Dan Reed Network

From DJPOPPOPI opened with AC/DC last week because Back In Black was the first album I bought with my own money. I think I was 9 yes old. For the next few weeks, I'm going to shine the spotlight on local (PDX/PNW) artists I grew up listening to. First up... Dan Reed Network: Portland’s “How Were They Not Bigger?” Band Formed in Portland in the mid-’80s, Dan Reed Network blended hard rock, funk, soul, pop, and dance music into something the industry never quite knew how to categorize. Their 1987 self-titled debut produced the Top 40 hit “Ritual.” Their follow-up, Slam, was produced by Nile Rodgers and included fan favorites like “Rainbow Child,” “Tiger in a Dress,” and “Come Back Baby.” They opened for Bon Jovi and the Rolling Stones, earned strong reviews, and built a loyal following in Europe—but never achieved the same level of success in the U.S. Maybe they were too funky for rock radio, too heavy for pop, and too difficult to squeeze into one convenient label. Fun facts: • Dan Reed originally played trumpet before hearing Van Halen and switching to guitar. • “The Network” came from Reed’s actual notebook of Portland music contacts. • The band’s multicultural lineup stood out in the late-’80s hard-rock scene. • After splitting in the early ’90s, they reunited in 2012 and have released several new albums since. Essential songs: “Ritual,” “Rainbow Child,” “Tiger in a Dress,” “Stronger Than Steel,” “Lover,” and “Seven Sisters Road.” Seriously… How the hell did this band not become huge?