Showing posts with label John Lilley. Show all posts
Showing posts with label John Lilley. Show all posts

Friday, July 9, 2010

Hooters released Five by Five EP

Five by Five

Hooters


Released: July 9, 2010


Peak: --


Sales (in millions): --


Genre: rock


Tracks:

Song Title [time]

  1. Pissing in the Rhine [2:37]
  2. Silver Lining [3:54]
  3. One of Us [4:52]
  4. Time After Time [3:46]
  5. Really Fine Wine [3:12]


The Players:

  • Eric Bazilian (vocals, guitar, mandolin, harmonica, saxophone)
  • Rob Hyman (vocals, keyboards, accordion, melodica)
  • John Lilley (guitar, mandolin, dobro, keyboards, backing vocals)
  • Fran Smith Jr. (bass, backing vocals)
  • David Uosikkinen (drums, percussion)

Rating:

3.767 out of 5.00 (average of 3 ratings)

About the Album:

While this is only a five-song EP, it is a pretty important addition to the Hooters’ discography. The band achieved popularity in the 1980s after Eric Bazilian and Rob Hyman both served as players and arrangers on Cyndi Lauper’s 1983 blockbuster She’s So Unusual. The album produced the #1 hit Time After Time, which was written by Hyman and Lauper. While the band have often performed the song and even included a live version on their Hooterization greatest-hits compilation, this is their first studio recording of the song.

After gaining attention because of Lauper, the Hooters had three top-40 hits of their own from their 1985 Nervous Night album. Four of the five players from that album are featured in this, the 2010 lineup. The fifth player, Fran Smith, Jr., came on board in 1987. That lineup made three more studio albums with One Way Home (1987), Zig Zag (1989), and Out of Body (1993) before going on hiatus.

Unlike so many reunions, however, when the band returned in 2007 for the Time Stand Still album, it was a genuine return of the same guys who’d made those aforementioned albums. That same quintet came back in 2010 to record this EP.

In the interim, Bazilian released a pair of solo albums and wrote or co-wrote songs for a slew of artists. The most notable song from that era was One of Us, a song recorded by Joan Osborne for her 1995 album Relish. The clever lyrics mused about “what if God was one of us.” The song reached the top 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and garnered three Grammy nominations. Like “Time After Time,” the Hooters have often performed the song live. Bazilian recorded it as an unlisted bonus track on his 2000 album The Optimist. It makes its first appearance as a studio recording by the Hooters on Five by Five.

While EP’s are typically placeholders to keep fans happy while prepping a full-fledged studio album, that wasn’t the case here. The Hooters did come back in 2012 to record the song If I Should Fall Behind, but as of this writing, they had yet to return to the studio to record a full-fledged album. However, the inclusion of “Time After Time” and “One of Us” on this set makes this an essential part of a Hooters library.

Resources and Related Links:

First posted 6/16/2021.

Friday, September 14, 2007

The Hooters reunited for Time Stand Still

Time Stand Still

Hooters


Released: September 14, 2007


Peak: --


Sales (in millions): --


Genre: rock


Tracks:

Song Title (Writers) [time]

  1. I’m Alive [4:08] (single, --)
  2. Time Stand Still [3:52] (single, --)
  3. The Boys of Summer (Don Henley, Mike Campbell) [4:58]
  4. Until I Find You Again [4:08]
  5. Until You Dare [4:47]
  6. Morning Buzz [3:38]
  7. Where the Wind May Blow [3:42]
  8. Catch of the Day [3:03]
  9. Ordinary Lives (Hyman, Bazilian, Lilley) [5:04]
  10. Free Again [6:54]
  11. White Jeans [4:08]

Songs written by Rob Hyman and Eric Bazilian unless noted otherwise.


Total Running Time: 48:35


The Players:

  • Eric Bazilian (vocals, guitar, mandolin, harmonica, saxophone)
  • Rob Hyman (vocals, keyboards, accordion, melodica)
  • John Lilley (guitar, mandolin, dobro, keyboards, backing vocals)
  • Fran Smith Jr. (bass, backing vocals)
  • David Uosikkinen (drums, percussion)

Rating:

3.564 out of 5.00 (average of 8 ratings)


Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Album:

The Hooters got their start in Philadelphia in the early ‘80s. They “mixed a wide range of musical styles from pop, ska, folk and new wave” ACF through five studio albums, before going on hiatus. Rob Hyman and Eric Bazilian, the pair of singer/songwriters at the core of the group, continued to write and play for other musicians including Mick Jagger, Bon Jovi, Journey, Ricky Martin, LeAnn Rimes, the Scorpions, and Patty Smyth. They even helmed a few projects of their own, Hyman spearheaded 1998’s Largo project with a slew of guest musicians. Bazilian released a couple of solo albums and wrote Joan Osborne’s 1996 Grammy Record of the Year nominee “One of Us.”

14 years later, they return with Time Stand Still. “For a moment, it sounds like time has done just that as the opening track, I’m Alive, jolts listeners back to the group’s heyday in 1985 when they had a multi-platinum album, top 40 hits like ‘And We Danced’…and the world at their feet.” MG

Part of the reason for the seamless transition from then until now is the consistent lineup. Eric Bazilian, Rob Hyman, and David Uosikkinen were original members of the band. John Lilley joined in 1983 and Fran Smith Jr. in 1987. As Hyman says, “we took a long break and finally over various years and for various reasons, it became obvious that it’s time to make another record.” We had 10 or 12 years of stuff we were playing live, ideas we had accumulated – demos here and there.” ACF As Bazilian says, “‘When Rob and I got together in June of ‘06 to take stock of songs we had done separately and together, it was pretty obvious whatever creative blocks the two of us had we had gotten over…We have our – I wouldn’t even call them battles, we have our struggles. But it’s so clear now we have the same goal, the same vision.’” MG

Hyman commented on what it’s like to take so much time between albums. “It almost feels like another debut, after that much time away from really writing…You have all these years to make your debut album. So you have all this music stored up, then all of sudden you have to crank them out faster.” ACF

The reunion was sparked by a handful of tours in the new millennium and the VH1 Save the Music Foundation show in New York City. Groups from the ‘80s were asked to perform their own material and a song from the ‘80s they wished they’d written. As Hyman says, “Eric and I loved the invitation and we started scratching our heads trying to find a song we both liked and that we could do justice to…We landed on [Don Henley’s 1984] Boys of Summer…and we did a duo version at this gig. It was fantastic and over the years we started playing it live in the show. So when we went into the studio, enough people had been bugging us to record it and see what happened. And finding a different take on the song, a sadness, as a ballad worked for us.” ACF

It turned into an “excellent acoustic cover” ACF that was “more haunting than Henley could have ever conceived.” ACF As Hyman says, “It also get in with the themes of the record. Time Stand Still is…about being a band for 25 years and being alive literally and time standing still. And ‘Boys of Summer’ had a whole nostalgic feel to it.” ACF

That song and “their original Ordinary Lives showcases the softer side” ACF of the Hooters. Hyman describes it as “a simple song about books, music and experiences that feel your life, how art affects you and friendship affects you. Things that take you out of your ordinary world. There’s that line ‘extraordinary moments, ordinary lives.’ That one came together quickly, the good ones always seem to happen that way. Eric and I were playing acoustic guitars at his house one day, we were like ‘hey let’s record that.’ And the band enjoyed cutting it. That was really a live take. I don’t remember if it was a first take, it might have been. It felt so natural and easy in a way.” ACF

“Most of the album is in full-on rock mode” ACF marked by “uplifting, positive songs and excellent musicianship that showcases their skills as a tight unit.” ACF “Unlike some artists who think staying relevant means running from what makes you unique, the Hooters weren’t afraid to make use of what they do best. Within reason. ‘There are times when we’ll do something and say, ‘That sounds too much like us. It sounds like us in 1986,’ laughs Bazilian. ‘It has to sound like us, but not sound like something we've done already.’” MG

The Hooters previewed some of the songs during live shows in 2005 and 2006. WK One cut, Until You Dare, first surfaced on Eric Bazilian’s 2000 solo album The Optimist.

“Even though time has passed, their music has stood the test of time and this release…solidifies them as a band that hasn’t lost touch both musically and spiritually to what made The Hooters one of the most interesting and hard-to-peg acts of the last 20 years.” ACF

Resources and Related Links:


Other Related DMDB Pages:

Last updated 8/9/2021.

Saturday, August 8, 1987

Hooters One Way Home charted

One Way Home

Hooters


Charted: August 8, 1987


Peak: 27 US, -- UK, -- CN, 81 AU


Sales (in millions): 0.5 US


Genre: mainstream rock


Tracks:

Song Title (date of single release, chart peaks) Click for codes to singles charts.

  1. Satellite (8/22/87, 61 US, 13 AR, 26 CO, 22 UK)
  2. Karla with a K (12/26/87, 47 AR, 33 CO, 81 UK)
  3. Johnny B (7/11/87, 61 US, 3 AR, 24 CO, 74 AU)
  4. Graveyard Waltz
  5. Fightin’ on the Same Side
  6. One Way Home
  7. Washington’s Day
  8. Hard Rockin’ Summer
  9. Engine 999


Total Running Time: 42:45


The Players:

  • Eric Bazilian (vocals, guitar, bass, mandolin, saxophone)
  • Rob Hyman (vocals, keyboards, melodica)
  • Andy King (bass, vocals)
  • John Lilley (guitar)
  • David Uosikkinen (drums)

Rating:

3.769 out of 5.00 (average of 13 ratings)

About the Album:

“Most of 80s pop fans remember Hooters only through… [1985’s] Nervous Night…that produced two top-20 hits ‘And We Danced’ and ‘Day by Day.’” S5 While that album “is an outstanding classic, if you really want to know Hooters, the second purchase might be this one.” S5

“The Hooters took a huge risk when it came time for their second album. One Way Home took a major stylistic leap away from the edgy new wave hybrids on their multi-platinum Nervous Night, forsaking what gave them MTV hits for a more rootsy sound. Mandolins and accordions added a tenor to the songs more on line with John Mellemcamp or Don Henley than the almost punky feeling of the debut.” TB

“Eric Brazillan and Rob Hyman were stretching themselves as songwriters, even if the commercial rewards weren’t as immediate.” TBOne Way Home is a striking album because of that.” TB

Satellite, was a semi-political rant about televangelists” TB whose sound “well represents the album tinged with good-ol' American traditional music.” S5

Karla with a K had Celtic undertones that made it a real standout.” TB The song came about from jamming on the road in Louisiana. It was inspired by an Irish street singer who the band met while in New Orleans. WK

Graveyard Waltz is written in 6/8 time.” TB The latter is a “well-structured, dynamic and melancholic masterpiece track which requires repeated listens.” S5

Fightin’ on the Same Side, which was first featured on 1983’s Amore, “in contrast, is upbeat one though themed with Civil War era America.” S5

“Should you be looking for songs more reflective of that initial fizzy pop explosion of the debut will find it on Hard Rocking Summer and Engine 999.” TB The former “is somewhat similar in style to John Cafferty, hard-crunching rock song” S5 while the latter is a “pure pop song extension of their debut album.” S5

“What they did, though, was add some grit to the slickness, and The Hooters were ahead of the curve on One Way Home.” TB

Resources and Related Links:


Other Related DMDB Pages:


First posted 2/15/2008; last updated 8/19/2021.

Monday, May 6, 1985

Hooters Nervous Night released

Nervous Night

Hooters


Released: May 6, 1985


Peak: 12 US, -- UK, 39 CN, 12 AU


Sales (in millions): 2.0


Genre: mainstream rock


Tracks:

Song Title (Writers) [time] (date of single release, chart peaks) Click for codes to singles charts.

  1. And We Danced (8/3/85, 21 US, 23 CB, 21 RR, 3 AR, 6 CO, 51 CN, 6 AU)
  2. Day by Day (12/14/85, 18 US, 25 CB, 22 RR, 3 AR, 6 CO, 66 CN, 55 AU)
  3. All You Zombies (5/11/85, 58 US, 11 AR, 12 CO, 8 AU)
  4. Don’t Take My Car Out Tonight
  5. Nervous Night
  6. Hanging on a Heartbeat
  7. Where Do the Children Go (with Patty Smyth) (4/5/86, 38 US, 37 CB, 34 RR, 34 AR, 7 CO, 98 CN)
  8. South Ferry Road
  9. She Comes in Colors
  10. Blood from a Stone


Total Running Time: 43:07


The Players:

  • Eric Bazilian (vocals, guitar, bass, mandolin, saxophone)
  • Rob Hyman (vocals, keyboards, melodica)
  • Andy King (bass, vocals)
  • John Lilley (guitar)
  • David Uosikkinen (drums)

Rating:

4.136 out of 5.00 (average of 17 ratings)


Quotable: “A defining record not only for the band, but for 1985” – Kenyon Hopkin, All Music Guide


Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Album:

The Hooters released their first album, 1983’s Amore, independently. The 100,000 in sales they achieved with the album was enough to impress Columbia Records who signed the band to a multi-album deal. The group also gained exposure because members Eric Bazilian and Rob Hyman were contributing musicians and writers to Cyndi Lauper’s mega-successful She’s So Unusual album. The album’s #1 song, “Time After Time,” was co-written by Hyman.

With the power of a major label behind them for their sophomore outing, 1985’s Nervous Night, they scored a top-20, double-platinum album thanks to three top-40 hits. The lead single, All You Zombies, “refers to stories in the Bible.” AMG It did not reach the top 40 but “is the band’s most powerful moment.” AMG That song, Hanging on a Heartbeat, and Blood from a Stone were initially released on Amore but recorded for Nervous Night.

Nervous Night “was a defining record not only for the band, but for 1985 itself. Filled to the brim with fun, danceable new wave-ish rock, the album is a wonderful representation of a lighthearted era. The peppy vocals of keyboardist Rob Hyman and guitarist Eric Bazilian give the band an assured, happy energy, while the sporadic use of the mandolin and melodica (a combination harmonica/keyboard) gives the group its distinctive sound.” AMG

And We Danced and Day by Day became instant pop hits, but the remainder of Nervous Night is almost as strong. Where Do the Children Go “showed that the Hooters could be serious and dramatic as well as upbeat.” AMG

“Although the band wasn’t able to maintain its momentum with subsequent records, Nervous Night remains a noteworthy contribution to mid-‘80s rock and doesn’t sound quite as dated as the work of some of the band’s contemporaries.” AMG

Resources and Related Links:


Other Related DMDB Pages:


First posted 2/15/2008; last updated 8/19/2021.