(AOR) I-Ten - Taking a Cold Look - 1983, MP3, 320 kbps

In 1983 songwriters Billy Steinberg (guitar/vocals) and Tom Kelly (guitar/keyboards/vocals) formed the short-lived hard rock/AOR band I-Ten.

Steinberg and Kelly have quite an impressive resume as songwriters, having penned the hits Alone for Heart and Like a Prayer for Madonna among several others they had significant cred in the music industry.

Although MTV was still in its infancy, video had already killed the radio star... If this album had been released in the pre-image concious age of music videos, it very likely would have been a hit.

As it is, 3 of the songs on this album ended up being covered by other bands-- the aforementioned Alone became a hit for Heart, Taking a Cold Look was shortened to Cold Look and covered by Canadian hard rockers, Honeymoon Suite, and I Don't Want to Lose You showed up as a bonus track on REO Speedwagon's The Hits.

The original versions have a certain fire in them that, aside from Heart's Alone, is sorely lacking in the cover versions perpetrated by other artists. Steinberg and Kelly's vocals, while not extraordinary, are certainly of a professional calibre that warrants taking them seriously and giving them further consideration than they ended up receiving.

Tom Kelly vocals, guitar, keyboards
Billy Steinberg vocals, guitar
Steve Lukather guitars, keyboards, synthesizers
Alan Pasqua keyboards, synthesizers
Mike Baird drums
Dennis Belfield bass
David Paich keyboards, synthesizers
Steve Porcaro synthesizers
Chas Sandford rhythm guitar
Richard Page backing vocals
Lenny Castro guest percussion