One word: Credibility. Around the mid 80s, DD were seen as a teenage pin up band - a light fluffy manufactured pop band that rock fans would laugh or sneer at. We know, and history has realised this wasn't the case - but that was the perception - and perception is everything.
A brand new artist with that single, an artist only ever known for rock, would've stood a much, much better chance at success.
I agree he might've stood a better chance doing support tours with big rock names, but the problem would more or less have remained.
He'd have been better off embracing the fact he was a guitarist of a successful pop band, rather than trying to fight it, but of course he was a young man with money exploring where his talent could take him. So who could blame him?!
I partly agree with you H,
DD were seen as a teen pin up band but not as much of a pin up band as the 4 years prior.
This may have been different in other parts of the world, I dunno but in Australia DD were big from the word go. Eg PE, GOF, MOW and the debut LP had become big hits. The world wide RIO tour began in my home town and if you can believe this, it was a month "before" the RIO LP was released, go figure.
There was certainly a demand for DD to play in Australia. In early 82 they played in bigger venues down under than they had played anywhere in the world.
I remember at high-school, I never cared whether anyone knew of my love for DD, it had its benefits too in regards to being somewhat noticed by the girls. Lol
After all in year 9, together with another year 9 mate, we attended DDs SBS gig in late 83 and boy weren't we proud in regards to what we had experienced.
The gig was on a Friday night and the Monday post the gig was just exciting at school describing the gig as was the prior Friday while anticipating the gig.
So throughout my highschool years other students and classmates knew that DD were my band even if they themselves had no interest and I agree, many blokes had no interest OR were not willing to admit it.
By the time I was in year 11, certain blokes who I never ever thought would admit an interest in DD began admitting that AVTAK was a great song and that DD had something going for them. I remember one guy admitting he purchased the single and even the art work was cool.
What many of us were aware of since 81/82/83 was reaching out to a broader audience or becoming an infectious thing.
Based on that experience and including what I was hearing from a few of my brothers mates (who is 6 years older than me and at the time attending university) the tide was turning for DD to a little extent taking the place of The Police who were kinda out by mid 84 due to a break up.
Slowly but surely DD were gaining more and more credibility.
You can't have S&TRT, The Reflex, WBs, Arena & AVTAK selling the way they did and these achievements not be reaching new audiences.
Had AT returned to DD soon after the Power Station even his well deserved credibility with the PS project would have helped both him and DD. Yet unlike JT it was never his plan.
DD had radically changed their sound with both wild boys and AVTAK yet unfortunately as a moving forward unit it never quite did save them as a 5 piece and neither were the changes enough for AT to compromise. I get he wanted credibility, and you make a good point, so sure, absolutely go get your fix and why not do both then.
Yet just like my post last month, it's impossible to have come back to DD (so soon) once you attempt to sue the band which you helped make a house hold name in the same way that they themselves individually contributed to every member becoming a house hold name. It would have been hard eg to return to DD as if he had not taken any legal action against DD.
Actions do have consequences AND especially when an individual has instigated legal action regardless of his contribution.
What is there to say but, I'm glad NR who was also young man with money never explored where his talent could take him, coz he could have done a Brian Eno, and with that said including SLB and JT the same.
What would have been of DD had they?
Opps JT did have a solo effort didn't he, yet when his single flopped (in-comparison to what the DD single's were doing) JT knew exactly what was best for him.
Which makes me wonder, What would JT have done if his single made it to No.1 and stayed there for 10 whole weeks?.............discuss !