Hidden Treasures - Firsts (Solo albums)

[Scott]

Happy New Year! Wishing the best 2015 to you and yours ...


To kick it off I'm revisiting the thoughts of "firsts", up to this point and on various sites we've discussed debut albums, first concerts, first albums purchased etc... So I wanted to spin this a bit and do another firsts post. Solo albums are always an interesting topic...

Some artists need the use the solo path as an avenue of expression, some created albums out of frustration, either way, at one point in time they dug deep and went their seperate ways, maybe only to return to their respective bands or stay gone for good. Lets look at these first solo efforts from artists who left successful groups for whatever reason.


PLAYLIST --> http://www.podsnack.com/CA69EFD9E8C/avu5r0e0

	Lou Gramm Ready Or Not 1987 1 - If I Don't Have You Foreigner vocalist Lou Gramm's 1987 solo album Ready or Not is a winner. It came at a precarious time for Foreigner, despite coming off the success of 1985's Agent Provocateur and the band's first number one single, "I Want to Know What Love Is." Ready or Not is rich with melody and snap, but its sound does vary just enough from Foreigner that Gramm can't really be accused of stealing from himself. The production by Gramm and Pat Moran definitely has that bright 1980s style. Gramm's main sidemen include guitarist Nils Lofgren, keyboardist Philip Ashley, bassist/guitarist/keyboardist Bruce Turgon, and drummer Ben Gramm. Side one absolutely sizzles.
	David Gilmour David Gilmour 1978 2 - Short and Sweet By the time of David Gilmour's solo debut, he had not only established himself several times over as an underrated, powerful guitarist in Pink Floyd, but as a remarkably emotional singer, his soothing approach perfectly suited to such songs as "Wish You Were Here." The self-titled album, recorded with journeyman bassist Rick Wills and Sutherland Brothers drummer Willie Wilson, later to be part of the touring Floyd lineup for its Wall dates, isn't a deathless collection of music in comparison to Gilmour's group heights, but is a reasonably pleasant listen nonetheless. Certainly it's much more approachable than Animals, released earlier that year, eschewing epics for relatively shorter, reflective numbers. While Gilmour wrote the vast majority of the songs himself, the most successful number was co-written with Unicorn member Ken Baker: "There's No Way Out of Here," an agreeably dreamy, wistful song featuring an attractive acoustic slide guitar/harmonica hook. That it sounds a bit like a Pink Floyd outtake certainly doesn't hurt, but one figures Roger Waters would have tried for some heavily barbed lyrics to offset the melancholy. Throughout the album Gilmour sounds like he's having some jamming fun with his compatriots in his own particular blues-meets-the Home Counties style, adding keyboard overdubs here and there (his efforts are passable, but it's understandable why he's known for his guitar work first and foremost).
	Robert Plant Pictures at Eleven 1982 3 - Far Post For his debut solo album, Robert Plant doesn't exactly succumb to everyone's expectations. With a less-potent vocal style, Plant manages to carry out most of the songs in smooth, stylish fashion while rocking out rather convincingly on a couple of others. He gets some pretty good help from guitarist Robbie Blunt, who truly comes to life on "Worse Than Detroit," and both Phil Collins and Cozy Powell give Plant enough of a solid background to lean his sultry yet surging rock voice against. Plant channels his energy quite effectively through songs like "Pledge Pin" and "Moonlight in Samosa," while the single "Burning Down One Side" is a creditable one, even though it failed to crack the Top 50 in both the U.K. and the U.S. The most apparent characteristic about the album's eight tracks is the fact that Plant is able to escape most of his past and still sound motivated.
	Paul McCartney Paul McCartney 1970 4 - Every Night Paul McCartney retreated from the spotlight of the Beatles by recording his first solo album at his home studio, performing nearly all of the instruments himself. Appropriately, McCartney has an endearingly ragged, homemade quality that makes even its filler -- and there is quite a bit of filler -- rather ingratiating. Only a handful of songs rank as full-fledged McCartney classics, but those songs -- the light folk-pop of "That Would Be Something," the sweet, gentle "Every Night," the ramshackle Beatles leftover "Teddy Boy," and the staggering "Maybe I'm Amazed" (not coincidentally the only rocker on the album) -- are full of all the easy melodic charm that is McCartney's trademark. The rest of the album is charmingly slight, especially if it is read as a way to bring Paul back to earth after the heights of the Beatles. At the time the throwaway nature of much of the material was a shock, but it has become charming in retrospect. Unfortunately, in retrospect it also appears as a harbinger of the nagging mediocrity that would plague McCartney's entire solo career.

[RJhog (Admin)]

Interesting subject:

Lou Gramm - I love Lou's voice.  Love his work with his main band.  Don't own a single solo album of his.  This is sounding like a terrific song.  How could this not be a hit?  Especially back then.  Just a smooth, laid back groove.  He really does have one of the all-time great voices of rock.  Great pick.

Dave Gilmour - Different artist, same comment.  I don't own any of Gilmour's solo work.  And I was never a fan of Pink Floyd back then.  Personally, I would never say DG has as good a voice as LG.  But that doesn't mean he can't sing, cause he can.  And he can dang sure play the guitar.  This is Floyd meets Boston if you ask me.  Pretty cool.  

Robert Plant - At least I own some Robert Plant.  Not much.  Now and Zen and last year's release.  I've never heard this track.  I'd say it's the third good track you've posted here my brother.  Nice electric piano or regular piano, whatever it is.  I like the rhythm guitar work swirling around as well.  

Paul McCartney - Don't own this, but I have seen it for a buck on vinyl at the used record store.  That's some very steady acoustic work there.  I like this song too.  Maybe not as much as the others, but I do like it.  I keep telling myself it's time to pick up some solo McCartney.  One of these days...

For a ranking, I'd go:

1. Gramm

2. Plant

3. McCartney

4. Gilmour

I like the solo debuts of:

Paul Stanley

Ace Frehley

Stevie Nicks

Andy Taylor

Tom Petty

(Just to name a few)...enjoyed this post Scott.

[Scott]

Gramm is way underrated.  Would love to see him and Jones figure out their differences and get together for one more Foreigner studio release.  A real Foreigner record!!!  Think it would be swell if they recruited the same band from Head Games to put it together again.  Wishful thinking!!!

[Niels (Mod)]

This is another great topic, and I will try to listen later today.

I've never really been a fan of solo-albums, but again being an old KISS-fan, from when KISS was KISS, I still remember the day, probably mid-October 1978, when me and my friend got all of the 4 solo-albums together, and what a great day that was. and off course, I agree with RJ: Paul's and Ace's-soloalbums are among great solo-albums.

Other favorites of mine would be (on the top of my head):

George Harrison : All Things Must Pass

John Lennon : Imagine

Lou Reed : Transformer

If "Blizzard Of Ozz" was a solo-album, it would had been the best of alltime.....but it's not a solo-album. Neither is "Diary Of A Madman".

[Scott]

I was looking at Harrisons All Things Must Pass, which I too consider as great, but I passed on it sine he did a soundtrack in 68 titled Wonderwall.  Maybe I was wrong to consider that his first solo release?

[Niels (Mod)]

Ups! First release?! I didn't notice that.

[Scott]

ha no worries.

[Jon]

Wonder if anyone notices the connection between the first two albums posted? If not, that's cool.

THe first three are solid debuts, I have them all. My favorite would be the Robert Plant album, it's my favorite of his solo stuff. Brings back lots of memories.

I thought I had that McCartney album, but checked and I don't. I've been picking up the latest batch of re-releases, but this and II are one of thems. Really happy they're going thru the Wings catalog with the re-releases have all of them so far, reall waiting on "Back To The Egg".

Barry Goudreau put out a nice debut solo album. 

[Scott]

Back to the Egg is easily his best IMO

[Scott]

Is Rick Wills the connection you're referring to?

[Jon]

Yes.