ROXX GANG

I've heard of ROXX GANG, but I'll be damned if I can remember anything more than that. Considering the Florida band's status as an outfit that probably should have gotten more recognition during that glamorous hair sprayed era, I'd be surprised if the average '80s rocker had much better of a recollection. Segue now complete, FnA Records has seen fit to release a three-disc set of previously unreleased studio tracks (Disc 1),a live recording of a 1989 show in Dallas (Disc 2),and videos for "No Easy Way Out", "Scratch My Back", "Time Bomb", "Hot for Love", "Tiger Lily", "Star Trip", and "Red Rose" (Disc 3). Fans of the band will be pleased as punch with the professionally packaged affair, which also includes a nicely done 15-page booklet that includes photos, informative liner notes from front man Kevin Steele, and an unsurprisingly well written forward from U.K. rock/metal music authority Malcolm Dome. The music isn't too bad either; mostly solid with a few middling tracks.

As alluded to above, the packaging of "Box of Roxx" is very well done; the band and label clearly took plenty of time, paid attention to detail, and did it right. Starting from the third disc and moving our way backwards, the video collection serves to ably capture a moment in time and without a doubt the band's glam outlaw presence. While nothing in the way of a stunning display of video prowess, the collection is essential to the package, not the least of which includes the exercise in prurience that is the uncensored "Star Trip".

In many ways, it is the 1989 bootleg live performance at The Basement in Dallas on Disc 2 that is the real gem of "Box of Roxx" since it serves as a good introduction to the group's body of work. It is also a high energy and delightfully sleaze-rocked affair with satisfactory, if not exactly high grade, sound quality. Listening to ROXX GANG tear things up, it is not difficult to believe that those folks that had never gotten the chance to check out the act during the '80s would have in all likelihood taken to them with little hesitation.

Disc 1 ends up being a better representation of the ROXX GANG sound than one might expect from a collection of unreleased recordings, especially the first three-fourths of the material. The sound quality is decent and several songs are rather good, often sounding like a mix of L.A. GUNS and to a lesser degree "Shout at the Devil"-era MÖTLEY CRÜE. Bits and pieces of it reminded me of the material from the first ICON album as well. Songs like "Scratch my Back" and "No Easy Way Out" (including a riff that strangely/vaguely/unintentionally recalls DANZIG's "Snakes of Christ") are basic, conventionally structured forms of dirty glam with nasty attitude. A handful of cuts are almost too thrashy to be considered hair/glam metal, "Danger" and "Ballbreaker" in particular. The more commercially-oriented (for the time) "Hot Shot of Love" is satisfactory, but still sounds like a tune that never made the final cut. Ballad "Steals my Heart Away" is just plain mediocre and deserving of being previously unreleased. The last several songs suffer a bit from middling recording quality, but with the exception of the goofy "Time to Rock" are keepers. The harmonica-laced rock 'n roll of "Who's Your Daddy?" and the Chuck Berry swing of "Santa Claus is Back is Back in Town" — with ivories tinkling — show another, fairly entertaining, side of the band.

Frequently a little ballsier than — and just as sleazy — as '80s hair metal and anchored by some hot riffing and solos, the ROXX GANG material included on "Box of Roxx" is a pretty good listen and should hold some appeal to more than just fans. Though a fair price for a three-disc set, I'm not sure the $24.99 retail tag for "Box of Roxx" is worth the risk for potential purchasers currently unfamiliar with the band's music, the exception being '80s hair/glam metal diehards. Regardless, the pros outweigh the cons and the packaging adds considerable value.