This week on The Collection, we are talking one of my all time favorite singers and one of the nicest guys in the world…Paul Laine. I’ve followed Paul since his debut solo album in 1990 all the way to today through his bands Danger Danger, The Defiants, Dark Horse, Shugaazer and everything else. We go through his catalog so join me and I hope you discover something you’ve been missing.
So go check it out as it will be live tonight at 7pm, April 21, 2025 on YouTube. Thanks for stopping by and please click “Like” and hit “Subscribe” as it helps out the site when you do.
And if you want to watch the Interview I did with Mike Ladano 4 years ago with Paul Laine, check it out below…it was a blast!!
For My Sunday Song #419, we have another song from The Defiant’s. This time around it is “Fallin’ For You” from the bands second album, ‘Zokusho’. It was written by Paul Laine and his buddy Bruno Ravel. If you thought the first album was good, then this one will not disappoint. A band that is celebrating that 80’s rock sound and this particular song is all that and more. This one was a single and even had a video. You gotta love that.
Lyrically, the song is about a woman that comes in to his life when he wasn’t looking for love. Heck, she wasn’t either as she just got out of a relationship. They were both wrong place, wrong time, but the heart wants what the heart wants. He has fallin’ for her hard and wants to know what to do. How can they make it work despite everything saying it can’t. A classic love story that has been in every Rom-Com out there.
With a little keyboard opening and then a gritty guitar riff, we get a classic Danger Danger style rocking love song. You get swept up in those big choruses, catchy hooks and that Paul Laine vocal. He was made for these type of songs. The guitar solo is huge, crazy riffs, fast flying fingers. It all screams 80’s and I scream along with it…Hell Yeah!!! A fun song that will get stuck in your head for days.
Give the song a listen and tell me that music doesn’t take you back to the 80’s. 80’s music was the best as it was the most fun and I am thrilled The Defiants are celebrating that sound. It makes you feel so good. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoyed this week’s song. Have a wonderful and Happy Sunday!!
“Fallin’ For You”
I wasn’t looking for somebody to love me I wasn’t waiting for a second chance You know I’ve never really been that lucky I’d given up trying to understand You were getting over some old heartbreak You never counted on me walking through your door, yeah
I didn’t know I was waiting for you It’s out of my hands and there’s nothing I can do
Girl, I can’t help it (I can’t help it) There’s something in the air tonight I just wanna tell you (wanna tell you) That my heart’s got nothing to hide I can’t hold back even if I tried Tell me what I gotta do ‘Cause girl, you got me Fallin’ for you (fallin’ for you) What’s a boy to do? (Fallin’ for you) You got me fallin’, fallin’ for you, oh
I was runnin’ in the wrong direction I was headed down a dead end road In the mirror was my own reflection Telling me you’re better off alone All I knew is there was someone for me Someone out there with a heart that beat like mine, oh
You were the one I was dreaming about I’m head over heels and there ain’t no doubt
Girl, I can’t help it (I can’t help it) There’s something in the air tonight I just wanna tell you (wanna tell you) That my heart’s got nothing to hide I can’t hold back even if I tried Tell me what I gotta do ‘Cause girl, you got me Fallin’ for you (fallin’ for you) And there ain’t no use (fallin’ for you) You got me fallin’, fallin’ for you
‘Cause that’s the thing about love when you find it Try to hold on and never let go It’s the chance that you take Between love and fate And only your heart will know
I didn’t know I was waiting for you It’s out of my hands and there’s nothing I can do You were the one I was dreaming about I’m head over heels and there ain’t no doubt
Girl, I can’t help it (I can’t help it) There’s something in the air tonight I just wanna tell you (wanna tell you) That I’m ready to give you this heart of mine I can’t hold back even if I tried Tell me what I gotta do ‘Cause girl, you got me Fallin’ for you (fallin’ for you) Girl, I’m stuck on you (fallin’ for you) (Fallin’ for you) and there ain’t no use
what’s a boy to do? (Fallin’ for you, fallin’ for you) oh girl, you got me fallin’ (Fallin’ for you) hey (fallin’ for you) oh, oh, I’m fallin’ (Fallin’ for you, fallin’ for you) fallin’ for you (Fallin’ for you) fallin’ for you (fallin’ for you) fallin’ for you (Fallin’ for you) yeah, you know I can’t help it (fallin’ for you) Oh, I wanna tell you (fallin’ for you) There’s something in the air tonight (fallin’ for you) hoo
For My Sunday Song #416, we are going back to The Defiants and this time around we are talking about “Save Me Tonight” from their self-titled 2016 album. The Defiants are Paul Laine, Bruno Ravel and Rob Marcello and basically they are Danger Danger 2.0. Better, stronger and have aged nicely. The Defiants don’t get much notice here in the States and that is too bad as songs like this show this band has the goods to take over the world. If this was the 80’s, they would be as big as Bon Jovi…at least I think they would…they are better then today’s Bon Jovi at least.
A ballad that is full of so much heartbreak and heartache. The song is about a man who is fallen so deeply in love with this woman, but she is leaving and it is over. He is in so much pain and he wants her to come back and save him and give their love one more chance. There are some great lines that highlight the pain such as “They say love never dies but it sure leaves a scar” and “And all that’s left behind is a tattoo on your heart”. A beautifully written song.
But how beautiful is it really? Is it too sappy? No, not in the least. The Defiants put on a master class on how to perform a ballad. The music is tender, heartfelt and aches with the pains of the lyrics. The opening synths give it an almost atmospheric tone like floating through the air. The guitar tone is almost weeping and that solo will leave you breathless. But the winner is those vocals by Paul Laine. The notes he hits are amazing, the angelic tones, the emotiveness of his words is crazy good. Paul is still one of the finest vocalists out there today. He still has it in spades. If you ever thought the ballad was dead…here is proof it is alive and better than ever.
For My Sunday Song #413, we are tackling the power ballad “Another Time, Another Place” by The Defiants. The song is off the band’s third and latest album, ‘Drive’ and it was written by Bruno Ravel and Paul Laine. You have Paul on vocals and keyboards, Bruno Ravel on bass and Rob Marcello on guitars with Van Romaine on drums. The song did not chart and heck I don’t even know if it was a single, but I do know that if this song was released in the mid to late 80’s it would be #1.
The song is about a love that could have been and doesn’t fall in to the abyss of a love that never was. There was someone in the past that he can’t stop thinking about and he longs for her, but they never became lovers. He dreams about that time in the future in another time and another place where that longing gets fulfilled and they fall in love and are together forever and a day. It is rather heartbreaking to want someone so much and long for them like that and yet nothing to satisfy that desire…at least not yet.
This is more like a Journey ballad as “Another Time, Another Place” might be the best ballad by any band in decades. Yes, it is that good to me. Steve Perry look out. I get lost in the chorus as Paul’s vocals will take over your ears and surround you in comfort and a magical bliss. The chorus is huge and so catchy. It draws you in and won’t let go. The scream Paul has at the end is such a surprise and so cool. I mean it isn’t Rob Halford type of cool, but still pretty awesome. The song is pure perfection again. When it comes on and I’m driving in my car, I keep hitting repeat and can never get enough. It usually accompanies for the rest of the drive. “Drive”…isn’t that the name of the album…how funny.
I can’t believe we are through with another year. And what a year it was, It saw me complete my goal of reviewing my massive Jeff Scott Soto Series with over 80 posts and 18 months of work. I was crazy to do it, but I loved every minute of it. I also started two more rather large and incredible series with Bon Jovi and Def Leppard which should take me through most of 2024. These might be the last two really Series I do as they are the last of my large band collections I have in my possession. All the other artist I have aren’t in such abundance like these were.
With the Soto, Def Leppard and Bon Jovi Series, I actually didn’t spend much time with new releases and if I’m being honest, this was a pretty piss poor year for rock albums that I grabbed me interest during the year. So, we are going to go through what I call the Top Albums of 2023, but I missed so much this isn’t a definitive list. This is only what I listened to in the year so take it with a grain of salt. Of course there will be some honorable mentions, a worst of album and maybe a best of re-issue/box set. I am not doing a Rock only list this year as I want to highlight anything I listened to this year that I thought was great. Sit back, grab a cup of coffee if it is morning, or a beer if it is any other time of day…and enjoy!!
MY FAVORITE ALBUMS OF 2023:
#10 – The Rolling Stones – ‘Hackney Diamonds’
Is this the best Rolling Stones album, no, not at all. But let’s be honest, how cool is it we got another Stones album. I think it is really cool. Producer, Andrew Watt, was on board to bring the band back to life. He made it modern, but still a Stones album. I liked his work with Ozzy and I like it here. You Still get Mick and Keith and the boys sounding like who they are so don’t fret. There is a bar room blues feel to it, but it also feels relevant for today. They have Lady Gaga on board and even Sir Paul McCartney. I found it it to be a fantastic listen and one of my favorites for the year. Way to go boys. I like “Angry”, “Sweet Sounds of Heaven”, “Bite My Head Off” and so many more. Check it out!!
Welcome to the monthly round-up as we go through the purchases here at 2 Loud 2 Old Music for September 2023. It was another good month for vinyl and CDs, but that was it. Nothing out of the ordinary this month like Cassettes, 8-Tracks or even books. Strictly vinyl and CDs which I won’t complain about because that is enough. The month started out with a couple new releases that came out at the end of August, but didn’t arrive until after the August post was done. I picked the new albums for both Eclipse and H.E.A.T. and both are great…
Then during Labor Day weekend, my wife and I had a kid free weekend and we went out to 2nd & Charles so she could look for books. I, of course, took advantage of the Buy 2 Get 2 Free in the used CD section where I picked up 10 CDs. Two of them were actually still sealed (Lifehouse and Halestorm)!! I picked up a handful of Live including their debut E.P., some Wallflowers and a great Pearl Jam live CD and as Jimmy Buffett passed away, I grabbed his greatest hits in memory of him.
The boys are back with their third album. The boys, of course, are Paul Laine, Bruno Ravel and Rob Marcello or more properly known as The Defiants. The band was brought together back in 2016 thanks to Frontiers Records. I was worried this was going to be a one and done, but thankfully that wasn’t the case.
I spoke with Paul Laine a couple years ago and I knew he was working on this album. And about 6 months later, when I was exchanging emails with him, he was coming up on his deadline to submit the album to Frontiers. He seemed a little stressed, but in a good way. This was around January 2022. I am not sure what happened, but the album didn’t see the light of day for another 18 months. I hope to talk with him again soon and I will make sure to see what was going on. Regardless, as of June 7, 2023, we have the new Defiants album and I couldn’t be happier.
The guys had worked together before in a band called Danger Danger, you remember them from the late 80’s and 90’s. The Defiants were made to recapture that 80’s rock magic and capture it they did. I will try not to be biased as I am a huge Paul Laine fan and I pretty much love everything he does and there is a reason for that…he is one of the best vocalists in the business and his voice gets stronger as he ages. He does not disappoint here either. In fact no one does. This is my album of the Summer and in fact, could wind up as album of the Year. Yes, I said it! And here’s why…
The album opens with a scorcher in “Hey Life” which is a massive anthemic rocker. And listen to that opening guitar riff…does it not sound like “Rise” by Extreme??? Which is wild as both albums came out on the same day. Paul’s vocals soar as he tells life to get out of his way. The drums are pounding, the guitars are a rip-roaring shredfest and the song makes a massive opening statement.
Welcome to another monthly round-up of what we obtained here at 2 Loud 2 Old Music. It was another big month, but not quite like last month. The month started off with another Buy 5 Get 5 deal and ended with a trip to Los Angeles so it was a fun month here at the site.
First up was the 2nd & Charles Buy 5 Get 5 Free on Used CDs, so of course, I took advantage of that deal. Not a bad haul I must say…
And of course, we did get some new releases this month including Extreme, Neal Schon and my personal favorite, The Defiants!! I went the cheaper route of CDs for these mainly because Neal’s isn’t on vinyl and The Defiants isn’t available until September (pre-ordered).
Happy Friday! I am so excited as this is the one week I’ve really been waiting for most of the year (or at least since the albums were announced). There are two albums that for me are the ones I’ve look forward to most of all. Paul Laine’s new album his Danger Danger bandmates and that is The Defiants’ new album ‘Drive’. The bands third studio album and have high hopes. The other album I’m excited by is the new Extreme album, simply titled Six. It has been way too long since their last one. Can’t wait to hear Nuno shred!! There are also a bunch of reissues this week and on some big albums from Niall Horan, Janelle Monae, Jason Isbell and so many more…and yes Frontiers Records has a bunch as is very common. Now, let me know what you want to hear or what we may have missed. Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope you all have a great and wonderful weekend.
The Defiants – Drive – (Frontiers Records)
Extreme – Six – (earMusic / Edel Music & Entertainment)
Welcome to the first round of purchases for 2022. Yes, I know, it never seems to end…my wife and wallet keep telling me that, but I don’t listen…obviously. And this week was another stellar month and a few really good deals as well…at least I think so. The first set of purchases were from gift cards left over from Christmas that I hadn’t spent and it was tough to decide. First I went with a vinyl I had been wanting for awhile and finding an original vinyl pressing was going to be expense so I went withe re-issue from Music on Vinyl for Extreme!!
The other items I picked up on those gift cards were the studio albums I was missing for Robbie Williams…I figured no time better than to complete that collection so I did. There were four left and here they are… Now I just need to the rare stuff that I am missing…challenge accepted!!
The Defiants – Drive – (Frontiers Records)
Extreme – Six – (earMusic / Edel Music & Entertainment)
2 Loud 2 Old Music 