Flies On Fire - self-titled

This album seemed to be released without any promotion despite being on a major label (Atlantic), produced by Ric Browde (Faster Pussycat, Dogs D'Amour) and, most importantly, actually being rather good.

I only stumbled across it as I was working in a record shop at the time and was processing the new releases on Monday morning. In amongst them was Flies on Fire and what I noticed at first was, quite simply, a picture of some blokes with long hair. Looking closer I clocked the name of the producer and so figured it was worth a listen, and as one of the priviliges with processing stock meant working in a backroom and being able to play whatever music you wanted I stuck it on.

The more folk-based fan I was working with seemed to think it sounded like INXS. In fact Flies On Fire are clearly indebted to Creedence Clearwater Revival (Baptize Me Over Elvis Presley's Grave is a deadringer for CCR's Lodi) and the band briefly recruited Jo Almeida (aka Jo Dog).

Perhaps it was the less-obviousness of the album that meant Atlantic overlooked it; after all this was 1989, G'n'R were at the top of their game and there was a huge market for the harder 'hair' metal. However within a year The Black Crowes hit the scene and showed that there was demand for a band coming more from a laid-back bar-room rock & roll background.