Watching Thunder‘s performance at the Monsters of Rock festival on August 18th 1990, it seemed like the band were destined for great things. Stealing the show as the opening act, the relatively new five-piece had already released their debut album to critical acclaim, while scoring minor hits with a handful of singles. While headliners Whitesnake failed to meet the expectations of their fans, and even Aerosmith seemed to be treading on old ground, Thunder’s blend of classic rock and blues soon won the crowd over, as the show was broadcast live on BBC Radio 1.
“Possibly the best opening act Donington has seen,” declared Kerrang! in their seven-page review of the event, a statement that would place Thunder higher than such groups as Diamond Head, Magnum and Cinderella. It was a compliment well deserved and was further proof that Thunder were fast becoming darlings of the British rock scene during the late 1980s and early ’90s. And for a short time it looked like this was only the beginning.
Thunder had gained considerable acclaim with Backstreet Symphony, their impressive first effort that benefited from strong production courtesy of Duran Duran‘s Andy Taylor and aggressive promotion from EMI. The first song released from the album was the opening track She’s So Fine, which immediately set them apart from many of the rock bands of the era. Fused by classic rock and fronted by Danny Bowes’ raspy vocals and likable charisma, this served as a perfect introduction for newcomers, although it would be followed by the superior tongue-in-cheek Dirty Love. This demonstrated guitarist Luke Morley’s talent for writing non-pretentious lyrics about sex and promiscuous women, something that would become a trademark for the band during their all-too-brief life.
One thing that has made Backstreet Symphony stand the test of time is the strong songwriting and musicianship between the members, showing a maturity that is rare among first-time groups. From slow numbers like Don’t Wait for Me and Love Walked In to more rocking tunes like Higher Ground and their energetic cover of the Spencer Davis Group classic Gimme Some Lovin’, the album remained impressive throughout, something that seemed to translate seamlessly to their flawless live performances. One of the more overlooked tracks on the album was Until My Dying Day, which starts out as a relatively sweet acoustic song before kicking in with its catchy guitar riff.
Special mention should go to the humorous An Englishman on Holiday, which paints a picture of the vulgar and aggressive behaviour that British tourists display when abroad; “I had a fight with this Spanish guy, I saw him give my little girl the eye. He was trying hard to be so cool… I hit him with a stool.” The energetic title track is another classic that still makes for an enjoyable listen. All in all, twenty-two years on and Backstreet Symphony stands the test of the time because it refused to merely be a product of the era in which it was produced, a mistake many of the hair metal bands made, and instead wears its influences proudly on its sleeve. Thunder would sadly never scale these heights again, but they can remain proud that they so effortlessly produced a classic first time around.
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