Waysted were of course the band put together by Pete Way back in 1982 after his exit from UFO.
This superb four disc box set from the always reliable Cherry Red covers the band’s initial output from back then comprising of debut album Vices, the self titled EP and the Won’t Get Out Alive live album, The Good the Bad and the Waysted and the superb Save Your Prayers.
Shortly after Save Your Prayers, Waysted split though briefly reformed early this century with the aptly titled Back from the Dead though would split again and with Pete passing away in 2020 there’ll be no more reformations.
A fair sprinkling of bonus tracks, extensive booklet notes with everything contained in the usual sturdy clamshell box all make up a tasty package.
Vices is a fast, hard edged no mucking about album. Has something of a sleazy, punky feel helped by Fin’s raspy vocal style. Yes, it is a little rough around the edges though has plenty of muscle to it and is a fun listen if it does sound a little of it’s time these days. Paul Raymond (also sadly no longer with us) is in the line-up adding a further UFO connection.
The self-titled EP would follow shortly after Vices and is included here on disc two with the mini live album Won’t Get Out Alive. By this time Waysted were practically UFO as drummer Andy Parker had been roped in as had guitarist Paul Chapman. As you may expect, the set list features a few UFO classics.
The Good, the Bad and the Waysted followed in 1985 and is the third disc in this box set. By this time the band were pretty much a trio of Way, Fin and Chapman. This album marked a step forward musically away from the raw high energy stuff to a more polished style whilst remaining with a fair share of power too.
Disc four is the classic Save Your Prayers from 1986. More line-up changes saw the departure of Fin to be replaced by the golden voice of Danny Vaughn resulting in a quite superb album of hard melodic rock not far from classic UFO. Vaughn’s voice soars away effortlessly. Chapman does what he did best – such a fine, fine guitarist and another ex-UFO member we lost recently and Pete’s bass nicely melodic as it always was.
Save Your Prayers chocked full of glorious biting melodic rockers. The thunderous Walls Fall Down and Hell Comes Home one of the great “power ballads” with Heaven Tonight, the sublime How the West Was Won and my favourite Heroes Die Young – check that out:
Save Your Prayers should have pushed Waysted in to the big leagues. Unfortunately it did not. Instead they fell apart and Pete would be drawn back to UFO. UFO tended to be a magnet which attracted back ex-members a time or two eh. Michael Schenker, Paul Raymond and Andy Parker all going there and back again a time or two.
Oh: and quickly in UFO-related news. Phil Mogg’s album – Mogg’s Motel – is due for release in a few weeks. Have my order in. A review in due course.
Back to Waysted – this box set is an excellent way (no pun intended) to listen to how good they were and in particular if you’re not already familiar with it, ask yourself why Save Your Prayers wasn’t a multi-platinum seller.
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