The direction on Gregg Rolie’s first solo LP wavers between straight AOR and smooth MOR.
Written by: Dangerzone
ARTIST: Gregg Rolie
ALBUM: Gregg Rolie
LABEL: Columbia
SERIAL: FC 40080
YEAR: 1985
CD REISSUE: Discogs Reissue List
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: USA
LINEUP: Gregg Rolie – lead vocals, keyboards
Additional Musicians: Dann Huff, Mark Ross, Carlos Santana, Neal Schon, Craig Chaquico – guitars * Dave Morgen – bass * Mark Craney – drums * Peter Wolf, Alan Pasqua – synthesizers, keyboards * Matt Schon, Bruce Miller – string and horn arrangements * Stan Bush, Kevin Beamish – backing vocals
TRACK LISTING: 01 Young Love * 02 Close My Eyes * 03 I Wanna Go Back * 04 Let Me Out * 05 Over And Over * 06 Don’t Talk * 07 Marianne * 08 It’s Only Make Believe * 09 Deep Blue Sea
WEBLINKS: Site Link
Background
When I first bought this Gregg Rolie debut album for a quarter four years ago I had no idea it existed, let alone its pedigree in AOR history. That it has no place in the genres pantheon is a huge disservice to the projects quality, as the man cut a first rate slice of all star AOR.
Gregg Rolie had quit Journey four years earlier, just as they were about to reach superstar status. It wasn’t until this that he re-emerged, after some years of silence. Rolie has said that he wanted out of the music industry, not wanting to deal with its rigours. You cannot deny the talent he assembled to help record this however. He obviously wanted to make an impact.
The Songs
The direction on Gregg Rolie’s first solo LP wavers between straight AOR and smooth MOR. The best examples of the harder edged style are ‘Don’t Talk’, ‘Zap Me’ and ‘Marianne’, the latter featuring Rolie’s old buddy Carlos Santana. The guitar work contains some tasty melodic licks, namely ‘Don’t Talk’. It’s exceptionally done and interestingly more accessible than much of Rolie’s Journey work.
‘Over And Over’ could be taken for a Chicago cut, due to the horns which dominate a funky bass riff underneath. The chorus, like all, is a treat to behold. Very radio friendly, made for lite FM indeed. Rolie’s keyboard skill is the focus of many tracks as you would expect. ‘Let Me Out’ is a lesson to behold in his mastery, backed up by Alan Pasqua on synths.
‘Close My Eyes’, ‘It’s Only Make Believe’ (featuring Neal Schon) and ‘Deep Blue Sea’ are far quieter, but still have the melody to qualify as contenders. Gregg Rolie tries a cover of Billy Satellite‘s ‘I Wanna Go Back’, three years before Eddie Money would, and with better results. It doesn’t stray from the original much, but Rolie’s heartfelt vocals are in keeping with the theme of wanting to be young again.
In Summary
Although the album didn’t make any impact, its faultless music must be commended. Plenty for the AOR fanatic to sink their teeth into, especially if the lighter side of AOR is your bag. Gregg Rolie would return in 1987 with ‘Gringo’ and later with The Storm in the early 90’s.
In 2001 he released ‘Roots’, a set of latin influenced rock with heavy shadings of the direction Santana took with his ‘Supernatural’ monster of 1999. ‘Gregg Rolie’ unfortunately is the type of album you would have to scour offhand record stores to find. If you locate it, consider yourself a lucky man.
Video
Young Love
Entire Album (Select Tracks)
