Phantom TracksSolid Smoke, SS-9002 1980
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Roy Loney: Lead Vocals & Rhythm guitars |
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Produced by John Rewind and Roy Loney
Recorded January 1980 at John Altmann Recording San Francisco
POOR TUXEDO Produced by Stephen Fisher, John Rewind and Roy Loney.
Engineers: John Altmann and Phil Crescenzo
Art Direction/Marty Arbunich Rico Tee and Ellie Byrom
Cover Design/Ellie Byrom
Photography: Charly Franklin
Poster Photo: Chester Simpson
The band returned with this even rockier album. The original issue of this album was a 12” record to be played at 45 rpm. Four of the songs was recorded live in the studio and the others (except Poor Tuxedo) with very few overdubs which means this record has a rawer sound. And the acoustic guitars are almost gone.
Side A
1) Emmy Emmy (Roy A. Loney) starts off this album with a Stonsey riff.
2) Down The Road Apiece (Raye) is a song Rolling Stones among others covered in the 60’s. This version is even rawer and played in a furious tempo with great bass playing from Maurice Tani.
3) You Ain't Gettin Out (Roy A. Loney). Here we go Rockabilly with what I suppose is a fretless bass guitar. Great!
4) Hundred Miles An Hour (Roy A. Loney) is a garage rock version of the song from Artistic As Hell with Chuck Berry solos through the whole song
Side B
1) Act Of Love (Roy A. Loney – Sandra Fox). Back with more Stones influences. A hard rocking song with very “special” lyrics.
2) Don't Believe Those Lies (Roy A. Loney) is the other song from Artistic As Hell that gets a Chuck Berry treatment. Go Jimmy Go!
3) I Must Behave (Roy A. Loney - Maurice Tani – Sandra Fox). This is a punk song with heavy bass and an awesome guitar solo with a lot of feedback from Larry Lea.
4) This song is the only ballad on this album. And what a ballad! I think this is recorded during the sessions that produced ”Out After Dark” as the production sounds the same with acoustic guitars and piano. A very good song with a great guitar solo again.
This record was released in France as a 33 1/3 rpm LP, Lolita 5016 1984, with two songs added, the fan club single Hanky Panky / With A Girl Like You. For some reason they have done a very bad re-mastering work on these two songs with too much compression which sounds weird.
This is also a very good album. I miss the good production from Out After Dark, but maybe that’s what they wanted. Just pure rock and roll which they got. Just one ballad, and that’s the last track and in my opinion the best song on the album. I’ll give it 9/10.
Comments from Marty Arbunich (former co-owner of Solid Smoke Records):
Poor Tuxedo: Yes, left over from "Out After Dark," as were "With a Girl Like You" and "Hanky Panky."