Billy Sheehan has long been one of the rock world’s most impressive performers, running the gamut with a wide variety of bands. These have included David Lee Roth’s band, Mr. Big, and in more recent years, The Winery Dogs. But one of his first major professional bands was the underrated Talas, a group so obscure, they don’t even have their own Wikipedia page. Despite that. Talas was great, and it’s fantastic that Sheehan hasn’t forgotten his early formative period.
I was pleasantly surprised to hear a few months ago that Mr. Sheehan had reunited with his ex-Talas bandmates to record a new album – the first since they broke up in 1985! The album, appropriately enough, is called 1985. Released on Metal Blade Records, this was easily one of my most anticipated releases of the year, featuring the band newly recording many songs mostly written during the era of that band’s disillusion that hadn’t been properly recorded.
I’ll admit, despite my love of rock/metal music and Billy Sheehan’s career, my knowledge of Talas is fairly limited. But this Metal Blade-released album sounded too cool to pass up, not to mention I’m always eager to see what Billy Sheehan is up to (and we’re apparently getting a new Winery Dogs album next year!) Sadly, vocalist Phil Naro died in 2021, but his vocals for this album were completed prior to its release.
So how does the music on this Talas release fare? Within seconds of listening to this release, it’s 1985 all over again, with the classic hard rock sound coming to life. Sheehan and drummer Mark Miller are a powerful presence, felt on every track and never letting up. The true surprise standout of the bunch is the one new man on the scene, guitarist Kire Najdovski, who brings killer riffage from start to finish. Hearing Naro’s vocals is bittersweet; with his passing, it’s a shame this will be the last time we ever hear him sing, but what a way to go out!
1985 was a pleasant surprise for me, and it’s easily one of my favorite rock records of 2022. Mr. Sheehan and company should be damn proud of what they’ve created here. Highly recommended for any fans of classic hard rock!
By Taylor T Carlson
Taylor T Carlson Assistant Editor/Senior Staff Writer Taylor T. Carlson was born August 17, 1984, and has called the Vegas Valley home his entire life. A die-hard fan of classic rock and metal music, Taylor has been writing album and concert reviews since he was 16 years old, and continues to do so, having done well over 1,000 reviews. He is also a fan of video gaming and cinema, and has reviewed a number of games and films as well, old and new alike. His thorough and honest (some would say brutally honest) reviewing style has won him the respect of hundreds of music fans and musicians alike, both local and abroad, and the ire of just as many others. Despite being one of the youngest attendees at classic hard rock/metal shows around Vegas, he is also one of the most knowledgeable, having gained the unofficial nickname of “The Eddie Trunk of Las Vegas.” In addition to reviews, Taylor has written and self-published three books on classic hard rock bands, and is a regular participant in rock and roll trivia contests. Taylor also holds a masters degree in special education from the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV), and has appeared on the hit History Channel television series Pawn Stars. His dream is to be able to one day make a living from writing music books and reviews.