86 PROOF – The lone album from Sacramento, California’s 86 PROOF is Long Hard Rocker. This terrific album was released back in 1994 and is not very easy to find as a CD. I’m certain it was never released on vinyl. Best Metal Buddy Scott Coverdale did find this CD and turned me onto this one-hit-wonder of a Heavy Rock band, therefore…
86 PROOF – Long Hard Rocker Is Stone’s METAL Pick Of The Day!
One can easily classify 86 PROOF as having a Hair Metal sound, while others can call 86 PROOF a Heavy Metal or straight-up Hard Rock band. Regardless, the overall style of this band screams late 80’s, regardless of its 1994 release year. I find it rather interesting, that many new Heavy Metal bands tried very hard to (still) break into the Grunge and Post Grunge era of the 90’s; 86 PROOF is proof of this, (no pun intended).
The opening track, It’s All Mine, has the strong resemblance of MASS meets Killer Dwarfs, while 86 PROOF collectively sounds very much like Mötley Crüe, (Too Fast For Love era), on the track Climb On Top and throughout this album. Venice Straights is an electric guitar instrumental that lasts 1:07 and is a cool listen; only it would have been more fitting for it to appear as the opening or closing track on this album. Go figure. The title track, Long Hard Rocker, is a guitar driven bonus and my favorite song on this album.
There honestly is not a whole lot of information to find, on the internet, about 86 PROOF. Seriously. It’s a shame. I was able to find the album cover (top of post) and a band photo (below):
Any die-hard will surely realize that the lead singer sounds very, very much like Mötley Crüe’s Vince Neil. The production is raw enough for me to fall in love with, proving to me that this band was not trying to sugar coat themselves into the mainstream; that’s always a plus for my ears. I know this may sound cliché, still, if this 86 PROOF album was released between 1984 and 1989, a follow-up or 2 probably would have been likely.
86 PROOF will forever be a small part of Heavy Rock history, there is no doubt. I would have liked to have seen them live; maybe opening for Cinderella or Slaughter? At least this album is for sale on Amazon.com in a digital download format. There currently is a used copy of Long Hard Rocker for sale on ebay; its buy it now price is $29.99 (U.S.). I’ll also add the condition of this used copy on ebay is like new, with the photo of its liner notes and CD supporting that claim.
Long Hard Rocker – Track Listing:
01 – It’s All Mine
02 – Climb On Top
03 – Venice Straights
04 – No Time
05 – Bet ‘Em Big
06 – Runnin’ Away
07 – Long Hard Rocker
08 – The Next Round
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LONG LIVE THE LEGACY OF 86 PROOF.
Stone.
There are those select few bands, select few albums throughout my life that I have listened to, that I can say – resonates with me. Drivin N Cryin is one of those bands and their 1993 album – Smoke
There is no hiding from the fact that I uphold Metal Music and I am a Metalhead, with that said, I also uphold quality Rock and Hard Rock Music as well. Drivin N Cryin enables me to embrace their songs through their vivid musicianship and clarity of their lyrics. With Smoke, there are no illusions going on, no flamboyant and over the ropes attitudes to be heard, just straight -up Rock Music that hits home for me. The first three songs, Back Against The Wall, She Doesn’t Wanna Go and Smoke on Smoke are a 1-2-3 Hard Rock can of whoop ass. 1000 Swings and 1988 are by far cool Rockers as well. Whiskey Soul Woman is just one incredible Rock song to cruise to, it has a Classic Rock vibe swirling all around. When You Come Back is a laid back, Blues Rockin’ song that shows just how diverse Drivin N Cryin can be with Rock. Patron Lady Beautiful can be justified as an epic Rock song for Drivin N Cryin, at 7:36 it plays out with the Rock mellowness that I need to hear every so often and takes it’s twists and turns with Hard Rock heaviness – in real Classic Rock style. What’s The Difference 
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