B-side "Together" Recorded 1984 Length 2:49 | Released 1985 Genre Rock | |
Format 7"/12" single, Picture disc, CD single | ||
"Radioactive" is a song by English rock band The Firm. It was the first single released from their eponymous début album The Firm, where it was the fifth track. It was written by Paul Rodgers.
Contents
A compact and straightforward rock song from the 1980s, structured with Tony Franklin's fretless bass hook at the beginning, combined with Jimmy Page's guitar scratch on the third line in the verse, Rodgers' reverbed vocal, and followed by a wah pedal inflected guitar solo. Chris Slade plays a steady drum beat throughout. On live performances, the song was introduced with a drum solo from Slade, leading into Franklin's opening bass line. Page utilized his brown 1960s Fender Telecaster guitar featuring a Parsons and White B-string bender on tour with this song.
Their self-titled album, appearing on Atlantic Records, cracked the Billboard Top 20 on the strength of this single. Jimmy Page broke with the past and participated in the recording for the music video and single, the first time he had done both since the late 1960s. Page can be seen miming to the recording with his famous red doubleneck 1971 Gibson EDS-1275 guitar. In March 1985, MTV began heavily promoting the video, although the track was a modest seller, reaching #28 in America and topping the Top Rock Tracks chart for one week. "Radioactive" was also released as a 12" single and limited edition picture disc.
Paul Rodgers stills performs this song during his solo sets and it appears on the 2007 Paul Rodgers: Live In Glasgow DVD.
Formats and track listings
1985 7" single (US: Atlantic 7-89586, UK: Atlantic A-9586)
1985 12" special mix edition (US: Atlantic 86896, UK: Atlantic A-9586T)
1985 12" single (UK: Atlantic A-9586TE)
1986 7" single reissue (US: Atlantic Oldies Series 7-84966)