Born:
William Haislip Squier on May 12, 1950 in Wellesley, Massachusetts
Overview:
Though relatively unaffiliated with any particular music genre of the '80s - or perhaps because of this kind of wide appeal - guitarist and songwriter Billy Squier maintained a successful pop music career during the '80s. He never really became a superstar, but Squier's blend of arena rock, classic rock and hard rock was fully emblematic of the decade's musical offerings. For the most part, solid songwriting and dedication to his primary instrument - guitar - helped Squier remain true to his generally authentic musical impulses. '80s rock was ultimately enhanced as a result of his contributions.
Early Years:
Inspired like many '60s guitarists by already legendary instrumentalist Eric Clapton, the young Squier began performing live within the close vicinity of his 1968 graduation from a Boston-area high school. He played in a number of local bands before founding the mid-'70s mainstream rock outfit Piper, which flirted with stadium success by opening for KISS in 1977. However, the band's failure to hit it big partially explains Squier's anonymity through the '70s, as his 1980 debut, Tale of the Tape, seemed to some observers like a bit of a late bloom. But in reality this period did much to season Squier and prepare him for the vital years of his career.
'80s Solo Career:
Squier couldn't have been quite prepared for what would be a lightning-quick ascent to the top of the rock music scene with his smash 1981 LP Don't Say No. Nevertheless, the artist took full advantage of the period's embrace of his stylings by producing some excellent songs that also became hits, namely "In the Dark," "My Kinda Lover," and "Lonely Is the Night." The rather on-the-nose sexual metaphor of "The Stroke" - along with its empty-headed, booming exuberance - somehow met with significant success as well, and thus a classic rock mainstay was born. If only Squier's worthy album tracks had received a bit more radio attention, that song in fact would be all the more tolerable.
A Music Video Catastrophe:
Squier initially found quite an ally in the recently launched MTV network, and his next two albums, 1982's Emotions in Motion and 1984's Signs of Life, took full advantage of the new medium. Two foundational tracks, "Everybody Wants You" and "Rock Me Tonite," respectively kept Squier's stock high in pop music circles. So it probably was no coincidence that record sales dropped significantly in the wake of Squier's extremely '80s "Rock Me Tonite" music video, in which the singer pranced around a stylized loft in what appeared to be some of the most feminine workout clothes imaginable. Squier has never quite forgotten the moment, with good reason, and in retrospect he may have been quite accurate in assessing its devastating effect on his career.
Later Career & Rock Guitar Legacy:
Squier tried to respond favorably to his popular decline by continuing to tour diligently and releasing more records, even if only two more (1986's Enough Is Enough and 1989's Hear and Now) followed in the five years following the release of Signs of Life. Unfortunately, however, 1989's "Don't Say You Love Me" was the closest Squier would ever again come to a hit. Still, this has not reduced the artist's classic rock following or prevented contemporary music artists from paying various and reverent respects to Squier. Oddly enough, popular hip-hop artists ranging from Run-DMC's Jam Master Jay to Jay-Z have recognized (through sampling) the memorable nature of Squier's best work.
