When the late, great metal / hard rock vocalist RHETT FORRESTER left RIOT after their well received 1983 »Born In America« album, it did not take too long for him to start work on solo career. Rhett recorded 2 solo albums during the ’80s, and while he didn’t released a third, the singer did not stop recording new music collaborating with various musicians in different bands and projects over a period of six years until his untimely death in 1994, when he was shot and killed in Atlanta, Georgia, at the age of 37.
Compiled by High Roller Records under the title “Sessions“, this CD includes some awesome recordings professionally done with RHETT FORRESTER as frontman of various bands such as Dr. DIRTY, DOGBONE (with former KEEL members), a project with guitarist Jonathan Grell (ex WINTERKAT) and other with legendary Carl Canedy (THE RODS).
Honestly, the material included here is some of the best we heard from Forrester, killer bluesy hard rock with strong songwriting and solid production. Sound quality is very good, all the material remastered & restored by recording engineer and metal musician from Germany Patrick W. Engel.
The »Sessions« compilation brings together a number of different projects that Rhett Forrester was involved with across his all too brief but nevertheless impressive career.
For the most part these recordings have fallen into relative obscurity compared to the more well known Rhett Forrester releases, be it with the legendary RIOT, JACK STARR’s first solo record »Out Of The Darkness« or Rhett’s own solo output.
First up are the »Dirty Water Sessions«, which were first heard on the long out of print compilation album »Hell Or Highwater«, recorded in Texas with guitarist/co-writer Jonathan Grell – formerly of the band WINTERKAT. These songs represent the very last recordings Rhett made before his untimely death.
Next up is the “Dogbone” project, a tentative band Rhett formed with then former KEEL members Brian Jay and Dwain Miller. These recordings got a limited semi-official release in the mid 1990s, but have largely been unheard until now.
In addition »Sessions« includes the sole track from the “Thrasher” project album featuring Rhett. Masterminded by Andrew Duck McDonald and Carl Canedy this track also featured on the »Hell Or Highwater« compilation.
Closing out this release are the demos for Dr. Dirty, known as »The Clear Lake Sessions«. These recordings formed the basis of what became the full Dr. Dirty recordings featured on the other new High Roller Records release »Rhett Forrester – The Canadian Years« .
Great rocking stuff. HIGHLY Recommended
01 – Hell Or Highwater (Dirty Water Sessions)
02 – Hard Drivin’ Woman (Dirty Water Sessions)
03 – Child Of Time (Dirty Water Sessions)
04 – If You Think You’re Nasty (Dogbone Sessions)
05 – Double Trouble (Dogbone Sessions)
06 – Dog Fight Alley (Dogbone Sessions)
07 – Too Far Too Fast (Dogbone Sessions)
08 – Touch The Sun (Dogbone Sessions)
09 – If My Heart Could Sing (Dogbone Sessions)
10 – Gimme Some Lovin’ (Dogbone Sessions)
11 – Do You Swallow (Dogbone Sessions)
12 – Bad Boys (Thrasher Project)
13 – Hold On (Clear Lake Sessions)
14 – In And Out (Clear Lake Sessions)
15 – Love Song (Clear Lake Sessions)
16 – Redbone Rock (Clear Lake Sessions)
17 – Too Late (Clear Lake Sessions)