The intense 'Take Me Away' is one of Rick's. Rick had been thinking about re-recording the track for his solo album that later became the posthumous album.
There is something about 'Falling In Falling Out' that sounds like a signature Rick style track. I always think of 'Nutbush City Limits' when I hear it and Rick was very much a fan of that particular track. Bob Seger's version probably though Tina Turner's '73 studio version has a similar vibe. Later, live on stage versions from Tina T suffrered from too much speeding up. That sounds familiar!
Yes, was just wondering whether he did added to these songs during the NTL sessions. I think those were already half finished from JS. I wonder if Rick intended to sing TMA?
The intense 'Take Me Away' is one of Rick's. Rick had been thinking about re-recording the track for his solo album that later became the posthumous album.
There is something about 'Falling In Falling Out' that sounds like a signature Rick style track. I always think of 'Nutbush City Limits' when I hear it and Rick was very much a fan of that particular track. Bob Seger's version probably though Tina Turner's '73 studio version has a similar vibe. Later, live on stage versions from Tina T suffrered from too much speeding up. That sounds familiar!
Yes, was just wondering whether he did added to these songs during the NTL sessions. I think those were already half finished from JS. I wonder if Rick intended to sing TMA?
It is curious that Francis did all the vocal duties on NTL bar Rick's involvement with 'Something 'bout You Baby I Like'. I think Francis also worked on a couple of tracks elsewhere after the Dublin studio sessions.
Last Edit: Mar 29, 2019 17:36:55 GMT by fretbuzzzzz
Yes, was just wondering whether he did added to these songs during the NTL sessions. I think those were already half finished from JS. I wonder if Rick intended to sing TMA?
It is curious that Francis did all the vocal duties on NTL bar Rick's involvement with 'Something 'bout You Baby I Like'. I think Francis also worked on a couple of tracks elsewhere after the Dublin studio sessions.
I'd always assumed Rick's less-than-usual involvement during these sessions was because of his personal tragedy during recording. Francis put in extra work during the sessions. You can hear it in the multi-layered vocals mostly done by him and double-tracked guitars on stuff like Riverside and Enough Is Enough, to cite two. Probably gave him and Frost a bit more leverage to dominate songwriting duties in later years, in all honesty, although Alan managed to get 3 tracks in there on the next album, 1+9+8+2.
It is curious that Francis did all the vocal duties on NTL bar Rick's involvement with 'Something 'bout You Baby I Like'. I think Francis also worked on a couple of tracks elsewhere after the Dublin studio sessions.
I'd always assumed Rick's less-than-usual involvement during these sessions was because of his personal tragedy during recording. Francis put in extra work during the sessions. You can hear it in the multi-layered vocals mostly done by him and double-tracked guitars on stuff like Riverside and Enough Is Enough, to cite two. Probably gave him and Frost a bit more leverage to dominate songwriting duties in later years, in all honesty, although Alan managed to get 3 tracks in there on the next album, 1+9+8+2.
That would be right I would think. I'm not exactly sure when the decision was made in '80 to use what were described, in some quarters, as leftovers from the JS Dublin sessions to create the NTL album.
Alan wasn't overly keen on making another album (NTL) by this method, though he did concede later on that it had made sense to use studio time wisely in that way.
Alan L is credited as a writer on quite a few tracks on JS and NTL but curiously only sang a main vocal on 'Over The Edge.
Last Edit: Mar 29, 2019 19:34:09 GMT by fretbuzzzzz
I'd always assumed Rick's less-than-usual involvement during these sessions was because of his personal tragedy during recording. Francis put in extra work during the sessions. You can hear it in the multi-layered vocals mostly done by him and double-tracked guitars on stuff like Riverside and Enough Is Enough, to cite two. Probably gave him and Frost a bit more leverage to dominate songwriting duties in later years, in all honesty, although Alan managed to get 3 tracks in there on the next album, 1+9+8+2.
That would be right I would think. I'm not exactly sure when the decision was made in '80 to use what were described, in some quarters, as leftovers from the JS Dublin sessions to create the NTL album.
Alan wasn't overly keen on making another album (NTL) by this method, though he did concede later on that it had made sense to use studio time wisely in that way.
Alan L is credited as a writer on quite a few tracks on JS and NTL but curiously only sang a main vocal on 'Over The Edge.
Francis probably took over the role of executive producer after JS had been completed and they had done bits and pieces of the NTL tracks. After all, he sang all the lead on NTL, and went on to overdub synthetic drums on SBYBIL and Riverside.
If my memory serves, Rick's tragedy happened during recording of JS, perhaps closer to the end of these sessions, as Francis was recording the solo on 'Rock N Roll' as he said himself. So i guess there will have been some half finished tracks from these sessions with some Rick involvement, which went on to become the NTL album. But Francis finished off the bulk of the work. And Alan was probably back in Australia by this point.
I've always wondered if Andy played some bass on NTL. Tracks like NTL the title track, Riverside, and even Take Me Away, just don't have that Lancaster bass feel, too simple, too light playing-wise, the tone is wrong for Alan. Though i'm sure i can hear Alan singing backing vocals on Long Ago?
Add the departure of Bob Young previously, and you can sort of see how fractured things had become. I know he had songwriting credits on Coming And Going, and Falling In Falling Out, but we have no idea when these were written!
And then on 1+9+8+2, you can sort of understand how and why the dynamic changed again. Take into account Alan's alleged pushy personality. Take into account how he was playing/writing to a theme for their 20th anniversary - the early rock n roll references, brotherhood, childhood (wanting to be a big man). It wouldn't be so far fetched to imagine that he'd felt eclipsed by Rossi's dominance on NTL, and pushed hard to get 3 of his songs on 1+9+8+2, citing his thematic songwriting perhaps? Something Francis, i think, has clearly admitted to in the past, that Rick, Alan, and himself jostled to get their quota of songs onto every album, and how this caused bitterness and division.
Post by paperplanebairn on Mar 30, 2019 6:30:31 GMT
if only they had shared the songwriting credits with all members instead of jostling for position things might have been a little different in the years that followed .
if only they had shared the songwriting credits with all members instead of jostling for position things might have been a little different in the years that followed .
Money Money Money !! Remember they got a s..t album to number one based on the publicity of a 20th Anniversary. And how many Anniversaries did they use after that ? Quite a few. It was and still is a business relationship I’m aftraid. As soon as they realised that back in the day the glory days were finished. They were no longer writing for the love iof it. IMHO.
I don't think it's a great "autobiography", but it's a great snapshot of his mind right now
He barely mentions Rhino, which some could seize upon, but then he barely mentions Andy, the road crew and lots of other things that have been important to him. I just think none of those people are on his mind right now. Alan clearly is. And that's why he would be better off sorting it out, I mean, it's not like he can just ignore Alan and carry on. His brain doesn't allow that to happen, and never really has
Good points.
It would have messed up the 'talk' campaign a bit, but perhaps his book should have been titled:
'Inside the mind of Francis Rossi' (!)
Last Edit: Mar 30, 2019 12:24:06 GMT by fretbuzzzzz
Usually prefer the written word, but decided to give this a listen on Audible. It is not Rossi's voice, but the narrator does a very good job of capturing Rossi's tone. Also feel a more intimate listen that way. What mainly struck me about the book is the amount of time and vivid descriptions of Rossi's and the band's drug use in 70s and early 80s. In many ways it feels a miracle the original setup lasted as long as it did. John Coghlan - the beer drinker and only one not into drugs - comes across as rather the smart one for not putting up with it any longer and walking out. So much he freely admits he cannot remember, including all of the 1984 End of the Road tour. Clearly no love lost with Alan. From Rossi's side of the story - he no longer liked worked with him. He is not without praise for Alan, praising his fighting qualities to the end, but alas those were the qualities that meant he and Francis were constantly coming to blows over musical differences mainly. I did think the insights into his heritage were revealing - his father was always on the go with the ice-cream van and he took this work ethic into his music. His father was happy Italian, his mother melancholy Irish, and his own personality went back and forth between these moods. There's a lot of self-reflection in there which is interesting. Overall, it's a very good read/listen.
Oh here we go, I’m sure that a few years ago, just before the first frantics tour, FR stated that JC was sacked. Love a bit of consistency me. Having read the book, JC does come out of it rather well. Now someone should gather all the “facts” from all the various sources; books, interviews, magazines, tv and radio spots etc, and compile and cross reference it all. But it’s not going to be me. And another thing on the conflicting issues subject. On this very page not so long ago some were up in arms that the band were taking the piss out of Rick by suggesting that all he was doing was lying around in his pants watching sport on his big screen telly. Now it turns out that Rick called them and told them this was what he was doing. Ho hum. No one will ever know the truth until the day truth sells. Gosh how profound. TTFN.
Usually prefer the written word, but decided to give this a listen on Audible. It is not Rossi's voice, but the narrator does a very good job of capturing Rossi's tone. Also feel a more intimate listen that way. What mainly struck me about the book is the amount of time and vivid descriptions of Rossi's and the band's drug use in 70s and early 80s. In many ways it feels a miracle the original setup lasted as long as it did. John Coghlan - the beer drinker and only one not into drugs - comes across as rather the smart one for not putting up with it any longer and walking out. So much he freely admits he cannot remember, including all of the 1984 End of the Road tour. Clearly no love lost with Alan. From Rossi's side of the story - he no longer liked worked with him. He is not without praise for Alan, praising his fighting qualities to the end, but alas those were the qualities that meant he and Francis were constantly coming to blows over musical differences mainly. I did think the insights into his heritage were revealing - his father was always on the go with the ice-cream van and he took this work ethic into his music. His father was happy Italian, his mother melancholy Irish, and his own personality went back and forth between these moods. There's a lot of self-reflection in there which is interesting. Overall, it's a very good read/listen.
Welcome to the forum.
I started reading it but haven't got far, forgot it would be on audible so going to download and listen in the car.
if only they had shared the songwriting credits with all members instead of jostling for position things might have been a little different in the years that followed .
Queen did that after 1986 and that really helped the band dynamic. Ok yes Freddie was ill by that point but it made the studio a lot more harmonious.