‘Well Oiled’ sees a welcome return for Spike and the boys.  After the initial success of their debut album ‘A Bit Of What You Fancy’ the band set off to self destruct.  The second album was delayed due to producer Bob Rocks involvement on Metallica’s ‘Black’ album, and the bands A & R man leaving EMI, and then just when you thought things couldn’t get worse, the band fell victim of the birth of the grunge scene.

Eventually the second album ‘Bitter Sweet & Twisted’ was released and although it didn’t sell as well as the first album, the band still managed to have some success with it.  Canada in particular opened its arms (and ears) to the band and the album went platinum there.  Sadly this wasn’t sufficient for their record company and they soon parted company.

After a guest slot on the Guns and Roses ‘Use Your Illusion’ tour the band split up.  In 2000 Spike and Griff got back together and were joined by Nigel Mogg.  The band released their third studio album ‘This Is Rock ‘N’ Roll’ and had success on the road with Status Quo, and later on the Monsters of Rock tour with Alice Cooper and Thunder.

‘Well Oiled’ is a return to form with Spikes Jack Daniels soaked vocals still the predominant feature to the bands bluesy sound.  None more so than in the opening track ‘Good To See You’, which revels in a gutsy guitars from both Griffin and Guerin and the ever present Nigel Mogg on bass.

The vibe continues with the AC/DC sounding guitar on ‘The Finer Stuff’ and the harmonica and keyboard fuelled ‘Lorraine Lorraine’. ‘Too familiar’ is very much a Quireboys track with that slow moody quality that has become the trademark sound of the band.

If there is a low point of the album it would be ‘What’s Your Name’ which doesn’t quite live up the rest of the album.  But things get back on track with the excellent ‘Sweet as the Rain’ and the up tempo ‘The Last Fence’. The album closer is the heavy keyboarded ‘Black Mariah’ an excellent way to finish what is a great return for the band.