Good 70s hard rock LP, whose band roots are traced back to Calgary Alberta Canada. The core members, Danny Lowe-Lead Guitar, Doran Beattie-Vocals, are from a 60s psych band called 'The 49th Parallel, also from Calgary. With The 49th Parellel's demise, the band then evolved into 'Painter', who released one album of early 70s hard rock in the style of BTO or April Wine, and played just as well. From the ashes of 'Painter', 'Hammersmith' evolved, and followed the same heavy rock formula. The band went through a few personnel changes, and as people came and went, Mike Reno joined the band for a spell after leaving 'Scruballoe Caine', and prior to his days in 'Moxy' or 'Loverboy'. Hammersmith made two albums, then split up. This LP is the better of the two. In 1982, Danny Lowe experienced what he called "an industrial accident" while placing 14 microphones in a sound studio. In playing back the recording made that day, he discovered he had inadvertently created an auditory illusion that he was surrounded by sound. The effect resembled how the human ear actually hears. Over the next eight years, he and electro-technician John Lees worked together to fine-tune the system. In 1986, the pair formed a partnership with Larry Ryckman, a former Calgary real estate developer, and formed Archer Communications Inc. QSound was patented in 1990, and the recording system was quickly embraced by music artists such as Sting, Madonna, INXS, Pink Floyd, Kate Bush, Paula Abdul, Julian Lennon, Wilson Phillips and Luther Vandross. Doran Beattie went on to have somewhat of a succesful country music career! There's a quick history lesson on some good 'ol local boys!
