Biography
In the early 1980s Michael Kehr fronted Sterling together with his sibling Steve. Their lone album City Kids displayed the group’s flashy yet rough rock style, yet tracks such as “Robosexual” drew scant critical notice and negligible commercial response. Joined by a third brother, Don, the Kehrs subsequently launched Urgent, a smoother AOR project aimed squarely at radio playlists and record sales. Bassist Klyph Black, who had previously played with Nikki Buzz in Vendetta, likewise abandoned harder-edged work to appear on Urgent’s debut Cast the First Stone. Ian Hunter and Mick Ronson, the idiosyncratic veterans, produced the sessions and contributed to several songs; the resulting 1985 record remains a strong listen, although its keyboards and drums now sound dated. Michael Kehr’s vocals retained their power but grew somewhat anonymous, and he again handled lead singing on the follow-up Thinking out Loud. While Cast the First Stone enjoyed airplay thanks to the standout “Running Back,” the single-free Thinking out Loud vanished quickly after release. Michael Kehr and his brothers have not reappeared since.
Albums
