The most commercially accessible of the four. Hailing from Vancouver, The Fabulous Dirt signed to a major distributor (MCA Canada) but the deal fell through after the A&R man was fired. The album was mastered but never officially distributed—only 200 test pressings exist.
This report treats the “Part 64” as a deep-dive into a hypothetical or curated set of four obscure pressings, each representing a unique fusion of the era’s slick production, theatrical roots, and underground flair. Sub-Genre Focus: Glam Rock / AOR / New Wave Crossover Executive Summary By 1984–1988, the flamboyant theatricality of 70s Glam had evolved. It absorbed the polished production of AOR (radio-friendly hooks, big choruses, synths) and the rhythmic drive of New Wave. Part 64 of this series unearths four vinyl-only or CD-shrink-wrapped relics that failed commercially but have become cult touchstones among collectors. Each album demonstrates a different ratio of the three styles. Album 1: Velvet Criminals – “Neon Masquerade” (1985, USA) Genre Blend: 60% Glam Rock / 30% AOR / 10% New Wave 4 Rare 80s Albums -Part 64- Glam Rock- AOR- New...
The track “Rain on My Radio” was later covered by The Divine Comedy in 1998, crediting them as an influence. Album 3: Tokyo 77 – “Geisha Driver” (1986, Japan) Genre Blend: 40% AOR / 35% New Wave / 25% Glam The most commercially accessible of the four
Look for the misprint sleeve where the tracklist on back is actually for a different band (a punk band called Acid Whippet ). Album 2: The Soho Roses – “English Rain” (1987, UK) Genre Blend: 50% New Wave / 40% Glam / 10% AOR This report treats the “Part 64” as a
Hailing from Los Angeles’s sunset strip but arriving just after the hair-metal explosion, Velvet Criminals leaned more into *David Bowie’s Scary Monsters period than Motley Crüe. Their only album, Neon Masquerade , was pressed independently (500 copies) and distributed only at two local clubs.