The Power Station were the supergroup that probably should never have happened. As Robert Palmer observed during the making of their debut album: “There’s no way this group should be happening. It should be illegal.”
Yet it did happen—and the resulting album remains one of the most exciting collisions of rock, funk and pop produced during the 1980s.
This new 40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition has reminded me just how fantastic The Power Station still sounds. Bringing together Robert Palmer, John Taylor, Andy Taylor and Tony Thompson, the album has a sense of physical power that very few records from the period can match.
How The Power Station Came Together
The Power Station began during a break in Duran Duran’s relentless touring and recording schedule. John Taylor and Andy Taylor wanted an outlet that would allow them to explore something heavier and more rhythmically aggressive.
They joined forces with Tony Thompson, the extraordinary drummer from Chic, whose playing could combine the precision of dance music with the sheer force of a great rock drummer.
The original idea was to use a revolving cast of vocalists. Robert Palmer was initially invited to sing “Communication”, but after also recording vocals for their version of T. Rex’s “Get It On (Bang a Gong)”, it became apparent that they had found the voice of the band.
The core Power Station line-up was:
- Robert Palmer – lead and backing vocals
- Andy Taylor – guitars and co-lead vocal on “Harvest for the World”
- John Taylor – bass
- Tony Thompson – drums
The album also featured additional musicians including Wally Badarou, Rupert Hine, Robert Sabino and David LeBolt on keyboards, plus a substantial brass section and backing vocal ensemble.
The band named themselves after the New York recording studio where the album was created. It was produced by Chic bassist Bernard Edwards, with informal assistance from Nile Rodgers, and engineered and mixed by Jason Corsaro. That distinction is important: this is a Bernard Edwards production, although the wider Chic musical family was central to its sound.
The Original Album and Its Chart Success
The Power Station was originally released on 25 March 1985 and became a substantial international success. It reached number 12 on the UK Albums Chart and number six on the US Billboard 200.
it remained on the UK chart for 23 weeks.
The three singles also performed strongly:
The first two singles gave The Power Station two major American Top 10 hits. The success of the album also significantly raised Robert Palmer’s profile immediately before the release of his enormously successful solo album Riptide later that year.
What Is in the 4CD Deluxe Edition?
Released on 23 January 2026, the 40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition is housed in a clamshell box with four CDs and a 12-page booklet.
Disc One contains the eight-track original album, newly remastered:
- Some Like It Hot
- Murderess
- Lonely Tonight
- Communication
- Get It On (Bang a Gong)
- Go to Zero
- Harvest for the World
- Still in Your Heart
Disc Two is particularly generous. It includes raw instrumental versions from the original recording sessions, single edits, extended and “Night” mixes, the “Some Like It Hot and the Heat Is On” megamix and the band’s performances of “Murderess” and “Get It On” at Live Aid.
It also contains “Somewhere Somehow Someone (We Fight for Love)”, featuring Michael Des Barres on vocals.
Discs Three and Four present a previously unreleased concert recorded at The Spectrum in Philadelphia on 21 August 1985. The concert has been remixed by Richard Whittaker and includes not only Power Station material but versions of David Bowie’s “Dancing in the Street”, Robert Palmer’s “Some Guys Have All the Luck”, Duran Duran’s “Hungry Like the Wolf”, Lou Reed’s “White Light/White Heat” and Animotion’s “Obsession”.
The accompanying booklet earns extra points from me because it contains a new interview with John Taylor and Andy Taylor, conducted by John Earls. Instead of simply recycling an old essay, the two musicians look back at how the project developed and what it was like to be part of this unlikely supergroup.
There are also period photographs, original artwork, lyrics and memorabilia, including a Japanese Music Life cover.
That Enormous Power Station Sound
This was an album that always sounded impressive, but the new remaster emphasises just how physical the original production was.
Tony Thompson’s drums are colossal. John Taylor’s bass supplies the funk and movement, while Andy Taylor is given the freedom to let rip in a way that was not always possible within Duran Duran.
Andy is an exceptional guitarist. The Power Station allowed him to keep one foot in the pop and dance world while exposing the much heavier rock player underneath. His guitar playing throughout “Some Like It Hot”, “Murderess”, “Lonely Tonight” and “Get It On” is fiery, aggressive and completely committed.
Robert Palmer was the perfect vocalist for this music. He had the sophistication and rhythmic control demanded by the funk arrangements, but he could also sing over this enormous wall of drums and guitars without ever being overwhelmed by it.
The raw instrumentals help demonstrate how remarkable the musical chemistry was. They are not merely karaoke versions of the album. Removing the lead vocal allows you to hear the interaction between Thompson, John Taylor and Andy Taylor in greater detail.
The rhythm section sounds absolutely monstrous.
Michael Des Barres and the Band The Power Station Could Have Become
Robert Palmer only performed live with The Power Station once, appearing with them on Saturday Night Live on 16 February 1985. When the band toured, Michael Des Barres took over as frontman and also appeared with them at Live Aid.
Des Barres arrived with a genuine rock and roll history. He had fronted Silverhead, Detective and Chequered Past, and had co-written “Obsession”, which became a major hit for Animotion.
I interviewed Michael relatively early in the history of Now Spinning Magazine, and listening to these concert recordings reminded me what a compelling performer he is. Everything is dialled up to 11. He has that rare ability to sound as if the most dangerous party imaginable is taking place around him, even though he had already cleaned himself up by this point.
The Philadelphia recording is therefore much more than a historical bonus. It documents a different incarnation of The Power Station.
Des Barres does not attempt to imitate Robert Palmer. He attacks the songs as a full-on rock frontman, giving the band a rawer and more unpredictable character. His performances of “Murderess”, “Some Like It Hot”, “White Light/White Heat” and “Obsession” show what this line-up might have achieved had it been given the opportunity to make another studio album.
This is a great deluxe edition of an album that deserves to be regarded as far more than a temporary Duran Duran side project.
The original album sounds superb, the raw instrumentals reveal the musicianship behind its enormous production, and the mixes and edits collect together material that previously existed across numerous singles.
Most importantly, the complete Philadelphia concert gives Michael Des Barres’ version of the band its moment in the spotlight.
The packaging may be relatively compact, but the contents have been chosen intelligently. The new interview with John and Andy Taylor gives the booklet genuine value, while the live recordings turn this into a much more complete document of The Power Station’s brief but explosive original life.
The reissue also made the UK’s specialist charts in February 2026, reaching number 26 on the Physical Albums Chart, number 30 on the Album Sales Chart and number 20 on the Record Store Chart—evidence that the appetite for this remarkable album has not disappeared.
For me, this set is absolutely worth getting. It sounds powerful, the archive material is worthwhile and it has reminded me just how special this group was.
The Power Station may have been the supergroup that should never have happened—but I am very glad that it did.
ORDER THE DELUXE VERSION OF THE POWER STATION HERE
Phil Aston | Now Spinning Magazine
