Tag: Michael Anderson

This is Michael’s second album and at this point in his career he was still on secular label A&M. He actually was not that vocal about being a Christian until later but famed music critic (at the time record store employee) David Lowman figured it out. You need to read David’s story about Anderson either on our website or his “https://ccms500bestalbums.wordpress.com/” Anyway this is Michael’s second album and while I loved his first one I think I love this one even more. It just has that great commercial pop sound that we all heard on the radio. Often I get sick of that pop sound but when it’s done right I just love it and Michael does it right on this album. I think we can attribute part of that great sound to production by Michael Omartian. Point of trivia is that Rob Watson (Daniel Amos) contributed a guitar track to the song “True Love”

Tracklist
1 – True Love – 5:08
2 – Could You Ever Love Me Now – 4:51
3 – The Rose And The Fire – 4:46
4 – Heaven Help The Lonely – 5:35
5 – Heartbeat From Glory (Memorial Day) – 4:41
6 – Raymond Chandler Said – 5:20
7 – Slip Away – 3:55
8 – Flame In The Fire – 4:36
9 – In The Dark Tonight – 4:24
10 – Let It Rain – 6:53

Credits
Art Direction – Chuck Beeson
Backing Vocals – Jeff Rollings (tracks: 1 to 9), Michael Omartian (tracks: 1 to 9), Toni Anderson (4) (tracks: 1 to 9)
Band, Bass – Taras Prodaniuk (tracks: 1 to 9)
Band, Blues Harp [Harp], Horns – Jimmy Z (tracks: 1 to 9)
Band, Drums – Dave Raven* (tracks: 1 to 9)
Band, Guitar – Don Kirkpatrick (tracks: 1 to 9), Randy Mitchell (tracks: 1 to 9)
Band, Guitar, Bass, Vocals – Michael Anderson (5) (tracks: 1 to 9)
Band, Keyboards, Percussion, Other [Lunch] – Michael Omartian (tracks: 1 to 9)
Choir [The Choir] – Alphinette Silas* (tracks: 1 to 9), Jeff Rollings (tracks: 1 to 9), Linda Tavani (tracks: 1 to 9), Michael Omartian (tracks: 1 to 9), Steve Tavani* (tracks: 1 to 9), Toni Anderson (4)
Coordinator [Production Coordinator] – Janet Hinde (tracks: 1 to 9)
Design – Rebecca Keeley
Engineer [Assistant] – Kevin Becka (tracks: 1 to 9), Mick Higgins (tracks: 1 to 9)
Mixed By [Remixed By] – Terry Christian (tracks: 10)
Musician [Additional], Bass – “Memphis” Buck Silvertone* (tracks: 1 to 9)
Musician [Additional], Guitar – Steve Lukather (tracks: 8,)
Musician [Additional], Guitar, Backing Vocals – Dean Chamberlain
Musician [Additional], Guitar, Other [Attitude (For Days)] – John Anderson (3) (tracks: 1 to 9)
Musician [Additional], Keyboards – Rob Watson (tracks: 1)
Musician [Additional], Soloist [Solo] – Michael Landau (tracks: 2)
Musician [Players], Backing Vocals – Toni Anderson (4) (tracks: 10)
Musician [Players], Drums – Dave Raven* (tracks: 10)
Musician [Players], Guitar – Josh Sklair (tracks: 10)
Musician [Players], Guitar, Backing Vocals – Jeff Rollings (tracks: 10)
Musician [Players], Guitar, Bass, Vocals – Michael Anderson (5) (tracks: 10)
Musician [Players], Keyboards – Michael Omartian (tracks: 10)
Musician [Players], Percussion – Ian Wallace (tracks: 10)
Musician [Players], Piano – Ian McLagan (tracks: 10)
Photography By – Aaron Rapoport
Producer – Michael Anderson (5) (tracks: 10), Michael Omartian (tracks: 1 to 9)
Recorded By – Ernie Sheesley (tracks: 10)
Recorded By, Mixed By – Terry Christian (tracks: 1 to 9)

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – A&M Records, Inc.
Copyright © – A&M Records, Inc.
Recorded At – Lighthouse Recorders
Mixed At – Lighthouse Recorders
Recorded At – Sound House, North Hollywood, CA
Recorded At – Homelands Studio
Recorded At – Master Control, Burbank
Recorded At – MCA Recording Studios

Sometime around 1987 I was working at a very large and popular christian Bookstore in Southern California when a copy of Billboard Magazine came across my desk. Along the bottom of the front page was an ad for an artist on A&M Records. The slogan on the ad was something like, “There’s Nothing Funny About the End of the World.” I was intrigued. I immediately called my local one-stop mainstream distributor and asked about the project. He hadn’t heard about but did make a couple calls for me. It would be released a few weeks later, but he did call the next day and said he got an advanced copy of the album for my to review before ordering. I drove over right away and put the CD in my car. The content seemed “Christian” to me but i had no real proof the artist was a Christian. Songs were about faith and the title track mentioned Babylon and Armageddon. I ordered some for the store despite the “hell” word being present and not receiving any confirmation about the faith of the artist. It sold well. In fact, it sold extremely well. My staff loved it and pushed and I don’t think a customer came in that didn’t hear something about it one way or the other. It charted in CCM Magazine just because of our sales alone. About a month later i received a phone call. On the other end of the line was a man with a very low voice and calm demeanor. He introduced himself as Michael Anderson and asked why in the world was i selling his record at a Christian Bookstore. I was a bit stunned and taken aback. “Don’t get me wrong,” he said, “I just wanted to know how you knew I was a Christian?” As I found out later his manager told him the album charted in CCM Magazine and that was because of the sales from one store. He tracked down the store and called. That started a friendship that would last for several years. My wife and I would travel to Hollywood regularly to hang out with Michael and his wife. In fact, we were invited by Michael his wife’s birthday party at an amazing gourmet Japanese restaurant in Bel Air and were seated at a table with Michael and Stormie Omartian. Michael’s debut project on A&M Records is a powerful, straight ahead Americana rock and roll in the same vein as the best from John Mellencamp and Bruce Springsteen but with a more blues and country influenced sound. Anderson’s voice will huff, puff, spit, scream and squeal with an edge that pierces as it communicates with passion few have reviled. On higher notes he is known to have his voice crack in trademark fashion. But on the mellower tunes he can bring it down to soft, almost Barry White-like smooth growl. Anderson would record two releases for the mainstream market on A&M and then two projects for the Christian market on Forefront. He made his way there after I gave a copy of this album to Eddie DeGarmo at a Benson records sales conference.

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

Tracklist
1 – Sound Alarm – 5:31
2 – I Know That You Can Stand – 5:14
3 – I Need You – 4:51
4 – Until You Loved Me – 3:49
5 – Sanctuary – 5:43
6 – Little Bit O’ Love – 4:24
7 – Memphis Radio – 4:47
8 – Soweto Soul – 4:03
9 – Shine A Light – 4:49
10 – Time To Go Home – 5:10

Credits
Backing Vocals – Toni Anderson
Bass, Backing Vocals – Buck Silvertone
Drums – Chad Cromwell
Guitar – Josh Sklair
Harmonica – Jimmy Z
Producer, Keyboards, Backing Vocals – Terry Manning
Vocals, Guitar – Michael Anderson

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – A&M Records, Inc.
Copyright (c) – A&M Records, Inc.
Distributed By – PolyGram
Made By – PolyGram
Recorded At – Ardent Studios
Recorded At – Alpha Sound
Mixed At – Ardent Studios
Mixed At – Alpha Sound
Mastered At – Masterdisk
Published By – Atlantic Recording Corporation
Published By – Cadillac Pink Music