And then they were two. The Reds’ founding members Rick Shaffer and Bruce Cohen were presented with a situation, not unfamiliar. Constant adversity, but with this change, the loss of Tommy Geddes (drums), and Jim Peters (bass), the band found a new “brother in arms” with British producer Mike Thorne (Wire, Soft Cell, Nina Hagen) the bands’ actual first choice to produce their A&M self-titled album debut. Thorne’s production captures the delicate balance of the keyboard textures and slashing guitars without losing the essence of the bands’ heart and soul.
The evidence is on the new five song extended play album, Shake Appeal, named after the track on Iggy Pop’s Raw Power album, one of their musical influences. The results are best exemplified on tracks Laughing, Waiting For You and the closer Beat Away which has a booming Joy Division feel propelled by Shaffer’s haunting vocals and disturbing lyrics. Waiting For You was licensed for the Tri-Star film, Band Of The Hand and included on the MCA Records soundtrack album, along with the film’s score also composed by Shaffer and Cohen.
While this particular recording does not have the raw energy of the earlier Reds recordings, Shake Appeal is something along the lines of a David Bowie / Iggy Pop collaboration in power and overall ambient effect, but a track on the second side Till The End will remind you of The Doors and Jim Morrison with a dub / delay breakdown in the middle section and a very danceable groove.
Director, Michael Mann, licensed three tracks for his ground breaking show, Miami Vice, because Shake Appeal was then, and still is, the definitive sound and atmosphere of the 1980’s. It’s time to listen to Shake Appeal again with today’s ears.
∎ Tarock Music, 1984
NOTE — Shake Appeal was released in 1984 worldwide by Sire Records, re-released in 2013 worldwide by Warner Bros, and released in 2014 by Tarock Music in the USA..
