I couldn’t agree more, as soon as winter rounds the cinder I find myself humming this song, the opening is beyond beautiful and this entire song warms the heart. The harmonies send me..
omg literally the word "underrated" needs to be banned cuz none of yall know what it means. EVERY damn video of a semi obscure band someone is posting about how someone is underrated. Guess what? Ray Gillen was a VERY well respected singer in the day and is still held in high regard for his vocal talents, he was actually almost the singer for black sabbath at one point and had recorded the eternal idol album prior. That said Ray was a TERRIBLE human being and did some EXTREMELY shady stuff. But STOP using under rated...the dude was INCREDIBLY well respected for his vocals.
@Nonya Business actually, unless you KNEW the man then ya don't know shit!! As for overused term...not many people speak of Ray anymore. List of " Best Of" or when readers look back on great vocalists, Ray doesn't get too much if any mention. Maybe you ought t9.stop trying to be so authoritative and know it all when you post.
I wore this out. I was in Hollywood when this was released. We had it on cassette and everyone musician that heard it knew it was the shit. During this era, when everything shifted to Seattle, you had several bands putting out rock albums that the average public didn’t get exposed to. Great, great fucking album.
Very much so . voodoo highway also . need that bite once in awhile . whole band nicely done. rollercoaster of rhythms throughout . much needed present day sound .
@@metalcrow1879 are you kidding? Voodoo Highway was fantastic. Their cover of James Taylor’s Fire and Rain is one of the few remakes I actually love. Voodoo Highway, The Last Time, Shine On....all great. Give it another listen.
Underrated? Absolutely not. I guess that most of the hard rock society were listening to them, but Badlands failed by internal troubles - and the fact that Ray Gillen got aids.
To this day - the brand "Badlands" has dozens of lawsuits attached to it. Claims are Ray Gillan knew he had AIDS and infected scores of groupies. Rock-n-Roll
UNFORTUNATELY, A LOT of rock/metal fans who around in the late '80s, and WERE listening to Ratt, Dokken, Motley Crue, Priest, Ozzy, among others, DO NOT remember Badlands. I ask them and they're like, "Who?" or "Who were they?" I tell them, "This was Jake E. Lee's post-Ozzy band." Still, those fans are "in the dark" (so-to-speak). What's your opinion of Jake's new band: Red Dragon Cartel?
AngelofAnguish; I’ll answer your question A-of-A. I HONESTLY think Red Dragon Cartel are ok. Nothing close to Badlands. I need to dig out the CD today and listen to it again. Don’t they have two albums out? The fact that I’m so fuzzy with these answers says it all...
The greatest band that never was but should have been...this band kicks ass and should have been huge but never got the respect that they deserve..2 of the best albums ever
They came on to the scene too late to make an impact. Also, I highly doubt that Ray Gillen's HIV status would have changed had they been more successful. Ray still would have died in 1993, effectively burying Badlands. Sammi Curr is right, it just wasn't in the cards for this band.
badlands and dokken my two fav bands. jake e lee and george lynch two best guitarists ive ever seen. saw dokken in the 90's in a bar called the triangle. In Greenville, Ohio. Got a pick from jeff pilson. amazing
That one odd chord stuck in the second chorus just grabs you, and you realize this isn't your average rock song. It just gets better from there. Jake E. Lee is the most underrated guitarist of the 80's era.
I love this band. Being a guitarist myself it’s not hard to figure out why I love them. The Man Jake E Lee. His writing in this band showed haw diverse of a player he is. It also shows his crazy lead skills. Jake E Lee is so underrated as a guitarist. He should be a considered a guitar god . If any of you played “Bark at the Moon” on Guitar you should understand what I’m saying. I hate that they don’t sell Badlands CD’s any more.
CD? My first copy was on Cassette. I not sure but CD weren't around in 89, i could be wrong. Memory is getting ya know...lol. But I totally agree with ya about Olde Jake E Lee. One of the best that history doesn't seem to wanna remember.
Killthemall 1970 Badlands also a greath badlands also a more than terrific Blue's Hardrock band Ray Gillen was one of the best singers may his soul RIP but where do you come from America I'am Dutch greetz from me
Badlands were definitely one of my favorite late 80's bands of all time. This was the song that introduced me to them and I haven't stopped loving them since. They're mixture of good old fashioned rock and roll and blues based rock with a metal touch certainly made them unique. And to this day it continues to pain knowing Ray Gillen is dead but he will always be one of the greatest most underrated singers in rock music ever.
I talked to Ray and Jake before a gig at the Majestic Ventura Theater in Cali. Great interaction I’ll always remember. Jake was open about himself and Ray was as mystic with his being. We laughed and complemented each other about subtle things. Their Corvette Stingrays each had bragged about. A cherished moment I can’t wait to tell over and over again especially when the music has aged like the finest of wines.
This song started up in the music before Motley Crue hit the stage for their Dr. Feelgood tour in Minnesota and I swear to this day that this song got a bigger ovation than the Crue did all night. Might be my favorite of all time.
In my opinion, a TRUE RARITY, INDEED! In my opinion, rock/metal REALLY DID PEAK in '80s! In my opinion, it "leveled off," so-to-speak, from 90-92, after that, HEAVEN HELP US!
A golden voice,a maestro on guitar ..I don't understand how this band never got way bigger than it was...such a shame.I listen to this song all the time and enjoy it immensely.A traditional start to my winter.
Shit record company, shit manager, shit decision making by Ray, etc. I think they could’ve slipped into the alternative 90s scene very easily. They were FAR away from the hair metal look that kids in the 90s dissed. They could’ve really thrived in the 90s.
Jake E Lees guitar work and solos on all 3 Badlands albuns puts him as one of the greatest guitarists ever. His woek is INSANE! Rays chops are second to none and this whole bad is tight. Unbelievable
This in my opinion was the best voice ever.. I loved Badlands more than any band I ever heard.. JAKE E LEE is and always will be my favorite guitarist... SO much heart and so much soul.. AND SO MUCH ATTITUDE. the riff to winters call is soo freaking amazing
This was one of the top ten songs of the late 80's. They made great albums and were just as good live. They were all talented musical veterans who formed an amazing band that ended too soon. R.I.P. Badlands & Ray Gillen.
A Monster Power house Band With God Given Talent. Created by the Master him self Mr. Jake E Lee. If only they would have started the Band a few years earlier. We would all have been blessed with at least a few more Albums for the world to Enjoy!! The Greatest Band that never was- But should of been!! Damn Right !!!
god, i loved this song and the album in it's day! This is a bllody fab song-love jake's voice- an his beautiful hair which I adored and envied when I was younger!
I agree totally! In fact, this thread brought to mind a magazine interview with this band I read from when they were just starting out, and the bass player said that if a prospective member wasn't a Led Zep fan to the point of being able to play something obscure by them in their audition, they were rejected. These guys were, one and all, serious and talented artists. I miss them terribly.
Freddie and Ray, Two AMAZING singers, and we had to lose them so soon. Ray had such a unique voice and could have taken over Hair Metal single handedly. Wish I could have witnessed the pure talent of him live. R.I.P. Ray Gillen.
Greatest rock vocalist, greatest rock band, greatest rock guitarist...ever. Saw these guys at the Mason Jar in Phoenix AZ a few times. Ray crushed it live. Hit every note perfectly.
It's nearly painful, to know that something this beautiful can exsist in this world, and to know that when it does, it often leaves far too soon. I saw these guys in Saginaw michigan, can't even remember the year (late 80's?)... I was very young, but this song still lives in my heart... brilliant band.
I was fortunate enough to see these guys way back when on a triple bill with Tesla and Great White. Tesla was great too but these guys smoked them. Jake is an incredible player with a distinct sound. Cool opening riff in the heavy part. Gillen has a powerful voice with great range. Too bad about his untimely death. The world is missing great bands like this these days.
I saw the triple bill - Tangier - Badlands - Cinderella --- a knock out gig for sure. I gave them all A+ performances. Probably paid $12.00 for the tix lol that's the handling charge on tickets today. lol
Badlands, Ratt, and Poison at West Palm Beach Auditorium. Badlands slayed as the opener. Ratt had Michael Schenker playing with them which was unbelievable. Poison sucked so we left before their first song ended.
This is one of my favorite bands of ALL TIME. Words can not describe how intensely great these guys play in synch together. It’s 2020 and I’m still cranking the hell out of all 3 BADLANDS CD’S. I Have more than one copy of each and no I’m not selling them. I have there stuff on vinyl as well. You can’t buy their albums. It’s been this way for how long now?? 20 years? All because the families of Ray’s indiscretions made the record company pull their catalog off the shelves. Permanently. No reissues. Nothing. Nada. HIV killed Ray and this band, and memories of this band.
Jake is one of the only guys to “get” Page and Hendrix and build upon that with shredder chops WITHOUT sacrificing feel. This lead is proof. Love the dissonance combined with Egyptian/Arabic scales and blues. Jake is my number #1 influence. Badlands three albums were perfect to my ears. Great lyrics too. Devil’s Stomp is a blast to play and has a riff that would give Slash a stiffy.
Music is like every music genre. As a guitar player Randy got me started Jake and Zack satch Vai. That was my childhood. There is treasures in every musical approach. Ray should be alive. Grateful to have these recordings. This is up there with written in stone worthiness
Actually has a guitar player I got off track. My favorite is Jade's song. I can play the whole album all the Ozzy stuff it's childhood. Like Randy writing a song for his mom Jake wrote the song for his daughter what a better stage just say it is all of us or none of us
Amen. My absolute favorite rock singer ever in one of the most tragically underrated rock bands of all time. Ray had it all, soul, power, range, control, all the best qualities of singers like Robert Plant, David Coverdale & Glenn Hughes. He could sing like an angel or howl like a banshee with equal and natural ease, there will never be another one like him.
Whether they aspired to be Led Zeppelin or not(I think not), they were the closest thing the '80's offered up to a true heir. Quite simply one of the best albums of that decade, bar none.
From the era that produced the best musicians and the best music, these guys are near the top of the heap. Amazing artists who never reached their full potential as group.
