With MelodicRock Classics unearthing GOTHAM’s long-buried gem, the once-cassette-only album Home Sweet Home, the world finally gets to experience what Pacific Northwest insiders knew all along: this band was something truly special. Reimagined and re-released as Pictures, complete with three bonus tracks under their later moniker Manito Park, this remastered collection captures lightning in a bottle, or rather, a sound both timeless and triumphantly 1989.
At the heart of the record’s renewed success is the single “Girl in Green (Cool Limousine Master)”, a swaggering, sun-drenched slice of melodic pomp rock that fuses grit, melody, and unabashed emotion. It’s a song that doesn’t simply recall an era, but seriously endeavors to reignite it.
Formed in the heart of Spokane, Washington, GOTHAM began as three young dreamers determined to carve out their place in the vibrant Pacific Northwest music scene. Dave DuPree (vocals, keyboards), Cary Beare (vocals, bass), and Bob Burdett (vocals, guitar) were drawn together by a shared hunger, to make music that sounded as massive and heartfelt as the landscapes that surrounded them. Their early shows in Eastern Washington and North Idaho were charged with energy, blending hard-edged rock bravado with an almost cinematic sense of melody.
By 1989, with the addition of powerhouse drummer Rusty Knorr, GOTHAM had transformed into a full-fledged AOR juggernaut. The chemistry was undeniable. Together, they captured that elusive intersection of rock muscle and pop sophistication. A sonic palette reminiscent of Honeymoon Suite, Da Vinci, Touch, and Le Roux, yet distinctly their own.
Released only on cassette, the album Home Sweet Home became a local cult classic, passed hand-to-hand among those who believed melody and emotion still mattered in an increasingly mechanized musical landscape.
Decades later, MelodicRock Classics unearthed the original master tapes and gave this buried treasure the sonic justice it deserved. And at the center of that resurrection shines “Girl in Green (Cool Limousine Master)”, a track that distills everything that made GOTHAM extraordinary.
From its first measure, the song bursts forth with a thick, gritty guitar riff—the kind that could power a convertible down a desert highway under neon skies. The rhythm section slams with precision and pulse, while the keyboard chords shimmer like sunlight reflecting off chrome. Then comes that vocal: urgent, melodic, and drenched in pure rock soul.
“Girl in Green” is a cinematic flashback, a memory you didn’t know you had. Its tone conjures late-night drives, endless summer roads, and that intoxicating blend of yearning and freedom that defines youth. If you’re into Journey, Toto, Honeymoon Suite, and Styx or guided by the ghosts of the golden AOR age, this will become your current aural manna. The song feels alive, modernized by a remaster that highlights every nuance without taming its wild heart.
The 2025 release of Pictures on May 30 marked not just a reissue, but a resurrection. Within weeks, GOTHAM climbed to #1 in sales at a major German distributor, proving that true craftsmanship never goes out of style. Radio stations across the globe have since picked up the record, with “Girl in Green” holding its own on the Top10 charts among heavyweights like Whitesnake, Def Leppard, Aerosmith, and AC/DC. A clear testament to its timeless magnetism. Their music, once confined to the hiss of cassette tape, now echoes across global airwaves, utterly unstoppable.
There’s something beautifully defiant about GOTHAM’s story. This band’s rebirth reminds us that rock’s soul lies in the scrape of pick against string, the beat of a drum and the rush of harmony that drives you into euphoria.
Listening to “Girl in Green (Cool Limousine Master)” is like finding an old photograph of someone you once loved: warm, vivid, and startlingly alive. The track embodies the spirit of Pictures as a whole. These are songs that dare to believe in the power of a chorus, the pull of a hook, and the unspoken electricity between musicians who simply get it.
Today, as GOTHAM enjoys long-overdue recognition, it’s clear that Pictures is a time capsule, a bridge between eras. For fans of melodic rock, it’s a rediscovery of what made the genre irresistible in the first place: melody that moves, harmonies that heal, and performances that come straight from the heart.
And for those hearing GOTHAM for the first time, “Girl in Green (Cool Limousine Master)” is the perfect introduction. A bold, exuberant statement from a band that never stopped believing in the transformative power of a great song.
Some music doesn’t age. It evolves, gathering resonance and meaning with every passing year. GOTHAM’s revival is proof that the spirit of melodic rock is alive and well, roaring down the highway in a cool limousine, with the Girl in Green riding shotgun.
“GOTHAM – Pictures” is available now via MelodicRock Classics. Turn it up loud, roll the windows down, and let “Girl in Green (Cool Limousine Master)” remind you why rock will always matter.
OFFICIAL LINKS:
https://melodicrockclassics.com/gotham.html
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2025/jun/19/call-them-whatever-you-like-manito-park-gotham-you/
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