Review by CHRIS MARTIN

BABYJANE is one of those bands that you understand as soon as you get a taste of its music. There’s nothing pretentious about the group, it’s just flat out hard rock. Wearing their 80’s influences with pride, the band has made every effort to make sure fans get their money’s worth at every gig. Now comes the next step in the Babyjane story: the debut album.

Proving that in the recording industry it’s not what you know, it’s who you know, the band enlisted 80’s super-producer Michael Wagener (Ozzy Osbourne, Skid Row, Dokken, White Lion) to mix the album and George Marino (AC/DC, Guns ‘n’ Roses, Led Zeppelin) to have the album mastered. As drummer Nik Kats points out, the recording industry legends were taken by the band’s sound and professionalism.

“We recorded all the tracks in Satellite Studios in Burswood. Then we started making inquiries to producers who’d done our favourite albums. Michael was cool about it from the get go, and so we went off to Nashville to get the album mixed.”

Obtaining the services of one of the great hard rock producers of the 1980’s was due to an unlikely source, former Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach. “Sebastian put in the initial word for us. When we opened for him in 2008 he asked if we had a CD; we didn’t so he talked to Michael. Michael got in touch with us and here we are! He won’t work with a band unless he likes the music and gets along with the guys in the band. He actually called me several times to make sure that I wasn’t a douche!”

After all that work recording the album, the band is busy planning a national tour. The album is earmarked for a release in September. The band is also looking at touring internationally, putting the contacts they have made overseas to good use. “We were at the Rainbow Bar & Grill the night after Ronnie James Dio passed away. Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, Joey Belladonna, Eddie Trunk… everyone was there. We talked to a lot of people who had worked with Michael and they offered their help in whatever way they could.”

Clearly the Babyjane machine is off and rolling. The album contains live favourites ‘Dirty Lil’ Secret’, ‘Ms. Scorpio’ and ‘Quicksand’, among others. Dripping with attitude and sex appeal, this band is set to explode.

Catch Babyjane at Amplifier on Sunday June 27 when they open for Paul Dianno!

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