ALBUM OF THE WEEK # 261 THE EDGAR WINTER GROUP - THEY ONLY COME OUT AT NIGHT (1972)

[RJhog (Admin)]

Artist: The Edgar Winter Group

Genre: Rock/Blues

Nationality: American

Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Member: No

Album: They Only Come Out At Night

Producer: Rick Derringer

Release Date: November 1972

Running Time: 34:47

RIAA Certification: Gold

Peak Billboard Chart Position: #3 (Billboard)

Singles: Frankenstein (#1 - Billboard Pop Singles)/Free Ride (#14 - Billboard Pop Singles)

 

Disclaimer: All info that does not reside in my brain is gathered from wikipedia.com unless otherwise noted (mostly because Jon can't stand it). 

Let's keep rolling through the seventies this week with a band that I'm not at all familiar with, other than the two songs that happen to be their biggest hits.  The Album of the Week is They Only Come Out At Night by The Edgar Winter Group.  Did you know that both Ronnie Montrose and Dan Hartman were in this band?  I didn't.  Rick Derringer, who produced the album, also contributed some musicianship to it. 

It managed to hit number 3 on the Billboard charts and also attained Gold certification (according to www.superseventies.com, it has since been certified Double Platinum).  Let's face it, we've all heard Frankenstein and Free Ride.  But what else have you heard from the album?  Or have you even heard it?  My first couple of times spinning it were just in the last two weeks.  

Side One:

1. Hangin' Around

2. When It Comes

3. Alta Mira

4. Free Ride

5. Undercover Man

Side Two: 

6. Round & Round

7. Rock 'n' Roll Boogie Woogie Blues

8. Autumn

9. We All Had A Real Good Time

10. Frankenstein

[RJhog (Admin)]

This one was definitely better than I had expected.  I have to say that I thought Alta Mira was a terrific tune.

[Jon]

Yes, I've heard other songs from this album. Probably because I have this album. Had it on vinyl, have it on CD. I think a lot of people have this album, or have had it at one point. It's a big seller! C'mon!

The album cover is a bit freaky. Don't know why, it just is.

But , whatever. I think it's a fine album. TO be honest, I first bought this album many, MANY years ago just because of "Frankenstein". Don't think I liked it much back then, wanted more "Frankenstein" stuff but, in hindsight, that would have been just stupid. I did realize later that this is a fine album because it contains all sorts of groovy music-types. Rock, boogie, calypso, reggae, jazz, disco...but no rap. Wonder why. 

Always liked Rick Derringer. Such a cool name for a geetar gawd.

[Meow]

Edgar Winter--always surrounds himself with the very best of the best talent available

[Scott]

Dan Hartman sang lead on this album...  I seem to remember some of his solo work..  Maybe you do to?  Oh, and that guitarist in this video is familiar, wonder what band he went on to play for....  hmmm....

[RJhog (Admin)]

Yep, I see it.

The bass guitarist looks familiar too.  Didn't he move on to bigger things?

[Scott]

GE Smith, played a major role in Hall and Oates most productive years and then onto Saturday Night Live for another successful run...

[Scott]

[Niels (Mod)]

Another nice surprise. I've known about that white dude since many, many years, but I don't know, if I ever heard Edgar Winther.

You've certainly had some interesting albums in AOTW lately. Keep up the good work, and please stay in the beginning of the 70's for a long while yet.

I alway thought, that Winther played B-L-U-E-S-guitar and a lot of it, and I can get too much of the blues pretty fast.

But this is good stuff. Listening to it got me to think of Aerosmith (I don't know why?), Ted Nugent, Neil Young and even Frank Zappa (Frankenstein). But also The Eagles, but not in a bad way.

"Free Ride" is an awesome track, but there's quite a few very good tracks on this album, and again that special sound from the start-70's, that I love.

Another very enjoyable AOTW!!

[Scott]

I was given this album as a gift from my brother when I got my first stereo.  I think it was his way of steering me in the direction he wanted me to go.  But it 1975-76, and the sound of the times was big bass and big drums, neither of which can be heard on this one, at least that's what I thought at the time.  So it found its way towards the back of the record collection, only getting pulled out when I re-did my alphabetizing (don't act like you didn't do that also) or moved this around...

Time helps to heal old feelings and this album sounds great today!  Although I'm not a big fan of Frankenstein, the rest of the album is solid!

Thanks for posting and stirring up old memories, its my favorite thing about this site!