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The 80’s. There will never be another decade like it. From the fashion to the excess and yes, of course, the music that shaped a whole generation and is actually making a massive comeback in many ways as I write this. The action was bigger and badder as well with Stallone and Schwarzenegger battling for cinema supremacy with Chuck Norris watching their six and countless action hits bombarding local cinemas.It really was a great time to be a fan of all things action.
Jean-Claude Van Damme also made his grand entrance during the 80’s in films like No Retreat No Surrender which he was first seen in and then there was little films like Bloodsport and Kickboxer that catapulted the Muscles from Brussels into international action stardom. These films along with Cyborg and more put JCVD on the map and is now considered an icon in the genre.
The music was also important to action films with scores that became their own characters in films and brought a sense of epic scope to the proceedings. But I’m here to talk about Stan Bush. If you don’t know who Stan Bush is then we cannot be friends. Bush was instrumental in crafting some of the best and larger than life songs that went into these films and his biggest hits were probably Fight to Survive from Bloodsport along with Never Surrender from Kickboxer. Let’s not forget his contribution to Transformers the Movie as his songs The Touch and Dare was probably played on my stereo everyday upon their release and on my TV when I watched the film and yes, I still cry when Optimus dies. Both of those songs still give me goosebumps to this day and that’s the feeling I got when Bush made his long-awaited return to action cinema. Check out each of these songs below courtesy of all the fine folks that uploaded them and bask in the awesomeness that is the 80’s!
Well Stan “the Man” Bush has made a triumphant return in 2024 as he has crafted not one but two songs for the recent throwback martial arts tournament thriller The Last Kunite which kicks it old school style delivering some 80’s and 90’s beatdown vibes with iconic action stars including Billy Blanks, Cynthia Rothrock, Mohammed (Michel) Qissi and Matthias Hues. My review is forthcoming as I just recently acquired my steel book copy of the film, but I loved every minute of its bone crashing fists and feet of fury.
Bush was more than happy to add his contribution to the film by delivering the glorious songs No Surrender and Running the Gauntlet. Just listening to these two hits thrusts me back nostalgia style and they will make you want to run out, put a bandana on your head, look for a grandmaster and train in the martial arts for that upcoming battle royale. View and listen below and transport yourself back to a time when things were simpler, and the action was larger than life!
I mean come on! You can’t make a throwback martial arts pic and not have Stan Bush do songs for it. That coupled with Bloodsport composer Paul Hertzog doing the soundtrack and this one just screams “Nuk Soo Cow!” Once again, if you don’t know what that means then we cannot be friends either. Stan, may you continue to crank out power rock songs for action movies for years to come as they are like a warm hug for fans like me. Look out for my complete analysis of The Last Kumite coming this week because if you’re a fan of movies that spray blood in slo-mo towards the camera than this ones for you!
Check out the official trailer for The Last Kumite featuring Stran’s immersive and explosive pipes!
