THUNDER - "Guys, we're still needed!"

6. April 2021

Thunder

THUNDER - „Jungs, wir werden doch noch gebraucht!“

Thunder, for 32 years now an integral part of the blues-soaked classic English hard rock scene, have since their founding already provided many a genre highlight. Their first two albums "Backstreet Symphony" and "Laughing On Judgement Day" have remained unsurpassed. Now, with the grandiose "All The Right Noises", they are going all the way again. "Gold Voice" Danny Bowes took the editors' praise in a British-casual manner.

"This band has what it takes to be our successor," David Coverdale never tired of pointing out a good three decades ago. He hoisted Thunder into the Whitesnake opening act, and the troupe succeeded in getting to the top, at least in the United Kingdom: The debut album "Backstreet Symphony" landed at No. 21 in 1990, the sophomore album "Laughing On Judgement Day" broke through to No. 2 on the charts in 1992, and the nine singles from the two albums made it into the Top 40.

Overrun by a grunge wave that had been steadily growing since the early 90s, the band, which was formed in 1989, was already considered a rock oldie by the middle of the decade at the latest, however. Even if their third album "Behind Closed Doors" managed to enter the Top 10 of the British charts again in 1995, it was as good as certain that Coverdale's predicted world career would come to nothing. They subsequently disbanded in 2000, made a second attempt in 2002, followed by another breakup in 2009 and another reunion in 2011.

Fortunately, Thunder have since found their niche, producing good song material off the cuff and mourning missed opportunities only when asked. At the prime rock age of 60 on average, the London band, which in addition to our interview partner and singer Danny Bowes also includes co-founders Luke Morley and Ben Matthews on guitars, Gary "Harry" James on drums and Chris Childs, who joined in 1996, on bass, now presented "All The Right Noises", their twelfth studio album with new songs.

eclipsed: Do you actually like the album as much as we do in the eclipsed editorial team, or are such pandering journalists anathema to you by now?

Danny Bowes: (laughs) You are right: "All The Right Noises" is really an album that has it all. We started recording it before the Corona pandemic in December 2019, and it was finally in the can in the spring of 2020. And I have to say: as a result, I've known the album a year longer than you and I still enjoy listening to it.

eclipsed: Have you not listened to your other albums then?

Bowes: Okay, the current album was on hold because of Corona, so there was time to deal with itself, also because there was no tour coming up. But I can also say for that reason: the album still grows by listening to it more often.

eclipsed: Was the production completely smooth, or was it more of a bump in the recording process?

Bowes: A bit of both. A lot of it went well from the start, and we were quickly satisfied with the result. But on the ballad "I'll Be The One," I struggled. I had to keep re-singing it and I still wasn't happy with my vocal performance - it was always missing that certain something. I'm very happy with the very emotional final version now released on the album. When I hear the song now, though, I think to myself, "You certainly won't get it as good as that a second time."

Thunder - Last One Out Turn Off The Lights (Official Video)

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