Tag: 1980

After The Fire – 80-f – 1980

This album has a bit of an interesting backstory. Before this album Ivor Twidell left the band to work on a solo project and the band had Nick Brotherwood (Alwyn Wall Band) step in on drums. They recorded it at Utopia Studios and Tony Mansfield mixed and produced the album. It was presented and subsequently rejected by CBS records. CBS sent them back to a studio in Germany with ex-Fly’s drummer Peter King and producer Reinhold Mack. They reworked the album dropping 4 tracks and added 3, Wild West Show, Why Can’t We Be Friends, and Joanne. Somehow in all this confusion Epic Records ended up releasing the newly recorded album. Now here’s where it gets really interesting. In 1982 after the band had split Epic released a compilation album but used the Nick Brotherwood versions of Love Will Always Make You Cry, Starflight, and 1980-F. Anyway now I’ll give my opinion of the album. Bottom line CBS wrecked it. The 3 tracks they added are the 3 weakest tracks on the album. I have heard bits and pieces of Tony Mansfield’s production it was far superior. Tony knew the sound the band was trying to achieve and was able to mix it to that sound. Instead this album is poorly mixed and produced by Reinhold Mack and completely misses what the band was trying to record. Unfortunately I can only assume this didn’t help the morale of the band and probably contributed to the band splitting in 1982. ON a high note the album has one of the greatest songs of all time “Who’s Gonna Love You When You’re Old And Fat And Ugly?”

Tracklist
1 – 1980-F – 2:32
2 – Love Will Always Make You Cry – 3:30
3 – Can You Face It? – 3:15
4 – Who’s Gonna Love You (When You’re Old And Fat And Ugly?) – 4:05
5 – Starflight – 4:13
6 – Wild West Show – 3:30
7 – Billy, Billy – 4:40
8 – It’s High Fashion – 3:07
9 – Why Can’t We Be Friends? – 2:46
10 – Joanne – 4:10

Credits
Bass, Vocals – Andy Piercy
Drums – Pete King
Engineer – Pete Hammond
Guitar, Backing Vocals – John Russell
Mastered By – Kevin Metcalf
Producer [Backing Track] – Tony Mansfield
Producer, Mixed By, Engineer – Reinhold Mack
Synthesizer, Backing Vocals – Peter “Memory” Banks

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – CBS Records
Produced At – Utopia Studios
Mixed At – Utopia Studios
Engineered At – Utopia Studios
Published By – Heath Levy Music Co. Ltd.

Tom Karlson – Living on the Edge – 1980

I seriously can not find a single piece of information about Tom Karlson. I can honestly say that this is the first time I have found absolutely nothing about an artist. So all we can talk about is the album itself. It’s a seventies style light rock album with a couple real rock tunes on it. I can hear a little early Larry on a few tracks but for the main part Tom makes this album his own. The album does have help from Benny Hester and Rick Crawford so this wasn’t a completely unknown project. The jacket is horrendous and does not let you know in any way that this is a rock album. There is zero chance we would have bought this in the day with that cover unless it was promoted as a rock album. It would appear it wasn’t promoted because I’ve never heard of it and I can’t find anyone else that ever heard of it either. That said it’s a pretty good album and I fully suggest giving it a listen.

Tracklist
1 – Take ‘Em – 3:52
2 – Questions – 3:53
3 – Look For Love – 4:07
4 – Yesterday, Today, Forever – 4:54
5 – Living On The Edge – 3:40
6 – Service To The Son – 3:24
7 – Dead End Street – 3:55
8 – If I Love You – 3:18
9 – Right Thru The Heart – 3:21

Credits
Gary Arthur – Bass
Bubba Chambers – Background Vocals
Rick Crawford – Background Vocals
Benny Hester – Arrangements, Background Vocals
Greg Jerden – Engineer
Tom Karlson – Songwriter, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals
Jeff Lams – Keyboards
Jerry McPherson – Electric Guitar
Paul Mills – Assistant Engineer, Synthesizer
John Parenti – Percussion
Brian Tankersley – Producer, Engineer, Electric Guitar, Background Vocals
Rick Thigpen – Assistant Engineer
Bobby Walzel – Saxaphone
John Wickham – Electric Guitar

After The Fire – Radio Sessions 1979 – 1981 – 2009

Apparently After The Fire played 3 years in a row at the BBC Paris Theatre, London, England. Luckily these appearances were recorded but they stayed on a shelf somewhere until Angel Air Records released them in 2009. You can buy the CD on their website below. ATF were an excellent live band and this is a great release. Thank you Angel Air Records.

http://www.angelair.co.uk/?tcp_product=after-the-fire-radio-sessions-1979-1981

1 – Joy – 3:17
2 – A Little Sun, A Little Rain – 3:11
3 – Laser Love – 3:05
4 – Time To Think – 3:31
5 – One Rule For You – 3:15
6 – Suspended Animation – 4:52
7 – Check It Out – 3:06
8 – Like The Power Of A Jet – 2:50
1980 In Concert
9 – Laser Love – 3:26
10 – Life In The City – 4:04
11 – Can You Face It? – 3:50
12 – Who’s Gonna Love You? – 4:14
13 – Billy Billy – 6:07
1981 In Concert
14 – Frozen Rivers – 4:06
15 – Dancing In The Shadows – 2:53
16 – Sailing Ship – 3:39
17 – Bright Lights – 4:09
18 – Take Me Higher – 7:06
19 – Starlight – 5:03

David And The Giants – Almost Midnight – 1980

While this is David & The Giants 4th Christian album it’s the one where I started listening and in my opinion is there best album. It has the original version of “Almost Midnight” which is much better than the 1985 remake which is probably the better known version. This album also welcomed back Keith Thibodeaux on drums. He was the original drummer for the band but left during their Christian transition but he’s back and you can tell as on this album I think the band was much tighter. A bit of trivia about Keith is that he played “Little Ricky” on the I Love Lucy show. Anyway here’s a great rock album that was perfectly timed for 1980.

Tracklist
1 – Almost Midnight – 2:55
2 – Keep On Keeping On – 3:47
3 – Keep On Singing My Song – 2:45
4 – Thank You Lord (For Coming Into My Heart) – 3:12
5 – Upper Room Experience (Recorded Live) – 6:02
6 – The Well (Will Never Run Dry) – 4:32
7 – Ten Miles High – 2:22
8 – Borrowed Time – 5:48
9 – Holy Rain (Recorded Live) – 5:15
10 – Daddy – 4:30

Credits
Bass, Backing Vocals – Clayborn Huff
Cover – Jim Paris
Drums – Keith Thibodeaux
Engineer – David Huff, David Yelveton (tracks: A5,B4), Rayborn Huff
Guitar, Mandolin, Piano, Vocals – David Huff
Harmonica – Lance Appleton
Organ, Synthesizer [Arp Quadra, Poly Korg], Strings [String Ensemble], Backing Band – Rayborn Huff
Piano, Synthesizer [Quadra], Backing Vocals – Gerald Hagan
Producer – David And The Giants
Written-By – Clayborn Huff, David Huff, Rayborn Huff

Companies, etc.
Recorded At – Huff Studios

Thomas Steven Smith – Fresh Start – 1980

This is the third album for Thomas Steven Smith who released his first 2 albums using his nickname Moose Smith. Strangely for an artist with 4 albums I really can’t find much about him. There are a few notes around the interwebs of people who saw him in concert saying how great he was but that’s about all I can find. So let’s talk about the album. It has a great 70’s sound and feel. It’s not particularly my style but there’s a couple tracks I quite liked. “You’ve Gotta Hear It To Believe It” is a great rock tune that deserves to be heard and “Loco Boy Made Good” also had a great seventies rock sound. I’m looking forward to hearing his other albums as there is some real talent here. It is absolutely the wrong cover for the album but it does have a cool 3d effect which makes it stand out.

Tracklist
1 – Love Will Find A Way – 3:28
2 – And When All Is Said And Done – 2:50
3 – Holy, Holy, Holy – 2:39
4 – Loco Boy Made Good – 3:50
5 – Anything Worth Doin’ Is Worth Doin’ Right – 3:57
6 – There Is A Way – 4:07
7 – Turn Around And See – 2:46
8 – Fresh Start – 3:26
9 – One Song – 4:04
10 – You’ve Gotta Hear It To Believe It – 3:03

Credits
Art Direction – Michael Harris Design
Engineer – Brian Tankersley, Paul Mills
Executive-Producer – Phil Brower
Horn [Arrangements] – Fletch Wiley
Photography By – Michael Borum
Producer – Fletch Wiley
Synthesizer [Programming] – Paul Mills

Companies, etc.
Copyright © – Zondervan Fiesta Corporation
Recorded At – Rivendell Sound Reproducers

Glad – Beyond A Star – 1980

Glad was, for a time, one of the most influential and important groups in Christian Music. An incredibly high standard of quality, interesting and creative arrangements and some of, if not the best, harmonies in CCM history. After their debut showed a much more “progressive” rock and jazz influence, Beyond a star would carry their original form into the 1980’s with more pop and the introduction of the a capella vocal style they would later by primarily known for. Though less progressive than their debut the album still contain several classic influences such as the Yes sounding “Away” and a touch of the 2nd Chapter of acts on “Sing a New Song.” “Iron Sharpens Iron” has a Steely Dan or Alan Parsons Project feel. The opening track, “The Reason” would introduce the a capella vocal style that would end of being the trademark for the band through much the 1980’s. In fact, their biggest selling album would be the firs “A Capella Project,” going gold and beyond. This would not have been possible without the perfect combination of voices the band possessed. Many members are still actively involved in music, most notable Bob Kauflin, who is spearheading a great modern worship label based on more doctrinally solid lyrical content than what is found in most of today’s worship music.

Contributor – David Lowman https://ccms500bestalbums.wordpress.com/

Tracklist
1 – The Reason – 1:50
2 – Take A Stand – 3:32
3 – Beyond A Star – 3:49
4 – Away – 4:11
5 – Sing A New Song – 3:37
6 – Iron Sharpens Iron – 3:36
7 – Lying – 3:25
8 – Lonely Love – 4:31
9 – It Is Good – 4:54
10 – Pierce My Ear – 3:19

Credits
Arranged By [Special Assistance, Strings & Horns] – Dan Wolgemuth
Arranged By [Strings & Horns] – Bob Kauflin, Ed Nalle
Arranged By [Vocals] – Bob Kauflin
Booking – Logsdon Associates
Design [Art Design] – Michael Harris
Drums – Brad Currie, Mark Farley, Roger Clark
Electric Guitar – John Goin
Engineer – Brown Bannister, Skip Plant
Executive-Producer – Michael Blanton
Flugelhorn – George Tidwell
Mastered By – Larry Nix
Photography By [Back Cover] – Mimi Roth Mandel
Photography By [Front Cover] – Michael Borum
Producer – Brown Bannister, Ed Nalle
Saxophone – Billy Puett, Dennis Solee
Strings – The Shelly Kurland Strings
Trombone – Dennis Good
Trumpet – Don Sheffield
Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar – Jim Gheen
Vocals, Bass [Alembic] – Don Nalle
Vocals, Electric Guitar – John Bolles, Wayne Farley
Vocals, Keyboards – Bob Kauflin
Vocals, Percussion – Ed Nalle

Companies, etc.
Record Company – Word, Inc.
Recorded At – King’s Place
Recorded At – Gold Mine Studio
Mixed At – Gold Mine Studio
Mastered At – Ardent Studios
Pressed By – Monarch Record Mfg. Co.
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Word, Inc.
Copyright © – Word, Inc.
Copyright © – Word Music, Inc.
Copyright © – Dayspring Music
Copyright © – Organon Key Music
Published By – Dayspring Music
Published By – Word Music, Inc.
Published By – Organon Key Music

Twila Paris – Knowin’ You’re Around – 1980

This is Twila’s first album. Well that’s not entirely true she actually had a self released kids album all the way back in 1965 recorded when she was 5 years old. She said in an interview that when she was a teenager her friends would torment her by playing the album, but this is essentially her first album. It’s pretty well what you would expect for a first album from a female artist in 1980 but I do need to give Twila credit in that she was involved in the song writing. Generally first album female artists have all the tracks written for them but not in this case. If you’re a fan of female 80’s artists then this one is for you.

Tracklist
1 – Spring Water – 2:46
2 – Angel Band – 3:09
3 – I’ll See You Sunday – 3:55
4 – Knowin’ You’re Around – 3:28
5 – Morning Sunrise – 1:57
6 – I’m Singing Again – 3:13
7 – Turn Around – 2:58
8 – Victory Song – 3:05
9 – Elijah – 2:50
10 – Sing Me A Lullaby – 4:18

Credits
Drew Barlow – Engineer
Stephanie Boosahda – Background Vocals
Wayne Boosahda – Producer
Cornerstone Strings – Strings
Larry Dalton – Piano
Mike Demus – Electric & Acoustic Guitars
Bob Farrell – Background Vocals
Rocky Gribble – Electric Guitars
Sandra Halgendale – Oboe
Jim Hochanadel – Acoustic Guitars, Saxophone
Maurice Love – Bass
Glenn Meadows – Mastered
Twila Paris – Songwriter, Keyboards, Vocals
Kenny Sarkey – Producer, Engineer, Mixed, Keyboard, Acoustic Guitars, Arp Omni, Mini Moog, Orchestra Bells, Background Vocals
Julianne Siens – Background Vocals
David Stearman – String Arrangements, Acoustic Guitar
Rhenda Edwards Tull – Background Vocals
Genevieve Winkenbach – Harp
Steve Wright – Drums, Percussion

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Benson Music Group, Inc.
Copyright © – Benson Music Group, Inc.
Published By – Singspiration Music
Distributed By – Benson Music Group, Inc.

One Truth – Playing For Keeps – 1980

This is the 3rd and last album from One Truth. Well they did release a 4 track EP in 1983 using the band name Ipso Facto so we did get one more bit form them later. Oh and just a quick note the EP is fantastic. After that EP several members went on to release solo projects but most of them were more in the Worship genre. This album has a great seventoes fell and is probably one of the better 70’s style (not Jesus music) lbums I’ve heard. There’s even a couple of good 70’s rockers on the album. The album jacket had a baseball theme and the album has a track called “Seventh Inning Stretch” featuring an organ playing “Take Me Out To The Ballgame”. A bit strange but something different qhich I appreciate.

Tracklist
1 – I’ll Have Enough – 4:01
2 – Rock Or Sand – 5:12
3 – I’ve Never Been There Before – 2:47
4 – Teach Us To Forgive – 6:25
5 – Don’t Be Deceived – 3:40
6 – Satisfied – 3:22
7 – Lord My Desire – 4:17
8 – Seventh Inning Stretch – 0:49
9 – Gonna Run – 3:43
10 – Jesus Wants To Know Each One – 3:15

Credits
Greg Butler – Background Vocals
Randall Butler – Songwriter, Guitar, Vocals
Terry Butler – Songwriter, Keyboards, Background Vocals
Bob Clark – Engineer
Bill Dragoo – Drums
Dave Emerson – Songwriter
Dave Etzen – Songwriter, Guitar, Vocals
Phil Johnson – Producer, Engineer, Background Vocals
Brent King – Engineer
Larrie Londin – Drums
Andy Osbrink – Bass, Background Vocals
Warren Peterson – Engineer
Smitty Price – Engineer, Keyboards, Background Vocals
Hank Williams – Mastered

Companies, etc.
Recorded At – Sound House, North Hollywood, CA
Remixed At – Great Circle Sound
Mastered At – Masterfonics

The Rance Allen Group – I Feel Like Going On – 1980

This was actually the 7th album from The Rance Allen Group. I will forgive you if you have never heard of them because they were in that segment of Christian music that some of us were never exposed to. There seems to have been a whole parallel Christian music industry specializing in soul gospel music. As I researched this side genre I discovered that it was actually huge with several large labels. That said in the early 80’s these two industries started to cross over. This album was before those days so this album is on a soul gospel label. Anyway these guys were huge but I never had any exposure to them. This is a pity because they are really good. I don’t know if I would have bought any of their albums but it would have been nice to have heard them. As for this album it is an excellent soul album and you may have missed it in the day so you should give it a listen now.

Tracklist
1 – Where Did I Go Wrong – 4:45
2 – Some People – 4:50
3 – I’m Coming Back To You – 6:12
4 – Can’t Get Enough – 3:27
5 – God Can Do The Impossible – 5:10
6 – I Will Forever Lean On You – 5:23
7 – Believe In Yourself – 4:32
8 – I Feel Like Going On – 3:35

Credits
Arranged By – Johnny Allen
Art Direction – Phil Carroll
Backing Vocals – Brandye
Bass – Billy Sumler
Design – Kris Johnson
Drums – Jerry Jones
Engineer – Warren Woods
Executive-Producer – Toby Jackson
Guitar – Bruce Nazarian, Cecil Womack, Rance Allen
Horns – Eli Fontain
Keyboards – Rance Allen, Ronnie McNair
Mastered By – José Rodriguez
Percussion – Butch Small, James Griswold
Photography By – Phil Bray
Producer, Arranged By – Rance Allen, Ronnie McNair
Recorded By, Mixed By – Mark Calice
Strings – Betty Metzker, Carl Austin, Charles Everette, Edouard Kesner, Max James Bourbonnais, John Ronai, Marguerite Deslippe, Meyer Shapiro, Morris Hochberg, Nicholas Waselowich, Richard Piippo, Umberto Primo

Companies, etc.
Distributed By – Fantasy Records
Recorded At – The Sound Suite Detroit
Mixed At – The Sound Suite Detroit
Mastered At – Sterling Sound
Published By – Stora Music Co.
Published By – Roxatlanta Lane
Published By – Tight Squeeze Music
Published By – Dark Star Music
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Stax Records

Diane Tong – Land of the Living – 1980

This is another oddball Canadian artist found on New Born Records (Sister label to Tunesmith). There are several of these one album artists on New Born and Tunesmith. The real standout on the album is Diane’s guitar and banjo work. The opening track is a toe tapper but unfortunately the album turns easy listening after that. Her vocal stylings are not my cup of tea but she is a very good vocalist and this album is a stand out if you like her vocal style.

1 – In The Land Of The Living – 4:24
2 – I’ve Seen You Smile – 4:06
3 – The Lilies – 4:52
4 – How Lovely – 2:54
5 – Dear Brother – 3:14
6 – Faith – 4:18
7 – Too Long – 2:17
8 – Heartbeat Of The Lord – 3:26
9 – Jesus Is The Lover – 4:50
10 – Morning Star – 3:48