Tokyo Blade

Description

The roots of the NWOBHM legends Tokyo Blade date back to the very early 80s, when their school friends Andy Boulton (guitar), Andy Robbins (bass), and Steve Pierce (drums) started in Wiltshire under the initial name of White Diamond. Eventually, they teamed up with singer Alan Marsh and continued under the name Killer, before becoming Genghis Khan and releasing the highly sought-after "Double Dealin'" double 7" in 1982. This led to a deal with the brand new label Powerstation Records, which released the band's self-titled debut album in November 1983. Founding member and guitarist Andy Boulton explains: "The album was recorded at Wickham studio in East London. We had four days and four nights to record, and it was a nightmare. Every time we finished, we would fall asleep on the studio floor until the next morning when it all started again." According to Andy, the atmosphere in the studio was "stressful to be honest, we thought we had at least a few weeks or ten days, but it was practically recorded live. We just picked what we considered the best songs from what we had at that time." "Kerrang! in the UK, they weren't very flattering about the album but they never really liked us because they were passionate about American stuff," the guitarist continues, "I guess we didn't wear enough makeup." Elsewhere, however, especially in continental Europe, with magazines like Aardschok in the Netherlands and Rock Hard in Germany, Tokyo Blade was hailed as the natural successor to Iron Maiden. Andy Boulton sets the record straight: "To be honest, we were quite surprised by the reaction. We always considered ourselves just a bunch of friends who love playing music. We never really aimed to be famous or even well-known." This extended reissue of the first Tokyo Blade album includes a rich selection of bonuses, including the four tracks from the "Midnight Rendezvous" EP: "If Heaven Is Hell," "Highway Passion," "Midnight Rendezvous," and "Mean Streak," as well as "Powergame" and "Death On Main Street" from the "Powergame" 7", plus a track titled "Machine Run," released on a compilation called "Metal Maniaxe" on Ebony Records from Hull in 1982 under the name Madame Guillotine. Transfer, audio restoration, and mastering by Patrick W. Engel at TEMPLE OF DISHARMONY in February 2021 / January 2026. Pressing by SST Germany on Neumann machines for optimal quality at all levels. The ultimate audiophile edition of this timeless NWOBHM classic! CD TRACKLIST: 1. Powergame 2. Break the Chains 3. If Heaven Is Hell 4. Until the Night 5. Killer City 6. Liar 7. Tonight 8. Sunrise in Tokyo 9. Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia 10. Midnight Rendezvous (12") 11. Mean Streak (12") 12. If Heaven Is Hell (12") 13. Highway Passion (12") 14. Powergame (7") 15. Death on Main Street 16. Machine Run (Compilation track)