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Young Blood: Transfusion
 The NWOBHM era is littered with artists that never made that all important breakthrough despite being championed in the Music press of the time. Young Blood were one such name and specialist re-issue label Angel Air have made available this CD which comprises "First Blood", their 1984 debut EP, together with the 1989 demo of an album by a latter incarnation of the band when they had changed their moniker to Saviour.
The constant across the fifteen tracks is frontman and songwriter Stewart Goodchild who put together Young Blood as a power trio back in 1983. With critical acclaim courtesy of Sounds journalist Garry Bushell and interest from Bronze records the band secured support slots with Phil Lynott's Grand Slam and also Motorhead at Hammersmith Odeon. Personnel changes, ill health and management shenanigans all conspired against Young Blood and the record contract never happened. The band's style has plenty in common with Praying Mantis, Samson and Girl on the debut EP's "Hold On To Love", "Your Money Or Your Life" and "Good Time Tonight". Fast forward to the end of the decade and Goodchild recorded a 9 track demo as Saviour. The sound by now has more in common with Bad English, Foreigner and Survivor notably on "American Bride" and "Can't Stop Rocking" which were tailor made for US airplay. Again the band were never picked up and with the entering of a new decade Melodic AOR went into steep decline and Saviour fell by the wayside.
This is a very enjoyable introduction to the songs of Stewart Goodchild and Young Blood and with comprehensive sleeve notes makes for an excellent all round package.
Track Listing
1)Fantasy
2) American Bride
3) Run For Your Life
4) Doin' The Best That I Can
5) Can't Stop Rocking
6) Talkin' About L.O.V.E.
7) Heartache
8) Shine On
9) Thunder In The Mountains
10) Hold On To Love
11) Your Money Or Your Life
12) Good Time Tonight
13) Dangerous Games
14) Ray Gun (Shoot Me Like A)
15) Shoulda Known Better
Added: July 6th 2011
Reviewer: Dean Pedley
Score:  
Related Link: Angel Air
Hits: 3182
Language: english
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Young Blood: Transfusion
Posted by Steven Reid, SoT Staff Writer on 2011-07-06 17:09:37
My Score:
Young Blood were one of many bands trying desperately hard to break into the early eighties NWOBHM scene, having built up a solid reputation as a live act and caught the attention of quite a few record labels. As so often happened, management issues, line up changes and just sheer bad luck scuppered Young Blood, but not before they recorded a four track EP and a another couple of demo songs. Those six songs are all included here on 'Transfusion', however the majority of this disc is actually made up of nine songs that made up the album 'Panorama' by a band called Saviour - which begins to make sense when you realise that the main man in both bands was guitarist and singer Stewart Goodchild. The Saviour era actually opens the disc, but taking the songs in chronological order we should take care of Young Blood first. Working as a power trio Young Blood sound very much of their era, with comparisons to the likes of Praying Mantis, Samson or early Def Leppard being fair, although on a couple of the songs the boogie of Spider (the 80's UK version) and the bass thump of Y&T also makes a welcome appearance. Considering some of the less than stellar acts that managed to get albums released from this scene, it is actually a bit of a travesty that this is as far as Young Blood got and anyone who has even a passing interest in this genre will find much to enjoy here.
Moving on five years to 1989 and Goodchild had formed the four piece Saviour, while also altering his musical vision. Gone are the NWOBHM trademarks to be replaced by a smoother slicker and more American sound that had the commercial appeal of Bad English, but the metal backbone of the likes of Coney Hatch. Goodchild's vocal delivery had also mutated from a Joe Elliot like approach to something more akin to Steve Newman (Newman) covering Huey Lewis, which works superbly well in these surroundings. The difference between the two eras contained on this disc is actually rather stark and not only shows how much Goodchild had moved on in five years, but how far the rock scene had also progressed in that time. The guitar work is smoother and sharper and far more focused on spacious melody rather than a barrage of riffs. To his credit Goodchild actually makes an even better fist of this classy melodic hard rock and it really is quite easy to imagine some of the tracks riding high in the charts, especially in the US where the sugary, layered vocals and sing along choruses used here were a favourite of the single buying public.
As ever Angel Air have added excellent liner notes charting the rocky road travelled by these bands and the brushes with possible stardom that came their way, making this an excellent and interesting release which has stood the test of time surprisingly well.
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