An EXCLUSIVE Interview with Danny Benair of THE THREE O'CLOCK!

Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?

The Return of 

THE THREE O'CLOCK!

An EXCLUSIVE Q&A With Danny Benair

     The L.A.music scene in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s was one of the most exciting in the country.  While the press may have focused a little more on the thriving New Yorkscene, Los Angeleswas every much it’s equal. Apart from an abundance of pioneering Punk acts, L.A. was the a breeding ground for Power Pop, Post Punk, New Wave and Metal bands as well.  There was always something exciting happening every night of the week. Bands like The Knack, X, The Plimsouls, The Go-Gos, Black Flag, 20/20, The Minutemen, Van Halen, The Germs, The Bangles and others helped to introduce a new generation to the energy and excitement that burned in the belly of the City of Angels. 

       In the midst of this ever-evolving musical movement, scenes and styles began to converge, creating entirely unique genres.  One of the most influential of these ‘new’ genres was The Paisley Underground. Combining elements of ‘60s Mod, Garage, Folk Rock and Psychedelia, The PaisleyUnderground was spearheaded by band like The Three O’clock, Rain Parade, Green On Red, The Dream Syndicate and The Bangles.  At first, the bands simply shared a musical vision, but once Three O’clock vocalist Michael Quercio coined the term Paisley Underground to describe this group of like-minded musicians, it became one of the most talked about movements of the early ‘80s.

     While The Bangles may have been the biggest band to emerge from the scene, The Three O’clock remained Its heart and soul.  Beginning life as The Salvation Army, they changed their name to The Three O’clock in 1982. The quartet of Quercio (vocals/bass), Louis Gutierrez (guitar/vocals), Danny Benair (drums) and Mike Mariano (keyboards) released their debut EP, Baroque Hoedown, on Frontier Records later that year.  The EP earned the band critical praise while the track “With A Cantaloupe Girlfriend” received heavy rotation on KROQ, Southern California’s most influential radio station.

     The following year, the band released their debut full-length, Sixteen Tambourines (also on Frontier Records), which contained the national college/Alternative radio hit “Jet Fighter”. With their profile higher than ever, the band split from Frontier and signed with IRS Records. Their next album, Arrive Without Traveling (1985) contained the unforgettable radio hits “Her Head’s Revolving” and “Half The Way There”.  The sky was the limit for The Three O’clock…

     But by 1986, Gutierrez was gone, replaced by Steven Attenberg for 1986’s Ever After album.  Two years later, Attenberg jumped ship and Jason Falknerstepped in as guitarist.  The band signed with Prince’s Paisley Parklabel and released the Vermillion album in 1988, but had already lost their commercial steam and split up the following year.

     While each of the band members achieved their own personal successes since they split, fans continued to hold out hope for a reunion.  Unfortunately, the band repeatedly turned down offers to perform together again.  That is, until 2013 when they surprised their legion of fans by playing both weekends of the Coachella festival, appearing on live on Conan (see bottom of post) as well as selected dates in Pomona, L.A. and San Francisco.  While the reunion was brief, there have been rumors of further activity under the Three O’clock name.

     Coincidentally, Omnivore Records have just released a compilation of early hits and rare recordings by the band entitled The Hidden World Revealed.  According to the press release, The Hidden World Revealed is ‘a 20-track collection from the years 1981-1986. In addition to hits from their tenure on Frontier Records like “Jet Fighter” and “With A Cantaloupe Girlfriend,” the CD features rare singles, demos and alternate takes/mixes. It helps tell the story of where the band started (as The Salvation Army) and what they would achieve—recording for major labels and opening for bands like R.E.M. on national tours.’

     Stephen SPAZ Schnee was able to catch up with drummer Danny Benair, who took time out of his busy schedule to answer questions about this new compilation and the past, present and future of the band…

SPAZ: How did you decide on which songs would make The Hidden World Revealed?

DANNY BENAIR: It was a project I have worked on for about 10 years.  Pat Thomas at Omnivore picked tracks and we stuck to studio recordings and left off live songs.

SPAZ: You all came from different musical backgrounds.  At which point did you know that the four members finally clicked?

DANNY: It worked right away for me. We all brought something different to the band.

SPAZ:  Are there a good amount of unreleased songs in the TOC vaults?

DANNY: There are more. We have many demos and tracks left off the IRS and Paisley Park records.

SPAZ: Do you remember the sessions for a lot of these recordings. 

DANNY: Pretty much. Recording at Earle Mankey’s, where most of this was recorded, was special to all involved.

SPAZ: There were radio hits like “Jet Fighter” and “With A Cantaloupe Girlfriend” that have become longtime favorites for fans.  Were you sometimes perplexed by what songs became your ‘anthems’ and which songs were generally overlooked?

DANNY: It is hard to know what someone will like. We remember playing “Jet Fighter” in San Diegoright after we learned it and we were excited. It had a very tepid response...

SPAZ: What are some of the tracks that you think might surprise people?

DANNY: There are songs that will give fans an idea of how the songs were crafted. Different lyrics, etc.

SPAZ:  Thirty years on, this stuff still sounds fresh & exciting. Why do you think that this material has stood the test of time?

DANNY: Thank you! Not sure why but we’re glad that people like it. We are always pleased to see young kids enjoying it!

SPAZ: What was it like working with Frontier Records back when many of these recordings were made?  That must have been an exciting time in the indie label world.

DANNY: Very much so!  We were on the go non-stop, playing and touring all the time. Excellent times!

SPAZ: What was the TOC’s relationship with other L.A. bands like during your time together? Particularly, bands outside of the ‘Paisley Underground’ scene…  Were there any bands you got along with more than others?

DANNY: We did not play with that many but we seemed to get along with most bands. We never really had issues with other local groups.

SPAZ: Can we expect to see some more Three O’clock reissues in the future (particularly the albums that are out of print)?

DANNY: There will be more...

  

SPAZ: You recently got back together for some reunion shows.  How was the experience of playing Coachella?

DANNY: It was really nice. The whole month was amazing and overwhelming.

SPAZ: Are you surprised by the amount of excitement your mini reunion tour generated?

DANNY: Yes.

SPAZ: Any chance you’ll be doing more shows when this new retrospective hits the streets?

DANNY: We hope to do more down the line.  We all have careers so it comes down to making it work but it is not out of the question. (EDITORS NOTE: The band played in store performances at Freakbeat Records in Sherman Oaks and Fingerprintsin Long Beachto promote the release of The Hidden World Revealed)

SPAZ:  Are there any plans to reactivate the Three O’clock in the future?

DANNY: Never full time… but maybe a bit.

SPAZ: What is next for The Three O’clock?

DANNY: Release the record and work on something special that will be announced in a few months.

SPAZ: What CDs, DVDs or LPs are currently spinning on your players right now?

DANNY: Foxygen and Reg King to name two…

Thanks To Danny Benair

Special thanks to Bob Bell for input

 THE THREE O’CLOCK

THE HIDDEN WORLD REVEALED

6.25.13

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Why SQUEEZE's East Side Story Is One Of The Greatest Albums In The History Of Rock 'n' Roll!

SQUEEZE

EAST SIDE STORY (1981)

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Oh, dear.  I'm in trouble!  Calling this blog post "Why SQUEEZE's East Side Story Is One Of The Greatest Albums In The History Of Rock 'n' Roll!" isn't doing me any favors right now because people immediately want to know WHY and they want to know NOW!  They are also quietly mocking me... or perhaps loudly mocking me and I just can't hear them.  But believe me, I know that detractors are there and ready to pounce and verbally abuse me... but that's OK, because I truly believe that Squeeze's East Side Story IS one of the greatest albums in the history of Rock 'n' Roll!  And here's why...

Back before Squeeze songwriters Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford were dubbed the 'new Lennon & McCartney" they were the quintessential British songwriting team. Difford's lyrics were always clever and Tilbrook knew his way around a melodic hook, thus making them more than just another Pub or New Wave band.  While other groups would seize the moment and create music that was of it's time, not wanting to look too far back into Rock's rich history. Difford and Tilbrook were different - they embraced their influences without copying them.  Before East Side Story, they released their first three albums (Squeeze, Cool For Cats and Arbybargy) to critical acclaim and managed to have a few hit singles in the process.  But with East Side Story, they stripped away the production excesses and recorded an album that was simple, warm and filled to the brim with melodies that were sweet yet tough.  This was the first album where critics started to make their 'new Lennon & McCartney' case, and deservedly so.

With straight-forward production by the great Roger Bechirian and Elvis Costello (who really should have produced a lot more albums than he actually did), East Side Story is charming without being quaint.  It's not an album of twee pop songs for the New Wave generation - its a mature slice of Pop/Rock that still sounds fresh and invigorating over 30 years later. Instead of recreating their breakthrough album Argybargy, Squeeze stepped up to the plate and delivered an album so full of life, love, heartache and joy that its difficult not to experience those emotions while listening to it.

When East Side Story was released, I was 18 years old and had already experienced the highs and lows of every emotion related to a relationship.  This was an album that opened my eyes to a passion that went beyond a love shared by two people.  The songs spoke about things beyond the typical boy/girl fodder that Pop was known for.  They were about real life, real feelings, real people.  The songs were not about the same kinds of politics that The Clash and The Jam sang about.... these were more personal and close to home.  It is an honest album that invites the listener into the band's world, which reflects what was going on around them at the time.  In many ways, East Side Story reflected the lives of the listener: same situations, different characters. Ordinary lives, extraordinary songs. 

From the opening track, "In Quintessence" (the only song on the album produced by Dave Edmunds), the album is a thrill ride through a myriad of styles and moods.  They remained a Pop band, through and through, but they took little detours along the way, building an album as diverse as it was melodic. The hit single "Tempted" (written by Difford/Tilbrook but chiefly sung by new keyboardist Paul Carrack) adds a little slice of Soul to the album while "Labelled With Love" is a Country weeper that sounds incredibly natural and not forced at all.  "Messed Around" is a Rockabilly ditty that comes immediately after "Vanity Fair", which could have been a Revolver track had "Eleanor Rigby" not have existed at the time. The band's desire to experiment is evident in "There's No Tomorrow" and "F-Hole", both of which feature great melodies within musical frameworks that are entirely different to the rest of the album. As for the Pop side of the band, "Someone Else's Heart", "Is That Love?", "Woman's World" and "Piccadilly" are absolutely perfect in every way... from the production to the performance.  

The only blemish on the album is the less-than-stellar "Heaven", which still fails to excite these ears over three decades later.  So, you may be asking yourself HOW can this be a great album if there is a bad song on it?  Well, most people think that Sgt. Pepper is one of Rock's greatest albums of all time, right?  Well, I don't personally know many people who can sit through "Within You Without You" on that album... so I rest my case with that one example.

East Side Story still feels fresh and certainly not of it's time.  It is an absolute delight of an album that raised their profile in the Rock 'n' Roll community and made the band stand out in a sea of 'New Wave' bands (I use that term to define how they were categorized, not how they sounded).  It is entirely unpretentious and is a virtual love letter to the glory, magic and power of Rock and Pop music.

Unfortunately for Squeeze (and for all of us), Carrack left the band after touring for the album and the band began to lose momentum, commercially.  When their follow-up album, Sweets From A Stranger, was released, the simplicity of the band was swallowed up by glossy production and they split after a further single.  They've reunited since then a few times and while their albums have been fantastic, nothing has come close to the magic of East Side Story. Well, OK... maybe some albums did come pretty damn close, but not quite.  Don't get me wrong... a mediocre Squeeze song is still loads better than most band's entire back catalog!

An amazing album that truly is one of the greatest in the history of Rock 'n' Roll.  And you know what?  I've heard a lot of albums in my time... and I'm STILL listening to music every day... and very few come even close...

But don't take my word for it... let the music do the talking!

Peace, love and Pop,
Stephen SPAZ Schnee

SPAZ reviews THE LOST PATROL's new album, Driven!

THE LOST PATROL

DRIVEN

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Pop music is a wonderful thing... if it's done right.  It doesn't necessarily have to jangle, chime or ring in order for it to be classified as Pop.  And when I'm talking Pop, I'm not talking Britney Spears, One Direction and any manufactured act that's ever graced the American Idol stage!  No, I'm talking about the kind of Pop that stretches back to the days of Buddy Holly and then moves forward, taking in the likes of everyone from The Beatles to The Sex Pistols to Oasis.  Some try to pigeonhole Pop, but its a much larger beast than we can ever imagine. It doesn't have a defined shape or size - it just IS.  You know Pop when you hear it: it can be found in Spector's Wall Of Sound as well as The Jesus & Mary Chains wall of fuzz. Pop is, simply put, the melody in Rock 'n' Roll.  

Which brings us to Driven, the latest release from The Lost Patrol. While the album is a focused affair, the band are not afraid to play with the Pop formula a little bit.  Their influences seem to range from the Girl Group sounds of the '60s to late '70s bands like The Tourists and Blondie and '80s and '90s Shoegazing and Britpop with a little dab of the ethereal sound of The Cocteau Twins.  And on Driven, The Lost Patrol have created an album that looks back at Pop's rich history while taking it to beautiful places.

Consisting of Stephen Masucci, Mollie Israel and Michael Williams, the band create a dream-like sound that is both haunting and engaging. The songs on the album may appear dark on the surface but the warmth of the melodies rises above the coldness of the moody atmosphere, While I've read references to Goth when describing the band, Driven does not have any gothic overtones whatsoever, thank goodness.  The music is surprisingly pretty while still possessing a dangerous element. If comparisons are needed, then imagine The Primitives performing Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game" while being taunted by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. While the album a lovely batch of tunes, there's still a bit of wicked Garage Rock undertones that keep the songs rooted in Rock 'n' Roll.

Highlights include "Spinning", "In Too Deep",  "All Tomorrow's Promises", the ghostly Missing Persons-like "Invincible", the mostly instrumental "There & Back" and so many more.  The only misstep on the album is "Just Go", which is a brave musical break from the rest of the album but doesn't quite reach the heights of the rest of the album.

The big problem I see is that the band has quite a few releases before this one... and now it's time for me to catch up!

Looking Back: SPAZ reviews THE BUSBOYS!

Looking Back:

THE BUSBOYS

Brian O'Neal (keyboards, vocals) 

Kevin O'Neal (bass, vocals)

Gus Louderman (vocals)

Mike Jones (keyboards, vocals)

Victor Johnson (guitar)

Steve Felix (drums)

In my opinion, one of the most exciting eras in Rock history was the late '70s and early '80s.  It seemed that every major city had it's own 'scene' and Los Angeles had one of the most vibrant and diverse music scenes in the world.  From Punk to Power Pop, New Wave to Post-Punk, Los Angeles gave us some of the finest bands of the era including X, 20/20, The Plimsouls, The Dickies, The Nerves, The Knack, The Germs, The Last, Jules & The Polar Bears, The Bangles, The Three O'Clock, The Plugs, The Go-Go's, etc.  One of the most overlooked was perhaps the one that stood out the most: The Busboys.

You see, an African-American New Wave/Rock combo was not exactly common in Los Angeles or anywhere else in the world.  However, The Busboys, fronted by main vocalist and keyboardist Brian O'Neal, just wanted to play Rock 'n' Roll and they certainly did it just as well (if not better) than their contemporaries. Thinking about it now, why was being an African-American in a New Wave Rock band such a novelty at the time?  I mean, think of Rock's greatest guitar players and Jimi Hendrix automatically comes to mind, right?  Well, Jimi just happened to be African-American, so why even think twice about Brian and the 'boys playing some good ol' American Rock 'n' Roll?  As for me, my parents never brought up race or color into the equation when we were kids so we accepted everyone equally. I was too young to know about prejudice when all the race issues were happening in the '60s, so I must have been a bit sheltered from that way of thinking. To be honest, I think I first learned about racism and bigotry on All In The Family!

But anyway, when The Busboys signed a deal with Arista, it was because of their obvious talents, not because of the race issue.  And judging by their two albums, the band were certainly aware of people's perceptions of them and they poked fun at the whole thing, lyrically.  But the fact of the matter is, The Busboys wrote some great tunes and released two extremely memorable albums that I still cherish to this day. Their music has consistently appeared on numerous mixtapes I've made over the last 30 years on cassette and CD-R.  And with crackin' good tunes like "Did You See Me", "Last Forever", "American Worker", "Soul Surfing USA" and loads of others, they deserve to take their rightful place in the history books...

Oh, I almost forgot to mention the most important part - The Busboys did manage to have a couple of memorable hits with "The Boys Are Back In Town" (from the soundtrack to 48 Hours) and "Cleanin' Up The Town" (from Ghostbusters) although neither of these songs can be found on their two Arista albums. 

Here, I'll take a brief look at their first two albums... both of which I am very fond of!

THE BUSBOYS

MINIMUM WAGE ROCK & ROLL (1980)

When the band released their debut album, it caused a little bit of a stir.  Why on earth would an African-American band sing lyrics like "I bet you never heard music like this by spades!" and extol the virtues of working for minimum wage... and feature one of their members on the cover dressed as a busboy/waiter?  Well, folks, that was part of the fun.  They played against stereotypes by acknowledging the stereotype in the first place!  All the guys wanted to do was play music, and they were pretty damn fine at creating short, snappy tunes that carried a message without raising their fists in the air and taking pot shots at the white man. The Busboys didn't need to rely on their skin color to be accepted.  Just listen to "Did You See Me", "Minimum Wage", "We Stand United", "Dr. Doctor", "Anggie" and others to hear some great tunes.  While songs like "There Goes The Neighborhood" and "KKK" may have shocked folks at first, they were soon won over by the hooks the song provided. Soon enough, people forgot about their skin color and let the music do the talking.  And that is the ultimate compliment to Brian and the 'boys.  A classic debut.  (The album was issued as a limited edition CD but looks to be deleted at the moment)

THE BUSBOYS

AMERICAN WORKER (1982)

It was another two years before The Busboys hit the shops with their second album. Produced by Pete Solley, American Worker was a slicker, more commercial album than its predecessor but that works in the album's favor. The sound is bigger and the band really sound like they are having fun.  They manage to touch on a variety of styles including New Wave, Reggae, Blues, Soul and Pure Pop without losing any of their charm.  Highlights include the Springsteen-esque "Last Forever", the gorgeous '60s Pop of "Soul Surfing USA", the hard bluesy Rock of "New Shoes", the Reggae-fied "Opportunity", the pure pop of "Falling In Love" and their pre-Huey Lewis version of "Heart & Soul" (for the record, I think Brian is more sympathetic to the song's vocal melody, making this the definitive version).  While the album was as fresh and energetic as the first album, it certainly made up for it in many other ways.  No sophomore slump here, folks!

Peace, love and Busboys

Stephen SPAZ Schnee

Looking Back: SPAZ Reviews Cherry Red's CAPTAIN SENSIBLE Reissues!

Looking Back:

CAPTAIN SENSIBLE

CAPTAIN SENSIBLE

Women And Captains First (Expanded)

When Captain Sensible briefly stepped away from his duties as bassist/guitarist in Punk legends The Damned and decided to record a solo album, the last producer anyone expected him to work with was Tony Mansfield. Not that there was anything wrong with Mansfield: he was an enormously talented songwriter, guitarist, producer and musical visionary. The real issue was that the good Captain was in a PUNK band and Mansfield was best known at that time for fronting Synthpop band New Musik. (Note: you can read my appreciation for New Musik HERE). 

What people didn't take in to account at the time was that the Captain was a superb Pop songwriter and whether his tunes were fuelled by slashing guitars or bleeping synths, it was the song that mattered. And judging by his 1982 debut solo album Women And Captains First, Mr. Sensible's gamble paid off... in spades!

The album's big UK hit out of the box was a cover of "Happy Talk", originally from the soundtrack of South Pacific. An odd choice, but a brilliant single. Captain is in fine form, vocally and Mansfield's production lets the synths do the talking... but without taking it to Human League/Soft Cell territory. It's jolly, it's happy and it still sounds wonderful, overblown and fun.

The album's opener, the funky rappy "Wot", managed to creep into U.S. radio (including L.A.'s KROQ) and helped build the Captain a fanbase who probably had never heard a single note from The Damned. The song was also a decent sized hit in the UK.

Elsewhere, the album is as eclectic and the Captain is eccentric. There's a healthy dose of great Synth-based pop ("Brenda", "Martha The Mouth" and "Croydon"), some poppy Punk-inspired rave-ups ("Yanks With Guns"), Dixieland swing ("Nobody's Sweetheart") and so much more. This Cherry Red reissue adds bonus tracks from the single b-sides (ranging from experimental to Pop to Psychedelic) plus the previously unreleased instrumental gem "Joe Meek" (why this was never released remains a mystery!). This is a treat from beginning to end. To be honest, it may be TOO eclectic for some listeners, but you'll end up coming back and listening to it over and over eventually...

CAPTAIN SENSIBLE
The Power Of Love (Expanded)

After the success of Women And Captains First, Mr. Sensible bowed out of the Damned and pursued his solo career, heading back into the studio with Mansfield for a second album that would capitalize on the success of his debut. 

The Power Of Love was not as eclectic as Women... but, on many levels, is actually a better album for it. The anti-war hit, "Glad It's All Over" continues in the same Synth vein as the debut, although the song has more depth, musically and lyrically, than any of his solo recordings up to this point. While the album didn't have any singles as popular as "Happy Talk" or "Wot", The Power Of Love is a great, cohesive Pop album filled with delectable little Pop nuggets that demand to be heard. 

"It's Hard To Believe I'm Not", "It Would Be So Nice", "Thanks For The Night" and "The Power Of Love" are guitar pop gems that are hook-filled and instantly hummable. "Stop The World", "I'm A Spider", "Royal Rave-Up" and "Secrets" are synth-dominated slices of pop pleasure that won't leave your head for days afterwards. The Captain even shows his sweet side on "I Love Her" and "I Love You", two songs that are quite pretty and touching... but you're really not quite sure if ol' Cappy is being sincere or taking the piss! Either way, they are classics.

The bonus tracks on this Cherry Red reissue are excellent additions, including the non-album singles "There Are More Snakes Than Ladders", "One Christmas Catalogue", "Come On Down" and "Revolution Now" plus the odd B-sides. Another must-have for any '80s pop collection... or ANY pop collection for that matter!

Peace, love & Captains
Stephen SPAZ Schnee

(Most of this review was originally featured on this blog in December of 2009)

SPAZ reviews STATUS QUO's Bula Quo! Two CD set available July 9th, 2013!

STATUS QUO

BULA QUO

7.9.13

They may be celebrating their 50th Anniversary, but I became a STATUS QUO fan late in the game.  Back in '84, they were they first band to play Live Aid, which I watched pretty intently for much of the day.  Kicking off the show with "Rocking All Over The World", I was pretty much hooked on Quo then and there.  Already 20 years into their career, I definitely had quite a few albums to purchase at that point.  I've stuck with them ever since, buying every album, every hits collection, every CD and then every remastered CD.  And I'll buy every album, remaster or whatever until they stop releasing them. Which I hope never happens...

Well, OK, so I've avoided the live releases, but that's just because I don't care for live albums all that much.  In fact, I don't care for live albums at all! But I must say that I've seen many bands over the years during their heyday (XTC, The Jam, Split Enz, Squeeze, etc) but my absolute favorite live show of all time was Quo at the House Of Blues in Anaheim on February 27th, 2003.  Yes, the smallish club in Downtown Disney.  Quo usually never play anything smaller than a stadium in Europe and elsewhere, but I saw them live at this little club during the Heavy Traffic tour and it blew me away. Everything about that night was magical.  It was the greatest Rock 'n' Roll show I've ever experienced.  But then again, I think Status Quo are one of the greatest Rock 'n' Roll bands ever! 

Some say that Quo aren't as great as they used to be.  I beg to differ.  They are still releasing some great Rock records and I'll stand by every one of them.  Except for the live albums.  Oh, and the cover version albums.  I own them all but they released too many covers albums over the last 20 years and probably lost some fans because of it.  But when they release their albums of original material (which they've been doing pretty consistently for the last 10 years), they are all top notch in my book.  Even in the '90s when critics would rip them to shreds, they were still releasing great albums.  OK, so they weren't Piledriver, Hello! or Blue For You (or whatever '70s album you prefer) nor were they trying to be.  While Quo may have essentially stayed the same, they also changed things up a little bit, too. As they've grown older, the guys in Quo have grown wiser and perhaps a little more mellow, too.  They can't keep making the same record over and over again - although that is what people have said about them. While I read what critics have to say, I don't let the reviews impair my judgement.  I listen to each album with a fresh pair of ears.  I can't think of one Quo album of original material that I haven't loved over the years.  And, no, I'm not deaf!

So, when I heard Quo were making a movie, I thought it was a bit odd.  Why now?  I mean, didn't they stop making movies about bands unless it was a concert film or documentary?  Bula Quo, the movie, is a comedy with action, adventure and suspense and certainly not a movie about their real lives.  The move's tag line is "It started with guitars... And ended with guns!" And Jon Lovitz plays the main bad guy!  Huh?  Well, I will certainly see the movie if given the opportunity, but I'll have to wait until then to cast any judgement apart from that big question mark over my head.  Funny thing is, I've seen the previews and it looks kind of cheesy but I'm quite excited about it in the end.  I mean, this is Francis Rossi and Rick Parfitt after all! By the way, it seems that band members Andrew Bown, John Rhino Edwards and Matt Letley have only minor roles in the film (but I can't say that for sure since I haven't seen it yet). 

So, just last week, I managed to get my hands on the soundtrack to the movie. It's a two CD set containing nine brand new Quo tracks written for the film plus a second disc containing a few oddities related to the film as well as live material from 2010.  And you know what?  It is pretty outstanding!  In fact, all nine of the tracks on Disc One are Quo at their best. The title track, "Bula Bula Quo" was the first single and is one of my favorite later period Quo tracks by far.  The 'Kua Ni Lega' bit is quite wonderful, to be honest.  The album's second single, "Looking Out For Caroline", is the band's 100th single and while it is pretty much a standard sounding Quo track, it worms its way into your head after the second or third listen. "GoGoGo" has a unique melody in the verses which makes the song a real standout. "Never Leave A Friend Behind" (GREAT backing/harmony vocals... is that you, Rhino?) and "Run & Hide (The Gun Song)" (that IS you, Rhino!) are bursting with great hooks and Rock 'n' Roll energy. The delectable island-flavored Rock of "Fiji Time" is another winner.  I could go on, you know, but I'll just come out and say that these 9 new Quo songs have had me hooked and I've been listening to them over and over again for a few days now and they are only getting better with each listen. Each of the five band members had a hand in writing various tracks on the album, so it's a well-rounded affair. Lyrically, all the songs seem to reference the plot/characters of the movie, so they were definitely all written specifically for this project.  Gets me excited to see the movie just to hear the songs in their proper context. 

Disc Two features a new recording of the glorious "Living On An Island", which may not reach the heights of the original, it is still exciting to hear a new twist to the track. The Bula Edit of "Rockin' All Over The World" is ace and may be the version I use from now on when I make my own Quo mixtapes. There are two tracks from their great Quid Pro Quo album from 2011. Rounding off the 2nd disc are live versions of six Quo classics like "Pictures Of Matchstick Men", "Caroline", "Whatever You Want" and "Down Down" (my personal favorite). Like I said, I don't care for live recordings, but these are pretty sweet.  Definitely great versions for someone listening to Quo for the first time here.  

So, while I wait to see the film, I'm more than elated over this soundtrack, which is quite a wonderful helping of Quo stew. I'd even go as far to say that this is my favorite Quo album since the one-two punch of original albums Under The Influence (1999) and Heavy Traffic (2002).

Highly recommended for fans of Rock 'n' Roll and Status Quo, which are basically one and the same!

Peace, Love and Quo,
Stephen SPAZ Schnee

SPAZ reviews BREATHE's All That Jazz (Deluxe 2CD Edition)

BREATHE

ALL THAT JAZZ

(Deluxe 2CD Edition)

Available NOW!

The late '80s was a strange time in music.  The New Wave movement was already a thing of the past, although many of the bands were still around making music. Metal was now giving birth to a whole new breed of Hair Bands, House Music was big in the clubs, and R&B was all over the charts. With such changes happening seemingly overnight, there didn't seem like there was enough room for a new Pop band to make a dent in the charts.  And for Breathe, it almost didn't happen...

Though they had been releasing singles since 1986, it took two years for the band to release their debut album, All That Jazz.  Issued in the UK on Circa and in the U.S. on A&M, All That Jazz seemed almost dead in the water.  When the trio of David Glasper (vocals), Marcus Lillington (guitar) and Ian 'Spike' Spice (drums) came over to the U.S. to do some promo work, there wasn't much hope.  I met the band when they stopped by Abbey Road Distributors and we had a nice chat about music.  They were a bit disappointed by their lack of success but really appreciative of my enthusiasm for the band and their album. Glasper signed my LP with the words "With a few more like you, it could have happened'. 

Shortly after our meeting, A&M released "Hands To Heaven" as a single and then everything changed.  Now, 25 years later, people may not always remember the band name but "Hands To Heaven" remains a radio staple.  It's one of those songs that everybody knows.  A gorgeous and haunting ballad, "Hands To Heaven" has become a classic slice of late '80s pop that still makes lovers swoon.

And since it's the album's 25th Anniversary, Cherry Pop has released the ultimate edition of the album.  It not only contains the original 10 tracks from the album ("Don't Tell Me Lies" was added to the U.S. edition and later UK pressings as well) but it also contains every b-side, single edit, extended remix and rarity that could fit on a double CD set. This deluxe edition now features a total of 33 tracks with roughly half of them making their CD debut here.

For anyone who loved the album's smooth blend of Pop and R&B are going to love the generous amount of bonus tracks.  The non-album b-sides equal anything off the album, although the production does date some of the recordings.  Sometimes sounding like a mix of Wham and Steely Dan, Breathe wrote some smart and sophisticated yet chart-friendly pop tunes including "All That Jazz", which is the song that first caught my ear all of those years ago when I first laid the needle down on the album.  With two more hit singles, "How Can I Fall?" and "Don't Tell Me Lies", the album was one of the strongest releases that year and earned the band a huge fanbase of devoted fans.

Unfortunately for Breathe, their next album, Peace Of Mind, was released in 1990 to little fanfare and, when the album didn't scale the upper regions of the charts, they quietly split.  But perhaps that was all A&M's fault.  They were already preparing to alter the band's name to David Glasper & Breathe and eventually make Glasper a solo artist.  But alas, that never came to fruition. Perhaps it was their shift in focus that made them drop the ball.  Peace Of Mind was actually a better album as a whole then All That Jazz but had fewer hits (only "Say A Prayer" got much airplay in the States)

This deluxe edition of All That Jazz is everything that a fan could want... and more.  But just because you may not be a fan doesn't mean you shouldn't get it.  If you loved late '80s bands like Johnny Hates Jazz, Go West, and Waterfront, then this is a no-brainer.  It was great Pop music then and it's great Pop music now.  

RIP Spike

Peace,

Stephen SPAZ Schnee

Countdown To The NILSSON Box Set - Part Two

Countdown To The NILSSON Box Set 

COMPLETE RCA ALBUMS COLLECTION

PART TWO: 

Stephen SPAZ Schnee 

Remembers 

"Without You"
(from the album Nilsson Schmilsson)

"There is not a song in contemporary Rock music that is as perfect as Harry Nilsson's rendiiton of 'Without You.'  The recording gets everything right, from the passionate vocal to the arrangement, production and orchestration.  Emotionally, it is one of the single most powerful performances in recorded music.  It just hits you square in the face and then weaves its way through your veins until it buries its roots smack dab in the middle of your heart and stays there for the rest of your life.  It is not a recording that you forget - it is one that you carry with you  no matter what emotion you are experiencing.  It is a song that reminds us of the sorrow of loss and the joy of love.  At some point in our lives, we've all experienced the pain that Harry sings about.  And a listener connecting with the song on an emotional level brings every word to life... Harry isn't just singing about his own deteriorating relationship, he is breathing the soundtrack to our love lives.  And that's why 'Without You' has become a classic.

Harry was known as one of the best songwriters of his generation, yet he didn't write his two biggest hits.  'Everybody's Talkin'' (from Midnight Cowboy) was written by Folk singer/songwriter Fred Neil and 'Without You' was penned by Pete Ham and Tom Evans from the British band Badfinger.  By now, most people know the tale of Badfinger: promising band signs to The Beatles' Apple Records label, they score some pretty significant hits ('Come And Get It', 'No Matter What', 'Baby Blue' and 'Day After Day'), they leave Apple Records and sign with Warner Brothers, they get screwed over by their manager and the music biz in general, Pete Ham commits suicide in '75, Tom Evans commits suicide in '83... Not a happy story at all.  But the band (which also included Joey Molland and the late Mike Gibbins) are still regarded as one of the best bands of their era. Icons.  Legends.  However,, their own recording of 'Without You' was never issued as a single.  While their's may be the original version (Ham wrote the verses and Evans wrote the chorus), it doesn't quite reach the highs that Harry's version does.  He heard the song's potential and transformed it into something truly spectacular. Pete and Tom may have written 'Without You' but Harry Nilsson reinvented it and now owns it.

Badfinger's original version appeared on their 1970 album No Dice.  Harry was at a party in Laurel Canyon in '71 when he heard the record playing.  He assumed it was a Beatles song he'd never heard before.  While I wouldn't say it sounds like The Beatles, I will also say that I never attended a party in Laurel Canyon in the early '70s. And if the stories are true, there were probably a few different substances being passed around at this particular party. So, to be completely honest, I'm sure if I was high enough, I'd think a fucking Carole King album sounded like The Beatles!

So, Harry, who was working on his Nilsson Schmilsson album, went in and wanted to record a simple piano-based version of "Without You".  A demo was made.  Producer Richard Perry suggested a lot of musical embellishment (including rhythm section and orchestra) and had to fight Harry tooth and nail to get that version recorded.  Supposedly, Harry lost interest in 'Without You' once Perry persuaded him to go big on the arrangement and production.  Harry is rumored to have told the musicians that the song was 'awful'.  Members of Badfinger were unaware of the cover version until they were pulled into the studio and listened to a playback of the song. I can only imagine how powerful that moment must have been: the original writers of the song hearing this majestic interpretation of their very own 'child'. 

'Without You' by Harry Nilsson went to #1 on the U.S. charts.  It remains his career-defining moment.  The song itself has become a true classic.  Practically every Easy Listening artist has taken a crack at it, but nothing comes close to Harry's version.  In 1994, Mariah Carey did an amazing job of sucking the passion, emotion and life out of the song when she recorded it and released it a single. I'm not sure that it was entirely coincidental that our beloved Harry Nilsson died the day her version was released. Shame on you, Mariah. 

(NOTE: When I saw the reunited Badfinger perform at the Roxy in 1979 for the Airwaves tour, they started the song out like the original Badfinger recording but then Tom Evans stepped up to the mic and said "Let's do it like Harry did it" (or something to that effect) as keyboardist Tony Kaye started playing the piano intro just like the Nilsson version. That was a 'chills up my spine' moment, indeed.)"

Stephen SPAZ Schnee

Countdown To The NILSSON Box Set - Part One

Countdown To The NILSSON Box Set 

COMPLETE RCA ALBUMS COLLECTION

PART ONE: 

ALAN HABER 

Remembers 

SON OF SCHMILSSON

"Without question, Harry Nilsson’s Son of Schmilsson was the right album for the right time. When it was released in 1972, I was 17 and had my sights set on college. I was especially open to new ideas. Enter into my record collection this completely unhinged set of songs that perfectly summed up the artist’s newfound penchant for baiting the listener with a love song and, in the next heartbeat, pulling out the rug from under you and dialing up an in-your-face rocker preceded by a healthy belch.

Despite all that, this was a pretty typical Nilsson album. He hadn’t abandoned his gifts for melody or whimsy; he just dressed them in funkier clothes. For every lowbrow joke on the record—the aforementioned belch preceding the wild and wooly rock ‘n’ roll oldie, “At My Front Door”—there was a straight-ahead, old –fashioned, sweet little number like “The Lottery Song,” in which a couple flirts with winning the big prize amidst hopes of growing its value in Las Vegas. Well, sort of sweet, anyway. And there was “Turn On Your Radio,” a beautifully-arranged, pretty song about hope and being at peace with the one you love, even if that person is far away.

There were other, more sanguine numbers that threatened to eclipse the less dainty ones. “Remember (Christmas)” was one, a beautiful, wistful look back at a life lived to the fullest. There were a few, emotionally-invested rockers, too: the bluesy, horn-infused “Spaceman,” the equally bluesy, late-night jazz club vibe of “Ambush,” and “Take 54,” a take-the-chick-and-run song of the highest order. And—oh yeah, that was about it.

That leaves the jokes, and they were plentiful. Low and even lower still, but plentiful. And melodic, too, wonderful compositions that showed that Nilsson hadn’t abandoned the things that got him here, wherever that was. There was the faux country song “Joy,” delivered in a mock country crooner tone and actually—somewhat suspiciously, some might say—released as a country single by RCA. And let’s not forget the jokey-on-the-surface “I’d Rather Be Dead,” sung with gusto by Harry and a group of senior citizens. Believe me, even at 17, the sentiment was not lost on me. Who wants to wet their bed?

Of course, the song on everybody’s lips was the infamous “You’re Breaking My Heart,” which proudly flaunted the f-word and sent parents around the world running towards their kids’ stereos with a hammer. Such language!

That leaves this album’s centerpiece, the anthemic love song “The Most Beautiful World in the World,” a two-part number that eschewed the obvious frat boy jokes for a more sentimental approach. The song’s first section, adopting a catchy, pop construction colored with a faux island beat, finds Harry professing his love for the whole, entire world. The second section is an altogether loftier proposition. Here, Harry gets down to business, calling out the world’s various attributes (“Your mountains when you’re mad/Your rivers when you’re sad/And those deep blue seas/I love you for your snow/Your deserts down below/I love the way you wear your trees”) and declaring that he “just couldn’t stay here without you.”

But Harry’s not fooling anyone. The punch line is right around the corner. “So when you get older/And over your shoulder/You look back to see if it’s real/Tell her she’s beautiful/Roll the world over,” he sings, and, bingo, the payoff!: “And give her a kiss/And a feel,” as the orchestra and Hollywood blockbuster chorus swell behind him. A beautiful setup followed by a tiny, smutty joke. Really a song about a girl? Who knows. Pure Harry.

Surely, Son of Schmilsson was not the work of the man who made Pandemonium Shadow Show. Or Harry, even. This was the work of an artist bent on market self-destruction, a man who began making the recorded left turn his raison d’etre. But it’s the album that I always come back to because it synthesizes the various colors of the artist’s writing and performing gifts. The songs make you laugh, cry, laugh again, and shut the door and put a towel at the bottom to keep your parents from hearing the smutty jokes.

Son of Schmilsson is the most beautiful album in the world, to put it mildly, and an astounding 41 years after its initial release, it remains my favorite Nilsson platter. Plus it’s got Richie Snare, George Harrysong, Nicky Hopkins, Peter Frampton and Klaus Voorman making the songs come alive. Who could ask for anything more?"

Alan Haber 
(DJ/Journalist/Programmer of Pure Pop Radio)
http://loudcity.com/stations/alan-haber-s-pure-pop,

SPAZ reviews DRINK A TOAST TO INNOCENCE: A Tribute To Lite Rock

DRINK A TOAST TO INNOCENCE: 

A TRIBUTE TO LITE ROCK 
(2CD set)

Available NOW!

My most common reaction to various artist 'tributes' and 'covers' albums - I usually avoid them.

Maybe 20 years ago, I would have been more apt to give one a look or listen, but over the last few decades, there's been so many tributes and covers albums released that I've lost count.   To be honest, I think I lost all interest in them the moment a band would have a hit debut album and within months, there'd be a Goth tribute, a Bluegrass tribute, etc. Come on.... why pay tribute to a band with only one album in their catalog?  

My main problem with most tribute and covers albums over the years is that the artists didn't always 'connect' with the material.  They either tried too hard to change the material to suit their particular style... or they didn't try hard enough and the results were lacklustre.  And isn't a tribute album all about honoring the music or artists that inspired you?  Over the years, tribute albums became nothing more than a quick money grab.

So, for months, I've been hearing rumblings of a tribute to the glorious Lite Rock that I grew up on in the '70s and '80s. What is Lite Rock?  Well, some call it Soft Rock while others think of it as AM Radio Rock.  Basically, think of Player's "Baby Come Back", Rupert Holmes' "Escape (The Pina Colada Song)", Randy VanWarmer's "Just When I Needed You Most", and many of the other melodic hits of the era. Lite Rock artists wasn't mellow enough to be classified as Easy Listening/Pop (Olivia Newton John, The Carpenters) but they weren't as ballsy as many of their Classic Rock brethren (Journey, Foreigner). It was a style of music that appealed to wide range of music fans, young and old. It wasn't rebellious - it spoke from and to the heart.

When I read about some of the indie Power Pop artists attached to the project, I felt that there was hope.  I'm a guy who is passionate about his music.  I don't create music (you're welcome) but I'm passionate about what I listen to and how it moves me. So, I was more than interested to see how a talented group of modern artists would approach some of Lite Rock's finest musical moments.

I've always felt that the artist covering a classic song should be comfortable in doing so.  They should wear that song proudly like it was a new suit instead of their big brother's hand me downs. They don't have to be flashy - they just have to make it feel like it belongs to them.

Well, I'm glad to say that Drink A Toast To Innocence: A Tribute To Lite Rock works on all levels and is pure f***ing genius!

From song selection and artists right down to the actual recordings, DATTI is one of the few tribute albums that understands the concept behind 'tribute' and executes it perfectly .  And it just so happens to be the first 'tribute' album in 20 years that I've sat down with and played over and over again. Yeah, it's that good!

First off, I'm not going to lie - there are a few tracks here that feel a bit mediocre to me compared to the rest of the set, but those have grown on my over repeated listenings.  But let's focus on the high points here (and there are a lot of them):

LINUS OF HOLLYWOOD now owns "More Than I Can Say".  The song is great (of course), the arrangement is great and LOH's vocal performance is stunning. My apologies go out to Leo Sayer, but I feel that this is pretty much the definitive version of the song now.

Did MICHAEL CARPENTER write "We Don't Talk Anymore" for Cliff Richard?  Because I'll be damned if it doesn't sound like it.  Carpenter remains one of the most underrated Pop artists on the planet and has written and recorded some of the best Power Pop songs of the last 20 years or so. And like anything else he's involved with, he puts 100% of himself into this recording.  Funny thing is that his original material is just as good (if not better) than "We Don't Talk Anymore".

BLEU's version of "Baby Come Back" sticks damn close to the original recording but then again, there's plenty of that Bleu magic that brings out the heartbreak of this song and really drives it home.  I mean, this is "Baby Come Back", for chrissakes - a song that has already melted a few million hearts over the years.  Now, I fully expect Bleu to remind us all how easy it is to cry by listening to a great Pop tune.  Open the floodgates...

SETH SWIRSKY takes Henry Gross' "Shannon" and proceeds to break your heart (hell, that seems to be a theme with many of Lite Rock's finest moments). Seth's name has been in the news lately because of his most excellent documentary Beatles Stories, but he's been a successful songwriter and author for ages.  His best work (in my humble opinion) is not the hit songs he's written for the likes of Taylor Dayne and others... no, his best songs are featured on his solo albums and those with The Red Button.  And now, with "Shannon", too.  Damn, this guy's got more talent than anyone you've listened to this year!

And there are so many more: CLIFF HILLIS successfully tackles Ian Matthews' "Shake It", one of my favorite '70s tunes.  THE DAVENPORTS' rockin' reading of Randy VanWarmer's "Just When I Needed You Most" retains the utter sadness of the original while turning it into a modern Power Pop anthem. GREG POPE tackles Poco's "Crazy Love" and while it doesn't have all the harmonies of the original, it is still a hauntingly beautiful rendition of the song. JOE GIDDINGS seems to be having an absolutely joyful time with the late Alan O'Day's "Undercover Angel" and it shows. KYLE VINCENT does a beautifully heartfelt rendition of Ambrosia's "How Much I Feel" that gives me goose pimples. MIKE VIOLA's electronic stab at "Steal Away" took me by surprise at first but 30 seconds in, I was hooked (love his Michael McDonald-esque backing vocals and the Doobie Brothers reference, btw).   THE POPDUDES reminded me how great of a song "Magnet And Steel" is. Goodness, I could go on and on...

There are so many great things to love about this release that I don't have the time or space to list them all.. and I've probably said far too much already. But, for me, the sign of an album that hits all the right notes is that your favorites change from day to day. With DATTI, my favorites change from listen to listen (and that means quite a bit over the last few days).  Maybe a year from now, I'll finally decide with tracks are my favorites from the album, but for now, You can't go wrong with any of them.

This is a tribute that pays homage to the songs that inspired the very musicians that are playing on the album. It is an collection that will delight fans of the original versions of the songs, followers of the artists appearing on the album and will also turn a new generation of listeners onto some great tunes and artists.  Just like Lite Rock itself, this is music from and to the heart.