Great Rock Albums of 1981: Jefferson Starship- Modern Times

When Jefferson Starship released their previous album, "Freedom At Point Zero," Rolling Stone magazine commented that they had become just another heavy metal band. We all know that any one who has heard that album can deduce that the person from Rolling Stone who said it obviously has no understanding what heavy metal is but that's beside the point. In response to that statement, Paul Kantner, wrote back saying, "Fuck You, We Do What We Want." Those words became immortalised on the closing track of this album "Modern Times."

It was a wise thing to let Jefferson Starship do what they wanted for this album follows on nicely from the last one. While not heavy metal, there is a great deal of hard rock on the album to be loved. The first two tracks, "Find Your Way Back" and "The Stranger" were both singles for the band but in no way are either of these songs pop. Probably why the highest they charted was the former of the two, which peaked at 29. "Wild Eyes" is a typical Jefferson Starship rocker and the last track on side one (I only bought cassettes at this time), "Save Your Love," Craig Chaquico demonstrates why I rant on about his guitar playing so much. Side two gives us three shorter in length powerful rockers. The opening riffs of "Mary" have stuck in my mind for over thirty years now the way that familiar riff of "Smoke On the Water" has. The fourth song, "Alien," goes a little more on the progressive side and some say that it's a little way out there. Then comes the closer, "Stairway to Cleveland." "While not a piss take of the Led Zeppelin classic, the reason why Jefferson Starship gave that title to the song was because they thought that Cleveland was the direct opposite of heaven at the time. I knew a few guys from Cleveland back then and they wouldn't debate them on that. The song also makes good digs at politics and some of the institutions of the time as well as Rolling Stone.

One of the hypes behind the release of "Modern Times" was it marked the return of Grace Slick to the band. Not particularly true. She does sing backing vocals on most songs and lead on "Alien" and as a duet with Mickey Thomas on "The Stranger." That's one reason the song is so good. Of course, you can never fault the musicianship of this band on any album and definitely not here. Chaquico shines with his guitar throughout with Paul Kantner laying down the reliable rhythm for him. Pete Sears does his normal keyboard wizardry and Aynsely Dunbar shows why he was considered a brilliant drummer back then.

Grace Slick

Track Listing:

1. Find Your Way Back

2. The Stranger

3. Wild Eyes

4. Save Your Love

5. Modern Times

6. Mary

7. Free

8. Alien

9. Stairway to Cleveland

Jefferson Starship

Mickey Thomas- vocals

Craig Chaquico- lead guitar

Paul Kantner- rhythm guitar, vocals

David Freiberg- piano, organ, synthesiser, bass, vocals

Pete Sears- bass, piano, synthesiser, moog

Aynsley Dunbar- drums, percussion

Grace Slick- vocals

There was one time back in 1981 when I didn't watch Fridays solely to see Melanie Chartof. I watched because Jefferson Starship was appearing on it that night. They were my favourite band back then and the "Modern Times" album reminds me why.

Next post: Jim Steinman- Bad For Good

To buy Rock And Roll Children, go to www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/RockAndRollChildren.html

Also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle and on sale at Foyles Book Shop in London

Great Rock Albums of 1981: Franke and the Knockouts

Franke and the Knockouts were originally going to be placed in my selection of One Hit Wonders for 1981 because all I can remember about them was their one song "You're My Girl" being played on the radio at the time and watching them perform the song on the ABC late night comedy show "Fridays." For those who don't remember "Fridays," it was ABC's attempt to match the very successful "Saturday Night Live" on NBC. It was roughly done in the same format and although it ran for a couple of years, "Fridays" couldn't hold a candle to "Saturday Night Live" even after the departure of all the original greats like Dan Akroyd, John Belushi, Gilda Radner and Bill Murray. One thing I could say I liked about "Fridays" however was Melanie Chartof. She did stir my red blooded maleness and was the main reason I watched the show in the first place.

Melanie Chartof

So you're probably asking, "What's all this got to do with the album by Franke and the Knockouts?" Let me get back on track here. After doing a tiny bit of research, I discovered that they weren't one hit wonders. I never knew it was them who performed "Hungry Eyes" and I can't even blame my naivety on being in the service. Must have been asleep on that one. Still, the debut, self titled album from Franke and the Knockouts is more of a progressive AOR sound that fit right in about that time. The first three tracks give a definite feel that this album is heading down the AOR path. The single "You're My Girl" marks a slight turning point for the songs get a bit more rockier after that. Not a total rock out but you can hear more of the guitar on those songs. That brings me to another point and my obsession for guitarists. From what little I hear from Billy Elworthy on the album, I hear that this is potentially a great guitarist. Unfortunately, he isn't given the time to show what he can really do and that's a bit of a let down for me.

Track Listing:

1. Come Back

2. Sweetheart

3. She's a Runner

4. You're My Girl

5. One For All

6. Tonight

7. Running Into The Night

8. Tell Me Why

9. Annie Goes Hollywood

10 Don't Stop

Franke And The Knockouts

Franke Previte- lead vocals

Billy Elworthy- guitars

Blake Levinsohn- keyboards

Leigh Fox- bass

Claude LeHanaff- drums

Tommy Ayers- synthesiser, organ, backing vocals

I have to confess, I always thought the name Franke and The Knockouts reminded of a doo-wap band from the late 50s or early 60s. These guys are nothing like that. Instead, they bring a good fusion of progressive rock that can be enjoyed and is probably the reason a later hit would be often used in films.

Next post: Jefferson Starship- Modern Times

To buy Rock And Roll Children, go to www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/RockAndRollChildren.html

Also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle and on sale at Foyles Book Shop in London

Great Rock Albums of 1981: The Fools- Heavy Mental

Originally I was fearful that this post was going to be much shorter than usual. Has there ever been an album that you used to listen to many years ago but now a days seems to have vanished from the face of the earth? For me, it was the "Heavy Mental" album by The Fools. This was another album I came across when I was home on leave after six months away. My friend Frank introduced me to it and he used to play it all the time when riding in his car. Therefore, I heard it a lot over two weeks in 1981 and though I haven't heard it again before today, the album has always stuck in my mind. Now that I have heard it again, I regret not buying this album from Frank when he was selling off all of his music collection as a result of him finding Jesus.

This is a brilliant album, kind of heavy metal meets Weird Al Yankovic. BTW, I will be visiting all of his album when they come up down the line. The lyrics of each song are just total parody here. I really like those in the songs "Alibi" and "Lost Number" but each song has a catchy hard rock feel which gets you banging away to it even if you aren't paying attention to the lyrics. Thus it dispels the myth that people who create humorous songs lack music talent. (Never say that around a Zappa fan.) "What I Tell Myself" is proof of this and then there's the cover of Roy Orbison's "Running Scared." It might have been a serious song for Roy, but The Fools add their own little silly touch too it and still make the playing of it sound good. My conclusion is that Christ, I have to get this album for myself. No offense Frank.

Track Listing:

1. Mind Control

2. Dressed in White

3. Around the Block

4. Local Talent

5. Lost Number

6. What I Tell Myself

7. Last Cadillac On Earth

8. Come Home With Me

9. Running Scared

10. Tell Me You Love Me

11. Alibi

The Fools

Doug Forman- bass, lead vocal on Last Cadillac on Earth

Chris Pedrick- drums

Stacey Pedrick- guitar

Richard Bartlett- lead guitar

Michael Girard- lead vocals

Since Christmas has past and my birthday isn't for another five months, I guess I'm going to have to buy this album myself. I know I sound like a tight fisted git but really I'm not. Besides, this album will be worth spending the money on. If you like the combination of hard rock and humorous lyrics, then this is one of the best.

Next post:  Frankie And The Knockouts

To buy Rock and Roll Children, go to www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/RockAndRollChildren.html

Also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle and on sale at Foyles Book Shop in London

Great Rock Albums of 1981: Joan Armatrading- Me, Myself, I

Here's an example of how my mind jumps around too much. I knew when I started 1981 that I wouldn't be able to get everything in regards to my life in perfect chronological order. So in order to talk about "Me, Myself, I" from Joan Armatrading, I have to go back to Rota, Spain. We were granted a night's liberty that night so my friends and I made a made dash to the Enlisted Men's Club and started cracking open the Budweisers about 5:30 that afternoon. Providing the entertainment that night would be an English covers band called The Tender Years, who played some good rock tunes that night. What I remember most is because they were playing to a bunch of US servicemen and women, they put up a large sign that read, "We don't play Freebird." Of course, that didn't stop the crowd from shouting out for it. Anyway, one song they played was the title cut of this album which stuck in my head. Good song, I thought to myself. However, I never did anything about it until later on in the summer when I heard that song played again on the radio and while the female lead singer from The Tender Years sang it well, it wasn't as nearly as good as the original.

Hearing it back then and hearing it again now, I have to disagree with Wikapedia's labelling of the album as "pop." I doubt it would have been considered that back then even though disco was in it's final throes of death. If I put a label, it would have to be soft rock or progressive rock. In some of the songs, "Ma Me Oh Beach" comes to mind here, Joan's Caribbean roots definitely poke their nose above ground and if listened to carefully, some other songs as well. What really grabbed me is the fantastic guitar solos laid down in the title track and in the more bluesy track, "Turn Out the Light." The latter also is best for showcasing her vocal credentials. Then  I also love the electric piano at the intro. Hell, it's the second best song on the album and a good one! "Friends" and "All the Way From America" also stand out on this album for me.

What I know now that I didn't know then was the amazing array of musicians that assist in propelling Joan to her glory. Paul Shaffer from David Letterman fame plays keyboards on the album and Clarence Clemmons from Bruce Springsteen's band does what he does best with the sax. But one further surprise, the drumming chores are carried out by none other than Anton Figg, who has played for KISS and later Ace Frehley. So with an ensemble like that behind her, no wonder this album is so good.

Track Listing:

1. Me, Myself, I

2. Ma Me Oh Beach

3. Friends

4. Is It Tomorrow Yet

5. Turn Out The Light

6. When You Kisses Me

7. All The Way From America

8. Feeling In My Heart For You

9. Simon

10. I Need You

Joan Armatrading

Joan Armatrading- vocals, acoustic guitar

Chris Speddig- guitar

Hiram Bullock- guitar

Ricky Hirsh- guitar

Dan Fedderici- organ

Paul Shaffer- piano

Phillip St John- piano

Tim Sowell- synthesiser

Clarence Clemmons- saxophone

Will Lee- bass

Marcus Miller- bass

Anton Figg- drums

With her great voice and an assembly of masterful musicians, it's no wonder this was the most successful of Joan Armatrading's albums. It can stand along with many of the great rock albums of the time. I'm only surprised it didn't do more to break down racial barriers at the time. Oh yes, back to that night in Rota. I drank enough Buds that I was dancing on the table when The Tender Years played "Smoke On the Water."

Next post: The Fools- Heavy Mental

To buy Rock And Roll Children, go to www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/RockAndRollChildren.html

Also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle and on sale at Foyles Book Shop in London