Wild Boyz – Unleashed
As is the norm around here, we’re gonna take another trip down memory lane and talk about another band that made their living on the Sunset Strip for a short time – the Wild Boyz and their disc “Unleashed”! This disc was released in 1991 courtesy of Polaris Records. I can’t tell you where I first heard the band, probably a compilation or an ad in a magazine. What I can tell you is this is the most expensive cd in my collection – before you could steal everything with a few clicks you had to buy the cd’s you wanted and this is one I wanted with a fiery passion. I think I paid 90$ for it around the time eBay was first getting started. Over the years I’ve made several copies of it so as to not damage the cd, because it was expensive as hell! I was just looking around the net and I don’t think it’s fetching but about 10$ now, not sure what’s up with that – bastards! Sadly, there isn’t a vinyl press of the album, which I’d really like to see but I strongly doubt it’ll ever happen because the band wasn’t wildly popular and still isn’t even among the Glam/Sleaze fans.
Are the Wild Boyz any different from any of the other bands I talk about, not really; but there’s always something that sets each band a part even if the differences are subtle. This band was full on Bubbleglam with bits of sleaze tossed in for substance, they were not heavy, not even close. I’ve read reviews where the band is compared to Pretty Boy Floyd and Poison, but I don’t really hear that – the sound is more polished/direct and the feel is a bit more Southern flavored. The vocals are sang through the nose in a falsetto fashion backed by a Southern accent that could only come from Alabama or Mississippi. As is the case with most of these kinds of bands the lyrics are pretty sleazy and a bit on the cheesy side, but that’s the fun part of this stuff right? That’s my story anyway…. The song structures/melodies & hooks heard on this disc are well written and dare I say addictive – I’ll sing every song in my head incessantly for the next month. If forced I’d say every song sings like a cheer from a High School Cheerleading squad.
“I’m on my way”, “I don’t wanna cry no more” and “Pleasure ‘N’ Pain are prime examples of this – hooky as hell and chock full of cheese. Now for the ballad, I’d say it’s the best song off the album – “Forever”. The track is loaded with cymbal swells/keyboards which create a great ambience and build up to the chorus which is done quite well – excellent background vocals/arrangement. Lyrically, this is where it’s at for the album too and maybe that’s why it’s my favorite track – it’s heartfelt and serious; after all the cheese/cheers and goofs, it’s nice to hear some sincerity. Vocally, this is the best performance on the album too – tons of emotion, I really believe the story the band’s selling here.
Musically, nothing about “Unleashed” really jumps out and maybe that’s another reason the album went nowhere – very few lead breaks, more like lead fills. Back in the day I’d actually forward or pick the needle until I found the lead break, because if you didn’t have sick ass leads you weren’t cool. I’m sure all the high powered record execs heard the same thing and passed on the band, relegating them to Sunset Strip Infamy. Nowadays the bands that didn’t make it are the most sought out because we’re all trying to find something new that we haven’t heard or make that long lost connection with our youth with a “new to us” band. If you fit that mold, check out the Wild Boyz, despite the few draw backs mentioned, this is an incredible album that every Glam fan should have in their collection. Click the link and get cheesed!!!!!!!
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