In any genre of music, there are those who become superstars, those who never make it big, and in-between, those who climb that greasy pole almost to the top, only to slip back down into relative obscurity.
Such was the fate of Night Ranger, one of the great all-American rock bands. They couldn’t quite reach the level of success that was enjoyed by the giants of AOR: Boston, Journey, Foreigner, Survivor, Toto. But while many great melodic rock bands were destined to remain cult heroes – bands such as New England, Balance, Valentine and Diving For Pearls – it was a different story for Night Ranger.
In the mid- to late 80s, these guys sold ten million records worldwide. They had five Top 20 hits in the US. Among those was the mega-hit Sister Christian, one of the all-time classic power ballads, and a song that resonated so powerfully in the American psyche that it was later voted No.32 in VH-1’s 100 Greatest Songs Of The 1980s. It also featured in the hit movie Boogie Nights and the bestselling videogame Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.
It was in 1980 that Night Ranger formed in San Francisco. Originally named Ranger, the band comprised Jack Blades on bass and lead vocals, Brad Gillis and Jeff Watson on guitars, Alan Fitzgerald on keyboards and Kelly Keagy on drums and lead vocals. Their influences were varied: Deep Purple, Van Halen, Journey. Their twin-guitar attack was inspired by Thin Lizzy. But as Blades said: “Our sound was distinctly American, because that’s who we are.”
That sound was perfectly realised on the band’s first album, Dawn Patrol, which sold a million in the US. The follow-up, Midnight Madness, was an even bigger hit, thanks to Sister Christian. But the hits dried up after Seven Wishes in 1985, and by the end of that decade the band split up.
Jack Blades subsequently formed the supergroup Damn Yankees with Ted Nugent and Tommy Shaw of Styx. They had two platinum albums. But in 1996, the classic Night Ranger line-up reunited. And while there have been various personnel changes since then, this great band have continued making music, with 2021's ATBPO their most recent release.
Back in ’84, they laid their cards on the table in the anthem (You Can Still) Rock In America. And as Blades says: “That song is as true today as it was back then.” He and Night Ranger are still living the dream.
