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Post by johns on Feb 22, 2021 14:24:31 GMT
Bad boy here but I have this as a copy I think of the original album. Haven't listened to it in years as I remember it as not being too good. So has my opinion changed -
Hold Your Head Up - Pretty good cover version. One of those songs it is difficult to mess up I think.
Is This The Way to Say Goodbye - Amazed me Alan would have a go at Quo's output when he was no longer in the band and yet this is a big a slice of naff AOR as you can get.
He's Gonna Step On You - Have to say I have always loved the Party Boys version of this and still do. Cracking.
She's a Mystery - Always preferred the b-side version of this on the He's Gonna Step single.
Rising Star - Same as for Is This the Way... Really bad
Gloria - so from 2 decent covers to an ok pub band kind of cover. Not terribly good.
Small Talk - Pretty good this one.
It Could've Been You - Really, really bad. Reminds me of those awful American power ballads that were around. Just nothing to recommend it. The bit where Alan comes in (at least I think it's Alan) is worse than listening to Tommy.
Gonna See My Baby - Just when it couldn't get any worse it did. This is a mess.
High Voltage - Again average pub band fare.
He's Gonna Step on You Again (Stomp Mix) - A really good remix of the song and still excellent.
Hold Your Head Up (Pressure Mix) - Did I say it's difficult to mess this song up. Low and behold they achieve it. Awful
So all I can say really is that this will go back on the shelf for another few years. It is probably a 4 out of 10 album and that's a little on the generous side.
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Isaac Ryan
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Post by Isaac Ryan on Feb 22, 2021 17:39:03 GMT
I remember the AL supporters club banging on about some rockers he had ready to release. He must be still sat on them.
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mortified
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Post by mortified on Feb 23, 2021 6:00:22 GMT
The only Alan solo CD I have is the compilation that came out in the early 90's. Life After Quo I think it was called, later re-issued with extra tracks, and maybe remastered, not sure. Oh, and I bought the 7" single of He's Gonna Step On You Again. I loved the John Kongos original back in the day. The Party Boys version is good but, I have to say, overshadowed by the version done by Happy Mondays. Which is sort of where I'm going with this. Even when this Party Boys stuff was recorded, it all sounded a bit dated. It was certainly well out of step (see what I did there? ) with what was happening in the UK. I also found much of it too AOR or forced 'rock'. To be fair to Alan, it was all going a bit AOR with Quo at this time as well so he (and his mates) weren't alone in this. Quo have never been fashionable but lamely unfashionable came as a bit of a shock - and disappointing. By the way, Gloria is a song I have never liked. And when they began playing it at that jam at the end of that film, I winced. Thankfully, nothing came of it I wouldn't even say that Quo members' solo stuff has been hit and miss. OK, Francis has released two iffy albums out of three but Rhino, Rick and Andy can all take a bow for me. They've all released albums that I can happily listen to all the way through. Especially Rhino who at least dabbles in different styles. I haven't listened to that Alan compilation in a long time. I might go back to it and see if I still feel the same. Lockdown has a lot to answer for
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Isaac Ryan
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Post by Isaac Ryan on Feb 23, 2021 11:16:10 GMT
If any of these were potential offerings for ITAN had things been resolved, then the argument that AL was wanting to take the band down a heavy rock path is sadly found wanting.
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mortified
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Post by mortified on Feb 23, 2021 11:31:27 GMT
If any of these were potential offerings for ITAN had things been resolved, then the argument that AL was wanting to take the band down a heavy rock path is sadly found wanting. I suspect that's a fan view; a lapsed fan's view I mean. Although Alan never really did anything to discourage the whole 'rocker' thing. Despite the relative lightness of a lot of his writing after about 1980. It probably suited any agenda that he did have. Although if I was him, I'd probably have one as well!
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mortified
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Post by mortified on Feb 24, 2021 10:51:04 GMT
By the way, anyone listened to John Coghlan's effort from the 80's as a member of Partners In Crime? Organised Crime it was called and had Noel McCalla (more recently of Manfred Mann's Earth Band) on vocals. Ray Major formerly of Mott was on lead guitar. Also produced by John Eden incidentally. It's very AOR but somehow manages to be more of it's time as opposed to sounding dated. Don't think it's ever been released on CD. I only have a dodgy download copy of it. The original vinyl is somewhere although goodness knows where
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frozenhero
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Post by frozenhero on Mar 2, 2021 21:32:42 GMT
By the way, anyone listened to John Coghlan's effort from the 80's as a member of Partners In Crime? Organised Crime it was called and had Noel McCalla (more recently of Manfred Mann's Earth Band) on vocals. Ray Major formerly of Mott was on lead guitar. Also produced by John Eden incidentally. It's very AOR but somehow manages to be more of it's time as opposed to sounding dated. Don't think it's ever been released on CD. I only have a dodgy download copy of it. The original vinyl is somewhere although goodness knows where www.discogs.com/de/artist/974132-Partners-In-Crime-6Indeed, nothing ever released on CD! Maybe I can get the powers to be to change that?
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mortified
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Post by mortified on Mar 3, 2021 6:29:31 GMT
By the way, anyone listened to John Coghlan's effort from the 80's as a member of Partners In Crime? Organised Crime it was called and had Noel McCalla (more recently of Manfred Mann's Earth Band) on vocals. Ray Major formerly of Mott was on lead guitar. Also produced by John Eden incidentally. It's very AOR but somehow manages to be more of it's time as opposed to sounding dated. Don't think it's ever been released on CD. I only have a dodgy download copy of it. The original vinyl is somewhere although goodness knows where www.discogs.com/de/artist/974132-Partners-In-Crime-6Indeed, nothing ever released on CD! Maybe I can get the powers to be to change that? Your mission, should you choose to accept it....
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Post by craydarr on Mar 3, 2021 8:06:52 GMT
Your mission, should you choose to accept it.... I would love to buy that album if it were ever released. 👍 Maybe we should contact John via his website to see if there are any plans for a future release. I suppose Barrel and Squidger would be the obvious label for it. Getting back to Alan Lancaster’s post Quo work, I have his Life After Quo cd and it’s not really for me, Step On You is by far the best material he has done. I did find it strange that he was using material like Roadhouse Blues and POMM and not his own songs in the project and on the CD.
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mortified
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Post by mortified on Mar 3, 2021 9:33:09 GMT
Your mission, should you choose to accept it.... I would love to buy that album if it were ever released. 👍 Maybe we should contact John via his website to see if there are any plans for a future release. I suppose Barrel and Squidger would be the obvious label for it. Getting back to Alan Lancaster’s post Quo work, I have his Life After Quo cd and it’s not really for me, Step On You is by far the best material he has done. I did find it strange that he was using material like Roadhouse Blues and POMM and not his own songs in the project and on the CD. Especially the latter seeing not only did he not write it, he didn't do lead vocal on it either. I guess it was just a homage to his first success. Wonder if Francis got royalties
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