Nick Gilder - Nick Gilder

Released in '85 this was an album that marked the end of Nick's initial run. Between 1977 and 1981 he dropped an album a year and was signed with Chrysalis and then Casablanca Records before taking a four year break and resurfacing with this self titled effort on RCA. Gone was his longtime writing partner and guitarist James McCulloch. All that remained was his bass player Eric Nelson who was still holding down the bottom end. Nick did pull together some stellar musicians, from Mr. Mister's Pat Mastelotto on drums, to Mitchell Fromm on keyboards. The two guitar players, Jeff Silverman and Steve (Psycho) Sykes are pretty solid and there are some tasty licks to be heard.

I remember CFOX playing a track from this album ... once, and my memory is really fuzzy on this. I keep confusing a memory of them playing Giuffria's "Call To The Heart" with whatever song they played by Nick Gilder. The common thread is both songs sounded like they were sung by Steve Perry. I always sort of figured I remember it when I heard it.

I was wrong. Although I suspect it was "Scream of Angels" but who knows, it was probably "Let Me In." I only heard it once, and that was almost forty years ago now ... regardless those are two strong songs.

So what does this have to do with Nick Gilder's Nick Gilder? Well, a lot actually. The album is a wonderfully realized middle of the road rock effort with journeyman rock songs, decent musicianship and more than a passing wink and a nod to the vocal stylings of one Mr. Steve Perry. Now before you write this off as a rather long diss of Mister Gilder's album, don't be too hasty.

Nick Gilder started as a glam guy, and his impossibly high vocals and girlish squeaks was sort of his thing. Now, there was a full throated singer in there who would emerge now and then. His huge rock voice on "You Really Rock Me" is a great example. Maybe an album without any of Nick's previous hallmarks was too much and people weren't willing to accept this new Nick Gilder sound.

Which was a shame. This was '85 and Mister Gilder's Sweeney Todd replacement Bryan Adams, who was night and day from his early glam incarnation, was at the top of his game, and rock with a little spit and polish was a sweet spot for radio play. While I wonder what kind of alchemy would have resulted if James McCulloch and Nick had written the songs I have to admit that this was a far better collection of songs than I expected and I wasn't expecting anything at all. 

I love it when my expectations are exceeded.

It really is too bad that this one didn't give Nick a boost. I suspect people just wanted him to stay in his lane and sing "Hot Child in the City" in a local mall. 

While this isn't a lost classic it is certainly an album that deserves a better fate, and like the rest of Mr. Gilder's back catalogue it's out of print, out of sight and if you want to hear it you're out of luck unless you can find an old vinyl copy.

If his past albums continue to be forgotten all he will be remembered for is "Hot Child in the City" and of course, "Roxy Roller" but there's so much more to Mister Gilder's resume and no one will hear it.