Retro Spins: The Runaways - The Runaways

 

Though they never became a major success in the United States, the all girl led, The Runaways, shouldn't be forgotten. With the likes of Cherie Currie, Sandy West, Jackie Fox, Lita Ford and Joan Jett, they were anything but talent-less.

The initial iteration of the lineup was a trio, featuring Joan Jett on lead guitar, drummer, Sandy West, and Micki Steel, better known for her work with the other all girl group, the Bangles. Steel served double duties on bass / lead vocals, but was soon fired. Though there are several stories out there as to why she was let go, her own account was that she refused sexual propositions from their manager, and for calling their single, Cherry Bomb, "Stupid".

Peggy Foster would join as the new bassist, and Joan Jett shifted to rhythm guitar when Lita Ford was brought in as lead guitarist. Foster left after just one month, but no official reason appears to have been given as to why.

Both Cherie Currie and Jackie Fox would join the group in 1975, completing the classic lineup. Currie was just fifteen years old, and their anthem, Cherry Bomb, was written specifically for her audition with the band.

A life of rock and roll excess followed as the band released their first and second albums, respectively the self titled, The Runaways (1976), and Queens Of Noise (1977). This lead to world tours, fame, fortune, and fights. Said fights were said to be provoked by their manager and record label, and were conducted as "divide and conquer" tactics to keep the members in line, and under control. This ultimately came to a head in 1977, with Currie and Foster quitting the band.

The Runaways continued on with their third album, also released in 1977, Waiting For The Night. Joan Jett would step in to fill the roll of vocalist, in addition to her lead guitar work. Vicki Blue would join as bassist. This new lineup would remain in place through their fourth and final album, 1978's, And Now...The Runaways.

Though there were talks of a reunion a few years ago, much like the drama within the band in the 70's, this reared its head again, tainting the possibility of this happening. Lita Ford blames Joan Jett and her manager, and Cherrie Currie blames both Ford and Jett for not being able to see eye to eye. But, considering The Eagles and Guns 'N Roses managed to pull off successful reunion tours, I wouldn't count The Runaways out. Money talks, and changes minds quickly.

Until then, let's jump in our wayback machines, and head to 1976 for the debut album that started it all. The Runaways self titled album, The Runaways, featuring the classic lineup of The Runaways, singing songs written by The Runaways.

Sorry, I had a moment of wanting to be annoying. Did it work?

As I hit the play button, I was greeted by the only song I know from the quintet, Cherry Bomb. It's a classic rock anthem, and one that many people know and love. But is it amazing? No, not really. It's just okay. I think what makes it better is how iconic it is, not that it's by any means a masterpiece.

Unfortunately, I can sum up the rest of this really quickly. The rest of the album is just there. Nothing stands out. It's hard rock, for sure, but it's just not....good. In fact, now that I think about it, I kind of have to agree with Micki Steele. Even Cherry Bomb is kind of stupid.

It's a st-st-st-st-st-st-st-st-stupid song!

Thank you good night!

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Retro Spins: Johnny Cougar - Chestnut Street Incident

 

Johnny Cougar, John Cougar, John Cougar Mellencamp or John Mellencamp. Whatever you call him, the man had a rocky start in the music industry with his debut album selling only twelve thousand copies upon its initial release. It was so bad that not only did his record label drop him, but they refused to release his already completed second album, The Kid Inside (which would ultimately end up being released as his sixth studio album).

Leading up to his debut, Mellencamp signed with then David Bowie manager, Tony DeFries. However, DeFries was adamant that nobody would buy a record for a man named John Mellencamp, and without the singer's knowledge, changed his name to Johnny Cougar. Mellencamp would not find out about this until he saw the final product of his debut album. The irony ending up being that people apparently wouldn't buy an album for someone named Johnny Cougar either.

Despite this setback, Mellencamp was able to secure a new record deal, and released his second album, which was actually recorded third, A Biography. This would be the last album credited to Johnny Cougar, which was shortened to John Cougar for his self titled album in 1979. This would lead to Mellencamp's first top forty hit. Though he would go on to release Nothin' Matters And What If It Did in 1980, the singer's breakthrough wouldn't come until hit 1982 album American Fool.

Today, I'm going back to 1976 to check out that debut record featuring Johnny Cougar singing about the Chestnut Street Incident. As I fired it up, I was greeted by a younger sounding musician, who despite this being his first record sounded powerful and passionate about what he was singing. While the majority of what played on were covers, it was when the title track of the album kicked in that I found myself saying, "Yes. This is John Mellencamp."

Chestnut Street, the song, feels very much like what drew fans to his music in the 80's. A well crafted story, from a personal perspective of Mellencamp. This is not only a great song, but the turning point in the album where I felt like it had any meaning to the singer. However, this got buried quickly under a pile of generic tracks written by Mellencamp, and more covers. This wasn't helped by a revisited rendition of Chestnut Street, aptly titled, Chestnut Street Revisited. It only stood to prove what I felt that this particular track was the best that was to be had on this album.

I won't go so far as to call the who experience, "bad". Truthfully, his cover versions of songs such as Oh, Pretty Woman, Jailhouse Rock, and Twentieth Century Fox aren't terrible. It's difficult to record a cover that is worth listening to over the original, and Mellencamp pulls this off. They're not superior versions, but they're okay.

Truth be told, I was a little surprised to read that his label dropped him after this album was released, because it actually got me interested in hearing more from him from this era. I therefore can't help but wonder if perhaps the failure of this album wasn't more so the result of a lack of good marketing, because the album itself is good.

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Retro Spins: Air Supply - Air Supply

 

As a kid, I was always confused by why two men were singing love duets which came off as them singing to each other. As I grew older and became acquainted with the life choices some make, I at least could grasp on the circumstances that would call for that. As an adult, I can at least listen to the track without thinking that, and don't think at this point that they were. Instead, I look at lead singers Russell Hitchcock and Mark McEntee as geniuses. They probably racked in so much pus.....um....love, with their sappy songs.

Since 1976, Air Supply have released seventeen studio albums, of which I own four: 1980's Lost In Love, 1981's The One That You Love, 1982's Now And Forever, and 1985's Air Supply, the latter not to be confused with today's debut album of the same title. My introduction to the band was throughout the 80's via the various tracks which got played frequently on the various radio stations. It's because of this I never really got plugged into anything from their 70's years, and since they relatively fell off the map in the 90's and beyond, despite releasing albums, I obviously never kept up with them.

As I dig into the classic years of several artists and bands, I felt it appropriate to go all the way back to the beginning with this group and see just what exactly they had to offer. Firing up their 1976 self titled debut, I immediately felt a funk / disco groove to the opening track, Feel The Breeze. From there, things mellowed out a bit, falling in line with the typical ballad sound Air Supply is known for, but revisited the upbeat tempo with a few tracks here and there.

Reading through the track listing, I can honestly say that none of them jumped out at me as anything I had heard. Not even the lead single from the album, Love And Other Bruises.

Overall, their debut release wasn't for me. I just didn't particularly care for it. I'm perfectly content with the albums I have from the band, and don't see much point to really delve into them much deeper than I already have. Air Supply has their hits, but at the end of the day, they were never really a band for me. Considering between the two of them, Hitchcock and McEntee are worth almost twenty million dollars, I don't think they necessarily care at this point that an aging 80's kid won't be buying used albums they won't see any profit from anyway.

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