#robin beck

Release Date: 15 May 2026

Photo Credit William Murray

Acclaimed rock vocalist Robin Beck has released her eleventh studio album, 'Living Proof. On it she delivers one of the most confident, vibrant, and emotionally charged albums of her career. It's a powerful statement from an artist whose voice and presence continues to define melodic rock at the highest level.

Opening with the track “Never Gonna Let You Go,” the album blends soaring melodies, modern production, and classic AOR sensibility, capturing Robin at her most expressive and commanding. Songs like “Love and Money” and “Trouble or Nothing” showcase a perfect balance between polished hooks and emotional intensity, while tracks such as “What A Night” and “Karma” bring a vibrant, radio-ready edge without losing depth or substance.

Throughout the album, Robin’s unmistakable voice is powerful yet nuanced, and soulful yet razor-sharp. The album features contributions from James Christian (House of Lords), Tommy Denander (Radioactive), Peppy Castro (Balance), Steve Bondy, Emil Theilhelm, and Johan Kullberg, who collectively deliver a rich, cohesive musical landscape that moves effortlessly between melodic rock, modern AOR, and subtle pop-rock influences.

Kiss (1989) Paul brings the vulnerability into the overall picture of this rather manageable little drama, as the only one, by the way, I would like to point out. After all, he should know best what he is singing.

And this feeling in the verse part can also be recognized as an amazingly well elaborated new facet of his vocal sound spectrum, even in pure form and completely without schmaltz or any cheese. A tendency that deepens even further on Hot in the Shade (1989) with Forever, and is anchored in the quieter songs on the following two studio albums. The music itself offers perhaps the simplest and at the same time most balanced, and on this level most elaborated presentation of Hide Your Heart, even if bass and drums tend to block these approaches and stubbornly indulge in the more one-dimensional rock minimalisms.

The solo: A little dramatic stage play between Johnny and Rosa. Or Paul's and Bruce's guitars I suppose, with Paul in the role of the unyielding Johnny, who stubbornly believes he has to prove his toughness, and Bruce as the energetic and futilely pleading Rosa. Recommended by serious but friendly educators, which middle school teachers then have their class analyze as lesson material.

Kiss (1989)

Robin Beck (1989) Strangely enough, her version was neither used for a soft drink nor a burger advertisement. But anyway, it's basically Bonnie Tyler, only a bit rockier and louder, and a bit more insistent with a bit more dedication, especially in the bridges (Johnny Better Run, Better Run!!!). Every now and then she gets carried away, but that's okay. The chorus is the one you really want to shout along with her. The almost non-existent keyboards have an sacred-like quality in the right places, which also gives this power shouter a little more moral depth than the already disdainful street gangster drama. I bet that woman beats me at arm wrestling. Pretty sympathetic.

The solo: Somehow all I keep hearing is jacking horses, but I think the rest of this solo sounds most like it would fit on a Kiss song, only with much less of what i'd like to call the identity density of a Bruce Kulick.

Robin Beck (1989)

Paul Stanley (Demo 1987) As a little encore for all those who still haven't had their fill. Of course, this one' s a bit rougher and more unpolished, which is best illustrated by the dimension of the guitar and background vocal arrangements, but I think this is exactly how Kiss have been playing it live for the last few years since they added it back into their repertoire. The song works wonderfully that way, and that's how it sounds most like Kiss. Honestly, that's probably why it's my favorite version - except for the guitar solo.

The solo: Just fiddles around in 80s rock standards without much ingenuity, and in all likelihood was only intended as a placeholder in this form anyway.

Paul Stanley (1987)

And what' s the moral of the story?

There isn't really one. I can only think of this story about how Gene somehow managed to get Thief in the Night onto Crazy Nights (1987). Thief in the Night, or at least its vocals and lyrics, were composed by Gene in 1982, but ultimately ended up on Wendy O. Williams' W.O.W. solo album in 1984, which technically makes Thief in the Night a cover version as well. And it is said that Paul was not amused.

I mean, Paul clearly got Kiss into the bigger hullabaloo with Hide Your Heart, or how should you look at it?

Artist: Robin Beck

Title: Don't Lose Any Sleep

Album: Trouble or Nothin'

Played on: Tue Sep 24 2024 14:31:19 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time)