GREG GOLDEN BAND (feat. Tesla’s Frank Hannon & Trixter’s Steve Brown) – Storyteller [digipak +2] (2020)

Produced and co-written by Tesla’s Frank Hannon (who also play on the recording), “Storyteller” is is the new album from GREG GOLDEN BAND. Mixing US bluesy hard rock and classic rock melodies from the Seventies and Eighties, the Greg Golden Band rocks with that rare vintage vibe that seems lost in most current retro-rock revival acts.
Trixter’s Steve Brown also appears as guest, but switching from guitar to drums here. And we have a rollicking version of Rainbow’s ‘Man On The Silver Mountain’ as bonus too.

At one point in our collective musical history, L.A.’s Sunset Strip reigned supreme as the heart of rock. In the early ’80s, the heavy-hitting guitars and stage theatrics of arena rock icons like Kiss, Alice Cooper and Van Halen were influencing a new brand of rock and roll in L.A.’s nightclubs, built upon big catchy guitar riffs, shredding solos and the hedonistic pursuit of all of rock and roll’s pleasures.
At the intersection between late ’70s arena rock and 80s US hard rock is where Greg Golden Band’s “Storyteller” album lies.

Greg Golden learned to play the guitar by ear and has been playing and touring in bands since the 70’s. In 1974, touring took a back seat to opening Bizarre Guitars and Guns in Reno, where Golden has been an avid collector and seller of guitars ever since.
But he never lost the love for playing guitar and formed the Greg Golden Band.

Greg teamed up with long time friend (and his shop’s customer) Frank Hannon to write songs and the Tesla musician also agreed to produce the band’s music, and play on it as well.
Opener ‘The Craziest Show on Earth’ is a anthem ready to be played at big arenas. It is everything that the Greg Golden Band signifies; big guitars, soaring vocals and power drumming.

The Sweet / Stuart Smith et all talented vocalist Joe Retta (also co-producer) has authoritative bluesy pipes with a clean hard rock edge, quite 80s influenced in his phrasing. He’s like a mix of Keith St. John, Moon Calhoun, David Coverdale and Paul Rodgers. He soars on the killer ‘Don’t Give up on Me’, while Golden lays down a super heavy bluesy riff.

Title track ‘Storyteller’ is a monster melodic bluesy midtempo with a lot of Whitesnake circa 1984 on it, but also Tesla’s type-melody on the chorus.
If you need a fun rocker full of swing then play ‘Holding on to Today’, on ‘Strega’ we find a heavier attack, while ‘I Wonder’ is a captivating strong ballad adding acoustics to the mix, plus lots of harmony vocals.

‘Old School’ is a really fun heavy rocker that will elicit plenty of sing-a-longs. Frank Hannon guests on vocals and Golden’s guitar scorches across the frets in this ode to fist-pumping rock. The album is certainly big on guitars and Golden shines when in the spotlight.
Vocalist Randy Scoles performs on the kickin’ version of ‘Man On The Silver Mountain’, of course plenty of guitar riffs and solos.

“Storyteller” definitely is a really welcomed surprise. Golden can definitely flex his guitar muscle and packs the songs with plenty of beefy guitar playing, and you can hear Hannon’s hand into the strong songwriting / arrangements.This record is perfect for those who want to put on their old ’80s T-shirt and peel into the desert in a black Trans-Am, equipped with a 12-pack and an afternoon to kill.
The album is sub-titled ‘Vol 1’, so seems there’s a Vol 2 coming up. Can’t wait.
HIGHLY Recommended

01 – The Craziest Show on Earth
02 – Don’t Give up on Me
03 – Storyteller
04 – Holding on to Today
05 – Strega
06 – I Wonder
07 – Crescent Hill
BONUS TRACKS:
08 – Old School [feat. Frank Hannon]
09 – Man on the Silver Mountain [Rainbow cover]

Greg Golden – Lead Guitar
Joe Retta (The Sweet, Stuart Smith) – Lead Vocals, Keyboards
Jeff Montgomery – Guitars, Vocals
David Strelz – Bass
Boris Tavcar – Drums
Randy Scoles – Vocals on 9
Special Guests:
Frank Hannon (Tesla) – Guitar, Vocals, Keyboards, Production
Steve Brown (Trixter) – Drums

BUY IT
www.amazon.com/Storyteller-Vol-Greg-Golden-Band/dp/B08924H929