The sonic hurricane of the Billy Squier sound and fury swirls with lacerating leads, omnipotent vocals and, in the eye of the storm, the primitive power rendered by drummer Bobby Chouinard. Favoring fire and soul over flash and technique, Chouinard’s rhythmic exploits are raunchy, raw, and passionate. With the interplay between drums and guitar in the Squier sound being symbiotic in nature, the songs are structured with an interdependence on both elements: Where there’s a wailing guitar lick, you ‘re bound to hear a thunderous drum attack. Classic tracks like “Lonely Is The Night, ” “Don’t Say No,” “The Stroke,” and “Emotions In Motion” typify Chouinard’s heavy-bottomed style, where hypnotic swells build in momentum and intensity. Although Bobby commented that he feels “very proud to be part of the Billy Squier sound,” after hearing the two of them together, it’s pretty evident that Squier is also a very large part […]

November 1985 Issue