Autograph was a Heavy Metal/Hair Metal band that for me, were cool to rock out to back in the ’80’s. Their hit song “Turn Up The Radio” (released on “Sign In Please” in 1984), is one of those reasons why I will stop by itunes on a very rare occasion. (I have not dived in head first to itunes just yet, I am an Old School Metalhead that still digs the album, CD, cassette and the irreplaceable – liner notes). With that out of my system, I did purchase the single “Turn Up The Radio” off of itunes back over the Winter of 2009. (I have not replaced my cassette version of the album “Sign In Please” by Autograph with a CD version… even after all these (gulp), decades. However, itunes does have it’s cool worthiness where you can just buy a single song that comes to your mind… this Autograph tune came to my mind one last Winters day, I just could not get it out of my head. (Hey, that last phrase is an Electric Light Orchestra song). I am aware that itunes may not have every single Heavy Metal song ever recorded, yet itunes delivered “Turn Up The Radio” for me and I am turning that classic Autograph song up loud – and proud.
The intro to this song is for me, psyche you out and psyche you up city. The drum beat, the bass, the synthesizer kicking in, the guitar riff, all of it happening like Heavy Metal dominoes during that outstanding intro. “Day in day out, all we know, things go better with Rock” is a classic Heavy Metal anthem, lyrically cool. I sometimes wonder to myself, if this song was to come out today, brand new, in 2009, would the title of this song be – “Turn Up The ipod”?, or maybe – “Turn Up The mp3”? It is a humorous thought at that. Seriously, when this song is turned up loud and I mean loud, it really kicks some serious rump roast. When I play this song loud while driving my car, cleaning the house or playing air drums, man, I feel like nothing can stop me. Nothing.
I saw Autograph live – as an opening act for Heart back in 1985. Heart was out promoting their “Heart” album, while Autograph was truly an up and coming Heavy Metal band promoting “Sign In Please”. Heart was super excellent live, however, Autograph was without a doubt, a quality, loud, pumped up, Heavy Metal opening band. I remember like it was yesterday… the practically sold out crowd at the Hartford Civic Center, (located in expensive Connecticut), was universally thrilled by Autograph. That is from my very own sensory perception, of how it all unfolded before my eyes. In my Metal opinion, when Autograph played “Turn Up The Radio”, that night at the Hartford Civic Center, for me, it was a show stopper.
The band line-up for Autograph, on “Sign In Please” was: Steve Plunkett on lead vocals & rhythm guitar, Steve Lynch on lead guitar, Randy Rand on bass guitar & backing vocals, Steven Isham on keyboards & backing vocals and Keni Richards on drums.
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