written by Paul Taylor

produced by Beau Hill

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This page is my next birthday tribute, to Charles Frederick Winger,

who went by Kip Winger professionally, and who founded the

rock/metal band Winger. He hit the big SIX-oh on June 21st, 2021.

Happy Birthday, KW!!

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Kip Winger came from the midwest US, and got started in the music biz writing songs for metal bands and playing bass. He joined and starting playing with Alice Cooper in the mid-’80s, with guitarists Reb Beach and (also keyboard player) Paul Taylor. Together with percussionist Rod Morgenstein, they initially formed a band called Sahara in New York, 1987, though Alice urged them to go by Winger. They signed with Atlantic Records, and released their debut self-titled album the following year. Winger the album yielded them four top 40 singles: “Madalaine” in ’88, followed by “Seventeen,” “Headed For A Heartbreak” and “Hungry,” all ’89.

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“Headed For A Heartbreak” was the album’s big bad power ballad. Power ballads had been formed as a concept and sub-genre in the ’70s, when rock (and then also metal) artists/bands wanted to show their audiences a somewhat softer side of their musical personas, by writing songs that could clearly be classified as ballads, with their slower tempos and more tender, heartfelt lyrics/sound, but also keeping their own signature rock intensity, mostly in the choruses. Still wailing on their songs with the trademark heavy metal/rock feel, just with a bit more pace and soul. Which brings us to summer 1990.

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Winger put out album two in a set of their first three, in their “heyday,” in ’90, called In The Heart Of The Young. It spawned three slightly lesser singles, but peaked higher than Winger the record, and I’m willing to wager that this song, “Miles Away”—#12 on the US chart, and their only charting UK single—is one of the reasons why. This is one of those songs I discovered relatively late, hearing it on the radio and snatching up the CD in the year 2007, since which time it’s been a staple in my list of favorites.

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Have notes to add? Let me know!

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YT:

full version

music video

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Winger’s official website