I'm a huge fan of Slade and I can't say I've ever thought of them as an AOR or Melodic Rock band, although they were definitely versatile. They're one of the most underrated bands of my lifetime. Individually they're all great musicians and they plainly and simply wrote great songs with great melodies and tons of hooks. And they did it all with a sense of humor about everything, most of all, themselves. That's one of the things I love most about them.

Another lead singer from a famous band doing a solo album and AOR too, is Fee Waybill of The Tubes with his 1984 album Read My Lips definitely worth being discussed too.

Finally a show about the Hard Hitting side of Yacht Rock. Boston - Don't Look Back remains the absolute best Heavy Yacht Rock song.

At last people talking about those 2 giant albums, 2 of the best melodic rock albums ever made, thanks.

Glad Giant is shown some love.

That Slade album I heard back in 1986 and I never revisit it after that. Not because I did not like it, but it wasnt in my collection. I just heard it when I was visiting my uncle and aunt that year. So I will revisit this and hope it will be glorious

Love the UK connection. Keep up the good work gents!

Love all three albums but my winner is Giant. That album is one if the best AOR/Melodic Rock ever done. Fantastic album from Dann Huff and Co. Their 2nd album is also a killer album without a doubt.

Whether it truly fits under the 'AOR/Melodic rock' tag, I think a number of people will be happy to see a Slade album getting covered; The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome is my 'keeper', and my copy is the 2007 Salvo remaster which features a bunch of extra tracks (including the two B-sides - excellent tracks! - that were placed on the US version of the album.) I have to admit that I wound up enjoying the Giant album much more than I thought I would. Great songs, great vocals & harmonies, hooks, melodies, choruses, great atmosphere. No complaints here. While the Lou Gramm is the 'classic' of the three albums selected for this episode, I can take it or leave it. Great one.

I bought the Giant album. Listened to it constantly during my inter-railing month in 1989. Great album.

Hi gents, sorry Ive been a bit quiet lately but I promise Ive been listening! Glad you did another AOR episode and what a great trio of albums! GIANT - my classic on the album and the one of the 3 I'd keep, without hesitation. LOU GRAMM - definitely better than all Foreigner's albums after 4. And Ill echo Steven's thumb's up for the Bruce Turgon solo album... SLADE - Noddy Holder is, officially (sez I!!) THE most under-appreciated singer in British rock music, period. Thanks again fir anither fun hour guys, looking firwaed to that next episode - i can think of three off the top of my head already! See you then!

Yet another highly enjoyable video by The Uk Connection! This one was for me extra enjoyable as you featured an 1980`s album by Slade. I like to think that in the far future `My Oh My` will be looked back on as one of the truly great sing-a-long/feeling of togetherness songs. My second favourite on that album is `(And now the waltz)C`est La Vie`. Both of these songs feature every year on my New Years Eve playlist. It was actually the 1980`s `Anthems` that really got me into Slade. Special. I have the Lou Graham album and it is actually one of my favourite `solo` albums. Doesn`t always work when the lead singer from a band records a solo effort but I think this one works very well. Heard the Giant album a long time ago and seem to remember enjoying it but never followed up on it. I shall rectify that now and see how it goes. Thanks guys.

Especially the song TIME from Lou Gramm is an amazing song with a great riff (Nils Lofgren !) !!

Love Giant's first two albums and I'd argue their second album is even better! I mean just listen to Thunder and lightning, Chained and Time to burn - melodic hard rock at its best with guitar solos out of this world! Fantastic ballads as well. Can't believe the amount of talent in Dann Huff, great singer and an even better guitarist!

Another great show gents. Three really good albums. For me they would rank as: 3. Lou Gramm; 2. Giant; 1. Slade. Slade would be the keeper, no contest. Though I have to say the case for classifying it as AOR/Melodic Rock is marginal.😄

Thanks lads, never a dull moment, you are the bizzo.

Love the Lou Gramm album. I listened to it a thousand times back in the day. Giant is a good one too. I’m familiar with a few Slade songs and like what I’ve heard. Need to check out more.

Love the chemistry of the UK connection shows❤

Great show gentlemen! I had a response in the comments from Steven Reid around a year and half ago, that The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome was on the long, long list of albums for the show. What an album that makes you feel good. I agree that the UK edition is the version to own. Thanks Steven!

Loved Giant…saw them at the marquee years ago…for some reason they were delayed and didn’t come on till very late but they were great.

That Lou Gramm album is phenomenal!!! Giant album is superb too!!!

Steve, believe it or not, I saw Slade at the RKO movie theater in White Plains, N.Y. On their Sladest tour. Great show! 👍

Last of the Runaways is still one of my favorite albums from the late 80s. Not a bad song on it and should have been huge!

For Me... 3. Keep Your Hans Off My Power Supply 2. Ready Or Not 1. Last Of The Runaways (KEEPER!) which was also on my list for Forgotten Favorites!

Love the Giant album, what an era for AOR, Drive She Said, Diving For Pearls, my biggest regret that i failed to see them live, especially as they played Woughton Centre Milton Keynes, second regret also missed White Sister supporting FM at the same venue

Knew none of these until today. Streamed 2 and a bit. The bit was Giant, couldn't really get into that. Wasn't awful but sounded like a lot of other bands, maybe being harsh so would give it another go. Lou Gramm album was not what i expected, was great. Think it was Simon who said no song outstays its welcome and that was so true. Slade album was great. First Slade album i've listened to even though i'm well versed in the hits. They had filled in for Ozzy at the 1980 Reading Festival and went down an absolute storm. That gave them a bit of a 2nd life for a while.

Love the Lou Gramm album Used to have the 12 inch record of Midnight Blue which for me was the perfect version. Was so happy that it was on the updated cd version that was released a wee while back.

I have owned Giant 's and Lou Gramm since they came out. Eo I am really familiar with them . My preference is the Giant one. Great songwriting and musicianship. Lou Gramm is certainly on the light side of things. The riff of the song Time reminds me of Somebody save me by Cinderella. I had not heard of Slade's album before you mentioned it in the previous episode. I don't think it is AOR. Perhaps in the fringes.

How good is the guitar intro to I’m a believer…. I still love it.

37:27 to 37:35 HAS to be one of the very best UK connection snippets ever. I raise a pint to all 3 of you as usual...and to Simon, I too like a coffee stout

Usually I need to revisit the albums featured on the AOR show,or visit for the first time. Not this time maybe the Slade one but the Lou Gramm and Giant are still regulars on my turntable. All 3 excellent albums great albums . Which would I pick to keep,, if I can’t cheat then I’m going Lou Gramm, I would say this is my favourite Lou Gramm album, yes even above his Foreigner work. Going to be honest the Shadowking could even come in second.

All 3 great albums but slade has to be the 1 for me

Simon, we need to shoe horn in some 'Ten' into the melodic rock show as they are brilliant. Plus, it will wind up Steven no end.

I bought the Lou Gramm and the Giant albums on release, but I never "loved" either... I just liked some of them. Last of the Runaways is good but hugely over-rated by Melodic Rock fans.... Diving for Pearls was my melodic rock at this time. Slade can do no wrong for me. So that's my favourite of the three.

Does the Giant cover allude to the James dean film, Giant?

Belhaven Black is great stuff & that's coming from an Irish Guinness drinker. Lou Gramm was the 1st cd I ever bought....not that anybody cares!! 😂

"I'll See You In My Dreams" is my all time favorite power ballad, and I actually prefer Time to Burn over Last of the Runaways

Didn't do the assignment, but still here for the discussion. My contribution to feeding the algorithm is my choice of beverage: 'Mirror Pond' pale ale 5.0% abv. Named for an iconic section of the Deschutes River in the heart of downtown Bend Oregon US. Remember, "life is simple, it's either cherry red or midnight blue"🍻

Gramm and Giant fer sure but personally would've gone with Bad Company's 'Holy Water' the Howe fronted era quite polarising for old-school BC fans at the time. Still, another fun show regardless, well played gents :)

Nice video...😃👍

1. Giant 2. Slade 3. Lou Gramm.

I love Peroni, I love Moretti too - great choice Pete! One comment on Run Run Away - it seemed to me at the time and even more today that Slade were trying to sound like Big Country who had released The Crossing the year before. My ranking: 1/ Lou Gramm 2/ Giant 3/ Slade

All 80's Survivor albums, Bad English debut album, FM Though it out, Lou Gramm Long Hard Look, Giant Time to Burn.

never heard anyone refer to Slade as AOR/Melodic rock...

Hey Pete can we do a show with these guys about “ Shadow King” a very underrated great AOR heavy album. I would love to know Stephen/ Simon opinion about it

Slade!! They made an impact in my room in the 70's. Noddy...Noddy.... Slade was just a fun band. Then again the UK produced Gary Glitter also. But that as they say, is another story.

Did I read Giant were a bit Christian? I bought both albums on release and they are brilliant.

Great discussion on Lou Gramms Ready or Not. John Waite also did quite well as a solo artist and actually exceeded his previous band in terms of commercial success. He also did very well with his next band Bad English, unlike Lou's next band project Shadow King, which had the big name record label and producer but unfortunately didn't have the songs. Giant and Slade doesn't do it for me. Lou for the win.

Giant and King's X had the same problem. Timing.

Apoligies but I just wanted to check if Steven Reid is 'S Reid of Hearts' who reviewed Its Immaterial's Life's Hard and Then You Die on Amazon 8 August 2008 and wrote - "I don't often use the phrase "criminally ignored" but I am going to here. Forever dubbed with one hit wonder status (which isn't strictly true) its hard to believe that only a select few ever owned this album for it is, truly, one of the great lost masterpieces of modern music. From the opening bars of "Driving Away From Home" to the otherworldly outro of "Lullaby" (the vinyl albums original closer, this version contains three extra tracks) Life's Hard And Then You Die is one of the greatest albums ever to emerge from Liverpool." If so I doff my cap sir as you truly have great taste. If not, move along, nothing to see here.

A Slade ranking show guys?!

First two Giant albums are.....er.....giant

Actually love the second lou gramm album better

I enjoy all three albums. I'd rank them like this: 1. Slade - The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome - 5/5, favourite track: (And Now The Waltz) C'est La Vie 2. Lou Gramm - Ready Or Not - 4/5, fave track: Heartache 3. Giant Of The Runaways - 3.75/5, fave track: Stranger To Me

Yeah, 1989 wasn't a great year to release rock albums, and yes some bands could have done so much better had they been released them a few years earlier, like Giant, Blue Murder, Badlands etc.

1. Giant 2. Lou Gramm 3. Slade (Kamikaze, one of my least favorites)

The ONLY slade song ive heard and thought it was really good is HOW DOES IT FEEL

Slade's a good band but don't know about being AOR...For Giant I literally own a handful of tracks, for me they worked better on paper than in actuality. Kinda similar to my feelings about Winger, I wanna like 'em more but I just don't...Lou Gramm solo is not bad - Long Hard Look & Ready Or Not are pretty solid albums