Classic Rock Bottom

Though he gifted humanity with a couple of Bon Jovi albums that we all can't stomach, he started out as a very cool producer of two of my favorite Canadian bands before then and self-corrected afterwards. Heres a peek into Producer Bruce Fairbairns early work. But first, some Wiki-wisdom...


In the early 70s, he started producing when he was part of the Vancouver band jazz-rock group Sunshyne, on which he played both trumpet and horn. There he met bandmate Jim Vallance, who would go on to become one of the most successful songwriters in the music industry and an important music associate. After Vallance left Sunshyne in 1973, Fairbairn changed Sunshyne's format to blues-rock-pop. Fairbairn recruited guitarist Lindsay Mitchell, from Vancouver band Seeds of Time, as singer-songwriter and frontman. Fairbairn worked through 1974 to land a recording contract for Sunshyne, using demos of two songs written by Mitchell. By mid-1975, as Fairbairn could not close a record deal for Sunshyne, he approached Vallance for assistance. Vallance reworked the arrangements on the Mitchell songs and supplied three of his own at Fairbairn's request. One of the Vallance songs, "Open Soul Surgery" impressed an executive at record label GRT, who signed Fairbairn's group to a recording contract in 1976.

Over the next year, Fairbairn produced an album using various musicians (including himself) from both Sunshyne and Seeds of Time. The newly renamed band Prism then released its debut album in 1977. The album reached platinum status in Canada, with sales in excess of 100,000 albums by 1978. Fairbairn himself, however, elected not to be a member of Prism, and is credited only as producer and as a session musician on the album, and did not play with Prism on any live dates.

Fairbairn produced Prism's next three albums, all of which went platinum or double platinum in Canada. In 1980, Fairbairn won his first of three Canadian music industry Producer of the Year Juno Awards for Prism's third album Armageddon.


So lets start right where this drops off...


PLAYLIST --> http://www.podsnack.com/CA69EFD9E8C/a1p8rmf8

Prism
Young and Restless
1980

1 - Young and Restless

This was the first Prism album written without any credited contributions from Vallance/Higgs: all songs were written by Mitchell, Harlow or Norton. (Vallance claims he did participate in the making of the album as an arranger, and as an uncredited co-writer of one track, but admits that his participation in Young and Restless was "minimal".) The album spun off Prism's highest charting single, also called "Young and Restless", which peaked at #14 on the Canadian charts. At this point, Prism parted company with their long-time producer and founder Bruce Fairbairn, They recorded one new track for their 1980 greatest hits album All the Best From Prism with new producer John S. Carter, who was known professionally simply as "Carter"; Carter would be the group's producer for all their subsequent releases through 1983.

Loverboy
Get Lucky
1981

2 - Watch Out

In 1980, while still working with Prism, Fairbairn started production work on the debut album for Canadian rock band Loverboy. The self-titled album Loverboy would be the first Fairbairn production to break through in the lucrative US market and launch Fairbairn's international success. Get Lucky is the second album released by the hard rock band Loverboy in 1981. The album reached number 7 on the Billboard 200 album chart, remaining on the chart for over two years, and has sold over 4 million copies in the United States. It featured the hit singles, "Working for the Weekend," "When It's Over," "Lucky Ones," "Gangs In the Street," and "Take Me to the Top."

Blue Oyster Cult
The Revolution By Night
1983

3 - Shooting Shark

The album was intended to capitalize on the unexpected success of Fire of Unknown Origin just two years prior, hence the album's blend of straight-ahead rock and pop elements. This was the first album by the band not to feature all of the band's classic members, drummer Albert Bouchard having been fired during the previous tour and replaced by Rick Downey. "Shooting Shark" became a radio hit, and its accompanying video became one of MTV's most requested clips upon its release. The lyrics to "Shooting Shark" were based on a poem by Patti Smith. The song "Take Me Away", co-written by Eric Bloom with Canadian rock musician Aldo Nova, also received significant airplay on AOR radio. Nonetheless, the album failed to go Gold in the United States.

Honeymoon Suite
The Big Prize
1986

4 - Words In The Wind

Big Prize is a choice piece of mall rock. Crisply produced by fellow Canadian Bruce Fairbairn, who went on to greener pastures with Bon Jovi and Aerosmith, the album benefits from one of the greatest kickoffs in history with "Bad Attitude." Drums and keyboards date '80s rock, but "Bad Attitude" adroitly weaves 'em together for a dreamy bridge, before principal songwriter and guitarist Derry Grehan erupts with cascading fretboard fireworks. All the while, singer Johnnie Dee cautions the listener to clean up his act. Of course Dee wants action "in the sheets" by the tropical single "Feel It Again." Swirling synths and guitar gymnastics also dominate "Lost and Found," which quotes early Kiss and flat-out rules. The legendary Ian Anderson sticks his flute into "All Along You Knew," where cheatin' lyrics pave the way for "Your Love" by the Outfield (another schlock requisite), and the specter of Miami Vice haunts "Words in the Wind," provoking paranoia and cool car chases. If you're still reading, you want this record, so don't deny yourself; Big Prize holds all the lost enchantment of adolescent summers.




During the mixing sessions for Yes' The Ladder, on May 17, 1999, Fairbairn was found dead by Yes singer Jon Anderson and Armoury manager Sheryl Preston in his Vancouver home. He was survived by his wife Julie, with whom he had three sons: Scott, Kevin, and Brent. Bob Rock declared that on the week Fairbairn died, the two were to travel to New York to meet Bon Jovi for another album together.


A memorial, "A Celebration of the Life of Bruce Earl Fairbairn", held at the Vancouver Chan Centre was attended by more than 300 people. Highlighted by reminiscences from close friends, the event included musical performances from Jon Anderson and Steve Howe performing the song "Nine Voices" from Yes' The Ladder sessions, as well as Tom Keenlyside, guitarist David Sinclair and finally, "Taps" played on Bruce's trumpet by son Brent.


In March 2000, Fairbairn was posthumously awarded the Canadian Music Hall of Fame Juno Award for his work.

Views: 612

Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

If you were to ask me what album Bruce Fairbairn produced, my first response would be Aerosmith's Permanent Vacation. I have no idea why I know that considering how much I hate that album, but you asked.

I don't know if it was a mandate from the producer, but it appears that electronic drums were something he liked? Can't really tell on the Prism track, but they are used on the others. Wonder if it was a band or producer decision.

That Prism song sounds like something that would be in a cheesy 80's movie. It's quite a cheesy song. I've heard a few songs from Prism, don't remember them being as cheesy as this. This sound like an 80's song, even though it was released in 1980.

That Loverboy song is one of those that plays and you really don't notice it since the rest of the album is full of goodness. Still didn't notice it much here.

For some reason, this has become my main BOC album. There's something about it that continues to draw me in. When I have a hankering for a BOC album, I almost always pick this one. Just an amazing, under appreciated album. 

I used to have this Honeymoon Suite album. Outside of a couple songs, there's not much I remember about it. It's ok, I guess.

Now about The Ladder from Yes:

I have this album, have had it for over 10 years, might have even bought it in 1999. But, I didn't listen to it until last year. It just sat there and sat there until I decided it had sat there long enough and I gave it a listen. It's actually a really good album. Have no idea why I let it sit there for so long, but now you now the story about that album.

Thank you.  

I first heard of Prism when the track "Spaceship Superstar" hit our local radio station in 1977 and it was one of those moments of zen.  Struck a chord with me in a nice way.  Been a fan ever since.  But, my favorite is this Prism album, and in 1980 it was ahead of its time, and maybe that's why it got lost.  But not to me...  In the early days of CRB I pushed this band a bit and got lukewarm responses at best.  So I wont be surprised to receive the same now.  But...  why not keep trying....

No argument on the Loverboy Track, I actually prefer their debut album, but the quality of the CD is not good out there.  Hopefully it will get a proper remastering treatment someday

This BOC album totally went unnoticed by me at the time of its release.  In fact it would be several years later until I heard it.  Its OK and you're right it does have some cool tunes on it, but I do prefer FOUO and Cultasaurus Erectus much more.

The Big Prize is a must have for me, its a top to bottom stellar album IMO.  Including one of the funniest album covers of the 80's.

The Ladder?  I don't own it...  Would love to hear it though

Remastered debut (with Get Lucky)

It'll be awhile before I post The Ladder, maybe I'll do a series on "Albums that Scott would love to hear".

Sounds like a series everyone would love!

So far there's..........one.

Or maybe a series about producer's that died during the mixing of the album...

I don't pay a ton of attention to producers, for the most part.  I mean, I do know several of the producers of Kiss albums, but like I said, I don't pay too much attention to it.  Fairbairn's name is familiar, and I'm pretty sure he produced an 80's Kiss album, probably Crazy Nights, but I'm not positive.

Prism - The is pretty plain Jane if you ask me.  Nothing about it, including the production, strikes me as memorable.

Loverboy - This is by far my favorite Loverboy album.  Now that I've looked him up on Wikipedia, I see that he also produced Loverboy's debut.  But this is my favorite, and this is just one of the great songs on it.  I do like this production, and now that I think about it, the Prism song has a similar production.  It sounds a little foggy, but I love it.

BOC - I have all of the band's albums since I bought the Complete Albums Collection.  I can't say I remember ever hearing this, but I definitely like it.  Maybe Fairbairn has an "eighties foggy production" button on his console, because hearing this for the first time, it definitely sounds like 80's work, but I'd never guess it was BOC.  Might have to dig some of this stuff out and put it in the truck.

HS - I know that you are a big fan of this band, and mostly I can see why when you feature them.  This song is familiar. Was it a minor hit maybe?  Either way, it has a very similar feel as all of the other albums you featured here.  One day I'm gonna pick this up.

I had no idea of the story of his death.  Didn't even know he was dead.  Sad to hear.  I'm not a Bon Jovi hater like the other regulars here (as far as their first six or so albums go, anyway).  I wonder if this exact Honeymoon Suite album that you dig so much had been released by Bon Jovi, if you would still like it.  I'm guessing that you would not, based on your negative feelings about Bon Jovi.  Just curious, that's all.  I will say this was a cool four song playlist, I even like the first song now that I've heard it twice as well as the rest of the songs.  Imagine that.

Oh yeah, I'm going down his list of producing credits, and these are albums that I either liked a lot at one time or still do:

1. Loverboy - Get Lucky

2. Loverboy - Keep It Up

3. Black n Blue - Without Love (vaguely remember liking this one)

4. Bon Jovi - Slippery When Wet

5. Aerosmith - Permanent Vacation

6. Bon Jovi - New Jersey

7. Aerosmith - Pump

Just noticed the Kiss album he produced was Psycho Circus.  So I was wrong about Crazy Nights, now that I think about it, that was maybe Ron Nevison.  I didn't love Psycho Circus, but I definitely think it's better than their two subsequent efforts.  

I don't think Bon Jovi could've written that high quality of songs... 

I think the first two HS albums may prove to be more familiar to you than you'd think, they were really big for awhile...

Big, if you were in Canada. They had some airplay, especially from the second album, but they didn't make much of an impact on the charts.

They got a lot of attention in the Northwest....  Maybe just some Canadian spill over...

Most probably a regional thing. I bought their first album while in England, had never heard of them but the album cover was cool. It was aight. The second album had a couple songs that got a lot of airplay when it came out, but it didn't last long. They're not bad, but I really never had the urge to buy those albums on CD, I'm content with the greatest hits disc because it has the really, really good songs. At least for the first half. 

RSS

Question Of The Week

CRB Features (Click photo to visit)

Birthdays

There are no birthdays today

CRB Staff Members

 

In Memory Of

Norma Jean Fox
(11/30/1945-9/7/2010)

Photos

  • Add Photos
  • View All

Videos

  • Add Videos
  • View All

Badge

Loading…

© 2024   Created by RJhog (Admin).   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service