Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 23, 2026

One Vice at a Time

One Vice at a Time is the sixth studio album by the Swiss hard rock band Krokus, released in 1982 by Arista Records. It is notable for the strong influence of AC/DC on the songs and production, and was the first album to feature Mark Kohler on rhythm guitar. It includes a cover of the Guess Who's song "American Woman". The song "Long Stick Goes Boom" is used in the video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories on the fictional in-game radio station V-Rock.

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Jul 23, 2026
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One Vice at a Time
Studio album by
Krokus
ReleasedFebruary 1982 (UK)1
17 March 1982 (US)2
Recorded1981
StudioBattery (London)
GenreHard rock, heavy metal
Length36:14
LabelArista
ProducerTony Platt, Krokus
Krokus chronology
Hardware
(1981) 		One Vice at a Time
(1982) 		Headhunter
(1983)
Singles from One Vice at a Time
  1. "Bad Boys Rag Dolls"
    Released: February 1982 (UK)3
  2. "Long Stick Goes Boom"
    Released: June 1982 (US)4
  3. "American Woman"
    Released: July 1982 (UK)5
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStar6
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal9/107
Record MirrorStar8

One Vice at a Time is the sixth studio album by the Swiss hard rock band Krokus, released in 1982 by Arista Records. It is notable for the strong influence of AC/DC on the songs and production, and was the first album to feature Mark Kohler on rhythm guitar. It includes a cover of the Guess Who's song "American Woman". The song "Long Stick Goes Boom" is used in the video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories on the fictional in-game radio station V-Rock.9

Bruce Dickinson, who at the time had just been hired as Iron Maiden's new lead vocalist, provides backing vocals on the track "I'm on the Run".10 Producer Tony Platt was best known for his prior work as engineer with AC/DC.10

The band's live album Long Stick Goes Boom: Live from da House of Rust took its title from the lead-off song on this release.

UK-based company Rock Candy Records reissued One Vice at a Time on CD in 2014.

Reception

At the time of release British press has negatively commented on the musical content of the album, condemning the musicians as copycats of AC/DC. Reviewer Dante Bonutto from Kerrang! magazine wrote in March 1982: "Krokus's infatuation with AC/DC seems to rule out even a hint of progress. On the evidence One Vice at a Time (and it's true of previous albums, also) the band are less concerned with creating something new than aping a tried, tested and successful formula. With the help of producer Tony Platt, who engineered on Highway to Hell and Back in Black, Krokus create passable facsimile of Angus and Co's distinctively-layered sound. The motivations behind the music and that all-important AC/DC swagger, however, can't be reproduced, a fact that leaves the album sounding two-dimensional and soulless. Music by numbers (largely) predictable and uninspired".11

Track listing

Side one
  1. "Long Stick Goes Boom" (Chris von Rohr, Fernando von Arb, Marc Storace) – 5:12
  2. "Bad Boys, Rag Dolls" (von Rohr, von Arb, Storace) – 3:48
  3. "Playin' the Outlaw" (von Rohr, von Arb, Freddy Steady, Storace) – 4:00
  4. "To the Top" (von Rohr, von Arb, Storace) – 4:21
Side two
  1. "Down the Drain" (von Rohr, von Arb) – 3:12
  2. "American Woman" (Burton Cummings, Gary Peterson, Michael James Kale, Randy Bachman) – 3:37 (The Guess Who cover)
  3. "I'm on the Run" (von Rohr, von Arb, Storace) – 3:43
  4. "Save Me" (von Rohr, von Arb, Steady, Storace) – 4:27
  5. "Rock 'n' Roll" (von Rohr, von Arb) – 4:07

Personnel

Krokus
Additional musicians
Production
  • Co-produced by Tony Platt and Krokus
  • Engineered by Tony Platt
  • Barry Sage – assistant engineer
  • Chris von Rohr, Fernando von Arb – arrangements

Charts

Sales and certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)18 Gold 25,000^
United States — 100,00019

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

References

  1. Strong, Martin Charles (1995). The Great Rock Discography. Canongate Press. p. 472. ISBN 978-0-86241-541-9.
  2. "New Releases" (PDF). FMQB. 12 March 1982. p. 33. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  3. "Krokus singles".
  4. Strong, Martin Charles (1995). Great Rock discography. Canongate Press. p. 472. ISBN 978-0-86241-541-9.
  5. "Krokus singles".
  6. Henderson, Alex. "Krokus One Vice at a Time review". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
  7. Popoff, Martin (1 November 2005). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 2: The Eighties. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector's Guide Publishing. p. 191. ISBN 978-1-894959-31-5.
  8. Smith, Robin (13 February 1982). "Review: Krokus — One Vice at a Time" (PDF). Record Mirror. p. 15. ISSN 0144-5804. Retrieved 21 April 2021 – via American Radio History.
  9. "KROKUS ONLINE – official homepage – Discography – ONE VICE AT A TIME". Archived from the original on 9 June 2013. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
  10. KROKUS' Metal Rendez-vous, Hardware, One Vice At A Time To Be Reissued in Deluxe Format
  11. Bonutto, Dante (1982). "Review: Krokus — One Vice at a Time". Kerrang!. No. 10. London: Spotlight Publications Inc. p. 22. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
  12. "Dutchcharts.nl – Krokus – One Vice at a Time" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  13. "Offiziellecharts.de – Krokus – One Vice at a Time" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  14. "Swedishcharts.com – Krokus – One Vice at a Time". Hung Medien. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  15. "Official Albums Chart on 21/2/1982 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  16. "Krokus Awards". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Archived from the original on 30 April 2016. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
  17. "Krokus Awards". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Archived from the original on 30 April 2016. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
  18. "Homegrown Krokus Gives Boost to Swiss Industry" (PDF). Billboard. 1 June 1982. p. 54. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  19. "Krokus The Big Boom of '82!" (PDF). Billboard. 29 June 1982. p. 17. Retrieved 30 August 2024.