smoe.org mailing lists
ivan@stellysee.de
| From | "Billy G. Spradlin" <bgspradlin@cablelynx.com> |
| Subject | Re: The great defender of AOR |
| Date | Wed, 31 Mar 2004 07:39:46 -0600 |
[Part 1 text/plain us-ascii (3.4 kilobytes)]
(View Text in a separate window)
At 02:16 PM 3/30/2004 -0700, you wrote:
>> REO Speedwagon - They were a pretty good band before HIGH INFIDELITY,
>> actually. Several choices.
I'd pick any of the pre-Infidelity albums except for the ones with Mike Murphy
as frontman. A very conistant band that kept doing what they wanted until they
broke through. Pop Moments: "Somewhere Tonight", "In Your Letter", "Do You
Know
Where Your Woman Is Tonight?".
>> Kansas - You have to be kidding, right? Unless you just have a personal
>> issue with prog-pop, LEFTOVERTURE and POINT OF KNOW RETURN were packed
>> with great songs.
And I love 1976's MASQUE - Its when thier "Genesis meets Bar Band" approach
started to click together forced by Don Kirshner's demands for radio friendly
tracks. "All The Worlds" a beautiful song, great harmonies at the end. Pop
Moments: "People Of The South Wind" (just for the "Cha-Cha-Cha" keyboard
hook)
and the Beatle-esque "Everyone's My Friend" from the spotty DRASTIC MEASURES.
>> Styx - Ditto. This is a band that radio played to death, so some of the
>> hatred might be better aimed at programmers than the band themselves. Up
>> through GRAND ILLUSION they were a lot of fun.
When Styx dumped Barry Mraz as thier co-producer and softened up for
CORNERSTONE thats when they lost me. Pop Moments: "Winner Take All". "Lorelei"
and "Mademoiselle".
>> Journey - This is tougher. One song, huh? "Wheel in the Sky," maybe?
>> Also I always liked that one song on RAISED ON RADIO, although the title
>> eludes me. It had that neat a capella multi-part harmony at the very end.
Lotsa good hooks and fine musicanship, but Perry's silly lyrics
(na-na-na-na-na) and creamy production sink many tracks for me.
Pop Moment: "Stone In Love" from ESCAPE. If you love classic 80's video games
and mall arcades someone has made a wondeful CGI video featuring them - it
used
"Stone in Love" as background music and it fits perfectly.
http://www.cinemarcade.com/arcade84.html (warning BIG download - broadband
only)
>> Little River Band - Aussie white bread. A lot of stuff that was
>> inoffensive and tolerable, but...
1979's FIRST UNDER THE WIRE is a fairly good album, nice Hollies-like
harmonies
on many tracks. The LP got a lot of spins during my senior year so I have a
fondness for it.
>> Foreigner - Oh, man - "Cold as Ice"? LOVED that song.
Oooh, Way overplayed for me - but they were the greatest "corporate rock" band
of all time along with Boston (who really wernt). Pop Moments: "Do What You
Like" from HEAD GAMES, and "Luanne" from FOREIGNER 4
>> Loverboy - I thought "Queen of the Broken Hearts" was fun. Mostly it was
>> the headbands, though.
I remember the MTV contest where an ugly and overwieght girl won and they had
to use a lot of pancake makeup on her in the video. Looked like Grace Slick's
little cousin.
Other AOR I still like:
New England - Thier 1979 S/T album produced by Paul Stanley. The two Elektra
albums are also worth picking up.
Stingray - a South African band sounding like a cross of Boston, Styx and
Kansas. Only one USA release on Carrere records in 1979 but I heard they were
superstars in thier home country, so I have been looking for a CD reissue.
Starship - 1984's "No Way Out" is a AOR ballad saved by a very hooky minor
key
melody and sweet guitar solo.
Asia - "Dont Cry" is my guilty fave.
Billy
Billy G. Spradlin
http://listen.to/jangleradio
For assistance, please contact
the smoe.org administrators.