The 1977 Album That Should Have Made Starz Famous

A Top 40 single, a Capitol Records deal, KISS-world connections, and Jack Douglas in the producer’s chair. So why is Starz’s Violation still a record most rock fans have never heard?

Jay, Tim, and Chip dig into the 1977 album that turned Starz into a musicians’ favorite without making them stars. We get into Bill Aucoin, Richie Ranno’s connection to Gene Simmons and Ozzy Osbourne auditions, “Cherry Baby” reaching No. 33, and the strange mix of power pop, hard rock, theatrical vocals, and sharp melodic turns that makes Violation both rewarding and frustrating.

If you love KISS, Cheap Trick, Angel, or late-1970s melodic hard rock, this episode is for you.

Episode highlights:

00:44: The poll that sent Starz to the table

07:23: Bill Aucoin, Capitol, and Jack Douglas

16:44: “Sing It, Shout It” and “S.T.E.A.D.Y.”

30:07: “Subway Terror” and the album’s harder edge

32:41: “Is That a Street Light or the Moon?”

38:40: Why Starz never broke through

56:22: Worthy album or better EP?

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