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.
Welcome To The Party
Thunder Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Looking like a million, gonna bring your burden down
And he's talking about love, stamping out hate
He's gonna fight for the welfare state
He's got a vision of a better day
Rip up the past and throw it all away
Welcome to the party, there's a feeling in the air
We got the right face at the right time
Leading from the front, racing for the line
This train's a rolling so get on board
C'mon everybody, you know that you'll be heard
Oh oh, there ain't no better place to go
And all the doors are open wide
So come on in, don't you worry about a thing
You can't fight against this tide
Say welcome to the party tonight
Welcome to the party, where the future's looking bright
See the people comming from the left and from the right
'Cause everybody knows there's got to be a change
So many things we've got to re-arrange
We've got to bring a sense of freedom back
for everybody, yellow white or black
Oh oh, we'll be watching the fat cats roll
When all of the dogs have had their day
Can't you see, tomorrow's down to you and me
So don't you hang around outside
Say welcome to the party tonight
You're gonna love the show, I know
So won't you step right up today, yeah yeah
Welcome to the party, there's a new kid in town
Looking like a million, gonna bring your burden down
And he's talking about love, stamping out hate
He's gonna fight for the welfare state
He's got a vision of a better day
Rip up the past and throw it all away
Oh oh, there ain't no better place to go
And all the doors are open wide
So come on in, don't you worry about a thing
You can't fight against this tide
Say welcome to the party tonight
So don't you hang around outside
Say welcome to the party tonight
(Come on in!)
In Thunder's song "Welcome to the Party," the band welcomes a new voice to the scene that seeks to bring about change. The lyrics express the anticipation of a better future brought about by a new kid in town. The new kid is described as looking like a million bucks and having a vision of a better tomorrow. He is someone who wants to stamp out hate and fight for the welfare state. The song also emphasizes the importance of a sense of freedom and inclusivity for everyone, regardless of race.
The lyrics emphasize the urgency of change and the need to "re-arrange" many things to achieve that change. The song describes a feeling of anticipation, with the "vibrations" bringing everyone together. The "train is rolling," and the band invites everyone to come on board to take part in this movement for change. The chorus expresses the sentiment that joining in is the best way to bring about a new and better future. The song ends with the invitation to step right up and join the party.
Line by Line Meaning
Welcome to the party, there's a new kid in town
Come join this movement of change, there's a new leader in charge
Looking like a million, gonna bring your burden down
Our new leader exudes confidence and will alleviate your struggles
And he's talking about love, stamping out hate
Our leader promotes love and will combat hate in our society
He's gonna fight for the welfare state
Our leader will advocate for the welfare and well-being of our citizens
He's got a vision of a better day
Our leader has a clear and hopeful vision for the future
Rip up the past and throw it all away
We need to let go of the past and start anew
Welcome to the party, there's a feeling in the air
There is an undeniable energy and excitement surrounding this movement
Can't you feel the vibrations, bringing everybody here
This movement is attracting people from all walks of life
We got the right face at the right time
Our leader is the perfect person to lead us in this moment
Leading from the front, racing for the line
Our leader is taking charge and making progress towards our goals
This train's a rolling so get on board
Don't miss out on this opportunity to be a part of something great
C'mon everybody, you know that you'll be heard
Everyone's voice will be heard and valued in this movement
Oh oh, there ain't no better place to go
This movement is the best place to be for creating a better future
And all the doors are open wide
Everyone is welcome and included in this movement
So come on in, don't you worry about a thing
Join us and trust that our leader will take care of any concerns or doubts you may have
You can't fight against this tide
Resisting this movement is futile
Say welcome to the party tonight
Join us in this exciting movement for change
See the people comming from the left and from the right
People from all political affiliations are joining this movement
'Cause everybody knows there's got to be a change
It's clear that our society needs significant change
So many things we've got to re-arrange
There are many aspects of our society that need to be restructured
We've got to bring a sense of freedom back
We need to restore the feeling of liberty and independence in our society
for everybody, yellow white or black
This sense of freedom should be available to all, regardless of race or ethnicity
Oh oh, we'll be watching the fat cats roll
We will witness the wealthy and privileged lose their power and influence
When all of the dogs have had their day
When everyone, regardless of their social status, has had the opportunity to succeed
Can't you see, tomorrow's down to you and me
The future of our society is in the hands of all of us
Say welcome to the party tonight
Join us in this exciting movement for change
You're gonna love the show, I know
This movement will be a source of hope and inspiration
So won't you step right up today, yeah yeah
Take this opportunity to be a part of something great
So don't you hang around outside
Don't hesitate, join us now
Come on in!
Everyone is welcome to join and contribute to this movement
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: GARY JAMES AITKEN, LUKE MORLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Frank Meeussen
Such a brilliant song. Thanks for posting.
craig hawke
top notch band seen them live many times an never fail to give a great gig an met them several times and allways have time for there fans
craig hawke
still an a energetic band to this day in 2022
Roben Roll
bright and loud ! let's rock !
lespaul2600
大好きfromJapan