Black Market

Websites:  No
Origin: Toronto, Ontario, 🇨🇦
Biography:

A year or so after Fret Fever was released, Domenic formed the Black Market project with Bob Wilson and Paul DeLong. The trio released their only LP, Changing of the Guard, in 1981. This is one of my favorite Troiano albums. It's akin to early Police, musically and in spirit: new wave with some reggae thrown in, played by musicians who can't hide the fact that they have talent. Despite the new wave influence, Domenic plays some great licks and solos in every song, and occasionally, his roots in blues and soul pop up to say hello. This album is probably the closest you can come to hearing Domenic's talent in its purest form. He sings all the songs, and the music, basic rock, is stripped down to its foundation: guitar, bass, drums. Not a horn, keyboard, or even a tamborine can be heard in the mix. If the verse-chorus-verse-chorus formula appeals to you, you'll love Changing of the Guard.

Domenic gives props to Chuck Berry and "rock 'n roll music" in "Oh Carol," a song that featues some doo-wopping in the verses. It's actually the closest Domenic came to writing a Big Star tune. The guitar intro to "Turn Back" sounds almost identical to "This is Your Land" by Simple Minds. Really the only song that sounds labored is "I'm Bored," which has a great groove but sounds like Iggy Pop doing fusion. The ballad "Hell Has No Fury" is a career highlight for Troiano, sporting brilliant guitar work and vocals, plus Bob Wilson playing fretless bass. Domenic gives reggae a shot on "Independence" and ends up with a fresh new guitar riff that is undeniably his. The album closes with the blues-rock scorcher "The Shooter," which is absolutely mind-boggling. Musically, it sounds like a Stevie Ray Vaughan standard played at 78 RPM. All of the musicians put the pedal to the metal from start to finish, and the results are astounding. This was basically Domenic's last song as a rock musician. At least he went out blazin'.

After spending nearly two full decades mastering every blend of rock there is in Robbie Lane & The Disciples, then Mandala, then Bush, The James Gang, The Guess Who and cutting five solo albums, Domenic Troiano had gained the reputation of being one of the most influential and talented guitarists in the business, helping form ‘the Toronto sound.’

By 1981he’d left Capitol Records and set up his own Black Market Records and experimented again with another new project, also called Black Market. He went into Phase One Studios in Toronto with a cast rounded out by bassist Bob Wilson and Paul DeLong on drums and came out with CHANGING OF THE GUARD, distributed by El Mocambo Records. The album featured a myriad of guest appearances, including Roy Kenner, whom he’d worked with in Mandala, Bush, and The James Gang, fellow James Gang alumni Prakash John and Troiano‘s wife Shawn Jackson, all of whom had guested on his solo albums frequently as well.

The no-nonsense power trio delivered the goods – straight forward rock with little production magic. Tracks like the swingle “Dr. Jeejay’s Band,” the lead off title track, and the four songs co-written with Kenner were stripped down ballsy numbers that didn’t shy away from energy and power. But despite the enthusiasm Troiano had for his new project, next to no air play and less than wonderful album sales meant Black Market only captured the eye of his most die-hard fans.

He disbanded the group after a couple of North American tours and went back to behind the scenes work, producing other acts and doing scores for television and films. The other members in Black Market, Bob Wilson and Paul DeLong both went on to work as session musicians for a number of artists, and eventually faded from the scene all together. Troiano died from prostate cancer in 2005.