Tag: 77s

The 77s – (self titled) – 1987

Most people believe this was one of the most important albums in the 80’s CCM scene.

This album was released on Island records not a Christian label. And this wasn’t some unheard of label, Island records was home to U2 at the time. The hope was that this was going to be the true entry of a CCM band into the secular music scene.

Unfortunately not everything worked out as hoped and the album was not a huge commercial success. But that said many believe this was one of the greatest CCM albums of all time.

It is in my top 10 and usually dances in the top 3. As I remember it “Do It For Love” was the radio single and is a darn good song but my favourite was “What Was In That Letter”. Final thought is that the album is solid and there’s no filler content here, just quality music.

Track Listing:
1 – Do It For Love – 4:26
2 – I Can’t Get Over It – 4:38
3 – What Was In That Letter – 3:07
4 – Pearls Before Swine – 8:20
5 – The Lust, The Flesh, The Eyes & The Pride Of Life – 3:50
6 – Frames Without Photographs – 4:18
7 – Don’t Say Goodbye – 4:30
8 – Bottom Line – 3:50
9 – I Could Laugh – 7:50

Credits:
Art Direction, Graphic Design – Marty Gessler
Band [The 77’s Are], Bass [Fender Bass], Backing Vocals [Support Vocals] – Jan Eric
Band [The 77’s Are], Drums [More Pounding & Thrashing] – Aaron Smith
Band [The 77’s Are], Keyboards, Guitar, Backing Vocals [Support Vocals] – Mark Tootle
Band [The 77’s Are], Vocals, Guitar – Mike Roe
Engineer [Assistant Engineer At Quadrasonic] – Peter Sturge
Engineer [Assistant Engineers At Exit] – Daryl Zachman, Steve Griffith
Executive-Producer – Mary Neely
Featuring, Backing Vocals, Keyboards – Steve Griffith
Featuring, Bass [Fender 6-String Bass], Electronics [Ibanez Midi Guitar Controller] – Sam Ching
Featuring, Percussion [Ethnic & Orchestral Percussion], Other [Hat Hair] – Bongo Bob Smith
Featuring, Piano [Prepared Piano] – The Cleverly Brothers
Featuring, Saxophone – Jon Skinner
Featuring, Sounds [A.M.S. Sampling] – Pete “Fastfingers” Sturge
Mastered By – Bob Ludwig
Photography By – Deborah Wiley, Linda Pearson
Producer, Engineer, Mixed By – Robert Musso
Recorded By [Live Remote Recording], Recorded By [Pre-Production Demos Extraordinaire] – Steve Griffith

Vector – Mannequin Virtue – 1983

This was the introductory album from Vector.

The band was packed with talent including Charlie Peacock, who would go on to a solo career as well as producing many albums. He was only on this release from Vector and wrote some of the songs on this album.

The rest of the band were famous in their own rights, including members of The 77’s. The album is very heavily new wave with influences from Genesis to Bowie.

It was just what secular radio was looking for at the time, but alas, it would be relegated to Christian radio only which happened to far too many quality bands of the time.

Track Listing:
1 – Mannequin Virtue – 2:44
2 – Substitute – 2:32
3 – Running From The Light – 3:25
4 – Lost Without Love – 3:16
5 – The Shore – 3:50
6 – The Hunger And The Thirst – 3:48
7 – Desperately – 3:45
8 – All Around The World – 3:25
9 – Only To Fail Again – 3:21
10 – I Love Them All – 3:50

Credits:
Coordinator [Executive Coordinator] – Jan Eric Volz
Design – Jim Abegg, Mark Swanson
Design Concept [Cover Concept] – Jim Abegg, Michelle Abegg, Steve Griffith
Drums [Drum Kit] – Aaron Smith
Engineer [Assistant] – Steve Griffith
Engineer [Engineered By] – Daryl Zachman
Executive-Producer – Mary Neely
Guitar, Guitar Synthesizer, Backing Vocals – Jim Abegg
Illustration – Mark Swanson
Lead Vocals, Bass, Backing Vocals – Steve Griffith
Mastered By – John Golden
Mixed By – Larry Hirsch
Photography By – Jim Abegg, Sandi Robinson
Producer [Produced By] – Steven Soles
Synthesizer [Memorymoog], Backing Vocals – Charlie Peacock