Power Of Dreams

Power Of Dreams were a band that I thought were going to be absolutely massive. I remember hearing "100 Ways To Kill A Love" on nighttime Radio 1 and loving the fantastic melody and thumping guitar sound. That kind of band would always be a winner with me. I ordered the single on vinyl and then got the 1st album "Immigrants, Emigrants And Me" which I loved. This album was recently re-released as an expanded double 20th anniversary CD, which makes it even better than the original which I never thought would be possible.

The 2nd album "2 Hell With Common Sense" remains one of all my time favourite albums and has the perfect indie pop anthem on it "There I Go Again" which should have been huge! Never have I have been so disappointed that a single didn't make it into the UK chart... Foolishly I lent my copy of this album to Adam Hodgson (named and shamed) who kept it so long and wore the tape out the bugger! I subsequently managed to get the album on CD and hopefully this one will last me until the hopefully to be released 20th anniversary edition of this album.

Following a couple of EPs I kind of lost track of the band and only realised some years later through my good friend Pete Cole that a third album "Become Yourself" had been released. Unfortunately back in the 1990s I had kind fallen out of love with live music and in love with drinking myself silly, and so I never got to see the band play live. However with the 20th anniversary release of "Immigrants" in 2010 came a tour too, and I finally got to see the band play live twice over one weekend in London and Guildford. An amazing and unforgettable experience, and I hope to see them play live again one day fingers crossed. A best of compilation "1989" was released in 2010, which really is a great introduction to the band and contained a gorgeous new track "1989" too so it was a must have purchase.

The band had a big influence on my own songwriting especially in the way they used guitars and the sound they achieved. I remember myself and Ad recording one of our own songs called "Majority" at the end of 1990s and very much setting out to do it in a Power Of Dreams like way...

Lead singer Craig Walker's debut album "Siamese" released in 2009 is a wonderful album. It is really interesting to hear how a songwriter can develop their craft over the years and this is a shining example, and if the new Power Of Dreams album comes to fruition I am sure it will also be an absolute classic.