Year : 1982 (Metal Frontier Records Japan Edition 2000)
Style : Melodic Rock , AOR
Country : United States
Audio : 320 kbps + scans
Size : 156 mb
Bio:
Message was a hard rock band that was formed in New Jersey around 1980. The original members of the band were Dean Fasano (lead vocals, guitar), Simon Gannett (organ), Bruce Foster (keyboard), Andy Rubbo (drums), Richie Sambora (guitar), and Alec John Such (bass). The latter two would leave Message to form the classic lineup of Bon Jovi. The band disbanded shortly after releasing one record, but the lead singer, Dean Fasano released three more records later under the band name with different many members.The band was formed in 1980 by Dean Fasano. He sang lead vocals, while Richie Sambora played guitar, Alec John Such played bass, Andy Rubbo played drums, Simon Gannett played organ and Bruce Foster played both electric and acoustic piano. Shortly after the band was formed, they put out a self-titled album from their very own company. Due to the lack of money, the band did only 1800 pressings of the album, and they had to sell it from the trunk of their cars.Two years after the forming of Message, they got the opportunity to be an opening act for Joe Cocker. Unfortunately, they did not have the money to tour over a long period of time, therefore they only played a few dates on the Joe Cocker tour. When the band returned to its roots in Sayreville in New Jersey, some of the band members met Jon Bon Jovi from "Jon Bon Jovi and the Wild Ones". This meeting would cause both Richie Sambora and Alec John Such to leave Message in favor of Jon Bon Jovi's new band, Bon Jovi. The members of Message parted ways, but they would still stay in touch with each other for some time. After the breakup, some bootlegs from the Joe Cocker tour was put out for sale in Europe, and it hit the charts in some countries.The band would not release a record until 1995, when their first album was re-released in CD. A few years later, the lead singer, Dean Fasano formed a new Message. This time the line up included Mike Walsh (guitar, keyboard and bass), Tom DeRossi (guitar), Jeff Thompsen (bass), Steve D’Acurtis (guitar, bass and sitar) and various other musicians. The new Message released an album called "Fine Line" in 1998. Only two years later, in 2000, Dean Fasano would put together another lineup of Message. This time the line up was Dean Fasano (lead vocals and keyboards), Tim Hewitt (bass), Aaron Anderson (drums, percussions), Steve Morris (guitar and keyboard), Chris Ousey (harmony and backing vocals) and David Chapman (keyboards). The album was called "Outside Looking In". This was the last studio album that Message released.Another re-release of the first Message album was done the same year as "Outside Looking In" came out. This time the album was called "Lessons" and it contained bonus songs such as "Diana", "Living In The Night" and "Dance Of The Dead".In 2006, Dean Fasano released live songs from the Joe Cocker tour in 1982. The album was called "Message Live" and it contains songs from the original Message line up. This album contained a bonus studio tracks from Mark Allen Lanoue and Dean Fasano, called "Just One Step Away and another called FINE LINE (released earlier on MESSAGE FINE LINE) with musicians Chris Flowers - Drums, Mike Gear - Bass, and Rob Karten - Keys".In 2009, the leader of Message, Dean Fasano died from Coronary artery disease, only 54 years old.
Album:
MESSAGE was formed in 1980 by New Jerseyans Dean Fasano (vocals), guitarist Richie Sambora, and bass player Alec John Such. Yes, you know the guys, this is their early band before Bon Jovi.They released a self-financed mini-album, “Lessons”, in 1982. Due to the lack of money, the band did only 1,800 pressings of the album, and they had to sell it from the trunk of their cars. That LP was later reissued with extra tracks, demos the band taped before Richie & Alec joined Bon Jovi.Then in 2000’s Escape Music re-released “Lessons” with even more demos as bonuses. This is the Japanese version, exactly the same as the European pressing, except for the different cover art.This is not only cool for hearing Sambora before Bon Jovi – there’s great solos on songs like ‘Dance Of The Dead’, ‘I Can Feel It’, ‘Living In The Night’, but also MESSAGE’s evolution – and at the same time how the American Rock sound/style in general morphed in a couple of years.The 1982 songs from the self-released LP show a late Seventies hard rock style, while the demos written & demoed after (1983) are much more melodic rock / AOR / radio friendly.The history of MESSAGE is interesting – the band’s founder, Dean Fasano has been involved with many musicians, songwriters and singers along the way. MESSAGE began in the early ’80s playing the New Jersey circuit with Dean on vocals, Alec Jon Such on bass, and Richie Sambora on guitar. An up and coming band called “Jon Bon Jovi and the Wild Ones” were one of the acts playing support to MESSAGE at this early time.Another band in the supporting slot was STEEL FORTUNE – their guitarist, Dave Sabo later found fame in SKID ROW.Dean signed to Led Zeppelin label Swansong but this all fell apart when John Bonham died and so he eventually joined up with pomp rockers PROPHET for their debut in 1985. The Prophet album was a great showcase for Dean and exemplified his powerful vocal range.Afer leaving Prophet, Dean started writing songs, working with many different bands and artists including supremo guitarist Vinny Moore and melodic rockers TRIXTER.TRIXTER’s debut that went platinum included three songs written by Dean, while their second album was co-produced by Dean. In the ’90s Dean has continued writing and producing with many big names and has contributed to Richie Sambora’s solo record “Stranger In This Town” and added backing vocals to Jon Bon Jovi’s “Destination Anywhere” album.The early MESSAGE recording featured here show a band with tons of potential, a great singer, a young, good guitarist in Sambora, and very well written songs. While the sound quality quality differ – most are demos – overall is very good for an early Eighties unsigned band.
Line-Up:
Dean Fasano (R.I.P. 2009) - vocals, piano, tambourine
Richie Sambora – vocals, guitars, strings arrangement - See also: Bon Jovi, Orianthi, RSO, Zac Brown Band, Shark Frenzy
Alec John Such (R.I.P. 2022) - bass - See also: ex-Bon Jovi
Andy Rubbo - drums
+ guests:
Organ – Simon Gannett
Piano, Electric Piano, Synthesizer – Bruce Foster
Production:
Record Company – King Record Co. Ltd
Engineer – Andy Wallace
Engineer [Assistant] – Steve Buller
Lighting [Lights] – Greg "Cuddles" McKay
Management [Road Manager] – Tim "Nomad" O'Neill
Mastered By – Dominic Romeo
Other [Cover Girls] – Jill Maxfield, Michelle Amoroso
Photography By [Front Cover] – Lisa Ellsweig
Photography By [Inner Sleeve] – Benny Lattanzio
Producer, Arranged By – D. Fasano, R. Sambora
Tracklist:
01. Medicine Man
02. Dance Of The Dead
03. Where Were You
04. She’s Gone
05. Stories
06. Pessimistic Man
07. Swing
08. Lessons
09. It Won’t Be Long
10. Is There Love
11. Any Other Girl
12. I Can Feel It
13. In Your Heart
14. Don’t Go, Don’t Run
15. Diana
16. Living In The Night
Download links for all albums only on our blog here: http://goodmetalandhar.do.am/
