JONES, STEVE
MERCY (ROCK CANDY)
Special Deluxe Collector's Edition / Debut solo album from former Sex Pistols guitarist / Fully Remastered Audio / 12 page full colour booklet - 3,500 word essay, enhanced artwork and unpublished photos.
When the Sex Pistols disintegrated in 1978 Steve involved himself in a number of diverse projects but also faced some serious lifestyle issues.
Relocating to the USA, amidst a period of serious drug dependency, he looked to a process of recovery by building a career as a solo artist.
Signed to MCA, his debut solo album Mercy, issued in 1984 was a unique and somewhat surprising statement from a man who had previously been viewed as a maverick guitar hero.
Choosing to focus on songs and melody, the record turned heads for an entirely different reason than the Sex Pistols.
Produced by Bob Rose (Miami Vice Soundtrack) and Jones, the album is built primarily around melodic rock songs (written mostly by himself) that, by any other artist, may have been labelled AOR.
Of course these tracks provide a solid foundation for Steve to unleash some blazing lead guitar, however, the emphasis is not on power chords but carefully executed solos, helping to support the melody rather than burying it beneath mountainous riffs; overall the album is a somewhat surprising yet gripping, statement from this hugely influential talent.