XYZ's self-titled debut album (Enigma; vinyl: 7 73525-1; cassette: 7 73525-4), produced by Don Dokken, came out in 1989. The songs include: Maggy, Inside Out, What Keeps Me Loving You, Take What You Can, Follow The Night, Come On N' Love Me, Souvenirs, Tied Up, Nice Day To Die, After The Rain.
The Japanese version of this CD ($50 imported! YOW) has a track on it that I've never heard of until now. Here's the scoop: It's called: "You Got Me Wrong." Thank you Bob Luke, for the info!
In February 2001 this album was reissued on CD from France's Axekiller Records (3064422), remastered plus one bonus track, the extra track from the British 12-inch vinyl "Inside Out" single, "On The Blue Side Of The Night."
Hungry , the band's second album, (Capitol; cassette: c4-96114; CD: DP79611142) was released in 1991, and it contains: Face Down In The Gutter, Don't Say No, Fire And Water, When The Night Comes Down, Off To The Sun, Feels Good, Shake Down The Walls, When I Find Love, H. H. Boogie, The Sun Also Rises In Hell, A Roll Of The Dice, Whiskey On A Heartache.
Japanese bonus track: "Highlife," which Bob Luke says is worth the $50 to import it. Both Japanese albums have the same artwork, plus obi strips. Was it released on vinyl? Anyone know?
Hungry reissue from Axe Killer (1999; 3051392), the same French label that did the import version of the live CD rereleased this with the bonus track, "Two Wrongs Can Make A Right." I picked this up at a record show. It's also available from a Terrible Ted's (a Goldmine magazine advertiser who always has the good ol' hard rock stuff) for like $17. It was a no-brainer decision for me, even though I have all the songs. My friend Julie said, "So basically you paid $17 bucks for a sticker." Yeah, ok. I guess I did. Maybe $50 for a song on a Japanese import isn't so far off after all! Completism is a baaaaad thing. At least, with XYZ, it's possible.... I hope. (I wanted to make this a little bigger so you could at least read my $17 sticker.)
Take What You Can Live, 1997, import (Axe Killer; 3025502) is available from perrisrecords.com. The song list reads like this: Maggie, (note the misspelling) Take What You Can, Come On And Love Me, What Keeps Me Lovin You, After The Rain, Inside Out, Off To The Sun, Nice Day To Die, Straight In The Night, Only Get You On The Phone, Connected To You, Slow Me Down. (These songs are so cheesy I love them. You can tell that XYZ was a young band, and these songs are a definite must for completists like I am.)
The American version of this album, (label?; T-I-R 010795) released in 1995 and with cover art consisting of a smattering of band photos, has 14 songs on it. These include: Maggie, Take What You Can, Come On And Love Me, What Keeps Me Loving You, After The Rain, Inside Out, Off To The Sun, Nice Day To Die, *****Face Down In The Gutter, When I Find Love, and unreleased demos: This Could Be The One, I Know What's On Your Mind, One Is Enough To Tango, Ready For The Rain.
I must tell you the heart attack I had when I received the domestic CD in the mail. I knew it was going to have tour photos on the cover, but nothing prepared me for my delighted shock when I saw it! A former pen pal of my good buddy Julie took the b/w photo on the right hand side (and I own a photo taken either right before or right after the one pictured on the cover) and the one in the top center was taken by my friend Crystal at the first show we saw XYZ, Oct. 23, 1991!! See?! ------------->
The domestic version is just as awesome as the import. Any serious XYZ fan needs to have both in his/her collection! The "Face Down In The Gutter" and "When I Find Love" live tracks on the domestic version are from a radio performance and are both acoustic tracks. The unreleased tracks are awesome. I seem to remember the guys playing "Ready For The Rain" at the second show I went to... but I'm not sure. The reason why I think I remember this is that it was another "rain" song and I found that funny. Or am I hallucinating? Can anyone verify if the guys were playing those songs (slated for album #3) on their 1991 or 1992 tour?
After hearing the four tracks that were supposed to be on album #3, I lament that we never got to hear it. I think it would have blown the other two albums away, and by my estimation, that's pretty damn big, because I love the first two. They're two of my all-time favorites!
The four bonus tracks on the import are from the band's self-produced EP, which ended up in the hands of Don Dokken, and we all know what happened after that!
The liner notes tell me that the EP was pre-Marc and Paul, recorded with Paul Villet on drums and Uncle RV Alliroll on guitar. Anyone know what happened to them or have any info on them?? Is Villet the drummer who was kicked out of the band? (See their Capitol press kit.)
The CDs are really fun and bring back such good memories! No overdubs here, just raw performance, feedback and all (and Terry miscounting TWICE on "Off To The Sun -- gotta love him, he gives it everything he's got and isn't ashamed to be imperfect.) Rock ON!
Inside Out, released in 1989, is backed by Take What You Can. The CD single and UK 12-inch single (12ENV 16) (same artwork as 45 picture sleeve) of this song have a third track, "On The Blue Side Of The Night." 7-inch vinyl catalog number: ENV16; small hole, 45 rpm.
What Keeps Me Loving You was also released, as a video, anyway. (It was the era of the power ballad.) I don't know anything about any singles released here. Can anyone tell me the B-side or supply artwork?
A fan recalls that the single was released in Canada, to whit, "Although I cannot supply artwork, I know for a fact that 'What Keeps Me Lovin' You,' the second single from XYZ's 1989 self-titled Enigma Records debut, was available in a cassette single format in Canada. I myself had purchased the cass-single of "Inside Out," the first single but did not purchase the second as the B-side was another album song. I apologize for not being able to identify the B-side, but I can describe the cover art as mostly grey-black, reminiscent of the LP mood, with just the song title in the same font that the songs on the album were printed in.... Paul" Thank you Paul!!
Released in 1991, the first single off Hungry, Face Down In The Gutter, was backed with the previously unreleased track, Two Wrongs Can Make A Right, and included snippets of Fire and Water and When I Find Love. "Two Wrongs" is now on the reissued version of Hungry, available from Terrible Ted's (see link above). Cassette single catalog number 4KM-44745.
The next single/video was When I Find Love. Was there a commercially released cassette single or CD single?
The U.S. Inside Out promo 12 inch vinyl (EPRO-218) contains only the one song.
The Inside Out promo CD (EPRO-231) contains only the one song.
This Metal Sampler (DPRO-79086) Hungry promo contains the following five songs: Off To The Sun, The Sun Also Rises In Hell, Two Wrongs Can Make A Right, Take What You Can (live, different from the live CD of the same name) and Nice Day To Die (live)
The promo CD for Face Down In The Gutter (DPRO-79847) is not backed with anything; it's just the one track. Apparently there is a 12-inch vinyl version of this single with two tracks (SPRO79913) and a UK version with four. I have the US version on order and am inquiring about the UK version. For a band with only two albums to their credit, there sure is a lot of stuff out there! I'm so glad I'm not a Beatles collector! I wouldn't have any money at all! Online shopping is too easy! Bad bad bad!!! ;)
When I Find Love (DPRO-79079) was the next single, and, being part of the street team, I dialed radio stations all across the country in hopes that it would get some airplay. I remember calling one station right after they'd just played it. (I had to make something up like I just had turned on the radio and missed it or something like that.) This promo single has the radio version backed with the LP version. I haven't seen one with a front insert, just the back insert. If anyone has any different info, please let me know.
Patt recently informed me that "Maggy" was in a Dolf Lundgren movie in 1990 named I Come In Peace. Being that the movie is still shown on cable, the residuals from its inclusion are still helping the guys pay the rent. :)
I'm not certain if there is a soundtrack album. Anyone who can confirm or deny this, please let me know. One piece of info I received recently from a fan said this, "Just to let you know, the video... is known under a different name in the UK and possibly Europe as Dark Angel. It doesn't advertise a soundtrack album at the end of the film but the tracks advertised on the credits are:
Maggy - XYZ
Thumbs Up - Bardeux
Ugly - The U-Krew
Touch Me Tonight - Shooting Star ....Ian"
Thank you Ian!
Bang Your Head: Best of 80s Metal. Here's an 80s compilation that I hadn't known about until I was surfing and stumbled upon it. It's apparently from 1997. Track listing: No One Like You - Scorpions; The Stroke - Billy Squier; Don't Know What You Got (Till It's Gone) - Cinderella; I Wanna Rock - Twisted Sister; Wango Tango - Ted Nugent; Mama Weer All Crazee Now - Quiet Riot; Get It On - Kingdom Come Wolf; Sex Action - L.A. Guns; Inside Out - XYZ; When The Children Cry - White Lion.
Some good stuff!!! :)
E-mail me with comments, suggestions, corrections or additions to the discography, tour stories/CD reviews and other ideas for this page at vision@gglbbs.com.
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Page last updated Aug. 23, 2001. [More details on releases, especially worldwide info. Keep it coming, everyone! Thank you!] Page created: March 1999.