Album review: MISSING PERSONS feat. Dale Bozzio – Missing In Action

Missing Persons feat. Dale Bozzio - Missing In Action

Cleopatra Records [Release date 04.03.14]

The digipak at the top of the stack didn’t look that inviting. Could it have been Dee Snider’s half-brother on the cover? There’s an awful lot of ivory around that lady’s neck. The name Dale Bozzio didn’t fill me with either relish, or recollection, either.

But it turns out Dale Bozzio was a “household name” back in the early days of MTV where she was evidently feted for her haute couture and maybe even those ivory tusks. Her style is even said to have influenced Lady Gaga via Madonna. At that time she fronted the band Missing Persons which also included her then partner Terry (Jeff Beck’s drummer in the late-eighties). Both worked with Zappa on his rock opera ‘Joe’s Garage’ and the musical ‘Thing-Fish’.

Fast forwarding to 2014 and one-time Yes singer and keys player, and general production workaholic, Billy Sherwood has helped her shape an album that is sensitive to her back-story but still sounding relevant. In short, there’s a lot of synth redolent of Bozzio’s “golden age” but it doesn’t sound too hackneyed.

The results are impressive. It’s pop rock with a dash of post-punk attitude. It follows a trajectory from The Runaways via Debbie Harry to Pink but the key thread is the strength of material.

The opener, ‘Do Or Die’, is insanely catchy along with ‘Hello Hello’ but any one of the 10 tracks is highly infectious and very accessible. One of the bonuses evokes that “golden age”, a stripped-down version of ‘Walking In L.A.’ which was a US hit for Bozzio in 1983. This is a great album – and artist – that will probably be criminally overlooked but as a comeback after some 25 years (since her solo album ‘Riot In English’) it’s a major achievement. And looks can be deceptive. ****

Review by David Randall

David Randall presents ‘Assume The Position’ on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio every Sunday at 22:00 GMT.

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.

Next session: Sunday 1 December

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio

David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 20 October 2024.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 22 October 2024.

How to Listen Live?

Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)

Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”

Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.

More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com

Power Plays w/c 28 October 2024

THE RASMUS Rest In Pieces (Better Noise Music)
THE PLAGUE What Else Can I Do (FiXT)
STAR CIRCUS Turn The Tide (indie)
DEFENCES Breathe It In (Long Branch Records)

Featured Albums w/c 28 October 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)