Wednesday, October 15: Riot, "Loanshark"
R.I.P. Mark Reale (1955-2012), Rhett Forrester (1956-1994)
Restless Breed had to be a very different album than Fire Down Under because Rhett Forrester was such a different singer than Guy Speranza, so even though “Loanshark” was ostensibly cut from the same cloth as Riot’s two previous records Forrester’s bluesy howl immediately made the ostensibly NYC smasher and grabber more of a Southern rock brawler. But even so, the tune had the same homespun ass-kicking quality that made Riot unsung heroes of early ‘80s hard rock and metal, with Steve Loeb’s unfussy production putting it all on the table and everyone punching their way out of the bar. “Loanshark” was an awesome early ‘80s metal ripper that stood out both on account of the band’s unpretentious attack as well as Forrester’s very distinct singing that further encapsulated Riot’s stature.
