Tokyo Motor Fist Album "Lions" Is Inspired Melodic Rock

Melodic rock fans rejoice: the new Tokyo Motor Fist album, "Lions," released this month, is a spectacular, upbeat melodic hard rock set flowing with huge, harmonized choruses, driving riffs, positive lyrics and hooks that go on forever. It's a perfect feel good summer soundtrack to make the good days even better and an album to spin when your spirits need lifting on a grey day. Overall, "Lions" is melodic hard rock at its inspiring best. It's easily the melodic rock album of the year so far, and it's hard to see anything topping it in the next few moths.

The band has an impressive pedigree. Tokyo Motor Fist consists of guitarist/vocalist/keyboardist Steve Brown (Trixter, Dennis DeYoung, Def Leppard), singer Ted Poley (Danger Danger), drummer Chuck Burgi (Rainbow, Blue Oyster Cult, Joe Lynn Turner ) and bassist Greg Smith (Ted Nugent, Rainbow, Alice Coooper ). The group at first glance may seem an all-star unit, but they are indeed a true band, the whole being greater than the sum of its parts.

Tokyo Motor Fist shine throughout "Lions," the follow-up to the band's excellent self-titled debut. Highlights include "Youngblood" and "Around Midnight," with huge choruses that bring Def Leppard to mind and lyrics celebrating youth and chasing your dreams; "Decadence on 10th Street," propelled by a swinging riff reminisicent of Van Halen; and "Winner Takes All," about breaking free of constraints. The band also explores new musical territory by adding horns to the track "Sedona."

Then there's the outstanding title track. The song 'Lions' takes a different tact from the rest of the album. It's an emotional, six-minute plus exploration of a world in chaos featuring guest Dennis DeYoung (former Styx) laying down moving keyboard parts and a mesmerizing solo.

The band has a distinctive North Jersey flavor. Brown is a Paramus native and Ringwood resident while Poley grew up in Ramsey. We recently had the pleasure of discussing "Lions" and more with Steve Brown.

Now that "Lions" has been released, what can you tell us about the album?

We're very excited about it. I think we've made the melodic rock record of the decade. All of the songs are my favorites. I put so much into this record and the band did as well. I always do my best, I never phone anything in. For 30 years I've always done my best but as Dennis DeYoung has told me, every once in a while you write a song or make a record that's a couple steps above. That's how I feel about "Lions." I feel that 30 years into my professional career I've put out the best album of my career.

"Lions" is a very upbeat album with positive lyrical messages and bright musical motifs. That seems to be a hallmark of your writing, both with Tokyo Motor Fist and going back to Trixter.

That's exactly it. I'm a very very positive guy so I always try to write positive, uplifting songs with messages to young people and older listeners alike. What I write is for everybody out there. No matter how you feel, if you put this record on, for those 45 minutes out of your life you'll feel better and inspired. When I play this album I get inspired and still feel like that 13-year-old kid back in Paramus getting inspired by music. It all goes back to 1978 to Kiss and Van Halen, my two biggest influences. I wear my influences on my sleeve. Kiss, Bon Jovi, Def Leppard. I'm blessed in the sense that I don't have to reinvent my wheel every time. I know what I do best and try to write the greatest songs that I can.

"Youngblood" is a perfect example of melodic rock at its best, with big riffs, huge choruses and positive lyrics about young people seizing the day.

"Youngblood" is certainly a song that conveys a positive uplifting message and that's the resounding message of the album. I wrote that song for my two daughters and my nephews. The youth have the power to change this divided world we live in.

The album's title track features Dennis DeYoung (ex-Styx) on keyboards and takes a serious look at the world we live in and the power of youth to change the planet.

I've been playing with Dennis going back to 2015 and he's a good friend. The song was inspired by his song, "The Best of Times." I needed to write a song in that vein. I wanted something over the top with strings over the deep vocals. The song is very much inspired by my of love of Styx and Queen. I consider it my "Bohemian Rhapsody." It's almost 7 minutes long but it doesn't feel long. It's like watching a great movie and you can't believe at the end how long it was. There's no dead space in it. Dennis has an iconic synth solo in the middle that brings the song to a whole other level.

The band has great chemistry. Did you all share a history before forming Tokyo Motor Fist.

Ted and I are Bergen County neighbors. I've known Ted since I was 13 or 14. There's a long history there. Chuck and Ted I and have such great chemistry because we're like brothers. We've known each other for so long. I've known Chuck since the late 80s. I used to hang out with him at Sam Ash in Paramus. Greg Smith I've known since the late 80s as well. It took us all these years to finally put a band together, but better late than never.

This year marks 30 years since the release of Trixter's debut album. Do you have any plans for an anniversary edition?

I've been extremely busy with the 30th anniversary. I've been preserving the Trixter history, transferring video tapes and audio tapes. I have the original recording from our first demo. Hopefully by the end of the this year we're going to have a beautiful, anniversary deluxe edition.

How does it feel when you look back on three decades in the game?

I look at it this way: I started playing guitar in 1978 and started Trixter in 1983 when I was 12-years-old and I knew then that I wanted to do this for the rest of my life. I still do this for one reason and one reason only: the love of music. I've done that now for 30 years and it's still happening. I truly am one of the luckiest guys in the world.