BLACKFOOT SUE – Talk Radio AKA Red On Blue (1995-97)
To continue the OUTSIDE EDGE saga, here’s the album the ex-members recorded as BLACKFOOT SUE, released in 19995 entitled “Talk Radio“, and re-issued 1997 re-titled “Red On Blue“: there’s different artwork and track sequence, but it’s the same album – the reissue including an extra, new song.
Formed in Birmingham at beginning of the Seventies, BLACKFOOT SUE scored a top 5 hit single in UK with their rock ‘n roll often compared with Slade. But the band would become a reference for AOR fans during the ’80s under a different moniker; OUTSIDE EDGE.
Always driven by the core force of founder members and twin brothers Tom (vocals, bass) & David Farmer (drums), and after playing in different outfits between 1989-92, the guys decided to resurrect the name Blackfoot Sue after almost 20 years. Third brother Gary Farmer (guitar, backing vocals) and Steve Turner (lead guitar, keyboards) completed this new incarnation of the band.
And this ’90s BLACKFOOT SUE sounds a lot like Damn Yankees, Ted Nugent, Bad Company Brian Howe-fronted, Danger Danger (Paul Laine era), etc. Pure melodic American Hard Rock despite consisting of British musicians.
Blackfoot Sue recorded this album in the first half of the 90s, and while delayed some years, it was originally only released in Germany in 1995 as ‘Talk Radio’.
All these songs plus “Fall From Grace” (recorded later) were repackaged two years after by HTD Records and this time distributed all over Europe under the title “Red On Blue”.
On “Red On Blue”, Blackfoot Sue sounds absolutely early ’90s Melodic Hard Rock more related to the American sound than British or European.
Songs like “F.O.D.” or the remake of the old Blackfoot Sue song “Standing In The Road” are crafted in the Damn Yankees mold both in sound & style, the excellent “Book Of Life” akin Night Ranger, while songs such as “Fall From Grace”, title track “Red On Blue” and specially the melodic “Goodbye” recall Nineties Danger Danger (Paul Laine era).
Some numbers obviously have a Outside Edge smell like the great mid-tempo / AORish “Small Town”, and the pumping rocker “You’re So Beautiful You’re Dangerous”, both filled with synths / keyboards in the background.
Blackfoot Sue’s “Talk Radio / Red On Blue” is not only quite unknown for Melodic Hard Rock fans, but also really hard to find as the CD went out of print many years ago. It’s a good, rockin’ melodic disc containing really nice songs and a fine production.
A collector’s item.
01 – F.O.D.
02 – Talk Radio
03 – Standing In The Road
04 – Book Of Life
05 – Fall From Grace
06 – Small Town
07 – That’s No Lie
08 – Red On Blue
09 – Goodbye
10 – You’re So Beautiful You’re Dangerous
11 – Better Than Being In Love
Tom Farmer: lead vocals, bass
David Farmer: drums, backing vocals
Gary Farmer: guitar, backing vocals
Steve Turner: lead guitar, keyboards
out of print
