Darkstar - I Wanna Be The One / T.T.H. (Tryin' Too Hard). 1982 USA

Upon finding this, I had hoped to find a heavy metal or hard rock 45, especially with a name like Darkstar. But it's power pop all the way. Cannot find anything about this artist or label.

Own. From a local seller (2019). This seller had befriended me at the first Colorado Springs Record show and asked if I would be interested in buying some items from his collection. I said sure, and this ended up being the pick of the litter.

11/14/19 (first listen); 3/27/20 (review); 10/8/21 (update); 1/1/25 (new entry)

The J.T. Cooke Band - Bright Blue Eyes / Lasting Man. 1982 USA-Kansas City

The J.T. Cooke Band were typical of their era. Not too far from REO Speedwagon or Journey, but a bit more raw with some nice lead guitar. As good as the groups that "made it" for better or worse. This is no underground classic, but it's well done. B side is more enjoyable here at PPR. BTW - there is no one named J.T. Cooke in the band.

Own. Antique Mall find in Newton, Kansas (2023).

12/21/23 (first listen / review); 1/1/25 (new entry)

Sterling Cooke – Don't Need You Anymore / Tomorrow Never Knows. 1982 USA-Pennsylvania

From northeastern Pennsylvania. File Sterling Koch (real name) next to Uli Jon Roth as guys who had no intention of letting Hendrix's legacy become forgotten. A) side sounds like the first Electric Sun album, which gets you a gold star in my book. B) side obliterates the Beatles tune with more of that Hendrix goodness. Completely out of time coming around in the early 80s like this. Great two sider.

This would be the debut recording for Koch, and it looks like he went on to form The Sterling Cooke Force and released two albums* and one more single. He then recording under just the name Sterling Cooke and released two cassettes. Guessing they're shred, based on this 2009 RYM review comment from the same single above: "A few years later, Sterling would be aping Joe Satriani while playing in a hair-metal band with people half his age. Now he plays born-again blues on a lap steel, according to his MySpace page."

*- I since purchased both - the first is fantastic like this single, the second is hair metal and not so good.

4/1/24

Sly Dog - Your Soul / Cryin' For Love. 1982 USA-Detroit

Sly Dog were a little known group from the Detroit area who released only this one 45. The a) side sits at the conjunction of hard rock, AOR, and progressive rock. There's some fine flute that gives credence to the latter style. Good guitars as well (both acoustic and electric). The b) side is pure AOR, not too far from Gerry Rafferty with the presence of saxophone. Certainly could have been a regular on FM radio, though 1982 is too late for this kind of commercial rock. This is the rock sound of 1976/1977. The a) side makes this one a keeper.

Ownership: SP: 1982 private. Online acquisition (2020). Comes in a fold over paper pic sleeve with recording details on the back. 

7/4/20 (first listen); 5/16/21 (review / new entry)

Monarch - All I Wanted Was You / Love of Yesterday. 1982 USA-Washington DC

When I first stumbled onto this at a thrift shop, I thought it was an unknown soul 45. Just look at the song titles. Never would have thought heavy metal! Now this isn't super heavy by any means, it's on the melodic side, more typical of the early 80s American metal scene. Think Quiet Riot. But the lead guitar is excellent throughout, and the songs are well written - enough so, I'm keeping it!  After some lengthy research I discovered the band were from the DC area.

Ownership: SP: 1982 National. Thrift shop find (2020). There is a picture sleeve for this, but unfortunately the copy we found didn't have it. These photos are my copy - and added to Discogs many months ago.

3/28/20 (first listen); 2/28/21 (review / new entry)