Paris – Paris
Rock Candy Records
www.rockcandyrecords.com

Rating: B

Paris was formed by guitarist/vocalist Bob Welch shortly after he left Fleetwood Mac in 1975.  The band was a super group of sorts, as Welch teamed up with ex-Jethro Tull bassist Glenn Cornick and ex-Nazz drummer Thom Mooney.  Welch wanted to get away from the type of music he had written with Fleetwood Mac and decided to rock it out and crank it up.

The album features stellar performances from Welch and company, the only issue was that many of the songs, most notably “Black Book” and “Religion” sounded so much like Led Zeppelin that listeners may have confused them for the great band.  I mean much of this album really, really sounds like Zep, as Welch does a better Robert Plant than the band Kingdome Come would do in the 1980’s.

Elsewhere, Welch wrote some cool rock and roll that was more trippy and less Zeppy including “Narrow Gate (La Porte Ebonite)” and “Solitaire.”  “Rock of Ages” is another Zeppelin type song that is, as said, great!

Paris never made it any further than cult status with this, their debut, failing to crack the Top 100.  They would morph into a funkier band before calling it quits.  Welch would go on to have a decent solo career singing more pop oriented music.  During Paris, however, Welch proved he could rock with the best of them, even the greatest band in the land, Led Zeppelin. 

Rock Candy Records gets kudos for bringing this cult classic back to life.  ANY fan of hard rocking trios who loves distorted guitar solos and high octane vocals should check out this band.  It may be Welch’s best recorded vocal and guitar playing of his career. 

By Jeb Wright