Brides of Funkenstein - Funk or Walk

Name: The Brides of Funkenstein
Album: Funk or Walk
Year: 1978
Style: Disco, Funk
Similar Bands: Disco Boogie, Parliament Funkadelic, Bootsy's Rubber Band, Sly Stone, Parlet
"One-Word" Review: Big Band Mellow Funk
Based Out Of: Detroit, MI
Label: Atlantic Records, Warner Communication

Cover, Record

Record, Back

Funk or Walk (1978)

1. Disco to Go 5:03 (single: gold in US, platinum in Europe/Asia)
2. War Ship Touchante 5:27 (single b-side)
3. Nappy 4:29
4. Birdie 5:39 /
5. Just Like You 9:17
6. When You're Gone 5:19 (single b-side)
7. Amorous 4:54 (single)

Album Rating (1-10): 5.5

Members & Other Bands:

• Lynn Mabry - Vox (Sly Stone, P-Funk, Eddie Hazel, Talking Heads, Fred Wesley & Horny Horns, Junie, George Michael, Elton John, Aaron Neville, Mick Jagger, Shelia E, Eric Clapton, Steve Perry, Hozier, Killers, more)
• Dawn Silva - Vox (Sly Stone, P-Funk, Eddie Hazel, New Wave Brides, Gap Band, Ice Cube, Fred Wesley & Horny Horns, Sweat Band, General Caine, Yarbrough & Peoples, WC and the Maad Circle, Slapbak, Bootsy Collins, Caine, Shorty, )
• George Clinton - Producer, Writer, 
• Williams Collins - Producer, Bass, Drums (Bonzo Goes to DC, Bootsy Phelps & Gary, The Complete Strangers, Bootsy's Rubber Band, Flo, Funkadelic, Hardware, House Guest Rated X, Malcolm McLaren, P-Funk Allstars, Parliament, Praxis, Science Fiction, Groovegrass Boys, JB's, World-Wide Funkdrive, Deee-Lite more)
• Phelps Collins - Guitar (Bootsy Phelps & Gary, Complete Strangers, Bootsy's Rubber Band,  Houseguests, The JB's, Funkadelic, Parliament, Fred Westley & Horny Horns, Bernie Worrell, Parlet, James Brown, George Clinton, Brian Culbertson)
• Gary Shider - Guitar (Drugs, Flo, Funkadelic, Incorporated Thang Band, Legz, P-Funk All Stars, Parliament, The Put Yo Body Where Yo' Mouf Iz Choir, U.S., Bernie Worrell, Sweat Band, Bohannon, Bootsy Collins, George Clinton, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Boogie Boys, Prince, Material, Digital Underground, Too $hort, Black Crows, Parlet, many)
• Michael Hampton - Guitar (Funkadelic, Kiddo, Material, No Self Control and the Band, P-Funk Allstars, Parliament, Slave Master, Spaceship Earth, Michael Hampton, Bootsy's Rubber Band, Fred Wesley & Horny Horns, Eddie Hazel, Fuzzy Haskins, Parlet, Bernie Worrell, Sly & Robbie, Golden Palominos, Afrika Bambaataa, Deee-Lite, Digital Underground, Too Short, Meshell Ndegrocello, Dean Ween Group, more)
• Bernard Worrell - Keys, String & Horn Arrangement (Activities of Dust, Baby Elephant, Bahia Black, Black Jack Johnson, Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains, Flo, Fool Proof, Funkadelic, Jack Bruce, Cuicoland Express, Jerry Harrison, Khu.eex, Material, Method of Defiance, Niels & NY St Percussionists, Parliament, Praxis, SociaLybrium, Space Cadets, Spacer, Third Rail, WesNWorrell, Open Operatives, Fred Wesley, Horny Horns, Talking Heads, Fred Schneider, Bootsy Collins, Ruth Copeland, Parlet, O'Jays, Lou Rawls, Stephanie Mills, Nona Hendryx, Rita Coolidge, Gil Scott-Heron, Mtume, Black Uhuru, Yoko Ono, Golden Palominos, Sly & Robbie, Matthew Sweet, Public Image Ltd, Pretenders, Afrika Bambaataa, Victoria Williams, Little Steven, Face to Face, Woodentops, Drivin' N Cryin, Keith Richards, Syd Straw, Throwing Muses, Maceo Parker, Soul Asylum, Deee-Lite, Color Me Badd, Mike Watt, Arlo Lindsay, Jah Wobble, Cibo Matto, Spin Doctors, Big Head Todd & Monsters, Herb Alpert, Bijou Phillips, Gov't Mule, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Simply Red, Mos Def, OAR, Buddy Guy, Burning Spear, Keith Richards,Lee Scratch Perry, more)
• Joel Johnson - Keys (Bootsy's Rubber Band, Madhouse, Sweat Band, The Put Yo Body Where Yo' Mouf Iz Choir, Parliament, Maceo Parker, Bootsy Collins, Octavepussy, Fred Wesley & the Horny Horns, Super Sonic Sid, Boy Meets Girl, Parlet, Dodge, Kohndo, Cody ChesnuTT, Freekbass)
• Rodney "Skeet" Curtis - Bass (Parliament, Funkadelic, P-Funk All Stars, Bernie Worrell, Parlet, Fred Wesley & Horny Horns, Philippe Wynne, Mutiny, Gerry Cott, George Clinton, Dolby's Cube, Thomas Dolby, Richie Rich, Maceo Parker, Da Campaign, Corey Parker, Dennis Chambers, Martha High, Ishan Cooper, Susanne Alt)
• Gary Cooper - Drums  (Parliament, Funkadelic, P-Funk All Stars, Bernie Worrell, Parlet, Fred Wesley & Horny Horns, Bootsy's Rubber Band, Madhouse, The Put Yo Body Where Yo' Mouf Iz Choir, Da Universal Playaz, Matrieal, Shining Path, Sly Fox, Eddie Hazel, Mtume, George Clinton, Empyre, Sly & Robbie, Bernie Worrell, Deee-Lite, Digital Underground, Black Crows, Jimmy Cliff, Mick Jagger, Anastacia, more)
• Frankie "Kosh" Waddy - Drums (400 Years of What, Parliament, Funkadelic, Bootsy's Rubber Band, Houseguests, JB's, Fred Wesley & Horny Horns, Parlet, Stealin' Horses, George Clinton)
• Tyrone Lampkin - Drums (Parliament, Funkadelic, Flo, Space Cadets, Bernie Worrell, Fred Wesley & Horny Horns, Philippe Wynne, Busta Jones, Parlet, Jesse Rae)
• Larry Fratangelo - Percussion (Parliament, Funkadelic, Albert King, Solid Solution, Bobby Womack, David Ruffin, Dramatics, Bootsy's Rubber Band, Philippe Wynne, Parlet, Alicia Myers, Jerry Carr, Was (Not Was), LJ Reynolds, Sweat Pea Atkinson, Shotgun, Josep LoDuca, Wendell Harrison, Pharaoh, Eramus Hall, Floy Joy, One Way, Mitch Ryder, Jimmy G & Tackheads, Lyman Woodard, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Dennis Coffey, RJ's Latest Arrival, Anita Baker, Helen Terry, Detroit Energy Asylum, Minister Thomas A Whitfield, Bert Robinson, Al Hudson, Earl Klugh, Eric Leeds, Aretha Franklin, Higher, AWOL, Dave Stewart, Ronnie McNeir, Alto Reed, Hip Bop Essence Allstars, Bob James, Dan Hall, John Arnold, Amp Fiddler, Kid Rock, Randolph. Mark Moultrup, Blackfoot)
• Wayman Reed - Horns (Count Baise, Thad Jones, Mel Lewis, Butch Miles, James Brown, George benson, Frank Foster, Eddie Jefferson, Oliver Nelson, Art Webb, Harold Vick, Pee Wee Ellis, Charlie Rouse, John Gordon, Milt Kackson, Sarah Vaughan, BB King, Hank Crawford, Al Grey, Bobby Byrd, Buddy Rich, Marva Whitney)
• Pete Minger - Horns (Count Baise, Frank Wess, Mel Torme, HIlton Ruiz, Al Grey, Oliver Nelson, Milt Jackson, Cleveland Eaton, Ella Fitzgerald, Nancy Reed, University of Miami Concert Jazz, Joe Turner, Athenas, Turk Mauro, Keter Betts, Oscar Peterson, Alice Day)
• Danny Turner - Horns (Chris Powell, Five Blue Flames, Count Baise, Doc bagby, Jimmy McGriff, Bobby Cook, Milt Buckner, Jack McDuff, Pat Martino, Jimmy Witherspoon, Voices Four, Shirley Scott, Bohannon, Milt Jackson, Caroline Crawford, Cleveland Eaton, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Manhattan Transfer, Caterina Valente, Viktor Lazlo, Diane Schuur, Thad Jones, George Benson, Joe Williams, Lena Horne, Four Tops, Diana Ross, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, Lucky Thompson, Hans Mantel, Gladys Knight & Pips, 
• Detroit Symphony - Strings
• Ron Banks - Backing Vox (The Dramatics, Browns All-Star Band, Bobby Lyle, Wayne Henderson, The Dells, WC)
• Larry Demps - Backing Vox (The Dramatics, Ron Banks, Dells)
• Dave Van De Pitte - String Arrangement
• Fred Wesley - Horn Arrangement
• Jim Vitti - Mixing & Recording Engineer
• Mike Iacopelli  - Recording Engineer
• Jerry Estes - Recording Engineer
• Allen Zentz - Mastering
• In Search of the Miraculous - Cover Concept, Design, Illustrations

Unknown-ness: Never heard of the Brides of Funkenstein, but this is one album that's pretty clear what's going to be played: Disco Funk. George Clinton (& Parliament Funkadelic), Bootsy Collins (& Bootsy's Rubber Band) and Bernie Worrell have their name all over the writing and performing of this record. Between this and the Disco Boogie cover, it seems like there was a Sci-Fi niche in the funk boogie & disco category, most likely, boosted by Star Wars popularity.

Album Review: The music on the first couple tracks is definitely funk, with driving percussion, and bouncy bass, but they don't dive head first into disco. "War Ship Touchante" takes on the space/sci-fi genre with aliens boarding a ship...to have a dance party. "Nappy" is a smooth, slower groove, but not without life: definitely a showtune. "Just Like You" slows it down and dims the lights. 

The duo started as background singers for Sly Stone and progressed to Parliament Funkadelic, and the name comes from George Clinton himself, as an extension of his album Clones of Dr. Funkenstein. The band won awards as best new act, their second album was rated as a top 50 coolest albums by Rolling Stone, and they had a hall of fame list of funk musicians in support and production but they never received the acclaim that they seemed to be destined for. Mabry was in The Talking Heads as of 1984, and Silva worked with Ice Cube.

Stand Out Track: Disco to Go

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Stargard - The Changing of the Gard

Name: Stargard
Album: The Changing of the Gard
Year: 1979
Style: Disco, R&B, Funk
Similar Bands: Gloria Gaynor, Donna Summer, A Taste of Honey, Supremes, Pattie Labell, Pointer Sisters, Rose Royce
"One-Word" Review: Playful funky while light rn'b
Based Out Of: Los Angeles, CA
Label: Warner Bros

Cover, Record

Back, Lyrics, Record

The Changing of the Gard (1979)

1. Wear it Out 5:17 (single)
2. (Once In A Lifetime) Dream Come True 4:45
3. Footstompin' Music 4:31
4. Take Me Back 4:37 /
5. Runnin' From the Law 4:41
6. Bedtime Story 0:15
7. I Just Imagined You 4:29
8. Put On Your Rollerskates 4:04
9. Lowdown Dancing 4:11
10. Flashback 0:28

Album Rating (1-10): 6.5

Members & Other Bands:

• Verdine White - Producer, Writer, Bass (Earth Wind & Fire, Ramsey Lewis, Craze, The Emotions, James Vincent, Gene Harris, Deniece Williams, Harvey Mason, Deodate, Jennifer Lopez, Audio Caviar, Solange, Chicago, Flo Rida, Kelly Clarkson, Carmine Appice,  more)
• Robert Wright - Producer, Writer, Keys (Moon Martin, Michael Wycoff, Fonzi Thornton, Jones Girls, Dalton & Dubarri, Tramaine, Genobia Jeter, Main Ingredient Feat. Cuba Gooding, more)
• Walter Ainsworth - Exec Producer
• F. Byron Clark - Remix Engineer, Recording Engineer
• Charles Fearing - Writer
• Debra Anderson - Vox (Junior Walker, Spyder Turner)
• Rochelle Runnells - Writer, Vox, Keys (Junior Walker, Candi Station, Checkmates Ltd, Arthur Wayne, Raydio, Spyder Turner, Candi Station)
• Janice C Williams - Writer, Vox (Junior Walker, Arthur Wayne, Checkmates Ltd, Spyder Turner, Raydio, Anderson Temple, Pryme)
• Robert E Carpenter - Writer
• Dean Gant - Writer, Keys  (Don Kinsey, Chosen Ones, Invisible Man's Band, Stargard, Linda Clifford, Spinners, Stephanie Mills, Larry Graham, Jones Girls, Madonna, Keni Burke, Anita Baker, Outkast, Peabo Bryson, Sunfire more)
• Allen Zent - Mastering
• Brian Gardner - Mastering Engineer
• Butch Lynch - Recording Engineer
• Serge Reyes - Recording Engineer
• Bruce Grayson - Recording Engineer
• Richard Seireeni - Art Director
• Robert Elias - Photos
• Alexis Caydam - Hair & Makeup
• Keiko - Costumes
• Keni Burke - Bass (Five Stairsteps, Peabo Bryson, Ca$hflow, Andy Lewis, Smoove, Preston Glass, Billy Preston, DJ Rogers, Bill Withers, Gladys Knight & Pips, Stargard, Linda Clifford, Dusty Springfield, Spyder Turner, Leroy Hutson, Les McCann, Emotions, Narada Michael Walden, Eugen Record, Terry Callier, Sly & Family Stone, Undisputed Truth, Clifford Coulter, Ramsey Lewis, Curtis Mayfield, Chocolate Milk, Ahmad Jamal, Smokey Robinson, Thelma Houston, Brenda Holloway, Natalie Cole, Cameo, more)
• Butch Azevedo - Drums, Percussion (Undisputed Truth, Sonald Byrd, Skool Boyz, Band AKA, The Dr's, Jay Gordon, Phillip Walker)
• Larry "Fatback" Talbert - Drums (Raydio, Barrett Strong, Bill Withers, Karen Pree, Edna Wright, Greg Perry, Jack Ashford, Dominic Frontiere, SofTouch, Bill Champlin, Phylliss Bailey, Maxine Nightingale, Shadee, Tom Jones, Jeffree, Thelma Houston, Dream Express, Lani Hall, Sir John Roberts, Jerry Knight, Ray Parker Jr, Menage A Trois, Mary Wells, Cheryl Lynn, Epo, Natalie Cole, Greg Perry)
• Joseph Baker - Guitar (Sly & Family Stone, Josephine Baker)
• Charles Fearing - Guitar (Raydio, Deniece Williams, High Inergy, Dusty Springfield, Edwin Starr, Jimmy Cliff, Ray Parker Jr, Tavares, Peaches & Herb, Bloodstone, Jeffrey Osborne, DeBarge, Dazz Band, Smokey Robinson, Sister Sledge, Teena Marie, Herb Alpert, Sam Harris, New Edition, Tina Turner, Bobby Womack, Four Tops, Lionel Richie, Dionne Warwick, Patti LaBelle, Barry White, Kurtis Blow, Nancy Wilson, Joan Baez, Temptations, Johnny Gill, Melba Moore, Ralph Tresvant, Celine Dion, Ce Ce Peniston, Teddy Pendergrass, SWV, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Enrique Iglesias, Ray Charles, more)
• Robert Palmer - Guitar (Booty People, Chaka Khan, General Caine, Halloween, Natalie Cole, Peabo Bryson, Luther Rabb, Garry Glenn, Robbie Dupree, Mary Wells, Band AKA, Syreeta, Gift of Dreams, LJ Reynolds, Danny Lugo, Destination, Bobby Womack, Billy Griffin, Fizzy Qwick, Billy Preston, Glenn Medeiros, Sheena Easton, Taja Secelle, Pepsi & Shirlie, Smokey Robinson, Starleana, Lionel Richie, i5, 2bd)
• Mark Davis - Keys, Recording (Starlight Express, Minnie Riperton, Rotary Connection, Curtis Mayfield, Calvin Carter, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross, Earth Wind & Fire, Temptations, Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, Jackson 5, Lionel Richie, David Ruffin, Undisputed Truth, Rose Royce, Natalie Cole, Sly & the Family Stone, Andrew Lloyd Webber, many)
• Eddie "Bongo" Brown - Percussion (Brass Fever, Funk Brothers, John Handy, Finished Touch, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Wilson Pickett, Undisputed Truth, Supremes, Temptations, Four Tops, Bob Seger, Jimmy Ruffin, Carly Simon, Miracles, Quincy Jones, BB King, The Pips, Blackbyrds, Donnie Osmond, Commodores, Ben E King, 5th Dimension, Grease sndtk, Tower of Power, Deniece Williams, Billy Preston, Tavares, Peaches & Herb, La Toya Jackson, Gloria Gaynor, Kenny Rogers, High Inergy, Herb Alpert, Ray Parker Jr, Johnny Mathis more)
• Paulinho da Costa - Percussion (Baby'o, Fuse One, Patrick Williams, Samba 4, Sergio Mendes, The Bridge, Dizzy Gillespie, Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson, Sat. Night Fever sndtk, toto, Madonna, Ella Fitzgerals, Sarah Vaugn, Diana Krall, Claus Ogerman, many more)
• Donald Myrick - Horns, Musical Contractor (Phenix Choir/Horns, Philip Cochran, Artistic Heritage Ensemble, Sky, Intentions, Pharaohs, Salty Peppers, Phil Collins, Howlin' Wolf, Earth Wind and Fire, Ramsey Lewis, Chi-Lites, Emotions, Deniece Williams, Blue Magic, Valerie Carter, Twennynine, Gap Band, Pockets, Invisible Man's Band, La Toya Jackson, Pointer Sisters, Whispers, Dells, Bloodstone, Heaven 17, Philip Bailey, David Byrne, Bobby Womack, Jacksons more)
• Louis Satterfield - Horns (Phenix Choir/Horns, Philip Cohran & Artistic Heritage Ensemble, Sky, Intentions, Pharaohs, Salty Peppers, Phil Collins, Fontella Bass, James Cotton, BB King, Jack McDuff, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Okie Duke, The Dells, Shel Silverstein, Mighty Joe Young, Earth Wind & Fire, Emotions, ChiLites, Staples, Denise Williams, Ronnie Laws, Gap Band, Tavares, Invisible Mans Band, Upchurch more)
• Raheem Lee Michael Davis - Horns
• Fred Jackson - Horns (Bobby Hutcherson, Horace Silver, Jimmy Smith, Carole King, Frank Zappa, Maria Muldaur, Bill Cosby, Terry Callier, Joe Sample, The Whispers, Solomon Burke, Dianne Schuur, Earth Wind & Fire, Boz Scaggs, Ramsey Lewis, Ry Cooder, Alice Coltrane, BB King, Natalie Cole, Peabo Bryson, Gap Band, Rick James, LaToya Jackson, Con Funk Shun, Tavares, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Sheena Easton, Quincy Jones, Boz Scaggs, Dee Dee Bridgewater, more)
• Oscar Brashear - Horns (Bird Memorial Quintet, Brass Fever, Count basie Orch, Gerald Wilson Orch of the 80's/90's, Henry Mancini & His Orch,Hubert Laws Group, Karma, Master Fleet, Teddy Edwards Brasstring Ensemble, Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orch, more )
• Jerome Richardson - Horns (All Star Big Band, Cal Tjader, Cannonball Adderley, Charles Mingus, Charlie Shavers, Earl Fatha Hines, Eddie Lockjaw Davis, Four Flutes, Gene Ammons, Gerald Wilson, Henry mancini, Jerome Richardson, Jim Tyler, Jimmy Cleveland, Kenny Clarke, Lalo Schifrin, Larry Vuckovich, Lionel Hampton, Manny Albam, Milt Jackson, Nat Adderley, Oliver Nelson, Oscar Pettiford, Per Husby, Quincy Jones, Ray Brown, Tadd Damerson, Thad Jones, Mel Lewis, Blue Mitchell Orch, Clifford Jordan, Creed taylor, Ernie Wilkins, Gary McFarland, Gene Page, Hines Varieties, Kenny Burrell, Michael Coldin, Prestige All Stars, Sextet of Orchaestra USA many)
• Garnett Brown - Horns (Crusaders, Herbie Hancock, Lionel Hampton, Billy Cobham, Dizzy Gillespie, Brass Fever, Charles Mingus, George Russell, Gerald Wilson, Gil Evans, Thad Jones, Mel Lewis, Booker Ervin, Buddy Collette, Chico Hamilton, Duke Pearson, Gene Harris, Thomas Tedesco more)
• Beverly Ashby - Harp 
• Benjamin Wright - Orch Direction
• June Gatlin - Spiritual Adviser

Unknown-ness: I had never heard of this band. From the cover, I'm hoping it will be some solid poppy girl RnB, like Seduction, Vanity 6, of En Vogue. I fear it is a little early for that, and is smack dab in the middle of disco, so i won't be surprised if it tackles that genre.

Album Review: The album is just straight disco, there are some elements of funk involved (Wear it Out, Footstompin' Music, Put On Your Rollerskates). It is also not all light rn'b (Dreams Come True, Take Me Back, I Just Imagined You) with smooth Supremes-like harmonies. "Runnin' From the Law" and "Lowdown Dancing" are solid poppy funk with horns that remind me of Oingo Boingo, oddly enough.

Accoring to IMDB, they were the Diamonds in the 1978 Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band movie and recorded the theme song to the 1977 Richard Pryor film "Which Way is Up." This is their third album, first on WB's after departing MCA. As a band, the lasted for two more records (as a duo, minus Anderson) and broke up in 1983. 

Stand Out Track: Runnin' From the Law

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Winans, The - Decisions

Name: The Winans    
Album: Decisions
Year: 1987
Style: Gospel, Smooth RnB
Similar Bands: Dixie Hummingbirds, Gerald Levert, Teddy Pendergrass, Luther Vandross, George Benson
"One-Word" Review: sleek synth spirituals
Based Out Of: Detroit MI
Label: Qwest Records, Warner Bros. / Communications

Cover, Sleeve, Record

Back, Sleeve, Record

Decisions (1987)

1. Ain't No Need to Worry 5:43
2. Millions 4:19
3. Breaking of Day 4:43
4. What Can I Say? 4:41 /
5. Right, Left in a Wrong World 6:08
6. The Real Meaning of Christmas 4:40
7. Love Has No Color 4:13
8. Give Me You 4:46
9. How Can You Live Without Christ 4:23

Album Rating (1-10): 2.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Marvin Winans - Writer, Producer, Percussion (Testimonial Singers, Stevie Wonder, Kenny G, R.Kelly, Wayman Tisdale, Lalah Hathaway, Ricky Van Shelton, Kenny Loggins, Perfect Praise Choir, Andrae Crouch, Maria Muldaur, Kellie Copeland, Scott Johnson, Michael Jackson, George Duke, Tim Bowman, Anita Baker, Kirk Franklin, Lavine Hudson, Mervyn Warren, )
• Carvin Winans - Co-Producer, Writer (Testimonial Singers, Stevie Wonder, Kenny G, R.Kelly, Wayman Tisdale, Lalah Hathaway, Ricky Van Shelton, Kenny Loggins, Gospel Buggy Choir, Andrae Crouch, Keith Green, Kellie Copeland, Scott Johnson, Michael Jackson, Vanessa Bell Armstrong, Annita Baker)
• Michael Winans - Co-Producer, Writer (Testimonial Singers, Stevie Wonder, Kenny G, R.Kelly, Wayman Tisdale, Lalah Hathaway, Ricky Van Shelton, Kenny Loggins, Andrae Crouch, Michael Jackson, Anita Baker)
• Ronald Winans - Co Producer, Writer  (Testimonial Singers, Stevie Wonder, Kenny G, R.Kelly, Wayman Tisdale, Lalah Hathaway, Ricky Van Shelton, Kenny Loggins, Andrae Crouch, Kellie Copeland, Scott Johnson, Michael Jackson, Lavine Hudson, Kelli Williams, Anita Baker, Sounds of Blackness)
• Barry Hankerson - Co & Executive Producer, Writer, MGMT, Percussion (Rob Milner)
• Quincy Jones - Executive Producer
• Benny Medina - Executive Producer
• Anita Baker - Vox (Chapter 8, Melba Moore, Howard Hewett, Stevie Wonder, Cyrus Chestnut, Frank Sinatra, Marek Niedzwiecki, Dave Koz, Aaron Robinson, Andreus)
• Michael McDonald - Vox (All Star Choir, Artists United for Nature, Del-Rays, Doobie Brothers, The Guild, NY Rock 'n Soul Review, Steely Dan, Guy Finley, Carly Simon,  Jack Jones, Paul Williams, Tommy James, Little Feat, Bonnie Raitt, Craig Fuller, Eric Kaz, Dirt Band, Stephen Bishop, Gary Wright, Rita Coolidge, Kenny Loggins, Elton John, Christopher Cross, Donna Summer, Helen Redy, Paul Anka, Diana Ross, Joni Mitchell, Toto, Sergio Mendes, El DeBarge, Patti LaBelle, Wang Chung, Alan Silvestri, Aretha Franklin, Pointer Sisters, Dave Matthews Band, Vince Gill, John Tesh, Edwin McCain, Boz Scaggs, Kenny Rogers, many)
• Percy Bady - Writer
• Karen Jones - Project Coordinator
• Laythan Armour - Keys, Drums & Synth Programming (Hinton Battle, Chico DeBarge, Will Downing, La Rue, Jeremy Jordan, Alison Limerick, Frankie Knuckles, Tavares, Bobby Bland, Mystic Merlin, Mighty Clouds of Joy, Alberto Fortis, Alfie, Durell Coleman, Dynasty, Stop the Madness, Vesta Williams, Sherrick, Imagination, NJ Mass Choir, Herb Alpert, Joan Baez, Magic Lady, Beau Williams, LA Mass Chour, Bert Robinson, Cassandra, Yours Truly, Vanessa Williams, Classixx)
• Wayne Linsey - Keys (Maze, Frankie Beverly, Tonight Show Band, Linseym, Bobby Thurston, Starpoint, Enchantment, Lenny Williams, Emotions, Stanley Clarke, Bobby Womack, George Howard, Garry Glenn, Ray Parker Jr, Paul Jackson Jr, Brenda Russell, Mighty Clouds of Joy, By All Means, Nancy Wilson, Jackie Jackson, James JT Taylor, Jacksons, Paul Jackson, Whitney Houston, Marva Hicks, Patti Austin, Andrew Logan, Gene Rice, Nona Gaye, Gerald Alston, John Pagano, Norman Brown, James Ingram, Phil Perry, Terence Trent D'Arby, Dean James, Harbvey Mason, Doc Powell, Brigette McWilliams, Babyface, Arnold McCuller, Gary Taylor, Donnie, Frank McComb, David Nathan, Trina Broussard, Gerald Albright, Impromp2, Traincha, Lynne Fiddmont, Dwayne Smitty Smith, Smokey Robinson, Miles Davis, Leon Ware, Jermaine Lockhart)
• Harlan Rogers - Keys (Koinonia Sonlight, 3rd Ave Blues Band, Andrae Crouch, Reba, maria Muldaur, Gordon Lightfoot, Johnny Rivers, Maranatha Singers, Katinas,  more)
• Thomas A Whitfield - Keys (James Cleveland, Craig Bros, Gospel Soul Children, Mel Carter, Edwin Hawkins, Beverly Glenn, Howard Lemon Singers, James Cleveland, Voices of Tabernacle, Keith Pringle, Gospel Soul Children of NOLA, Aretha Franklin, Vanessa Bell Armstrong)
• Loris Holland - Keys (Mel Carter, Patti Labelle, Celine Dion, R.Kelly, Millie Jackson, Mariah Carey, Jeff Buckley, Lauryn Hill, Whitney Houston, Santana, Mary J Blige, Smokey Robinson, more)
• John Bokowski - Keys (Teena Marie, Rick Dees, Charlene, Four Tops, KoKo PoP, Rockwell, Bobby Womack, Teen Dream, Chill Factor, Tracie Spencer, Angela Bofill, Pointer Sisters, Paul Jackson Jr, Club Nouveau, Helen Baylor, Louis Price, Power of Seven, Rodney Mannsfield, For Lovers Only, Donnie McClurkin, Phyllis St James)
• Michael Rochelle - Keys, Synth (Gift of Dreams, The GT's, Buddy Montgomery, Rudy Copeland, Kristine, Natalie Cole, West Coast Crew, Michael Jackson, Magic Lady)
• Dean Parks - Guitar (Johnny Rivers, LA Boogie Band, Karizma, Koinonia, Patrick Williams,Ray Conniff, Lyle Lovett, Madeleine Peyroux, North TX Lab Bands, Helen Reddy, Sonny & Cher, David Cassidy, Wayne Newton, Vicki Carr, Partridge Family, T-Bone Walker, Billy Joel, Garfunkel, Donald Byrd, Righteous Bros, Stevie Wonder, Steely Dan, Neil Sedaka, Glen Campbell, Lulu, Rita Coolidge, Tavares, lots)
• Hadley Hockensmith - Guitar (Koinonia, Sonlight, 3rd Ave Blues Band, Big John Hall, Pam Thum, Bruce Hibbard, Kelly Willard, Andreae Crouch, Arlo Guthrie, Reba, Imperials, Barbara Mandrell, America, Gordon Lightfoot, Neil Diamond, more)
• Abraham Laboriel - Bass (Los Traviesos, Johnny Mathis, Gary Burton, Michel legrand, Ella Fitzgerald, 3prime, Friendship, Henry Mancini, Koionia, Los Profetas, Open Hands, Jazz Ministry, Akira Jimbo, Leo Sayer, Al Jarreau, Pointer Sisters, Commander Cody, Stephen Bishop, Grimaldi/Zeiher, Barbara Streisand, Captain & Tennille, Dolly Parton, Stan Getz, Tom Jones, Leonard Cohen, Peter Allen, Herb Alpert, Jimmy Cliff, Barry Manilow, Debby Boone, George Benson, Lionel Richie, Chaka Khan, Kenny Rogers, Quincy Jones more)
• Andrew Gouche - Bass (NPG-Q, Andrae Crouch, Michael Jackson, Julio Iglesias, Pattie Howard, David Foster, Moments of Faith, James Cleveland, S.Cali Comm. Choir, Voices of Cornerstone, Mighty Clouds of Joy, Gangs Back, LaQuint, Aguilar, Cheryl Lynn, Michael Trammell & Blest, Edwin Hawkins, LA Gospel Messengers, Sandra Crouch, NJ Mass Choir, Tramaine Hawkins, Philip Bailey, Crystal Lewis, 32Phreeze, Beau Williams, Debbie McClendon, Melba Moore, Louis Price,  Lonnie Morgan, Andre David Brooks, Arvis Strickling Jones, PH Factor, Randy Crawford, Coolio, Five Star, Montell Jordan, Paul Russon, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Michael Ruff, Mary mary, TQ, Warren G, Ann Nesby, Smokey Robinson, Ruben Studdard, Patti Labelle, Heather Headley, Chaka Khan, Snoop Dogg, Jackie Gouche, Keb Mo, Dorian Holley, Quincy Jones, Kurupt, Lowell Pye, Terrance Martin, Aretha Franklin, Bridgette Bryant, Murs, Prince, Judith Hill, Mano Brown, Bottom 40, Mike Phillips, Carole Simmons)
• Lanar Brantley - Bass (James Cleveland, Vernard Johnson, Clark Sisters, Linda, Keith Pringle, Vanessa Bell Armstrong, Gospel Sould Children of NOLA, Royce Javan, Minister Thomas A Whitfield, Aretha Franklin, Clark Sisters, Lavine Hudson, Rev. Charles Nicks Jr, Truthettes, Bert Robinson, Eddie Murphy, Jade, LL Cool J, Karen Clark-Sheard, Will Smith, Boys Choir of Harlem)
• Dean Gant - Bass (Don Kinsey, Chosen Ones, Invisible Man's Band, Stargard, Linda Clifford, Spinners, Stephanie Mills, Larry Graham, Jones Girls, Madonna, Keni Burke, Anita Baker, Outkast, Peabo Bryson, Sunfire more)
• Bill Maxwell - Drums (Andrae Crouch, Koinonia, Open Hands, Sonlight, 3rd Ave Blues Band, Elton John, Leon Russell, Melody Gardot, Barbara Mandrell, Maria Muldaur, Qunicy Jones, Alpha Band, Phil Driscoll, T-Bone Burnett, more)
• Greg Phillingame - Synth Programming (Steve Vai, Toto, Quincy Jones, Donna Summer, Lionel Richie, Eric Clapton, Ray Parker Jr, Neil Diamond, Denise Williams, Kenny Koggins, Patti Austin, George Harrison, Richie Sambora, Rickie Lee Jones, Boz Scaggs, Rod Stewart, Isley Bros, Santana, David Gilmour, Stevie Wonder many)
• Justo Almario - Horn (Jazz on the Latin Side Allstars, Open Hands, Koinonia, Roy Ayers, Ubiquity, Tolu, Mongo Santamaria, Peabo Bryson, Linda Ronstadt, Engelbert, Placido Domingo more)
• Alex Acuna - Percussion ( Weather Report, Perez Prado, Elvis Presley, Diana Ross, Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell, Ella Fitzgerald, Chick Corea, Whitney Houston, Placido Domingo, Herbie Hancock, Carlos Santana, Antonio Carlos Jobmin, Beck, Roberta Flack, Al Jarreau, Acuna-Hoff-Mathisen Trio, Birds of a Feather, Bob Mintzer, Bobby Lye, Caldera, Clare Fischer's Latin Sound, Friendship, GRP All Star Big Band, Jazz on the Latin Side Allstars, Koinonia, Los Hijos del Sol, Session II, Blues Caravan, Tia Dia, Tolu, Toon Roos Group, many)
• Ollie Brown - Percussion, Linn Drum (Raydio, Ollie & Jerry, Ollie Baba, Blackbyrds, Ray Parker Jr, Fire Fox, James Ingram, Tahiti, Tracie Spencer, Paul Jackson Jr, Stevie Wonder, Joe Cocker, Bill Cosby, Temptations, Rolling Stones, Eric Carmen, Van Morrison, Billy Preston, Diana Ross, Grease (sndtk), Deniece Williams , Sly & Family Stone, Moulin Rouge, Commodores, Jermaine Jackson, LaToya Jackson, Blondie Pointer Sisters, Quincy Jones, Kenny Rogers, Village People, Gloria Gaynor, DeBarge, Wilson Pickett, Michael Jackson, more)
• Melvyn Williams - Additional Vox (Williams Bros, Verlin Sandles, Gospel Concerto, Johnnie Taylor, Latimore, Mississippi Mass Choir, Anita Baker, Regina Belle, United Inspirational Quire of Columbus OH, Jackson Southernaires, Truthettes, Leomia Boyd, Friends, Gospel Miracles, Sammy Stevens & the Ephesians, Ralph Favors)
• Doug Williams - Additional Vox (Paradise, Williams Bros, Johnnie Taylor, Latimore, Mississippi Mass Choir, New Frontiers, Yolanda Adams, Anita Baker, Gospel Miracles, Jackson Southernaires)
• Kevin Session - Backing Vox 
• Kevin Jackson - Backing Vox (Andy Stokes, Marcell Russell, BeBe & CeCe)
• Victor Adams - Backing Vox (Active Force, Bobby Barth, EZB & DJ Los)
• Celeste McKinney - Backing Vox
• Jerome Earl Wright - Backing Vox (Andrew Wartts, Gospel Storytellers, Thomas Whitfield, NOLA Gospel Soul Children, Keith pringle, Vanessa Bell Armstrong, Commissioned, Aretha Franklin, Witness, Angelo & Veronica, Randy Crawford)
• Dwayne Whitehead - Backing Vox (The MOB)
• Debra Renee Winans - Backing Vox (BeBe-CeCe-Vickie-Ron-Daniel Winans, Tim Miner, Melba Moore, Carman, Bobby Brown)
• Regina Winans - Backing Vox (various Winans members)
• Angelique Winans - Backing Vox  (various Winans, Tim Miner, Lavine Hudson, Melba Moore, Bobby Brown, Kelli Williams, IDOL King, Donnie McClurkin, Darwin hobbs, Michelle Williams, TD Jakes)
• Benjamin BeBe Winans - Backing Vox (Andrae Crouch, PTL Club, BeBe & CeCe, 3 Winans Bros, Artists (United) for Haiti, Tammy Faye Bakker, Howard & Vestal, Melba Moore, Whitney Houston, Bobby Brown, Gladys Knight, Anastacia, Sam Moore, Dionne Warwick, Chicago, Louie Vega, more)
• Deborah Winans - Backing Vox (various Winans members, Tim Miner. Lavine Hudson, Margaret Becker, Mark Lowry, Carman, Margaret Bell, IDOL King, Donnie McClurkin, Yolanda Adams)
• Fred Hammond - Backing Vox (Andrae Crouch, Commissioned, Brian McKnight, Ruben Studdard,  more)
• Mario Winans - Child Vox (The Hitmen, Puff Daddy, Lil Kim, Jennifer Lopez, Ginuwine, R. Kelly, 98 Degrees, Limp Bizkit, Faith Evans, Whitney Houston, Beyonce, Mary J Blige, Keyshia Cole, Jay-Z, more)
• Marvin "Coconut" Winans Jr - Child Vox (Erica Campbell, Vickie Winans)
• Michael "Baby Mike" Winans Jr - Child Vox (P. Diddy)
• LaShay Winans - Child Vox (Danity Kane, P.Diddy)
• Carvin "Bronco" Winans Jr - Child Vox (Kim Fields, Gospel Buggy Choir)
• Juan Winans - Child Vox (Kim Fields, Gospel Buggy Choir, Michelle Williams, Michael Bolton)
• Joy Winans - Child Vox (Kim Fields, Gospel Buggy Choir)
• Steve King - Engineer
• Barney Perkins - Engineer, Mixing
• Craig Bervage - Engineer
• Win Kutz - Engineer
• Peter Hadon - Engineer
• Mary Ann Dibs - Art Direction
• Russell Comfort - Photos

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band. At first, when i bought the record, i thought it would be a new age sort of album: abstract/fossil art & the band name font suggested as much. But the band image on the back and sleeve, prompted me to change my guess to Smooth Jazz...1987 was a solid year for both genres. But since the band consists of family members with Winans as the last name, and songs like Real Meaning of Xmas & How Can You Live Without Christ, i now believe this will be some sort of christian cult gospel band with smooth jazz leanings.

Album Review: Smooth RnB spirituals starts from the first track, with vocals layered over each other, and what sounds to be all synth production. I can automatically tell, this is not an album for me, and had to turn it off before the last song finished. I know Anita Baker is on the first (Grammy winning, top 20 R&B charting) track, "Ain't No Need to Worry," and it was weird hearing Michael McDonald on "Love Has No Color."

The band / family (10 siblings) has kept their religious beliefs close to their hearts, with most surviving members still preaching or recording gospel records. All this despite a strict upbringing of no music (other than gospel) or theater/movies/TV. They've won grammys and one sibling, not on this record, CeCe (Pricilla) is the #1 selling gospel artist of all time. This is the fifth of their records and it reached #1 on the Gospel Album Chart (Billboard), and they are revered for updating gospel's sound by mixing in Soul & RnB.

Stand Out Track:

Links:
Wiki

Family Wiki

Discogs

Allmusic
Detroit Free Press: Winans family member on Songland May'20

Michael W. Jr Jailtime
Encyclopedia . com
NY Times Father passing 2009

Grove Music Online
BeBe website
DT Free Press: Covid + Winans

Winans Online

White, Lenny - Presents the Adventures of Astral Pirates

Name: Lenny White
Album: Presents the Adventures of Astral Pirates
Year: 1978
Style: Jazz, Prog, Funk, Soul
Similar Bands: TS Monk, Miles Davis, Return to Forever
"One-Word" Review: Safe Conceptual Funky Jazz
Based Out Of: NYC
Label: Elektra/Asylum, Warner Communications

Cover, Back, Sleeve, Record

Gatefold Story, Sleeve, Record

Presents the Adventures of Astral Pirates (1978)

1. Prelude: Theme for Astral Pirates 1:20
2. Pursuit 2:58
3. Mandarin Warlords 5:06
4. The Great Pyramid 2:30
5. Universal Love 3:30
6. Remembering 0:34
7. Revelation (Astral Pirates) 3:25 /
8. Stew Cabbage and Galactic beans 3:51
9. Heavy Metal Monster 4:39
10. Assault 3:36
11. Climax: Theme for Astral Pirates 7:42

Album Rating (1-10):

Members & Other Bands:

• Lenny White - Producer, Album & Story Concept, Drums, Synth Drums, Eu, Percussion, Re-Mixing, Music Arrangement (Return to Forever, Jackie Mclean, Miles Davis, Freddie Hubbard, Twennynine, Chick Corea, Chaka Khan, Azteca, Cyrus Chestnut, Stanley Clarke, Al Di Meola, Larry Coryell, Victor Bailey, Joe Henderson, Wallace Roney, Buster Williams, Andrew Hill, Woody Shaw, Gato Barbieri, Curtis Fuller, Buddy Terry, Eddie Henderson, Don Cherry, Jaco Pastorius, Brian Auger, Elaine Elias, Manhattan Project, Michael Patrucciani, Bobby Hutcherson, Urbanator, Geri Allen, Ron Carter, Jamey Haddad, Letizia Gambi, Stan Getz, Echoes of an Era, Griffith Park, Jamacia Boys, Gil Evans, Carlos Santana, Herbie Hancock, Big Daddy Kane, Hiromi, Marcus Miller, Tom Browne, Renee Rosnes, Fuse One, Meeting Point, Michael Urbaniak, Milky Way, Powerhouse, Essence All Stars, Super Premium Band, Vertu, many )
• Al Kooper - Producer
• Alex Blake - Bass, Music Arrangement (Ahmed Abdullah's Diaspora, Malcolm Braff, Manhattan Blaze, Randy Weston African Rhythms, Ryo Kawasaki, Manhattan Transfer Band, Puppeteers, Sun Ra Arkestra, Greg Bandy, Emanuel K Rahim, Weldon Irvine, Charles Sullivan, Carlos Garnett, Arif Mardin, Billy Cobham, Airto, Don Pullen, Frank Lowe, Brownie McGhee, Sonny Rollins, Yusef Lateef, Last Poets, Kazumi Watanabe, Charles Bobo Shaw, Pharoah Sanders, Linda Williams, Blast, Jaroslav Jakubovic, Cory Daye, Norman Connors, Janis Siegel, Carmen Lundy, Jimmy Buffett, Earl Klugh, Chico Freeman, Brainstorm, Jonathan Butler, Dom Um Romao, Vertical Hold, Oran 'Juice' Jones, Mac Gollehon, Phyllis Hyman, Andrienne Wilson, Stan Getz, Babatunde Lea, Roman Kunsman, Elements of the 7th, Ximo Tebar, Harry Whitaker)
• Donald "Captain Keyboards" Blackman - Organ, Pianos, Oberheim Polyphonic, Synth, Eu, Vox, String & Music Arrangement (Twennynine, Weldon Irvine, Bernard Wright, Roy Ayers, Esperanto, Kenji Hino, Patches Stewart, Livesavas, Lips, Sylvia St James, Hugh Masekela, EPM, Kurtis Blow, Fat Boys, Vikki Love, la La, Missing Links, Gwen Guthrie, TMNT,Mmajee, Hamiet Bluiett, World Sax Quartert, Yoko Oginome, The Men X Perience, Sting, Joey Negro, Mino Cinelu, Waymen Tisdale, Femi Temowo, Brandon Williams)
• Nick Moroch - Lead Guitar, Music Arrangement (Twennynine, Mongo Santamaria, Jeff Conaway, Lips, Poussez, Sylvia St James, Rick James, Michael Franks, Tony Frye, Eddie Jobson, Zinc, Bernard Wright, Marcus Miller, Michael Johnson, Scritti Politti, Kirk Whalum, Temptations, Fury, Melba Moore, Porter Carroll 2, Michael W Smith, David Bowie, Howard Jones, Chaka Khan, Bob James, Vanesse Thomas, Claude Nougaro, Bee Gees, David Sanborn, Terumasa Hino, Sarah Dash, Toshiki Kadomatsu, Michael Colina, Gillian & Glover, Blues Trottoir, John Warren, Patrick Bruel, Arthur Baker & Backbeat Disciples, Kashif, Mira, Jeffrey Osborne,  Jibri Wise One, Nicki Richards, Pete Levin, Voyceboxing, Johnny Hallyday, Gary Brown, Baby Jane Dexter, Roch Voisine, Malta, Jonathan Butler, Tony Terry, Henri Salvador, Donna Summer, Vanessa Williams, Julie Masse, Michael Davis, Bill Evans, Rinken Band, Philippe Saisse, Selena, SMAP, T-Square, Cheryl Lynn, Tony Toni Tone, Marylin Scott, Smappies, Yoshiko Kishino, Mica Paris, Rachel Z, Liane Foly, Still Wicked, Marc Nelson, Marek Niedzwiecki, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Ronn Moss, Terumasa Hino, Point of Grace, 2Ge+her, Kathy Troccoli, David Arnold, Ak, Joe, Jesse Powell, Wayman Tisdale, What For, Dennis Chambers, Roger Glover, Brian McKnight, Kelly Rowland, Gareth Hates, Jessica Simpson, Do Swing, Jason Miles, Nicole C Mullen, Danny Brill, Cliff Dawson, Gene Lake, From the Fire, Alice Soyer, Curtis King, Chris Bender)
• David Gahr - Photos
• Patrick Gleeson - All Synth Programming
• Don Mizell - Album & Story Concept, Narrative Language
• Bob Edwards - Engineer, Re-Mixing
• Skip Shimmin - Recordist
• Seth Dworkin - Recordist
• Dave Rader - Recordist
• Bob Graham - Equipment
• Bernie Grundman - Mastering
• Michael Kaluta - Illustrations & Cover
• Anthony Gleeson - Color
• Tony Lane - Art Direction
• Johnny lee - Design
• Michael Bryant - Narrative Language
• Toby Byron - Mgmt

Unknown-ness: I've never heard of this artist / band. Which makes me very frightened...because this album looks to be heavy on high concept art and is basically a soundtrack to a piece of elaborate fiction. This actually sounds very exciting, and I can't wait to find out if this is prog, like most concept albums were from the 70's, or if it is something else completely, since neither Lenny White nor the band appear to be a bunch of stereotypical nerdy white dudes. But since it is really out there and goes all-in on the creativity, the fact that i've never heard of it makes me thing it's going to be terrible- that it never broke out of the complex, Star Wars inspired starting gate, and was forgotten for good reason.

Album Review: From the start, it is pretty straight forward jazzy prog...a little more in a controlled space than say Brand X, but definitely Jazzy. Once "Universal Love" hits, the first with lyrical vocals, the tone has shifted to funk and soul. 

While being a left handed self taught drummer on a right handed kit, he is considered one of the founders of the Jazz Fusion concept. He played on the uberfamous Bitch's Brew with Miles Davis, is the winner of 4 (of 6 nominations) Grammy awards, and is a professor at NYU Steinhardt. He has also recorded soundtrack music for films, including House Party with Kid n' Play.

Stand Out Track: Universal Love, Stew Cabbage & Galactic Beans

Links:

Spotify Album
Wiki

Discogs

Allmusic
Facebook
Drummer World
NYU Music Adjunct Faculty
Istanbul Cymbals
Vic Firth Zildjian
NY Jazz Workshop
Chesky records
All About Jazz
Modern Drummer (subscription)
Rate Your Music

Werner, David - s/t

Name: David Werner
Album: s/t
Year: 1979
Style: Pub Rock, Power Pop, Glam

Similar Bands: Steppenwolf, Bad Company, Mott the Hoople
"One-Word" Review: Classically Rocked Glam
Based Out Of: Pittsburgh, PA
Label: Record Logic, Epic, CBS

Cover, Sleeve, Record

Back, Sleeve, Record

S/T (1979)

1. Can't Imagine 3:38
2. What's Right 3:42 (single, #104)
3. What Do You Need to Love 4:01
4. Melanie Cries 4:50
5. Eye to Eye 4:52 /
6. Hold on Tight 4:13
7. Every New Romance 5:35
8. Too Late to Try 2:39
9. High Class Blues 4:07
10. She Sent Me Away 4:31

Album Rating (1-10): 5.5

Members & Other Bands:

• David Werner - Writer, Publisher, Vox, Guitar, Piano, Percussion, Mixing (Granati Bros)
• Mark Doyle - Guitar, Piano/Keys, Bass, Vox, Percussion (Jukin' Bone, Dokken, Steppenwolf, Free Will, Penetrators, Andy Pratt, Cindy Bullens, Meat Loaf, Bryan Adams, The Doyle, Backbone Slip, Judy Collins, Leo Sayer, Far Cry, Joe Whiting & the Bandit Band, Kingsnakes, NKOBT, The Richards, Built for Comfort  Blues Band, Rich Mendelson, Mary Fahl, Frank Briggs, Flashcubes)
• Thom Mooney - Drums (Nazz, Curtis Bros, Tattoo, Paris, Cindy Bullens, Danny O'Keefe, John Hiatt, James Lee Stanley, Noel & the Red Wedge, Jimmy Buffett, Rita Coolidge, Tom Peterson & Another Language, Domino, Scott Richardson, Ray Manzarek, Lightnin' Willie & the Poorboys)
• Albritton McClain - Bass (Bridge of Souls, Donnie Iris, The Innocent, Beechwood Farm, Pete Emmett, Kym Ryder, Roy Buchanan)
• Ken Bishell - Synth (Gerson Kingsley's First Moog Quartet, Lonnie Liston Smith & the Cosmic Echoes, Side Show, Jobriath, Exuma, Ian Lloyd & Stories, Bette Midler, Jackie DeShannon, Kahli Gibran, Arif Mardin, Aretha Franklin, Felix Cavaliere, Margie Joseph, Average White Band, Zulema, David Ruffin, Van McCoy, Nikki Giovanni, Black Heart, Judy Collins, Phoebe Snow, Miroslav Vitous, Brigati, Andy Pratt, Roy Buchanan, Carman Moore, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Cy Coleman, Michael Stewart, Philippe Wynne, Elliott Randall, Ringo Starr, Wilbur Bascomb, Mark & Clark Band, Joe FFarrell, Jaroslav, The Persuaders, Sylvia Syms, Cindy Billens, Vicki Sue Robinson, Herbie Mann, Carly Simon, Kate Taylor, Chaka Khan, Peter Paul & Mary, Liner, Noel Paul Stookey, Liner, Keith Barrow, Richard Peaslee, George Benson, Fame (musical), Larry Elgart, Shlomo Haviv, Stories, Ted Rosenthal, Mandy Patinkin, Jazz Timpanist Jonathan Haas, Rachel Portman, Charlie Gross, Carter Burwell, Marcelo Zarvos, Ashford & Simpson, James Galway)
• Richard Hunter - Hamonica (Space Negros, Magic Mose & his Royal Rockers, Erik Lindgren, Willie Loco Alexander, Chris Cacavas, Edward Abbiati, Lowlands & Friends)
• Tim Cappelo - Sax (Galdston & Thom, Labamba's Big Band, Garland Jeffreys, Tina Turner, Ringo Starr, Peter Gabriel, Robert Kraft & Ivory Coast, Far Cry, Randy Goodrum, The Flirts, Dimas, Chris Thompson, Tony LeMans, John Sebastian, Nu Colours, Karen Carpenter, Beckley, Izzy James, Emilie Surtees, Gunship)
• Ian Hunter - Vox, Mixing (Mott the Hoople, Mick Ronson, Choir of St. Paul's Cathedral, Genya Ravan, Iron City Houserockers, Scott Folsom, Mick Jones, Brian May, Corky Laing, Ozzy Osbourne, Def Leppard, Dennis Dunaway, Aleandro Escovedo, Rebelles, Cloud District, Bronco, Ellen Foley, David Johanson, Payola$, Mountain, Michael Monroe, Ringo Starr  many)
• Maxine Dixon - Vox (Looking Glass, Elliot Lurie, DC LaRue, Tom Scott, Kiss, Murray McLaughlan, Little Feat, Lowell George)
• Bob Clearmountain - Recording, Mixing (Chic, Silencers, Bruce Springsteen)
• Jeff Hendrickson - Recording, Additional, Asst. Engineer 
• Roy Willard - Asst. Engineer
• Ed Evans - Tech. Ingenuity
• Janet Perr - Design
• Paula Scher - Design
• Benno Friedman - Photos

Unknown-ness: I've never heard of David Werner. It looks like he is a New Wave Singer Songwriter, based on his attire on the full body spread artwork, plus all the technical and musical credits he lists.

Album Review: There is more power chords in these classic rock / pub rock tracks than typical nervous, fast paced jittery new wave, but the vocals do fall back on a nasally tone. "Hold On Tight" has a hook that sounds like Michael Jackson's "Black or White." Single "What's Right" follows a bluesy southern rock hook [Glam] that sounds like T-Rex "Get it On [Bang a Gong].

Biggest claim to fame? Writing Billy Idol's 90's hit "Cradle of Love." when he was a house writer for EMI. He recorded 2 albums for RCA in 1974 & 1975 before signing with Epic for 2 albums in 1979 (this one & a promotional one-sided album: Live). In his first life (label) he was touted as a Glam artist and Bowie rival, even through they shared the same label (and those albums sound much better than this one).

Stand Out Track: Can't Imagine

Links:
Youtube full album

Wiki

Discogs

Allmusic

Classic Bands Interview
Pitts Music History
Five Guns West
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Popnarcotic

Werner's Whizz Kid via Vinyl Treasures

Weavers, The - On Tour

Name: The Weavers (originally No-Name Quartet)
Album: On Tour
Year: 1957 (1962)
Style: Folk, Vocals
Similar Bands: Bachelors, Kingston Trio, A Mighty Wind, Seekers, Rooftop Singers
"One-Word" Review: Banjangaly Harmonies
Based Out Of: NYC, NY
Label: Vanguard

Cover, Record

Back, Record

On Tour (1957)

1. Tzena, Tzena, Tzena 2:24
2. On Top Of Old Smoky 2:24
3. Drill Ye Tarriers, Drill 2:14
4. Fi-li-mi-oo-re-ey 2:28
5. Over the Hill 1:01
6. Clementine 2:51
7. The Frozen Logger 2:16 (James Stevens Cover)
8. The Boll Weevil 2:29
9. Talking Blues 2:27
10. I Don't Want to Get Adjusted 1:31
11. So Long 2:32 (Woody Guthrie Cover) /
12. Michael Row the Boat Ashore 3:31
13. Wreck of the "John B" 2:25
14. Two Brothers 2:27
15. Ragaputi 2:13
16. Wasn't That a Time 2:05
17. Go Tell it on the Mountain 2:37
18. Poor Little Jesus 1:43
19. Mi Y'Malel 1:54
20. Santa Clause is Coming, It's Almost Day 1:22
21. We Wish You A Merry Christmas 2:31

Album Rating (1-10):

Members & Other Bands:

• Pete Seeger - Vox, Banjo (Almanac Singers, Paul Campbell, The Union Boys, Work O' the Weavers, Woody Guthrie, Memphis Slim, Willie Dixon, John Benson Brooks Trio, Don McLean, Steve goodman, Guy Davis, Joan Baez, Sonny Terry  many )
• Ronnie Gilbert - Vox (Paul Campbell, Holly Near, Peter Paul & Mary, Woody Guthrie)
• Lee Hays - Vox (Almanac Singers, The Baby Sitters, Paul Campbell, Woody Guthrie)
• Fred Hellerman - Guitar, Vox (Paul Campbell, Peter Paul & Mary, Ruth Rubin, Larry Kent, Leon Bibb, Paul Clayton, Marylin Child, Sandy Paton, Joan Baez, Odetta, Theodore Bikel, Judy Collins, Oscar Brand, Chad Mitchell, Sunny Schwartz, Guy Davis, Cobble Mountain Band, Stan Scott, Sam Scheer, Belafonte)
• Harold Leventhal - Producer

Unknown-ness: I don't believe I've heard of the Weavers. Maybe, as they have been around a long time, and Pete Seeger is a familiar name. But I imagine this to be imagine this will be olde-timey vocal harmonizing songs, where instrumentation is but a non-showcased afterthought or simply to keep rhythm & melody. With a setlist of 21 songs, all performed live, and a bunch of familiar traditional titles, I imagine this will get a little samey, too.

Album Review: This was recorded for their Xmas concert at Carnegie Hall, so applause bookends the tracks. Hootenany would be an accurate portrait of their banjangley folk harmonies. Their musical choices are international and quite varied with the record split into 4 sections: Classic Songs, Tall Tales, History/Geography, and Peace & Good Will. Often, one member will recite the upcoming lyric before it is sung in order to encourage audience sing-a-long.

The highly influential folk band (pre-dating Kingston Trio, Peter, Paul & Mary, Bob Dylan; all were influenced by the Weavers) started as a political group, with Seeger and Hays together as Alamac singers, protesting WW2. In 1941,with Germany moving into Russia, the US sentiment changes to pro-war propaganda, and the band became a pitched entering the war until the US finally joined the Allies. The band officially organized in 1948, thanks to a music circle Seeger organized in his basement called People's Songs. As the Red Scare / McCarthy era began, Seeger & Hays were questioned as US Communists, both refusing to testify in their own defense, putting them under FBI surveillance, denying them television / radio performances, leading to the loss of their Decca record contract and demise as a band in 1953. They got back together and played Carnegie Hall in 1955, had success with the recording, and set up a tour through 63, with occasional reunions. Seeger left the band in 1958 over plans to record a tobacco commercial, which he was against due to their danger & feeling of selling out. Their first tv appearance since 1951 performed on the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour in 67. They would have appeared on the Jack Paar show, but refused to sign a loyalty oath to the US against communism.  Hays passed in 1981, Seeger died in 2014, Gilbert passed in 2015, and Hellerman died in 2016.

Stand Out Track: Wreck of the "John B"

Links:
Wiki

Discogs

Allmusic

Britannica
PBS
History: NBC '62 Ban
Live About

Encyclopedia

Wasted Youth (LA's) - Get Out of My Yard!

Name: LA's Wasted Youth
Album: Get Out of My Yard
Year: 1990
Style: Hard Core, Punk, Metal
Similar Bands: NOFX, Bad Religion, Circle Jerks, Adolescents, Suicidal Tendencies
"One-Word" Review: Juvenile Tendencies
Based Out Of: Los Angeles, CA
Label: Medusa Records

Cover, Record

Back, Record

Get Out of My Yard (1990)

1. Young & Board 2:18
2. Blind Nuns 2:38
3. Ethiopian Nightmare 3:56 /
4. Happy Birthday 2:49
5. Missionary Imposition 2:08
6. Tormented 2:48

Album Rating (1-10): 6.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Chett Lehrer - Music, Guitar Glue Gun
• Paolo Rossi - Lyrics, Vox
• Joey Castillo - Drums (Danzig, Queens of the Stone Age, Bl'ast, Bloodclot!, California Breed, Eagles of Death Metal, General Fucking Principle, Goatsnake, Scott Weiland & the Wildabouts, Sugartooth, The Bronx, The Desert Sessions, Zakk Sabbath, Zilch, Mass Mental?, Son of Sam, Youjeen, Mark Lanegan Band, Boots Electric, The Bosshoss, Blackbird Days, Hifiklub & Alain Johannes, Love Zombies, Nick Oliveri, Sun trash, Last Internationale, Landfill Crew, The Hives, Patron, WC & the Madd Circle, Roberto Zenteno)
• Bryen - Bass
• Darin Scheff - Producer
• "Woody" - Engineer
• Barri Conley - Asst. Engineer, Mixing
• David O - Mixing
• Bobby Duron - Photography, Layout, Design
• David Arquette "Kingz" - Logos
• Lee Ellington - Car Drawing

Unknown-ness: I may have heard of this band, but don't much about them, if anything. I think they are a hard core, crust punk-ish band, and the band photo on the cover bring attacked by children in a kiddie pool paints them to be a punk band at the very least. Interesting, Patricia Arquette is thanked in the liner notes (wikipedia says she dated Rossi, and they had a child Enzo right around the time this came out), and David Arquette designed the logo.

Album Review: We're talking about a 79-80's hard core punk band that turned into thrash metal in the mid-late 80's as the personnel changed. The playing is fast, heavy and abrasive, but it maintains driving melody, and does not comes off as threatening as perhaps it was for the time & culture (or meant to be). Lyrically, the messages cover religion and consumerism.

Wasted Youth added the "LA's" to their name since there was also a British band of the same name. This version is a rerelease of the 1986 EP. This album was written by the previous (and second) front man, who quit while recording. So the version that finally came out was re-recorded by Paolo & team. Lehrer is the only remaining member of the original line up.

Stand Out Track: Tormented

Links:
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Allmusic

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Metal Archives
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Tour Dates

Warren, Paul & Explorer - One of the Kids

Name: Paul Warren & Explorer
Album: One of the Kids
Year: 1980
Style: Powerpop, Oldies
Similar Bands: Beatles, Marshall Crenshaw, Steve Forbert, Pezband, Shoes, Records
"One-Word" Review: Good & Plenty Pop
Based Out Of: Detroit, MI, Los Angeles, CA
Label: RSO, Polygram

Cover, Sleeve, Record

Back, Lyrics, Record

One of the Kids (1980)

1. One of the Kids 3:04
2. Takin' Her Back 4:01 (single)
3. The Others 2:29
4. A and R Man 3:06
5. Suzanne 3:59/
6. You Can't Touch Her 3:25
7. Kiss Me Chrissy 2:56
8. Faded Glory 4:30
9. For the Love of a Girl 3:07
10. Hats Off to Winners 2:50

Album Rating (1-10): 7.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Peter Coleman - Producer
• Paul Warren - Vox, Guitar (Rod Stewart, Rare Earth, Pacific Gas & Electric, Explorer, Jack Wagner, Robin Trower, Neil Norman, Bobby Sexton, Richard Marx, Ventures, Temptations, Undisputed Truth, Funkadelic, Elkie Brooks, Prism, Tina Turner, USA for Africa, Richard Marx, Tamara Champlin, Eros Ramazzotti, Alessandro Mara, Joe Cocker, Her Name is Death, ABC, Actual Russian Brides, Nite City)
• Steve Gornall - Guitar, Vox (Carl Stewart)
• Jimmy Hunter - Drums (Nite City, Nick Gilder, Hilary Laddin, David London, Gabriele Morgan, POOK Family All Star Line Up Band, Fortune, Bobby Barth, Bobby Alexander, Greg Ginn. Beckley)
• Dene Jordan - Bass, Vox 
• Doug Schwartz - Engineer Asst
• Steve Hall - Mastering
• Charles Weinberger - Mgmt
• Greg McCutcheon - Mgmt
• Glenn Ross - Art Direction
• Tim Owens - Design
• Moshe Brakha - Photos
• Rachel Guinan - Cover Kid
• Andy Owens - Cover Kid

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band, but the mixed message of Warren smoking in front of the kids, yet declaring himself as one of the kids in the title is a shame. The kids, obviously from the future sport the 80's new wave business clothes with Geordie La Forge glasses. There was a big drive in the early 80's to mark yourself as new wave with the Red, Black & White color scheme, and this fits in with the red lines across the title and back of album. So the only question is how nerdy or power poppy will this record be...no mention of keys on the member list, so my guess is that it most likely won't be the bouncy neurotic powerpop, and will lean on the more pub rock sound.

Album Review: The album is full of singer/songwriter powerpop, lots of Beatles influence in the simple melodies, and basic, catchy song structures. The only difference, and quite shockingly so, is the driving metal anxiousness of "For the Love of a Girl."

Last June, I added a record from his band, Nite City, that preceded this album. Starting in the early 70's, Warren was a session guitarist for Motown Records (recorded The Temptations' "Papa Was A Rolling Stone"), as he was discovered in the area at 17. He moved with the label when they relocated to LA. After this one album and a bankrupt RSO label, he began his stint as a guitar for hire, before he ended up as touring guitarist for Richard Marx in 1987 - 1994 and Rod Stewart 1999 - 2013.

Stand Out Track: For the Love of a Girl

Links:

Youtube album + 1 extra track
Wiki

Discogs

Allmusic

Rate Your Music

Down Underground

This Is Powerpop
Local Show 2010

Van Zant Band, The Johnny - No More Dirty Deals

Name: The Johnny Van Zant Band
Album: No More Dirty Deals
Year: 1980
Style: Southern Rock, Hair Metal
Similar Bands: .38 Special, Outlaws, Winger, ZZ Top, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Allman Brothers, Bandera, Marshall Tucker, Molly Hatchet
"One-Word" Review: Fledgling Metal
Based Out Of: Jacksonville, FL
Label: Polydor, Polygram

Cover, Sleeve, Record

Back, Lyrics, Record

No More Dirty Deals (1980)

1. No More Dirty Deals 5:25
2. Coming Home 4:08
3. 634-5789 - 2:43 (Wilson Pickett cover)
4. Put My Trust In You 2:44
5. Only the Strong Survive 3:34 /
6. Hard Luck Story 3:08
7. Stand Your Ground 3:11
8. Never Too Late 3:44
9. Keep On Rollin' 3:27
10. Standing in the Darkness 4:57 (Tribute to his brother, Ronnie)

Album Rating (1-10): 5.5

Members & Other Bands:

• Johnny Van Zant - Vox (Lynyrd Skynyrd, .38 Special, Austin Nickels Band, Van Zant, Jim Peterik, )
• Robbie Gay - Lead Guitar (Van Zant, Robert Paul Band)
• Erik Lundgren - Lead Guitar (Van-Zant)
• Danny Clausman - Bass (Van-Zant)
• Robbie Morris - Drums (Van-Zant, Shanytown)
• Ron Hinklin - Backing Vox (Modern Barbershop Quartet, Ray Conniff, Bob Alcivar, California Dreamers, Eligibles, Zip-Codes, Hugo Montenegro, Stan Kenton, Bud Shank, Ralph Carmichael, Michael Colombier, Gabor Szabo, Jack Daugherty, Partridge Family, Dominic Frontiere, PF Sloan, Beaver & Krause, David Wagner, Climaz, BJ Thomas, Sarah Vaughn, Gram Parsons. Austin Roberts, Vikki Carr, Paul Williams, John Davidson, Keith Moon, Elkie Brooks, Jack Jones, Danny & Joyce, Cyndi Grecco, Deanna Edwards, Jim Weatherly, The Tubes, Linda Ronstadt, Elton John, Donovan, Doonesbury's Jimmy Thudpucker, Wayne Parker, TN Ernie Ford, Sparks, Shaun Cassidy, Leif Garrett, Tony Rizzi & Pacific!, Captain & Tennille, Neil Diamond, Alan Price, Jon Bryon, Lalo Schifrin, Westside Strutters, Harvey Mason, Outlaws, Reba Rambo, Dony McGuire, Paul Johnson, David Essex, Sammy Nestico, Nico Ramsden, Frank Sinatra, Jerry Lee Lewis, Harry Connick Jr, Chipmunks, Elvis Presley, The Yellow Balloon, Vince Gill, Patrick Williams, Monkees, Jan & Dean, Charles Fox, Norman Gimbel, Suzanne Klee, Johnny Koonce)
• John Balhler - Backing Vox (Bahler Bros, LA Voices, Ray Conniff, Bob Alcivar, California Dreamers, Love Generation, Bud Shank,Ralph Carmichael, Dory Previn, Gabor Szabo, Partridge Family, Dominic Frontiere, Climax, David Cassidy, Sarah Vaughn, David Essex, Toto, Association, Elvis Presley, Jerry lee Lewis, Jan & Dean, Carpenters, Love Generation, more)
• Jerry Whitman - Backing Vox (Hollywood Film Chorale, David Axelrod, Michael Colombier, Partridge Family, Burt Bacharach, Hal David, Tedd Smith, Ray Conniff, John Strachan, Bob Zwirn, Paul Williams, Phantom of Paradise [sndtk], Cam Floria, Jose Feliciano, Carpenters, Elkie Brooks, The Tubes, Wayne Parker, TN Ernie Ford, Ralph Carmichael, Triumvirat, Grease [sndtk], Jon Bryon, Harvey Mason, Reba Rambo, Dony McGuire, Outlaws, Jimmy & Carol Owens, David Essex, Norman Saleet, Juice Newton, Vince Gill, Frank Sinatra, Werid Al Yankovic, Neil Diamond, Harry Connick Jr, Billy May, Glen Gray, James Newton Howard, Alan Silvestri, Simpsons, Henry Mancini, Charles Bernstein, Ralph Cramichael, Kurt Kaiser)
• Gene Morford - Backing Vox (Modern Barbershop Quartet, Hugo Montenegro, Ralph Carmichael, Jack Daugherty, Michael Legrand, BJ Thomas, David Wagner, Paul Johnson, John Kay, Sarah Vaughn, Sherman Hayes, Paul Williams, John Davidson, Cam Floria, Elkie Brooks, Jose Feliciano, Jim Weatherly, Jon Bryon, Tubes, Elton John, TN Ernie Ford, Shaun Cassidy, Captain & Tennille, Dolly parton, Tony Rizzi & Pacific!, Grease [sndtk], Neil Diamond, Alan Price, Susie Allanson, Jimmy & Carol Owens, Continental Singers, Barry McGuire, David Essex, Kenny Rogers, Parachute, Reba Rambo, Dony McGuire, Laura Branigan, Gail Davis, Toto, John Denver, Roy Orbison, Little Shop of Horrors [sndtk], Frank Sinatra, Weird Al Yankovic, David Foster, Jerry Lee Lewis, harry Connick Jr, Tom Inglis, Natalie Cole, Chipmunks, Clare Fischer, Amy Grant, Simpsons [sndtk], Tom Jones, Suzanne Klee, Johnny Koonce)
• Marti McCall - Backing Vox (Magic, Space Angels, Tuxedo Junction, JOhn Lee Hooker, Linda Ronstadt, Michael White, Righteous Bros, Peggy lee, Paul Williams, Dory Previn, nancy Wilson, Harry Chapin, Jack Jones, Frankie Valli, Seals & Crofts, Blackbyrds, Boz Scaggs, Dolly Parton, David Soul, Dionne Warwick, Burt Bacharach, Sat Night Fever [sndtk], Donna Summer, Roger Voudouris, Grease [sndtk], Peter Allen, Gloria Gaynor, Christopher Cross, The Babys, Gil-Scott heron, Aretha Franklin, Reba Rambo, Imperials, Striesand, Jose Feliciano, Milt Jackson, Madleen Kane, Booker T, Jermaine Jackson, Kids from Fame, Kenny Rogers, Lou Rawls, Barry Gibb, Bil Withers, Diana Ross, Cher, Linda Ronstandt, Olivia-Newton John, Arlo Guthrie, Glen Campbell, more
• Myrna Matthews - Backing Vox (Hollywood Film Chorale, Magic, Paul Johnson, Saint Tropez, Babettes, Space Angels, Billy Preston, Dusty Springfield, Tim Buckley, Steely Dan, Dory Previn, Quincy Jones, Boz Scaggs, Bill Withers, Don Cornelius, Frankie Valli, TN Ernie Ford, Blackbyrds, Seals & Crofts, Helen Reddy, Dolly Parton, Captain & Tennille, Miracles, Dion Warwick, Shaun Cassidy, Grease [sndtk], Cheryl Ladd, Babys, Roger Voudouris, Christopher Cross, Outlaws, Eddie Money, Aretha Franklin, Barbara Streisand, Booker T, Jose Feliciano, SOS Band, Diana Ross, Kenny Rogers, Imperials, Patti Austin, Barry Gibb, Cher, Whitney Houston, Gary Wright, China Crisis, Teddu Pendergrass, Jon Bon Jovi, Dick Tracy [sndtk], Kenny Loggins, Muppets, Pat Boone, Harry Connick Jr more)
• Lorna Willard - Backing Vox (Maxine Waters/Willard, Scott McKenzie, Pacific Gas & Electric, Michael Colombier, Al Kooper, Marc McClure, David Cassidy, Tim Buckley, BW Stevenson, Willie Hutch. Boz Scaggs, Keith Moon, Bobby Womack, Cydni Grecco, Paul Kelly, Alice Cooper, Lenoard Cohen, Tanya Tucker, Chanson, Moulin Rouge, Ken Lauber)
• Julia (Ardie) Waters Tillman - Backing Vox (Rock Flowers, Sugar, Brothers & Sisters, Darlings, Dynels, Goldman Girls, Waters, Waters Sisters, Stan Kenton, Al Kooper, Carole King, Dave Mason, Boz Scaggs, Funk Inc, Eric Andersen, Jose Feliciano, Carly Simon, Johnny Rivers, Keith Moon, Tina Turner, Righteous Bros, Buffy Saint-Marie, Andy Williams, Rare Earth, Glen Campbell, The Tubes, Cher, Paul Butterfield, Santana, Barbara Streisand, Tavares, Carpenters, Inner Circle, BB King, Patti LaBelle, Ben E King, Tony Orlando, Cuba Gooding, Neil Diamond, Gloria Gaynor, Kiss, Denise Williams, Rick James, Teena Marie, Donna Summer, Herbie Hancock, Eddie Money, Jacksons, Peaches & Herb, Kim Carnes, Diana Ross, Curtis Mayfield, Smokey Robinson, Toni Basil, Sam Harris, Lionel Richie, Commodores, Joe Cocker, Gap Band, Natalie Cole, Harold Faltermeyer, many)
• Bobby LaKind - Percussion (Doobie Brothers, Lauren Wood, Nicolette Larson, Little Feat, Eikichi Yazawa, Paul Barrere, Bonedaddys, Michael McDonald, Chris Hillman, Cheech y Chong, Robbie Patton, Ronnie Hawkin, Freddy Henry, Dirt Band, Four on the Floor, Night, Sneaker, Tom Johnston, Benny Hester, Karen Brooks, Greg Guidry, Spirit, Honeymoon Suite, Glenn Hughes, BulletBoys, Tommy Bolin, Steve Fisher)
• Paul Barrere - Slide Guitar (Little Feat, Chicken Legs, Bluesbusters, Robert Palmer, T Lavitz, Jack Casady, Coco Montoya, Steamroller Wheelies, Bonnie Raitt, Eric Kaz, Carly Simon, John Cale, Oak Ridge Boys, Travis Tritt, Taj Majal, Jackson Browne, more)
• Al Kooper - Producer, Arrangement, Remix, Keys (Lynyrd Skynyrd, Blood Sweat & Tears, Child is Father to the Man, Four on the Floor, Frankie & Johnny, Rekooperators, Blues Project, Landlords, Musclemen, Royal teens, Sensational Guitars of Dan & Dale, Mike Bloomfield, Sweet Linda Divine, Mose Jones, David Essex, Green on Red, Tim Petty, Bob Dylan, Tom Rush, Peter Paul & Mary, Moby Grape, Jimi Hendrix Experience, Janis Ian, BB King, Rolling Stones, Bo Diddley, Rita Coolidge, The Who, Alice Cooper, Ringo Starr, George Harrison, Ravi Shankar Project, Was (Not Was), Roy Orbison, Thelonious Monster, Chuck Prophet, Neil Diamond many)
• Ernie Watts - Sax, Flute (Andreas Pettersson, Buddy Rich, Charlie haden, Doc Severinsen, Gerad Wilson, GRP All Star Big Band, Jasper Van Hof's Face to Face, Karma, Leonard Feather, Liberation Music Orch, Love Unlimited Orch, Nat Adderley, Session II, Bruce Eskovitz, John Dentz, The Meeting, The Mothers, Night Blooming Jazzmen, Sergio Mendes, T-Bone Walker, Cannonball Adderley, James Brown, Ella Fitzgerald, Carole King, Spencer Davis, Diana Ross, Arlo Guthrie, Bonnie Raitt, Quincy Jones, Marvin Gaye, Steely Dan  many)
• Paul Grupp - Basic Engineer
• Bob Edwards - Overdub Engineer, Remix
• Mark Linett - Background Vox Engineer
• Linda Corbin - Asst Engineer
• Peggy McCreary - Asst Engineer
• Niko Bolals - Asst Engineer
• George Ybarra - Asst Engineer
• Stewart Henderson - Asst Engineer
• Scooter Sandweiss - Production Coordinator
• Charlie Brusso - Mgmt (High Tide)
• George Cappellini - Mgmt (High Tide)
• Aaron Rapoport - Photos
• Ria Lewerke-Shapiro - Art Direction, Design

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band, but based on the cover, they make me think of an Ugly Kid Joe meets Journey combination...and that is pretty much what i imagine the music to take form as, too, even if it was 9 years before UKJ.

Album Review: Greasy rock begins with the needle drop. Not necessarily hard or heavy, just sleazy, southern rock with the two lead guitars, and trying to rock your face off (not not doing it) driving tempos. 

The Van Zant family has its fair share of connection and history with southern blues rock. Johnny is the younger brother of Ronnie (died in the 1977 plane crash), who founded/sang for Lynyrd Skynyrd. Johnny is their current singer (since 1987). He also founded .38 Special with brother Donnie, and later Van Zant also with Donnie. This is the first release of the band that evolved from Austin Nickels Band, who formed 3 years earlier. Skynyrd had their farewell tour in 2018-19, Johnny said they could still record.

Stand Out Track: 634-5789

Links:
Youtube full album
Wiki

Discogs

Allmusic
Pure Southern Rock
GB Gazette 2018
Madness to Creation
IMDB
Pollstar 2018
1980 Live show - Wolfgang's
USA Today 2019
Metal Music Archives
What JVZ drives

Jacksonville Paper Father's Obit 2018
RTJ Webzine 
MN Star Tribune 2018

Vanwarmer, Randy - Beat Of Love

Name: Randy Vanwarmer
Album: Beat of Love
Year: 1981
Style: New Wave, Island, Light Rock
Similar Bands: The Cars, Grandaddy, Generationals, Marshall Crenshaw, Cecilio & Kapono, Eric Carmen, Howard Jones, Billy Squier
"One-Word" Review: Wispy Contemplative Pop
Based Out Of: New York

Label: Bearsville, Warner, Warner Communications

Cover, Record

Back/Lyrics, Record

Beat of Love (1981)

1. Suzi Found a Weapon 3:08 (single #55)
2. Always Right 3:56
3. Babel / Don't Hide 3:07/4:08
4. Amen 1:48 
5. I Guess it Never Hurts to Hurt Sometimes 3:54 /
6. Frightened By the Light of Day 3:26
7. Hanging On To Heaven 3:18
8. The Beat of Love 4:33
9. When I'm Dead & Gone 3:27 (McGuinness Flint cover)
10. Don't Wake Me Up 2:48

Album Rating (1-10): 6.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Randy Vanwarmer - Vox (Brian Briggs, Michael Franks, Svenne & Lotta, Barbara Mandrell, Ottar "Big Hand" Johansen, Tony Wilson, Pat Terry)
• John Holbrook / Brian Briggs - Producer, Engineer, Guitar, Synth, Vox (TCTC, Freida Parton, Utopia, Josh Joplin Group, Claude Dubois, Paul Butterfield, Bernie Cash, Isley Bros, Terence Boylan, Roger Powell, Ian Hunter, Nicole Wills, Tony Wilson, natalie Merchant, Joy Askew, Katell Leineg, Madder Rose, David Mead, Jim Weider, Honky Tonk Gurus, Brian Vander Ark, Five Day Rain, Upchuck, Verve Pipe)
• Ian Kimmet - Producer, Vox (Jook, The Band, Trevor White)
• Del Newman - String Arrangement & Conducting (Cat Stevens, Ten Years After, Peter Frampton, Donovan, Roger Daltrey, Elton John, Kiki Dee Band, Neil Sedaka, Rod Srtewart, Charles Aznavour, Art Garfunkel, George Harrison, Squeeze, Paul Simon, Carly Simon, more)
• Jeff Golub - Guitar (Avenue Blue, Rod Stewart, Billy Squier, Sharz, Patris, Bill Evans, Peter Wolf, Toshiki Kadomatsu, Palace, David Broza, Paul Shaffer, Tina Turner, Grayson Hugh, Bryan Adams, Rick Braun, Cheryl Wheeler, Dar Williams, Gato Barbieri, Kazee, Shawn Mullins, Philippe Saisse, Marcia Hines, Joe Lynn Turner, Miu Sakamoto, Everette Harp, Marc Antoine, Dulcie Taylor, Richard Elliot, VIP Club, Marek Niedzeiecki, Krysten Berg, Jimmy Norman, Steve Cole, Steve Ferrone, Yves Carini, Sax Pack, Harlem Parlour Music Club, Bernie Williams, Kirk Whalum. Euge Groove, David Benoit, Michael Lington, Nils, Bob James
• Leigh Foxx - Bass (Blondie, Brian Briggs, Benny Mardones, Paley Bros, Frankie & Knockouts, Nicole Willis, Iggy Pop, Henry Lee Summer, Cyndi Lauper, Debbie Harry, Yoko Ono, DJ David Knapp, Clayton Bruce Ost, Holly & the Italians, Sonny Kenn Band, Karen Lawrence & the Pinz)
• Mike Braun - Drums, Percussion (Graham Parker & the Shot, Brian Briggs, Elliott Murphy, King of Hearts, Arlen Roth, Eddie Schwartz, Tycoon, Rick Wakeman, Leon Redbone, Peter Criss, Nicole Wills, Michael Bolton, Ellen Shipley, Stevie, Dian Tell, Rick Springfield, Peter Allen, Jennifer Rush, Elm St Group, John Waite, Hall & Oates, Diane Tell, Eileen Ivers, Madgesdiq, Mackintosh Braun, Kenny Rogers)
• Murray Weinstock - Keys, Horn Arrangement (Fifth Ave Band, Mark Moogy Klingman, Jon Paris Band, Bread & Butter, Manhattan Transfer, John Sebastian, Tom Pacheco, Woodstyock Mts Revue, Artie Traum, Pat Alger, Sic Fucks, Nicole Wills, Motherhead Bug, Richie Havens)
• Kevin Jones - Congas (Sunrize, Winard Harper, Charles McPherson, Archie Shepp, Isley Bros, Michael Gregory, Clyde Criner, Sweet Obsession, Larry Price, Blaze, Nick Rolfe, Norman Simmons, Babatunde Lea, Winvent Ector, Jihad Muhammad, Organissimo, 
• Cyndi Cashdollar - Dobro, Vox (Asleep at the Wheel, Bob Dylan, Leon Redbone, Dave Alvin, Guilty Women, Geoff Muldaur, Tx Sheiks, Woodstock Mt revue, Happy Traum Band, John Herald, Ryan Adams & Cardinals, Cathy Winter, Karen Beth, Jean Redpath, Christopher Shaw, Graham Parker, Peter Rowan, Hans Theessink, Don Walser, Steve Hames, Peter Stone Brown, Manhattan Transfer, Omar & the Howlers, George Strait, Trace Adkins, Red Dirt Rangers, Kris Kehr, Rod Moag, Leroi Bros., Rex Foster, Gina Lee, Dwight Yoakam, Susanna Van Tassel, Roger Wallace, Ted Roddy, Lucky Tomblin Band, Joe McDermott, Beausoleil Avec Michael Doucet, Cooder Graw, The Gimbles, Eric Hanke, Van Morrison, Bill Kirchen, The Twang, Heybale, Burrito Delux, Matthew Ballard, Fingerpistol, Marcia Ball, Carolyn Wonderland, James Hand, Leo Rondeau, JaLaLa, David Newbould, Houston Marchman, Bordertown Bootleggers, Esteban, Manodlin Bros, Booka & Flaming Geckos, Pinetop Perkins, Carla Olson, Arlen Roth, Okee Dokee Bros, Amy Laber, Happy Traum, Elly Wininger, Rosie Flores, Mamadou Kelly, Leif Vollebekk, Shelley King)
• Mark McKenna - Engineer, Vox (Johnny Average Band)
• Ray Neznik - Asst Engineer
• RJ Raymon - Asst Engineer
• Shep Siegel - Asst Engineer
• Bob Ludwig - Mastering
• Philip Balou - Backing Vox (Revelation, Utopia, Genral Johnson, Southside Johnny & Asbury Jukes, Steve Goodman, Joe Thomas, Major Harris, Asleep at the Wheel, Jebadiah, John Hall, Ramona Brooks, Bette Midler, Charles Earland, Lou Rawls, Luther Vandross, Hi-Gloss, Pleasure, Change, High Fashion, Aretha, Michael Franks, Irene Cara, Melba Moore, Howard Johnson, Cheryl Lynn, Fonzi Thorton, Bernard Edwards, Michael Wycoff, Lillo Thomas, Dionne Warwick, Manhattans, Kashif, Nile Rodgers, Carl Anderson, EPM, Teddy Pendergrass, Damaris, Merc & Monk, Village People, Ralph macDonald, Jeff Tyzik, Nona Hendryx, Tramaine, Air Supply, Peter Gordon, Jonathan Butler, Glenn Jones, The System, Gavin Christopher, Bernard Lavilliers, George Benson, Stage Dolls, Billy Ocean, Darryl Tookes, Carol Davi$, Dance With A Stranger, Laurie Anderson, James Taylor, Billy Joel, Simon Tittley, Arnold McCuller, David Lasley, Carly Simon, Harvey Miller, Michael Wycoff, Power Station, Boys Choir of Harlem, Tom Jones)
• Benny Diggs - Backing Vox (Revelation, Douglas Sisters, Melba Moore, Southside Johnny & Asbury Jukes, Asleep at the Wheel, Lou Rawls, Ramsey Lewis, Hi-Gloss, Sylvester, Nona Hendryx, Robert Palmer, Doc Powell, Joe Cocker, Diana Ross, Dance With a Stranger, Al Green, Braxtons, Laurie Anderson, Carly Simon, George Benson, Westlife more)
• Morris Gray - Backing Vox (Revelation, Ramsey Lewis, Cheri, Peter Gordon, Golden Gospel Singers)
• Kevin Owens - Backing Vox (Revelation, Ray Goodman & Brown, Luther Vandross, Jaheim, Caress, Festival, Masquerade, Lou Rawls, Cheri, Ramsey Lewis, Pleasure, Nona Hendryx, Curtis Hairston, Doc Powell, Gavin Christopher, Kirk Whalum, Gregory Hines, Philip Michael Thomas, Millie Scott, Freddie Jackson, Darryl Tookes, Dance With a Stranger, Edelweiss, Marc Nelson, Lisa Fischer, Noel Pointer, Ava Cherry, Smappies, Byron Stingily, USA-European Connection, Boris Midney, Black Russian, Kathy Troccoli, Anastacia, Norman Connors)
• Dick Katz - String Performance (New World Philharmonic, Benny Carter, Buck Clayton, Gene Quill, Jimmy Knepper, Joe newman, Larry Sonn, Lee Konitz, Loren Schoenberg, Manny Albam, Oscar Pettiford, Osie Johnson, Paul Horn, Stan Getz, American Jass Orch, Jay and Kai, Mat Matthers, Tony Scott more )
• George James - Trumpet (Benny Carter, Louis Armstrong, Lucky Millinder, Teddy Wilson, Harlem Blues & Jazz Band, Sarah Vaughn, Jabbo Smith, Clyde EB Bernhardt, Fats Waller, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Punch Miller, Albert Wynn, Sine, Alex Hill, Hoagy Carmichael, Junie C. Cobb, :Kid Punch" Miller)
• Josh Shneider - Alto Sax (Irene Cara, Eric Von Schmidt & the Cruel Family, Artie Traum, Steve Forbert, Late Nite Music Band, Tom Rush, Force MDs, Joy Askew)
• Ralph Carney - Tenor Sax (Tom Waits, Tin Huey, B-52's, Marc Ribot, Jim White, Jonathan Richman, Waitresses, Clarinet Thing, Caucho, Labatomy, Swollen Monkeys, Pluto, Preacher Boy, Melon, Bill Laswell, Victoria Williams, Jad Fair, Allen Ginsberg, Galaxie 500, Loved Ones, Elvis Costello, Grant Lee Buffalo, Pere Ubu, Custard, Chuck Prophet, Jack Kerouac, Black Francis, Thao & the Get Down Stay Down, Stephen King-John Mellencamp-T Bone Burnett,St. Vincent, Drive By Truckers, Legendary Shack Shakers, more)
• Tim Ritchie - Art Direction, Design
• Broun - Photos
• RonVanwarmer - (WDST)
• Helen Kimmet - Haircuts

Unknown-ness: I've never heard of this singer / band. From the cover photo and the band photo on the back, I imagine this will be nasally, anxious, neurotic, jittery, catchy-as-hell power pop. I'll actually be slightly upset if it is not...perhaps i'm setting too high a bar, surly to lead to disappointment.

Album Review:  From the first track, Vanwarmers voice is delicate and warm, a little like Ric Ocasek  but an octave higher. The opening two tracks mixes power chords with jangleypop melodies and throws in some keys and synth to keep up with appearances in the 80's. Much of the rest are lighter ballads, that harken back to simple oldies and classic country, and a couple would fit right in to today's breezy island pop sound, even if it is not all synthesized.

Vanwarmer was a friendly, well liked musician who passed away too early at 48 years old from leukemia, a year after diagnosis. He had a short, bright career in pop, with the #1 single "Just When I Needed You the Most," a song that his wife sued Warner/Chappell for copyright ownership. Soon after his first 3 records, he transitioned to writing Country songs when "I Guess It Never Hurts to Hurt Sometimes" which already sounds like a country ballad, was covered by the Oak Ridge Boys. Other musicians Charley Pride, Michael Johnson, Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton, Alabama (and many more) converted his songs to hits. Upon his death a portion of his ashes were sent into space.

Stand Out Track: Suzi Found a Weapon

Links:
Wiki

Discogs

Allmusic
Celestis Memorial Spaceflight
Billboard Obit
Country Daily
CMT obit
LA Times Obit
West Coast DK
IMDB
Wife's Lawsuit
Offical Charts
Second Hand Songs