We have reached the point in Head East’s career as this 1979 album is their penultimate studio offering.
Written by: gdmonline
ARTIST: Head East
ALBUM: A Different Kind Of Crazy
LABEL: A&M
SERIAL: SP 4795
YEAR: 1979
CD REISSUE: Discogs Reissue List
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: USA
LINEUP: John Schlitt – lead vocals * Mike Somerville – guitars, backing vocals * Roger Boyd – keyboards, backing vocals * Dan Birney – bass, backing vocals * Steve Huston – drums, percussion, backing vocals
TRACK LISTING: 01 Specialty * 02 Keep A Secret * 03 Feelin’ Is Right * 04 Lonelier Now * 05 Morning * 06 Got To Be Real * 07 If You Knew Me Better * 08 Too Late * 09 Hard Drivin’ Days
WEBLINKS: Site Link
Background
We have reached the point in Head East’s career as this 1979 album is their penultimate studio offering. As many music historians are aware, the band released two albums during 1979, the double live album/LP plus this studio album (Oct 79).
By this stage, Head East were on the brink of collapse as a collective unit, but it wouldn’t be until 1980 that this version of the band threw the towel in. Well, at least three members did.
The Songs
Reading reviews from around the Net would suggest this album didn’t have a lot going for it, but that would generally be an untrue and unfair assessment. If anything, Head East were dogged by less than average studio production across their 70’s discography.
None of the producers used could ever translate their live quality and potential onto a record, the exception being the aforementioned double live LP. For me, the better moments include ‘Keep A Secret’ with good use of keys, zany backing vocals and a stinging guitar solo.
‘Too Late’ is a rockin’ effort, while ‘Hard Drivin’ Days’ is Head East’s ultimate road song. None of the other songs didn’t do a great deal for me, others may hear it differently.
In Summary
This album is probably not the pick of the bunch when it comes to their entire discography but it does have its moments. By the way, what is the meaning of the imagery behind the album jacket? It’s one of the strangest I’ve seen from a relatively well known band at the time.
By early 1980, Schitt, Somerville and Birney had left, the band reduced to minor label status. It should’ve been a productive era for them during the heyday of radio rock and AOR between 1980 and 1984.
They continued on but without any major fanfare unfortunately. Read more Head East reviews on GDM by clicking the tag below.
Video
If You Knew Me Better
![Head East - If You Knew Me Better [Original Song HQ-1080pᴴᴰ] + Lyrics](https://gdmonline.info/wp-content/plugins/wp-youtube-lyte/lyteCache.php?origThumbUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FZs9mcviAPhw%2F0.jpg)
[Nick C] Actually the follow up album “U.S. 1” was also on the A&M label – this album ADKoC, was the last album with the classic line up. As mentioned Schlitt, Birney and Somerville left after this and the following album was a real let down and sounded unfinished to these ears – the production being very dry, it’s the one HE album I still struggle to listen to all the way through and I suppose it will never grow on me. But A Different Kind of Crazy is a last hurrah for this line up – I like the album a lot (bit biased though). The track posted here “If You Knew Me Better” is actually one of my fave HE songs.
Regards the imagery – it’s anyone’s guess – the pancakes in syrup/butter reach back to the Flat as a Pancake album but King Tuts Death Mask? That’s a different kind of crazy right there.
After this came “U.S. 1” as mentioned then “Onward and Upward” which was a big improvement and one I’ve come to quite like over the years, then their final studio album “Choice of Weapons” which is actually pretty good – but only Roger Boyd remained from the line up. They’ve had a 3 live albums out since – “Live 2008” (a band produced CDR) “One Night With…” & “Raise a Little Hell”.