Wow, what a line up this is! On Damage Control's second album we have guitar hero Robin George; UFO & Waysted bass legend Pete Way; and former Uriah Heep, AC/DC, Asia, Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, and The Firm drummer Chris Slade.
Together they form a self confessed "unholy trinity" brought to life by the need to whip up some of the best, full on, "in your face", uncomplicated rock I have heard in many a misspent night.
Putting their album Raw into your CD player is like lighting the blue touch paper and not having the sense to retreat back to a safe distance. This is everything the album title suggests with Damage Control living up to their promise of serving up some “cruel, hard, and brutal”, yet “fun” rock.
The pedigree is self evident and their instinctive understanding gels like some dangerous concoction. It smokes, it fizzes, it smolders and it’s in danger of setting the place alight. It’s gritty, it’s raunchy, and it’s downright dirty. It’s full of sleazy riffs. It’s Raw, and it’s right up my street!
Okay, let’s talk about that pedigree. In 1985 Robin George released an excellent solo album called Dangerous Music. It fulfilled much of that potential that would see him working with the likes of David Byron, Phil Lynott, and John Wetton. He even recorded separate projects with Glenn Hughes and Robert Plant both of which were destined to remain unreleased for many years.
Robin’s career also saw the release of the superb Rock Of Ageists album and a growing reputation as a producer working with Diamond Head, Witchfinder General, and (here’s the connection) UFO bass player Pete Way’s band Waysted.
Wayward Way was, and is once again, the mainstay bassist in UFO the band he left to form Fastway with ex Motorhead guitarist ‘Fast’ Eddie Clarke. Then came a spell with Ozzy Osbourne before he finally reunited with UFO.
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