what Frank is listening to #197 – DAVID LONDON – David London – (RCA) – 1981
I'd never heard of this guy before and didn't hold out much hope given the sleeve art.
The sleeve art is fairly generic late 70s early 80s art, especially with RCA. It's almost as if they didn't want to spend to much as they had no faith in the product. Either that or they were going for a slightly new wave look album design, though clearly London himself doesn't look remotely "new wave"
As it turns out London isn't new wave or even a old school power popper. And I wasn't wrong in not knowing him though he did find fame after this as singer for ….
wait …
wait …
wait …
wait …
wait …
I bet you wont guess…
lead singer for …
TOTO!
OK, I qualify that "fame" word as the "fame" was under his real name of Fergie Fredericksen and it only lasted for one Toto album, "Isolation" from 1985. That album hit a respectable #42 in the US and was top 10 in the far east and Scandinavia. It however didn't do as well at Toto IV, with original vocalist, Eric Martin. That's the big seller with all the Toto hits we remember (or want to forget Ivan would suggest). Apparently there were tensions between London, err Fredericksen, and the band especially guitarist Lukather. Fredericksen shouldn't feel miffed there were at least another three vocalists after him …. (bet you didn't know that about Toto)
I should say here lest some think I'm a Toto fan that the above was found on the internet with the intent of increasing our collective Toto knowledge.
I should also say there are no doubt some fans of Toto out there especially those of the "it's so bad, it's good" group. I've never really understood that logic though it's probably subliminally practiced by me somewhere in my music tastes. That's not to say Toto didn't have some catchy singles but they inflicted a lot of crap and a lot of dubious fans on us also.
London was however no newcomer to music. He had been floating around music for 15 years and had been on the fringes of success for almost as long. During that time he had accumulated a group of musician friends who would provide him with work. Allmusic refer to him quite aptly as the music equivalent of Kevin Bacon and the "Six degrees of Kevin Bacon". That is substantially true though most of those friends are all within the genre of "adult oriented rock" or "arena" rock.
Fans of the genre sometimes call it "melodic rock" or even more regally "classic rock" though in reality it's just MOR, 70s "pomp rock" with occasional synths. "Mainstream Rock" is a good enough pigeonhole for the music. The style hit its stride in the late 70s and peaked through most of the 80s with groups who had their roots back in the late 60s and early 70s. That is to say these bands were not on the cutting edge of the youth movement but because of their musicianship could provide slick product very quickly and efficiently. "REO Speedwagon", "Toto", "Foreigner", "Survivor", "Boston", "Journey", "Asia" etc are all examples.
London produced this album himself … for RCA to hand over production rights to a unestablished artist on an album would indicate that that artist must know his way around.
Regardless, by and large the music is dire.
And don't give me any of that it's so bad it's good crap.
wikipedia: Dennis Hardy "Fergie" Frederiksen (born May 15, 1951, Grand Rapids, Michigan) is an American singer who was the lead vocalist for AOR bands Angel, Le Roux, and Toto in the 1980s. He got his start in the mid to late '70s fronting Chicago pomp-rock bands MSFunk and Trillion and was also the background vocalist for Survivor. He scored hit singles in three consecutive years all with different bands: Survivor's "American Heartbeat" in 1982, Le Roux's "Carrie's Gone" in 1983, and Toto's "Stranger in Town" in 1984.
He also had a couple of tracks on the Village People soundtrack album "Can't Stop The Music" (1980) (and co wrote all the tracks on the ill-fated new image Village People album "Renaissance" (1981).
Hmmmmmm
I've never been a great one to "listen without prejudice" but at least I will listen ……..
Tracks (best in italics)
- Somebody's Got My Someone – probably the best song on the album. Reminiscent of a lot of US skinny tie powerpop bands though the inspiration probably is, as it was for those bands, from somewhere in the early 70s. It's hampered by a little guitar wankery half way through but otherwise a interesting song.
- Destination Zero – this is more like it. Complete crap.
- She's Hot – who's says I don't suffer for my obsessions?
- Idol Maker – classic 80s crap – guitars and chintzy keyboards. This is total crap but so indicative of mainstream aging 80s rock that it's almost a template.
- Walk In The Room – a magnificent song written by the magnicent and gorgeous Jackie De Shannon …..not the best version I have heard but clearly this is something from London's youth before the time and taste distorted everything.
- Keep Playing Around – playing with a colour by numbers set ….
- Live Your Own Life – groan
- Suicide Dance – a touch of the "rock" Billy Joel here (yes it was pretty lame)
I'm Out of Control, tonight
Or possibly crucified,
I'm doing the suicide dance with you
……. so ridiculous it should be covered
- Baby's In Love – groan
- Weakness – painful, like being repeatedly hit with a Samoans nut bag.
And…
It seems like London was allowed to move outside of his comfort zone on this album and reach back to his musical youth but only fleetingly. Patchy and not memorable but it could have been a lot more offensive.
Refer to my website for sale details.
Chart Action
US
England
nothing no where
Sounds
Somebody's Got My Someone
attached
Idol Maker
Walk In The Room
attached
Others
Village People
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIeTgKZvadk (who said New York was about punk? this is the New York of the 70s and 80s!)
LeRoux
Toto
Fergie Fredericksen
Review
from a blog …from someone who doesn't like the 60s or powerpop elements but does like "mainstream rock" …to each his own ….
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(originally posted: 20/02/2011)
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