THE STORM (Journey members) – The Storm (1991) HQ

Here’s a wonderful request: formed by Journey member Ross Valory in 1989 while the band was on hiatus, THE STORM released 2 stupendous, Essential AOR albums, including legendary Gregg Rollie into the line up and the excellent Kevin Chalfant at the mic. Produced by Beau Hill, “The Storm” is their debut album, a delicious collection of American AOR songs of the highest order.

The band featured three of Journey’s former members (two of whom were founding members) – Gregg Rolie as keyboardist, Ross Valory on bass, and Steve Smith on drums. Kevin Chalfant, who had a #12 chart hit in 1982 as lead vocalist with AOR band 707, was lead vocalist (Rolie also shared lead vocalist duties), and Josh Ramos (who cited Journey founder and guitarist Neal Schon as a major influence) was chosen lead guitarist.

Rolie & Chalfant wrote and sent the track “Show Me the Way” to producer Beau Hill, who with Jimmy Iovine had just begun Interscope Records as a hard rock / AOR label for Atlantic Records president Doug Morris. Interscope became seriously interested in the project and signed the band, now known as The Storm, in 1990.

Overall, The Storm sound is pretty close to Journey, and the other band born fro mits hiatus: Bad English. However, The Storm’s style is smoother and AOR pure than the rocking treatment given by Schon and co with Bad English.
Beau Hill twiddles the dials here as Interscope’s resident producer, and a lovely set of memorable tunes is assembled on this debut album. It’s full of anthemic rockers, with captivating hooks and strong choruses.
The vocal performances from both Chalfant and Rolie give the album added contrast. Rolie sings lead on the wonderful ‘Call Me’, mid-tempo melodrama of the finest sort, whilst adding his presence on ‘Still Loving You’, a cruisier track with a pop heart.

However, the killer material is where Chalfant does the deed. Tracks such as ‘I Want You Back’, ‘You’re Gonna Miss Me’ and the opener ‘You Keep Me Waiting’ are primo AOR.
The ballads are an area where a band such as The Storm excel. Hence, ‘Show Me the Way’ and ‘I’ve Got A Lot To Learn About Love’ touch raw nerves, with the operative word being ‘soaring’.
Elsewhere the upstart ‘In The Raw’ is as wacky as it is out of place on an album such as this, still it’s good for what it is.

As history will show, the numbers didn’t quite stack up for The Storm, and unfortunately their deal with Interscope was soured somewhat when the label and it’s producer Beau Hill parted ways less than amicably, leaving the band high and dry.
They did however, appear several years later during 1995 on another label with the supreme album ‘Eye Of The Storm’.. a classic of it’s year and an album which like this one, should sit proudly among your AOR collection.
ESSENTIAL

01 – You Keep Me Waiting
02 – I’ve Got a Lot To Learn About Love
03 – In The Raw
04 – You’re Gonna Miss Me
05 – Call Me
06 – Show Me The Way
07 – I Want You Back
08 – Still Loving You
09 – Touch And Go
10 – Gimme Love
11 – Take Me Away
12 – Can’t Live Without Love

Kevin Chalfant – lead vocals
Gregg Rollie – lead vocals, keyboards
Josh Ramos – guitars, vocals
Ross Valory – bass, vocals
Steve Smith – drums
produced & mixed by Beau Hill

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