The Power Station emerged with “Some Like It Hot” in February of 1985. The supergroup was comprised of John Taylor on bass and Roger Taylor on guitar from Duran Duran, Robert Palmer on vocals, and Tony Thompson of Chic on drums. Bernard Edwards, who usually played bass for Chic, produced the band’s first album, and his bandmate Nile Rodgers was unofficially involved. John and Roger wanted to do something outside of Duran Duran’s pop synthesizer sound that had a harder rock edge and funk rhythms. They started out as a trio on a lark with plans for a variety of vocalists and plans to back model Bebe Buell on a cover of T. Rex’s “Get It On.” Robert Palmer’s audition convinced them to record the whole album with him. “Some Like It Hot” was designed to put Tony Thompson’s epic drums out front. Thompson’s thunderous playing grabbed ears immediately and led the band’s chemistry. “Some Like It Hot” made the American Top Ten on the charts, and so did the album. The unlikely grouping of musicians churned out an album that combined funk and rock in a form that charmed pop audiences.
They performed “Some Like It Hot” one time together shortly after its February 1985 release on Saturday Night Live. It was their only performance together because Palmer left the group to record his popular Riptide solo album. The Power Station’s sophomore album, Living In Fear, was released in 1996, but it did not have the buzz of their first album. Palmer and Thompson both passed in 2003, but The Power Station still has a pulse with new fans and the older ones who still listen to them. In 2026, a remastered 40th anniversary edition of the first album was released with new remixes, instrumentals, and never-before-seen concert footage from 1985. A 20th anniversary version was released in 2005 with a DVD and seven bonus tracks. A 3 LP live album, Raw Power: Live At The Spectrum, will be released on Record Store Day 2026.
