MERIDIAN (pre – Baton Rouge) – Hot In The City [Demos 89-90]

Baton Rouge were one of the best melodic hard rock bands emerging from the late ’80s overcrowded scene. They recorded a fantastic debut album in 1990, one of finest of the year.

Now we have here their origins when the group operated under the name MERIDIAN, twelve very well recorded demos that helped the guys to being singed by a major record label. The songs in Hot In The City [Demos 89-90] are great, none were used for the upcoming Baton Rouge albums, and sound production quality is A+, very good.
There’s some versions floating the internet, but believe us – our files are taken from first generation tapes, far superior in sound quality. Try ’em and compare.
Originally formed in Louisiana during the mid-80s under the moniker of Meridian, the main core of the band, guitarist Lance Bullen and vocalist Kelly Keeling, opted to move to Los Angeles in 1987 where the scene was ripe for aiding and abetting young bands.
They would not be disappointed and found a manager who hooked them up with seasoned producers David Foster and Mike Clink (Clink was finishing up the Guns N’ Roses Appetite… album) who helped them record this set of impressive demos.

The band appearances on the LA club circuit soon attracted record company attention, eventually signing with Atlantic records and being taken under the wing of label founder Ahmet Ertigun.
It’s crazy that none of the tracks in ”Hot In The City [Demos 89-90]” were used for the first Baton Rouge album, as follow the same melodic hard rock path, catchy, riff-driven, with very cool choruses.
As said, a truly good collection of songs, very well produced.

01 – Hot In The City
02 – Stop Talking Like That
03 – Baby’s So Cool
04 – Melanie
05 – It’s About Time
06 – Gimme Some
07 – If Only Love
08 – Back Under Fire
09 – Down On My Luck
10 – Lightning Never Strikes
11 – Game Of Love

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