Great Rock Albums of 1984: Steve Perry- Street Talk

 

 If I were one of those types of persons who bought or didn't buy an album because of the single, then I wouldn't have bought the first solo album from Journey's singer, Steve Perry, "Street Talk." Now, I'm not saying that "Oh Sherrie" was a rubbish song, it's not. What it is is a rather catchy AOR pop song and it's little wonder that it reached number three on Billboard charts. However, that big single is not typical of the rest of the "Street Talk" album.

"Oh Sherrie" is the opener on the album and that's not a surprise. Like I said, it's not a bad song. On the other hand, if I had anything to say, I would have put the second track, "I Believe" as the opener. This is a funky jam which stretches Steve's voice to its full potential. This is the song that wakes you up and says that you're going to listen to this album and like it. The following track, "Go Away," combines the first two songs. There is that 80s synth influence of "Oh Sherrie" in the back ground but it goes to the funky vibe of "I Believe." The song works and has a decent guitar solo. However, the next track, "Foolish Heart," is a definite ballad, sung in a lounge act style. While, it's not my cup of tea, you can't fault Mr Perry's vocals on it.

There are some rockers on the album as well and that begins with "It's Only Love." Steve shows that he's still the rock singer he was with Journey. There are some good guitars to enjoy on it too. An even better rocker is "You Should Be Happy." This even has a cool guitar lick at the intro and is for sure, a straight ahead rocker. It's definitely in the top two for my favourite track on the album. Love the power chords in the middle of the song. Even though, it starts out like it's going to be another ballad, "She's Mine" turns out to be a quiet little rocker as well. "Running Alone" is a ballad, no questions asked but okay since it turns into a power ballad later in the song. "Captured By the Moment" is a good rocker with a cool guitar solo. However, the song, I've always liked is the closer and third single, "Strung Out." When I first heard it, I thought "This is more me." And it takes the album out on a high.

Track Listing:

1. Oh Sherrie
2. I Believe
3. Go Away
4. Foolish Heart
5. It's Only Love
6. She's Mine
7. You Should Be Happy
8. Running Alone
9. Captured by the Moment
10. Strung Out

Steve Perry

Steve Perry- vocals

Craig Krampf, Larrie Londin- drums, percussion

Bob Glaub, Chuck Domanico, Kevin McCormick, Brian Garofalo- bass

Michael Landau, Waddy Watchel, Craig Hull, Billy Steele- guitars

Steve Goldstein, Sterling Smith, Bill Cuomo, Billy Goodrum, Duane Hitchings, Robert Greenridge- keyboards

Journey might have been taking a break in 1984 but Steve Perry wasn't. "Street Talk" is proof of that. This was a good album for him, whether or not you liked "Oh Sherrie."

Next Post: Dennis De Young- Desert Moon

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Great Rock Albums of 1984: U2- The Unforgettable Fire

 

Unlike the Greg Kihn Band, after their successful 1983 album, "War," followed by a successful live album, U2 didn't vanish into obscurity. Maybe Greg Kihn should have released a live album. That's all hindsight anyway. What is history is the fact that U2 followed up their success with the really cool album, "The Unforgettable Fire."

I don't think I've said this in previous posts about U2 but the one thing their music definitely did was appeal to Metalhead and Duranie alike. For those who don't know, a Duranie is someone who was into Duran Duran and similar type music. Those people listened to U2 and did not feel that they were going too weird in their music tastes while Metalheads could do the same without any feeling of selling out and going mainstream. "The Unforgettable Fire" album continues this trend for the band as both of those groups bought this album up.

Reading the history behind the making of the album, the band has said that they were trying to steer a different direction with it as they didn't want to be labeled as another arena rock band. Let me be totally honest here, I have never heard anything different in the sound of "The Unforgettable Fire" than what they had accomplished with their previous three studio albums. What U2 had been able to do very well with all four of their albums to date was make different sounding songs without having to change their overall style. I have always believed it was a case of more of this with the fourth album.

With "The Unforgettable Fire" the hits come out straight away, probably because I heard the first single, "Pride in the Name of Love" on the radio before I bought the album. History states that the single was released first so that's probably why. Still, it ranks up their among my favourite U2 songs of all time. The second single, "Bad" is the second single released and that stands out as well while at the same time, you know it's a good U2 song. I could never fathom why the title track never charted in North America as it's a really cool track as well. If anything, I would rate it above "Bad." But if you know me by now, albums aren't about the singles on them and there has to be some hidden gem in the album. For me, that track is "Wire." If I had my way, that would have been released as a single. I like the little guitar lick The Edge uses at the beginning before it goes into a good rocking song. In fact, The Edge shows his guitar skills all through the song. Actually, "Indian Summer Sky" is a really good song and that's what you need for a good album.

The other thing which definitely appealed to me back in 1984 was U2's use of politics in their music. This continues with this album, especially as two songs are dedicated to the late Martin Luther King Jr, one of them being the first single. "Bad" was about heroin addiction and the idea for the title track came when the band was visiting the war museum in Hiroshima, Japan. Put these things in with the music on the album and it's no wonder why I liked it so much.

Track Listing:

1. A Sort of Homecoming
2. Pride in the Name of Love
3. Wire
4. The Unforgettable Fire
5. Promenade
6. 4th of July
7. Bad
8. Indian Summer Sky
9. Elvis Presley and America
10. MLK

U2

Bono- lead vocals,

The Edge- guitars, keyboards, backing vocals

Adam Clayton- bass

Larry Mullen Jr- drums

Heavy metal was going strong in 1984, so was U2. This album is clear evidence of that fact.

Next post: Steve Perry- Street Talk

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Great Rock Albums of 1984: Greg Kihn Band- Kihntagious

 

One of the biggest questions I have about 1984 is why did the Greg Kihn Band fade into oblivion in this year? The band was riding high on the wave of their very successful 1983 album, "Kihnspiracy," which, in spite of the album having the ballad hit single "Jeopardy" on it, was a good rocking album. MTV seemed to like them as the video for the first single from the 1984 album, "Kihntagious," "Reunited," got a lot of play. I still think that it is a pretty good song. So I ask why did this band fade away so rapidly?

Could the answer be with "Kihntagious?" The already mentioned single leads off the album and gives it a promising start. Then comes the misleading "Rock," the second single. This was released as a dance track and though there's some good individual spots of musicianship on it, (Greg Douglass does some good lead guitar work on it), the dance vibe does sort of kills it for me. However, that is simply the weakest track on the album. "Stand Together" takes me back to their first album. It's a good rocking track. "Confrontation Music" has a strong reggae vibe which I like quite a bit. Plus, Douglass probably plays his best guitar solo on this one. "Work, Work, Work" is a rocking closer that works on different levels.

Track Listing:

1. Reunited
2. Rock
3. Make Up
4. Stand Together
5. Confrontation Music
6. One Thing About Love
7. Worst That Could Happen
8. Trouble With the Girl
9. Cheri Baby
10. Hard Times
11. Work, Work, Work

Greg Kihn Band

Greg Kihn- vocals, rhythm guitar

Greg Douglass- lead, slide guitars, backing vocals

Larry Lynch- drums, vocals

Steve Wright- bass, backing vocals

Gary Phillips- keyboards

Listening to "Kihntagious," I can't still fathom as to why the Greg Kihn Band slipped into obscurity after. I mean, this isn't a bad album by any stretch of the imagination. I guess the answer is somewhere out there.

Next post: U2- The Unforgettable Fire

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Great Rock Albums of 1984: Jefferson Starship- Nuclear Furniture

 

For me in 1984, Jefferson Starship, being my favourite band in the world since 1977, would come to a cross roads with me in the form of the album "Nuclear Furniture." As previously stated enough times that you're all sick of reading it, my musical tastes were getting much heavier. With "Nuclear Furniture," the band began to shy away from the hard rock of their previous three albums. However, I wasn't going to demote them straight away and there was enough good material on the album to keep them at my number one.

First let us start out with the weak. The first single from the album, "No Way Out" while miles better than the vast majority of synth pop coming out at the time, it lacked the power chords I was now craving. Craig Chaquico does save the song with one of his decent guitar solos. Then again, he does it with many of the songs, even the ones where it's not essential. The other songs that might fall into the same category as "No Way Out" have something else that makes them great, with the possible exception of  "Magician." I was getting more and more politically aware in 1984 and seeking out music that reflected my beliefs. There are some great songs that do this. Two of them are about nuclear destruction, "Champion," one of my favourites and "Showdown." Grace Slick's vocals make the latter song sound that much better. Again, lyrically, "Assassin" is a great song. It might have been better placed in the late 90s as it could be applied to school shootings. The song is about a stranger in the neighbourhood who turns out to be a killer. "Live and Let Live" speaks to me personally, not politically and without going into great personal detail, took a load of withheld anger from me. With the track, "Connection," the song clearly trumpets my theory of what would happen if Jesus and Mohammed had actually met each other. While these songs might not be hard rockers, the lyrics really make you think.

Now for the rockers, "Shining in the Moonlight" is a straight ahead one of those bringing back memories of those previous three albums, "Freedom at Point Zero," "Modern Times" and "Winds of Change." The other two are not only cool rockers in my book but also have political lyrics I like. "Rose Goes to Yale" is a short but powerful rocker that makes a great point while rocking out to it. However, my favourite track on the album has to be "Laying It on the Line." A great intro and even though it is a little synthed in places, I don't mind. A cool guitar solo and to my knowledge, it is the only song anywhere to mention what had happened to my marine buddies in Lebanon some seven months earlier.

"Got US boys on foreign soil,

"Spillin' their blood to keep the peace." 

Track Listing:

1. Laying It On the Line
2. No Way Out
3. Sorry Me, Sorry You
4. Live and Let Live
5. Connection
6. Rose Goes to Yale
7. Magician
8. Assassin
9. Shining in the Moonlight
10. Showdown
11. Champion

Jefferson Starship

Mickey Thomas- vocals

Grace Slick- vocals

Craig Chaquico- lead guitar, backing vocals

Paul Kantner- rhythm guitar, vocals, banjo 

Pete Sears- bass, keyboards

David Freiberg- keyboards, vocals

Donny Baldwin- drums, percussion, backing vocals

Paul Kantner-

In spite of "Nuclear Furniture" being a decent album, Jefferson Starship would cease to be my favourite band in 1984. This was because that Paul Kantner would leave the band shortly after the album's release. Not only that, he would take the Jefferson moniker with him after a lawsuit. Like I said when I posted about Kantner's death last year, it was always his songs on the albums I preferred the most. After he left, the band would morph into Starship and I definitely didn't like what I heard on their next album. I want to like Jefferson Starship as I always have remembered them.

Next post: Greg Kihn Band- Khintagious

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Great Rock Albums of 1984: Tony Carey- Some Tough City

 

Tony Carey was another great artist considered a one hit wonder by the MTV generation of the mid 1980s. In the spring and early summer of 1984, his biggest single, "A Fine Fine Day," tore up the charts and eventually made it to number six or seven. It got tons of airplay on both radio and MTV. However, what these robots failed to understand that Tony had been rocking our world for many years before this. They didn't know about his stint with the great Rainbow or even known that the year before, he had success with his band Planet P. Fortunately, I did and that information led me to procure his 1984 album, "Some Tough City."

If I had been among the ignorant, the second single released from the album might have put me off buying the album. "The First Day of Summer" wasn't bad, although there are much better tracks on "Some Tough City," it's just in the video for the song, he tries too hard to act like Joe Cool Rock Singer and that was a bit off putting. Now don't get me wrong, Tony Carey has a good voice but he's an even better musician as demonstrated on the album where he plays all the instruments. I know I have beaten the word 'underrated' to death on 80sMetalman but the term definitely applies to Tony.

"A Fine Fine Day" is not typical of the album. It's a great song and it won my 1984 award for best non metal song of the year but it's more progressive rock and Tony definitely demonstrates his keyboard skills on it. Most of the rest of the album has more of a hard rock edge to it, even "The First Day of Summer." However, some of the more rockier songs like, "Eddie Goes Underground" and "A Lonely Life" really cook on here. A real paradox on the album is "Reach Out," where it starts out like it's going to be some 80s synth pop song and then really explodes into a rocker. The big surprise on it is the fact that Tony hammers out a decent guitar solo on it. He does the same, actually his guitar work is even better on the more progressive rock sounding "Tinseltown." Let's face it, Tony Carey is a brilliant all round musician and his talent has been ignored for far too long.

Track Listing:

1.  
2. A Fine Fine Day
3. A Lonely Life
4. Eddie Goes Underground
5. The First Day of Summer
6. Reach Out
7. Tinseltown
8. Hungry
9. I Can't Stop the World
10. Some Tough City
11. She Can Bring Me Love


Tony Carey- vocals, keyboards, guitars, bass 

Now my mind is going off to strange worlds from posting about "Some Tough City" by Tony Carey. I wonder if he and Ronnie James Dio ever hooked up again after Rainbow. That would have been mind blowing. It wouldn't have been possible in 1984 because Tony was riding a huge wave of success as a result of the album and its top ten single. As for Ronnie, that will be all explained in a future post.

Jefferson Starship- Nuclear Furniture

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Great Rock Albums of 1984: Queen- The Works

 

Here is a perfect example of why I never buy or not buy an album on account of one song. When the first single from Queen's album, "The Works," came on the radio, my response was "What the hell?" I thought "Radio Ga Ga" was several steps down from what I had loved about Queen throughout my teenage years of the 1970s. The conclusion I was starting to draw was that they were departing from the harder rock music I enjoyed and were selling out to the synth pop of the 1980s. Fortunately, I didn't let one bad song close my mind so I didn't miss the rest of this cool album.

I have always had this sneaking feeling that Queen knew exactly what they were doing. "The Works" might open with the mentioned single which might alienate some of their hardcore fans, therefore, they followed up "Radio Ga Ga" with the hard rocking second track, "Tear It Up." After the first ten seconds of rocking out to that song, you are completely thinking, "Radio Who?" Then if the hard rock of "Tear It Up" isn't enough to grab you, Queen hit you with a very Queen sounding "It's a Hard Life." This song is Queen as they have always been as it follows the script of all the great classics. "Man on the Prowl" is a very likable rockabilly song in the vein of the famous, "Crazy Little Thing Called Love." I love the little piano bit at the end. "Machines (Back to Humans) is a very progressive sounding tune. While there are elements of hard rock, there are some very quirky sounding keyboard sounds on the song, some of them sounding like a robot. Plus there is the famous harmonizing from the band. This is my favourite track on the album because Queen do hear what they have always done best. Incorporate several different musical genres into one song. On my first listen and the many subsequent listens after, by the time my favourite track was at its conclusion, I had totally forgotten "Radio Ga Ga" was even on the album.

Some may argue that "I Want to Break Free" is on the line of that first single. I have to slap down such fools. True, there is a little disco back beat to it but May's guitar is definitely present, especially when he does that solo. Yes, some people might have discoed down to it but I just listen to it. Saying that, it's not the best track on the album, there are so many better ones. The next one in fact, "Keep Passing the Open Windows." This is on the lines of my favourite track, but not quite to the same level. "Keep Passing the Open Windows" is my third favourite track. There's some good Queen elements on here as well. BTW, "Tear It Up" is my second favourite. "Hammer to Fall" is a good rock out and it follows on very nicely. I do like May's guitar solo on it. "The Works" ends on a interesting note. It's a ballad type song, "Is This the World We Created." It's almost an anti- climax to the album but the band makes it work and end the album on a good note.

Track Listing:

1. Radio Ga Ga
2. Tear It Up
3. It's a Hard Life
4. Man on the Prowl
5. Machines (Back to Humans)
6. I Want to Break Free
7. Keep Passing the Open Windows
8. Hammer to Fall
9. Is This the World We Created

[caption id="attachment_906" align="aligncenter" width="233"] Queen[/caption]

Freddie Mercury- lead and backing vocals, piano

Brian May- guitar, backing vocals

John Deacon- bass, rhythm guitar, keyboards, backing vocals

Roger Taylor- drums, keyboards, backing vocals

Thank God, I never let one song on an album influence my decision to purchase it. If that was the case, I would have completely missed out this great album from Queen.

Next post: Tony Carey- Some Tough City

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Great Metal Albums of 1984: AC/DC- 74 Jailbreak

 

Being predictable again! If you have been following me for some time, you have probably already guessed that I am posting about an AC/DC album because tribute band Hell's Bells came to town. They did and unlike my post about the previous two AC/DC albums, I actually went to see them last night. You know, sort of for inspiration but I really don't need any to see Hell's Bells or post about AC/DC's 1984 album, "74 Jailbreak."

[caption id="attachment_3856" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Pity the Foo[/caption]

First the show, Hell's Bells were supported by the Foo Fighters tribute band, Pity the Foo. Now, except for the videos I've seen on the Kerrang channel, I have no experience of the Foo Fighters. But if they are anything like the tribute band on stage, then maybe I should delve into some of their back catalogs. Pity the Foo honoured the band they were tributing on this evening. They were tight and if they weren't playing Foo Fighters material, they could have played anything, even their own material and played it very well. The two Foo Fighters songs I know they played were "Monkey Wrench" and "A Long Road to Ruin" were good examples of how good this band was. When they left the stage, they had accomplished their mission of warming things up for the headliner. Pity not many people bothered to turn up and see them.

[caption id="attachment_3858" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Hell's Bells ascend the stage. God, I wish my hand was steadier.[/caption]

If I went into great details of Hell's Bells performance, then all I would need to do is copy and paste previous posts about them. What I can say is that last night was their best performance ever in the five times I've seen them. Like always, they were note perfect in regards to AC/DC and played an array of AC/DC classics that everyone in the audience will have heard at least their favourites. For me, it was "You Shook Me All Night Long," "Highway to Hell" and they ended with "Whole Lotta Rosie." One thing they did different was play "Ace of Spades" in dedication to Lemmy. When they left the stage at the end of an hour and a half, which flew by too quickly, there wasn't one disappointed person in the room.

Another thing I noted was the huge age range in attendance. I'll be turning 56 next month and I can happily say that I wasn't the oldest person in the room, not by a long shot. However, there were second and third generation AC/DC fans there as well. Many bands who last for over four decades aren't as able to pick up followers from the younger generations. I remember the generation just below me regarding the Rolling Stones as golden oldies. They don't say that about AC/DC.

[caption id="attachment_3859" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Angus's double does his strip act.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_3860" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Hell's Bells taking it home.[/caption]

Unfortunately, Hell's Bells didn't play any songs off the "74 Jailbreak" album. Yes, I know in reality that it's and EP but talk about five grab you by the throat songs. These were tracks that were only previously released in Australia and made available to the rest of the world as part of this EP. My question here is why they waited so long before treating us to them. With the benefit of hindsight, one might have thought that they might have released this in 1980 after Bon Scott's tragic death. After all, his vocals are simply fantastic on the album. "Jailbreak" did feature on the "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" album but it's a good opener. Likewise, "Baby, Please Don't Go" is a good closer. Many an AC/DC album has those so nothing new in that department. However, it's the three songs in the middle that make the album for me. All of them feature some pretty nifty guitar work compliments of Angus Young but my favourite of all is the middle track, the very bluesy sounding "Show Business." Angus just cooks on this one and I now put him on the same shelf as some other great blues guitarists. So my question here is why isn't this album or EP talked about more in AC/DC circles?

Track Listing:

1. Jailbreak
2. You Ain't Got a Hold on Me
3. Show Business
4. Soul Stripper
5. Baby, Please Don't Go

[caption id="attachment_1039" align="aligncenter" width="253"] AC/DC[/caption]

Bon Scott- vocals

Angus Young- lead guitar, backing vocals

Malcolm Young- rhythm guitar, backing vocals

George Young- bass, backing vocals, drums

Rob Bailey- bass

Mark Evans- bass on "Jailbreak"

Phil Rudd- drums, percussion on "Jailbreak"

Tony Currenti- drums, percussion on tracks 2-4

Peter Clack- drums, percussion on "Baby Please Don't Go"

Whenever people talk about AC/DC albums, it seems that "74 Jailbreak" doesn't get mentioned. My guess is it's because it's considered an EP. EP or album, there are five great songs on here and that's more great songs that many other bands have on one entire album. Maybe Hell's Bells will play some songs from it next time they come to town.

Next post: Queen- The Works

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Great Rock Albums of 1984: Duke Jupiter- White Knuckle Ride

 

Duke Jupiter was probably the best hidden gem of 1984. Some may have considered them one hit wonders on account of the fact that the single from the "White Knuckle Ride" album, "Little Lady," got some airplay on MTV and radio. It even got to #68 in the singles charts. It has remained in my mind ever since because I have always thought it was a killer song. The video for "Little Lady" is easily accessible on Youtube and I will boldly declare that it's worth a listen. This song really kicks ass.

Like so many others back then, I thought that Duke Jupiter, (it's a band not a person), were newcomers to the rock scene when in fact, that had been around since 1975. They had a good number of albums before this one and went on tour in support of the likes of Toto, The Outlaws, B.B. King and John Lee Hooker. With a resume like that, it was never a case of if but when their efforts would finally gain notice.

While I never buy an album on account of one song, there was sufficient talk in certain circles that the "White Knuckle Ride" album was worth an investment. Trust me, it was. While it's definitely an AOR album, it is done with the pure craftsmanship of the band. Marshall James Styler does most of the vocals and is quite adept at keyboards. Greg Walker is a very good guitarist and plays some really good solos on most of the songs here. Of course, we can't take anything away from the rhythm section of David Corcoran and Rickey Ellis, they hold the album together with seemingly little effort.

Track Listing:

1. She's So Hot
2. Rescue Me
3. Don't Turn Your Back
4. Top of the Bay
5. Backfire
6. Little Lady
7. A Woman Like You
8. Work It Out
9. Me and Michelle
10.  (I've Got a) Little Black Book

James Marshall Styler- keyboards, vocals

Greg Walker- guitar, vocals

Rickey Ellis- bass

David Corcoran- drums, percussion, vocals

Duke Jupiter came and went and have vanished into musical history. I bet my UK readers have been asking, "Who the hell's he talking about?" Like many American one hit wonders or lesser known bands, they didn't impact in Britain and were considered a flash in the pan in the US. In fact, I regret not giving them a mention in "Rock and Roll Children." In spite of this, I have always remembered them and I will say that if you should listen to the "White Knuckle Ride" album, especially "Little Lady" and you'll see why.

Next post: AC/DC - 74 Jailbreak

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Great Rock Albums of 1984: Roger Waters- The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking

 

Proof how sometimes initial impressions can be misguided. While Pink Floyd have continued on strong since Roger Waters departed the band and it's been said that Roger's career hasn't exactly flourished, (that's a matter for debate), things seemed a lot different in 1984. There was little or no mention of Pink Floyd in this year but Roger Waters delivered a killer solo album in the form of "The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking." Roger hadn't left the band yet and it turns out that way back in the late 1970s, he brought the concept for this album to the band along with that for "The Wall." He told them the band would make the one and the other concept he would do as a solo album. History can tell you which concept was chosen by the band leaving "The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking" for Roger to do as a solo album.

The similarities between the two albums come through immediately. Like "The Wall" and even "Dark Side of the Moon" the songs sometimes blend together where you have to listen very carefully or at least have the album cover with you so you can pinpoint where one track ends and the next one begins. Then again, like many a Pink Floyd album, this album can be best appreciated whilst mellowed out in a room and smoking things. It joins a great line of albums to space out to. Also like Pink Floyd's famous album, it tells a story. The concept is about the thoughts of a man who is driving through California and how he would like to commit adultery with the female hitchhiker he picks up. It's an interesting theme set to the music.

One thing that I noticed the very first time I ever listened to the album was that the guitarist can really wail. Teach me to read the credits before putting an album on because that was an absolute no brainer. The guitarist was Eric Clapton and he does what he always does with the guitar. There are some really cool solos throughout the album, I really like the one he lays down on "Sexual Revolution" but his presence his felt very strongly all through the album. Roger definitely achieved a major coup by having Eric play on the album but he orchestrates other instruments very effectively too. The horns and the backing vocals are prime examples.

Since it was hearing the title track on the radio that alerted me to the album, that has always been my favourite track on it. Clapton plays a killer solo on it as well and all the other elements I've previously discussed are there too. Saying that, the way the album is laid out, it is easy for such a song to stand out although I do like the near seven minute "Go Fishing." After listening to the "Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking" after so many years, I'm as excited about it now as I was then.

Track Listing:

1. Apparently They Were Travelling Abroad
2. Running Shoes
3. Arabs With Knives and West German Skies
4. For the First Time Today Part 2
5. Sexual Revolution
6. The Remains of Our Love
7. Go Fishing
8. For the First Time Today Part 1
9. Dunroamin, Duncarin, Dunlivin
10. The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking
11. Every Stranger's Eyes
12. The Moment of Clarity

[caption id="attachment_3846" align="aligncenter" width="245"] Roger Waters[/caption]

Roger Waters- bass, lead vocals, rhythm guitar

Eric Clapton- lead guitar

Ray Cooper- percussion

Andy Newmark- drums, percussion

David Sanbourn- saxophone

Michael Kamen- piano

Andy Brown- organ, 12 string guitar

Madeline Bell, Katie Kissoon, Doreen Chanter- backing vocals

Raphael Ravenscroft, Kevin Flanagan, Vic Sullivan- horns

When Roger Waters did leave Pink Floyd in 1985, I wasn't worried that we had seen the last of him. After all, he had put out a great solo album a year earlier. While not different from the material he did with the band, it's still a great one to enjoy.

Next post: Duke Jupiter- White Knuckle Ride

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Great Rock Albums of 1984: Rod Stewart- Camouflage

 

Rod Stewart has always been a top forty artist in my book. He's had a string of hits over the past four decades, some of them I actually liked, especially during the 1970s and 80s. I confessed to this fact when I visited his 1982 "Tonight I'm Yours" album some time ago. One of those singles I like happened to be the single, "Infatuation," from the 1984 album, "Camouflage." The song does venture  towards the new wave/hard rock borderland and even more so with the guitar solo by Jeff Beck. That brings me to the video for the song. Rod continues his string of cheesy videos that started with "Young Turks" where everyone is dancing on the hoods of cars and carries on with "Infatuation. In this video, Jeff Beck pops up in the hotel room from out of nowhere to play his solo. I understand that Mike LeBrain has had the same problem. Whenever he stays in a hotel room, Jeff Beck shows up. To quote a title from another song on "Camouflage," some guys have all the luck.

After the opener, "Infatuation," things go downhill pretty fast. While, I applaud Rod Stewart for a decent single at first, with the next track, I'm ready to place a bounty on his head for his act of sacrilege. He covers the Free classic "All Right Now" and it is a totally synthed out version. If he had kept to the script set down by Free, his voice would have carried the song but with all the synthesizers, I have to say, "No Rod!" But that's not the only cover he has destroyed. On track four, he sings a cover of the Todd Rungren classic, "Can We Still Be Friends." Like "All Right Now" there's nothing wrong with his voice on the song but again, the synthesizers ruin it for me. While this sacrilege isn't as bad, it's still bad enough that even Jeff Beck's guitar solo can't save it.

Jeff does improve things with a solo on the track after, "Bad For You." This one is more in line with the opener and sounds quite good. "Heart is On the Line" is one of those pop sounding songs that isn't bad but it's not one I want to listen to over and over. "The title track is much more sharper. Rod's voice takes control of it and therefore the synths that appear on it are only in the background. Plus there's a good use of horns adding a bit of diversity. Had Jeff belted out a solo on it, it might have been my favourite track. The closer, "Trouble" typifies how unbalanced "Camouflage" is. The keyboard intro makes you feel it's going to be a cool prog rock song only to fade away into a ballad. Now, Rod has always been able to sing a good ballad and does so here but the intro leaves me disappointed with the rest of the song.

Track Listing:

1. Infatuation
2. All Right Now
3. Some Guys Have All the Luck
4. Can We Still Be Friends
5. Bad For You
6. Heart is On the Line
7. Camouflage
8. Trouble

[caption id="attachment_2485" align="aligncenter" width="259"] Rod Stewart[/caption]

Rod Stewart- vocals

Jeff Beck- guitar

Jim Cregan- guitar

Robin LeMesurier- guitar

Michael Landau- guitar

Jay Davis- bass

Tony Brock- drums

Kevin Savigar- keyboards

Michael Omartian- keyboards, percussion, backing vocals

Jimmy Zavala- harmonica

Gary Herbig- saxophone

Jerry Hey, Chuck Finley, Kim Hutchcroft, Charlie Loper, Gary Grant- horns

Was "Camouflage" great? I tend not to think so, however, it could have been so if there weren't so many synth versions of classic rock songs. The songs that are good are but others let the album down. It seems here, he was comfortable being a top forty singer.

Next post: Roger Waters- The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking

To buy Rock And Roll Children,

Great Rock Albums or 1984: Rush- Grace Under Pressure

 

Nearly everyone and their sibling says that the "Grace Under Pressure" album was the beginning of Rush's synthesizer period. In reality, the band had started to go in that direction with their previous album, "Signals." What was popularly believed at the time was that as a result of my favourite Rush album, "Moving Pictures," some misguided persons heard songs like "Tom Sawyer" and "Limelight" and called Rush a heavy metal band. Therefore, in reaction to that, they went for the more synthesizer sound to squash the stereotype. At first I believed it but now in my old age, I don't really care if it was true at the time or not. I just like the album.

While Rush are not heavy metal, it doesn't stop many metalheads like myself from liking them, a lot. In the opening pages of "Rock And Roll Children," the main characters play "Grace Under Pressure" to mellow out a bit after an evening of heavy metal records. I have to admit, when I heard the first single, "Distant Early Warning," I wasn't too sure about them. Maybe they had sold out and gone commercial. I guess in my naivety, I expected them to continue in the same vein as my favourite Rush album. But believe me, "Grace Under Pressure" was no sell out and it was many levels above some of the other synthesizer music that was manifesting at the time.

What Rush did with "Grace Under Pressure" was take the emerging synth sound and made it into something of their own. I've said a number of times that all three members are talented musicians and together, they can create some fantastic music which all will enjoy no matter what camp you're in. For me, sure I was slightly disappointed at first that the guitar takes a back seat on the album, but it doesn't go away completely. You can clearly hear Liefson's licks laying down the foundation along with Peart's beat in support of Lee's keyboard skills and vocals. I have always stated that Lee has been underrated as a keyboards player. As for Alex, he does nail solos on "The Body Electric"  and the closer, "Between the Wheels," and I do like his intro on "The Enemy Within." That has to be my favourite track on the album. Now, I won't break down the album into individual songs because they all are good on their own and all compliment each other and that makes a good album.

Track Listing:

1. Distant Early Warning
2. Afterimage
3. Red Sector A
4. The Enemy Within
5. The Body Electric
6. Kid Gloves
7. Red Lenses
8. Between the Wheels

[caption id="attachment_552" align="aligncenter" width="264"] Rush[/caption]

Geddy Lee- vocals, synthesizers, bass

Alex Liefson- guitars

Neil Peart- drums, percussion

I think that "Grace Under Pressure" achieves what Rick, Frankie, Jeff and Bob were going for in "Rock and Roll Children." They were looking something to just kick back and listen to. The album allows you to do that because that's when you begin to hear and appreciate all the small intricacies contained there in and that's when you know how good it is.

Next post: Rod Stewart- Camouflage

To buy Rock And Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com 

Great Rock Albums of 1984: Peter Wolf- Lights Out

  

It's funny how sometimes when a singer leaves a band, both that singer and the band, with their new singer, put out an album around the same time. Is it coincidence? Rivalry? Answers on a post card please. I guess we'll never know. All I know is that in 1984, after singer Peter Wolf left the J Geils band, the band released the album I visited in the last post and Peter Wolf came out with his debut solo album, "Lights Out," at the same time.

Listening to the opener, title cut and biggest single from the album, I am reminded why I probably stayed away from the album. The video for "Lights Out" got a fair amount of play on MTV at the time but it also got played a lot in dance clubs although that song was better than most of the stuff played in such places. That song never did anything for me and it still doesn't.

Fortunately, there are far better songs on "Lights Out." The very next track, "I Need You Tonight" has a more traditional J Geils Band sound and the succeeding track is a little of the same. Then there is the rather spooky sounding ballad, "Gloomy Sunday," which has a 1940s feel to it. It does show that Peter's voice has some versatility to it. A better single for me would have been "Baby Please Don't Let Me Go." This has a more catchy commercial vibe to it and I bet you could dance to it if you're into such things.

One big question that arises from the album is: Was Peter Wolf in a competition with Randy Newman as to who could get the most big names to accompany on their album? You only need to see the list of people on this album to discover what I mean. Heck, he even gets Mick Jagger to duet with him on the track "Crazy" and it sounds good. Possibly my favourite track on the album. I don't know who of the many guitarists on the album does the guitar solo but it's well done. My guess is that it's Adrian Belew but don't quote me on that. It could be The Cars guitarist Elliot Easton but to me, it doesn't sound like his style, I could be wrong and usually am.

Track Listing:

1. Lights Out
2. I Need You Tonight
3. Oo Ee Diddley Bop
4. Gloomy Sunday
5. Baby Please Don't Let Me Go
6. Crazy
7. Poor Girls Heart
8. Here Comes That Hurt Again
9. Pretty Lady
10. Mars Needs Women
11. Billy Bigtime

[caption id="attachment_3834" align="aligncenter" width="188"] Peter Wolf[/caption]

Peter Wolf- conga, vocals

Robin Beck- vocals

Mick Jagger- vocals

Adrian Belew- guitar

Peter Bliss- guitar, backing vocals

Tony 'Rocks' Cowan- guitar

Alan Dawson- percussion

Elliot Easton- guitar

Eddie Gorodetsky- vocals, narration

Yogi Horton- percussion

Michael Jozun- bass, flute, guitar, percussion, horns, keyboards, backing vocals

Will Lee- bass, vocals

Leon Mobley- conga, conductor

P-Funk Horns- horn section

Rick Peppers- guitar

Randy Ross- guitar

G E Smith- guitar

Maurice Starr- bass, guitar, vocals

Ed Stasium- guitar, percussion

Rusty the Toejammer- scratches

Gordon Worthy- bass, conga, keyboards, vocals

I think that the theme of Peter Wolf's "Lights Out" album is versatility. No two songs are the same yet at the same time, the album seems to flow. Whether its the more commercial sound of "Poor Girls Heart" to the humourous "Mars Needs Women" to the more blues funk closer "Billy Bigtime" there's something here that everyone will like.

Next post: Rush- Grace Under Pressure

To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at:tobychainsaw@hotmail.com 

Great Rock Albums of 1984: J. Geils Band- You're Gettin' Even While I'm Gettin' Odd

 

Back when I posted about the J Geils Band's "Freeze Frame" album, I mentioned that in the UK, the band have always been considered one hit wonders in the UK, "Centerfold" being that one hit. I still find that hard to fathom. Anyway, the video for said hit featured on a UK music station during a segment called "One Hit Wonders Weekend." While showing the video, someone thought it would be clever to have an arrow pointing out lead singer, Peter Wolf, with the caption, "This is not J Geils." A few seconds later, the same arrow pointed to the guitar player with the caption, "This is J Geils." It's funny how the death of someone can make you remember things like that about them. What it also did was help me remember that the band put out an album in 1984, otherwise it would have passed me by.

Why I never bought "You're Gettin' Even While I'm Gettin' Odd" is a mystery even to me. Could it be the fact that the album never produced a major hit? The only single, "Concealed Weapons," only made it to 63 in the charts. No, that never stopped me nor the fact that Peter Wolf had left the band before its release. Now that I remember, I think he had a solo album in this year. Was it because I had become fully absorbed in metal by then? No, because I have always kept an ear out for all music I might like. So, I'm afraid I can't answer the question.

Thanks to Youtube, I have been able to listen to the album and ask myself again why I didn't buy it. It's a pretty good album, different from what the J Geils band had put out in the past and certainly not heavy metal. I did keep my promise to check out some of the band's pre "Love Stinks" material. "You're Gettin' Even While I'm Gettin' Odd" is a fusion of jazz and new wave. There is a heavy use of horns on the album and while I'm usually wary of horns in rock, it works very well on the album. However, there is some very interesting sounds with the keyboards that make it sound new wave. I call as evidence, the track "Wasted Youth" and the cool intro to "Heavy Petting." Yet even there, the horns come in making the marriage of the two genres a sweet one. "Heavy Petting" is one of the stand out tracks for me but the one which stands out the most is "Californicatin.'" They should have released that one as the single, it might have done better in the charts. Then again, "Concealed Weapons" does remind me a little of the Dead Kennedys. I like the faster pace with the song with the short sharp horns and background vocals. The only J Geils guitar solo appears on "The Bite From Inside" which saves a lackluster song.

Track Listing:

1. Concealed Weapons
2. Heavy Petting
3. Wasted Youth
4. Eenie, Meenie, Minie, Moe
5. Tell' Em Jonesy
6. You're Gettin' Even While I'm Gettin' Odd
7. The Bite From Inside
8. Californicatin'
9. I Will Carry You Home

[caption id="attachment_1726" align="aligncenter" width="300"] The J Geils Band[/caption]

Note: I couldn't find a picture of the band without Peter Wolf in it so I used this one

Seth Justman- keyboards, vocals

J Geils- guitar

Magic Dick- harmonica

Danny Klein- bass

Stephen Bladd- drums

"You're Gettin' Even While I'm Gettin' Odd" was the last album from the J Geils Band. Maybe the departure from their traditional sound was too different for the average listener or that Seth Justman lacked the charisma of Peter Wolf. It's hard to say but I've heard a lot of last albums from bands that weren't as good as this one.

Next post: Peter Wolf- Lights Out (It seems he did have an album out in 1984)

To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com 

Great Rock Albums of 1984: The Cars- Heartbeat City

 

Way back in the early days, when I posted about The Cars' 1978 self titled debut album, Stone from Metalodyssey commented that The Cars were ahead of their time. I totally agree with this and will add to it by stating that they continued to be ahead of their time with their albums from the early 1980s. However, by 1984 time had caught up with them and what they were doing wasn't so advanced. It seemed that many bands were influenced by them and were copying what they were doing. But no matter what other bands were trying to do, there will only be one band called The Cars and to paraphrase a quote at the time by former WWE manager, Lou Albano, they were "often imitated but never duplicated." Proof in the pudding is their 1984 album, "Heartbeat City."

[caption id="attachment_3824" align="aligncenter" width="300"] 'Captain' Lou Albano[/caption]

What is so great about this album is while others may have been trying to copy The Cars, they didn't do anything different from what they had done before. Yet, "Heartbeat City" still manages to sound fresh. Some will point to the biggest hit from the album, "Drive" and say that they did change. A few misguided individuals, who know not this band, have labelled them one hit wonders, WTF? My rebuttal comes with my favourite track on the album, "You Might Think" which was also a top ten hit for the band. For me to like a song that makes it into the top ten singles chart is saying something.

"Heartbeat City" is another successful marriage of hard rock and more synthesizer oriented sounds of the early 1980s performed by the band. A great example is the hidden gem that is "Stranger Eyes." That is a song which is a foundation for the union I have just described. Then there are other tracks, some of them were even released as singles like "Magic" and "It's Not the Night." I do love Greg Hawkes keyboard work on the latter of the two although the I like the more hard rock on the former. Am I being wishy washy? Most probably but when an album can be so diversified and still catch and hold my attention, then it must be said that The Cars did something very right on this album.

Track Listing:

1. Hello Again
2. It's Not the Night
3. Magic
4. Drive
5. Stranger Eyes
6. You Might Think
7. I's Not the Night
8. Why Can't I Have You
9. I Refuse
10. Heartbeat City

[caption id="attachment_834" align="aligncenter" width="334"] The Cars[/caption]

Ric Ocasek- rhythm guitar, lead and backing vocals

Ben Orr- bass, backing vocals, lead vocals on tracks 4, 5 and 7

Elliot Easton- lead guitar, backing vocals

Greg Hawkes- keyboards, backing vocals

David Robinson- drums, percussion

Time might have caught up with The Cars but that didn't stop them from doing what they did best and putting out a great album in "Heartbeat City." Some have said that this was their best album, though I've always been partial to their first. However, I wouldn't enter into any debate about it.

Next post: J Geils Band- You're Gettin' Even While I'm Gettin' Odd

To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com 

Great Rock Albums of 1984: Randy Newman- Trouble in Paradise

 

Forget Toy Story, forget his controversial 1977 hit, "Short People," my favourite Randy Newman song has always been "I Love LA," which is the opening track on his album "Trouble in Paradise." Released in 1983, this album didn't come to my attention til the following year, courtesy of MTV, which is why I'm posting it here.

Alert, "Trouble in Paradise" is not an album for hardcore metalheads. Randy has always been a piano player and a very good one to say the least. His chops can be heard all throughout the album. However, there is one guitar solo on it. It appears on the track, "The Blues," and is played by Steve Lukather of Toto fame. An additional bonus to this song is that he duets with Paul Simon on it and both do a fine job.

Many of Randy Newman's songs have an air of humour about them. With this album, "Same Girl" and "My Life is Good" are good, funny tracks and I have always been tickled by some of the lyrics in "Miami." "Miami, Blue day, best dope in the world and it's free." However, he has a serious side. To my knowledge, the track "Christmas in Capetown" was the first song to talk about the Apartheid in South Africa. He deserves full kudos for that. "Real Emotional Girl" is more of a serious ballad as well.

Many guest artists appear on "Trouble in Paradise" including the two who appear on the track, "The Blues." Of all the tracks, I do love the backing  vocals from Jennifer Warnes, Wendy Waldman and Linda Ronstadt on "I'm Different." For me, while Randy is his normal self on the song, it's the backing vocals from these three ladies who really make this song shine for me. Definitely the second best track on the album.

Track Listing:

1. I Love LA
2. Christmas in Capetown
3. The Blues
4. Same Girl
5. Mikey's
6. My Life is Good
7. Miami
8. Real Emotional Girl
9. Take Me Back
10. There's a Party at My House
11. I'm Different
12. Song for the Dead

[caption id="attachment_3816" align="aligncenter" width="267"] Randy Newman[/caption]

Randy Newman- vocals, piano

Steve Lukather- guitar

Jennifer Warnes- vocals

Don Henley- vocals

Larry Williams- horns

Steve Madalo- horns

Jon Smith- horns

Ralph Grierson- piano

Neil Larson- piano

David Paich- keyboards

Michael Boddicker- keyboards

Nathan East- bass

Jeff Porcaro- drums

Larry Castro- percussion

Paulinho Da Costa- percussion

Christine McVie- backing vocals

Wendy Waldman- backing vocals

Lindsey Buckingham- backing vocals

Bob Seger- backing vocals

Linda Rondstadt- backing vocals

Rickie Lee Jones- backing vocals

Paul Simon- vocals on "The Blues"

Waddy Watchell- guitar

I won't say that "Trouble in Paradise" is a great album to mellow out to but it does have its moments there. While Randy Newman is not as zany as Weird Al Yankovic, there is a good deal of humour if you listen for it. It's a good album just to sit back and enjoy.

Next post; The Cars- Heartbeat City

To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com 

Great Rock Albums of 1984: Weird Al Yankovic- In 3D

 

Michael Jackson did two things in 1984 which rose him up a few points in my estimation, both of which were linked to his top selling song, "Beat It." First, when accepting a Grammy for the song, he had the decency to include Eddie Van Halen in his list of thank yous. After all, it was Eddie's guitar solo on the song the reason why metalheads, bought the single. The other act was to allow Weird Al Yankovic to record a parody of "Beat It" called "Eat It." That would be Weird Al's best known single and even charted in the UK and it helped his 1984 album, "In 3D" become his biggest album. In fact, he was allowed to use many of the same dancers Michael Jackson used in the "Beat It" video for "Eat It."

Weird Al Yankovic has always been known for his parodies of other great songs and there are plenty of those on "In 3D." His second single from the album, "I Lost on Jeopardy" is a parody of the Greg Kihn Band's 1983 hit, "Jeopardy" as well as making fun of the TV game show of the same name. I do wonder how many people went on game shows and looked stupid on national television. Greg Kihn makes an appearance in the video for this song. "King of Suede" parodies the classic from The Police, "King of Pain" and is about a clothing store owner. "Rocky XIII" is a funny parody of Survivor's hit from the film "Rocky III" "Eye of the Tiger" about how Rocky Balboa gives up boxing to be delicatessen owner. I love the lyrics: "It's the rye or the kaiser, it's the thrill of one bite." A lesser known track but one of my favourite is "The Brady Bunch," a parody of the Men Without Hats's only hit, "Safety Dance." It is believed that from the lyrics, Weird Al didn't care too much for the 1970s American sit com his song is named after.

It's not just famous songs that come under the comic roast of Weird Al. He parodies other subjects as well. The second track, "Midnight Star" takes the rip out of grocery store tabloids. However, some of the headlines he mentions for his tabloid, "Midnight Star" aren't too far fetched in the real ones. I do remember headlines like, "They're Keeping Hitler's Brain Inside a Jar," "Aliens From Outer Space are Sleeping in My Car" and "The Ghost of Elvis is Living in My Den." Another of my favourites is "That Boy Could Dance" which is about a nerdy geeky loser who is a great dancer, so all his shortcomings are overlooked. Trust me, the song is much funnier that my attempt to explain it here. Then there is the Bob Marley influenced reggae track, "Buy Me a Condo" which is about a Jamaican boy who wants to come to America and live a middle class existence. Even my least favourite track on the album, Mr Popeil is funny. Probably because I remember all the Popeil adverts for things like the Ginsu Knife and the Pocket Fisherman.

In 1981, there were two singles called "Stars on 45" and "Stars on 45 II." The former took Beatles' songs and made a medley out of it. The latter did the same with Beach Boys songs. So what Weird Al did was to take classic rock songs and make a medley out of those but instead, set to polka music. Some great rock classics like "Smoke on the Water" and Jimi Hendrix's "Hey Joe" get the polka treatment.

When I bought this album and saw the track listing, I thought the closer, "Nature Trail to Hell," might be a parody of the AC/DC classic, "Highway to Hell." Instead, it lambastes blood and gore horror films. "Nature Trail to Hell" to quote the song, is about "A homicidal maniac who finds a cub scout troop and hacks up two or three in every scene." This was particularly relevant at the time because "Friday the 13th Part 4" was in the cinema then. You know, the one advertised as the film where Jason meets his grisly end. Well done by Al, it makes a fantastic closer.

Track Listing:

1. Eat It
2. Midnight Star
3. The Brady Bunch
4. Buy Me a Condo
5. I Lost on Jeopardy
6. Polkas on 45
7. Mr Popeil
8. King of Suede
9. That Boy Could Dance
10. Rocky XIII
11. Nature Trail to Hell

[caption id="attachment_3006" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Weird Al Yankovic[/caption]

Weird Al Yankovic- vocals, synthesizer, accordion, piano

Jim West- guitar

Steve Jay- bass, banjo, talking drums

John 'Bermuda' Schwartz- drums, percussion

Rick Derringer- guitar, mandolin

Weird Al Yankovic hit the big time 1984 with this album, "In 3D." I dare anyone to listen to this album and not laugh their heads off at least one song. For me, it's nearly all of them. Anyone who doesn't find any part of this album funny, then they have no sense of humour.

Next post: Randy Newman- Trouble in Paradise

To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com 

Great Rock Albums of 1984: The Go Gos- Talk Show

 

Cause and effect here: From what I remember, the third album from The Go Go's received hardly any radio airplay although the first single, "Head Over Heels" got a decent video play on MTV. That is the effect, the cause was because I think "Talk Show" is the best of their three albums in the early 1980s. They had matured as a band by this album and while the music is still in the pop-rock, new wave vein, their playing had really improved and why it's my favourite Go Go's album.

Of all five ladies who comprised the band, the one whose musicianship really struck me was that of lead guitarist Charlotte Caffey. I'll be the first to admit that she doesn't hold a candle to Girlschool's Kelly Johnson in the female lead guitarist sweepstakes, she does some okay solos on the tracks. "Turn to You," "Beneath the Blue Sky" and "You Thought." She also plays keyboards and her best efforts if probably on "Head Over Heels." Fair play, Caffey is a very underrated musician for sure. Speaking about underrated, I think that drummer Gina Schock is much better drummer than what she's given credit for. All drummers reading this are welcome to comment here.

Actually, I think "Talk Show" is heavier than their previous albums, "Beauty and the Beat" and "Vacation." The songs I mentioned in the previous paragraph are all fairly hard. Not metal but they are hard enough to be a step up, "Turn to You" especially. "I'm the Only One" is even harder though. It almost explodes onto you at the beginning and that is kept up throughout the song making it the hardest rock song on the album. Plus, it has Caffey's best guitar solo. Okay, it's my favourite track on the album. "Capture the Light" is pretty good as well and "Mercenary" is a cool closer that gives further support to my feelings in Gina Schock's drumming.

Track Listing:

1. Head Over Heels
2. Turn to You
3. You Thought
4. Beneath the Blue Sky
5. Forget That Day
6. I'm the Only One
7. Yes or No
8. Capture the Light
9. I'm With You
10. Mercenary

[caption id="attachment_2299" align="aligncenter" width="401"] The Go Go's[/caption]

Belinda Carlisle- lead vocals

Charlotte Caffey- lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals

Jane Wiedlin- rhythm guitar, backing vocals

Kathy Valentine- bass, backing vocals

Gina Schock- drums, percussion, backing vocals

It is possible that "Talk Show" being my favourite Go Go's album was why they broke up after it. I hope it's not the case but after 1984, the Go Go's would be no more. Lead singer, Belinda Carlisle would have a successful solo career towards the end of the decade, (I'll cover those albums in due time) and Jane Wiedlin would have a couple of hits but for me, she'll always be Joan of Arc in "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure." Still, the end of the road for a band that was just discovering how good they could be.

Next post: A Poll

To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com 

Great Rock Albums of 1984: The Pretenders- Learning to Crawl

 

Normally, I tend to go off artists who have too many commercial radio hits, especially if they altered their sound in order to gain that commercial airplay. Fortunately, I can't say the same for The Pretenders with their album, "Learning to Crawl." There are a good number of songs on this album which I remember getting a good amount of play on radio and more so on MTV. Some even breached the Top 40! Do you know what the best part is? The Pretenders made little or no change to their sound. They simply did what they did so well on their first two albums and in my not so humble opinion, they did it better on "Learning to Crawl."

Let's start with the songs we do know. "Middle of the Road" was the first single I remember hearing when the album was released in January, 1984. At this stage in my life, I was becoming very politically aware and found myself seeking out music with political overtones. While The Pretenders aren't really a politically motivated band, the lyrics of "Middle of the Road" did get my attention. Also the fact that it's a good straight forward rocker and very worthy to be the opener.

Although it was released as a single in 1982, (see my posts on one hit wonders of 1982), "Back on the Chain Gang" was included on the album. Even more reason for me to like it and what's more, they didn't change the song for the album. It's still my all time favourite Pretenders song of all time. I was surprised to see that the ballad like, "Thin Line Between Love and Hate" only reached 83 on the US charts. I did remember hearing it a lot at the time and it often gets used in romantic films.

One song that I can identify with more and more theses days is "My City Was Gone." On this song, Chissie Hynde laments how her home town of Akron, Ohio has changed beyond recognition. I can feel for her on this one. Since I've been living in the UK, every time I return to New Jersey for a visit, I see that it has changed. At first, it was just less woodland and like in the song, more shopping malls. However, the arrow through my heart happened in 2001 when I went to my childhood stomping ground of Wildwood. All my favourite amusements, especially the walk through pirate ship, were gone and replaced by go-cart tracks. It was then I realized my childhood had died. During the same visit, I discovered the woods I used to build forts in, (that's dens for my UK readers), was bulldozed down for new housing. So Chrissie, I can feel for you on that song.

Now for the non hits. I say non hits but there is a definite, I heard this before feel whenever I listen to "Time the Avenger" and "Show Me." I'm talking about those songs themselves, I can't remember hearing either one anywhere else but the album but they give me the feeling otherwise. The band goes a little country with "Thumbelina." I was used to frequent a bar that had live country music back then because it was staggering distance from my house and that song wouldn't have been out of place if had been played there. "I Hurt You" is a solid song and the closer, "2000 Miles," does get some airplay around Christmas time.

Track Listing:

1. Middle of the Road
2. Back on the Chain Gang
3. Time the Avenger
4. Watching the Clothes
5. Show Me
6. Thumbelina
7. My City Was Gone
8. Thin Line Between Love and Hate
9. I Hurt You
10. 2000 Miles

[caption id="attachment_3795" align="aligncenter" width="295"] The Pretenders[/caption]

Chrissie Hynde- lead vocals, rhythm guitar, harmonica

Robbie McIntosh- lead guitar, backing vocals

Malcolm Foster- bass, backing vocals

Martin Chambers- drums, percussion, backing vocals

Additional Musicians

Billy Bremner- lead guitar on "Back on the Chain Gang" and "My City was Gone," rhythm guitar on "Thin Line Between Love and Hate"

Tony Butler- bass on "Back on the Chain Gang" and "My City Was Gone

• Andrew Bodnar- bass on "Thin Line Between Love and Hate"

Paul Carrack- piano, backing vocals on "Thin Line Between Love and Hate"

Three weeks into 1984 and things were starting off very well musically for this year. The "Learning to Crawl" album from The Pretenders was part of that.

Next post: The Go Gos- Talk Show

To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com

Great Rock Albums of 1984: The Alarm- Declaration

 

In very early months of 1984, when MTV was still playing lots of good music, one song definitely caught my attention. It wasn't metal, not even hard rock. If I were to categorize it, something I don't like doing, I would say it was post punk or new wave. Categories and labels a side, what I knew for sure was that I really liked the song "Sixty Eight Guns" by the Alarm. This song was a true anthem for me at the time and I still find myself singing it after all these years. The guitars were hard enough for my tastes but the way the chorus was belted out totally blew me away.

"Sixty Eight guns will never die

Sixty Eight guns our battle cry."

As I've said many times, I will not buy an album on account of one song so you have to know that the rest of the album kicks just as much ass as the feature song. Most of the first half of "The Declaration" are straight ahead new wave rockers and really cook. I do detect a little Irish folk influence in the track "Where Were You Hiding When the Storm Broke." Then again, when doing further research on the band, I discovered they were Welsh, so I'm not surprised at this. "We Are the Light" is an acoustic track but even that doesn't limit the powerful vocals of lead singer Mike Peters. For years, I have underestimated his vocal ability, I'll never do that again.

"Shout to the Devil" is not a Motley Crue cover but very intelligently combines the acoustic flavour of the previous track and the more powerful sounds of the previous songs. Again, it's very catchy. "Blaze of Glory" is also a good anthem like "Sixty Eight Guns" and like that song, I found myself wanting to sing along to the chorus. Only the lyrics aren't quite as straight forward as "68 Guns." I can at least sing the first part over and over, "Going out in a blaze of glory." I do like how they use the horns on it. "The Deceiver" has an eerie introduction before going into a fast acoustic track with some good harmonica played on it. In fact the second side, isn't quite as hard rock as the first but that doesn't diminish the quality of "The Declaration" in the slightest.

Track Listing:

1. Declaration
2. Marching On
3. Where Were You Hiding When the Storm Broke
4. Third Light
5. Sixty Eight Guns
6. We Are the Light
7. Shout to the Devil
8. Blaze of Glory
9. Tell Me
10. The Deceiver
11. The Stand
12. Howling Wind

[caption id="attachment_3790" align="aligncenter" width="354"] The Alarm[/caption]

Mike Peters- vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonica

Dave Sharp- acoustic and electric guitars, backing vocals

Eddie MacDonald- bass, guitar, backing vocals

Twist- drums, percussion, backing vocals

When I listen to "The Declaration" I wonder why The Alarm didn't get more commercial success. Some misguided people did say that they were too much like U2 but I never thought so. They were unique enough to avoid that. So, I wonder if it's down to the discovery I made about them in the early summer of 1984, they were born again Christians. True, Christian rock was getting more attention at this time, something I'll talk about in a future post, but I don't hear any obvious Jesus lyrics in any of the songs that would frighten off listeners. For me, The Alarm's "The Declaration" defined the direction I was heading in 1984 and it's still a great album.

Next post: The Pretenders- Learning to Crawl

To Buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com 

Great Pop-Rock Albums of 1984: Julian Lennon- Valotte

 

I'm taking a lead from a post from Rich and posting about one of my not guilty pleasures. By 1984, I was in full heavy metal mode and it might surprise some that I would even entertain a pop sounding album. My counter is that having been (and still am) a big fan of The Beatles, I thought an album by the son of the great John Lennon, whose life had been so tragically snuffed out just over three years prior, was worth a listen. To be frank, I do like Julian Lennon's debut album, "Valotte." While it's called pop on Wikapedia, I have always and will continue to call it mellow out rock because that's what it exactly is.

Julian's old man's influence can be heard straight away on the opening title track of the album and its head rises now and again throughout the album. My first reaction to the opening track was that he was trying to sound like his father and while there isn't anything wrong with that, I was wondering on my first listen way back then that would there be any originality from the son. I can say there is. On the track, "On the Phone," there is a venture near the waters of progressive rock and I do like the intro. The next track "Space" is an appropriate title for that song, It does sound rather spacey and goes even further into the prog rock zone.

"Well I Don't Know" is for sure a pop tune but it does have the only true guitar solo I can discern on the album. (There is some lead guitar bridges in other songs but that's all.) Unfortunately, as I am no longer in possession of the album and Wikapedia doesn't say which guitarist plays the solo, we'll never know. The next pop song is the big single from "Valotte" called "Too Late for Goodbyes," which got a lot of play on radio and MTV at the time. Listening to it again after so many years, I do notice that he does walk the tightrope between sounding commercial pop and his father's influences rather well. It is probably the best tune for a radio hit. But I much like better, songs like "Lonely" with the cool sax solo which is the highlight of this mellow tune. "Say You're Wrong" goes more into 80s synth pop and while not terrible, is unspectacular. "Jesse" is the hardest track on "Valotte." It's not heavy, not even close, but there is an upbeat tempo and some cool guitar bridges on it. The closer, "Let Me Be" is interesting. It's a kind of ragtime piano tune that's only just over two minutes but it is the best way to close the album out. I think Julian might have been going for a non serious exit here.

Track Listing:

1. Valotte
2. O.K. for You
3. On the Phone
4. Space
5. Well I Don't Know
6. Too Late for Goodbyes
7. Lonely
8. Say You're Wrong
9. Jesse
10. Let Me Be

[caption id="attachment_3780" align="aligncenter" width="222"] Julian Lennon[/caption]

Julian Lennon- lead and backing vocals, bass, keyboards, drums

Justin Clayton- guitar

Carlton Morales- guitar

Barry Beckett- keyboards

David Lebolt- keyboards

Peter Wood- keyboards

Roger Hawkins- drums

Steve Holley- drums, percussion

David Hood- bass

Marcus Miller- bass

Carmine Rojas- bass

Robert Mac Donald- percussion

Rory Dodd- backing vocals

Eric Taylor- backing vocals

Jon Faddis- trumpet

Joe Shepley- trumpet

Michael Brecker- saxophone

George Young- saxophone

Lawrence Feldman- saxophone

Ron Cuber- saxophone

Guest Musicians

Jean 'Toots' Theilmans- harmonica on "Too Late For Goodbyes"

Martin Briley- guitar on "Too Late For Goodbyes"

Dennis Herring- guitar on "Jesse"

In one respect, Julian Lennon couldn't win with the critics on "Valotte." The either said he was trying to be too much like his father or not enough. While his father's influence is there, he does have his own stamp on the album, even if it is a very mellow album. While I wouldn't listen to it travelling to or from Bloodstock, if I was younger, I would use it in the same ways teenage boys used "Beth" by KISS in the 1970s or "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" in the late 80s. The album is all right.

Next post: The Alarm- Declaration

To buy Rock And Roll Children. email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com 

Great Rock Albums of 1984: U2- Under a Blood Red Sky

 

Maybe U2 were trying to follow in the lead of Blackfoot in the sense that after three albums, release a live album. The difference here is that the three Blackfoot albums are all considered classics while the same can't be said for the three U2 albums. Now don't get me wrong, I like all three of these albums, "Boy," "October" and "War." However, the first two didn't propel them to stardom the way "War" did. "Boy" turned my head in their direction but when I mentioned U2 to others, I mostly got blank stares. "October," on the other hand, is U2's best kept secret. Not a lot of people seem to know too much about the album but I've always liked it. "War" goes without saying, it made the band a worldwide name. It is on the back of "War" that the live "Under a Blood Red Sky" album was released.

When most people think of this live album, they automatically assume it's from the filmed concert "U2 Live at Red Rocks: Under a Blood Red Sky," it's not. The songs are live but recorded separately from concerts in Colorado, Boston and Germany. Furthermore, the filmed concert is nearly and hour and a half long while the album consists of just eight songs and is just over thirty-five minutes.

Ironically, the album starts with the best known song from the "October" album, "Gloria." Probably a good opener as any for U2 at this stage of their career. What's more, the next two songs are off the "Boy" album but then, "I Will Follow" is my all time favourite U2 song and it's played very well. The crowd really get into it and if I had been there, I would have too. The fourth song, "Party Girl," doesn't appear on any of the albums but it's still okay. Remember, back in 1983, U2 were still hungry and making their mark on the music world and all of the songs reflect that on the album.

It's not until song five we get anything from the "War" album and that is the phenomenal "Sunday Bloody Sunday." My second favourite U2 song and the way it's played here is pure magic. Next is another good song from the debut album in the form of "The Electric Co." For me, it's played just as well live as when I hear it on the "Boy" album. Were there studio fixes here?  I can't say. The last two songs from "War" take the album out brilliantly. First is the fantastic "New Year's Day" and there is no better song for them to close a concert with than "40." When I saw them in 1985, they would close the show with that song and it was mind blowing. I have to say that "Under a Blood Red Sky" takes me back to another time and almost seemingly another U2 because they were actually good but it hadn't gone to their heads yet.

Track Listing:

1. Gloria
2. 11 O'Clock Tick Tock
3. I Will Follow
4. Party Girl
5. Sunday Bloody Sunday
6. The Electric Co
7. New Year's Day
8. 40

[caption id="attachment_2198" align="aligncenter" width="233"] U2[/caption]

Bono- lead vocals, guitar

The Edge- guitar, keyboards, backing vocals, bass on "40"

Adam Clayton- bass, guitar on "40"

Larry Mullen Jr- drums

"Under a Blood Red Sky" may not go down as one of the greatest live albums in history but it's still a good album. Especially if you like U2 when they were more hungry and less with the ego.

Next post: Julian Lennon- Valotte

To buy Rock And Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com