Anthology

by Starz

Overview

To some, Starz were Kiss' "little brother band," due to the fact that -- like the masked quartet -- Starz debuted in the 1970s, were managed by Bill Aucoin, hailed from the East Coast, and specialized in hook-heavy arena rock (heck, both acts even toured together). And to a certain degree, this is true. But upon hearing the 2000 compilation Brightest Starz: Anthology, Starz really were their own band -- capable of penning quite a few ditties that really should have stormed the charts (especially when they sporadically took a bit of a power pop detour). Highlights from all four Starz studio albums are here, and for admirers of smartly penned mainstream rock, the power pop nugget "Cherry Baby" and the mid-paced "Sing It Shout It" (both of which coulda/shoulda been mega-hits) surely won't disappoint. And like Cheap Trick early on, Starz manage to throw a few curve balls when it comes to subject matter in their tunes, straying from the expected "party rock" topics -- cases in point being "Pull the Plug" (which appears to be about "pulling the plug" on a lover on her deathbed) and "Subway Terror" (which details the risks of riding the subway, indeed no safe haven circa the '70s in N.Y.C.). Start with a tablespoon of Kiss, stir in a teaspoon of Cheap Trick, and add a dash of Aerosmith, and you get Starz, and Brightest Starz: Anthology is a fine intro to this often overlooked band. ~ Greg Prato

Product Details

Release Date:	10/03/2000
Label:	Renaissance Records
UPC:	0630428014626
Rank:	28361

Tracks

1. (She's Just A) Fallen Angel
2. Boys in Action
3. Detroit Girls
4. Live Wire
5. Pull the Plug
6. Cherry Baby
7. All Night Long
8. Rock Six Times
9. Sing It, Shout It
10. Subway Terror
11. Violation
12. X-Ray Spex
13. Waitin' on You
14. Hold on to the Night
15. She
16. (Any Way That You Want) I'll Be There
17. So Young, So Bad
18. Coliseum Rock

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Starz   Primary Artist
Michael Lee Smith   Vocals
Pieter Sweval   Guitar (Bass)
Orville Davis   Guitar (Bass),Bass
Bobby Messano   Guitar
Doug Madick   Drums
Brendan Harkin   Guitar,Vocals
Richie Ranno   Guitar,Vocals

Technical Credits

Jack Richardson   Audio Production,Producer
Jack Douglas   Audio Production,Producer
Starz   Audio Production,Composer,Producer
Joe X. Dube   Composer
Michael Lee Smith   Composer
Sean Delaney   Composer
Pieter Sweval   Composer
Brendan Harkin   Composer
Richie Ranno   Composer
Delaney   Composer
Piet Sweval   Composer
Larry Gonsky   Composer
Prentice John Delaney Ii   Composer
Jeffrey Warren Grob   Composer
Richard Ranno   Composer