Axis

It’s A Circus World Rock candy

US rockers’ empty treasure chest.

A power trio formed in the mid-70s by Steppenwolf guitarist Danny Johnson, drummer Vinny Appice and bassist Jay Davis, Axis were almost immediately put on hold for a couple of years after Rick Derringer came calling for Johnson and Appice.

It didn’t appear to damage their prospects, however, and when the band was revived in 1977 they lucked out, getting Andy Johns as producer. While Johns brought his Led Zeppelintrained sparkle to the succession of riffs and rhythms, he could do nothing about the mediocre quality of the songs which are trapped hopelessly somewhere between Ted Nugent and Journey. Nothing lingers.

Their luck ran out when the album, released on an independent label with no promotional budget, sank without trace. As did the band once Appice was lured away to Black Sabbath. All that’s left is some great heavy metal backing tracks in need of some songs.