In a move no one saw coming, not even this longtime fan of their 1977 Arista Records debut album, unsung heroes of glam power pop 'n' roll the Hollywood Stars are back to officially etch their name on the sidewalks of rock 'n’ roll with Starstruck. In the great big book of rock 'n' roll, where every chapter seems filled with famous stories you already know, let me tell you about a little band relegated to a footnote that’s now re-emerging from the shadows with a new story to tell. Los Angeles' the Hollywood Stars, a band with deep-rooted connections to rock heroes and legends like Little Richard, the Kinks, and Alice Cooper, have returned for a second swipe at the brass ring with their first album of new material in over four decades.

Originally put together with the help of rock impresario Kim Fowley in 1973, the Hollywood Stars had a brief but impactful initial run. They recorded three albums in the '70s, but only one saw the light of day at the time. Their self-titled album came out in 1977 on Arista, followed by a U.S. tour with the Kinks. Despite burning out quickly and breaking up in 1978, their underground legend lived on through songs like the KISS classic "King Of The Night Time World" and "Escape" from Alice Cooper’s Welcome To My Nightmare album, both songs co-written by the band’s Mark Anthony along with Fowley.

Fast forward to 2018, when the Hollywood Stars reunited for a benefit concert in Los Angeles. The surprising response inspired them to give it another shot, leading to the release of their lost 1976 album Sound City in 2019 and a 50th-anniversary concert in 2023. After that they dropped the four-song EP Still Around, rekindling their creative flame in the process.

Starstruck features original members Scott Phares (vocals) and Terry Rae (drums), along with bassist Michael Rummans, who joined in 1976, while new recruits Jeff Jourard and George Keller bring some fresh energy to the band. Jourard, formerly of the Motels, co-wrote their hit "Total Control" and played on Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers' 1976 album. Keller, a seasoned session guitarist, has played with Tina Turner's backing vocalist Ann Behringer and LA garage rock band the Sloths.

Recorded at Kitten Robot Studios, Starstruck was produced by the band, Loren Molinare, and Paul Roessler. It’s a blend of old and new songs, with tracks like "Bad, Bad Man" and "Shortage Of Love" harking back to their early days. The first single, "Taxi Driver," is a rousing glam anthem that originally appeared on Hero's 1977 debut album, fronted by Phares post-Hollywood Stars. Rummans also brought in "Haunted," a track from the Sloths' 2015 album, while Jourard revisits his Motels days with "Total Control."

Phares, reflecting on the making of the album, explains, "It's hard to express the joy I felt about entering the studio last year with this great band. I left the original group in 1974, so it's been 50 years since I've worked on an album with the Hollywood Stars. Everyone contributed to the songwriting, and we stayed true to our vision."

The Hollywood Stars' journey is marked by dramatic twists, including Phares' 1972 arrest for lewd conduct, an event that indirectly led to the band's formation. Fowley envisioned a West Coast answer to the New York Dolls, and Phares became the first member of this new outlaw rock 'n’ roll band. Despite internal conflicts and a turbulent rise and fall, the band's original lineup gained acclaim from icons like John Lennon and Iggy Pop, who infamously said, “I didn’t used to like the Hollywood Stars, I used to like the New York Dolls. Then I heard the Hollywood Stars play ‘Satisfaction.’ Now I wanna f*ck ‘em.” Now that’s the kind of praise any real rock 'n’ roll band would kill for.