Customer Reviews

Britny Fox

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80's metal, now derogatorily called hair metal-gotta love it, as I grew up on it. One group that didn't do as well as Cinderella, Motley Crue, or Warrant, was Britny Fox. A pity, as their metal quotient would've set caused airport metal detectors to explode, whereas the likes of Europe, Warrant, or Winger would've given them mere Aspirin headaches. A hard-edged guitar and lead singer Dizzy Davidson's shrieker pipes a la Cinderella's Tom Kiefer showed they had teeth.

Two singles lead off their debut album (1988). The first is the rocking and rowdy "Girlschool," which begins with the background buzz of girls chatting at school before a school bell and piercing scream cuts through. Cue the music, the powerfully pounding skins of Johnny Dee, superlative guitars of Michael Kelly Smith, and Davidson's throaty vocals singing about rebellious high school girls breaking rules. The video was a Catholic school with uniforms, if I recall correctly, where even the teacher ends up jamming at the end. The best song here without a doubt. "Long Way To Love" has Vinnie Vincent-ish guitars and a sound belonging to Lick It Up era KISS. Their only charting single peaked... where? Hint, it has three digits. Humiliating, as I would've given it at least Top 20 status.

The frustration of teen alienation is shown in the thundering "Kick `N' Fight" whereas "Fun In Texas" is just about that. "Save The Weak" is a power ballad, and Davidson's non-shrieker vocals, when accompanied with the harmonies of the others, makes them sound somewhat like KISS.

Though Tipper Gore and the PMRC were three years behind, the anthemic "Rock Revolution" heralded by some pounding drums at the beginning, addresses the issues of people who had problems with rock and roll. "They say we're loud and violent for this joke system/but yet they air violent shows about death, r-pe, and fighting too." Yeah, what is up with that? One of the better songs here. Standing up for rock and roll-aww yeah! Yet they still optimistically think America is a fun and rocking place in "In America," which like "Hold On" gives AC-DC more than a run for their money.

Britny Fox then does the Quiet Riot thing-covering a Slade song. Their pick is "Gudbuy T'Jane" from 1973. I haven't heard the original, but BF sure have the energy going in this song. Many of the songs tend to sound alike, but the consistent strong sound of the band's energy more than make up for that. An underrated gem from the late 80's, whose energy has made me feel nostalgic and younger still.

I have something of a love/hate relationship with the 1988 self-titled debut album from Britny Fox. There are times when the band's stripped-down version of Cinderella's sound (which in turn was essentially bluesed-up AC/DC) seems way too familiar. I mean, you could just listen to Back in Black and cut out the middle man. On the flip side, I absolutely loved this album back in high school, and there is something to be said for the band's bar crawling rawk and Dean Davidson's screeching vocals. Let's face it, it's hard not to grin when a song like Girlschool is playing, and the band's first single Long Way to Love is still a great hair metal anthem. Their cover of Slade's Gudbuy T' Jane is a fun addition, although by that time Quiet Riot had pretty well staked that particular claim.

At worst, Britny Fox's debut is completely unoriginal hair metal. At best, it's completely unoriginal (but totally enjoyable) hair metal. There are times when it will make you cringe, but there are also times when it's exactly what you needed to hear.

When I first listened to Britny Fox, I wasn't in the least impressed. The first thought that came to mind was, these guys have ripped off Cinderella big time. However, after several years had passed, I was in the mood for some good 80's hard rock, and I decided to give these guys one more try. Upon second listen, I was blown away.

One thing mentioned earlier about Britny Fox that I read is, they are not the most original band of the 80's. Very True, but they were extremely talented, and rocked pretty hard. Like I said earlier in my review, Britny Fox sounds incredibley close to Cinderella. Some people may not like the fact, but give these guys a chance, their pretty awesome once you get past the similarities. My favorite tracks from Britny Fox's self-titled debut are Hold On (my personal favorite Britny Fox song), Gudbuy T' Jane, Girlschool, Long Way To Love and Save The Weak.

Overall, Britny Fox released a solid debut album. It does have a share of filler, but it also has some very solid hard rock songs on it as well. I recommend buying this album if you love 80's hard rock, or just like hard rock in general.

Britny Fox's debut album. Ex- Cinderella guitarist Michael Kelly Smith and drummer Tony Destra along with Dizzy Dean Davidson and bassist Billy Childs form up one of the eighties most formable bands. After honing their skills in small venues up and down the east coast and building up a huge fan base realease their 1st album which sold over a million copies and earned them the 1988 best new band award from metal edge magazine. That just about says it all for this album.

But hold on no pun there! The thing about Britny Fox was their explosive stage shows. This was the period of rock n roll having fun on the stage giving the audience a show and the Fox was all about that. In fact thats where Dean Davidson got his nickname " Dizzy " because he was so dynamic in his performances.

The debut featured the hits Girlschool and long way to love both mtv video major hits). Britny's music was fun contagious and filled with some powerfull rock. Micheal Kelly Smith was a heck of a guitarist and with Dizzy providing some rythmn guitar it allowed him to show off his lead skills and he was excellent as he shows in long way to love just as an example.

Britny is one of my favorite 80s bands for their music along but I loved Davidsons forced vocals much like that of Tom

Keiffer of Cinderella. They both had a gruff edge to em! Noone else comes close to that. The Fox was big hair glam rock at its very best and these guys for 3 albumns were showing every body how to get it done. Their second album " Boys in Heat " gets regular play in my players. Thier 3rd release minus Dizzy replaced by singer Tommy Paris " Bite Down Hard " was their last and is also one of my favorites.

IMO Britny Fox is probably the defining band of what the 80s big hair rock era was all about. There was so much going on during this time new bands being born everyday on MTV that the Fox never really got the whole recogintion that they deserved, I believed that they kicked every bodys butt ! Not many bands threw out 3 amazing album's back to back with each of them just a little better than the last. My hats off to Britny Fox and if you havent included them in your collection yet you should and Im sure that you will also become a fan !!!

Those of us that are of a certain age will remember that at some point in the 80s the vibe in the hard rock/metal scene changed. It went from being cool to NOT cool in a hurry, maybe this was MTVs fault. Many bands who had "the look" started to come out & in order to get radio/video expousue they usually had to have a ballad. Many other established bands fell victem to this as well. Britney Fox where 1 of these new bands, I should point out that they where/are better than most of them. It's not their fault they came out when they did but one look at the front cover tells you alot.

This album is great. If you want that 80's Cinderella/sleaze type sound then this is the cd. Girlschool kicks off the album with a vengeace, this is a real fun song(espically the music video which is worth owning), Girlschool is one rocking tune. Long way to love is another stand out track.

Kick n fight is a little weak, but it is still better than any of today's music out there.

Save the Weak is the ballad of the album, a pretty decent one (it's not Nobaody's Fool)but it's not bad.

Fun in Texas continues the pace of the album.

Rock Revolution is a great anthem rock song.

Don't Hide is the second best song on this album, it's very well done with a good guitar riff.

Gudbut T Jane is a reworking of a slade song, pretty good better than when slade played it themselves(in my opinion).

In America is another attempt at a rock anthem, not as good as Don't Hide, but not bad.

And Hold On closes the album with a punch, this song is a great one to blast in your car.

Overall if you want the 80's metal in it's prime this is a fine start.Their second album Boys in Heat is also worth picking up if you like this. In the end Britny Fox rock, I even have a logo patch of them on my jean jacket they rule. Long Live Britny Fox and breakin all the rules at the Girlschool!