Shark Frenzy - Shark Frenzy
Sanctuary Records

file under hardrock / aor

Ferdi: Before guitarist Richie Sambora joined rocker Jon Bon Jovi in 1983 he jammed with a number of bands in the New Jersey region. One of those bands was Shark Frenzy, a group fronted by one Bruce Foster (vocals, guitars, keyboards). A jamsession in a bar led to an invitation top join the band permanently. It brought the then 18 year old Sambora to even more bands and, even more important, to the recordingstudio for the very first time.

The recordings he made with Shark Frenzy were recently dug up and restored by Bruce Foster and are now released by Sanctuary Records. The result is an album which is not only essential to all Bon Jovi-fans but also potentially interesting to all fans of melodic rock. Shark Frenzy made good old seventies hardrock in the vein of Meat Loaf (Jim Steinman) and Aerosmith. Melodic sounds aplenty here, with a large nod towards the blues. Despite their age, songs like ‘Come Saturday Night’, ‘The One With Angel Eyes’ and ‘Southern Belle’ (with Sambora on vocals) still stand up today as great songs – one of the main characteristics of a great song.

The two guitarists went separate ways after the break-up of Shark Frenzy. Sambora went on to join Bon Jovi and sold over a hundred million albums. Bruce Foster started a career as a sessionmusician, lending his keyboard-sounds to the likes of Guns ‘n’ Roses, Kiss and Status Quo. He would, however, reunite with his old guitarist a number of times. One time he co-wrote the song ‘One Light Burnin’ for Sambora’s 1991 solo-debut ‘Stranger In This Time’. The other time was when the duo penned the song ‘Trail Of Broken Hearts’ for Sambora former girlfriend, popdfiva Cher.

Rating: 85/100 (details)

http://www.brucefoster.com