Back to Nowhere with Robert Hazard and the Heroes: Out of the Blue
Apr 18 '03 (Updated Sep 06 '08)
Pros:
Great tunes from this mid-80s Philly area legend.
Cons:
The audio fidelity is admittedly a bit lacking.
The Bottom Line Out of the Blue collects the best tracks from the early days of Robert Hazard and the Heroes. Highly recommended for fans, though sonic quality is a bit lacking.
Recommended:
Yes
”Come Ride the Steel Dinosaur”
Sometime in the early 1980s (circa 1982) I found myself visiting at my brother’s college outside Philadelphia. He quickly pointed out to me that his college experience was different than mine was up to that point: nicer campus, nicer dorms, different frat houses, and an unbelievable bevy of rich girls way out of my league. Who am I kidding: our league. The evening looked bleak so I consoled myself with a cold Hamms (possibly a Genny Cream Ale) and thought about slinking away in my 1972 Plymouth Satellite, if only I could remember where I parked it. The party was in full swing. People were engrossed in a competitive game of quarters and the stereo was playing a different rock tune.
“We’re riding on the escalator of life. We’re shopping in the human mall.”
The song was Escalator of Life by Philadelphia band Robert Hazard and the Heroes. Nothing I had heard up to that point in early 80s new wave-modern rock genre sounded like Hazard [b. 1948] and nothing since then either. For a time in the early 80s, no band was bigger in the Philly area than Hazard and the Heroes for good reason. They were the band of the moment, riding a self released EP that rock and rolled with new wave synthesizer touches, well crafted and sometimes absurdist lyrics, scratchy lead guitar, and, above all, they just plain sounded cool.
Hazard and the Heroes at the release of their first EP (Michael Pilla guitar, vocals, Jerry Weindel keyboards, Ken Bernard drums, Rob Miller bass, vocals and John Lilley, guitar) were clearly at the top of their game and ready to break nationally.
But it didn’t really happen. For one thing, people left the band (Lilley and Miller joined the Hooters). For another, after RCA signed them in 1982 they did what record companies do: tried to fit them into their formula, demanded changes, and basically took away all that made the band great. The resulting album Wing of Fire in 1984 sold OK but lacked the fire and spark that made the band. Darling in 1986 was an attempt by Hazard to reemerge but it was too late.
But memories live on and even today Hazard and the Heroes are still thought of fondly by people who saw them back then.
A new recording Out of the Blue collects the best tracks from the early days and was released in 2002. It is available for $19.99 at a well-done Hazard tribute site (http://home.att.net/~roberthazard/hazard.htm) and though remastered from the original vinyl records (remember them) it still had me bopping around the house in what passed for dancing in the 80s once again. Robert Hazard’s still cool in my book. Five stars and if I could still wear my skinny black jeans, I would.
Out of the Blue: Collection (2002)
Escalator Life (1982)
Change Reaction (1982)
Out of the Blue (1982)
Hang Around With You (1982)
Blowin' In the Wind (1982)
Fire on Fire (1984)
Interplanetary Private Eye (1984)
The Cool Life (1984)
Undercover Lover (1984)
She's Hot (1984)
Miami Beach (1984)
Darling (1986)
Hip Pocket (1986)
Be My Girl (1986)
Hard Hearted (1986)
Say Yo (Live) (1982)
”I ain’t got no home. I’m just a bag of bones with no proper point of view. ‘Cause I just wanna hang around with you.”
Hazard’s song characters were cool in a big hair, skinny tie way. But through Hazard’s lyrics, it was also clear that they shared in the slings and arrows of life along with his audience: underemployment, Reaganomics, the nagging feeling of not knowing what you’re doing, and the usual love lost and gained tribulations.
Hazard was able to write concise tales that captured the moment, usually with an artful turn of phrase and a memorable chorus, coupled with some of the better arrangements of the new wave era. It was pure escapism for us all and isn’t that what music is all about?
Though some of the material is a bit dated, and the sonic quality is lacking, Out of the Blue serves as a reminder to what good music can capture: a moment in time.
[Hazard is also known for writing ”Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” which was a big hit later for Cindi Lauper. His last album was Howl in 1998. He’s still active and performing in the Philly area.]
Cat Rating Scale
Freddie and Chester have no memory of the 80s and therefore no reason to feign interest. Mixed paw response.
2004/2005 Update
Hazard has indeed returned with two albums currently available: The Seventh Lake and Blue Mountain, both released in 2004. His new music is described as being in the "roots-rock, stripped down" style. Reviews have been fairly positive. See his site www.roberthazard.com for more info, tour dates, etc.
2008 Update
Unfortunately, some bad news: Robert Hazard died on August 5, 2008 after surgery for pancreatic cancer. He was 58 years old and leaves behind a wife and three children... and a whole bunch of great tunes. His last album was called Troubador and is available online.
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Member: Michael Doyle
Location: Morris County, NJ
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