Tuesday, November 16: Rob Rock, “Streets of Madness”
Rob Rock first gained prominence singing in Chris Impellitteri’s band, but he had known and worked on and off with Roy Z. for nearly as long, so bringing in the latter as a guitarist and producer for his debut solo album made perfect sense. And “Streets of Madness” was a logical fusion of the duo’s individual trademarks, as Roy’s guitars and production were a natural continuation of his work with Bruce Dickinson, while Rob’s vocals were of a piece with, albeit slightly less dramatic than, his work with Impellitteri. Consistent with Roy Z.’s albums with Dickinson, the track was a smoothly recorded traditional heavy metal number, cruising at a brisk but not thrashy pace and containing relatively modest guitar fireworks. “Streets of Madness” was a fun song from a journeyman singer and guitarist tandem, and Rob Rock would continue working with Roy Z. on his solo albums, giving his own music a distinct identity apart from his main gig.
