Bernie Torme – Lightning Strikes: 1982-1983 (HNE Recordings)

 

Who is Bernie Torme?  He’s an Irish guitar player to whom Ozzy turned to after the death of Randy Rhoads.  He was a guitar player on number of Ian Gillan (Gillan) records.  He used to have a band called Torme, with singer Phil Lewis, who later emerged to front L.A. Guns.  He was even a part of Desperado, a supergroup with Dee Snider that never properly materialized.  In addition to all of those famous “moments,” he had a very cool solo career, mostly in the British isles.  Sadly, he passed away in 2019.

This box gathers two studio albums, and two live albums from Bernie Torme.  It captures him at his definite best on his own.  Turn Out the Lights and Electric Gypsies were great albums.  Filled with traditional Irish/British hard rock.  There were guts, glitter, sleaze, and glory in what Torme was trying to come across with.  Why none of those records made him an instant international superstar is still not clearly understood. 

Bernie Torme was a great player.  He was coming into a style of his own here, and those two years (1982/1983) were very kind to him.  One can argue as to why it didn’t get any bigger for Torme.  Sometimes things just don’t happen.  You can have the right tunes, and the right people around you, but there is never a guarantee a success.  You can keep on trying, and that what Torme did until the end of his days.  He was a true rocker who never stopped and never gave up.  If you were never aware of him, here’s your chance to hear some great music you’ll fall in love with. And if you’re already a fan, this is a great collection that us simply a must have.

Lightning Strikes: 1982-1983 is beautifully put together.  You get the 4 CDs, a very nice booklet with plenty of pictures and information about the man.  The box itself is also very durable, no detail was spared when putting it together.  Let’s hope this is not the last such release from Bernie Torme.  There certainly is plenty more music he’s written and released, and some of it is impossible to find in the physical format.  This is simply an amazing collection of great records!

Mark Kadzielawa