Lost/Forgotten Album #196

[Jon]

Yet again, no "facts" are taken from Wikipedia.

There's also no movie tie-in with this week's pick. I post what I want to post, when I want to post it. No giant lizard is going to sway me.

With that out of the way, this week's pick is the second (and last) album from Lone Star, 1977's "Firing On All Six". No, this is not the country group. That's "Lonestar" and we don't do country here.  

Here's a little biography of the band, courtesy allmusic.com:

"This traditional UK hard rock quintet was formed in 1975 by Kenny Driscoll (lead vocals), Tony Smith (guitar), Paul ‘Tonka’ Chapman (b. 9 June 1954, Cardiff, Wales; guitar), Pete Hurley (bass) and Dixie Lee (drums). Specializing in dynamic heavy rock, they attracted considerable attention with their Roy Thomas Baker-produced debut, offering an approach and sound not dissimilar to early Queen’s pomp/hard rock formula. Driscoll was replaced by John Sloman in 1977 before the release of Firing On All Six. This album pushed the dual guitars of Chapman and Smith to the forefront and concentrated on heavier material. Shortly after its release the band disintegrated, with Sloman joining Uriah Heep, Chapman replacing Michael Schenker in UFO and Dixie Lee teaming up with Wild Horses."

Even though their debut album is pretty good, I decided to post their second album. It is a stronger album, plus there's some funk/disco thrown in and everyone loves funk/disco!  

The album does sound a bit dated, especially with the keyboards. They're "sweeping". Sometimes the drums sound like something out of the 70's. The geetars™ are geetars™. No matter the time, geetars™ are cool. Plus there's dual geetars™ here, so double the fun. 

That's 500+ words. I'm done.

Firing On All Six

1. The Bells Of Berlin
2. The Ballad Of Crafty Jack
3. Time Lays Down
4. Hypnotic Mover
5. Lovely Lubina
6. Seasons In Your Eyes
7. Rivers Overflowing
8. All Of Us To All Of You

Availability: Two options for you! First is the BGO two-fer which includes the first album and runs around $15. Second is the Rock Candy remaster which runs around $18 and includes bonus tracks. From my understanding, both editions sound very good so it might boil down to the bonus tracks. (NOTE: I used the BGO remaster for this post.)   

 

[Scott]

No Movie tie in huh?  We'll see about that!!!

[Jon]

[Scott]

So, at last we meet for the first time for the last time...

So this is Lonestar but not really that Lonestar, its Lonestar before Lonestar was Lonestar.  You idiots! These are not them! You've captured their stunt doubles!

So were listening to stunt doubles!  Now that that's out of the way... 

1.  This is very dated, but the sweeping keyboards would be great background for when we're approaching Planet Druidia.  Epic I tell you! 

2.  Crafty Jack is just weird, the keystone style keyboards are way out of place.  The Schwartz is not very strong with this band!

3.  Time Lays Down, got a little Play That Funky Music thing going on and then it goes away, and then ah... What have I done?! My brains are going into my feet!  Got to move onto the next song...

4.  Hypnotic Mover - huh? The only stupider thing I can imagine would be if a combination was set to 1-2-3-4-5...  1-2-3-4-5? That's the stupidest combination I've ever heard of in my life!  Seriously, more keystone keyboarding?

5.  Lovely Lubina?  Is she Druish?  I bet she gives great helmet.  Hopefully better than song written about her...

6.  Seasons In Your Eyes...  Ah, some BIlly Joel keyboard.

8.  All of us To All of you:  Nice riff but at this point Ive already judged this as just out there...  I rate this as 3 "Vacu-Sucks"

[Jon]

Wow, a little harsh there, hmmmm? That just leaves you two behind. 

[Scott]

Actually didn't mean for it to be too harsh as this wasnt totally terrible, it was meant to be more of a movie tie-in with a built in joke...  which you didn't get.

Maybe a real Spaceballs fan will pick up on it...

Nice post Jon, really it wasn't bad, well, except for those keystone keyboards, those were a little weird...

[Jon]

I've seen Spaceballs. And you sir are not a Spaceballs watcher thingy thing thing thing etc. and all that. 

But you wanna know something? I actually did miss half of them. Lonestar, Druish. Still had Godzilla on my mind I guess. Or I was tired. Or stoned.  

[Scott]

PS:  Which two and I will catch up....

[Jon]

Gee....the one HERE I've been harping on for about 8 months and this one HERE from only a few weeks ago.

That first one would be especially nice to take care of since I've left it in Podsnack all this time and let it take up valuable space.  

[Scott]

Stunt Doubles I tell ya!!!

[Scott]

[Scott]

[Scott]