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Scandal (Patty Smyth) - Scandal (Mini LP)

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edited December 2022 in Year-1982

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ARTIST: Scandal
ALBUM: Scandal (Mini LP)
LABEL: CBS
SERIAL: PC-38194-1
YEAR: 1982

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: image
LINEUP: Patty Smyth - vocals * Zack Smith - guitar, backing vocals * Keith Mack - guitar, backing vocals * Ivan Elias - bass * Frankie LaRocka - drums * Benjy King - keyboards, backing vocals

Additional Musicians: Ray Gomez - guitar, backing vocals, Paul Shaffer - keyboards * Liz Smyth, Rahni Kugel - backing vocals

TRACK LISTING: 01 Goodbye To You * 02 Love's Got A Line On You * 03 Win Some, Lose Some * 04 She Can't Say No * 05 Another Bad Love

Background

We all know her as Mrs John McEnroe now but back in the early 1980's Patty Smyth was a burgeoning pop rocker on the brink of national stardom.

The vehicle for Smyth's success would be the New York based band Scandal. She joined the band in 1981, having grown up in the hot-bed of New York's varied musical environment where punk, new wave, folk and all forms of rock were intertwined.

With Scandal having signed to CBS, the band set about recording an EP's worth of tunes into 1982. The line-up was pretty impressive for its time, with both renowned musicians Ray Gomez and Frankie LaRocka part of the band, though LaRocka would survive through to 1982 his place taken by Thommy Price (Billy Idol, Price/Sulton, Steve Stevens & The Atomic Playboys).

As it would eventuate, the 1982 'Scandal Mini LP' would generate two reasonably popular tunes, the Mini LP/EP itself would apparently become CBS's largest selling EP from its extensive catalogue, and the band would head out on the road supporting both Hall & Oates and The Kinks in the process.

The Songs

Five songs onboard only, with guitarist Zack Smith writing four of them. The Mini LP itself has never officially been reissued on CD, though the five tracks did appear on a compilation CD many years later.

The only song which is the odd-man out is the Bryan Adams/Jim Vallance penned 'Win Some Lose Some', which appeared back in 1980 on his solo debut LP.

As for the songs, if you're a fan of band such as Spider and Toronto then early Scandal will appeal greatly. It's a style of pop-rock that is very radio-friendly and straight-forward, without an emphasis on the glossy aspects of AOR.

'Goodbye To You' is proof of this approach, while the next track 'Love's Got A Line On You' takes it one step further and is pitch-perfect pop-rock, a style that would be repeated to great effect in 1984 on their excellent 'The Warrior' LP.

The aforementioned 'Win Some Lose Some' is a very likeable song and upon hearing this version, you'd be hard-pressed to realising this was an Adams/Vallance tune.

'She Can't Say No' highlights Smyth's excellent lead vocal the song itself catchy in its own way, while the brooding 'Another Bad Love' catches the band in a hauntingly somber mood, and it's a tune I've come to enjoy since.

In Summary

As most readers will know, Scandal went onto great success with 1984's 'The Warrior' album, the title track smashing into the US top 10 at #7. However, the success was only fleeting because by years end the band were no more, due to internal pressures and conflicts within the band and with their record company.

However in 2004, the band reunited for the VHS show 'Bands Reunited', and later in the decade, there was talk and interest of new Scandal material, which resulted in Smyth, Mack and King reforming the band with a new rhythm section.

No album has been released as yet, though Scandal are out performing and have released a couple of digital-only EP's, which you can find on their website.

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