Moon Martin-The Very Best of Moon Martin (1999)

John David Martin (better known as Moon Martin) is one of the most intriguing artists of the new wave movement. He began playing in several local Oklahoma bands in the late 1960s before moving to Los Angeles and forming a band called Southwind, with whom he released three albums that had little impact. However, his work as a songwriter and session musician for artists such as Linda Ronstadt and Gram Parsons, among others, paved the way for his solo career. In 1978, he released his first album, "Shots from Cold Nightmare", which featured several standout tracks, including "Nights Thoughts", "Victims of Romance", "Cadillac Walk" (which became famous after being recorded by Willie DeVille), and especially "Bad Case of Loving You" (released by Robert Palmer a year later, which became a major commercial success). From then on, some of his songs were included on the albums of various artists, and Moon Martin established himself as a solo artist. The new album "Escape from Domination" (1979) and the singles "Rolene" and "No Chance" are key pieces, ushering in the 1980s with the LP "Street Fever", which cemented his status as one of the best artists of the following decade. In 1979, Moon formed his own group, The Ravens, with Jude Cole (guitar), Dennis Croy (bass), and Rick Croy. In 1982, he released his fourth album for Capitol Records, "Mystery Ticket", followed in 1984 by "Mixed Emotions". From this point on, Martin distanced himself from his solo career and dedicated himself to songwriting for other musicians, although he released a few albums in the following decades with little commercial success. Tracks like "Bad Case of Loving You" more than justify why this man went down in pop-rock history. It has all the ingredients of a great song: warmth, rhythm, desperation, a catchy chorus, and unforgettable guitar riffs.