The Power Station “The Power Station” released 35 years ago today, March 25th, 1985. The rock/funk/new wave super group/Duran Duran side project was the collaboration between John Taylor and Andy Taylor of DD2, Chic’s drummer Tony Thompson and blue-eyed soul singer Robert Palmer. I bought The Power Station about 5 seconds after it was released (Duran Duran were my everything in ‘85) and so did just about everyone else; it went to #6 in the US and #12 in the UK with three hit singles. Those three tracks are definitely my favorite on the LP – “Some Like It Hot” was Power Station’s lead single (#6 US) and its massive beats and funky-ass bass are just amazing. The second single, “Bang a Gong (Get It On)” went to #9 in the US and #22 in the UK (and man, does John play that fuckin’ bass). It is, of course, a cover of T. Rex’s 1971 hit single “Get It On” (#1 UK). I’m almost embarrassed now to admit that Power Station’s version was the first time I heard this song but I was born the year that T. Rex’s version came out so that’s a pretty good excuse. The final single was “Communication” (#34 US, #75 UK) – the weakest of the three, but still pretty great. What I love about these three tracks, plus others like “Murderess,” is that Andy finally gets to rock out with wild abandon, throwing in classic/heavy metal guitar riffs and solos everywhere possible while John goes all-in funkster on the bass. There was a lot of strife in Duran Duran at the time (mostly fueled by drug and alcohol issues) and the break was good for both factions. Though I will always prefer the Simon-Nick-Roger side project of Arcadia because they still sounded like Duran Duran. Power Station was a whole new sound and introduced teenage me to Chic, T. Rex and other musicians I probably wouldn’t have noticed otherwise.