[Never Say Die!] -- I was not certain how to approach this first Flashback of the new year. On the one hand, the obvious route to continue celebrating albums that turned 40 years old, and in 2026 that would mean albums released in 1986. And that does appeal to me given my affinity for that year. Then, on the other hand, is the question of whether I want to continue this effort of blogging music from the 1980s. Fortunately, for all two or three of you out there reading these posts, I've decided to at least kick off this year with at least one post.
So, what album do I feature to kick off a new year of Flashbacks? More critically, what even was released close to the beginning of the year 40 years ago this week? Well, to the best of my reckoning, I have found an album released on January 1, 1986: Thrill of a Lifetime, the sophomore album from drummer Carmine Appice's metal band King Kobra. Appice founded King Kobra after a 1983-1984 stint as Ozzy Osbourne's drummer (he was, in fact, fired from the band by Sharon Osbourne).
For fans of heavy metal, or hair metal, Thrill of a Lifetime is of note primarily for "Iron Eagle (Never Say Die)". That song later appeared on the soundtrack for the 1986 film, Iron Eagle. Beyond that, neither Thrill of a Lifetime nor any of its tracks seems to have charted. That must have been disappointing for Appice and crew, especially given that their debut album was fairly well received (but likewise did not reach any Billboard rankings).
Still, "Iron Eagle (Never Say Die)" looms large in my music memory. Yes, it is kind of ridiculous, but even today I find it an infectious, fist pumping anthem. And, maybe, cranking it up is a great way to hype yourself to make your way in 2026. Even the lyrics speak to beating the odds and coming out on top:
Don't try and bring my soul to the ground
My spirit remembers old mountain magic sounds
Against all odds I'll come out on top
'Cause I never learned the meaning of what meant stop
Other notable tracks from this album include "Second Time Around" (which, I think, sounds like a TV show's theme song, "Feel the Heat", and ... maybe... "Party Animal." Like I said, Thrill Of A Lifetime is a 1980s hair metal album. It's not important or earth-shattering, but it does the job when you need to rock out.
Flashback: Thrill Of A Lifetime (January 1, 1986)
And that's all till next week. Dedicated 80s-philes can find more flashbacks in the Prophet or Madman archives or via Bookended's 80s Flashback tag. As always, your comments are welcome on today's, or any other, flashback post. And if you like what I'm doing here, please share the link with your friends. If, however, you don't like the flashback, feel free to share it with your enemies.
See you in seven!
