This Weeks Forgotten Gem of the 80s Robin Trowers Ready for the Taking

Fortunately, '70s rock was relatively well populated with moderately heavy guitar rock bands featuring soulful lead singers. However, far fewer of these such artists continued to record long enough to be intact when the '80s arrived. Revered veteran guitarist Robin Trower turned out to be a welcome exception to this pop music generality, as his band produced consistently on the strength of both Trower's pulsating, heavily distorted playing style and the gravelly, rumbling vocals of Scottish bass player Jim Dewar. This lineup of the band established itself as one of '70s rock's most potent power trios, and although Trower traversed the rest of the '80s with different bandmates - including Cream legend Jack Bruce and another underrated Scottish-born lead singer in Davey Pattison - Trower remained a key if seldom spotlighted '80s music figure.

"Ready for the Taking" is merely one of many slow-burn tracks from 1980's Victims of the Fury, but it may be the one that most literally emits sparks and rising steam as thick as the artificial smoke machines of '70s stadiums rained down upon audiences during the arena rock era. This is timeless hard rock with nary a keyboard to be found, and that's more than just as well given the fact that Trower's guitars leave little room for extraneous instrumental piddling. Though released just barely on the fringe of the '80s (some music resources list this as a 1979 recording and others as 1980), it's important to note that someone was bothering to make raw, minimally produced guitar-fueled music at this time. If only such good things could have lasted a bit longer.

• Sample or download "Ready for the Taking" here.
• Compare prices on Robin Trower CDs here.
• Top Multiple-Guitar Songs of the '80s
• Top Hard Rock Songs of the '80s

Album Cover Image Courtesy of Chrysalis