Black & Blue had a couple of minor hits in the 1980’s as one of few dozen hair bands that were jumping on any bandwagon they could get onto in order to reach for stardom. The band ended up becoming more famous in retrospect as vocalist Jamie St. James went on to front the band Warrant and guitarist Thommy Thayer is the current guitar player in Kiss.

As far back as 2004, St. James and the other members of Black & Blue, minus Thayer, began writing the songs that became Hell Yeah. When St. James replaced Janie Lane in Warrant it seemed the band might go by the wayside. James, however, could not get his band out of his mind and in 2008 plans were being made to work on the album again.

It may have taken eight long years but the result is a pretty classic ‘80’s hair band album. There is solid lead guitar mixed with lyrical rebelliousness and a solid sleazy album feel from beginning to end. The best of the bunch are “Angry, Drunk Son of a Bitch,” “Hail Hail,” “Trippin’ 45” and “Candy.” The album ends with the album’s most interesting track “A Tribute to Hawking.” Not sure the famous scientist will find the humor in it but it is definitely out of this world.

If you want to relive the days when the Sunset Strip was covered at all times with a layer of hair spray and the Rainbow Bar and Grill saw more action under the tables than on top of them… then Black & Blue is for you.

By Jeb Wright