As a country rock supergroup, the Souther Hillman Furay Band looked damn good on paper, the pioneering trio backed by David Geffen should have raked in big bucks with a shitload of hit singles but it was not to be.
Written by: Eric
ARTIST: Souther Hillman Furay Band
ALBUM: Trouble In Paradise
LABEL: Asylum
SERIAL: 7E-1036
YEAR: 1975
CD REISSUE: Discogs Reissue List
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: USA
LINEUP: John David Souther – guitar, vocals, drums, bass * Chris Hillman – bass, guitar, mandolin, vocals * Richie Furay – guitar, vocals * Joe Lala – percussion * Paul Harris – keyboards, flute * Al Perkins – lead guitar, pedal steel, dobro * Ron Grinel – drums
TRACK LISTING: 01 Trouble In Paradise * 02 Move Me Real Slow * 03 For Someone I Love * 04 Mexico * 05 Love And Satisfy * 06 On The Line * 07 Prisoner In Disguise * 08 Follow Me Through * 09 Somebody Must Be Wrong
Background
As a country rock supergroup, the Souther Hillman Furay Band looked damn good on paper. Former member of Buffalo Springfield and Poco Richie Furay, mixing with Chris Hillman of The Byrds and the seminal Flying Burrito Brothers. As well as country rock wonder boy J.D. Souther, the pioneering trio backed by David Geffen should have raked in big bucks with a shitload of hit singles but it was not to be.
Too much talent and not enough give and take, newly found old-time religion from Furay and guitarist Al Perkins and an underwhelming pair of albums sums up the bands story. A shame, since their first platter did give the trio nearly a top 10 album and a minor hit single with the rambling ‘Fallin’ in Love’.
The Songs
No such luck for the appropriately named ‘Trouble In Paradise’ which failed to win the hearts of record buyers and cold-hearted programmers. A year previous the band toured the length and breadth of North America with the critics blessing, but by this time the press would have none of it and tensions within the group were unbearable.
The end was near and yet amidst the animosity and division some good music was created. Not enough to call ‘Trouble In Paradise’ a classic, but passable enough for their label to pick two singles from the record and for Linda Ronstadt to cover ‘Prisoner In Disguise’ the same year.
Of the singles, the southern rocking title track and ‘Mexico’ bombed, although the latter happy-go-lucky margarita-bender Jimmy Buffet styled ditty should have done some business. Elsewhere the mid-tempo ‘On The Line’ sounds like REO-lite and is hooky enough to give it a green light with a lot to like in the Ozark Mountain Daredevils drift of ‘Follow Me Through’.
In Summary
Overall the album as it did back in the day still leaves a shrugged shoulders attitude and a quick reach for a trusty pile of Firefall albums. Down but not out, Souther, Hillman and Furay would go solo with Souther writing a bunch of stuff for The Eagles and having a top ten hit of his own in 1979 with ‘You’re Only Lonely’.
Chris Hillman had some success with his old Byrds buddies in McGuinn, Clark & Hillman and Furay took his Christianity to the masses with a series of albums expressing his faith and eventually becoming a pastor in suburban Denver, Colorado. He reunited with his old band Poco for their excellent 1989 album ‘Legacy’ and also participated in a Buffalo Springfield reunion tour.
Souther Hillman Furay Band on Video
Click to go to YTM album page.
