'Rock Ain't Dead'
Re-released CD
inner sleave notes
written by Dave Ling of Classic Rock magazine
Heavy Pettin' had
invested considerable groundwork before the release of
their debut album, 'Lettin' Loose', in the autumn of 1983. Vocalist
Stevie
'Hamie' Hayman, guitarist Gordon Bonnar and Punky Mendoza, bassist Brian
Waugh and drummer Gary Moat had tasted success with independent single
'Love Xs Love (released through Neat Records) and a grueling gig
itinerary
delivered the Scotish band a prized contract with Polydor Records.
Legendary guitarist Brian May had also agreed to occupy the producer's
chair
for 'Lettin' Loose', along with trusty partner Mack.
"I got really excited about their demos," Brian later explained to
Sounds writer Mark Putterford. "The band are very much full of life and
vital
-ity. They know when to play, and they know when to get drunk, go out
and do
silly things - but they can come up with the goods at the right time."
Reviews of 'Lettin' Loose were glowing, Putterford suggesting that what
they'd created was "better than anything Def Leppard have produced so
far"
(including 'Pyromania!), while Kerrang!'s Neil Jeffries was only
slightly more
cautious, making the same Leppard comparision but declaring: "Heavy
Pettin'
could well become the new stars of the 1980s."
The band had already had played 1983's Reading Festival, on a bill
topped by the
Ian Gillan-fronted version of Black Sabbath, and UK tours with Kiss and
Ozzy
Osbourne were ahead of them. They couldn't go wrong, could they? COULD
THEY?!
Unfortunately, they'd figured without a strategically placed banana
skin - namely the US market. Like many groups before and since, Heavy
Pettin' had been signed with an eye on America. Unfortunately, just like
Tobruk, Lionheart, Airrace and the rest of the British melodic hard rock
rivals, it took ages to get within touching distance of Uncle Sam - if
any of the
others (all of whom were signed to major labels) even got there at all.
And when Pettin' did set foot on US soil, numerous problems materialised.
The video for 'In And Out Of Love' had achieved medium rotation on MTV -
i.e.
being played around three time each day - but ground had been lost due
to
PolyGram's insistence upon and album re-mix and changes in both title
and
sleeve artwork (it was actually called 'Heavy Pettin" Stateside).
"Polygram's pet act at the time was Bon Jovi, and Pettin' became
something of a head sore for the company." explains Mendoza now. "We'd
toured Motley Crue and made some noise, but nowhere near the boom
they expected. In some ways, America was an eye-opener for us, in others
it
began our rapid decline from nothingness to less than nothingness."
The group put on a brave public face, but during an interview with
Mike Vergane, and American writer for the UK publication Metal Forces,
their
frustration was hard to hide.
"What's the push like from Polydor?" mused Hamie through gritted
teeth. "At the moment it's just so-so, but the promise from them is that
it will
get better and better."
Bigger careers than that of Heavy Pettin' have foundered upon
smaller acorns, but a gap of two years was to seperate 'Lettin" Loose'
and the
group's second album, 'Rock Ain't Dead'. Before, the group returned to
the
studio they stage a free concert at London's Astoria - filmed for video
and
later released as the Mike Mansfield-directed 'Heart Attack Live' - in
July of
1984, and Hamie, Gordon, Brian and Punky then took part in a Band
Aid-style
benefit single for those who died in a riot at the European Cup Final
between
Liverpool and Juventus.
Brian May's name wasn't in the new album's credit. When later
asked wether he'd enjoyed producing the debut, he replied slightly more
candidly: "50/50, at best. They were a fine band but the experience of
deal-
ing with managers and record companies was quite harrowing."
In response, Hamie criticised the sound of 'Lettin Loose', commenting:
"We
never even considered it could turn out as bad as it did - there was no
bass
and even bass drums missing on some songs. Can you believe that?"
The band originally wanted to work instead with Mike Stone , but he
was busy with Asia. Ratt's producer Beau Hill, who they'd met in the US
whilst
opening for the rockin' rodents, was another choice that fell flat.
Lance Quinn
of Bon Jovi/Lita Ford fame then entered the picture, but the night befor
Pettin' were due to fly out to Philadelphia, the record company decided
to
bring forward the start date for Jon and comany's second album '7800
Fahrenheit'. Then Mike Stone fell out with Asia and re-expressed his
interest,
only to hug and make up with John Wetton and company.
The job finally went to Mark Dearnly, who'd worked with both
AC/DC and Krokus (and overseen the US remix of 'Lettin' Loose'). Mixing
dudites handled by Jim Steinman's associate producer John Jansen.
On top of all this, Hamie had been experiencing vocal problems, with
the external pressure of paternity suit a possible cause. He later
explained:
My Voice would simply cut out. It's a [mental] thing, similar to what
joe
Elliott [of Def Leppard] experienced while recording 'Pyromania'. Before
you
start the take, you just know you're not gonna do it."
One visit to Harley Street doctor later, Hamie was given the all-clear.
Heavy
Pettin' were back in business.
"If you love pure rock 'n' roll, and if you love to see a band progress,
then you can't help but fall in love with Heavy Pettin'," purred
Kerrang! upon
the album's eventual release in the summer of 1985.
Its standout track was first single 'Sole Survivor', but Kerrang! also
poured specific prasie on the songs 'Rock Ain't Dead' ("a wave your knob
about anthem"), 'Throw A Party', 'Dreamtime' and 'China Boy' ("Pettin's
most
sophisticated song to date").
Despite all the hassles, Heavy Pettin' still seemed confident to the
point of cockiness. "There was so much hype when we first got signed
that
people expected too much too soon," theorized Hamie. " We are gonna be
huge, I'm convinced of it. This album is gonna sell well , but the third
one'll
really bust this thing wide open."
Polydor's lack of support suggested differently. In an utterly bizarre
move, Heavy Pettin' entered their song ' Romeo' to the Eurovision Song
Contest in 1987, even appearing on mainstream TV shows like Wogan to
per-
form it. When 'Romeo' lost out to Rikki's 'Only The Light' (which fared
dismally
in the final televised contest), the company axed plans for an already
record-
ed third album.
It was a hammer blow, especially given the third record's quality.
'The Big Bang' surfaced through independent comapny FM Revolver in
November 1989, track like 'Born To Burn', 'This Is America' and 'Don't
Call It
Love' surprising those who considered the group to be washed up. By that
time, Heavy Pettin' had already played a farewell gig in East Kilbride
in ' 88.
Punky Mendoza and Waugh's departures had instigated the split, the
former
assembling Wild, and being briefly replaced in Pettin' by future
Gun'Bruce
Dickenson/Robbie Williams guitarist Alen Dickson.
In 1996, Hamie released an album called 'Saints And Sinners' with
his new group Chyld. Punky reveals that a reunion is extremely
unlikelymquip-
ping: " We've all grown out of spandex pants. I'm in Glasgow teaching
English, reading Charles Bukowski, watching Cheech And Chong, jamming
with my son Adam, and learning new positions with my wife Anne.
Unfortuately - perhaps fortunately - I lost contact with the others, but
Brian
became involved in art. Hamie now lives in America. Gary, I believe, is
a fam-
ily man somewhere in England. Gordon is Gary's neighbour and works for a
well-known car manufacturer."
Punky still treasures his Pettin' memories. He says: "Meeting Gene
Simmons and Paul Stanley.. wow! Opening for that band was like adding
the
ultimate piece of memorabilla to my Kiss colllection."
Dave Ling
Classic Rock magazine
London, 11th August 2003
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