Released in 2011 by Demon Doll Records and now long out of print (used copies fetching $150+), Chicago’s Down & Dirty delivered a pure throwback to the golden era of hard rock and hair metal.
Frontman Majyk channels shades of Mark Slaughter, while guitarist L.A., drummer Joey The Kidd, and bassist Ryan “9-Volt” Tyler lock in with Sunset Strip swagger. The album bursts with party-ready energy: the title track Taste Of Rock & Roll sets the tone with tongue-in-cheek fun, Party With Me echoes Poison’s glam flair, Get It Right adds a bluesy edge, Wild Child rocks hard with grit, and Free & Young captures youthful optimism.
The band also flexes their softer side on the power ballad Fallin, and even tackle John Mellencamp’s Hurts So Good with a sleazy-rock twist, swapping in cheeky lyrics and heavier guitars.
While not reinventing the genre, Taste Of Rock & Roll is a lively, well-crafted slice of classic party rock — a hidden gem from Illinois worth revisiting.
Highly recommended for fans of Slaughter, Pretty Boy Floyd, and early Poison.