Band:
Vinny Cole - lead vocals and guitar
Dan Lerro - lead guitar and vocals
Tommy Krash - guitar and vocals
Frank Richards - bass and vocals
Alan Hoke - drums and vocals

Production:
Produced by Michael Kelly Smith.

Review:
Perris Records have managed to get a-hold of another obscure gem and make it available to the general public. This time the band in question is Philadelphia's Gun Shy, whose claim to fame is that they managed to secure fellow Philly artist Michael Kelly Smith (of Britny Fox) as producer. Musically the band sticks to the 80s melodic rock formula and reminds me of Hericane Alice with a touch of Babylon A.D. and Black 'N Blue.
  When After Dark originally got released in 1994, not only were bands playing party-hardy rock a dime-a-dozen, but also the musical tides were changing. So Gun Shy and many others were lost in the shuffle because they were out of fashion and didn't offer anything new to stand out from the crowd. Despite the lack of originality, the eight songs on the original release offer some satisfying moments. For instance "Mr. Lonely" is a rather heavy song that has a pop-rock chorus (laced with vocal harmonies) that is damn near perfect. "Something Wicked This Way Comes" opens with a Dokken-like riff and evolves into a good melodic tune. The best song though is "Hold On To Yesterday", a pop rock song that isn't too far removed from the type of party anthem Poison would pull off. For those that love the ballads "Don't Go Away" should be enjoyable.
  This reissue also includes eight bonus tracks, ranging from live material to demos. The sound quality on the live recordings is less than stellar, but it proves the band had the chops to deliver live and weren't just a studio creation. The cover of Black Sabbath's "N.I.B." stays true to the original and is very well done - an interesting choice for what could be considered a hair band. The final cut, "Christeen", features Tommy Krash on vocals, sounding a lot like his later era band Sinn.
  Just think, in the late 80s and early 90s there were bands like Gun Shy slugging it out in every town across America. Many of them will remain in obscurity, but albums like this demonstrate a better time for rock fans. It may not be original, but I still like it and suggest going to www.sinntheband.com to hear Gun Shy for yourself.

Reviewed by Skid for Sleaze Roxx, March 2005.

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