Distance

Origin: New York (USA)

DISTANCE

Eddie Martinez - Jeff Bova - Bernard Edwards - Robert Hart - Tony Thompson

Discography:

Under the one sky - 1989

Notes:

- Distance was a late-1980s rock/funk band led by bassist/producer Bernard Edwards, patterned after the Power Station. The band was composed of former Chic and Power Station members Edwards (bass) and Tony Thompson (drums) with future Bad Company member Robert Hart on lead vocals, and noted session musicians Eddie Martinez on guitar and Jeff Bova on keyboards.

This "supergroup" released only one album, 1989's Under the One Sky on Reprise Records. The album failed to make the chart and produced no hits. Richard Drummie, one half of Go West, has a co-writing credit on the track "Everytime I Stand Up."

Distance appeared as the club band in the 1987 Whoopi Goldberg movie, Burglar. Bernard Edwards was the film's Music Producer, and was credited for the songs that appeared within. -

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distance_(band))

- The Distance were a natural successor to the Powerstation who featured legendary producer Bernard Edwards and Tony Thompson and replacing Robert Palmer was Robert Hart. Musically this has some great funk rock numbers such as ‘Give It Up’, neat AOR rock like ‘Speech Of Angels’ but it is the ballads that really make this album special. ‘As You Turn Away’ with Robert Hart’s impassioned vocal and Eddie Martinez’s stunning guitar solo – superb stuff! The title track again highlights Hart’s emotive vocals with a sexy funk vibe rumbling under the music. 

Where are they now?

Vocalist Robert Hart joined Bad Company for a couple of albums in the mid/late 90's, along with releasing a very good solo album. More recently he has joined the Jones Gang featuring ex-Faces drummer Kenny Jones. Sadly Tony Thomson (who drummed for Led Zeppelin at Live Aid) and Bernard Edwards are no longer with us. Eddie Martinez has released some jazz influenced solo albums and more session work and Jeff Bova has appeared on albums by Tina Arena, Billy Joel, Dave Lee Roth and Celine Dion! -

(http://getreadytorock.me.uk/blog/2012/01/distance-under-the-one-sky-reprise-records-1989/)

- Wow! What a line-up. Not exactly the definitive AOR line-up but class oozes out of every guitar string, drum stick and keyboard ivory these boys put together. In hindsight, looking back 10 years, Distance is a bit of supergroup really. Primarily the band came together in New York, where Jeff Bova is a near legendary session keyboardist, Eddie Martinez is held in the same league for guitar sessions, Bernard had his hour in the sun with disco greats Chic (ie: 'Le Freak'), while Tony Thompson had played with Robert Palmer in Power Station. The band were rounded out by Englishman Robert Hart, a man whose voice is steeped in the same tradition as Paul Rodgers, Glenn Hughes and David Coverdale, though with a softer slant.

So with this rather eclectic mix of talent, what do we get? We get well produced AOR with hi-tech and funk overtones and a brash drum sound. Similar to Power Station and the Dan Reed Network but very melodic and dynamic. 12 songs on offer and it's very hard to pick out a bad song here. They are all so strong. A great mix of instrumentation, particularly Bova's unique keyboard stylings mixed with Martinez's overdriven guitar sound. If I had to choose it would be the raucous 'Speech Of Angels', similarly 'Rescue Me' and 'Everytime I Stand Up'. The two ballads 'As You Turn Away' and the momentous 'Softly Speak' literally speak volumes for Distance's class on the slower songs.

Pretty good listening all round, and a CD that's not too far away from my CD player. Again, a case of the 'one hit' wonder syndrome, and I'm still looking for that Reprise Records A&R Executive who supposedly looked after this bands interests. I can offer him a single bullet with his name on it, as a present for giving this album wonderful promotion (not!). Footnote: Bernard Edwards who played bass and produced this album passed away in April 1997 while on tour in Japan, while Robert Hart has recently moved on to UK band The Snakes as their new lead singer after a stint with Bad Company. -

(http://gdm.glorydazemusic.com/articles.php?article_id=1200)