In a month that heralded the official press release concerning the new Danger Danger album “Revolve”, frontman Ted Poley also released his awesome double CD “Greatestits”.  Featuring 33 songs, it covers all bases  from Ted’s work outside of Danger Danger.  Original song demos, hard to find rare tracks including the impossible to find Xmas Song, the Japan exclusive Takoyaki Rock, and new stuff that will feature on his forthcoming solo CD, slated for release sometime in 2010....it has it all!

CD 1 kicks off with a selection of tracks from Ted’s recent solo releases “Collateral Damage” and “Smile”.  Both albums are chock full of the killer melodic rock that Ted is renowned for and feature some of my personal favorite Poley songs in “What If She Knew” and ”Maybe”, whilst the track “Smile” is featured on CD2 in demo form.

In late 1993 after leaving Danger Danger, Ted formed “Bone Machine”, with the band releasing the now much sought after albums “Dogs” and “Disappearing Inc”.  Quite scarily, the CD cover of “Disappearing Inc” portrays a premonition of Ted’s, which was of the destruction of the World Trade Centre in New York.  With songs like “Missing You” and “Anisha”, Bone Machine certainly proved that Ted at the time was still at the top of the game despite leaving Danger Danger.  This era features quite heavily on CD 1 and for some, it may finally be an opportunity to get these songs on CD!

Marking the beginning of an association with Austrian native guitarist, Gerard Pilcher, in 2000 Ted resurfaced again with “Melodica”.  And melodic indeed “Melodica” was! How good is the song “Love Metal”. With 3 albums and numerous live appearances, “Melodica” morphed into “Poley/Pilcher” with the album “Big” being released, continuing on in the same melodic vein. 

Proving just how prolific Ted has been in the past decade, in late 2008, with former Adriangale guitarist Vic Rivera, Ted slammed us all with the Poley/Rivera album “Only Human”.  Represented on “Greatestits” with the title track, the album is definitely worth grabbing a hold of if you can find it!  But fear not, a 2nd Poley/Rivera album is currently in the works.

For most hardcore Ted Poley fans who would no doubt be familiar with all the above, “Greatestits” really proves a valuable collectors item with the inclusion of a number of incredibly rare and unheard tracks.  Recordings with JK Northrup, a track dating back to Ted’s days in “Prophet” as well as a couple of tracks from Ted’s contribution to the Pleasuredome project.

Collaborating with the hottest songwriters going around at the moment, James and Tom Martin, “You Won’t See Me Cryin” and “Tokyo Nites” hint at what is to come in the form of a new Ted Poley solo CD.

The inclusion of “Ted Poley” a parody of Kiss’s “Unholy” featuring CC Banana on vocals, sure ends the collection on a comical note, along with the much sought after XMAS song from 1994 “A Letter To Santa”.

A MUST have for any Ted Poley fan, “Greatestits” sure is an unexpected and welcome release from one of the most legendary men in melodic rock.  If you get in quick, you might be able to snare your copy with the limited edition cover featuring twin towers of a differen’t kind (as seen above)!

Order your copy by clicking right here...........

*Reviewed by: Scotty Rock