Night Ranger were joined on stage by Corey Taylor during their recent performance at Rock Fest, delivering a rendition of their 1982 single “Don’t Tell Me You Love Me.”

According to the band's singer and bassist Jack Blades, the collaboration came about in a very organic way.

“(Guitarist) Brad [Gillis] and I had met him a few years ago, with Eddie Trunk on That Metal Show,” Blades explains to UCR. “We were excited to share the stage with him at Rock Fest and I asked him if he wanted to sing the second verse of 'Don’t Tell Me You Love Me'… and if he knew the words.”

To the band’s delight, Taylor was quite familiar with their work. “He said, ‘Hell yeah,’ and out he came and killed it!,” Blades proclaims, describing the Slipknot frontman as “a brilliant songwriter and an amazing talent.” “We are happy to call him our friend.”

Watch footage of Taylor joining Night Ranger in the video below.

Released as the lead single from their debut album Dawn Patrol, “Don’t Tell Me You Love Me” marked the first hit of Night Ranger’s career. The track reached No. 40 on the Billboard Hot 100, while its music video earned heavy rotation on MTV.

“I was just thinking of the idea of how it's really great, and it's really fun, but just don't tell me you love me – let's not go there. Let's just keep it fun and happy and everything like that,” Blades, who penned the track, explained to Songfacts decades later. The tune also appeared on several of Night Ranger’s compilation albums, including 1989’s Greatest Hits.

Night Ranger is currently prepping their 13th studio LP, ATBPO, due out Aug. 6.

Top 100 '80s Rock Albums

UCR takes a chronological look at the 100 best rock albums of the '80s.

More From Classic Rock Q107