Exposed: A Cheap Peek At Today's Provocative New Rock (CBS, 1981)

Back in 1981, CBS Records released a 2 LP compilation of what was then some pretty cutting edge music called "Exposed: A Cheap Peek At Today's Provocative New Rock". It featured a few hits from Loverboy, Judas Priest and Adam & The Ants, but mostly selected album cuts from newer artists back then to the CBS house labels (Columbia, Epic and Portrait) as well as labels which CBS distributed (Nemporor, Stiff and Cleveland International.)

It sold on the counter of your favourite record store for a super cheap list price ($2.98, at a time when many rock acts were making double concept albums with more filler than you can shake a meatloaf recipe at for $15.98.)

It was what they called a "loss-leader", meaning if you liked what you heard on this sampler, you COULD be inclined to buy the full length albums from the artists you liked. But this 2 LP set was a nice way to come home from a fun day at the record shop with a little something extra in the bag to round out an evening of stereo fun.

Another act prominently featured on the set was Ellen Foley. Her name may not instantly ring any particular bells. But if you've ever wondered who that chick was who sang with Meatloaf on his hit "Paradise By The Dashboard Light"....

"STOP RIGHT THERE!".....That was Ellen Foley. But that's NOT Ellen Foley you see in the video. That's Karla DeVito lip-synching Ellen Foley's vocals......

You may also know Ellen Foley as Billie Young from the '80s TV sitcom Night Court. But in the early '80s, she took a stab at a solo music career, recording two albums. One of them, The Spirit Of St. Louis was recorded with The Clash as her backing band. She was going out with Mick Jones at the time, a relationship that didn't work out - he wrote "Should I Stay Or Should I Go" about her.

There are other lost power pop/new wave gems here (The Sorrows, Garland Jefferys), some early country/rock crossovers (Rosanne Cash, Steve Forbert) and others completely lost to time and memory.

It was also popular enough to spawn a sequel album later that year....