a tentative name for the band was Big Brother. The original plan for the one-album project was for the three musicians (Taylor, Taylor and Thompson) to provide musical continuity to an album full of material, with a different singer performing on each track. Those who were approached included Mick Jagger
Mick Jagger
Sir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger is an English musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist and a founding member of The Rolling Stones....
, Billy Idol
Billy Idol
William Michael Albert Broad , better known by his stage name Billy Idol, is an English rock musician. A member of the Bromley Contingent of Sex Pistols fans, Idol first achieved fame in the punk rock era as a member of the band Generation X...
, Mars Williams
Mars Williams
Mars Williams is an American jazz and rock saxophonist. Originally a ten year classical clarinetist after being exposed to Big Band and Dixieland Jazz by his trumpet playing father, Mars migrated to the saxophone in his senior year of high school, citing influences from Eric Dolphy, John Coltrane...
and Richard Butler
Richard Butler (singer)
Richard Lofthouse Butler is the lead singer of the Psychedelic Furs. He is also the founder and vocalist for the disbanded Love Spit Love.-Musical career:...
(of The Psychedelic Furs), and Mick Ronson
Mick Ronson
Michael "Mick" Ronson was an English guitarist, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, arranger and producer. He is best known for his work with David Bowie, as one of The Spiders from Mars...
.
The group then invited Robert Palmer to record vocals for the track "Communication
Communication (Power Station song)
"Communication" was released as the third single from the Power Station's 1985 debut album. It featured "Communication" , "Communication" and "Murderess" as the B-side...
". When he heard that they had recorded demos
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
for "Get It On", he asked to try out vocals on that song as well. Before long, they had decided to record the entire album with Palmer. The group was quickly signed with Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
.
History
On February 16, 1985, the band performed "Some Like It HotSome Like It Hot (song)
"Some Like It Hot" is a song recorded by Power Station. It was the first single released from the group's 1985 eponymous debut album. Released by Parlophone Records in 1985, the song features heavy drum beats from Tony Thompson and vocals from Robert Palmer. It was the band's biggest hit, peaking...
" and "Get It On (Bang A Gong)" on the Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
television show. It was the only time that Robert Palmer performed live with the original line-up. The horn section for Power Station's SNL appearance included saxophonist Lenny Pickett, who would join the show's house band that fall and eventually become the show's musical director.
In March 1985, the band issued the album Power Station, produced by Bernard Edwards
Bernard Edwards
Bernard Edwards born in Greenville, North Carolina, was a bass player and record producer, both as a member of the Funk/Disco band Chic and on his own. He died of pneumonia while touring in Japan.-History:...
with some informal assistance from Nile Rodgers
Nile Rodgers
Nile Gregory Rodgers is an American musician, producer, composer, arranger, and guitarist.-Biography:...
. It reached number 12 in the UK and number 6 on the US album chart.
The album is sometimes referred to as Power Station 33⅓ as the sleeve for the original vinyl record
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
release bore that subtitle, indicating the speed of a record turntable
Phonograph
The phonograph record player, or gramophone is a device introduced in 1877 that has had continued common use for reproducing sound recordings, although when first developed, the phonograph was used to both record and reproduce sounds...
. Later compact disc
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
issues used CD as a subtitle instead. The album's cover graphics and color scheme, which were also used in the videos, were based on sketches by John Taylor.
Three singles were released from the album, two of them major hits. The first, "Some Like It Hot", reached number 14 on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
and number 6 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
. (The music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
featured the transsexual model Caroline Cossey
Caroline Cossey
Caroline "Tula" Cossey is an English model. She is one of the world's most well known transsexual women, having appeared in a James Bond film and been the first to pose for Playboy...
, credited as "Tula".) The second single was "Get It On (Bang A Gong)" and it went to number 22 in the UK and number 9 in the U.S., while competing against the Duran Duran single "A View to a Kill
A View to a Kill (song)
"A View to a Kill" is the thirteenth single by Duran Duran, released in May 1985.It was a stand-alone single, created for the James Bond movie A View to a Kill, and it remains the only James Bond theme song to have reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100; it also made it to #2 for 3 weeks on the UK...
," which was a US number one. A third single, "Communication", was not as successful; it barely reached the Top 40 in the U.S., and disappeared after hitting number 75 in the UK.
The band also released a collection of their three music videos called The Power Station Video EP.
The group's unexpected success led to two incompatible results: the band decided to headline a summer tour in America with Paul Young
Paul Young
Paul Antony Young is an English pop musician. Formerly the frontman of the short-lived bands Kat Kool & The Kool Cats, Streetband and Q-Tips, his following solo success as a solo recording artist turned him into a 1980s teenage pop idol...
, Nik Kershaw
Nik Kershaw
Nik Kershaw is an English singer-songwriter. The one time jazz-funk guitarist was a mid-1980s teen idol. His 50 weeks on the UK Singles Chart in 1984 beat all other soloists...
and Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark are a synthpop group whose founding members are originally from the Wirral Peninsula, England...
. Robert Palmer decided to record a solo album to take advantage of his sudden name recognition. This led to Palmer's departure from the band. (Tony Thompson, Andy Taylor and Bernard Edwards from Power Station contributed to Palmer's very successful 1985 solo album Riptide
Riptide (album)
Riptide is the ninth solo album by the British singer Robert Palmer, released in November 1985. It featured his hit single "Addicted to Love" which reached #1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1986, helped by a memorable music video...
.)
Power Station went on to tour with singer/actor Michael Des Barres
Michael Des Barres
Lord Michael Philip Des Barres is a British actor and rock singer. He is known for playing the recurring role of Murdoc on the television show MacGyver and for replacing the late Robert Palmer in the band Power Station, fronting the band at the 1985 Live Aid concert...
(formerly of Silverhead
Silverhead
Silverhead were a British band, fronted by the singer/actor, Michael Des Barres. The other members of the band were: Robbie Blunt , Rod Rook Davies , Nigel Harrison and Pete Thompson...
, Checquered Past and Detective
Detective (band)
Detective was an American/English rock band that toured and recorded in the late 1970s. Detective consisted of vocalist Michael Des Barres, guitarist Michael Monarch, bassist Bobby Pickett, ex-Yes organist Tony Kaye, and drummer Jon Hyde...
). Des Barres also performed with them at the Live Aid
Live Aid
Live Aid was a dual-venue concert that was held on 13 July 1985. The event was organized by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise funds for relief of the ongoing Ethiopian famine. Billed as the "global jukebox", the event was held simultaneously in Wembley Stadium in London, England, United Kingdom ...
charity concert in Philadelphia that summer.
Des Barres' friendship with actor Don Johnson
Don Johnson
Donnie Wayne "Don" Johnson is an American actor known for his work in television and film. He played the lead role of James "Sonny" Crockett in the 1980s TV cop series, Miami Vice, which led him to huge success. He also played the lead role in the 1990s cop series, Nash Bridges...
led to the band's guest appearance on an episode of the TV drama Miami Vice
Miami Vice
Miami Vice is an American television series produced by Michael Mann for NBC. The series starred Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas as two Metro-Dade Police Department detectives working undercover in Miami. It ran for five seasons on NBC from 1984–1989...
. Similarly, his friendship with producer Joel Silver
Joel Silver
Joel Silver is an American Hollywood film producer, co-creator of the sport of Ultimate, co-founder of Dark Castle Entertainment and owner of Silver Pictures.-Life and career:...
led to Power Station writing a song called "We Fight for Love" for the Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
action film Commando
Commando (film)
Commando is a 1985 American action film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Vernon Wells, Rae Dawn Chong, Alyssa Milano, Bill Duke, Dan Hedaya and James Olson. It was directed by Mark L...
(1985). The track was originally titled "Someday, Somehow, Someone's Gotta Pay." An EP containing the song plus some live songs from their tour was planned for release that same year, but was scrapped by their record company.
The band folded late in 1985, as its members turned to other projects: John Taylor returned to Duran Duran, while Andy Taylor chose to leave Duran Duran in favour of a solo career. Tony Thompson was to take the place of John Bonham
John Bonham
John Henry Bonham was an English musician and songwriter, best known as the drummer of Led Zeppelin. Bonham was esteemed for his speed, power, fast right foot, distinctive sound, and "feel" for the groove...
in a re-formed Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
, but he was nearly killed in a 1986 car accident before that reunion could get off the ground. The reformed Led Zeppelin only played one gig at the Live Aid concert in 1985. Palmer continued his revitalized solo career, while Des Barres released his second solo album in 1986.
Reunion and reissues
The band reunited ten years later with its original members, including Palmer. However, personal issues forced bassist John Taylor to withdraw from the project before the album was complete. Bernard EdwardsBernard Edwards
Bernard Edwards born in Greenville, North Carolina, was a bass player and record producer, both as a member of the Funk/Disco band Chic and on his own. He died of pneumonia while touring in Japan.-History:...
(former Chic
Chic (band)
Chic was an African American disco and R&B band that was organized during 1976 by guitarist Nile Rodgers and bassist Bernard Edwards. It is known best for its commercially successful disco songs, including "Dance, Dance, Dance " , "Everybody Dance" , "Le Freak" , "I Want Your Love" , "Good Times"...
bassist) stepped in and completed the album Living In Fear
Living in Fear
Living in Fear is the second album from the supergroup The Power Station, released in 1996. The band had the same lineup as for their previous album in 1985. However, John Taylor was going through a divorce at the time, as well as entering drug rehab, and pulled out before the album was recorded....
(1996) in his stead, and was prepared to tour with the group, but then died suddenly of pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
during a trip to Japan. The group decided to press on, and toured first with bassist Guy Pratt
Guy Pratt
Guy Pratt is a session bassist and also a songwriter, actor and comedian. He is the son of actor Mike Pratt. In Kensington and Chelsea, London, in 1996, Pratt married Gala Wright, the daughter of Pink Floyd keyboardist Richard Wright...
and then Manny Yanes and second guitarist Luke Morley
Luke Morley
Luke Morley is the lead guitarist and co-songwriter for the rock band The Union. From 1989 to 2009 he was the guitarist, chief songwriter and producer for the hard rock band Thunder...
instead, to moderate success. The group disbanded shortly after.
In 2002, EMI Music issued The Best of The Power Station as part of their Ten Best Series. The final track is a previously unreleased live version of "Dancing in the Street
Dancing in the Street
"Dancing in the Street" is a 1964 song first recorded by Martha and the Vandellas. It is one of Motown's signature songs and is the group's premier signature song.-Martha and the Vandellas original:...
," recorded at the Hartford Civic Center
Hartford Civic Center
The XL Center, formerly known as the Hartford Civic Center, is a multi-purpose arena and convention center located in downtown Hartford, Connecticut, USA. It is owned by the City of Hartford and operated by Anschutz Entertainment Group under contract with the Connecticut Development Authority...
in 1985 and sung by Michael Des Barres.
Both Robert Palmer and Tony Thompson died late in 2003.
EMI released a new version of the album Power Station on February 21, 2005, to commemorate the album's 20th anniversary. The package includes the original eight-song album, seven bonus tracks and a 40-minute eight-chapter DVD. Among the bonus tracks on the album is the track "Someday, Somehow, Someone's Gotta Pay" (from the Commando OST), sung by Michael Des Barres.
Band members
- Andy TaylorAndy Taylor (guitarist)Andy Taylor is an English guitarist, singer, songwriter, and record producer, best known as a member of Duran Duran and The Power Station....
- guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s (1984–1985, 1995–1997) - Tony ThompsonTony ThompsonAnthony T. "Tony" Thompson was a session drummer best known as a member of Chic. He was raised in the middle-class community of Springfield Gardens, in Queens, NY.-Chic:...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
(1984–1985, 1995–1997) - John Taylor - bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(1984–1985, 1995) - Robert Palmer - lead vocals (1984–1985, 1995–1997)
- Michael Des BarresMichael Des BarresLord Michael Philip Des Barres is a British actor and rock singer. He is known for playing the recurring role of Murdoc on the television show MacGyver and for replacing the late Robert Palmer in the band Power Station, fronting the band at the 1985 Live Aid concert...
- lead vocals (1985) - Bernard EdwardsBernard EdwardsBernard Edwards born in Greenville, North Carolina, was a bass player and record producer, both as a member of the Funk/Disco band Chic and on his own. He died of pneumonia while touring in Japan.-History:...
- bass (1995–1996)
Albums
- The Power StationThe Power Station (album)The Power Station is the debut album by The Power Station. It was released in 1985 on EMI. The album peaked at no. 6 on U.S. Billboard 200 and no. 12 on the UK Albums Chart. All three singles released from the album were Top 40 hits in the United States...
(1985) USBillboard 200The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
#6; UKUK Albums ChartThe UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
#12 - Living In FearLiving in FearLiving in Fear is the second album from the supergroup The Power Station, released in 1996. The band had the same lineup as for their previous album in 1985. However, John Taylor was going through a divorce at the time, as well as entering drug rehab, and pulled out before the album was recorded....
(1996) - Best OfBest Of: Ten Best Series (The Power Station album)Best Of: Ten Best Series was the first compilation album by The Power Station and was released in 2003.-Track listing:All songs written by Robert Palmer, Andy Taylor and John Taylor; except where noted.#"Some Like it Hot" - 5:07#"Murderess" - 4:19...
(2003) - The Power Station: 20th Anniversary Edition (2005)
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Album | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
US Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
US Main |
US Dance |
||||||
| 1985 | "Some Like It Hot Some Like It Hot (song) "Some Like It Hot" is a song recorded by Power Station. It was the first single released from the group's 1985 eponymous debut album. Released by Parlophone Records in 1985, the song features heavy drum beats from Tony Thompson and vocals from Robert Palmer. It was the band's biggest hit, peaking... " |
14 | 6 | 34 | 17 | The Power Station | |||
| "Get It On (Bang A Gong)" | 22 | 9 | 19 | — | |||||
| "Communication Communication (Power Station song) "Communication" was released as the third single from the Power Station's 1985 debut album. It featured "Communication" , "Communication" and "Murderess" as the B-side... " |
75 | 34 | — | — | |||||
| 1996 | "She Can Rock It She Can Rock It "She Can Rock It" is a song by the Power Station, released as their only single from their 1996 album Living in Fear. It was their fourth and final single. It featured "Power Trippin'" as its B-side, a rock-funk song written by the band for the U.S. version of the album, and also "Charanga" written... " |
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| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | |||||||||