[mortiis39]

Hey great people of this fantastic forum...

I have asked for over 18 years now about a band called Suite Jane who had a song called Innocent Til' Now which featured
on an episode of Playboy's Hot Rocks show on Playboy TV back in the day (on cable).

My older brother and I have tried (unsuccessfully) to find information on this band, but they do not seem to exits! They were apparently released on the label known as Spectradyne Records (but alas, this does not seem to exist either!).

We gave up search after many,many years, but about 6 years or so ago someone posted their video (Innocent Til' Now, from Platboy's Hot Rocks) on Youtube!!
Suite Jane - Innocent Til' Now

Needless to say, my hope was renewed, I contacted the uploader, but he was in the same position as my brother and I! He had tried for many years to find any more info on the band but had come up with nothing!

Surely, the female vocalist for this band has been in other bands? Her voice is killer, she knows how to rock, the musicians in the band are obviously very well-equipped to do what they're doing. The song just ROCKS.

Does someone have anything from this band, or recognize the woman (or any of the other members), or perhaps even the locations where this video is filmed?
(another strange thing is that the music video is relatively high quality production value, so an "unknown" band would not have necessarily been able to pull that off, unless they had some form of connections).

Again - I love this forum, and the people here are very knowledgeable, so please dig deep and help solve this mystery of Suite Jane ;-)

Scott & Jason.

[riptorn]

Not sure this is really the best place for you to request info on this band as this forum is really for harder styles of music.
Having said that, i had a search around & although didn't manage to find anything on the band, i did find a legal document which may help.
It pertains to the aquisition of 'Spectravision Inc.' in the wake of it's bankruptcy in August 1996. 'Specradyne Inc.' is listed as one of Spectravision's subsidiary companies, so this could be the company you seek.
The youtube Playboy video credits list 'Spectradyne' but i notice it's not 'Spectradyne Records', so the name could actually refer to a video production company perhaps, rather than a record label.
One of the creditors in the document is listed as Ascent Entertainment Group, Inc, which, to me, lends some weight to the possibility that this may be the same Spectradyne.
See the doc here:

http://contracts.onecle.com/on-command/ ... 8-13.shtml

Unfortunately i don't speak legalese, so you'll have to sift through the lengthy document yourself for any further clues, or hire a lawyer to explain it to you. No, for gawd's sake don't do that, i was joking.
Anyway, i hope this was of some help/interest & maybe provides you with a clue or two on your quest, happy hunting.

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[TadakatsuH0nda]

Yeah I agree, Riptorn, this belongs in the band questions section if anywhere at all. You'll be more likely to find help there anyhow, Scott. Topic moved to "Band Questions". Since there are sections for hard rock and melodic metal, I assume this band is alright to ask about.

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[mortiis39]

Hi there, thanks so much riptorn for the lengthy reply. I recall finding that legal business a while back when I was sifting, and we (brother and I) figured that perhaps it was related, but there's not really a lot of connection toward the band, UNLESS they were like a one-off pub-band who put up some money for Spectravision/Specradyne Inc to produce one of their videos, and then the band just disappeared into the dust.

Sadly, this does happen (we see it all too often, I think), but usually there's SOME kind of trail, etc (especially in the internet-age!).

I will look more carefully into this Spectradyne business . but it was my hope that perhaps someone would have recognized one of the band members (especially the attractive front-woman). There also seems to be a "slight" accent (European perhaps) to her pronunciations, so maybe that is also a clue.

Again, thanks guys!

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[mortiis39]

Spectradyne In Playboy Deal

OOh, this looks very promising. Spectradyne were the company (I believe) who pumped cable TV through all the hotels etc. This article links to a deal that Spectradyne and Playboy had, back in '91, which would have been roughly when Playboy's Hot Rocks was screened (at least to us).

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[riptorn]

Spectradyne In Playboy Deal

OOh, this looks very promising. Spectradyne were the company (I believe) who pumped cable TV through all the hotels etc. This article links to a deal that Spectradyne and Playboy had, back in '91, which would have been roughly when Playboy's Hot Rocks was screened (at least to us).

Nice sleuthing mortiis39, the article confirms the hotel deal you mentioned, so it looks likely that this was the same company.
With this in mind, i'm wondering if the Suite Jane video was perhaps the result of a 'battle of the bands' style competition?
Perhaps they produced vids for the hopeful contenders or maybe the winners got a pro-shot vid as the prize?
It's speculation on my part, but would make a degree of sense that the company would be looking to publicize the show/service, and producing their own content (possibly in league with Playboy), would have filled air time, garnered press & saved them some money on licensing product from other companies.
Many local radio stations (often in conjunction with beer or soft drink companies), did a similar thing with compilation LPs of local acts in the 70s & 80s as a way to hook listeners, so the basic promotional concept was tried & tested, just a different format.
I realise this doesn't neccessarily help you in your search, but it would go some way towards explaining the lack of info online about the band, particularly in light of the high production values in the promo clip.
Perhaps that could provide another direction to search in?

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[mortiis39]

riptorn,

very fine answer indeed, The members of the band (from the video footage at least) don't appear to be youngsters either (I'd guess maybe early 30's), which is relatively old for a battle of the bands type deal, but I would bet that's probably what could have happened. If I knew where abouts the clip was shot, I would contact radio shows from that area (who were around at that time) in order to ask them if they remember the band at all.

Back in the day, my brother used to record Playboy's Hot Rocks off of Sky TV (back in New Zealand), onto VHS, so all we had for many years was a very grainy VHS recording of the band. I have converted the Youtube clip to mp3. but the sound quality (obviously) is still bad - The original source was never HD back in them days :-)

LOVE the pic you posted too!

[TadakatsuH0nda]

I stumbled onto this old ebay ad: http://www.ebay.ie/itm/THE-BLUE-NOTE-TO ... 1071321340

It states that most of the groups were session bands, which would explain the one-off appear and quickly disappear thing involving this band. There's a label for this VHS as well as a catalog number, perhaps the label may know something about the band or its members if the label still exists.

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[mortiis39]

TadakatsuH0nda
WOW!!
Missing in Action (good film too, by the way!), is if I'm not wrong a UK label, I think they did a release of Wes Craven's Shocker film back in the day which I recall quite fondly.
I am going to spend the day trying to track down Missing in Action (what a coincidence the label is called that!).
x

[TadakatsuH0nda]

Also we may have found a country for your band through that, because the seller, the label, and the VHS tape itself are all UK, and says the thing won't even play on North American machines. It's not a certain thing, but to me they seem more likely UK based than US, though they could always have taken an American music video and just put it into their video compilation.

[mortiis39]

TadakatsuH0nda
Yes indeed, they could have just slotted it in there with the rest, I'll look into the rest of the bands included on that tape too, see where the majority come from.
As I mentioned previously, I though the singer has a bit of an accent,but usually a UK accent isn't that easy to pick up in a singer, but who knows? She could be Scottish/Irish!

[mortiis39]

"Promoted as being a compilation of hit music videos which MTV refused to play, this 1992 VHS video is, in fact, a collection of glossy advertising-style promo clips by a variety of little-known acts relying heavily on visuals with scantily-clad female models in provocative poses. Many of the songs are cover versions by uncredited session singers."

[mortiis39]

Kind of goes back to the idea that I had all those years ago - "what if they're just some local pub band who never made it big and only ever recorded that one song, even though it was a fantastic song!". Session musicians do still get some kind of recognition on albums/videos they appear on (usually), but without knowing this girl's name, or origin, it's a bit of a hard job ;-)

[nonseinormale65]

Never heard this one before,but i think the band was from USA,or at least the video was shot there and not in the UK,look at 00:41,
cars are traveling on the right...

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[mortiis39]

Good spotting there, nonseinormale65!
I wonder if they could have been Canadian, and the slight accent (very faint) may have been French?

[nonseinormale65]

Her accent reminds me somehow Chrissy Steele(former Headpins), but I'm Italian and i am not practical about various English accents
used in UK,USA,Canada,New Zealand etc.

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[mortiis39]

@ nonseinormale65:

Back,when I first saw the video, I remember how she also reminded me of Chrissy Steele! Strange that you mention that. Chrissy Steele is a very good singer.
x

[riptorn]

The video compilation is a surprising new lead.
Missing In Action was indeed a UK label, but i'm pretty sure they're long defunct.

There's a copy of 'The Blue Note' VHS available on UK Amazon currently:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Blue-Note-T ... B00004CMB4
You never know, maybe Playboy/Spectradyne produced promotional compilation LPs, tapes or CDs too.
It would certainly be worth typing 'Playboy Hot Rocks' or 'Too Hot For MTV' into ebay & discogs every once in a while just on the off chance.

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[mortiis39]

riptorn

Yes indeed. I have scoured eBay and discogs for years , typing in Playboy Hot Rocks etc. Nothing. I do recall years ago, my brother and I made contact with the host of Playboys Hot Rocks (the particular host for that episode which Suite Jane appeared on), asking if she knew anything, but she did not.

[mortiis39]

Another interesting note (possibly clutching at straws here), but on the same episode of Hot Rocks which feat. Suite Jane, another Canadian band were featured. Helix - I am for you.
I haven't heard that song for a very long time either