Rocktober Deep Cut H: "Top of the Rock" by HSAS

"H" on a Hair Band Friday is a tough letter for deep cuts.  I consider some of Heart's '80s songs to fall within the hair band genre, but I don't know any deep cuts from that era.  Other than that, there aren't any "H" hair bands recognizable or well-known enough to garner deep cut consideration.  Chances are, you've never heard any songs by Hanoi Rocks, Heaven's Edge, Hericane Alice, or Hurricane, so what's the point of choosing a deep cut?

This was my conundrum today, until I remembered a short-lived band called HSAS that had a few pretty good songs.  "But GMYH, I've never heard of HSAS.  How are they possibly different from Hanoi Rocks, Heaven's Edge, Hericane Alice, or Hurricane?"  Well, fair reader, even if you haven't heard of HSAS, you have certainly heard of its members.  The fact that half of the band is enshrined in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is what makes HSAS different from Hanoi Rocks, Heaven's Edge, Hericane Alice, or Hurricane.  The "H" is for Sammy Hagar (in the Rock Hall as a member of Van Halen), the first "S" is for Neal Schon (of Journey and Santana fame), the "A" is Kenny Aaronson (famous session and touring bassist), and the other "S" is for Michael Shrieve (in the Rock Hall as a member of Santana, famous for his ridiculous closed-eyes drumming during "Soul Sacrifice" at Woodstock as a 20-year-old).

HSAS put out one album in 1984,Through the Fire, while Schon was in between albums with Journey and about a year before Hagar joined Van Halen.  I was actually surprised to see that the band had a song that charted on the Billboard Hot 100, but they did –- a cover of Procol Harum's "Whiter Shade of Pale," which hit #94 on the charts.  So, other than that song, you can consider any other HSAS song a deep cut for any of these guys.  I am going with the first song off of Through the Fire, a nice little rocker called "Top of the Rock."  I can't remember exactly how I came across this song, although I assume it was because of my Hair Band Friday Pandora station.  It's just a good rock and roll song, performed by guys who know what they're doing.  Enjoy.