Album Review - Firefall- Greatest Hits

To kick off the country rock album reviews, I chose one of the first country rock CD's I bought,

Firefalls Greatest Hits

Firefall's GREATEST HITS is a great collection of a 70s country-rock band that really was so much more than its two biggest hits, "You Are The Woman" and "Just Remember I Love You." These two songs are heard as Muzak nowadays, which is really out of context, as much of the band's material showed that they could rock as hard as, say, the Outlaws at their best. The only minor flaw is that an edited version of "Strange Way" is here rather than the full-length album version, but that's not much of a problem, as you get the exemplary "Headed For A Fall" in its uncut version.

 



Mark Andes

Marke Andes

 

Mark Andes (born February 19, 1948) is an American musician, known for his work as a bassist with Canned Heat, Spirit, Jo Jo Gunne, Firefall, Heart, and Mirabal.
Andes moved to Boulder, Colorado, where he lived in the basement of local musician Jeff Reaves. In 1975, he was recruited by former Flying Burrito Brothers vocalist Rick Roberts and former Byrds drummer Michael Clarke to form the country-rock band Firefall. For six years, Mark would be in a band that had a string of hit singles, including the Top 10 hit, "You Are the Woman." During the early 1980s, Andes also collaborated briefly with future Yes guitarist Trevor Rabin and future Quiet Riot drummer Frank Banali.

Following a move back to California, and some session work, Andes joined Heart. He appeared on their final album for Epic Records, Passionworks (1983), and remained with the band until 1993. During this time, Heart found mainstream success, with several number one singles, and a number one album, Heart (1985). After a decade with Heart, Andes returned to session work.

DVD Review-Firefall In concert

DVD Review-Firefall in concert

This is Firefall - live in TN at a festival that featured other classic rocks acts. Let me say this...this is a great live concert from these guys. Firefall was best known for two of the lightest tunes in Rock and Roll history ( You are the Woman & Just Remember I Love You)...however - don't let that fool you...these guys rock out pretty good!! They jam out several of the songs on this DVD, and their are great shots of the entire band ( which is the case with all the DVD's I;ve seen or own by this company). They key in on the guy who is doing the solo..they tell you which song they are playing...this is just a great DVD concert of Firefall. My only complaint is that it is short at only 65 minutes - yet it looks to be their full set from this festival. In any event, if you are reading my review or have looked at this DVD to purchase...your already a Firefall fan..so buy it!!! It is reasonable priced, and does a nice job of showing what these guys are like in concert. Well worth the money!!! This DVD has good sound and picture but the names of the players are not announced during ther concert or on the credits. Further review of this concert appearance (comparing pictures of bandmembers from past CDs) shows that the only original player is Josh Barkley (the lead guitar) and the other guitar player (singer), sax-flute player, bass player along with the drummer have been with Firefall since 1989 and are on the last 2 studio albums. This is an OK concert--just wish the band members were introduced--it was so hard to reconize them except by going thru pictures in the last 2 ALBUMS -Josh Barkley looks so different now but it is him playing lead guitar.

Firefall

Firefall

(With excerpts from the liner notes of "Firefall's Greatest Hits" on Rhino Records by Stephen K. Peeples)

As dusk enveloped the spectacular vistas of Yosemite Valley in Yosemite National Park, California, a huge pile of wood lay stacked at the edge of a high cliff. Nature lovers from far corners of the world gathered on the valley floor, waiting till dark when the woodpile was torched and slowly pushed off the cliff, the burning logs forming a blazing cascade down the mountain's stony face. The image of the primitive light show, staged at Yosemite for tourists, stuck in Florida-born Rick Roberts' mind for a long time. Then in l973, as he and his new Colorado based band were about to play their first gig but still needed a name, the image flashed back: Firefall. That seems an especially dead-on handle for the country flavored rock'n'roll band that carried the torch of musical forebears such as The Byrds, Poco, Buffalo Springfield, and The Flying Burrito Brothers into the mid-'70s and beyond.

For the better part of the next decade, Firefall burned brightly it at both ends, musically and personally, and then appeared to flame out, at least on record. By 1982, they'd cut eight albums (scoring gold for the first three, with the third going on to platinum-plus), and put 11 singles on the charts. FIREFALL GREATEST HITS satisfied many fans who'd been asking for a collection of the band's best known songs - all their hit 45s and a handful of the choicest LP tracks, plus a new, previously unreleased Firefall recording penned by co-founder Jock Bartley --"Run Run Away."   By the early '70s, RICK ROBERTS moved to Colorado and signed with one of Stills' song publishing companies, celebrating his post-Burritos freedom by recording a solo album on A&M Records, "Windmills" in 1972. That May, a song he'd written with Stills and Hillman, 'It Doesn't Matter,' became a #61 solo 45 for Stephen. Earlier that year, Chris Hillman and Rick had seen the phenomenal undiscovered singer, Emmy Lou Harris, perform in a tiny club near Washington D.C. Knowing he was looking for a female singer partner, Chris called Gram. Soon Gram, Emmy Lou and a number players from Elvis' backup band went into a studio in L.A. to make his brilliant solo album, "G.P." on Warner Bros. They hit the road with a new band, The Fallen Angels. After their first show in Boulder, they realized the guitarist originally hired for the tour, wasn't cutting it. Kansas-born JOCK BARTLEY auditioned and was hired as lead guitarist for The Fallen Angels. Jock was the local hot guitarist who'd just come from a stint with the Boulder band, Zephyr, having replaced Tommy Bolin as lead guitarist on the album "Sunset Ride" on Warner Bros. (Bolin would go on to play with the James Gang, replacing Joe Walsh, and then join Deep Purple before his untimely death in 1977). During the second concert after Bartley joined the Fallen Angels at Houston’s Liberty Hall, Neil Young and Linda Ronstadt made a surprise appearance on stage (it was the first time Emmy Lou and Linda had met and sang together); in the crowd for that show was Jimmy Page and Robert Plant. As fate would have it, coincidentally, Gram and the Fallen Angels played two nights in New York City at the infamous venue, Max's Kansas City, followed a night later by a solo performance of Rick Roberts, his Burrito replacement. It was there Rick and Jock first met. Like Parsons, Roberts was impressed by Bartley's lead and slide work. In mid September 1973, a few days after finishing his 2nd solo LP, "Grievous Angel," (months before it was released), Gram Parsons died in a motel out the Joshua Tree desert, supposedly of heart failure. The circumstances remain shrouded in mystery.

Back in Boulder, Bartley ran into Roberts, who by then had cut another solo album, "She Is A Song" on A&M. The duo began practicing and performing together. Jock's innovative guitar style added a rock edge to Rick's melodic folky tunes. Encouraged by their audiences and peers - and vowing to avoid the mistakes made with their previous outfits - the two decided to build a better rock'n'roll band. Roberts and Bartley rounded up Philadelphia- born bassist/singer MARK ANDES, who'd been a major figure on the SoCal (Topanga Canyon) rock scene during the late '60s and early '70s with the bands Spirit ('I Got A Line On You' and 'Natures Way') and Jo Jo Gunne. Andes had plugged out and was living in the mountains outside Boulder, but was coaxed out of semi-retirement. He brought jazz as well as progressive rock elements to the new band's sound.

Website

WWW.firefall.com

Michael Clarke

Michael Clarke

Michael Clarke (June 3, 1946 – December 19, 1993), born Michael James Dick, was an American musician, best known as the drummer for the 1960s rock group The Byrds from 1964 to 1967. He died in 1993, at age 47, from liver failure, a direct result of more than three decades of heavy alcohol consumption.

Clarke was born in Spokane, Washington. His father was an artist and his mother was a musician. Clarke ran away from home when he was 17 years old and hitchiked to California to become a musician. In legend, Clarke was said to have been discovered by Byrds' founder David Crosby while playing bongos on the beach. In fact he was discovered by singer-songwriter Ivan Ulz, in North Beach, San Francisco and was introduced to other group members by Ulz.

Clarke was not an accomplished musician prior to joining The Byrds. He had never played drums and, after joining The Byrds, not having a drum set, practiced on cardboard boxes and a tambourine. According to lead guitarist Roger McGuinn's web site, Clarke was hired by McGuinn and Gene Clark (no relation) for his resemblance to Rolling Stones' guitarist Brian Jones. Clarke's strength as a drummer is considered to be illustrated by his jazz-oriented playing on The Byrds' "Eight Miles High",[1] on the Fifth Dimension album.

Unlike the other members of The Byrds, Clarke was not a songwriter. His compositional contributions with the band encompass co-writing credits for the songs "Captain Soul", from the Fifth Dimension album, and "Artificial Energy" from The Notorious Byrd Brothers. He was also given an arrangement co-credit for two traditional songs that appeared on Fifth Dimension: "Wild Mountain Thyme" and "John Riley" (although the latter is erroneously credited to Bob Gibson and Ricky Neff on the album itself).

In August 1967, during the recording sessions for The Notorious Byrd Brothers album, Clarke walked out of The Byrds and was temporarily replaced by session drummers Jim Gordon and Hal Blaine. Clarke had recently become dissatisfied with his role in the band and didn't particularly like the new material that the songwriting members of the band were providing. However, Clarke continued to honor his live concert commitments with the band, appearing with them at a handful of shows during late August and early September 1967. Clarke returned from his self-imposed exile in time to contribute drums to the song "Artificial Energy" in early December 1967, but was subsequently fired from the band by McGuinn and bass player Chris Hillman once The Notorious Byrd Brothers album was completed.

After a short stint in Hawaii as a painter and working in a hotel, Clarke played briefly with Gene Clark in Dillard and Clark, before following Hillman to The Flying Burrito Brothers, after their first album. Clarke was with the Flying Burrito Brothers between 1969 and 1973, including appearing with the band at the infamous Altamont Free Concert, headlined by The Rolling Stones, in 1969. During the 1974-1981 period, Clarke was a member of Firefall, followed by a period as the drummer for Jerry Jeff Walker, ending in 1982.

Between 1983 and 1985, Clarke joined former Byrds' singer Gene Clark in The Firebyrds, a touring band which had been put together to promote Gene Clark's 1984 solo album Firebyrd.In 1985, following the breakup of The Firebyrds, Clarke and Clark again joined forces for a series of controversial shows billed as a "20th Anniversary Tribute to The Byrds".Other musicians involved in this project were John York, another ex-Byrd from the late 1960s line-up of the group, ex-Firefall singer Rick Roberts, ex-member of The Beach Boys early 1970s line-up Blondie Chaplin, and Rick Danko, formerly of The Band. Many clubs simply shortened the billing to The Byrds, and the pair soon found themselves involved in acrimonious court battles with Roger McGuinn, David Crosby, and Chris Hillman over use of the group's name.

Clarke in Center with Blue coat

Jock Bartley

Jock Bartley

JOCK BARTLEY is known for his melodic, tasteful and fiery lead guitar style, influencing many rock and country rock guitarists.

Born in Hutchinson, Kansas, Jock moved to the mountains above Manitou Spgs., Colo. in 1959. Jock began taking guitar lessons from the jazz guitar legend, JOHNNY SMITH, in Colo. Spgs., calling that five year relationship "about the best thing that ever happened to me." He was playing Bach and Duke Ellington by the age of 12, but hearing recordings of Eric Clapton and B.B. King changed his musical focus. After graduating high school, where he'd been an Honor Roll student and top scorer on the basketball team, Jock attended the University of Colorado in Boulder as an art major. "When I had to finally decide what I was going to do with my life - art, music, writing, drama - it was a very easy decision. Playing guitar was the single best thing I did, and most enjoyable."

Leaving college to pursue music, he joined the Boulder-based band ZEPHYR, replacing Tommy Bolin as lead guitarist (who joined the James Gang and later, Deep Purple before his untimely death in 1977). Months after the "Sunset Ride" album came out, Zephyr broke up. In 1972, Jock was asked to join the touring band of GRAM PARSONS & THE FALLEN ANGELS, featuring EMMY LOU HARRIS. Gram had joined the BYRDS on the groud breaking "Sweetheart of the Radio" album, formed THE FLYING BURRITO BROS. with CHRIS HILLMAN and was a pioneer of the new musical genre, "country rock." The Fallen Angels tour made many memorable stops from Texas to Boston, including a show in Houston where Neil Young and Linda Rondstadt sat in onstage (Emmy Lou and Linda met that night and sang together for the first time). At Max's Kansas City in New York City, Jock met Boulder resident, Rick Roberts, who'd replaced Gram in the Burrito Bros. and had two solo albums out.

In 1974, Rick and Jock began jamming in Boulder with MARK ANDES, bassist from the progressive L.A. bands, SPIRIT and JO JO GUNNE. When LARRY BURNETT arrived from Washington D.C., FIREFALL was formed. A few months in, drummer MICHAEL CLARKE (formerly of the Byrds and Flying Burrito Bros.) joined the band. Rick, Mark and Jock were on tour with Chris Hillman on the east coast when Chris became ill - Larry and Michael were flown in and FIREFALL finished the engagement at the Bitter End in NYC, where Atlantic Records came to hear, soon signing them to a long-term recording contract. DAVID MUSE joined the band in rehearsals with producer, JIM MASON. Firefall recorded their first album at Criteria Studios in the winter of 1975, during which his guitar hero, ERIC CLAPTON, was in the control room while Jock played the one-take lead guitar track on 'Mexico.' "It was a good thing I didn't know he was watching, I wouldn't have been able to hold my pick or play one note." Jock has played on stage with artists including Stephen Stills, Neil Young, The Doobie Bros., Dan Folgelberg, Journey, Heart, Poco, John Mayall and many many others. He is a spokesperson for Suicide Prevention, having worked with the American Association of Suicidology and the Kristin Brooks Hope Center to put on benefit concerts to raise awareness, help fund the first national crisis line, (800) SUICIDE) and save lives. He's also involved with 'causes' including child abuse, domestic violence, burn victims camps, environmental issues and others. Jock is a record producer, travels frequently to Nashville to write songs and give seminars on creativity and songwriting for the Nashville Songwriters Ass. and the Songwriter's Guild. He endorses Paul Reed Smith Guitars and Takamine Guitars. His son Jamey, 29, is a drummer and lead vocalist in the Denver-based rock band, 'Spools of Dark Thread.' His daughter, Jessica, 20, is a college student studying to become a physicist - both are accomplished fine artists. He has produced an acclaimed instructional songwriting video called 'The Complete Guide To Songwriting - How To Write A Song."

Firefall -Greatest Hits

Greatest Hits

Having been a fan for many years, I welcomed this anthology with open arms. Like so many other country-pop-rock bands of the time (Orleans,  Marshall Tucker Band,), Firefall boasted savvy pop smarts, agile performers and casual-as-a-summer-breeze songs that occasionally boasted a little bit o'spunk. So, this set comes along and offers fans the chance to hear all the band's great songs in a single session. And they're all here: "Just Remember I Love You", "You're The Only Woman" and, of course, my all time fave, "Strange Way". But, imagine my disappointment at hearing the watered down, badly butchered U.S. 45 RPM edition of "Strange Way". The album cut was a keeper: a "Witchy Woman"-like hit with great string arrangements and a gorgeous flute solo towards the song's end. Sadly, that eye-opening cut isn't the one that appears here. And maybe you'll think I'm being too much of a sourpuss, but that omission is just inexusable if you're a fan...and I am. Someone at Rhino should really make an effort and fix that problem. When they do, I'll gladly give this set the five stars it so rightfully deserves.

Firefall- Undertow/Clouds Across the Sun

Undertow/Clouds Across the Sun

Double CD offering for Firefalls final albums as a band.
The soft-rocking group FIREFALL had some great hits during their heydey in the late 70's/early 80's---You Are the Woman. Just Remember I Love You. Strange Way, Cinderella, So Long, to mention a few.
This hard to find double CD contains two of their best later offerings. Vocalists Rick Roberts, Jock Bartley and Larry Burnett pave the way with great harmonies too. UNDERTOW has some fine tracks: LOVE THAT GOT AWAY, HEADED FOR A FALL, STARDUST, IF YOU ONLY KNEW, and SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE.
CLOUDS ACROSS THE SUN is just as good. Notably the haunting, driving title track; Jimmy Webb's plaintive OLD WING MOUTH; I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT; DREAMERS; LOVE AIN'T WHAT IT SEEMS; and the angry DON'T IT FEEL EMPTY. The musicians are superb with great guitar, sax and flute solos and strong string arrangements. Add this to their self-titled debut, ELAN and LUNA SEA, you've got the best of a great easy rockers collection. 

Elan - Firefall

Elan

Every summer night at 9PM, the firefall was tossed over the huge cliff at Glacier Point, in a certain National Park in California. But, the last summer they did this was 1969... but somebody in this band must have seen it because they named this great group after that event.
"Elan" was the third release by Firefall and by this time they were on AM Radio with the hits "You Are The Woman", "Cinderella" & "Just Remember I Love You". FM Radio found them cool enough with "So Long" & "Mexico".
The band always had an ying / yang thing goin' on between the Ballads of Rick Roberts that earned them big sales and radio airplay and the harder rocking edge of the songs of Larry Burnett that recieved more critical aclaim and audience approval.
The big hit here is "Strange Way" that reached #11 on the pop charts and the band was riding high with all the excess that was afforded a 70's Rock Band. "Elan" was this band's most sucessful project and went platinum.
Along with "Strange Way" , Rick does his ballad thing on "Count Your Blessings", "Anymore","Goodbye I Love You" & "Sweet Ann", he teams with Jock Bartley to write "Sweet and Sour" which "surprise" became another hit single.
Larry Burnett has his moments here with "Wrong Side of Town","Get You Back", and does his own ballad with "Baby".
"Winds of Change" is a Bluesy Rock Song written by Rick but sung by Larry and it is the final song from the original record. But on this Re-issue there are three "Bonus" tracks that were recorded for "Elan" but space limitations kept them unreleased all these years. "Headed For A Fall" is here in a sparse acoustic arrangement and this one had a major overhaul before it's offical release on the LP " Undertow". The other two are from Larry and they are good, the bluesy "New Man" and the edgy tale of an assassin "Sharpshootin' at the Senator" that caused a riff with their Record Company who would not release it.
"Elan" along with "Luna Sea" are the best works from this great band and in a couple of years things would start to fall apart but right here Firefall was indeed on top of their game and producing great work... HIGHLY RECOMMENDED !!!

Firefall -1st Album

Firefall

Firefall's debut album established the group's reputation of soaring harmonies, excellent lyrics and melodies, and expert musicianship. They followed this with four equally impressive albums: "Luna Sea", "Elan," "Undertow," and "Clouds Across the Sun".

Frontmen Rick Roberts and Larry Burnett share writing and vocals on this excellent album.
Opening with the melodic IT DOESN'T MATTER, co-written with Stephen Stills, the album glides along with noteworthy tracks: Burnett's folksy mid-tempo LOVE ISN'T ALL; Roberts' driving LIVIN AIN'T LIVIN, a precursor to SO LONG; the infectious rocking NO WAY OUT; the lovely and poignant DOLPHIN'S LULLABY; the elegant and lyrical CINDERELLA; Burnett's SAD OLD LOVE SONGS; the group's biggest hit YOU ARE THE WOMAN; the energetic MEXICO (one of my personal faves); and the bluesy DO WHAT YOU WANT.

This is an excellent debut album and highly recommended.

Luna Sea - Firefall

Released only a year their first album ("Firefall"), "Luna Sea" proved Firefall the kings of the smooth AM country-rock sound. "Luna Sea" yielded them a hit (#11) with "Just Remember I Love You" (Timothy B. Schmidt of Poco fame lends a helping hand with background vocals) and another minor hit with "So Long."

This album is just as strong as their first outing, with standout tracks including So Long, Just Remember I Love You and Sold On You. It's a pity there are no sound bites to listen to, but if you liked the first album, just buy it! Try and find the Rhino re-issue with three bonus tracks and great liner notes.
In my opinion, internal squabbling, substance abuse and perhaps just plain lack of a break, prevented these guys from being as big as the Eagles. This album, along with the following Elan and Undertow albums are fantastic examples of songwriting craft, tight harmonies and superb musicianship. Get 'em all!!

I never could figure out why the called it Luna Sea, Then it dawned on me "Lunacy" as in madness.