Live On The Friday Rock Show

Out of all the heavy metal bands that appeared on the Billboard charts during the 1980s, one that appeared destined to lead the pack was Y&T. After all, they'd been honing their sound since the '70s, had built a large cult following, and with each successive album had several new anthems for teenaged males to pump their fists in the air to. But aside from scoring a few moderately sized MTV hits, Y&T somehow slipped through the cracks, as groups such as Motley Crue (who used to open for Y&T on the Sunset Strip) and Quiet Riot surpassed them on the charts. Regardless, Y&T's music still packs quite a punch -- sure, it's "unmistakably '80s," but it certainly stands up much better than the average metal band from the era. The group was always a top live act throughout its career, and the 12-track BBC in Concert: Live on the Friday Rock Show does not disappoint. Containing selections from two separate shows (one from the Black Tiger era, the other from the In Rock We Trust era), it's quite impressive how the energy of the group's performance has been captured here, especially on such high-decibel rockers as "Open Fire," "Mean Streak," and "Lipstick and Leather," while the group experiences a "Bic lighter moment" with two different versions of "Rescue Me." Even though it doesn't contain their two best-known tracks, "Don't Stop Runnin'" and "Summertime Girls," BBC in Concert: Live on the Friday Rock Show is certainly not a bad summary of or starting point for this underrated band. ~ Greg Prato