| CD REVIEW Highway Chile |
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Band : Highway Chile During the first part of the '80s Highway Chile was one of the most important exponents of the Dutch Heavy Rock scene. Formed in 1981, the band comprised singer Armand Van Sigchel, guitarists Ben Blaauw and Martin Mens, bassist Ernest Thimister, and drummer Ernst Van Ee. Quite soon, the guys tapped into the live circuit, gigging at such a feverish pace (which significantly picked up after Blaauw won a Ted Nugent guitar in a Dutch guitar talent contest) that Mens and Thimister were forced to leave. In their stead (respectively) came Peter Barnauw and Ricky Finck, and it's in that line-up that the band records their debut full-length Storybook Heroes, released in 1983. Barnauw was soon replaced by Ronald Bakker, and that same year saw the release of the 4-track 12-inch EP Fever on the Lark imprint (they also re-issued the debut album in a remixed version with the title track of the EP as a bonus track). Having an album under their belt meant the band was allowed to step up some sports of the corporate music business ladder, and thus the fivesome got to play supports for the likes of Whitesnake, Motörhead, Accept, Michael Schenker, Y & T, and Def Leppard when those acts came a-playing in their country. During the recordings of the band's second full-length tension within the band resulted in the departure of Blaauw and Van Ee, who promptly started Helloise (a band which was even slightly more successful than the one they had left thanks to the release of 1986 album Cosmogeny and 1987's Polarity, both released by WEA after winning a band contest – following the "commercial failure" of the second album, a desillusioned Van Ee left Helloise, who would continue, recording demos with a drum machine. Blaauw then set out on a solo project, which would lead to his departure from Helloise. In 2000 Van Ee would release the solo album Powerplay.Oneyearlater Helloise re-emerged as a trio of Blaauw, Van Ee, and singer Stan Verbraak, issuing the Fata Morgana album with guest contributors). With their replacements (former Seducer drummer Jan Koster and guitarist Erik Karreman) Highway Chile would record the 1984 12-inch EP For The Wild And Lonely, which already had a slightly more commercial direction. In spite of positive sales results, Van Stigchel decamped for the US, where he founded Mohawk. The band's second full-length Rockerama would be released in 1985, featuring former Marseille singer Sav Pearce as well as guitarist Eric John (and to be truthful, I've never understood whom he replaced, as no info was available on the LP, nor have I since found an info source putting my mind at ease about stuff). With fading popularity, Highway Chile continued to exist until 1990, enrolling guitarist Greg Reiter (a veteran of British Thrash act Avenger as well as US bands Metalwolf and Psychopath) for the recordings of the High Noon album. After just one gig with the Dutch band, Reiter quit and Highway Chile threw in the towel! Over the years, Van Ee and original guitarist Martin Mens had never lost touch with each other...and both had frequently been asked by music fans whether they planned to ever do anything with Highway Chile again. Eventually the two got together in early 2002 to talk it over, then picked up the phone and called around to see if there was enough interest from concert promotors for them to be able to book a full Dutch tour. That was, indeed, the case. Additional members were easy enough to find (just to keep the record straight, Ben Blaauw was asked to join, but declined), as both guitarist Attila Szabo and bassist Edwin Den Haag were playing in Blind Justice, one of Van Ee's then current side-projects. As frontman, Van Ee thought of Robert Soeterboek, the same singer who'd already guested on his solo album, had sang with the Ayreon project, and played with Wicked Sensation. So, the guys went out on the road (with a set concentrating on the songs from the beginning days when Mens was still an active writer in the band...and on the heavier part of their repertoire), and recorded the On The Road Again Live! (released on an independent basis later that same year) album as a document (interesting about this live recording is that, with "Hard Life", it contains a song originally recorded by Helloise. Additionally there's also the previously unrecorded "Rock & Roll Blitzkrieg", originally penned to appear on the band's second album but dropped when Blaauw and Van Ee left the equasion). After the release, the band simply continued (even started working on new material), occasionally replacing Soeterbroek with Helloise singer Stan Verbraak (due to the first one's other obligations). In 2003 that occasional aspect became permanent, the band at the same time replacing Szabo by Geert Nijboer (also of Helloise). As time passed by, fans were pushing the band to start recording an album of new material (nostalgia is a very nice thing to be immerced in at concerts, but at the end of the day the true music lover wants to be able to enjoy music from his cosy chair as well, you know), so eventually the guys entered the Excess Studios to record the 12 songs (plus intro) that were to make up their new album! Stylistically, the music displayed on the album is completely in the vein of the band's debut album. I mean, the guys even re-recorded that album's ballad "Endless Trails" (which was also the first single culled from it at the time) as well as their classic "Headbangers" (this time they left out that weird "poing" drum sound at the closing of each verse). Were the guys missing inspiration to create enough new songs of their own? Fact is that they also bring a version of Rainbow's classic "Long Live Rock And Roll" on this album, and that the album intro was written/ executed by one Cees Kieboom (pianist, keyboard player and music arranger with some repute in Holland; was part of Pop act Cloudmachine in their beginning days, with them he only recorded a 2-track 2002 promo single, one of the songs was put on a compilation; among his other credits: string & choir arrangements plus additional keyboards on 2001 After Forever album Decipher, again contributed to the band's 2006 album Mea Culpa). Additional keyboards (on "Endless Trails", for instance) were done by Martin. Other guests on the album are former Highway Chile members Ben Blaauw (who consented tp play a solo on the reprise of "Headbangers", after all a song by his pen!) and PeterBarnauw (did a solo on the Rainbow cover). Of course, what with modern recording techniques, the re-recorded tracks now sound much better than on the original vinyl releases (I'm not certain, but I don't think any of the old Highway Chile material ever made it onto CD), but overall one could say that the band's sound is quite the same as back when. Check it out for yourself by hooking into myspace.com/highwaychileofficial where you'll find 4 older tracks alongside two off the new album. How does one rate a such album, being a fan of the beginning days? Does one let one's nostalgia take over and go over-the-top? Or does one try to be more objective, keeping in mind current day youth's tastes in music? Personally, I try to do both, as I also wanna keep in mind the old fans who were at the basis of this classic Dutch band's resurrection, after all! Bloody hell...before I forget: HC replaced their bass player for Marchell Remeeus (funnily enough, also a former Helloise member) earlier in 2008! 87/100 Tony. |