Autograph - Missing Pieces FLAC

1997’s Missing Pieces is pretty much just what the title suggests: a compilation of previously unreleased tracks from early hair metal act Autograph. It features rough early demos as well as songs that might have ended up on an abandoned fourth album.

I’m a big fan of Autograph. Beyond having one of the best singles of the ‘80s in “Turn Up the Radio,” Autograph had a great style of melodic hard rock, and really should have been bigger stars at the time. So a collection like Missing Pieces is right up my alley. Even though the recordings are somewhat rough, it’s great to hear these songs and get an idea of where the band was as the ‘80s gave way to the ‘90s. Songs like “Heart Attack” and “Sanctuary” in particular could have been hits. The addition of a rough early version of “Turn Up the Radio” (with the wisely-altered “turn up the tape machine” lyric) is fun too.

It's not as essential as the three Autograph studio albums from the ‘80s, nor is it a good starting point for new fans, but serious fans of Autograph definitely need to have Missing Pieces in their collection.