I remember hearing "Impressed" (written by Steve Krikorian, also known as Tonio K.) on the radio and thinking it was okay, but it didn't inspire me to run out and lay out my cash. I mean, I was buying a lot of stuff, but it's all relative. What you think is a lot, and what I think is a lot, aren't necessarily in the same ball park.
We also didn't have MTV, we had Much Music, and while close, weren't the same. Although they both actually played videos all day long back then. Still, I don't remember seeing the video for " Beat's So Lonely" and watching it now it really should have taken off. This is a good song. The album was produced by Keith Forsey, who incidentally produced Billy Idol's Rebel Yell. Young Charlie was like Billy Idol and Steve Stevens rolled into one person with great hair and high cheek bones, how could he miss?
The album itself is pretty decent, and leans heavily on the new wave side of things. Despite the ever present guitar and other musicians the drums are programmed - people were seriously asking if real instruments were going to be a thing of the past.
Charlie had the looks and the talent, but the songs while decent were just sort of like a lot of what was already out there. Now, this isn't to be dick, there are some really good songs on the album, and as I write this the closing track "Space" is just getting to the guitar solo, and it kills. Given the competition out there at the time it just wasn't enough to put him over the top.
Timing as they say is everything. Of course it's hardly fair for me to sit here decades later and pass judgment or pretend to have great insight into what was or might have been. I'm just a guy sitting in my basement cranking plastic for pleasure.
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