Airplay
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Album Summary
Point Blank, the hard-driving Texas outfit with blues in their bones and thunder in their guitars, laid down 'Airplay' in 1979 on MCA Records — and baby, this record was the sound of a band that had been out there on the road, night after night, earning every single note. Produced during a stretch when Point Blank was deep in the grind of building their national reputation show by show, 'Airplay' captured that raw, road-tested fire they were famous for on the Southern and Texas rock circuit. From the moment the needle dropped, listeners could hear a band rooted in the great Texas blues tradition but pushing hard into the arena rock era — twin guitars blazing, rhythms locked in tight, and a conviction in the grooves that no studio polish could manufacture. This was real music from real players who had something to prove.
Reception
- The album received modest chart attention, reflective of Point Blank's position as a deeply respected but commercially underserved act navigating the crowded late-1970s hard rock landscape where genuine grit sometimes lost ground to more radio-friendly shine.
- Critics who paid attention acknowledged the band's formidable musicianship and guitar-driven intensity, drawing favorable comparisons to their contemporaries in the Southern and Texas rock world, even as mainstream breakthrough remained just out of reach.
- 'Airplay' did what it needed to do among the faithful — it deepened the band's cult following and reinforced their reputation among devoted fans of Texas blues-rock who knew the real thing when they heard it.
Significance
- 'Airplay' stands as a proud artifact of the late-1970s Texas hard rock movement, a scene that married Southern rock swagger to deep, uncut blues roots and refused to apologize for either — something wholly distinct from the slicker rock being packaged on the coasts.
- The twin-guitar interplay woven throughout this record places Point Blank squarely in the lineage of Texas guitar heroism, connecting the sacred blues traditions of an earlier generation to the hard rock energy that was shaking arenas in the late seventies.
- The album captures a pivotal cultural moment when regional acts with real credibility and real chops — bands like Point Blank — were reaching hard for national recognition, and 'Airplay' is the honest, unfiltered sound of that striving.
Tracklist
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A1 Mean To Your Queenie 103
4:39
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A2 Two Time Loser 120
3:51
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A3 Shine On 116
3:03
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A4 Penthouse Pauper 174
5:35
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B1 Danger Zone 142
4:39
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B2 Louisiana Leg 114
3:43
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B3 Takin' It Easy 134
4:40
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B4 Thunder And Lightning 170
3:14
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B5 Changed My Mind 156
5:59
Artist Details
Point Blank was a hard-driving Texas rock band that formed in Fort Worth in 1972, blending the raw, bluesy grit of Southern rock with the harder edge of classic rock in a way that made them a force to be reckoned with on the club and arena circuit throughout the late '70s. Signed to Arista Records, they put out a string of albums that showcased their muscular guitar work and soulful swagger, earning them a loyal following and respect among fans of acts like ZZ Top and Lynyrd Skynyrd. They never quite broke through to mainstream superstardom, but in the world of honest, no-frills American rock and roll, Point Blank stood tall as a testament to the deep musical roots that run through the Lone Star State.
