In February of 1990, I was a 16-year-old kid working part-time at the local King Kullen supermarket. With winter break coming up, my boss, John, asked if I wanted to work a full 40-hour week, 1–10 p.m., Monday through Friday while I was off from school. My response was a resounding, “Hell yes!”
Think about it — no early mornings, adult hours, and actual money in my pocket. So at the start of that week, I biked up to the Busy Bee Flea Market looking for new music, and there it was: HURRICANE and their new album Slave to the Thrill, sitting there on cassette.
I already knew Doug Aldrich was the new guitarist, but once I heard his riffs paired with Kelly Hansen’s vocals, Jay Schellen’s drums, and Tony Cavazo’s bass, it was clear this record was something special. Opener “Reign of Love” makes that point immediately — a hell of a way to kick things off. “Next to You” follows with a riff that melts all defenses, and Hansen absolutely sings his ass off. I used to sit in my room trying to mimic him. It did not end well.
At work, this tape lived in my Walkman whenever I could get away with it — that is, when we weren’t playing hockey in the store, drinking wine coolers out of deli containers, or doing Whip-Its. You know. Normal stuff.
“Young Man” is Aldrich’s showcase from start to finish, and a full-on anthem of rebellion. The sexy groove of “Dance Little Sister” is no accident — the band knew exactly what they were doing, and it shows. Then comes one of my all-time favorite ballads, “Don’t Wanna Dream.” This song will always be one of my favorite love songs on Earth. That chorus — “Now I lay me down to sleep” — is beautiful, and the lyrics mirrored my life more times than I care to admit. I had my heart broken plenty as a young lad, and this song carried me through some rough breakups.
Side two kicks off with “Temptation,” and I used to love hearing that click-click of the tape flipping over in my Walkman because I knew what was coming next. Life was imitating art at the time — I had a girlfriend, but another girl had entered the picture, and to say I was weak would be an understatement. Let’s just say it didn’t end well. With either of them.
“10,000 Years” always got me going late at night after work, lying in bed with my thoughts. Hansen’s delivery on the chorus is still legendary to me, and Aldrich once again pulls out killer guitar tones. After a brief interlude, “In the Fire” comes roaring in with a bluesy riff and tight work from Schellen and Cavazo. This one’s coiled and ready to strike.
Then there’s “Let It Slide,” one of my absolute favorite HURRICANE tracks. You’ve heard me use the term “swamp boogie” before — this is where it was born. I used to blast this on repeat while rounding up shopping carts in the King Kullen parking lot, despite management’s strict “no headphones in the lot” policy. Damn the man. Couldn’t keep this long-haired rebel down.
A slick bass groove drives “Lock Me Up,” with Aldrich once again working his magic on top. And then, sadly, it all comes to an end with “Smiles Like a Child,” a hellraiser that starts in fifth gear and never lets up. If I’d had my license back then, I would’ve been wallpapering my room with speeding tickets.
All told, Slave to the Thrill still stands as one of the best albums from the 1986–1991 era of metal. I lived, laughed, and loved to this tape, but I’ll always cherish that first week — working full-time with those crazy fuckers at King Kullen and navigating a teenage love triangle I was in no way equipped to handle.
Thanks for the memories, boys and girls.
BONUS: A look at the current HURRICANE
