Contact is the third studio album by the Canadian band Platinum Blonde, released in 1987. It sold more than 150,000 copies in its first year of release. The album reached a high of 25 for 3 weeks on the Canadian charts. The first single was the title track; its video was shot at Lamport Stadium. Another music video was filmed for the second track, "Connect Me".
The supporting tour was a disappointment, with the band forced to cancel dates due to low ticket sales; the band claimed that the cancellations were due to substance abuse issues.
Contents
Production
CBS Canada pushed the band to adopt a style that would appeal to U.S. album-oriented rock radio stations; the company admitted its mistake when Canadian sales declined. Leroy "Sugarfoot" Bonner sang on the cover version of "Fire".
Critical reception
The Gazette wrote that "lead singer Mark Holmes has little or no vocal personality, but at least this time he keeps the whining to a minimum." The Vancouver Sun determined that Platinum Blonde "do a pretty fair Duran Duran imitation, only their lyrics are a little dumber, their melodies aren't as catchy and ... they don't exactly measure up in the looks department, either." The Ottawa Citizen called the album "reminiscent, although not imitative, of the metalized funk of Power Station."
The Kingston Whig-Standard deemed the band "talented craftsman who do deserve respect if not superstardom." The Toronto Star labeled Contact "an album rooted in the hot, street-tough funk of New York City, not in the fluff of snow-covered hockey arenas, suburban high school dances or video dreams."
Credits
Platinum Blonde:
Sergio Galli: guitar, backing vocals
Mark Holmes: lead and backing vocals, guitar
Kenny MacLean: bass, guitar, keyboards, backing vocals
Sascha Tukatsch: drums, percussion
with:
David Bendeth: guitar
Jeff Bova: keyboards
Michelle Cobbs: backing vocals
Claude Desjardins: percussion, keyboards, drums
Bernard Edwards: bass
Peter Fredette: backing vocals
Eddie Martinez: guitar
B. J. Nelson: backing vocals
Lou Pomanti: bass, keyboards
Fonzi Thornton of Chic (band): backing vocals
Uptown Horns: horns
Tony Thompson: drums, percussion
Tom Weir: drums, percussion
Engineers
Jay Mark, Scott Church, Don Wershba, Bruce Robbins, Randy Staub