KIM WILDE/Reissues of the first three albums!

There are two things I thought of when British Pop vocalist Kim Wilde scored her first U.S. hit in 1981 with "Kids In America":

1. Hey, this is a cool song!

2. What a total babe!

Yes, in that order. I've always been a music geek and I have a tendency to listen to the TUNE before even paying attention to what the lyrics are or what the artist looks like. And remember, back in '81, you didn't have easy access to videos and such. Sure, MTV launched in August of that year, but not many folks had cable at that time.

So, the only real option I had was to concentrate on the music, which is the most important thing, right?

(But I gotta admit that Kim was second only to Debbie Harry in the 'rockin' sex kitten' category!)

Though Kim's reign in the upper regions of the U.S. charts only lasted for that one glorious single, she continued to release some fine POP singles and albums in the UK, Europe, Japan and beyond and all of them are worthy additions to any of you looking to build up your Power Pop, New Wave, Pop/Rock, Girl Pop or '80s collections.

Nearly 30 years after she debuted, the fine folks at Cherry Pop have released digitally remastered and expanded editions of Kim's first three albums and they look and sound great! Each release has an extensive booklet featuring info, lyrics, song comments from Marty and Ricky Wilde (Kim's dad and brother, who wrote most of the tunes), pictures of single sleeves and more. The packaging is wonderful, to be honest: nothing extravagant, mind you, but very tasteful and informative. Certainly worth the price of replacing your old vinyl LPs!

Released in 1981, KIM WILDE is the album most music fans are familiar with, mainly because it contains the aforementioned hit "Kids In America". While much of the album tends to lean heavily towards the same musical formula that made that song a hit, there are a few songs that break away from the early Blondie influences of "Kids...".

"Everything We Know" has a lovely melody that glides upon a Police-like Reggae rhythm while the playful "26580" ups the Reggae BPM to a Ska beat, adding a horn section and an instantly catchy chorus.

"Tuning In Tuning On" is New Wave for Acid lovers, it's Psychedelic swirls spinning around Kim's seemingly innocently coos.

"Chequered Love" takes the "Kids... " formula and adds equally catchy hooks throughout, making it equally delightful as the hit, if not more so.

"You'll Never Be So Wrong" is an absolutely wonderful Pop song that doesn't stray too far from the formula, but stands out as a great lost gem.

As for the bonus tracks, "Shane" and "Boys" are just as good as anything on the album (especially the latter). The Single Edit of "Water On Glass" is not that different from the album version, but is a welcome addition for us completists!

After the success of the Kim Wilde album, there were were only two directions that the Wilde clan could go: either record a carbon copy of the debut album or take Kim forward, embracing modern technology and wrap her Pop tunes in synthesized clothing. Thankfully, they chose the latter since they'd already taken the "Kids..." formula as far as it could go without it becoming boring and cliche-ridden.

With Select, Kim Wilde jumped head first into the future without losing any of the charm that made her self titled album such a success. While still upbeat and energetic, electronic keyboards dominate the album and the the guitar presence is toned down. Retaining the use of live drums and bass, the songs bounce along with glee, and while the production is a bit dated, it stands out as an under appreciated gem in the annals of New Wave music.

Kim's voice, while not having a huge range, is very distinctive and her vocals dominate all of her albums, so no matter what instruments you lay down, it's always going to sound like a KIM WILDE record! And from the moment she starts singing on album opener "Ego", Select is definitely a Kim Wilde record!

Though the album has fewer outstanding singles than her debut, Select is actually a better album as a whole. The hooks are more subtle and the album, overall, has a more confident quality to it.

"View From A Bridge" is most certainly a product of the '80s, but has a simplistic chorus that sticks in your head.

"Ego" sounds like Midge Ure-era Ultravox if they had been influenced by '60s girl groups.

"Words Fell Down", "Can You Come Over" and "Chaos At The Airport"sound like they could have been written for her debut but reworked into perfect little synth pop nuggets.

"Just A Feeling" is an elegant electronic pop gem that vaguely recalls some of 10cc's late '70s/early '80s recordings.

The album's centerpiece is most definitely "Cambodia", a 7+ minute opus that is broken into two halves: the moody and melodic Part One and the pulsating mostly instrumental Part Two (Reprise). It was a daring song then, yet it still sounds wonderful 25+ years later.

Of the five bonus tracks, they are all worthwhile Pop tunes although the chorus of "Bitter Is Better" sounds like a rewrite of "Kids In America". The single version of "Cambodia" is included, which is essentially Part One of the full length album version.

With even more electronics, Catch As Catch Can finds Kim Wilde and company at a crossroads: should we make a Pop album or a Dance album? The end result was a mixture of both, and would serve as a transitional album for the Pop vixen. Moving even further into the electronic realm, the live drums were replaced by programmed drums and keyboards had kicked the guitar to the curb and had taken over. Still, Kim's voice sounds more passionate and confident on the album, as if she was finally comfortable in being Kim Wilde, the Pop vocalist.
"Love Blonde" is a cheeky '80s rewrite of the Peggy Lee classic "Fever" and Kim feels comfortable biting into this lighthearted slice of Pop.
"Dream Sequence" is a nice slice of Psychedelic synth pop that would have fit as the album's opener with it's long, atmospheric opening.
"Dancing In The Dark" (NOT the Springsteen tune) and "Shoot To Disable" are, to be honest, worth skipping. The less said, the better.
The original album's three closing songs ("Can You Hear It", "Sparks" and "Sing It Out For Love" are the three best tracks on the album, which is strange since they seem to be buried at the end! What's up wid dat?
Of the five bonus tracks, "Back Street Driver" is a great Pop tune that recalls the spirit and vibe of the first two albums and is practically worth the price of this CD alone. There are also two bonus versions of "Love Blonde" and....er.... "Dancing In The Dark".
Overall, Catch As Catch Can is certainly a worthwhile release that deserves your attention, but is made even sweeter by the bonus tracks. Shame about three versions of "Dancing In The Dark", though! Well, I must admit that the Nile Rodgers remix is certainly better than the album version!



So, there you have it: three more reasons why Cherry Pop is a labels that you need to start collecting right away! And for you Kim Wilde fans out there, if you don't have these, buy them now. Not tomorrow, not next Friday... NOW!

And I still think Kim Wilde is a total babe!

Dancing in the dark,
Stephen SPAZ Schnee

THE SINCEROS/The Sound Of Sunbathing review

In the late '70s and early '80s, the line between Pure Pop bands and New Wave outfits became intertwined. Most bands that played slick, melodic Beatles-influenced pop were considered Power Pop in the mid '70s but by the time bands like Squeeze, The Sinceros, 20/20, Nick Lowe, The Plimsouls and other like minded acts hit the music scene, they were quickly branded New Wave and marketed as such.

This was not necessarily a bad thing in terms of commercial sales, but we all know that when a music scene dies, it takes most of the bands with it. Some bands (Squeeze, Nick Lowe) were able to rise above but when New Wave became old news, then the bands lost label support and any momentum they had built up.

The Sinceros were an excellent Pop band consisting of four great musicians: Mark Kjeldsen (vocals/guitar), Ron Francois (bass/vocals), Don Snow (keyboards/vocals) and Bobby Irwin (drums). While Kjeldsen was the main frontman and wrote the majority of the songs, both Snow and Francois offered some tasty treats to The Sinceros' repertoire.

On The Sound Of Sunbathing, the band's 1979 debut, was a hook-filled Power Pop party dressed up in dayglo colors... with a little New Wave spice thrown in for good measure. Like Squeeze, The Sinceros' songs were instantly catchy and those lucky enough to hear them would have their melodies stuck in their heads for days, weeks, months and, for us lucky ones, decades!

The album is chock full of great tunes including Kjeldsen's "Little White Lie", "Quick Quick Slow" and "So They Know", Snow's "Hanging On Too Long" and Francois' "Good Luck (To You)", but two songs received the most attention: "World's Apart" and "Take Me To Your Leader". Unfortunately, these two tracks were, at best, average Pop tunes dressed up in quirky New Wave arrangements, which possibly made them more appealing to the masses. Thankfully, the rest of the album is loads better, so anyone suckered in by those two tracks were more than pleasantly surprised by the high quality of the rest of the material. Now, don't get me wrong, those are fine tracks, but compared to the rest of the album, they sound like b-sides!

For music fans not familiar with this great debut, the best way to describe it would be a cross between Squeeze's Cool For Cats and Argy Bargy: not quite as Pub-like as ...Cats, but not quite as accomplished as Argy.

While there's not really a bad song on the album, The Sinceros were still in the process of becoming a GREAT band, something they achieved on Pet Rock, their sophomore album (which I'm hoping is reissued soon!). After that, the band split and the members went their separate ways: Snow ended up in Squeeze (ironically enough) for their Sweets From A Stranger album; Francois joined The Teardrop Explodes and Irwin played drums for Nick Lowe for years and years. Kjeldsen unfortunately passed away in the '90s.

Cherry Red's excellent reissue of The Sound Of Sunbathing retains the UK album cover and track listing and adds three non-album bonus tracks, making this an absolutely essential purchase for any Power Pop, New Wave and '80s music fan.

I can only think of ONE reason why The Sinceros may not have clicked with the youth of the '80s: Kjeldsen's moustache! When New Wave was considered the music of the young generation, anyone with a mustache was considered uncool (including The Stranglers' Dave Greenfield!). Fortunately, Kjeldsen had a full, slightly more fashionable beard by the time of their sophomore album, but it may have been too late! The moustache did them in! Well, I'm not entirely serious... but kinda.

Pure Pop For Now People,

Stephen SPAZ Schnee

THE FARMER'S BOYS/Get Out And Walk Review

Well, Cherry Red has done it again! One of the absolute finest and most overlooked albums of the '80s has finally seen a fitting and well deserved release on CD:

THE FARMER'S BOYS' Get Out And Walk!

Here's what I had to say about it on All Music Guide:

"Sometimes, I can bang my head against the wall, wondering why certain bands ‘make it’, while other more talented combos get overlooked and, ultimately, forgotten. And often times, the band that faded into obscurity created music that stands the test of time decades down the line. Such is the case with British pop quartet The Farmer’s Boys.
The band (Baz, Stan, Mark and Frog) were certainly a bright spot on the music scene back in 1983 when they signed with EMI after a handful of indie singles. Their sound was certainly original: imagine Edwyn Collins and his Orange Juice mates jamming with The Human League’s keyboardist (complete with programmed drums) and you’ve got more than a basic idea. Add a little bit of The Smiths, a dab of Country & Western and you’ve got The Farmer’s Boys. And yes, they really do sound that cool!
Get Out And Walk was the band’s 1983 debut album and what a debut it was! It had jangly guitars, jolly melodies, catchy synth riffs, acoustic strums, danceable beats and, to top it all off, Baz’s Morrissey-like croon floating above it all. The album was fun and extremely infectious with more cool tunes per minute than 75% of the albums that came out that year.
For some reason, insanely catchy cuts like “For You”, “More Than A Dream”, “Matter Of Fact”, “Wailing Wall” and “Woke Up This Morning” didn’t receive massive airplay in the UK when they so rightly deserved it. Even the funk-heavy “Soft Drink” (with Baz in falsetto mode) didn’t make its way to the dancefloors around Europe like it should have. Yes, the band did see some chart success, but usually just out of the Top 40, which meant they barely received much-needed television exposure.
Get Out And Walk was one of the coolest records released during the ‘80s but, for whatever reason, it just didn’t click with their intended audience. Perhaps it was the band’s lack of image? Maybe because the band never really took themselves too seriously? Or it could just be a matter of bad luck?
In any case, the album still sounds fabulous today, mainly due to the songs, which will please fans of great ‘80s guitar pop. Even synth fans can find a lot to love about The Farmer’s Boys! And with this Cherry Red reissue, there are 10 bonus tracks that make it an absolutely essential purchase. The bonus tracks include non-album singles, b-sides and three extended remixes lifted from the bonus EP that came from initial pressings of the LP. Looking back, 26 years after I bought the original import vinyl LP on a whim, it was, to quote one of the band’s song titles, “probably one of the best investments I ever made”!"

I sure do hope that they plan on releasing the band's second (and final) album, With These Hands, too!

Stephen SPAZ Schnee

SPAZ reviews THE BEATLES remasters (sort of)...

The story you are about to read is not entirely true... apart from Part Four, which is an honest assessment of the Beatles remasters that I had the privilege of hearing. The rest of this blog is loosely based on real life events.

PART ONE:

So, I'm sitting at my desk, working hard when suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I see two well dressed gentlemen approaching my desk. They are both brandishing firearms. Their firearms are pointed at me. I panic, throw myself down on the ground and beg for my life. One of them thumps me on the head with the butt of his gun and, before you know it, I'm out like a light.....

PART TWO:

I wake up and realize I am sitting up, tied to a chair and I have a blindfold on. I wimper like a wee little baby for a few minutes before I hear someone approach me. Suddenly, the blindfold is taken off and I'm face to face with an elderly gentlemen with seriously bad garlic breath. He holds up his ID (which says his name is Eddie "Ed" Edwards), and claims that he used to be with secret service back during the Kennedy administration, but now he works freelance. He doesn't tell me WHO he works for, but does manage to say the magic words: BEATLES and REMASTERS. Suddenly, I am at ease. I knew this day was coming and I have been prepared for it.

PART THREE:

Eddie places a briefcase down on a table across the room. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a raw egg. He breaks the egg and pours the contents into his mouth. After gargling the raw egg for a few seconds, he swallows the slimy goop.... and them promptly vomits on the floor. He sifts through his recently ejected stomach debris and finds a key. With this key, he unlocks the briefcase. He reaches in and removes a compact disc. As he walks towards a CD player that is just to my right, he slips in his vomit pool and falls flat on his back, unconscious. I would have tried to help him back up, but I was still tied to the chair... so I began to wait... Roughly two hours later, he wakes up and takes a few moments before he gets his bearings straight. He still has the CD in his hand, so he stumbles towards the CD player and inserts it. He then pushes 'play'...

PART FOUR:

For the next 10 minutes, I am transfixed by the sounds emanating from the speakers. What I get to hear are 15-30 second excerpts from roughly 10 different Beatles songs. I get to hear each of those excerpts twice: the first one is the currently available mastered version and the second is taken from the newly remastered version, due for release on Sept. 9th, 2009. (09-09-09). The difference is immediately apparent and somewhat astounding! The vocals on all tracks are more crisp and clear and they sound magical. In terms of the music, there are more highs and more lows (depending on what song you're listening to). The stereo separation is much more definite and there doesn't seem to be much bleeding between the channels/tracks. The handclaps on "Eight Days A Week" are much more crisp while the strings on "The Long And Winding Road" are even more beautiful. You can hear a more pronounced separation between instruments, too. Where once you heard an electric guitar and harpsichord, you now hear an electric guitar, harpsichord and an acoustic guitar that was always there, but didn't leap out at you like it does now. You can hear some lovely little notes on "Goodnight" that were lost in the mix before. And none of these tracks were remixed! They did such an excellent job on the remastering that they sound like a new experience! Simply stunning.


PART FIVE:

Suddenly, after my allotted 10 minutes, those two armed gentlemen from Part One reenter the room. One of them slips in Eddie's vomit pool while the other knocks me unconscious with the butt of his gun... When I come to, I am back at my desk with a pounding headache. But I'm good. No worries.


EPILOGUE:

I got to hear snippets of the BEATLES REMASTERS and you didn't! Nyah Nyah Nyah Nyah Nyah!

Schnee Loves You, yeah yeah yeah!

Stephen SPAZ Schnee

LES PAUL/Exclusive Interview from 2007

Here's an interview I did with the late, great LES PAUL a few years back as he promoted his Chasing Sound DVD. Thanks to Dave Rayburn for helping out!

P.S. I know that it's too small to read. If anyone wants a copy, please let me know!

Music legend LES PAUL dies at 94

New York, NY…August 13, 2009…Les Paul, acclaimed guitar player, entertainer and inventor, passed away today from complications of severe pneumonia at White Plains Hospital in White Plain, New York, surrounded by family and loved ones. He had been receiving the best available treatment through this final battle and in keeping with his persona, he showed incredible strength, tenacity and courage. The family would like to express their heartfelt thanks for the thoughts and prayers from his dear friends and fans. Les Paul was 94.

One of the foremost influences on 20th century sound and responsible for the world’s most famous guitar, the Les Paul model, Les Paul’s prestigious career in music and invention spans from the 1930s to the present. Though he’s indisputably one of America’s most popular, influential, and accomplished electric guitarists, Les Paul is best known as an early innovator in the development of the solid body guitar. His groundbreaking design would become the template for Gibson’s best-selling electric, the Les Paul model, introduced in 1952. Today, countless musical legends still consider Paul’s iconic guitar unmatched in sound and prowess.

Among Paul’s most enduring contributions are those in the technological realm, including ingenious developments in multi-track recording, guitar effects, and the mechanics of sound in general.

Born Lester William Polsfuss in Waukesha, Wisconsin on June 9, 1915, Les Paul was already performing publicly as a honky-tonk guitarist by the age of 13. So clear was his calling that Paul dropped out of high school at 17 to play in Sunny Joe Wolverton’s Radio Band in St. Louis. As Paul’s mentor, Wolverton was the one to christen him with the stage name “Rhubarb Red,” a moniker that would follow him to Chicago in 1934. There, Paul became a bonafide radio star, known as both hillbilly picker Rhubarb Red and Django Reinhardt-informed jazz guitarist Les Paul. His first recordings were done in 1936 on an acoustic—alone as Rhubarb Red, as well as backing blues singer Georgia White. The next year he formed his first trio, but by 1938 he’d moved to New York to begin his tenure on national radio with one of the more popular dance orchestras in the country, Fred Waring’s Pennsylvanians.

Tinkering with electronics and guitar amplification since his youth, Les Paul began constructing his own electric guitar in the late ’30s. Unhappy with the first generation of commercially available hollowbodies because of their thin tone, lack of sustain, and feedback problems, Paul opted to build an entirely new structure. “I was interested in proving that a vibration-free top was the way to go,” he has said. “I even built a guitar out of a railroad rail to prove it. What I wanted was to amplify pure string vibration, without the resonance of the wood getting involved in the sound.” With the good graces of Epiphone president Epi Stathopoulo, Paul used the Epiphone plant and machinery in 1941 to bring his vision to fruition. He affectionately dubbed the guitar “The Log.” Les Paul’s tireless experiments sometimes proved to be dangerous, and he nearly electrocuted himself in 1940 during a session in the cellar of his Queens apartment. During the next two years of rehabilitation, Les earned his living producing radio music. Forced to put the Pennsylvanians and the rest of his career on hold, Les Paul moved to Hollywood. During World War II, he was drafted into the Army but permitted to stay in California, where he became a regular player for Armed Forces Radio Service. By 1943 he had assembled a trio that regularly performed live, on the radio, and on V-Discs. In 1944 he entered the jazz spotlight—thanks to his dazzling work filling in for Oscar Moore alongside Nat King Cole, Illinois Jacquet, and other superstars —at the first of the prestigious Jazz at the Philharmonic concerts.

By his mid-thirties, Paul had successfully combined Reinhardt-inspired jazz playing and the western swing and twang of his Rhubarb Red persona into one distinctive, electrifying style. In the Les Paul Trio he translated the dizzying runs and unusual harmonies found on Jazz at the Philharmonic into a slower, subtler, more commercial approach. His novelty instrumentals were tighter, brasher, and punctuated with effects. Overall, the trademark Les Paul sound was razor-sharp, clean-shaven, and divinely smooth.

As small combos eclipsed big bands toward the end of World War II, Les Paul Trio’s popularity grew. They cut records for Decca both alone and behind the likes of Helen Forrest, the Andrews Sisters, the Delta Rhythm Boys, Dick Hayes, and, most notably, Bing Crosby. Since 1945, when the crooner brought them into the studio to back him on a few numbers, the Trio had become regular guests on Crosby’s hit radio show. The highlight of the session was Paul’s first No. 1 hit and million-seller, the gorgeous “It’s Been a Long, Long Time.”

Meanwhile, Paul began to experiment with dubbing live tracks over recorded tracks, also altering the playback speed. This resulted in “Lover (When You’re Near Me),” his revolutionary 1947 predecessor to multi-track recording. The hit instrumental featured Les Paul on eight different electric guitar parts, all playing together. In 1948, Paul nearly lost his life to a devastating car crash that shattered his right arm and elbow. Still, he convinced doctors to set his broken arm in the guitar-picking and cradling position. Laid up but undaunted, Paul acquired a first generation Ampex tape recorder from Crosby in 1949, and began his most important multi-tracking adventure, adding a fourth head to the recorder to create sound-on-sound recordings. While tinkering with the machine and its many possibilities, he also came up with tape delay. These tricks, along with another recent Les Paul innovation—close mic-ing vocals—were integrated for the first time on a single recording: the 1950 No. 1 tour de force “How High the Moon.” This historic track was performed during a duo with future wife Mary Ford. The couple’s prolific string of hits for Capitol Records not only included some of the most popular recordings of the early 1950s, but also wrote the book on contemporary studio production. The dense but crystal clear harmonic layering of guitars and vocals, along with Ford’s close mic-ed voice and Paul’s guitar effects, produced distinctively contemporary recordings with unprecedented sonic qualities. Through hits, tours, and popular radio shows, Paul and Ford kept one foot in the technological vanguard and the other in the cultural mainstream.

All the while, Les Paul continued to pine for the perfect guitar. Though The Log came close, it wasn’t quite what he was after. In the early 1950s, Gibson Guitar would cultivate a partnership with Paul that would lead to the creation of the guitar he’d seen only in his dreams. In 1948, Gibson elected to design its first solidbody, and Paul, a self-described “dyed-in-the-wool Gibson man,” seemed the right man for the job. Gibson avidly courted the guitar legend, even driving deep into the Pennsylvania mountains to deliver the first model to newlyweds Les Paul and Mary Ford. “Les played it, and his eyes lighted up,” then-Gibson President Ted McCarty has recalled. The year was 1950, and Paul had just signed on as the namesake of Gibson’s first electric solidbody, with exclusive design privileges. Working closely with Paul, Gibson forged a relationship that would change popular culture forever. The Gibson Les Paul model—the most powerful and respected electric guitar in history—began with the 1952 release of the Les Paul Goldtop. After introducing the original Les Paul Goldtop in 1952, Gibson issued the Black Beauty, the mahogany-topped Les Paul Custom, in 1954. The Les Paul Junior (1954) and Special (1955) were also introduced before the canonical Les Paul Standard hit the market in 1958.

With revolutionary humbucker pickups, this sunburst classic has remained unchanged for the half-century since it hit the market. “The world has lost a truly innovative and exceptional human being today. I cannot imagine life without Les Paul. He would walk into a room and put a smile on anyone’s face. His musical charm was extraordinary and his techniques unmatched anywhere in the world,” said Henry Juszkiewicz, Chairman and CEO of Gibson Guitar. “We will dedicate ourselves to preserving Les’ legacy to insure that it lives on forever. He touched so many lives throughout his remarkable life and his influence extends around the globe and across every boundary. I have lost a dear, personal friend and mentor, a man who has changed so many of our lives for the better.”

“I don’t think any words can describe the man we know as Les Paul adequately. The English language does not contain words that can pay enough homage to someone like Les. As the “Father of the Electric Guitar”, he was not only one of the world’s greatest innovators but a legend who created, inspired and contributed to the success of musicians around the world,” said Dave Berryman, President of Gibson Guitar. “I have had the privilege to know and work with Les for many, many years and his passing has left a deep personal void. He was simply put – remarkable in every way. As a person, a musician, a friend, an inventor. He will be sorely missed by us all,”

With the rise of the rock ’n’ roll revolution of 1955, Les Paul and Mary Ford’s popularity began to wane with younger listeners, though Paul would prove to be a massive influence on younger generation of guitarists. Still, Paul and Ford maintained their iconic presence with their wildly popular television show, which ran from 1953-1960. In 1964, the couple, parents to a son and daughter, divorced. Paul began playing in Japan, and recorded an LP for London Records before poor health forced him to take time off—as much as someone so inspired can take time off. In the 1977, Paul resurfaced with a Grammy-winning Chet Atkins collaboration, Chester and Lester. Then the ailing guitarist, who’d already suffered arthritis and permanent hearing loss, had a heart attack, followed by bypass surgery.

Ever stubborn, Les recovered, and returned to live performance in the late 1980s. Even releasing the 2005 double-Grammy winner Les Paul & Friends: American Made World Played, featuring collaborations with a veritable who’s who of the electric guitar, including dozens of illustrious fans like Keith Richards, Buddy Guy, Billy Gibbons, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, and Joe Perry. In 2008, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame paid tribute to Les Paul in a week-long celebration of his life which culminated with a live performance by Les himself. Until recently Les continued to perform two weekly New York shows with the Les Paul Trio, at The Iridium Jazz Club in New York City, for over twelve years where a literal who’s who of the entertainment world has paid homage. It has been an honor to have Les Paul perform at The Iridium Jazz Club for the past twelve years hosting such luminaries as Paul McCartney, Keith Richards and others and is a tragic loss to owner Ron Sturm both personally and professionally. Iridium intends to celebrate Les Paul's music and legacy every Monday night.

Les Paul has since become the only individual to share membership into the Grammy Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the National Inventors Hall of Fame, and the National Broadcasters Hall of Fame. Les is survived by his three sons Lester (Rus) G. Paul, Gene W. Paul and Robert (Bobby) R. Paul, his daughter Colleen Wess, son-in-law Gary Wess, long time friend Arlene Palmer, five grandchildren and five great grandchildren. A private Funeral service will be held in New York. A service in Waukesha, WI will be announced at a later date. Details will follow and will be announced for all services. Memorial tributes for the public will be announced at a future date.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Les Paul Foundation, 236 West 30th Street, 7th Floor, New York, New York 10001. probably whip the guy with 20 notes."

PILOT/The Reissues; Available NOW on RPM/Cherry Red

Here in the U.S. of A., PILOT are best known for their hugely successful 1974 hit "Magic". I must admit that, 35 years after the single's release, it remains one of my all-time favorite songs. EVER! I've never been able to get enough of it and no matter how many times I've heard it, I want to hear it again. It'd be safe to say that I've heard the song more times than I've heard any other song in my life bar The Beatles and Elvis Presley catalogs. On average, I play the song no fewer than 100 times a year (probably twice that), which is more than almost any other song in my entire collection!

So, when the chance came up to review RPM/Cherry Red's remastered reissues of the first three PILOT albums, I jumped on it. I almost couldn't sleep for the week or so it took for the CDs to arrive. Once I had them in my grubby little hands, I couldn't sleep for another week until I had full absorbed them again into my system. I still can't sleep since they songs are constantly spinning in my head, day in and day out!

While some folks have compared Pilot to 'Power Pop' outfits like Badfinger, The Raspberries and Big Star, I tend to think of them as closer to classic song stylists like Emmit Rhodes, Nilsson, 10cc, Gilbert O'Sullivan and, of course, solo Paul McCartney. It's not that they band are world's away from 'Power Pop', but that term, to me, conjures up a guitar-based sound, whereas Pilot were all over the map yet relied more heavily on piano than chiming or crunchy guitar chords. Harmony-wise, Pilot were right up there with the best of them.

Initially, Pilot were a trio consisting of David Paton, Billy Lyall and Stuart Tosh. These three gents had spent their formative years separately as session musicians and played in many a live band, but they never tasted real fame until they joined together as Pilot. In two short years, the band recorded their first three albums and made a real impact on the music scene in the UK, Japan and across Europe. The U.S. fully embraced their debut single, "Magic", but the band were never able to tour and capitalize on their success over here and they sadly remain a one-hit wonder in the States.

Those first three albums have just been reissued on RPM, which is distributed by Cherry Red, and they've never sounded or looked better. And with a handful of demos added to each of the albums, they are essential purchases for anyone looking for smart, creative and melodic pop music, '70s or otherwise...

From The Album Of The Same Name, originally released in 1974, was the band's debut album (released as Pilot in the U.S.) and features the mega great "Magic", which is reason enough to own this album! It doesn't hurt that the album is chock full of other great Pop songs that are just as commercial and appealing as anything Macca or Nilsson were releasing at the time. While "Magic" is certainly the highpoint of the album, there are so many fine moments on this album that it's kind of hard to keep track of them: the pure pop of "Just A Smile", "Lucky For Some" and "Sooner Or Later", the music-hall stomp of "Over The Moon" and the rockin' "Never Give Up" are just a few highlights from the original album. In regards to the four bonus tracks, there's a b-side from their single as Scotch Mist, two excellent demos of unreleased tracks plus the original version of "Magic", which is absolutely stunning. This recording is less bombastic and sounds like it might have been recorded in a different key. The arrangement is very similar to the released version, but the melody really stands out more on this version. I've already listened to it at least 100 times and love every moment of it..... The album was produced by Alan Parsons, who really knows how to layer vocals and instruments and create a perfect pop soundscape....

Parsons was back in the producer's chair for the band's sophomore album Second Flight, released in 1975. By this time, guitarist Ian Bairnson had joined the band full time (he only appeared on a few of the debut album's tracks) and Pilot were temporarily a quartet. Second Flight is a satisfying Pop album, but doesn't reach the highs of the debut, chiefly due to the fact that the band was rushed back into the studio some six months after their debut was released. In modern times, even a semi-successful band will toil over one track in the studio for over a year, but Pilot wrote and recorded two albums worth of material in that same amount of time. Second Flight is far from a failure, though. With more delicious hooks dripping out of the speakers, it's almost the equal of the debut, but doesn't quite get there. "January", their biggest hit outside the U.S., is delightful. "Call Me Round" does get close to Badfinger territory (more Tom Evans than Pete Ham, though). The bonus tracks feature demos of three of the album's tracks and a demo of the non-album single "Lady Luck". My only complaint is that they didn't add the single version of "Lady Luck", which means I need to track down a Pilot compilation in order to add that song to my collection. And I am a collector, so the search beings after I'm done writing this blog...

By the time Pilot released Morin Heights in 1976, Lyall had departed the band and Pilot was a trio again. Musically, things were different, too. Parsons was out of the producer's seat, replaced by Roy Thomas Baker, best known for his work with Queen and, later, The Cars. His production lifts the band from the Pop ranks, throwing them in alongside the harder Rock bands of the time without losing any of their charm. The harmony vocals stray a bit from being Beatles-influenced and sound closer to Sheer Heart Attack-era Queen than anything the Fab Four ever recorded. The songs on Morin Heights are excellent, matching the consistency of their debut and placing the album a few notches above Second Flight. All of this was intentional, since the band was hoping to break out of their teeny-bop 'singles' band image and be taken more seriously as an album-oriented outfit. While initial sales were disappointing, they achieved their goal in spades. Morin Heights remains an excellent slice of Pop/Rock that certainly deserves the reappraisal it will hopefully receive due to these reissues. Highlights include "Canada", "Penny In My Pocket", "Steps" and "Running Water". Of the four bonus demos, three are previously unreleased tracks more than worthy of your time....

After Morin Heights, Tosh quit the band and joined 10cc and Pilot, as a duo, recorded one more album before splitting up....

If "Magic" is all that you know by Pilot, then do yourself a favor and check these reissues out pronto! You won't regret it!

Ho, ho, ho, it's magic, you know!

Stephen SPAZ Schnee