The Supergroup That Everyone Ignored In The 1980s
Supergroups have existed almost as long as rock itself. One of the earliest examples came in 1956 when Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins gathered for an impromptu jam at Sun Studio, later known as the Million Dollar Quartet session. From that moment on, the idea of famous musicians joining forces held a certain fascination for fans.
By the 1980s, however, the supergroup concept had become a bit of a cliché. Projects like Asia, The Firm, and HSAS featured established stars but often felt like calculated industry moves rather than exciting musical experiments. What once seemed bold and spontaneous started to look more like marketing.
Against that backdrop, The Power Station emerged in 1984 with something different to offer. The band united Robert Palmer with Duran Duran members John Taylor and Andy Taylor, along with Chic drummer Tony Thompson. Instead of sounding like a safe collaboration, they created a powerful blend of funk, rock, and pop that felt fresh for the era.
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When Duran Duran Took a Break
The origins of The Power Station can be traced to a temporary pause in Duran Duran’s career. After the enormous success of their third album Seven and the Ragged Tiger (1983), the band members began exploring side projects. While Simon Le Bon and Nick Rhodes formed Arcadia and leaned into more experimental pop, John Taylor and Andy Taylor wanted something heavier.
Both Taylors had long admired hard rock guitar sounds that rarely appeared in Duran Duran’s music. Teaming up with Tony Thompson gave them a chance to explore that side of their musical tastes. Thompson brought with him the tight, rhythmic precision he had developed playing with Chic and countless other artists.
The group also expanded its sound with a horn section featuring musicians such as Lenny Pickett, who would later become musical director for Saturday Night Live. The result was a bold mix of dance grooves, rock guitar, and brass-driven energy that didn’t resemble anything dominating the charts at the time.
The Album That Became a Surprise Hit
The band’s first sessions reportedly began as a simple studio idea. According to various accounts, the musicians initially gathered to back model and singer Bebe Buell on a cover of T. Rex’s “Get It On.” That recording never moved beyond the demo stage, but it sparked the idea for a full project.
At first, The Power Station was supposed to feature different singers on different tracks. Names like Mick Jagger, Billy Idol, and Richard Butler were considered as potential collaborators. But once Robert Palmer joined the sessions, the chemistry was immediate and obvious.
Palmer helped transform the project into a proper band rather than a rotating studio experiment. Their self-titled album, The Power Station (1985), contained just eight tracks but quickly made an impact. The lead single “Some Like It Hot” climbed to No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became one of the defining rock-funk hits of the decade.
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A Tour Without Robert Palmer
Despite the album’s success, The Power Station faced an unexpected challenge when it came time to tour. Robert Palmer declined to join the road shows because he was already working on his next solo album, Riptide (1985). That record would soon become one of the biggest hits of his career.
To fill the gap, the band recruited English singer Michael Des Barres. Known for his work with Silverhead and Detective, Des Barres brought a flamboyant glam-rock energy that differed from Palmer’s smoother vocal style. Still, he stepped into the role with remarkable confidence.
His first major appearance with the group came at Live Aid in July 1985, one of the biggest concerts ever staged. With only a few days of rehearsal, Des Barres joined the band for a high-profile performance that introduced him to millions of viewers around the world.
Rediscovering The Power Station Today
Four decades after its release, The Power Station has gained renewed attention thanks to a deluxe 40th-anniversary edition. The expanded collection includes a remastered version of the original album along with instrumental mixes, remixes, and rare recordings.
Among the highlights are tracks from the band’s Live Aid appearance and the rare studio recording “Somewhere Somehow Someone (We Fight for Love),” which featured Michael Des Barres on vocals. The song originally appeared on the soundtrack for the 1985 Arnold Schwarzenegger film Commando.
The final discs in the set capture a previously unreleased concert recorded at the Philadelphia Spectrum in August 1985. Listening to the performance today reveals just how powerful the band was onstage. For many fans revisiting the material now, it confirms that The Power Station may have been one of the most overlooked supergroups of the 1980s.
