The Best of Thunder: Their Finest Hour (And a Bit)

The Best of Thunder: Their Finest Hour (And a Bit)
Compilation album by
Thunder
Released25 September 1995 (1995-09-25)
Recorded1989–1995
Genre
Length75:21
LabelEMI
Producer
Thunder compilation album chronology
The Best of Thunder: Their Finest Hour (And a Bit)
(1995) 		Burrn! Presents: The Best of Thunder
(1998)
Singles from The Best of Thunder: Their Finest Hour (And a Bit)
  1. "In a Broken Dream"
    Released: 11 September 1995 (1995-09-11)

The Best of Thunder: Their Finest Hour (And a Bit) is the first compilation album by English hard rock band Thunder. Released on 25 September 1995 by EMI Records, it features songs from the band's first three studio albums – Backstreet Symphony, Laughing on Judgement Day and Behind Closed Doors – as well as a re-recorded version of "Higher Ground", 1994 single "Gimme Shelter" and new tracks "In a Broken Dream" and "Once in a Lifetime".

Upon its release, Their Finest Hour (And a Bit) reached number 22 on the UK Albums Chart, number 3 on the UK Rock & Metal Albums Chart and number 47 on the Scottish Albums Chart. The album was certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), indicating sales of 60,000 units. "In a Broken Dream" reached number 26 on the UK Singles Chart and number 28 on the Scottish Singles Chart, and topped the UK Rock & Metal Singles Chart.

Background

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On 11 September 1995, Thunder released a cover version of "In a Broken Dream", originally recorded by Python Lee Jackson with additional vocals from Rod Stewart, as a single.[1] The song debuted at number 26 on the UK Singles Chart,[2] number 28 on the Scottish Singles Chart,[3] and number 1 on the UK Rock & Metal Singles Chart.[4] Two weeks later, the band's first compilation album The Best of Thunder: Their Finest Hour (And a Bit) was released.[1] The album features a selection of tracks from Thunder's first three studio albums – including five from 1990's Backstreet Symphony, four from Laughing on Judgement Day and three from 1995's Behind Closed Doors – as well as "In a Broken Dream", a re-recorded version of "Higher Ground" dubbed "Higher Ground '95", a recording of The Rolling Stones song "Gimme Shelter" (originally released on a various artists single of the same name), and the previously unreleased "Once in a Lifetime".[5]

A greatest hits album was originally suggested to Thunder by EMI Records, their record label at the time, which the band's vocalist Danny Bowes interpreted as a sign that they were "about to get dropped" by the company.[6] Recalling the situation in the group's 2016 biography Giving the Game Away: The Thunder Story, Bowes noted that "my first thought was 'That means we're off the label. They're trying to get the money in before they heave us out the door.'"[6] The band recorded the new tracks "In a Broken Dream", "Higher Ground '95" and "Once in a Lifetime" at Wool Hall Studios in Beckington, Somerset.[6]

Release

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The Best of Thunder: Their Finest Hour (And a Bit) was released in the UK and Europe by EMI Records on 25 September 1995.[1] The album debuted at number 22 on the UK Albums Chart,[2] number 3 on the UK Rock & Metal Albums Chart,[7] and number 47 on the Scottish Albums Chart.[8] It was also certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry, indicating sales in the UK of 60,000 units.[9] The album was issued in Japan by Toshiba EMI on 29 November 1995.[10] The album was also reissued in Japan in 2004, featuring the previously unreleased track "Sex Groove".[5] Reviewing the album for AllMusic, Doug Odell described Their Finest Hour (And a Bit) as "a well-rounded collection for diehard fans or a perfect introduction for new ones".[11] The compilation was promoted on its own short concert tour dubbed Their Finest Set (And a Bit), which visited five cities in England between 27 September and 2 October 1995.[12]

Track listing

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No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Dirty Love"Luke Morley5:25
2."River of Pain"Morley3:37
3."Love Walked In"Morley6:22
4."Everybody Wants Her"
4:29
5."In a Broken Dream"David Bentley5:46
6."Higher Ground '95"Morley4:24
7."Backstreet Symphony"Morley4:30
8."A Better Man"Morley3:40
9."Gimme Shelter"
5:25
10."Like a Satellite"Morley4:52
11."Low Life in High Places"Morley4:09
12."Stand Up"
  • Morley
  • James
4:00
13."Once in a Lifetime"Morley4:45
14."Gimme Some Lovin'"
3:49
15."Castles in the Sand"Morley4:36
16."She's So Fine"
5:32
Total length:75:21
Japanese reissue bonus track
No.TitleLength
17."Sex Groove" 

Notes

  • Tracks 1, 3, 7, 14 and 16 were originally released on Backstreet Symphony (1990)
  • Tracks 2, 12 and 15 were originally released on Behind Closed Doors (1995)
  • Tracks 4, 8, 10 and 11 were originally released on Laughing on Judgement Day (1992)
  • Tracks 5, 6, 13 and 17 were previously unreleased
  • Track 9 was originally released on Gimme Shelter Rock (1994)

Personnel

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  • Danny Bowes – vocals
  • Luke Morley – guitar, acoustic guitar, backing vocals (tracks 8 and 11), harmonica (track 8), production (tracks 2, 4, 8, 10–12 and 15)
  • Ben Matthews – guitar, keyboards, piano, additional engineering
  • Gary "Harry" James – drums, percussion
  • Mark "Snake" Luckhurst – bass (tracks 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 10, 11, 14 and 16)
  • Mikael Höglund – bass (tracks 2, 5, 6, 9, 12, 13 and 15)
  • International Singing Criminals – backing vocals (track 4)
  • The Big Bad Horns – horns (track 4)
  • Snake Davis – saxophone (track 4)
  • Mo Hepple – backing vocal arrangements (track 4)
  • Jody Linscott – percussion (track 10)
  • Andy Taylor – production (tracks 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 10, 11, 14 and 16)
  • Mike Fraser – production and engineering (tracks 2, 12 and 15), mixing (tracks 1–3, 5–7, 9 and 12–16)
  • Ken Lomas – engineering (tracks 4, 8, 10 and 11)
  • David Bascombe – mixing (tracks 4, 8, 10 and 11)
  • Ross Halfin – photography

References

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  1. ^ a b c "History". Thunder. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  2. ^ a b "Thunder Full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  3. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100: 17 September 1995 – 23 September 1995". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  4. ^ "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40: 17 September 1995 – 23 September 1995". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  5. ^ a b "Their Finest Hour (And a Bit)". Thunder. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  6. ^ a b c McIver 2016, p. 214
  7. ^ "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40: 01 October 1995 – 07 October 1995". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  8. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100: 01 October 1995 – 07 October 1995". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  9. ^ "Certified Awards". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 10 June 2017. Note: User must manually define search parameter as "Thunder" and click the 'Search' button in order to yield results.
  10. ^ "Best Album (Their Finest Hour (...And a Bit))" (in Japanese). Ikuko "Ken-san" Yamamoto. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  11. ^ Odell, Doug. "Best of Thunder: Their Finest Hour (And a Bit) – Thunder: Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  12. ^ "Behind Closed Doors Tour". Thunder. Retrieved 10 June 2017.

Bibliography

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