HOW TO GO
Who: The Romantics, Rick Springfield, Night Ranger
Where: Fraze Pavillion, 695 Lincoln Park Blvd., Kettering
When: 7:30 p.m.
Cost: $50/$40
More info: http://www.fraze.com/rick-springfield-night-ranger-the-romantics/
Artist info: http://www.romanticsdetroit.com/
The rock 'n' roll story of The Romantics reads like most good ones you'll come across: A group of guys from a blue-collar town form a band, work hard, get some hits, sue their management, and seemingly bow out into oblivion. But that's only partly right, because The Romantics, who became radio staples with the 1983 release In Heat, never went away.
“We never stopped. We’ve still continually been on the road. Every year we still went out,” guitarist Mike Skill says.
Indeed the band that wrote hits like “What I Like About You”, “Talking In Your Sleep” and “One In A Million” continue to tour, joining Rick Springfield and Night Ranger at Fraze Pavilion in Kettering on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
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The Detroit pop rockers' songs are instantly recognizable from sporting events to movie soundtracks and everything in between. But they were forced to stop recording after 1985's Rhythm Romance for several years while their lawsuit over royalty payments and control of publishing rights languished on courtroom dockets.
“We just couldn’t really put something out during (that) time,” Skill says. “We didn’t want to tie ourselves up with stuff that was new and (have) someone try and tie their hands to it. So we kind of had a little lull there as far as recording goes.”
With a settlement reached in the mid 90s, The Romantics were finally free to record again, releasing their first full-length album of new material in almost 20 years, 61/49, in 2003.
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But Skill says the scope of how bands and labels operate has drastically changed.
“Back then, you would go through your label. Your label took care of everything,” he says. “When you signed your record deal, usually you had to pay up front all your fees for the record cover, the recording, the promotion. It took years before you saw any royalties.”
But he finds some of the changes have been for the better.
“Now, it’s changed. You’re taking care of it yourself or you’re hiring people to do it. So you know where the money’s going. You know what it’s going for,” says Skill.
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And though it may seem odd to some that a band who took their early cues from groups like The Kinks and MC5 now share the stage with heartthrob rocker Springfield, Skill doesn’t see it that way.
“To me, it’s a bigger platform. Who’d have thought the Rolling Stones would be playing with James Brown back in the day?” he asks. “It’s something we can hang our hat on and show what we do. We did tours with Adam Ant, the Kinks, the Tubes, Cheap Trick and Heart,” Skill says.
“We still get on stage with these bands and everyone’s got a good attitude and that’s what it’s all about. You’re stepping in water you don’t normally step in, but people see you and you get more fans.”
That includes the children of their early fans these days.
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But if The Romantics feel their age, you wouldn’t know it to hear Skill talk. Nearly 40 years after the band’s first show, with most of the original lineup still intact, they’re still energized.
That also goes for recording. The Romantics just released versions of “Daydream Believer” and “We Gotta Get out of This Place”, and have recorded some new material with more planned for later this year.
“After all these years, to be able to still have airplay and still get out there and do it, and they want us there- we’re grateful for it. We’re lucky,” he says.
“We still look and play good. We stand out still.”
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