Sharp Dressed Man

Maybe it was reading John Taylor's autobiography and maybe it's the prospect of Duran Duran being the featured band this month at DJSC that got me thinking about Power Station and ergo Robert Palmer,whatever it was I listened to "Addictions" one and two on Friday
My first introduction to Robert Palmer came via the single "Johnny And Mary" in 1980 followed by the single"Looking For Clues" both off the "Clues" album,years later I realized I'd more than likely heard his debut hit "Sneakin' Sally Through The Alley" 5 years earlier w/out realizing it was him,ditto for his 1978 hit"Every Kinda People" and then a year later  w/"Bad Case Of Loving You{Doctor Doctor}
In 1982 he had his first top 20 hit w/ "Some Guys Have All The Luck" although it was the Rod Stewart version 2 years later that really caught my ear and lodged in between was the minor hit "You Are In My System"

Game changer #1 came via his collaboration w/ John and Andy Taylor of Duran Duran plus Chic drummer Tony Thompson aka The Power Station in 1985 and two top ten hits in the US w/ "Some Like It Hot" and the T Rex cover of "Get It On{Bang A Gong} the album went Gold in the Palmer's native UK while it went Platinum here in the US.
Sadly Palmer didn't tour w/ Power Station here in the US preferring to head back to the studio to work on his upcoming solo album"Riptide",I happened to be here in America in August of 85 when The Power Station performed at the old Spectrum w/ Michael Des Barres on vocals and OMD opened for them!!!!
The first two singles off "Riptide" didn't cash in on The Power Station success although I always felt the leadoff single "Discipline Of Love" should have been a bigger hit than it was,maybe it needed a catchy video........

Game changer#2 "Those Videos" for the  following singles"Addicted To Love" and "I Didn't Mean To Turn You On".....oh the delicious irony!!! and "Simply Irresistible....more irony!!!.
Why his label at the time the always progressive Chris Blackwell ran Island Records didn't issue a video album or VHS compilation{86-88 was a little pre dvd}is beyond me,those videos have burnt their way into my psyche and I can't hear those songs w/ getting a strong mental image of the videos,sexist or sexy your call,I know which side of the fence I'm on!!!!

"Heavy Nova" in 88 continued to produce great songs if not huge hits "Early In The Morning" "She Makes My Day" and "Tell Me I'm Not Dreaming" b4 two final top ten hits in the UK in the 90's "I'll Be Your Baby Tonite" w/ UB40 in 1990 and "Mercy Mercy Me" a year later

A second stab at success w/ Power Station didn't catch the publics imagination 1996's "Living In Fear" minus John Taylor on bass{but replaced by Bernard Edwards of Chic} didn't have the clout the previous effort from eleven years earlier. and sadly Palmer passed away at only 54 in 2003,he may be gone but his music,and those videos will live on forever.