Four decades have passed since The Power Station rewired the mid-80s pop landscape with a blast of rock, funk and high-gloss glamour. Now, the short-lived yet explosive supergroup will be honoured with deluxe reissues of their self-titled 1985 debut. Rhino Records will release a 4 CD box set and a 2 LP edition on 23 January, delivering a comprehensive look back at one of the decade’s most electrifying collaborations.
Formed in 1984 during Duran Duran’s first major hiatus, The Power Station united bassist John Taylor and guitarist Andy Taylor with Chic powerhouse drummer Tony Thompson and British vocalist Robert Palmer. Their aim was simple, to push beyond Duran Duran’s pop sheen and explore a harder, funk-driven sound. With Chic co-founder Bernard Edwards producing, the project quickly matured into more than a side hustle, becoming a stylish, thunderous counterpoint to the era’s synth-pop dominance.
The upcoming 4 CD edition arrives in clamshell packaging with a 12-page booklet and a fresh interview with John and Andy Taylor by music journalist John Earls. Disc one features the remastered original album, still pulsing with the heat of its era. Disc two collects rare mixes, live recordings from Live Aid and instrumentals that peel the songs back to their rhythmic core. The third and fourth discs showcase a previously unheard concert from The Spectrum in Philadelphia on 21 August 1985, remixed by Richard Whittaker. For vinyl collectors, the 2 LP edition on recycled black vinyl offers the remastered album alongside remixes and Live Aid highlights.
Reflecting on the return to the material, John Taylor said, “We were an unusual crew, but we made a fantastic noise. Tony Thompson, the disco clock behind so many massive hits, turned out to be one of the greatest rock drummers of all time. Andy Taylor was absolutely on fire. Robert Palmer was a brilliant songwriter, sonic stylist, and vocal powerhouse. It was a truly unique experience, and I’m proud of the work we created.”
The Power Station delivered a fresh fusion of rock muscle and rhythmic precision. Their debut produced two huge hits, Some Like It Hot and Get It On (Bang A Gong), and climbed to number 6 on the US Billboard 200 and number 12 on the UK Albums Chart. The music mixed glam-rock edge, funk-soaked grooves and powerhouse vocals to forge a sound that influenced future pop-rock and dance-rock artists alike.
Though the band’s time together was brief, the impact was lasting. Their Live Aid appearance remains a key moment in 80s music culture, and while Palmer chose to return to his solo career before touring, The Power Station’s legacy endured through subsequent projects, reunions and archival releases. Both Palmer and Thompson passed away in 2003, marking the end of any further activity, making this anniversary edition a vital celebration of their legacy.
The Power Station began as an experimental meeting of musical minds, and forty years later, it stands not as an offshoot of Duran Duran or Chic, but as a creative force in its own right, roaring with attitude, daring and bold rhythmic invention. With these definitive anniversary editions, a new generation can discover the pulse-racing energy that made The Power Station one of the 1980s’ most thrilling supergroups.
Track List (4 CD Edition)
CD 1: Original Album Remastered
Some Like It Hot
Murderess
Lonely Tonight
Communication
Get It On (Bang A Gong)
Go To Zero
Harvest For The World
Still In Your Heart
CD 2
Some Like It Hot (Raw Instrumental)
Communication (Raw Instrumental)
Murderess (Raw Instrumental)
Harvest For The World (Raw Instrumental)
Go To Zero (Raw Instrumental)
Lonely Tonight (Raw Instrumental)
Get It On (Bang A Gong) (Raw Instrumental)
Communication (Night Version)
Get It On (Bang A Gong) (7” Single Edit)
Some Like It Hot And The Heat Is On (Megamix)
Communication (Night Version Edit)
Some Like It Hot (7” Single + Video Version)
Murderess (Alive At Live Aid)
Get It On (Bang A Gong) (Alive At Live Aid)
Somewhere Somehow Someone (We Fight For Love)
CD 3: Live at The Spectrum, Philadelphia, August 21, 1985 (Part 1)
Murderess (Live)
Dancing In The Streets (Live)
Some Like It Hot (Live)
Lonely Tonight (Live)
Go To Zero (Live)
Too Good To Be Bad (Live)
Harvest For The World (Live)
Thinking With Your Body (Live)
CD 4: Live at The Spectrum, Philadelphia, August 21, 1985 (Part 2)
Still In Your Heart (Live)
Some Guys Have All The Luck (Live)
Communication / The Reflex (Live)
White Light White Heat (Live)
Obsession (Live)
Hungry Like The Wolf (Live)
Get It On (Bang A Gong) (Live)
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