Description

Check this video of the actual LP:

Check this video of the actual LP!

Smash Palace are a power pop rock band. Smash Palace – “Smash Palace” (Self-Titled) (1985 – Epic Records) was never released on CD. Only LP & Cassette Tape.

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Brothers Stephen and Brian Butler originally led a new wave-power pop band called Quincy. The band recorded an LP for Columbia Records in 1980 and began to tour, but their momentum was curtailed when producer/performer Quincy Jones saw the name “Quincy” on the marquee at the Whiskey A Go-Go in Los Angeles, CA. He sent the band a trademark infringement “cease-and-desist” order and “Quincy” were no longer allowed to use the name and broke up soon afterward. “Quincy” did record one more EP for Columbia records but under the new name ” Lulu Temple”.
The Butler brothers quickly formed a new band called “Smash Palace” and signed with Epic Records in 1985. The new line-up included Brian Butler (lead vocals), Stephen Butler (lead guitar and vocals), Phil Rizzo (then going by “Phil Barnett”) (bass guitar), Harry Lewis (drums) and Greg Persun (rhythm guitar).
The bands first self-titled LP was released in the fall of 1985 along with an MTV video of the first single ” Living On The Borderline” (directed by Nigel Dick).
Smash Palace toured extensively throughout the United States and Canada with Mr. Mister, and the Cruzados. Greg DiDonato (Keyboards) joined the lineup for the tour. When Smash Palaces A&R man, Dick Wingate, left Epic Records in 1985 he asked the band to come on over to his new label, Polygram Records. Unfortunately, once the band left Epic, the offer from Polygram melted away.
Disillusioned and broke, Stephen and Brian took staff song writer jobs at CBS Songs, EMI, and then with BMG. Greg DiDonato remained active with Brian and Steve in the studio providing Keys, Drums, and later… engineering services. Not finding much happiness or success in the hit song writing business, the brothers left the music business altogether for a while. Stephen was the first to return in 1997, working as a co-writer and guitarist with the band Mary Lees Corvette. This has been a lasting relationship that Stephen has maintained for the past 10 years and he has produced the most recent Mary Lees Corvette CD ” Love, Loss and Lunacy” which was released in 2006.

Original 1985 Line-Up
Brian Butler – Lead Vocals
Stephen Butler – Lead Guitar & Vocals
Greg Persun – Rhythm Guitar
Phil Barnett (Rizzo) – Bass Guitar
Harry Lewis – Drums

Label: Epic
Catalog#: EPC 26577

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: England
Released: 1985
Genre: Rock, New Wave, Power Pop

Tracklist
A1 Living On The Borderline 4:35
A2 Count The Days 4:12
A3 Love Will Find A Way 3:25
A4 Never Say No Again 4:20
A5 Juliet To Me 4:45
B1 No Love Lost 5:06
B2 A Night To Remember 5:10
B3 Pieces Of My Heart 4:13
B4 Night Of A Thousand Faces 4:51

line-up included Brian Butler (lead vocals), Stephen Butler (lead guitar and vocals), Phil Rizzo (bass guitar), Harry Lewis (drums) and Greg Persun (rhythm guitar).

The band’s first self-titled LP was released in the fall of 1985 along with an MTV video of the first single, “Living on the Borderline” (directed by Nigel Dick).

Smash Palace then toured extensively throughout the United States and Canada with Mr. Mister and the Cruzados. Greg DiDonato (keyboards) joined the lineup for the tour. When Smash Palace’s A&R man, Dick Wingate, left Epic Records in 1985 he asked the band to come on over to his new label, Polygram Records. Unfortunately, once the band left Epic, the offer from Polygram melted away.