In continuing my gradual revisit/review of the Alice Cooper catalogue, I occasionally still take this one out. I gotta say, there was a time when I first got this one in the mid 80s that I played the heck out of it. And in revisiting it now, I still have a soft-spot for this record. Easy Action was the band’s 2nd album, released in 1970. It was their 2nd for Straight Records, produced by David Briggs (best known for his work with Neil Young), and was an improvement on the band’s 1968 debut Pretties For You. Alice Cooper were still a ways off from the cleverly written and produced hits (w/ Bob Ezrin), Easy Action was definitely a more appealing sound, and with songs and arrangements that were a step up from the debut. A few songs fit into a more mainstream format, with a harder rocking sound, guitars turned up, Alice with more attitude in his vocals, and gone are some of the really short tunes, sound effects….
“The production of course was a little bit better, and anything we ever recorded we thought was gonna be a hit album, and we had David Briggs… I don’t even know how David Briggs got involved in producing the album, but obviously if you’re doing Neil Young in one session and Alice Cooper in the other, he really didn’t give a rat’s ass about our music”. – Neal Smith, 2024
“Shoe Salesman” was the album’ single, and it’s a memorable Beatles’ influenced, lighter tracks; to me it is one of the standout songs on EasyAction. The other standout (for me) is “Below Your Means”, one of 2 tracks here with Michael Bruce on vocals, and featuring some lengthy cool guitar exchanges, blends, and tone, not to mention the changes in the song. A very underrated gem in the AC catalogue.
Although there’s still some odd stuff here, there’s a certain early charm and something memorable about cuts like “Still No Air” (this includes the phrase “easy action”, and a snippet of West Side Story), “Laughing At Me”, and “Beautiful Flyaway”, like these were on to something. Fan favorites were the hard rock of “Return Of The Spiders”, featuring Neal Smith’s (B-side to “Shoe Salesman”, and dedicated to Gene Vincent whom the band opened for in Toronto), “Mr And Misdemeanor”, and the lengthy closing piece (largely instrumental) “Lay Down and Die, Goodbye” (a much lengthier and heavier psychedelic reworking of a song released as a single when the band went by the name ‘Nazz‘). “Lay Down And Die, Goodbye” featured the spoken lines “You are the only censor, If you don’t like what I say, you have a choice – you can turn me off”, this was taken from from a tape of Tommy Smothers (Smothers Brothers), which Briggs had, and the band felt was “oddly appropriate”, according to Michael Bruce. Also included is “Refrigerator Heaven”, not sure what this is about, but Alice would reference the it years later in his solo hit “Cold Ethyl”.
The album cover design is one of my favorites in the band’s catalogue, with the front and back photos (being opposite), and the black and white bandmember photos inside the gatefold sleeve taken by Lorrie Sullivan, who went on to work on numerous major band releases (and promo pics) throughout the 70s (Grand Funk, Joe Walsh, The Eagles, Warren Zevon, etc…)
Easy Action, despite it’s improvements and steps towards the band that would break out with a huge hit and million selling album a year later, was a commercial flop! While Pretties For You just dented the US charts, Easy Action didn’t even manage that, selling significantly less. But the band’s reputation (live show) and persistence to get producer Jack Richardson (w/ Bob Ezrin) involved would eventually pay off.
“I loved The Beatles because they wrote such simple songs, which is a really tough thing to do. I got all the Pink Floyd stuff out of my head and tried to write this three-chord ballad with a simple melody. I’ve always thought if you can break the girl’s heart by the second verse, it’s a hit.” – Alice Cooper, 2010 Metro
” I liked “Lay Down and Die, Goodbye” because it contained a free-form sound collage that was disturbing. I would have been happy if the whole album was like that.” – Dennis Dunaway , 2012
“Matter of fact, on the song ‘Lay Down And Die, Goodbye,’ he said “Oh well we’ll put on this psychedelic shit now.” So you know, he wasn’t enthusiastic or cared about it from the standpoint of it was just a gig for him to get through, record it, get it down, and get on with his life. So from that standpoint there was not chemistry in the production of it, although there was still some great music, great songs… I think ‘Return Of The Spiders’ is one of the songs to me that stands out other than ‘Lay Down And Die Goodbye’,…” – Neal Smith, 2024
“I sang ‘Below Your Means’ and ‘Beautiful Flyaway’ – the latter was a kind of meditation song, sort of my attempt at being George Harrison”. – Michael Bruce, from No More Mr Nice Guy.
“Easy Action was a great album, it was my idea to stand backwards because I had the longest hair in the band for the album cover, and so every band has a front picture of it. We always try to do something different obviously as any fan knows for our album covers, but with that one, I said let’s just turn around and Zappa liked the idea and so we went with that one”. – Neal Smith 2024
“Michael is singing and playing piano on “Beautiful Flyaway.” David Briggs played piano on “Shoe Salesman” which was one of the welcome few times he seemed to care about the sessions.” – Dennis Dunaway, 2012
From the press at the time:
That second album from way-out Alice Cooper, “Easy Action,” will be out this month. Group will perform in the party sequence of Frank Perry’s “Diary Of A Mad Housewife,” now filming in New York, and then wind up an Eastern concert tour. – Cash Box — March 21, 1970
ALICE COOPER/Easy Action. Warner Bros. WS 1845 (S) One of the most unusual live groups, Alice Cooper, in their second straight album, convey much of the power they possess. The extended “Lay Down and Die, Goodbye” with it’s many changes is among the many interesting cuts as is the powerful “Return of the Spiders” and “Refrigerator Heaven.” “Below Your Means” is another good longer number, sharp instrumentally. This album can go even higher than Alice Cooper’s first set, which was a chart item. – Billboard, 04-11-70
EASY ACTION – ALICE COOPER-Warner Bros. WS 1845. Alice Cooper, five guys who seem to be going for the hermaphrodite look, play in a more specific groove – now rock. Their lyrics contain put-downs and put-ons of different sorts and will help them get attention where the folks can’t see them strut their stuff. – Record World, 04-18-70
(March Delights) – Alice Cooper is flinging that dead chicken at us again, this time by way of Easy Action (WS 1845), as strange an album as a Frank Zappa discovery on Straight Records could make, as expected.- RW-1970-03-21
EASY ACTION -Alice Cooper, Warner Bros WS 1845 - Heavy, heavy – but it gets very interesting the deeper you listen. Group currently on U.S. Canada tour which should add potential. They’re a word of mouth group and will find much favor with free formers. – RPM-1970-06-13
Alice Cooper, Easy Action (Straight): A very freaky-looking group that has been panned by many. They’re not too bad at all. There are enough original ideas here to satisfy anyone; unfortunately, their execution often falls flat from half-hearted repetition. – Montreal Star, May 9 1970
Another Straight Records release is Alice Cooper’s LP, “Easy Action” gives them an even firmer hold on that proverbial ladder than they already have. This is an extremely good hard rock group who’s antics on stage are fantastic, but although they add to the group’s success, on record you can only enjoy the ability they have as musicians, and they most assuredly hold their own in that department.. From “Mr. and Misdemeanor” on side one, until “Beautiful Flyaway”, which concludes, the LP prevalent. They seem to be an unusually versatile group, and from what I have heard of their stage antics, they should be as good to see in person as they are to listen to. Listening to them is a pleasure indeed. – Lexington Herald-Leader, April 19 1970
From Metalville (who’ve issued the latest new SWEET album – Full Circle, as well as reissued the previous 2 on vinyl – New York Connection and Isolation Boulevard), Platinum Rare 1 looks to be the same tracklisting as the 2021 RSD release Platinum Rare (w/ a different cover). This is being released as a 2 CD or 2 LP (red vinyl) set. I’m not sure where all these tracks are pulled from, but the SWEET in the 70s had an amazing run of albums starting with Sweet Fanny Adams. These guys could be pop/glam, hard rock or metal, or even a bit progressive. This set is full of classic Sweet outtakes, alternate mixes, demos… *Check out the press info & tracklisting below…
SWEET – one of the most legendary, influential, and enduring names in the history of rock music – will have the absolute collector’s album Platinum Rare 1 available in regular stores for the first time on May 23rd via METALVILLE RECORDS.
Platinum Rare 1 contains extremely rare recordings by the four original SWEET members.
The legendary glam/hard rock band continues to thrill fans all over the world to this day. Over the years, SWEET have sold more than 55 million records and reached 34 #1 chart positions.
The songs on Platinum Rare 1 come from the private archive of SWEET guitarist Andy Scott and were personally selected by him.
Fans of the band will be thrilled with this collection of rare and alternative takes and mixes. Many of the songs on the album have never before seen the light of day on a regular SWEET release.
Platinum Rare 1 is an absolute enrichment for every true fan of SWEET.
Tracklisting CD1: 1. Ballroom Blitz (Rough Mix) 2. IDC Jam 3. Midnight To Daylight (Outtake) 4. Show Me The Way (Alternative Mix) 5. Log One (That Girl) (Brian Vox) 6. Cover Girl (Band Demo) 7. Love Is Like Oxygen (Instrumental) 8. Windy City (Band Demo) 9. Falling In Love 10. Yesterday’s Hero 11. Live For Today (Rough Mix) 12. New Shoes
CD2: 1. Rebel Rouser (Steve Vocal) 2. Fire Engine 3. Blockbuster (Rough Mix) 4. Play All Night (Brian Vox) 5. Strong Love (Outtake) 6. Teenage Rampage (Rough Mix) 7. California Nights (Band Demo) 8. Hellraiser (Rough Mix) 9. Where Do We Go From Here 10. Silverbird (Band Demo) 11. Maggie 12. Lettres D’amour (Band Demo) 13. Lost Angels (Extended Rough Mix)
For many classic rock fans the name RUSS BALLARD is more associated to a number of hits that his name appeared on as a songwriter, but really Russ Ballard has been writing and performing since the mid-60s. From Hertfordshire, England, Russ joined ARGENT (lead by former ZOMBIE Rod Argent), as a singer, guitarist and writer. He wrote a number of Argent classics, notably “Liar” and “God Gave Rock and Roll To You”. Ballard left Argent in 1974 after 5 studio and albums and 1 double live release, and released his first (self-titled) solo album later that year. Over the next decade he would release 6 more. His solo career didn’t take off as much in North America (even though all his records were released here and solo respectably), but a number of his songs would become big hits (and in many cases breakout hits) for a wide range of pop and rock acts. Chances are if you bought a lot of LPs in the late 70s and 80s, you likely have Russ Ballard’s name in your collection, somewhere!
On April 25 Frontiers will release Russ Ballard’s latest recordings, a double feature – Songs From The Warehouse and the Hits Rewired. The first disc is all new songs from Ballard and the second disc is his new recordings of those songs made famous by other artists. The new and the old material sounds outstanding, with new favorites like “Resurrection”, “The Wild”, and “Make Believe World” all showing Ballard (at 79) still writes catchy and timely rock tunes (as well as singing and playing everything himself!), as well as nicely updated takes of his classics like “New York Groove”, “You Can Do Magic” and “Voices”.
Below is from my conversation with Russ Ballard on his new recordings, as well as a bit of his past, including Argent, and some of the songs he wrote back then. After finishing this interview I immediately thought of 101 other things I could’ve or should’ve brought up, but hey – this guy is legendary! Check it out below, as well as the song links I’ve included, and links to Russ Ballard’s new album and websites at the end.
The new album, you’ve done it in two parts.
Well, the Songs From The Warehouse are all new songs. And obviously, the Rewired songs, I’ve had some of them for many, many years because they’ve been recorded by other people or whatever. But Rewired are songs that have been hits by other people, basically. And a couple that I’ve done now.
So, first of all, the new recordings – Can you tell me a bit about how long you’ve come up with these songs? Because I think your last album has probably been a while, correct?
Yeah, the last one was four, five years ago. The songs are usually story songs; there’s quite a few. I’ve been telling people that as you get older, it’s difficult to write so many love songs. I know love songs are very popular and kind of universal, basically, aren’t they(!?) – Love songs, everyone loves a love song. Everybody falls in love, everybody falls out of love, usually. But it’s harder to write love songs as you get older – ‘I love you… Don’t love you. I want you back…. I don’t want you back. Don’t leave me…’ It’s very difficult when you get older. So, I mean, I’m trying to find vehicles to write, stories. Find words, find things that I could turn into a song, basically. There’s one on it called “Courageous”. Courageous came from a news item on the BBC. When I was watching this item, it was a good feeling news item at the end of the usual sort of sad news. They left it with a good feel, a good feeling. They ended up with this girl; It’s all about the family. This girl was about 12 years old. She had a sister who was 8 years old, and a brother who was about 5 years old. The mother had multiple sclerosis, so she was in a wheelchair. This girl had to look after the whole of the family. And she was just amazing; she sort of got up, gave the kids breakfast, bathed the kids, bathed the mother, dressed the mother, dressed the kids. Then you see her walk into school holding the hands of the two kids. So I had to write a song about her, but I saw that news item about 7 years ago. It was an amazing story.
I don’t know if it’s just from the song titles and some of the lyrics, that there’s a bit more of a spiritual basis in this album!?
I find the spiritual area, it’s an area that I’ve used before and I love it because I think it’s where I’m coming from, basically. I like it. There’s so much out here, to write in spirit, you know – ‘feeling good, feeling bad’ and ‘there’s always another day’ and ‘that’s how it is’, you know.’ If you’re feeling down now – tomorrow you’re going to feel good.’
“Resurrection” – that was an obvious single, that one jumps out at you after, it’s kind of an interesting intro you got there, with the vocal…
Yeah. (Russ sings a bit of the intro) You have to get the hook in really early, if that’s possible.
I think even some of the other songs, there’s good cross-section of influences, with songs like “Fearless” and “Soul Music”.
Yeah.
It’s not just pop stuff…
Yeah it’s nice to go places you haven’t been before. I play the piano, I play the guitar, I can play the instruments and it’s nice to find a vehicle. I mean, soul music, it was such an obvious, such an obvious thing to write about – ‘You are soul music, we are soul music, you are soul music.’ And I thought that…it’s nice to find something that was, ‘new’, as far as I’m concerned. I don’t know of another song called “Soul Music”; there probably is, I’m sure.
Do you find yourself writing more for yourself now, as opposed to writing with hopes that other people might record your songs, or…?
Yeah… You know how it is, I think that younger people, when I was growing up, I was the same age as everybody I was writing with. But as you get older, I don’t think younger kids, maybe they don’t want to write with you, because you’re older. So, they write with people their own age, which makes sense. You want to write for somebody older, you want to write for somebody that’s listening to the same music as you, so you want to, and that makes sense to me. But I could do it, I know I could do that, I’m pretty sure, but people don’t come to you as much as you get older.
So, did you separate the new stuff and the old stuff when it came to recording – did you do all of one album first, then the other?
Yeah, I basically did the new songs first, and then decided to do some, ‘rewired’. The idea was to just do songs that had been done by other people, but I’d recorded most of those songs before. I’d done them as demos, or I’d done them as masters, and it goes back to “Winning”, “Since You Been Gone”, I recorded those songs myself, and I had them out in the 70s, a lot of those songs were done. “So You Win Again” was number one for Hot Chocolate in the UK, and that was 1977. So, I did a really good demo for that in 1976. I just kept them basically the same as I made the demos.
Do you find you’re kind of reclaiming these songs in a way, that they’ve all been hits for other people, and not so much for yourself?
I wrote them for myself, to be honest. I only ever wrote two songs, two of those hit songs, when people came to me and asked me to write a song, and one was “New York Groove”, and the other one was “You Can Do Magic” by America. I didn’t write them for me, I wrote “You Can Do Magic” for America, and I wrote “New York Groove” for an English band (Hello), and Ace Frehley recorded that.
When you re-recorded some of these, did you, knowing some of the other versions (like the Rainbow version) did you ever go back and think you liked their arrangement, and did that have any kind of influence on your new versions?
Yeah, because when I did it, I wrote it on the piano. When I went to the studio, it was natural just to play the piano, and I’d go ‘let’s take it’, and I’m playing the piano, which is softer, the piano is always softer than the guitar. When I heard the Rainbow version, I thought they’d actually seen that song better than me. So that’s how I do it when I’m on the stage as well, I do it the same as them.
I think Head East had done it first, and I think that’s where Rainbow got the idea from, from what I read.
Yeah, that’s where they got it from.
So, “Liar” was kind of your first big hit, written for somebody else; that somebody covered!?
Well I wrote an instrumental when I was 14, and that was recorded by The Shadows in the UK, and that was on an album that was a top ten album. But that was an instrumental band, so my first tune I ever wrote was an instrumental. But that did well, and once that had been out, and I thought ‘well if they want me to do it, I must be able to do it’. After that I was writing all the time, trying to write different things, different ideas.
Was it ever kind of frustrating (if that’s the word), I mean over here, people know your name from the songs they see your name attached to, as opposed to you as a solo artist. Did you ever kind of think ‘well why wasn’t this a hit for me, but everything’s kind of been a hit for somebody else?’
Yeah, it did enter my head, but I think, on some of those songs that you listen to a certain one ‘well I could do that, I could improve that song, that demo’… whatever. So I think that’s what people have done. And there’s some really good versions of my tunes out there.
Do you think you’ve heard all of them?
I don’t know. That’s an interesting one (laughs), There’s been a hell of a lot of versions of my songs out there.
But, between all those ones, “Voices” – there’s a band called Wonderworld that did that a couple years ago. Obviously, Uriah Heep, I’m a big fan of their’s, they did “On The Rebound”. Yeah, so there’s lots of stuff out there.
Ronnie Romero did “Voices” as well, he did Voices on his last album, he did that. I saw Ronnie two weeks ago, less than two weeks ago, Sunday before last, and he did “Since You Been Gone”, I was on the stage and he came up with me and he did Since You Been Gone and we sang it together, which was really nice. He’s going to do it; he’s going to do it. I’ve sent him another song, he wants to do another song of mine. I’m still doing it Kevin, I’m still loving it, same as ever.
Aside from the obvious, like the Rainbow version of “Since You Been Gone”, what have been kind of your favorites of covers of your own songs? Aside from the Ace Frehley and the Rainbow, the ones that were the biggest, I guess.
I think a really good version, talking about Kiss, Ace Frehley, I think that “God Gave Rock and Roll To You” was very good. They saw it so well. They had the right tempo, they saw it really, really well. So that’s Bob Ezrin, I think, produced them. That was really good, that was a good one. There’s been others, Colin Blunstone did a couple of my songs and he saw those really well, from the Zombies. Hot Chocolate did a song of mine, it wasn’t a big hit in America, it was called “So You Win Again”. I did a demo which I thought was really good, they made their version slower, but they got to number one in the UK and that was a really good version.
Did you ever hear the Heep version of “On The Rebound”?
Yeah. I mean he sang it so much better than I sang it because he did it full voice. I was trying to do kind of a silly voice (sings) ‘On The Rebound, On The Rebound’, but they did it really well.
I know Peter Goalby who sang that had actually auditioned for your spot in Argent when you had gone.
Did he really!? Why didn’t they get him?
From what I understand, he was signed to a management company that advised him not to. And then John Verity got it, and obviously you know John.
I know John well. I was with John, he did “I Surrender” for me. He sang ‘I Surrender’, which I didn’t plan, I just wanted to produce it so I was in the studio and John sang it and I basically arranged him.
Did you know John before he took your spot (Argent)?
Yeah, I knew him in ’72, I think it was. John was singing, he supported Argent on a tour and I thought he was really great. When I left the band, I said you ought to get John Verity because John is perfect I think, perfect.
Now I know it’s kind of back peddling, but did you leave basically for the solo career or for other things?
No, I didn’t to be honest. I wanted to start a family to be honest. I knew, because I’d had a couple of hit songs that were doing well, I thought I could do it. I was afraid, I couldn’t stand the thought of actually going on tour for three weeks, four weeks and leaving my kid. I could stay at home and write tunes and I could still go in the studio, I could write the tunes which I could go in the studio every day and write a song. I could go to my music room and write. The publishing company, Island, had my publishing and they gave me the resources to go into a studio and they used to rent me everything I needed. I said I haven’t got a good acoustic guitar, I need a Martin, hire a Martin, hire a Marshall 100, a Les Paul, a set of drums or I’d get a drummer and they’d pay for everything. I’d go up with three songs and at that time and every time I seemed to go in the studio I always had one song that was successful, so it was a good time. Someone up there likes me because I was able to survive with a wife and a kid and have a good living and do exactly what I wanted to do, which was pursue this gift of song in music.
Do you own all your songs? Publishing and that?
I’ve owned them up to last year and I’ve sold 50% of my publishing, which I’ve given away 50% of it. I still have a good life, even though you don’t get so much money from streaming, I still do pretty well.
You still regularly play in the UK and Europe and that I see, but you’ve not been over here I assume for a long time?
I’ve been there, I came over there in ’85 with Roger Daltrey, I played guitar and Roger said ‘sing a couple of your own songs, give me a break’. I’ve played the East Coast, New York, Boston, I finished up in Madison Square Garden with Roger. He was doing a couple of my songs and I did a couple of my songs and that’s good, but I haven’t played there myself under my own steam since 1976.
Has it just been a thing where there’s just not offers or at this stage it’s too expensive or no point to it?
Yeah, I mean I’d always go out there, but it was basically because I left Argent and that whole thing, and I didn’t have that big name that Rod had out there as a band. When I was in the band we were doing really well, but the fact is I just couldn’t leave the family, I didn’t want to leave the family while my kids were growing up.
At this stage there’s a lot of bands that have never come over here since the 80s, so I imagine Argent hasn’t been here since you were with them.
No, you get the Zombies, the Zombies still go there don’t they!?
Yeah, actually I saw their last album in the shop, their latest album in the local shop.
I’m seeing Rod, I’ve got to see him next week or the week after, he’s not too well at the moment.
As far as those Argent albums go, do you still have any input as far as reissues or repackaging and stuff?
No, I’ve nothing to do with it, but the only thing I’ve done, I’ve used an Argent song, a song that I wrote for Argent which is “God Gave Rock and Roll To You”, on now on Rewired. I could have done a few Argent songs, but I wanted to just include the songs that I’ve written.
As far as the Argent stuff goes, aside from the hits, do you have any favorites that you wrote that kind of weren’t hits?
Yeah, I liked “It’s Only Money, (Part one and two)”, and I’m still doing that one actually, I still do that song. ‘God Gave…”, “Losing Hold” was a good song, I didn’t write that, Chris White wrote that, that’s a good song. But you had some good things there actually, “Pleasure”, “Liar”, of course that was an Argent song. We did some good. When we were together I didn’t know whether we were losing continuity as a band, you know, one moment we’re doing this, which is my writing, next moment we’re doing that. Maybe if we’d written it together we may have had more continuity, but I listen to things now, I do a great song, it’s a Chris White song, which was “Dance In The Smoke”. You’re too young to remember these, you probably might not.
Well, I’ve got the vinyl in front of me, but I picked up this last year. Have you seen that? (I show Russ the 2 CD Argent Hold Your Head Up, Best Of)
Yeah.
A pretty thorough collection. I know “Hold Your Head Up” wasn’t yours, but that was one that got covered immensely, like a lot of people.
By Uriah Heep (lol)
Yeah, Heep did it. There’s quite a few versions of that out there.
Yeah, I know there’s a few out there. Yeah, good song, but that came from “Time Of The Season”. We used to do Time of the Season, when we played in Germany we used to do Time of the Season, years ago, just as the Zombies split, probably in 1971, something like that, we used to play the (sings a bit of the beat).. You know, used to do that. Rod used to just start playing a solo on the song. We started going (sings the melody)… We started to do that, and it became another song. And Chris White said ‘when we get back from Germany we ought to write a song around that’, and he wrote with Rod, he wrote “Hold Your Head Up”.
What else do you got planned for the new album? I guess you got some shows coming up, do you have any more singles coming out?
Yeah, we’ve got some shows, going to Europe, going to Germany in a month’s time, out there three weeks in Germany. Bavaria is really good for me, I love that area, it’s a nice time to go. But you know, everyone knows my songs there, even my albums, they know my songs and they sing the choruses and everything, it’s beautiful.
I’ve got a great band, we’re very close and I’ve got a guitar player, Roly Jones, who I wrote “Resurrection” with, we wrote together. Marc Rapson on keyboards – he’s good, he’s another Rod Argent; PJ Phillips on bass and John Miller on drums.
Do you still do any producing outside of your own stuff?
Yeah, well I’m producing a band at the moment, I’ve got lots of young friends, 20, 30 years younger than me, so I’m involved with them They’re very, very good and they want to ask me if I could get involved with them. So, I’m doing that, I’ve got a band, Space Elevator, really, really good, I’ve got a girl singer, this is the girl that sang “Since You’ve Been Gone” with me. I was with the guitar player this morning, and I’ve done 14 songs with them, so we’re trying to put an album together. And I hope to get them a record deal, if possible.
Miami Vice was the other thing I wanted to ask about. You had 3 songs in that show!?
Yeah, “Voices” was in one, “In The Night’ was another one in there. People always remember that Miami Vice series.
I used to watch it a lot. There was always a musician as a guest actor or there was good new songs in there.
Jan Hammer did the music, wrote the (theme) music, didn’t he!? They had the 40th anniversary in September, in Florida.
San Antonio’s JASON KANE & THE JIVE have a new album out, as well as another on the way. Find Out For Yourself is their 4th album, and contains 8 tracks. Recorded during CoVid times, so they’ve been waiting to make these available. Find Out For Yourself is now on digital formats HERE and by ordering on CD HERE. You can also check it out at Jason’s YouTube page! It was recorded with Spencer Ramzel at Blackbuck Recording Haus. Again, dig the cool retro cover art, and the mix of funk, blues rock, soul, and hard rock. Early favorites include “Gambler” (complete with horns), the short ballad “Mother Refugee”, and “Rip Apart” (nice ’70s feel to this, cool change of pace after the solo).
There will also be a new ‘live’ album recorded at Jandro’s (Garden Patio), in San Antonio, to be released May 16. It features James Powell on bass, and Tommy Bryant on drums. Following that, the band, with Bryant and (bass player) Ace Jackson, will tour Spain in May & June (see below for dates), followed by shows in Germany and the Netherlands.
Since You Been Gone (or Since You’ve Been Gone) was a major hit for Rainbow (Ritchie Blackmore) in 1979. But the song had had a short history already and would go on to be recorded a number of times by various acts. Since You Been Gone was penned by former Argent singer/songwriter/guitarist Russ Ballard. Ballard made a huge name for himself as a songwriter, despite just the classics he wrote for Argent and his solo career, many rock fans may have heard the name for the numerous covers of his songs that have been hits for other artists – Ace Frehley, Kiss, Head East, America, Uriah Heep, Santana, Steve Windwood, Chuck Negron, Roger Daltrey, Jorn Lande, and dozens of others.
The song “Since You Been Gone” was originally recorded and released as a single in 1975, and featured on Russ Ballard’s 1976 solo album Winning – which also included the title song (which was covered numerous times). Winning also included such gems as “Halloween”, “Cuckoo”, and “Just A Dream Away” – all of which would be covered by other artists. Most recently Ballard has re-recorded the song for his upcoming double album Songs From The Warehouse and The Hits Re-Wired.
Below is a list of the rock versions of “Since You’ve Been Gone”. If there’s more, leave them in the comments. There is a few non-rock versions as well (see Michael Ball 🙂 )
Head East – 1978
Recorded by Illinois band Head East for their 1978 self-titled 4th album. Head East would be the band’s highest charting album, likely helped with there version of this song. It would be the band’s 2nd (and highest placing) charted single – in the US and Canada.
Clout – 1978
The 2nd single from the all-female South African band. The follow up to their big hit “Substitute” (The Righteous Brothers cover). They had a few other hits, including a cover of “Oohwatanite” by Canada’s April Wine.
Rainbow – 1979
The biggest hit version of this song, and one most people recognize. Great vocal from Graham Bonnet (Rainbow’s new singer at the time). Rainbow would later cover Ballard’s “I Surrender” as well.
Cherie & Marie Currie – 1979
Another really good take of this song, was a minor hit in the US. Cherie was in The Runaways and Marie was married to Steve Lukather. This was from their album Messin’ With The Boys (1980), which featured guitarists Lukather, Waddy Wachtel, (Canadian) Trevor Veitch (acoustic guitar), and other members of Toto. I like the keyboards on this version too, played by producer Jai Winding.
Taiska – 1980
From Finnish singer Taiska’s 3rd album Villi Vapaudenkaipuu. Sung in Finnish, and musically well played. The opening riff is played pretty heavier, well produced.
Alcatrazz – 1984
Another (of a few) featuring Graham Bonnet! This one from Alcatrazz’ Live Sentence (No Parole From Rock n Roll). Killer performance, and guitar from Yngwie Malmsteen.
Impellitteri – 1988
Another version sang by Graham Bonnet, this time for the debut album Stand In Line, by Impellitteri (guitarist Chris Impelliteri). The line up also featured Chuck Wright (Quiet Riot), Pat Torpey (Mr Big), and keyboard player Phil Wolfe.
Brian May Band – 1993
From Brian May’s excellent Live At Brixton Academy album. May plays this so well. The female backing singers are a nice add. His band featured Neil Murray, Spike Edney (keyboards), and Cozy Powell (the Rainbow connection). I thought May was a fine vocalist as well, a shame he didn’t continue with his own band instead of resurrecting another version of Queen.
Hi-Standard (1995)
A very different version from Japanese punk-rock trio Hi-Standard, from their 2nd full length album Growing Up.
The Company Of Snakes – 2001
From the band featuring former members of Whitesnake. This from their first release Here They Go Again, a great set of Whitesnake classics, and features the excellent vocals of Swedish singer Stefan Berggren. I imagine this was also in the set as Don Airey was in the band.
Crash Kelly – 2003
From Canadian band Crash Kelly’s debut album Penny Pills. Another cool version. Features guitarist / vocalist Sean Kelly (who went on to play with numerous Canuck acts, notably Lee Aaron and Coney Hatch). Penny Pills also includes a cover of Cheap Trick’s “Elo Kiddies”.
Pentti Hietanen – 2005
This one from Finnish singer’s album On The Rocks. This is a really good rockin’ version, good vocals, cool guitar sound, and piano. The album features covers of songs by Deep Purple, CCR, Procol Harum, Bad Company, etc…
Livesay – 2016
An ’80s influenced metal version from New York band. Kinda interesting with the added keyboard intro, and the Hammond organ in it, big guitar sound (cool solo take). From Livesay’s 4th album Frozen Hell.
Don Airey & Friends – 2017
From former Rainbow (Deep Purple) member’s 2018 release One Of A Kind. This is from the bonus live tracks Live At Fabrik, Hamburg 2017. A great version with Airey adding piano, and a band that includes Simon McBride (now of Deep Purple) and singer Carl Sentance (Nazareth).
Benji Webbe – 2020
Welsh singer who plays reggae or reggae-metal (w/ his band Skindred). This is from his collection of classic rock covers Isolation Project (Classic Rock To Rocksteady Covers). Webbe actually rewords this as “Isolation”.
Graham Bonnet & Marty Friedman – 2024
This newer version of the song was done with guitarist Marty Friedman (ex Megadeth) last year. Bonnet still sounds great!
Canadian author TIM DURLING started collecting 8-tracks well after they went out of style And print. Tim’s latest book ‘Unspooled‘ chronicles his collecting of 8-tracks years after the fact, and with a focus on this record clubs (popular in the decades before the internet) who carried 8-tracks
Unspooled will be of interest not just for the history and information on the 8-track format, but also for the nostalgia and the stories. This is a beautiful looking coffee table kinda book that you can pick up anytime, for the reading and for the cool images of hundreds of 8-track cartridges.
Unspooled isn’t just about 8-tracks, as it lists the year to year record club releases throughout the 80s, but also in here are Tim’s personal stories of the whole adventure of collecting. As a collector (mainly LPs and CDs), many of us can relate. Besides his stories, there’s contributions and interviews from fellow collectors, not just in 8-tracks, from Canadian rock writer Martin Popoff’s Forward, to legendary broadcaster Donna Halper (she who began playing Rush in the US), to various other collector’s and experts (be it in 8-tracks or rock knowledge in general!)
Version 1.0.0
At over 190 pages, full of colored images, lists, tales, antidotes, etc… Unspooled should really be worth checking out for any music collector.
+ Recently spoke with Tim Durling, watch for that interview coming here, soon.
It’s been a while, but here’s another installment of rock songs / classics that share a well known title. If there’s any other tracks titled “Dream On”, please drop them in the comments.
AEROSMITH – 1973
Aerosmith’s first single, from their first album, penned by Steven Tyler. Perhaps the band’s best loved classic.
SWEET – 1978
A ballad from the Level Headed album. Written and sang by Andy Scott. A strange choice as the lead off track on this album in some countries.
BLACKFOOT – 1980
A cool rock track from Blackfoot’s 4th album. Wasn’t the single, and not sure if this was ever played live, but solid tune on one of BF’s best albums..
NAZARETH – 1982
An excellent ballad, from 1982s 2xS album. I bought this album back then, my only Naz album for years (liked this track and “Love Leads To Madness”) Canadian band Helix did a fine cover of this in 1987.
RUSS BALLARD – 1985
A single, from The Fire Still Burns album. A good pop-rock cut, slightly reminiscent of Loverboy’s “Turn Me Loose”. Covered by American band King Kobra in ’86.
URIAH HEEP – 1995
The single and the last track from Uriah Heep’s 1995 comeback album Sea of Light. Penned by Trevor Bolder, another ballad, built around acoustic guitars and harmonies.
Latest batch of recommended new songs. These are not in any order, btw. But check them out, and check out the links added or in the song descriptions! A number of new releases to look forward to.
Erja Lyytinen – The Ring
The new single from Finland’s ‘Queen of the slide guitar’. “The Ring” is from her forthcoming album Smell The Roses (March 28), 3 years after her excellent, more blues-rock oriented Waiting For The Daylight record. https://erjalyytinen.com/
The Dead Daisies– Crossroads
The newest single from The Dead Daisies (with John Corabi, thankfully!) is a cover of the Robert Johnson classic “Crossroads”. Looking forward to the next album Lookin’ For Trouble. https://thedeaddaisies.com/crossroads/
The newest single from Sweden’s Alien, a band that’s been going since the late 80s. Their new album is titled When Yesterday Comes Around, out this week. https://www.aliensweden.com/
Jon Anderson & The Band Geeks– Roundabout (live)
A great version of the YES classic, from the new album Live – Perpetual Change. Out now. https://www.jonanderson.com/
Joe Holmes – The Deadfall
The new single from former Ozzy / Lizzy Borden / David Lee Roth guitarist. This track first appeared a few years ago, but here gets an official release. Reminds me of Robin Trower, but a bit darker. Features the vocals of Robert Locke. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083454667485
The 4th single from legendary British songwriter RUSS Ballard’s (Argent) new double album. This is one he wrote & recorded, but was soon covered by numerous acts, notable Head East , and then Rainbow (who had a huge hit with it).
Expanded edion of the 1975 album; the follow-up of the band’s international breakthrough album Moontan
Remastered from the first-generation IBC Studios master tapes
Featuring unreleased track from the Switch sessions
Featuring single edits, B-side and various previously unreleased outtakes and early versions/mixes
Including 16-page booklet with essay, memorabilia, photos
Founded in 1961 by George Kooymans and Rinus Gerritsen, Dutch rock band Golden Earring (or Golden Earrings, until 1969) started off as a beat band, experimented as a psychedelic quartet and finally became a heavy rock group. Their ninth album Moontan (1973) hit the international album charts and is the band’s most successful album in the United States, being the only Golden Earring album to be certified Gold by the RIAA. Switch is the tenth studio album by Golden Earring, released in 1975 as the follow-up of the band’s international breakthrough album Moontan. Switch actually marked a switch for Golden Earring, as it was more influenced by funk and prog than any of the band’s previous or subsequent releases. Lead single “Kill Me (Ce Soir)” perfectly demonstrates how Golden Earring experimented with a new sound.
Unreleased Golden Earring track sees the light of day
Apart from a variety of previously unreleased outtakes and rough mixes, this 50th anniversary reissue of Switch features an unreleased Golden Earring track “Action Alice & Bow-Tie Basil”. Recorded during the Switch sessions, this is the first time the band has approved a previously unreleased finished studio track for release. All tracks have been 24 bit/192 kHz remastered from the original master tapes. This expanded CD edition of Switch is the sixth instalment in a special series of remastered & expanded albums by Golden Earring, overseen by Red Bullet catalogue and band archivist Wouter Bessels.
TRACKLISTING
1. Intro Plus Minus Absurdio 2. Love Is A Rodeo 3. The Switch 4. Kill Me (Ce Soir) 5. Tons Of Time 6. Daddy’s Gonna Save My Soul 7. Troubles & Hassles 8. The Lonesome D.J.
BONUS TRACKS: 9. Lucky Number 10. Action Alice & Bow-Tie Basil 11. Kill Me (Ce Soir) (7-inch single version) 12. The Switch (7-inch single version) 13. Intro Plus Minus Absurdio (rough mix) 14. Love Is A Rodeo (rough mix) 15. The Switch (rough mix) 16. Tons Of Time (rough mix) 17. Troubles & Hassles (rough mix) 18. Love Is A Rodeo (instrumental rough mix)
Switch (remastered & expanded) is released by Red Bullet Productions on 25 April 2025 and available through all renowned worldwide music dealers and online shops, plus digital channels (Spotify, Apple Music, a.o.). A remastered vinyl edition of Switch (remastered & expanded) will be released by Music On Vinyl in late 2025.
When APRIL WINE split in 1984, following the Animal Grace album, and the One More For The Road tour across Canada, band members went off to do new things. First, there was the contractual obligation album Walking Through Fire in ’85, which was essentially a Myles Goodwyn solo project, which only featured Brian Greenway from the band’s last line-up. Soon after both Goodwyn and Greenway went off on solo ventures.
Brian Greenway’s solo album (released as GREENWAY) titled Serious Business came out in early 1988, produced by Marty Simon and Paul Northfield, and featured a number of guest players, including a few main players from Walking Through Fire (Daniel Barbe, Marty Simon). The single “In The Danger Zone” was the standout cut here, featuring Alex Lifeson performing a guitar solo, and was accompanied by a video – which wasn’t released until 6 months later!
For Serious Business, Greenway wrote (or co-wrote) every track; co-writers included Marty Simon (Mylon LeFevre, The Sharks) and Tracy Howe (Men Without Hats). There’s also a very 80s production/sound to this, with lots of keyboards played by Also Nova (this thing reminds me of Aldo’s Twitch album at times). Other favorite tracks here are “It’s Alright” and the upbeat “Right Track”, both of which would have made fine singles (if this album got more of a push). The title track is another gem here; the hardest rocker here.
Greenway went out and played live throughout Canada, In the summer of 1991 a show in Laval, Quebec was filmed and later was featured on TV in early 92 as Brian Greenway And Friends. His band, consisting of Jerry Mercer, Nanette Workman, Jeff Nystrom, Jimmy Tanaka, and Jeff Smallwood, performed songs from Serious Business, as well as a few he wrote for April Wine.
Serious Business was originally released on LP, cassette, and CD, but a remaster/reissue of it is long overdue! Could make a nice package with the original album and the live performance together (!?)
*Canadian band BEDROKK covered Greenway’s song “I Can’t Hold Back” on their 1996 album Undertow.
GREENWAY – In The Danger Zone (4:08) – Atlantic (7-89118) – Windfall Music-Roxamillion Music-Irrational Music-Sack Cymbal Music/BMI – B. Greenway-T. Howe – Producers: M. Simon-P. Northfield Former April Wine member Brian Greenway delivers a well designed and powerful cut from his Atlantic album Serious Business. Should do extremely well on AOR radio. (CashBox, 02-13-88)
Outsider Rock 