New England

Assembled near Boston by the commanding manager Bill Aucoin, whose seventies dominance came through his stewardship of Kiss, the quartet found its creative anchor in guitarist and vocalist John Fannon. Keyboardist Jimmy Waldo supplied striking textures, bassist Gary Shea anchored the low end, and drummer Hirsh Gardener drove the rhythms. Paul Stanley, crossing over from the Kiss circle, helmed the band’s polished first album, an intricately arranged and immersive set that showcased total commitment from the players and spotlighted the standout tracks “P.U.N.K.” and “Nothing to Fear.” The expansive single “Don't Ever Wanna Lose Ya” grazed the Top 40 and marked New England’s brief commercial peak. Although the group opened shows for a waning yet still prominent Kiss, it shared the same fate as fellow Aucoin-managed acts Starz and Piper, both of which also failed to break through. The follow-up Explorer Suite attracted scant attention, and even Todd Rundgren’s involvement on the forward-looking Walking Wild could not generate meaningful sales. New England disbanded soon afterward, after which Shea and Waldo joined Alcatrazz.