Project 1001: Back to Mystery City by Hanoi Rocks
Hanoi Rocks is one of those bands who were always on the periphery of my musical intake but never in the spotlight. I don’t remember anybody in my peer group being a fan even though we all seemed to be aware of them. For me the band name is more memorable than their music and that’s not to say their music isn’t any good. If nothing else, Hanoi Rocks ought to be remembered as a major influence on Guns n’ Roses.12
Jim Kaz wrote a thorough examination of the band for an article in New Noise Magazine:
Hanoi Rocks were the bridge from vintage punk to stadium-sized hard rock. melding the old-school punk sounds of bands such as Generation X, The Damned, and the Sex Pistols with the hard- and classic-rock stylings of Aerosmith, The Rolling Stones and Alice Cooper taking the attitude, the speed, and the DIY ethic of the New York Dolls and mixing in with the swagger and excess of ‘70s arena rock…Back To Mystery City (1983) was another game-changing moment for the band. Its boldest studio album to date…Many bands would pilfer their style but miss the point around the eclectic and unique sounds the band had created. Hanoi Rocks created true crossover music uniting an underground of those looking for something different.3
Running through these songs I can really hear lots of bands who came later. All the glam/hair metal bands in particular. It’s interesting how often it seems the artist who influences later iterations is not the one who is a big commercial success.
I really liked this album. I’m not sure why I didn’t listen to it when it was released. I remember hearing about them at the time and I definitely heard about them after Vince Neil, while driving drunk, killed Hanoi Rocks’ drummer Razzle.
My rating:
In 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, Jim Harrington wrote:
Their music connected the dots between glitter, punk, and heavy metal and helped set the blueprint for Eighties hair metal.4
Enjoy and listen without prejudice. Cheers!
Prime Playlist: 196. Back to Mystery City by Hanoi Rocks
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For details about this project, read this: Project 1001 Albums
Charts
• Peak on Billboard 200 album chart: n/a
• Singles on Billboard Hot 100 chart: n/a
• RIAA certification: n/a
Released in May of 1983. Here’s what else was happening:
Pop Culture
• Number one song: “Beat It” by Michael Jackson5
• Number one album: Thriller by Michael Jackson6
• Number one movie: Flashdance by Adrian Lynne7 and Blue Thunder by John Badham8
• Most watched TV programs: 60 Minutes, Dallas, M*A*S*H, Dynasty, Three’s Company, Simon & Simon, Falcon Crest, The Love Boat, The A-Team, Monday Night Football9
• NYT bestseller, fiction: The Little Drummer Girl by John le Carré10
• NYT bestseller, non-fiction: In Search of Excellence by Thomas J. Peters and Robert H. Waterman Jr.11
Some other albums released that month
• Burlap & Satin by Dolly Parton
• Power, Corruption & Lies by New Order
• "Weird Al" Yankovic by "Weird Al" Yankovic
• With Sympathy by Ministry
• Zig-Zag Walk by Foghat
• Piece of Mind by Iron Maiden
• In Your Eyes by George Benson
• Confrontation by Bob Marley & The Wailers
• Holy Diver by Dio
• Too Low for Zero by Elton John
• Another Perfect Day by Motörhead
• Reach the Beach by The Fixx
• You Bought It, You Name It by Joe Walsh
• Head First by Uriah Heep
• Mama Africa by Peter Tosh
• The Net by Little River Band
• Siogo by Blackfoot12
Sport
• May 7 109th Kentucky Derby: Ed Delahoussaye wins aboard Sunny's Halo for consecutive Derby victories (1982 Gato Del Sol).
• May 13 Reggie Jackson is 1st major leaguer to strike out 2,000 times.
• May 17 Stanley Cup Final, Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, NY: 4 consecutive titles for NY Islanders; sweep Edmonton Oilers in 4 games with a 4-2 Game 4 win.
• May 20 American heavyweight boxer Larry Holmes beats countryman Tim Witherspoon by split decision to retain his WBC title and Michael Dokes & Mike Weaver fight to a draw in 15 for heavyweight boxing title.
• May 20 MLB Philadelphia Phillies Steve Carlton passes W Johnson with 2nd most strike outs.
• May 21 108th Preakness: Donald Miller Jr on Deputed Testamony wins in 1:55.4.
• May 22 Toronto Blue Jay Cliff Johnson hits record 18th pinch hit HR.
• May 29 Indianapolis 500: Tom Sneva wins his first Indy 500; represents record 7th Indy victory for chief mechanic George Bignotti.
• May 30 AL President Lee MacPhail suspends Yankees owner George Steinbrenner for one week, for his public criticism of umpires.
• May 31 37th NBA Championship: Philadelphia 76ers sweep LA Lakers in 4 games.13
Notable Births
• May 5 Henry Cavill, English actor (Superman), born in Jersey, Channel Islands.
• May 6 Adrianne Palicki, American actress (Friday Night Lights, Agents of Shield), born in Toledo, Ohio.
• May 11 Matt Leinart, College Football Hall of Fame quarterback (Heisman Trophy 2004, USC; NFL: Arizona Cardinals, Houston Texans) and broadcaster (Fox Sports), born in Santa Ana, California.
• May 18 Vince Young, College Football Hall of Fame quarterback (Maxwell award 2005, Texas), NFL: Titans, Eagles, Bills, Packers, Browns, born in Houston, Texas.14
Historical Events
• May 3 Soviet leader Yuri Andropov decreases nuclear weapons in Europe.
• May 16 Chinese American architect I. M. Pei is awarded the Pritzker Architecture Prize in New York.
• May 17 Israel & Lebanon sign a peace treaty.
• May 18 Senate revises immigration laws, gives millions of illegal aliens legal status under an amnesty program.
• May 25 1st US National Missing Children's Day is proclaimed.
• May 25 Fire in Nassermeer, Egypt, kills 357.15
Notable Deaths
• May 2 Norm Van Brocklin, American Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback (NFL MVP 1960; First-team All-Pro 1960; 9 × Pro Bowl; LA Rams, Philadelphia Eagles) and coach (Minnesota Vikings, Atlanta Falcons), dies from a heart attack at 57.
• May 5 Horst Schumann, German Nazi physician who oversaw concentration camp x-ray sterilization and gas chamber murder of Jews, as well as euthanasia centers to kill feeble and ill people, dies at 77.
• May 6 Kai Winding, Danish-American Jazz musician and trombonist ("Georgia On My Mind"), dies of a brain tumor at 60.
• May 20 Clair Bee, American College Basketball and Basketball Hall of Fame coach (Long Island University undefeated 1936, 39; National Invitation Tournament 1939, 41), dies at 87.
• May 31 Jack Dempsey, American boxer (world heavyweight champion 1919-26), dies of heart failure at 86.16
Harrington, Jim, 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, Fifth printing, ed. by Robert Dimmery p. 508.
Ibid.