Blow My Fuse (Remaster) Kix

• 1Red Lite, Green Lite, TNT03:57
• 2Get It While It's Hot04:27
• 3No Ring Around Rosie04:36
• 4Don't Close Your Eyes04:18
• 5She Dropped Me The Bomb03:52
• 6Cold Blood04:18
• 7Piece Of The Pie03:52
• 8Boomerang03:46
• 9Blow My Fuse04:03
• 10Dirty Boys03:44
• Total Runtime40:53

Info for Blow My Fuse (Remaster)

By the time Kix had recorded this, their fourth album, all eyes in the hard rock biospace were upon them as a band expected to rise up from the ranks to achieve success and exert influence. Certainly their record label Atlantic Records believed in the band enough to steer them towards not one, but three top notch producers; that's Tom Werman (Mötley Crüe, Cheap Trick,Ted Nugent) together with the dynamic duo of Duane Barron and John Purdell (Ozzy Osbourne, Dream Theater). Recorded in Los Angeles and issued in August 1988, the record was immediately heralded as the best Kix album so far, with critics pointing out the quality of songs and a refinement of their trademark rough and tumble sound. In addition they had made a significant change in their back office by enlisting new management who also handled the affairs of Twisted Sister and Zebra, both signed to Atlantic Records. Strangely, the record was slow to react commercially, dragging its feet until the label were persuaded to issue the Bob Halligan Jnr. co-write 'Don't Close Your Eyes' as a single to radio. This enduring power ballad became an instant smash, rising to #8 on the Billboard singles chart and paving the way for over a million sales of the album, whilst drawing attention to notable album tracks such as 'Red Light, Green Light', 'Get It While It's Hot' and 'She Dropped Me The Bomb'.'

„By 1988, Kix had only managed to squeeze out three modest-selling records for Atlantic Records. Led in tandem by the endearing frontman Steve Whiteman and chief songwriter and bassist Donnie Purnell, for years, Kix would be unfairly categorized as a supposed 'hair band.' Worse still, Whiteman would later wake up to find his dancing-on-my-tippy-toes stage act (just think Steven Tyler meets Johnny Thunders on uppers) stolen and carbon copied for the masses by a host of other inferior frontmen including Poison's Brett Michaels. After playing the East Coast club circuit for ten-plus years (with little commercial success to show for it), Kix's own brand of infectious AC/DC power rock-meets-New York, black-hair-dye-glam would finally see its big payoff with the release of 1988's, Blow My Fuse. Produced by hard rock stalwart Tom Werman, Blow My Fuse may have proved to be the band's biggest-selling record but not necessarily its best. Featuring ten solid songs, including the first single/video for the very AC/DC-sounding 'Cold Blood,' the infectious 'She Dropped Me the Bomb,' and the excellent title track 'Blow My Fuse,' the album's big boon would manifest itself in the form of a monster-power ballad, 'Don't Close Your Eyes.' The track ultimately proved to be Kix's coming-out party and their graduation into the big leagues. Sadly, it would prove to be the band's sole bona fide career hit even though 'Cold Blood' made a few tremors here and there. Almost overnight, the band was now travelling on luxury tour busses and effortlessly holding its own as an opening act in arenas across the United States. Embraced with open arms by MTV, 'Don't Close Your Eyes' finally allowed Kix to open for the likes of David Lee Roth, heroes AC/DC, and Aerosmith, as well as other soon to be forgotten acts like Ratt and the horrific Britny Fox. After years of hardship, the band could breathe easy (if only for a brief 18 months or so). Just two years later, like many of their other so-called hair rock contemporaries, Kix would see their fortunes crushed with the advent of grunge. The band would solider on with the release of the more mature Hot Wire.“ (John Franck, AMG)

Steve Whiteman, vocals, harmonica
Ronnie Younkins, guitar
Brian Forsythe, guitar
Donnie Purnell, bass, keyboards, vocals
Jimmy Chalfant, drums, vocals

Engineered by Duane Baron
Mixed by John Purdell, Tom Werman
Mastered by Greg Fulginiti
Digitally Remastered by Andy Pearce
Produced by Tom Werman

Digitally remastered

Please Note: we do not offer the 192 kHz version of this album, because there is no audible difference to the 96 kHz version!

Kix
was started by me and Donnie Purnell in Dec. of 1977 in Hagerstown, Maryland. The first song we played together was Atomic Bombs. At first we played with two guys, a guitarist and drummer, from Pittsburg, PA. The first practices were at the Old Mill Inn, in Williamsport, MD, just outside of Hagerstown. However, since they lived so far away the rehearsals didn't work out. So we started rehearsing with Brian Forsythe, one of the best guitarists around, whom I asked to join the new band. Soon after, we invited Donnie Spence to join us as a drummer. Unfortunately though we had to pick him up every day for rehearsals, since he didn't have a car.

Steve Whiteman was added to the band after a couple of other lead singers (Terry Brady and Sam Smith) didn't work out for various reasons. Steve also played drums, so him and Donnie Spence, who also happened to be a good singer, would alternate drums and lead vocals. Early on though it became clear that Steve was the superiour vocalist: he sang all the hard songs.

We had met Steve at a show in Ridgely, WV. We had heard about him through the grapevine, and all went to see him play with his old band. During the break we took him out to the car and played him a cassette of our original songs. We asked him to join right then and there. A week later Steve moved to Hagerstown, to join what was then called "The Shooze."

After a while Donnie Spence didn't work out anymore, so we recruited Jimmy as the new drummer for "The Shooze." Jimmy Chalfant was well known in the area, he was Donnie Purnell's old bandmate and had played with him in all of his previous bands, "Fire and Rain", "Starship" and "Jax." I used to go see Donnie and Jimmy play in those bands. From the beginning I had envisioned this as the perfect line-up: Donnie (who I knew to write cool songs), Jimmy and Brian, all musicians I knew from around town and strongly respected."

So by late 1979 the classic Kix lineup of Steve Whiteman (lead vocals), Ronnie "10/10" Younkins (guitars), Brian "Damage" Forsythe (guitars), Donnie Purnell (bass, keyboards, backing vocals), and Jimmy "Chocolate" Chalfant (drums, backing vocals) was complete.

They changed their name to "The Generators," when they realized there was another band out of Chicago, named "The Shooze." They began recording their first album on Atlantic Records in 1980 before eventually settling on "Kix."

The rest is history, as they say. Sit down with your KIX album collection and you can see what happened.

Ronnie left the band for a short time in 1982. He was kicked out for drug use and moved to L.A. Brad Divens replaced him and recorded "Cool Kids." Ronnie however was back for the following tour. It took six more years for Ronnie to hit rock bottom on Christmas of 1988 when he didn't show up for a show at Hammerjacks/Baltimore. He entered rehab in January of '89. He was back shortly after and has been sober ever since.

Brian quit the band and moved to L.A. in 1993. He was replaced by Jimi K. Bones. However, Brian was back as a hired gun to play on 1994's "Show Business." He played a few shows after the album was released, but soon happily departed the band again. In '95 Jimi K. left as well, and was replaced by Baltimore guitarist Pat Dement. Only a few months later, before Christmas of the same year, the band went on an extended hiatus, only to call it quits a year later.

This album contains no booklet.