The Power Station mark 40 years of its explosive debut with an expanded reissue that digs deep into the album, the live chaos, and the short-lived supergroup that burned bright and fast.
Forty years on, the Power Station's The Power Station still hits with the same flash, force, and cross-genre swagger that made it one of the most unexpected collisions of the 1980s. To mark the anniversary of the band’s self-titled debut, a newly expanded reissue brings the project back into focus with a 2LP gatefold vinyl edition of the remastered album alongside a deep-dive 4CD (The Power Station DLX) set that captures both the polish and the chaos behind the scenes.
Originally released in 1985, The Power Station brought together an unlikely lineup: Robert Palmer’s razor-sharp vocal cool, Chic drummer Tony Thompson’s unstoppable groove, and Duran Duran’s John Taylor and Andy Taylor stepping away from synth-pop superstardom to chase something louder, heavier, and more physical. The result was a record built on muscle and momentum, powered by Thompson’s drum sound and Taylor’s crunching guitar, and anchored by Palmer’s commanding presence.
The anniversary edition expands the story far beyond the original album. The 4CD collection includes the newly remastered album, a wide selection of remixes, and raw instrumentals pulled directly from the original studio sessions that reveal just how hard and stripped-down these tracks were at their core. It also features previously unreleased live recordings from The Spectrum in Philadelphia on August 21, 1985, newly remixed by Richard Whittaker, along with performances from Live Aid.
Live recordings play an especially interesting role in this set. Palmer only performed with the Power Station once on stage, during their February 1985 appearance on Saturday Night Live, before departing shortly after the album’s release. Touring duties and Live Aid performances were handled by Michael Des Barres, whose vocals capture a very different but equally combustible version of the band. Those performances now stand as an essential chapter of the Power Station story, finally given official release.
The package is rounded out with a 12-page booklet featuring a new interview with John Taylor and Andy Taylor conducted by John Earls, offering reflection on how the project came together, how quickly it burned, and why it still resonates four decades later.