As far back as I can remember I have been a fan of AOR/Melodic Rock/Hard Rock albums. While there are some heavy hitters like Journey, Boston, and Foreigner, that keep the genre alive, there are some lesser-known acts that have not received their just due.
So, without further a due, here is in my opinion one of the most underappreciated artist's in the AOR album format- John Waite.
John Waite has been making music since the 70s, fronting successful bands like the The Babys and Bad English. However for the most part he is primarily known by people who know him only from his hits ( Missing You, Isn’t It Time, Back On My Feet Again When I See You Smile).
Which is unfortunate he has made some great albums over his forty-year career, and he deserves a little more appreciation.
In my opinion, John Wait’s emphatic, clear-cut vocals are one of a kind. The quality of his voice allowed him to be convincing as both arena rocker and balladeer.
The one album that captures Wait’s impressive vocal talents is 1984’s No Brakes. With its hard rockers: Saturday Night, For Your Love, the country-ish Restless Heart, the pop-rockers Dark Side Of The Sun, Tears and the mid tempo Euroshima , No Brakes constituted a robust track-list that should have solidified his place as one the best singers in pop-rock music.
Unfortunately, that was not the case, and John Waite never reached the success he deserved.
So if you a fan of great vocals captivating wordplay then you out to your self to discover or rediscover John Wait.