Fierce Heart was Rex Carroll’s first published band. Rex was already 24 years old by the time this album came out and while he says he was a late bloomer I think that extra time until being recorded allowed his guitar playing to bloom. The whole idea of Fierce Heart was courtesy of Atlantic records though Rex did have a strong hand in picking the band. Jim Delehant & Chris Lord-Alge produced the album and they knew what they were doing which makes this a very well produced album. The album didn’t really catch which I find surprising considering how good it is but I suspect that there were probably rumours of Rex’s faith and we all know that in main stream music that is the kiss of death. Personally I think “Never Gonna Make Me Cry” is as good as anything else in this genre for the era and it should have singled on secular radio but I suspect it was never sent to the radio stations for consideration. Rex actually said both the band and the record company they knew the album cover was garbage but in typical music industry ways of the day it never got changed and it really is horrible. Rex authorized a re-release of the album and this jumped the band back into existence and Rex cut a new album using the band name, though with all new members, in 2020.
Tracklist
1 – Echoes – 1:34
2 – Fierce Heart – 3:45
3 – Out For Blood – 4:04
4 – Lion’s Share – 3:30
5 – Search And Destroy – 4:30
6 – Heroes – 3:55
7 – Never Gonna Make Me Cry – 4:05
8 – Bad Maureen – 4:15
9 – Loose Lips – 4:15
Credits
Choir, Engineer [Production Assistant] – Tom Lord-Alge
Cover – Marshall Arisman
Drums, Programmed By [Fairlight Programming], Producer, Engineer, Choir – Chris Lord-Alge
Engineer [Assistant] – Cathy Gazzo
Guitar, Choir – Rex Carroll
Management – John Doumanian
Mastered By – Dennis King
Producer, Choir – Jim Delehant
Vocals, Bass, Choir – Larry Elkins
Companies, etc.
Published By – Fierce Heart Music
Published By – Girder Music
Published By – Robbin Rae Music
Published By – Green Mirage Music
Distributed By – Atlantic Recording Corporation
Pressed By – Allied Record Company
You left out the importance of Larry Elkins.it was with his songwriting and vocals that got this record made.This was not just Rex Carrolls band.They both signed the contract.Larry was asked by the record company to put together this album together .
I agree that Larry was definitely important for the release but he was unknown before this release. Everything I read said Rex helped the record company pick the band. Point me to better info and I’ll update the entry.
Read the info on the internet,Rex did not pick the members.Larry was asked by the record company to get the two together.Rex was unknown ,not Larry.There are interviews that explain it.read em.get your information correct
Here’s Larry’s description of how the band came together;
Larry: “The band was basically formed by Jim Delehant of Mirage Records. John Doumanian, our manager, heard a tape of me down in Nashville. He also ran into Rex who was basically doing studio work and had a tape. He suggested that we both get together. We were introduced over the phone and then we took a plane to Chicago, where we met and started to work things out. Previous to our meeting, John took both of our tapes to Mirage, who had the vision and the brilliant idea of putting two separate musicians from two totally different parts of the country together.”
Here’s Rex’s version;
Rex: “I couldn’t seem to find a singer, and I was having nightmares about it. I thought I might lose my chance. Then a guy named John Douminian contacted Jim about a vocalist he had discovered. John had spent the previous decade managing Humble Pie, and then Peter Frampton. He came to Jim and said “what should we do with this singer?” and Jim suggested he’d be a perfect fit with me….thus the band FIERCE HEART was formed around myself and vocalist Larry Elkins.”
So the two versions don’t really line but I’ll take the parts that agree and rewrite the descriptiion