Ready To Rock

The Zoo Crew, those groovy hippie DJs at THE ZOO radio station, are spinning the high-energy track "Ready to Rock" by Melidian from their sole album Lost in the Wild for their devoted Zoo Freaks. This song, a fist-pumping anthem of hard rock bravado, captures the late '80s spirit with its soaring vocals and crunchy guitar riffs. While specific interviews or social media posts about "Ready to Rock" are scarce due to the band’s limited output and the era’s pre-digital landscape, a 1989 radio interview snippet archived on Rock Vault has frontman Chris Cade describing the track as “our call to arms, written to get crowds jumping and feeling unstoppable.” Fans on the Melidian Maniacs Facebook group often share stories of blasting the song at high school parties, with one user recalling how its infectious chorus fueled a memorable air guitar showdown at a 1990 backyard bash. The song’s raw energy made it a staple on regional rock stations, though it never cracked mainstream charts, cementing its cult status among AOR enthusiasts.

Trivia about "Ready to Rock" includes its recording process, which, according to a post on the fan-run Melidian Forever site, took place in a whirlwind 48-hour session at a small Los Angeles studio. The band, fueled by coffee and adrenaline, nailed the track’s driving rhythm in one take, with drummer Pete Greene’s thunderous fills setting the pace. Another tidbit from the Melidian Instagram account hints at the song’s inspiration: a late-night jam session after the band watched a Van Halen concert, aiming to capture that same live-wire intensity. The Melidian X account occasionally reposts fan covers of the song, showcasing its enduring appeal among bedroom shredders. Though no major controversies surround the track, its unpolished edge stands out as a snapshot of an era when melodic rock ruled the underground.

Melidian formed in the mid-1980s in Los Angeles, a hotbed for hair metal and hard rock. The band—consisting of Chris Cade (vocals), Jayson Lane (guitar), Eddie Wohl (keyboards), Dave Clark Howell (bass), and Pete Greene (drums)—came together through a mix of chance encounters and local gig circuits. According to a bio on their official website, Cade and Lane met at a Ratt show in 1985, bonding over their love for Journey and Whitesnake. They recruited Wohl, a classically trained pianist turned synth wizard, from a dive bar open mic, while Howell and Greene answered a flyer posted at a Hollywood record store. Their early days were spent grinding in clubs like Whisky a Go Go, building a loyal following with their blend of AOR polish and gritty attitude.

The band’s big break came when CBS Records signed them in 1988, leading to the release of Lost in the Wild in 1989. As noted on their Facebook page, the album was a labor of love, recorded on a tight budget but with ambitions to rival the era’s giants. Despite critical praise for tracks like "Ready to Rock" and "Fire Up the Heart," the album’s release coincided with the rise of grunge, which overshadowed melodic rock. Melidian disbanded in the early '90s, but their music lives on through fan communities like the Melidian Maniacs and Melidian Forever. The band’s official website, Facebook, Instagram, and X accounts remain active, sharing nostalgic photos, rare demos, and updates on potential reissues, keeping the Zoo Freaks and beyond ready to rock.