Classic Rock Bottom

Many years ago, someone on this here site mentioned something about Russ Ballard and maybe even requested that an album (or two) get the feature-of-the-week treatment. I waited patiently for someone to step up to the plate and grant this request, but nobody did.

Until now.

The person that requested this must have felt unloved through all this years, but now they feel lucky that they stuck around. Not only is their request the featured LFAOTW, but it's also the anniversary album for May and we're celebrating it's 35th anniversary. Good things come to those who are patient, grasshopper. 

This week's selection is the 1980 release from Russ Ballard, "Barnet Dogs". This is his fourth solo album after leaving Argent in 1974.

If you've never heard of Russ Ballard, chances are you've heard a Russ Ballard song. From this album, you might have heard "On The Rebound", but not this version. Chances are you've heard Uriah Heep's version from their stellar album, "Abominog". 

Other artists that have covered Russ Ballard songs include Rainbow, Roger Daltrey, Night Ranger, Santana, Frida, Three Dog Night, America and Hot Chocolate. So, as you can see, there's a good chance you have heard a Russ Ballard song and didn't even realize it. Crazy!

Depending on the feedback on this post, maybe there'll be more Russ Ballard albums in the future. It's all up to you.

Barnet Dogs

1. Rene Didn't Do It
2. Ain't No Turning Back
3. Bad Boy
4. On The Rebound
5. She Said "Yeah"
6. It's Too Late
7. Feels Like The Real Thing
8. Riding With The Angels
9. Beware

Availability: Renaissance Records released "Winning"/"Barnet Dogs" on one CD and it is now OOP, but a used version runs around $25. BGO released "Barnet Dogs"/"Into The Fire" a couple years ago and a used or new copy runs around $13.

   

 

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I'm gonna say you intentionally left The Spaceman off of your list of folks who have covered Ballard.  That's just not cool.

Major Tom never covered a Russ Ballard song.

More from the ever-reliable Wiki page of Russ Ballard...


In addition to KISS covering "God Gave Rock and Roll to You", retitled as "God Gave Rock 'n' Roll to You II":

  • KISS drummer, Peter Criss, recorded Ballard's "Let Me Rock You" and "Some Kinda Hurricane" on his 1982 Let Me Rock You album.
  • KISS guitarist, Ace Frehley, covered "New York Groove" on his self-titled solo album in 1978. Frehley's version reached No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and has been a regular staple of KISS live performances, during tours in which Frehley has taken part.
  • During his non-KISS years, Frehley also did a cover of the Ballard song "Into The Night", for his 1987 Frehley's Comet album.

Yeah, cool.

That opening riff sounds like it came straight off of Rock and Roll Over.  It was the bass line that threw it out of Kissville.  The music is very simple, much like a KISS song.  No wonder KISS loved to write with him or cover his tunes. I wonder if these are just a bunch of songs KISS rejected and so he recorded them himself. Only 9 tunes, the official KISS album length!  I wonder how many references to KISS I can come up with in this review?

Second tune has no redeeming quality, it's very bland, kind of like a Peter Criss solo album - the first one, oh who am I kidding, all of them!  What the ....  is that a monkey singing?  It does have a redeeming quality then! Is this self produced? (much like KISS' album are)  I ask because I can't imagine a producer, at least a good one, not walking out on that second tune - Kinda like Ace did on the Elder.  


This 3rd track is some weird spin on reggae.  I got no KISS reference here, so I'll just say KISS, KISS, KISS... KISS

On The Rebound, whoa this getting weirder.  Its the curve ball on an album full of curve balls, kinda like a KISS disco song.  He's trying to recycle that New York Groove beat but its way too gimmicky.  I got 5 bucks that says you listen to the Elder more often than this album...

Its Too Late... Too Late for what?  To hit STOP and put on a KISS album?  The riff on Track 7 sure sounds like a take on the Cold Gin riff. 

Track 8 and 9 melt together like Gene Simmons breathed fire on them and they, well, melted together.  

This was an album that should stay lost... Like Crazy Nights, or Unmasked, or Asylum, or.... you get the point...

THIS AIN'T NO ACCIDENT, LOOK IN MY EYES

I agree with Scott, that the opening-riff sounds like something from "Rock'N'Roll Over".

I noticed the "Russ Ballad"-name at first on Ace's solo-album in '78.

And then on Rainbow's "I Surender", and then I thought "Wow, this guy only writes good songs", but then I bought "Abominog" and "On The Rebound" was by far the weakest song on that amazing album.

Hmmm, listening to this album kind of tells me, that he should only had written songs to other artists. Once again: It's not crap, but nothing I want to hear ever again, either.

"On The Rebound" is even worse than the Uriah Heep-version. They kind of sound the same, except for Pete Goalby's stellar-voice is missing here. Without that voice, it's pure crap.

I didn't even realize On The Rebound was the same song Heep did...  Its been way too long since I've spun Abominog...

That first riff (and song) sounds like a potential Kiss song.  Has anybody mentioned that?  Seriously, the music is pretty good, but if that's Ballard singing, he's not particularly good.  Track two, however, is not good.  In the least.  Total filler.

Wow, this guy is all over the place.  First, he writes a song for Kiss that they didn't use.  Now, he writes a song for The Cars that they didn't use (Bad Boy).  This one is actually pretty cool in a new wave sort of way.  With just a bit of reggae flavor in the verses.  Best track so far.

On The Rebound is a good song I think.  But I will give a slight edge to Uriah Heep's cover.  She Said "Yeah" wonders back into filler territory.  I'm definitely diggin' It's Too Late.  And guess what?  It should have been covered by Uriah Heep.  Sounds like a Heep song.  Sounds like an Ace Frehley solo to an extent.  

I'm somewhere in the middle on Feels Like The Real Thing.  I thought it was gonna be filler at first, but the chorus sort of saves it.  The intro to the next track sounds like Ted Nugent.  Again, more middle piddling on Riding With The Angels.  The closer is non-memorable.

I think the consensus is that Ballard could write some killer songs, it just took other artists to get the most out of them. Hey, there is no shame in being a better songwriter than artist.  It happens all the time.  Back then, you could still do pretty well for yourself doing that sort of thing.  Nice post.

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