Ranking the Studio Albums: Starz

[@ricardodecampos7037]

Love Starz. Certainly part of my teenage years setlist. Rock on 🎸

[@drewrose374]

Glad to see some love for Starz!!!

[@JeffYoungTube]

LOVE THIS BAND! Michael Lee Smith was the first ever guest on my radio show, we played "Cherry Baby" Unplugged, live on air - pretty surreal. Thanks for doing this video. p.s. was nice to hear you saw the SFSGSW! Savatage/Megadeth/Dio tour in a previous video ;)

[@peterpardo7563]

Thanks for watching Jeff!! Yeah, that was a great tour!

[@hughbraddock]

1. Coliseum Rock 2. Violation 3. Starz 4. Attention Shoppers Have met Starz at 2 of their 3 only gigs in the UK. Great guys. Lyrics on Col Rock are superb.

[@johnpatterson4272]

From May to August of 1977 the soundtrack of my young life were the 'Starz-Violation' and 'KISS-Love Gun' albums. That's all I played on my parents kick-ass 60s console stereo. It was difficult to find news or pictures of Starz anywhere, save for a few good articles in 'Circus' magazine. Their music unfortunately was never played on Canadian radio, therefore I felt I was on-to something cool while the other kids listened to the Bay City Rollers. Bill Aucoin managed Starz, as was his associate Sean Delaney involved with Starz' choreography and stage production. KISS gave Aucoin an ultimatum to solely concentrate on managing them, and therefore Starz were left to fend for themselves by 1979.

[@4tuneagent]

The 45 single "Cherry Baby" from Violation did make it to #33 on the Billboard Hot 100 and American Top 40, so even Casey Kasem played it a few times on his show..

[@metalguru67]

Loved Starz 'Violation' and I can see how they were an influence on alot of those 80's pop metal bands.

[@markrushton1516]

How did Ratt make it (briefly) and Starz didn't? Y&T - stunning guitar work and uber drumming

[@jesuschristpose896]

Y&T rocks, good call

[@jimmyhawke]

I always put Violation as number one for Starz.

[@johnpatterson4272]

Absolutely!

[@philmole1209]

The interesting thing about this band is that they actually consist of 3/4 of the band Looking Glass, who had the big early '70s hit "Brandy You're a Fine Girl." Obviously a very different sound from that, but both bands certainly had a knack for big hooks.

[@johnpatterson4272]

Very cool 'Looking Glass' reference. You obviously know the late 1970s pop singer Rex Smith, is the brother of Starz lead-singer Michael Lee Smith.

[@MarkLipka]

@@johnpatterson4272 WOW!

[@NapoleanThePug]

No way, really?! I learn something new every day!

[@gogoyubari366]

That is a cool Starz shirt. Where did you get it?

[@razmoe2000]

Sat with the band at a Jethro Tull concert in Toronto in 76 and smoked opium . Memorable

[@GrizzlyHands]

Thanks for introducing this band to me. Never heard of them before. Pretty cool music.

[@toddstevens13]

Thanks Pete, I was reviewing albums for my local paper when Starz came out. Guess they liked my review, as their Management called me up and flew me from Canada to Florida to see them on their tour. For a 17 year old was out of this world. Luckily my father was a Jazz Musician did some stuff with Oscar Peterson etc., , so he got it, and let me go. Had some wacky things happen as well, including a surreal moment with Goddo...

[@gwts1171]

Going back to watch some of these from before I was a subscriber. Starz were a fun band. 4) Coliseum Rock 3) Attention Shoppers! (Very different but the first I heard, so it holds a special place for me.) 2) Violation 1) Starz I guess I like them in the order they were released. Thanks, Pete!

[@RichardW001]

This is an easy one for me 1. Starz 2. Violation 3. Coliseum Rock 4. Attention Shoppers I also have Live In Canada, Live In America LPs, and the Hellcats mini LP.

[@pvdguitars2951]

Awesome! I loved Starz back in 1978. Coliseum rock and Violation are still two of my favourite seventies US hard rock albums. Jack Douglas was a great producer, check out his work on the early Aerosmith albums. I will define revisit Starz debut! Thanks for the tip, Pete.

[@GH3K3]

I didn't know Starz had a following; glad to hear they have gotten some belated respect. I loved the debut when it came out; "Boys in Action" was my favorite. Then when VIOLATION hit, I was disappointed when I put the needle down and here they are playing a Steve Miller type pop song ("Cherry Baby"), and like you, Pete, I immediately thought "Oh Christ, they are angling for a hit". So even though I grew to like that record for what it was (the sci-fi elements were furn and I love that cover, too), I checked out after that; VIOLATION just didn't have the heaviness of the first LP, and that's the main reason I dug them.

[@brucesparks3019]

Awesome Pete ! I and a friend bought Angel On Earth As It Is In Heaven and Starz Violation at the Toronto CNE in the 70s because the Music Exibit had them on video. When is Starcastle coming ?

[@godbluffvdgg]

Dude, no way a Starz t shirt? I totally forgot about this band!

[@leemark63]

I sold at record shows in Rochester🇺🇸NY in mid '80's. Met Ritchie Ranno there. Great guy. Had band called HellCats after. Have a bunch of rare vinyl from him. Starz & HellCats. Also saw them with Nugent, Skynard & BOC. 6/19/1977. Buffalo NY✌

[@bobgauthier1569]

Just picked up a very clean vinyl version of the debut album. 😊

[@Dave-lq2le]

Nice!!❤

[@daycare62]

Have all on original vinyl... Attention Shoppers came in a brown paper bag covering..(bag has held up wonderfully all these years)...that was cool and different back in the day...still a weak album though, with the exception of X-Ray Spex, my personal favorite on the album...but yeh, the S/T debut is a classic...releases went downhill from there, Colesseum Rock may be my 2nd fave, though Violation is a very solid album. Thanks for the upload Pete...btw, I checked out the Backstreet Symphony release by Thunder you mentioned a few days back, great album, missed it somehow...that is what makes this channel so great...keep up the good work!

[@marciopainhas5828]

Violation is the best, for sure. Tremendous songs on it. I really dig them a lot at that time.

[@jesuschristpose896]

You are either a big fan or you've never heard of them, thank goodness I am a big fan.

[@paulcollins3973]

IMHO Starz should have been huge. They had everything that should have made that happen. When I found them back in the day I couldn't get my friends to embrace them as I did, and we all loved the same bands, I thought it was odd that they didn't hear what I did when the needle hit vinyl. Each of these cd's, for me it doesn't matter the order, still rank near the top for pure hard rock listening. Only personal regret is I never got to see them live, I'm sure they would have been incredible, but there's always the unmentioned "Live in Louisville".

[@genekersten1784]

Had all those albums here in NorCal. Loved them all, especially. Coliseum Rock. They were all great though. Thanks Pete.

[@Dave-lq2le]

The first song I heard from them was "Pull the Plug". Hooked from then on!! Great stuff and great memories!! Thanks for taking me back!!!😎👍

[@randyperfecto7468]

Loved this band

[@Rabant777]

For a band that released a limited number of records in a very short time Starz have the most solid catalogue in my opinion. There are only 3 songs that I could take or leave. Popular opinion puts Attention Shoppers at the bottom of the pile but it stands up really well. I'm not a big lyrics guy but Michael Lee Smith had a really great turn of phrase and a cynical poetic soul. Overall, the 4 album run kind of reminds me of how White Lion were received: Solid debut, reputation building second album, critically panned third album, return to form 4th album, split up.

[@IgorVonVein]

Have you considered doing a Best to Worst over IRON MAIDEN? I would love to see your thoughts on that.

[@toddstevens13]

Thanks so much for this. When I was 17-21 I wrote a music column in the local paper. These guys flew me down to Florida where they were playing a few gigs in the summer, after I gave their First album a good review. Was a blast. Nothing like Coliseum Rock/It's a Riot for an opening number as they do know normally. Glad they are still around, doing the odd gig now and then.

[@davshaw5]

I remember they put a sticker on their debut album and I put it on the bumper of my 66 Chevelle.....

[@Babaziba]

1. Violation 2. Starz 3. Attention Shoppers! 4. Coliseum Rock It's all subjective. They all rock.

[@jeffreywebb7932]

Debut is their best.👍

[@relativetimeworx8459]

Five years after the fact I stumble across this video. Cool to see any love for Starz. Having your debut on the market at about the same time as Boston didn't bode well for the boys. Michael Lee Smith was a very underappreciated vocalist for sure. To think this band evolved from Looking Glass is almost unfathomable. Their material was always destined to be on the on the fringe. Though they're not the kind of act you'd consider to be "ahead of their time", they would have been much, much bigger if they landed 10 years later. "Violation" is kind of an adolescent "Operation Mindcrime".

[@wolftree3948]

1. Starz 2. Coliseum Rock 3. Attention Shoppers 4. Violation

[@davidgaines9892]

Completely agree with your ranking. My favorite song of theirs to this day is easily "Pull The Plug" (the title track to "Violation" would come in 2nd). "Cherry Baby" was indeed their biggest hit, and only single to reach the U.S. Top 40. Thinking about hitting the St. Louis date of the upcoming tour, which is a bill of Ace Frehley, Angel, Starz and Enuff Z'nuff.

[@sdfgikbvcdfjy]

1. Violation 2. Starz 3. Attention Shoppers 4. Coliseum Rock My first impression was that they were a competent band but not much more. But since then I've come back to them again and again and the songs just get better with each listen. For reference, I like 'Violation' significantly more than 'Love Gun' or 'Draw the Line' from the same year. For a brief time this band was easily at or near the top of the pile of American hard rock bands.

[@brucefranklin6295]

I got into this band from the beginning,as that debut was so kickass! I wasn't thrilled with Violation which was nowhere near the rocker that the debut was.I skipped buying Attention Shoppers, but the release of Coliseum Rock brought me back and was my second favorite album of theirs.Saw them open for Rush in '78 and I thought they were great.Metal Blade Records put out a live album by them many years later that was recorded in their peak years and that is a pretty enjoyable album.Pete, I never sat and realized what you said about them only being around for a little more than 2 years.Back then,it seemed like they were around for a while. Is the band nowadays just Richie and Michael Lee Smith from the original band?Still would go see Starz and Angel together.

[@peterpardo7563]

Yeah, I have that live album too- quite good!

[@chrisdowling8094]

Hi Bruce. And Joe X Dube too.

[@RobertErnestLewis]

Brandon Harkin on the first album provided that crunch...he left the band and it kind of lost that heavier side but still produced great rockin songs. STARZ !

[@awesoanimations1974]

Starz are one of my favorite underrated bands that’s been forgotten by time. Short discography but very strong across the board. Here’s my list: 4. Attention Shoppers! - The first half is a bit too poppy and commercial sounding for me, but side 2 is great! I remember the first time listening to it, I wasn’t even sure I wanted to flip the album over to finish it. Thankfully I did and I got to enjoy at least half of the album. Grade: C+ 3. Violation - This album is really good from start to finish, but for me, it’s missing the high points that make me love my top 2 from them. Grade: B 2. Starz - Such a strong album! Feels like a Kiss album from around the same time. Almost every song on here could be my favorite on any day, but today I’m feeling “Now I Can.” Love it! Grade: A 1. Coliseum Rock - Maybe I’m a little bit biased toward this album because it was the first one I heard. But it’s a great album even without the nostalgia glasses. I was listening to it yesterday and loved it more than I think I ever have. The riffs on here are stellar and I like the moments of silliness, like the howling on “Take Me,” or the stupidly funny lyrics of “Outfit.” The title track is absolutely killer and the album overall is pretty much perfection to my ears. Grade: A+

[@josephedwards7480]

Hey Pete,I love your channel.I bought the first Starz album when I was 14,and listened to it everyday for weeks.Where do you get all of your awesome T shirts?

[@seaoftranquilityprog]

Various places. You can find almost anything on ebay!

[@James-uf3mh]

Wow I dig this band too got a great comp and vinyls too

[@RexJupiter]

If you ever get a chance seek out the project Ritchie Ranno and Michael Lee Smith had post Starz called Hellcats, especially the 5 song EP. It is here on youtube by a poster called YankeeDoodleDandy. Hellcats also made a full length LP.

[@carlnoonan1861]

Sadly the full album didn't have Michael Lee Smith on it and wasn't as good as it could have been.

[@chrisdowling8094]

The Hellcats mini LP is on a par with Pete's Top 3.

[@harrybryan9633]

Last Night I wrote a Letter is one of my all time favorite songs. It is hard rock perfection.

[@raymondkizer1216]

Unfortunately, Starz is a mere footnote in rock and roll history along with Angel, Y&T, and Legs Diamond. All of these bands should have made it big, but for many reasons did not. Good post as usual Pete.

[@stevekosak8624]

Yes your absolutely right!!! Great bands great music just didn't catch on so much. Legs man their heavy love their stuff 🤘 angel played 1000 times better than they looked😂

[@raymondkizer1216]

@@neuropete1 I can name 20 bands that were not that good musically, but still made it big to one degree or another.

[@OAmigoDoVinho]

Love STARZ!

[@flrpitflrp1965]

They were fantastic. For me 1) Starz, 2) Col. Rock, 3) Violation, 4) Att. Shoppers.

[@wasntme9578]

One of my favorite bands. Favorite is Violation and then Coliseum Rock.

[@mleon1958]

The debut is the best, followed by Coliseum Rock!

[@Guitarzzzzzzz173]

I remember their debut album stayed on Circus Magazine's top 20 for quite a while. 🎸

[@robbhotdog3054]

Just bought Violation over the weekend. I like the music.

[@jamescouture3293]

Very underrated band imo like angel should have been bigger cherry baby killer song also members include Michael Lee Smith and Richie Ranno of Looking Glass,Brandy(you're a fine girl)and Richie was also a member of stories brother Louie fame

[@mattmiller2761]

I saw them open for somebody I can't remember back in the day. I've got their 1st and 3rd LP's. They remind me of Stray Dog (Snuffy Walden) or Hydra.

[@JoeChewBaca]

Hydra, good band!

[@patsboxing94]

1 Violation (By far) 2 Starz 3 Colliseum Rock 4 Attention Shoppers

[@rjm4091]

Love starz. Seen them a few times

[@SugoiEnglish1]

Dude you are The CD historian! Saw Starz in Hollywood, CA while in 12th grade.

[@birdwatcher102]

Hey pete, have you heard about greta van fleet? What do you think of them? Would be nice to see a top 10 songs of UFO as well...cheers

[@peterpardo7563]

Yep, talked about GVF quite a bit on the show, I dig 'em. UFO Top 10 Songs episode coming soon!

[@kft590]

1 Violation 2 Coliseum Rock 3 Attention Shoppers 4 Starz

[@mikeez5455]

I saw them in 1976 in Pittsburgh with Styx and never forgot how powerful they were or the lyrics to most of the songs.

[@erichkaanikin3555]

This is pretty cool. I met them and Ritchie Ramos let me play his guitar several times. /Spoke to Michael Lee Smith many times, including when he went solo, and he remembered me. I still think MLS is the best singer ever in rock. Did you know that 1) he is on many commercial jingles you hear every day?, 2) his brother was a soap opera star with his own radio hits? / According to MLS, they never agreed, and myself, can understand why. // Michael Lee is the ultimate rock god. Unfortunately, some younger people forget or don’t know. Long live Starz and Ritchie Rano, and Michael Lee Smith!

[@alexvigil29]

Cool video , can you do a best/worst video for angel now ? Thank you 🤘

[@MultiMacnasty]

Of the 4 albums, I think Coliseum Rock has the best songs. The first 2 alums, I had, but I thought some of the songs just sounded like continuations of other songs on the albums. I just couldn't get into Attention shoppers, Every time I listen to Coliseum Rock I have to listen to the whole album. There is not just one song to listen to, you have to listen to them all........

[@AllMediaReviewsPodcast]

I know the Starz tv network (which is going to air the upcoming show "Y" from Brian K Vaughan, and previously aired Party Down! about 10 years ago). Also this band is not to be confused with "Stars" the Canadian college rock band from the 2000's and 2010's which at least 1 or more members used to be in Broken Social Scene.

[@SteverRob]

Is that a streetlight or the moon?

[@ronaldhamrick1699]

Is this December.....is this June?

[@antoniocognato5023]

Angel album review?

[@JoeChewBaca]

Angel would be another good one to do.

[@peterpardo7563]

Yes indeed!

[@bluedream9668]

1) Angel 2) Helluvaband 3) Live album - it jams! 3) On Earth 4) White Hot (too poppy). Barry Brandt is a KILLER DRUMMER. Underrated? Not even rated. Why? He had major chops.

[@frankny4947]

Great podcast. We got the first album when I was like 18 in 1976. And got to see them at the Palladium here in NY in like early1977. They kicked so much fuckin' ass live. The first Starz album was by far their greatest album hands down. And one of the greatest rock albums ever along with Angels' first album. But Kiss got all the glory? Who's Angel? Who's Starz? See what I mean? We saw Kiss at the Beacon Theater here in 1975 on the Dressed To Kill tour. And Angel in 1979 at The Hollywood Sportatorium in Florida. They were all equally as great live in concert back then. Starz. Kiss. Angel. Maybe it was this NY/New Jersey kind of thing with that killer electric metallic sound? frankny66yroldwhitekid rockfan

[@martintaper7997]

Their first album is the best.

[@tedmich]

Bingo you got it right! DEFINITELY their first album is best! It tastes like a milkshake!

[@slorenz100]

"They had KISS’s manager, they toured with Aerosmith, they had Jack Douglas who produced Aerosmith’s and Cheap Trick’s best albums". This is why you drew comparisons between Starz and Cheap Trick and Kiss.

[@jeffincabo]

Kshe95 St Louis played them alot in the late 70's "she's just a fallen angel "

[@douglasdorman9322]

didn't they sort of come from the ashes of Looking Glass? The band who made maybe your favorite song of all time- "Brandy"? I think? Yes I think that's correct, Bill Aucoin represented them. Also Jack Douglas produced the 2and album. Very cool, who would have thought the ride to get newspapers in the Plymouth Fury, listening to Brandy, they become Starz! sweet

[@thomasfarmer1730]

I’m starting to like this band,they had sort of pop music hooks which made sound different from other 70’s hard rock acts who all sound the same almost

[@bobkasarda]

wow, surprised to see this one. sent link to to singer Michael Lee Smith to check out.

[@kmjr2400]

#1 Violation #2 Starz #3 Coliseum Rock # 4 Attention Shoppers Love them all but I put them in order!!!

[@ricardodecampos7037]

Violation and Attention Shoppers are my favorites.

[@genekersten1784]

One more thing Pete, one cannot mention Starz without nothing that singer Michael Lee Smith is the brother of Rex Smith who also had a good band named Rex. He later went on to bigger and better things. Their first album was good hard rock. Saw them with Ted Nugent and Reo Speedwagon sometime around 1978. Thanks.

[@malco49]

76 to 78 would be three years no? 76-77-78

[@JIF882]

You should do a worst to best of Angel.

[@josephscalone5402]

you just say Angel wow lol, with Gregg Giuffria?

[@sgold989]

Subway Terror!!!!

[@sevensolaris]

Does anyone else think the solo in "So Young, So Bad" would've sounded better without the wah pedal?

[@harrybryan9633]

No. The wah was what made it stand out to me.

[@keithgarreth1386]

Attention Shoppers rocks bro

[@williamwalker146]

Since when are Kiss and Grand Funk Railroad similar? Haha.

[@danielsimmons4856]

1. Attention Shoppers! 2. Coliseum Rock 3. Violation 4. Starz

[@matthewclark9652]

"Cherry Baby" went to # 33 (Hot 100) in May 7, 1977 & on yellow 45 single!! Rock critic John Swenson hated that group as well as Angel. (No stars out of 5 stars)

[@irishwolf8236]

1977 Chicago, opened for RUSH !!

[@richardnelson6693]

1. Starz (the production is absolutely top shelf, never tire of playing this album top to bottom) 2. Coliseum Rock (saw the band tour this backing up Rush in '79 - Boston Music Hall!, Where Will It End is underrated) 3. Attention Shoppers (I like Side 1 the most) 4. Violation (Cherry Baby, Sing It, Shout It save this)

[@tedkay_music]

nice!

[@soundslikebstome]

Their first album absolutely kicked ass! I thought "these guys are gonna make it big." I waited eagerly for the 2nd album....and was fairly disappointed. So again I waited, but not with such high hopes....and found out Attention Shoppers was a real let down, and Colosieum Rock was no better. IMHO, they never recorded a single song on any of their follow up albums that was better than any song on their debut. I saw them on the supporting tour for their first album at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium and again for the Shoppers tour; they were in serious decline at that point.

[@Doobie1975]

Starz is one band that should've been as huge as Aerosmith and KISS. My Top 10 favorite Starz in no particular order are Boys In Action Violation So Young, So Bad Cherry Baby Detroit Girls Live Wire No Regrets Pull The Plug Sing It, Shout It Good Ale We Seek Honorable Mention X-Ray Spex Night Crawler She's Just A Fallen Angel Cool One It's A Riot Rock Six Times Hold On To The Night Take Me Now I Can Last Night I Wrote A Letter I agree that Attention Shoppers was their weakest album and their debut was their best album.

[@edcollins9377]

1) Coliseum Rock/Starz (tie) 2) Violation 3) Attention Shoppers

[@markhaselow8315]

Attention Shoppers just lacked the grit of the other three. The other three for me are inseparable. #1s right down the line! Cherry Baby and Sing It Shout It were probably the only two potential hits considering the competition for radio time during that period. But their albums were chock full of great rock and roll!

[@donaldellis8952]

Bill Aucoin KISS manager really screwed them over. Basically prevention from recording again.

[@zingpulse4138]

STARZ = KISS + Trooper + Moxy + Cheap Trick. Jack Douglas produced STARZ first 2, Cheap Tricks 1st and Moxy's 2nd & Third. Small World.

[@musclecarfan74]

I heard all their albums once.

[@lucioarchangelo5992]

Sorry, but I have a special feeling for Attention Shoppers

[@antoniocognato5023]

The first 2 lps