ASK A STRANGER – Stranger Things Have Happened ’91 [Remastered CD version +2] *HQ*

320_1 /// 320_2 /// HQ 1 /// HQ 2

Hailing from Pittsburgh, PA, ASK A STRANGER‘s origins date from the late ’80s. Influenced by the melodic rock, radio-ready FM sound of the mid-80s and beyond, the band released via a small label their debut CD “Stranger Things Have Happened“, professionally recorded, produced and manufactured.
Heaven and Hell Records made a deal with the band for the remastered reissue of the album, with access to the original master tapes, and with the addition of 2 previously unreleased tracks on the CD version only.
Armed with strong hooks, catchy choruses and fine musicianship, the ace in ASK A STRANGER is singer J. Michael Powell, owner of a vocal timbre similar to Jimi Jamison… and that’s a plus, believe us. Hence, there’s some Survivor feeling into “Stranger Things Have Happened”, also Mr. Mister, Toto, Streets, The Cauze, etc.
Most of the songs are feel-good uptempo rockers, with elaborated layered vocal / harmonies arrangements (all members minus bass player contribute), being among favorites “Eve Of Destruction”, “Starlight”, the driving “How Long”, “She Wants Me”, the pumping AOR of “Goin’ Down”.

The album was recorded in the old-fashioned style, even for 1991 standards. Every instrument was recorded one at a time for more “control and separation.” Everything was done through a carnival-sized automated mixing console, to a much slicker 24-track 2″ tape recorder.
During the summer / fall of ’91 ASK A STRANGER was honored to get a few songs played on Pittsburgh’s WDVE, during their Home-grown segment. DVE was the #1 AOR station in the country at the time (according to Billboard), and after they got played on WDVE is when things really started snowballing for the band. It led to regional distribution through National Record Mart stores and placement in numerous indie record stores throughout Pennsylvania.

They were getting support from the two local Clarion FM stations, and some of the regional college radio stations too. They’d book a gig in a new town, then make sure there was product in the bins in the nearest NRM, and then try to arrange a radio interview, or on-air performance on the local commercial, or college radio station.
Eventually, all that work led to regional airplay on a couple dozen stations, and for several months ”Stranger Things Have Happened’ outsold just about everything, including the major-label releases, in the regional National Record Mart stores.

Before long, the band was getting calls from nation-ally known booking agents, being asked to do regional TV appearances, and being contacted for overseas CD distribution. And despite never leaving their 200-mile radius, ASK A STRANGER sold a lot of product in Europe and Japan with the help of a CD exporting company from Indiana called Dreamdisc.

Then as all good things do, ASK A STRANGER came to an end in 1993. A lot of the details surrounding the breakup were lost to time. As the years went by, paths would cross again, people came and went, but the respect for one another remained intact. The topic of doing a few ASK A STRANGER reunion shows came up a few times over the years.
Highly Recommended

01 – Eve Of Destruction
02 – Starlight
03 – Take Me In Your Arms
04 – She Wants Me
05 – How Long
06 – Lost Its Hold
07 – Goin’ Down
08 – Institute Song
09 – You & I
PREV. UNRELEASED BONUS TRACKS:
10 – Eve Of Destruction (Acoustic Version)
11 – Don’t Let Me Go

J. Michael Powell – lead and background vocals
Dave Hawk – keyboards, guitars, background vocals, lead on “Lost Its Hold”
Dave Buzard – guitars, and keyboards on “You & I”
Mike “Haig” Hagan – bass guitars
Willie Bauer – drums, percussion, and background vocals

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