Bugzy: Center Of Attraction (Divebomb)

It’s always a thrill when a trove of vintage, previously unreleased material is discovered and released to the fans. One such collection was Bugzy’s Plan B, which showcased some absolutely fantastic melodic rock from the ‘80s that for various reasons never saw the light of day. Plan B was this site’s Top Reissue of 2017, and the notion that there were not one but two additional collections’ worth of material was very good news in 2018.

Center of Attraction is the first of the two new Bugzy collections, the 18 songs here were written in the early part of the band’s career (but recorded over a span from 1987 to 1994). The recording studios and band lineups were different during the time these songs were put together, but the music is very consistent in terms of songwriting and overall quality. Like the material on Plan B, Center of Attraction is full of catchy, melodic, radio-friendly rock songs that in a perfect world would have made them stars in the late ‘80s.

The material on Center of Attraction is right in that late ‘80s and early ‘90s AOR zone between Honeymoon suite and Boulevard. Between Bugsy’s smooth lead vocals and guitar melodies and Franki Gorgo’s deft keyboards and backing vocals, the band had real magic that’s captured in these recordings. Songs like “Father Time,” “Center of Attraction,” “Big Girl Now” and “Take Me Away” have a great ‘80s soundtrack vibe, and are the stars of this collection, though the material is really strong from start to finish.

It speaks to the strength of Bugzy’s material that as good as these songs are, they didn’t make the cut for last year’s Plan B collection. The material on Plan B was arguably the cream of the crop, but Center of Attraction is not that far behind it. This is another very enjoyable collection of melodic rock from a band that should have been all over the airwaves in the ‘80s. If you loved the Plan B collection (and how could you not?), this is a total must-have. Center of Attraction is also highly recommended if you’re a fan of melodic rock bands like Loverboy, Bryan Adams, Honeymoon Suite, Shooting Star and Boulevard.

Reissue Notes: It’s not technically a reissue, but some “reissue-type” details are worth pointing out. As with the previous Bugzy collections, the Divebomb label did this material justice in both sound and presentation. The songs have all been newly remastered, and the booklet is packed with a brief band history and notes on each song’s origins.