MICHAEL WHITE – Michael White [Rock Candy remastered]

As requested, here’s the Rock Candy Records has ‘Remastered & Reloaded‘ reissue of MICHAEL WHITE self-titled effort from 1987, for years impossible to find on any format and now available on CD for the first time.
American born MICHAEL WHITE started his career at the end of the Seventies as member of underground L.A. bands such as ‘The Boys’ (alongside pre-DOKKEN George Lynch and Mick Brown), ‘L.A. Rocks’ with W.A.S.P.’s Randy Piper, and in Nikki Sixx’s pre-Motley ‘London’.
Looking for a more classic sound Michael formed ‘The White’, his own band. Mixing originals with LED ZEPPELIN covers, the group toured extensively throughout North America.

Interestingly, Michael’s stab at solo success included an unexpectedly successful entrée into the business.
Encouraged by Robert Plant himself, White submitted demos to Atlantic Records that were eventually sanctioned by the most important executive at the label, namely founder, and the man who originally signed Zeppelin, Ahmet Ertegun.

Paired with hot-shot producer Mack (QUEEN, BILLY SQUIER), Michael was sent to Munich to record, but problems emerged almost immediately when Mack dismissed Michael’s band (including future W.A.S.P. guitarist Randy Piper and former MOXY drummer Danny Bilan) after only a handful of tracks had been taped. Also Alan St. Jon and Bobby Chouinard, both from BILLY SQUIER band, took part of the sessions.
Michael suddenly felt that the project slipping away from him when Mack insisted on using session players and utilising electronic programming, however, everything resulted satisfactory.

Issued in 1987, “Michael White” (the album) received positive acclaim for not only its content but also the way it steered clear of immediate Zeppelin comparisons. Indeed, if anything, the record displayed a decided nod to solo era Robert Plant, and it boasted an impressive selection of wide-screen epics such as ‘Matriarch’, ‘One Good Turn’, and the crowning glory ‘Psychometry’.

But “Michael White”, according to the era, also delivers commercial ’80s American Melodic Rock here; the catchy ‘Fantasy’, the keyboard filled ‘Radio’ or the incredibly smooth ‘I Know You Need Someone’, one of my favorites here.
On the radio-friendly “Deja Vu” Michael goes AOR-rock, and ‘Dirty Dancer’ rocks with a melodic sense.

“Michael White” is a very good album mixing classic bluesy hard rock from the British school and ’80s American radio-ready Melodic Rock. It’s some kind of a mix between KINGDOM COME, STONE FURY, GREAT WHITE, WHITESNAKE, etc. including finely crafted songs.
Production is painted with that typical slick ’80s sound and a classy vibe, and fortunately, this Rock Candy remaster is not saturated / brickwalled respecting the album’s nature.
HIGHLY Recommended

01 – Fantasy
02 – I Know You Need Someone
03 – Bring On The Night
04 – Matriarch
05 – One Good Turn
06 – Psychometry
07 – Deja Vu
08 – Jumpin The Fence
09 – Radio
10 – Dirty Dancer

Michael White: Lead & Backing Vocals
Claus Heuser: Guitars
Phil Bolenz: Guitars
Rick Dellefield: Keyboards
Steven Wissnet: Bass
Curt Cress: Drums
Danny Bilan (Moxy): Drums
Bobby Chouinard (Billy Squier): Drums
Scot Gaines: Bass
Alan St. Jon (Billy Squier): Keyboards
Randy Piper (W.A.S.P.): Guitars
Paul Vincent (Meat Loaf): Guitars

BUY
www.amazon.de/Michael-White-Lim-CollectorS/dp/B0725RGFHJ