"I think in every era of music you can find stuff like this -- and sometimes you'll find that it's superior to the music that really was making it big commercially." --Michael Carmody

In this episode of Deviate Rolf delves into a musical mystery -- tracing the fate of ten rock and pop albums (found in a thrift store record bin) that evoke the quintessential look and sound of 1980s music, even though -- for whatever reason -- they never made it big back in the day.

Joining Rolf in this musical investigation is Jedd Beaudoin (@JeddBeaudoin), who hosts the syndicated music show "Strange Currency," and Michael Carmody (@Carmody68), a musician, record collector, and donut shop entrepreneur.

Album art and show notes for each 1980s mystery album are listed below, in chronological order, by time-code.

Sue Saad and the Next (Planet/Elektra), 1980 [4:05 - 10:56]

Featured song: "I I, Me Me"

Links: * 1980 Grammy Awards winners * 1980 Billboard Year-End Hot 100 * Sue Saad on The Hustle with Jon Lamoreaux * Joan Jett (musician) * John Cougar (musician) * Sue Saad and the Next, "Young Girl" * Sue Saad and the Next, "Gimme Love Gimme Pain" * Rush, "Spirit of the Radio" * Led Zeppelin, "D'Yer Maker"

S·P·Y·S (EMI America), 1982 [10:56 - 20:25]

Featured song: "She Can't Wait"

Links: * 1982 Grammy Awards winners * 1982 Billboard Year-End Hot 100 * Al Greenwood (Foreigner and S·P·Y·S keyboardist) * Mick Jones (Foreigner guitarist) * Spooky Tooth (band) * SAGA, "On the Loose" * Rainbow (band) * The Clocks, "Nobody's Fool" * The Human League (synth-pop band) * Warren Cuccurullo (Missing Persons guitarist) * Cinemax (pay-cable TV network)

The Breaks (RCA), 1983 [20:25 - 27:55]

Featured song: "She Wants You"

Links: * 1983 Grammy Awards winners * 1983 Billboard Year-End Hot 100 * Vini Poncia (record producer) * Scandal (band) * Patty Smyth (singer-songwriter) * Harry Nilsson (singer-songwriter) * Stevie Nicks (singer-songwriter) * The Pretenders (band) * Blue Angel (band) * Village Sound, "Hey Jack (Don't Hijack My Plane)"

Fury (New York Music Company), 1985 [27:55 - 34:15]

Featured song: "In Her Arms"

Links: * 1985 Grammy Awards winners * 1985 Billboard Year-End Hot 100 * Felix Cavaliere (producer) * Young Rascals (band) * Kenny Loggins (singer-songwriter) * Yamaha DX7 (synthesizer) * Former Fury fan club, current location on West 57th Street * La Blanc Brothers (post-Fury wedding band)

Surgin', "When Midnight Comes" (EMI), 1985 [34:15 - 46:00]

Featured song: "Shot Through the Heart"

Links: * Jack Ponti (musician) * Jon Bon Jovi (singer-songwriter) * Bon Jovi, "Runaway" * Kevin DuBrow (heavy metal singer) * Blizzard of Ozz (Ozzy Osbourne album) * Master of Puppets (Metallica album) * Reign in Blood (Slayer album) * Cinderella (glam metal band) * Stryper (Christian metal band) * Judas Priest (metal band) * Iron Maiden (metal band)

Rough Cutt (Warner), 1985 [46:00 - 55:25]

Featured song: "Piece of My Heart"

Links: * Mickey Ratt (rock band) * Chris Hager (guitarist) * Jake E. Lee (guitarist) * Ronnie James Dio (musician) * Ted Templeman (Van Halen producer) * Paul Shortino (musician) * Shortino as Duke Fame, in This is Spinal Tap * MetalShop (radio show) * Rough Cutt, "Never Gonna Die" * The Choirboys (band) * Y&T (band) * Rough Cutt (current band website)

Stone Fury, "Let Them Talk" (MCA), 1986 [55:25 - 1:06:00]

Featured song: "Too Late"

Links: * 1986 Grammy Awards winners * 1986 Billboard Year-End Hot 100 * Rutger Hauer (Dutch actor) * Limhal (singer for Kajagoogoo) * Lenny Wolf (vocalist) * Kingdom Come (band) * Bruce Gowdy (guitarist) * World Trade (prog rock band) * Elf (band) * Stone Fury, "Stay" * Glass Tiger (band)

Le Mans (Columbia), 1986 [1:06:00 - 1:14:10]

Featured song: "Chain Around Your Heart"

Links: * Derek Frigo (guitarist) * Peter Marrino (singer) * Mike Varney (founder of Shrapnel Records) * Yngwie Malmsteen (guitarist) * Guitar Player (magazine) * Paul Gilbert (guitarist) * Charles Bradley (singer) * Journey (band) * Arnel Pineda (singer) * Steve Perry (singer)

Envy, "Ain't It a Sin" (ATCO/Atlantic), 1987 [1:14:10 - 1:25:36]

Featured song: "Ain't It a Sin"

Links: * 1987 Grammy Awards winners * 1987 Billboard Year-End Hot 100 * Dee Snyder (singer-songwriter) * Gina Stile (musician) * Vixen (band) * Heart (band) * Lita Ford (guitarist) * Fiona (singer) * When in Rome, "The Promise" * Headbangers Ball (MTV program) * Nirvana, "Smells Like Teen Spirit" * Hüsker Dü (band)

Leatherwolf, "Street Ready" (Island), 1989 [1:25:36 - 1:30:45]

Featured song: "Street Ready"

Links: * 1989 Grammy Awards winners * 1989 Billboard Year-End Hot 100 * Leatherwolf (current band website) * Armored Saint (band)

Final comments [1:30:45 - 1:45:20]

Links: * Sammy Hagar (musician) * Matthew Wilder, "Break My Stride" * Soundscan (sales tracking system) * Captain Beyond (album) * Trouble Boys: The True Story of the Replacements, by Bob Mehr * Lester Bangs (rock critic) * Rodney Bingenheimer (radio personality) * John Peel (radio presenter) * Circus (rock magazine) * Hit Parader (rock magazine) * Creem (rock magazine) * The Archies, "Sugar Sugar" * Sammy Johns, "Chevy Van" * Computer World (Kraftwerk album) * Nothing's Shocking (Jane's Addiction album) * The Joshua Tree (U2 album) * Anton Corbijn (photographer)

This episode was sponsored by the Paris Writing Workshop, an intensive one-month course in the artistic heart of Europe.

Note: We don’t host a “comments” section, but we're happy to hear your questions and insights via email, at deviate@rolfpotts.com.