intothewellsabyss

Jun 17, 20235 min read

𝗩𝗮𝗶𝗻 — 𝗡𝗼 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁 (1989)

𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐑𝐘𝐏𝐓𝐒 - 𝐂𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐏𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐀𝐋𝐁𝐔𝐌 𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄𝐒 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐃 𝐑𝐎𝐂𝐊 & 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐕𝐘 𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐋…

34 years ago this week, “Secrets” were hidden in “Smoke and Shadows”!

On June 16, 1989, Vain released their debut full-length studio album, “No Respect” via Island Records.

Background:

Davy Vain had initially began his career as a record producer, producing Death Angel's debut album “The Ultra-Violence”, before recording a demo with Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett in 1986. After recording, Davy decided to form a band in the San Francisco Bay Area, under his own moniker, adding bassist Ashley Mitchell, drummer Tom Rickard and guitarists Jamie Scott (aka Dylana Nova) and Danny West to the lineup.

From 1986 to 1987, the band proceeded to play shows in San Francisco, before playing regularly in Los Angeles, where they also opened for Guns N' Roses prior to their success, and were featured on the cover of Kerrang! magazine. After showcasing to major record labels, including Geffen Records, Vain signed with Island Records in 1988.

(𝗠𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗽𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗞𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗶 𝗳𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗩𝗮𝗶𝗻)

"When we got signed, I told the guy who was vice president that we wanted to make a really raw, hungry album. And he said: “That’s good, because I don’t want you to sound like you’re the biggest band in the world – we already have that, it’s called U2. We want you to go into the studio and sound like you’re young, hungry and broke – guys who want to do nothing but play music and have sex.” —Davy Vain on being signed by Island Records.

"No Respect" was recorded with producer Paul Northfield, A single was released for the song "Beat the Bullet" to promote “No Respect” in 1989.

(7“’ 45 𝗥𝗣𝗠’ 𝗦𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗕𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝘂𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘁)

(𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝘂𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘁 3" 𝗖𝗗, 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗚𝗶𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘅-𝗦𝗹𝗲𝗲𝘃𝗲; 𝗮 𝘁𝘄𝗼-𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗮𝗽𝗲𝗿).

A promotional CD was also released for "Beat the Bullet".

(𝗕𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝘂𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼 𝗖𝗗)

A promotional CD for the song "1000 Degrees" was released in 1990.

(1000 𝗗𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘀 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼 𝗖𝗗)

A promotional CD was also released for the song "Who's Watching You".

(𝗪𝗵𝗼‘𝘀 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗽𝗮𝗸 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼)

The album peaked at No. 154 on the Billboard 200. Critically, the album was also well received, with Vain featured on the covers of both Kerrang! and BAM. Geoff Barton would later give a positive review for Classic Rock Magazine describing the album as "a Maybelline-metalised debut par excellence – no 'perhaps' about it" with the music being "unharnessed, haystack-haired heaviness from beginning to end" and that "it's the Crüe at their most coarse and corrupted."

(𝗡𝗼 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿)

Overview:

1989 was a great year for Glam Metal & Hard Rock. D-A-D had finally broke the American market with their fantastic third release “No Fuel Left for the Pilgrims”. L.A. GUNS released their spectacular second album “Cocked & Loaded”, while Bang Tango released their schizophrenic (and I mean that in the good sense) debut “Psycho Cafe”! And, John Sykes came back strong with his band Blue Murder releasing their self-titled debut. Bonham dropped their debut “The Disregard of Timekeeping” and Kingdom Come unleashed their outstanding second album “In Your Face”. Last but, certainly not least was the stellar debut release from Badlands, the (then) new Hard Rocking, Blues-influenced band featuring former Ozzy guitarist Jake E. Lee, Ray Gillen, Greg Chaisson and Eric Singer. I could keep going as their were so many more great releases from 1989.

But, the album we are here to talk about is from a band that should have received more recognition than was received… that album was “No Respect” by San Francisco’s Vain.

Vain jumped onto the scene, releasing one of my top 5 Glam Metal albums of that year. The first time that I heard anything from them was when radio DJ “Mad” Max Hammer played their song “Beat the Bullet” on the syndicated radio station Z-Rock. Later, MTV would air two promotional video’s for the album on the weekly Metal show, Headbangers Ball, the first of the two was of course, “Beat the Bullet” and the second being “Who’s Watching You”.

For me, what sets Vain apart from many of the Glam bands of the late 80’s is that they’re harder edged, forgoing the Pop sensibilities of bands like Poison, Nelson or Bad English, for the heavier sounds of bands like RATT, Motley Crue and L.A. Guns, but with a bit of the Punk attitude.

Let’s set the record straight here; while Davy Vain doesn’t have the vocal prowess of singers like Geoff Tate or even Steven Tyler, he has flair and he has attitude. He is charismatic in his vocal delivery and he knows exactly where to emphasize his words. And, while he’s not the best singer in Glam, he has a certain confidence and swagger in his delivery that sucks you in. In many respects, he reminds me of Marc Bolan from T.Rex or Michael Monroe from Hanoi Rocks. Both weren’t the greatest of singers, but they were damned good performers, and both knew how to serve the song. And, that is a perfect example of the type of frontman Davy Vain is.

Something else that made Vain stand out above all the rest were the lyrics. Where Glam bands were singing about sex, drugs and Rock N’ Roll or writing radio friendly Power Ballads, Vain’s lyrics were oftentimes melancholic (take these lyrics from “Icy” for example; “she lives alone behind a wall of black”) and introspective (or these lyrics from the title track; “Any time you want me, like a fool I’m waiting for you”), which make the songs feel more authentic and unfeigned. Cementing the bands sound were the duel guitars of Jamie Scott (aka Dylana D.N. Nova) and Danny West. Their minor key, catchy riffing and ultra-melodic wah-wah infused leads added truth to the air of melancholy the band portrayed.

While it’s true that Davy’s sometimes uncanny or brooding persona was a stark contrast to the “party all night” attitude most frontmen of the Glam era had at that time. This played in the bands favor and made Vain an enigma, setting them apart from their contemporaries, in the L.A. scene and/or abroad.

In conclusion; In the land and time of lookalikes, there truly wasn’t another Glam band quite like Vain. The played raw, untamed, hook-laden Rock N’ Roll with attitude and a whole lotta feeling! - E.N. Wells

Key Tracks:

"Beat The Bullet"

"Secrets"

"Laws Against Love"

"Who's Watching You".

"One Thousand Degrees"

"Aces"

“Icy”

Touring:

In support of the album, Vain toured the US while they also supported SKID ROW on their tour of the UK.

(𝗡𝗼 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗝𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸)

(𝗣𝗵𝗼𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝗳 𝗗𝗮𝘃𝘆 𝗩𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗝𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸)

Links to Artists, Albums, and Music Videos:

Click this link to listen to “No Respect” via Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/no-respect/1242559607

Click this link to watch the official music video for “Beat the Bullet”: https://youtu.be/8dx-PrDQej8

Click this link to watch the official music video for “Who’s Watching You”: https://youtu.be/iBEbSX3oFqM

Click this link to follow Official Vain & Davy Vain Fanpage on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063607958303

Note: The reviews shared here are for historical reference. The views and opinions expressed within are not always supported (in full or in part) by Into the Wells. — E.N. Wells