Musicians Danny Bowes, Harry James, and Luke Morley worked together in the 80s-era [tab]blues outfit Terraplane. After experiencing what Morley has called "a 'eureka' moment", the guys devised a high-energy British rock project directly inspired by the likes of Bad Company, Deep Purple, and Led Zeppelin. The aptly named Thunder spent a year or so in constant touring and gradually built a positive reputation that helped its debut album, named Backstreet Symphony, reach a wide audience. Released 4 April 1990 by EMI / Geffen, it became an international success. The album didn't just get RIAA certified as 'Gold' but earned them a spot on BBC's 'Top of the Pops', playing their hard-edged version of "Gimme Some Lovin'" to a global audience. A well-received performance at Castle Donington's 'Monsters of Rock' event before gigantic crowds brought it home to the guys how far they'd broken through.
After touring with female-fronted rockers Heart and other artists with the same style, the guys prepared the second album, which they ominously titled Laughing on Judgement Day. Despite their deliberately 'retro' sound quite unlike the alternative and post-punk trends of the time (or, in fact, precisely because of their sticking to their guns), their sophomore album achieved even more success. Released on 24 August 1992, it proved an even bigger hit in the U.K. than their debut, reaching the number two slot on the nation's top albums chart. Its singles include "Everybody Wants Her" and "Low Life in High Places", the titles alone showing Thunder's interest in classic rock n' roll hedonism.
Bassist "Snake" Luckhurst left the band citing 'personal differences', a move that wasn't just Thunder's first line-up change but a sign of future turmoil to come. He got replaced by Swedish musician Mikael Höglund, and the band went on to record their third album, 1995's Behind Closed Doors, before facing a dilemma with their label. Finding that "most of the people who'd been there at the beginning of our tenure had moved on", as Morley put it, as well as that talk of a contract extension had terms that they simply couldn't accept, Thunder jumped from EMI.
Despite being championed by U.S. contemporaries such as Aerosmith and Guns n' Roses, the guys still faced a tough time making a lasting impact 'across the pond'. Though focused on pumping out more and more material, Morley later remarked that the mid-90s found Thunder "suffering from 'hamster in the wheel' syndrome". Mikael Höglund was unavailable for recording the band's fourth album, called The Thrill of it All, and so the 1996 release had bass duty left with Morley. For the subsequent tour, the band recruited bassist Chris Childs, who stayed with the band to record their fifth album. Although Giving the Game Away, released in 1999, earned a positive fan response, it had become totally clear how Thunder had disconnected from a record industry whose connected network of radio stations, TV networks, and music magazines dismissed the guys' sort of melodic hard rock as either endangered or extinct.
In Autumn of that year, the group announced an upcoming split, and their final tour concluded in May 2000. Still, Thunder's interest in new technology and the continuing camaraderie felt among the band's members meant that they didn't drop off the radar. After being given a slot in the 2002 'Monsters of Rock' shows, Thunder decided to return in 2003 with a new album, titled Shooting at the Sun, which the guys released on their own record label. Fully embracing the internet's ability to unite hard rock fans across the globe, 2005 resulted in the band's seventh album, aptly titled The Magnificent Seventh! by the guys. It earned praise from many critics, with musicOMH writer Neil Daniels remarking that the "terrific return to form" seemed like "a hard-hitting giant but with fists of steel and cast iron balls".
Feeling vindicated, the group's album managed to produce a return to the top 40 singles charts and spawned a bunch of live performances. After two well-received tours in 2006, with many gigs completely selling out, and two gleeful experiences in Japan, the band captured that live feel in the DVD Thunder Go Mad in Japan. The release included a documentary piece following the band's situation setting everything up and trying to sort out all of the traveling. That year additionally saw the guys releasing their eight studio album, titled Robert Johnson's Tombstone, which featured nods to the musicians' early history before Thunder's very formation. Receiving acclaim from critics and fans alike, some even claimed that the album was Thunder's best studio release yet. A U.K. tour took place at the end of November 2006, with the band extending things into shows in Europe as well.
The 2000s represented not only a period of frequent touring but also increasing musical activities by the guys outside of the band. Thunder's career renaissance continued with a 2008 studio album, which the guys simply titled Bang!, and the group's appearance with Def Leppard and Whitesnake at multiple gigs that same year. The group had found itself coming up to its twenty-year anniversary. Although not experiencing the same kind of personal conflicts or debates about musical direction that many of their contemporaries had, Thunder still appeared to have reached a kind of inflection point. In early 2009, the guys announced plans to split for the second time. Final tours and festival appearances occurred throughout the rest of the year. A well-received compilation album, called simply The Very Best of Thunder, came out as well that year.
Luke Morley stressed "only a fool would say never" when it came to talk of getting back together at some point. Still, he'd gotten focused on other endeavors and particularly dedicated himself to working on The Union, an outfit formed with musician Peter Shoulder (formerly of Winterville). Featuring a blues and soul drenched sound, that band has achieved significant critical acclaim. Other ex-Thunder members perused similar projects. Drummer Gary "Harry" James, for example, played with progressive rockers Magnum (including on their popular 2011 release The Visitation).
Thunder briefly reunited for the 'High Voltage Festival', held in Victoria Park, in 2011. Though expressing their reluctance to formally get back together, the guys agreed to future shows together, including a December performance at Nottingham's 'Rock City' venue. They intermittently took to the stage as the 2010s went on yet remained committed to their alternate projects.
In 2015, however, Thunder announced a full return with an upcoming studio album of new material. A tongue-in-cheek collective statement cited "a rather silly amount of knob-twiddling and string-pulling" as the final inspiration. The release of Wonder Days earned a warm response from critics and fans alike (the fellows at Classic Rock magazine, for example, naming it one of the year's 11 best albums), and multiple gigs got announced to preform the new material. 2017's Rip It Up was also well-received (the record's #3 spot on the U.K. Albums Chart was the highest the band reached for over two decades). This was followed with an acoustic selection, Please Remain Seated, after which the band promised to return to the "full throttle sound of Thunder" for the next studio record.
Delayed due to the pandemic situation, that full throttle new album was released in March 2021, All The Right Noises.
UK rockers Thunder will be releasing a new double album titled Dopamine on April 29, 2022.
Official Website: http://www.thunderonline.com/
2) - Thunder was additionally used by an obscure funk-based Southern rock band from the U.S. Their 1974 self-tiled album picked up some attention but failed to break through commercially. It's hard to find information about the group, but a bit is known given how it served as a stepping stone in the career of popular Texan singer-songwriter and guitarist John Nitzinger. The 1974 album is described on Discogs.com here.
3) - Thunder is the name of a defunct Pagan Black Metal band from Poland, formed in 1994.
4) - Thunder is the name of a German heavy metal band, that released 'All I Want' in 1984.
Just Another Suicide
Thunder Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I heard it as the news broke, saw it on a tv-show
(You ought to be delighted)
(You should be excided) Yeah
('Cos you wanna know)what's the word up on the inside?
(You wanna know)was it just another suicide?
(You wanna know)you're always looking for that one dime head line
To hell with any consequence, you're standing out there now
Shoot your bullet from the hip, just watch it all come down
(But you're so short sighted)
(And they're all invited)hey
('Cos you wanna know)who's been living in the fastlane?
(You wanna know)underneath it you're all the same!
(You wanna know)hurting people, it's your full time campaign!
('Cos you wanna know) - every morning it's the same thing
(You wanna know)you get a kick from the silver aim
(You wanna know)if you think we're gonna drown in our sin
Then it's the only way you know
(You ought to be delighted) mmm
(You should be excided)Yeah
(But you're so short sighted)
(And they're all invited)hey
Mmm
('Cos you wanna know)what's the word up on the inside?
(You wanna know)was it just another suicide?
(You wanna know)you're always looking for that one damn head line
'Cos it's the only way you'll know
('Cos you wanna know)who's been living in the fastlane?
(You wanna know)underneath it you're all the same!
(You wanna know)hurting people, it's your full time campaign!
'Cause it's the only way you know
The song "Just Another Suicide" by Thunder tells the story of someone who is isolated on the tenth floor, listening to the news about a suicide and watching it on TV. The person speaking in the song is critical of those who are excited about the news, always searching for that one headline, and eager to know the gory details. The lyrics convey a sense of frustration with the media, who seem to feast on tragedy and suffering.
The chorus of the song is a repeated plea to understand why people are so obsessed with suicide and death, and why they are always looking for the next big headline. The lyrics suggest that this fascination with tragedy and suffering is misguided and shortsighted, and that we would all be better off if we focused on the positive aspects of life.
Overall, "Just Another Suicide" is a powerful commentary on the human condition, and a call to focus on the good in life rather than dwelling on the darkness and pain that are all too common in the world today.
Line by Line Meaning
Holed up on the tenth floor, listening to the radio
I was secluded on the tenth floor, tuning in to the radio
I heard it as the news broke, saw it on a tv-show
I got to know about it from the breaking news on TV
(You ought to be delighted)
You should be pleased
(You should be excided) Yeah
You should be excited about this
('Cos you wanna know)what's the word up on the inside?
Because you want to be informed about what's happening behind the scenes
(You wanna know)was it just another suicide?
You are curious to know if it was just another suicide
(You wanna know)you're always looking for that one dime head line
You're always seeking that one sensational headline
'Cos it's the only way you know
Because that's the only way you operate
To hell with any consequence, you're standing out there now
You disregard any consequences and stand out there now
Shoot your bullet from the hip, just watch it all come down
Act recklessly and watch it all go downhill
(But you're so short sighted)
But you're not able to see past the present
(And they're all invited)hey
(And everyone is invited to take part)hey
('Cos you wanna know)who's been living in the fastlane?
Because you want to find out who has been living recklessly
(You wanna know)underneath it you're all the same!
But underneath it all, everyone's the same!
(You wanna know)hurting people, it's your full time campaign!
Harming others seems to be your full-time job!
('Cos you wanna know) - every morning it's the same thing
Because every morning, you're curious about the same thing
(You wanna know)you get a kick from the silver aim
You derive pleasure from a successful sniper shot
(You wanna know)if you think we're gonna drown in our sin
If you believe that we will suffer the consequences of our sins
Then it's the only way you know
That's the only way you're capable of thinking about it
(You ought to be delighted) mmm
You should be happy (mmm)
(You should be excided)Yeah
You should be excited about this (Yeah)
(But you're so short sighted)
However, you are unable to think past the present
(And they're all invited)hey
(And everyone is welcome to join in)hey
(You wanna know)what's the word up on the inside?
You are curious to know what's happening behind the scenes
(You wanna know)was it just another suicide?
You're curious to know if it was just another suicide
(You wanna know)you're always looking for that one damn head line
You're always searching for that one damned headline
'Cos it's the only way you'll know
Because that's the only way you are capable of understanding things
('Cos you wanna know)who's been living in the fastlane?
Because you want to know who has been living recklessly
(You wanna know)underneath it you're all the same!
But underneath all your bravado, you're all the same!
(You wanna know)hurting people, it's your full time campaign!
Harming others seems to be your favorite pastime!
'Cause it's the only way you know
Because that's the only way you are capable of comprehending things
Contributed by Brooklyn F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.