Streets -

Streets were an American hard-rock band behind the 1983–85 Atlantic albums 1st and Crimes in Mind. They featured once-and-future Kansas vocalist Steve Walsh and erstwhile City Boy guitarist Mike Slamer.

Members: Steve Walsh (vocals, keyboards), Mike Slamer (guitar), Billy Greer (bass, vocals), Tim Gehrt (drums)

Background

Streets formed in 1982 in Atlanta when singer-keyboardist Steve Walsh teamed with guitarist Mike Slamer, drummer Tim Gehrt, and bassist-singer Billy Greer. Walsh fronted Kansas from 1972 through October 1981 and released the 1980 solo album Schemer-Dreamer. Gehrt drummed on five Schemer-Dreamer tracks, recorded at Axis Sound Studios and Apogee Studios in Atlanta and Capricorn Studios in Macon.

Slamer recorded seven albums with City Boy from the 1976 self-titled debut through It’s Personal. After their 1982 split, Kansas producer Jeff Glixman connected Slamer with Walsh for a prospective solo project. Slamer moved from England to Atlanta, where Greer led the club band QB1.

Walsh and Slamer heard Greer with QB1 in a local club amid a search for a bassist. Greer brought an upper-register backing voice to the completed quartet. Streets made their live debut in January 1983 with a four-song set at Charlie Daniels’ Volunteer Jam IX in Nashville Municipal Auditorium, performed on borrowed equipment.

Doug Morris attended an Atlanta showcase and signed Streets to Atlantic Records. Streets entered Axis Studios in Atlanta with producer-engineer Neil Kernon to cut the basic tracks for 1st.

Discography: