#trying very hard not to think about how mick is the one supporting Keith

[waugh-bao]

2018 -> 2021

[soundsof71]

Hey! Album: 'Fleetwood Mac' (1975) - Fleetwood Mac

Hey! Great to hear from you! You (and your previous blog) were my original inspiration for trying to raise my tumblr game to something intentionally curated, and more than that, personally creative. Sorry to have let you down. LOL

What a pleasure to talk about this one, though, an album I think is -- strangely enough -- one of the most underrated albums in the classic rock pantheon!

What’s that you say? An album with “Rhiannon” and “Landslide” underrated?!?! Well it’s true, seriously underrated, at least partly because those two stellar, nay, legendary songs are the first ones that most people think of. There's so much more! It's definitely my favorite Fleetwood Mac album!

My perspective is a little different than the standard rap that Fleetwood Mac didn't properly begin until those two California kids joined the band in 1975, because to me, they started taking off when their first American joined the band, Bob Welch in 1971 for Future Games, which I wrote about at some length here. 

(For the record, Future Games is my second favorite Fleetwood Mac album. Anyone who hasn't checked it out really needs to.)

I’ll leave it at that for now, except to observe that to most of my music nerd friends at the time, I was a latecomer to Fleetwood Mac the band, having completely missed their earlier, bluesier lineups. Indeed, the 1971 lineup was their 8th! And they'd come to #9 in 1972, before landing on lineup #10 in 1975.

They had a bunch of hits on the five albums in this 71-74 range (”Hypnotized” is one that still slays me) that I think hold up as among their best ever. While the album before Fleetwood Mac, Heroes Are Hard to Find didn’t have a hit single, it rose to #34 on the US charts, and got plenty of attention. 

My point is that Fleetwood Mac didn’t spring into existence out of nowhere in 1975. Nor was 1975 necessarily ground zero for the millions of people who bought the album Fleetwood Mac. It came out in the summer of ‘75, but took 15 months to hit #1 in the US! (It peaked at #11 in the UK.) This was a far bigger album in 1976 when all the singles came out, and the band was touring like crazy to support it.

They basically dragged the album to the top of the charts kicking and screaming by the end of THAT year with relentless touring, setting the stage for their true commercial breakthrough with Rumours in 1977, but artistically? I prefer everything about 1975′s Fleetwood Mac.

btw, the music nerds know that Fleetwood Mac was recorded at Sound City Studios, which makes all the difference in the telling of the tale. In 1974, the band had located to Los Angeles, and following the departure of Bob Welch in December, Mick Fleetwood went looking for both a recording studio and a guitarist. 

While getting to know producer Keith Olsen at Sound City (a studio legendary for its drum sound, among other things), Keith played Mick some tracks from an album he’d recorded here a couple of years earlier with a local guitarist and his girlfriend singer, both of whom were also songwriters.

Mick said, I’ll book the studio to record my next album, I’ll book you to produce, and I’ll hire the guitarist....who famously informed Mick that he and his girlfriend were a package deal. All of this happened because of Sound City Studios.

(Here's Mick recording this very album in this very studio.)

Your friend and mine Dave Grohl directed a FANTASTIC documentary about Sound City Studios, a kind of a dump to be honest, but where tons of phenomenal records were made, from After The Gold Rush to Caribou, Damn The Torpedoes, Nevermind, Rage Against The Machine, and most recently, Phoebe Bridgers’ Punisher. Lots and lots of stories about the making of Fleetwood Mac in this movie, and much more. 

Here’s the trailer. The whole movie is available on YT, too! And Amazon Prime, and a bunch of other places. HIGHLY recommended!

So here we go taking directly about Fleetwood Mac.....

the first song from the album i heard: "Over My Head". This was the first single released in the US, remarkably, four months after the album was released! I dunno, did the label not want to sell any albums? Or did they just not get how catchy these tunes were? I have no idea.

And ironically, the band didn't like the choice of "Over My Head" at all, ranking it dead-last in their own considerations of likely singles! I think that this is evidence that they were using heavy drugs much earlier than we thought. LOL

"Over My Head" peaked at #20 in the US, their highest to date by far, although, in some defense of the band's reservations, didn't chart at all in the UK. Saying that it rose to "only" 20 in the charts doesn't begin to describe how heavily it was played, though. A LOT.

do i own the album: Did then, Spotify now. The answer for most of the albums in this round of Asks. :-)

my favorite song: "Over My Head". Look, I admit that this is insane when Fleetwood Mac also includes "Landslide" and "Rhiannon." "Landslide" in particular is maybe one of the greatest songs anyone has ever written, and every single person reading this knows somebody named Rhiannon because of that song. (I've met two.) And hey, "Say You Love Me" was a MUCH bigger hit at the time too... but I'm tellin' ya, "Over My Head" fucks. 

It's the single version that fucks hardest, though, no doubt about it. I was disappointed when I finally bought the album that the version there fades in (NO! THIS IS WRONG) and has a wide mix that diffuses the impact. The radio version is so tight that it's practically mono, and it punches you right upside the head. 

One of my favorite things about listening to "Over My Head" in the past couple of weeks for this Ask is that it's Old School Fleetwood Mac. Chris on piano, Mick on drums, and John McVie with what might be the best bassline that anyone stroked out in 1975. My god, it's a fucking monster, and it just gets hotter as the song progresses. By the end, it's on fire, and you hear it so much better in this tight single mix.

The new guy adds a nice little solo on top of a nice rhythm lick, and he and Stevie add background vocals, but they're not front and center. "Over My Head" is really Christine McVie's showcase, although Fleetwood and Mac really shine too. This would have been a monster hit without the new kids, as indeed it pretty much was. You could say the same thing about "Say You Love Me", which is also all about Christine's songcraft, and a voice like no other, then or now.

Here's my edit of a lovely Mick Putland photo of Christine McVie from a couple of years earlier.

I guarantee that it's been way too long since you heard the in-your-face single version of "Over My Head". On Spotify, you can find it on the couple of Deluxe Editions of Fleetwood Mac (here's one), and it's also on the anthology, The Very Best of Fleetwood Mac, which I've embedded here. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gw-lIt1ILzk

least favorite song: "I'm So Afraid." I'm so afraid not. LOL

a song I didn’t like at first, but now do: Hmm, I might put "Sugar Daddy" in that category, but honestly, the main thing I don't like about this song is the title. LOL But it's the 4th best Christine McVie song on an album where the best three of hers were all released as singles, so I guess it all works out.

a song I used to like, but now don’t: Anything by the new guy. I'm not going to go into detail here because what I love about this album, I still love. At the time, I dug two of his songs here (you can guess which two, surely), but I started to really despise this guy a few years later. Now, I can't listen to anything where he's prominent at all, on any Fleetwood Mac records.

Fortunately there are more than enough Christine and Stevie songs, and Mick and John's playing, plus all those earlier albums like Future Games, to keep Fleetwood Mac in the rock good pantheon. I'd have fired the new guy 30 years earlier than he was. 

favorite lyric:

Mirror in the sky

What is love?

Can the child within my heart rise above?

Can I sail through the changin' ocean tides?

Can I handle the seasons of my life?

Well, I've been afraid of changin'

'Cause I've built my life around you

But time makes you bolder

Even children get older

And I'm getting older too

Like I said, the two Stevie Nicks tracks on Fleetwood Mac deserve every bit of the love they've gotten over the years. You can also see with just a quick glance around my blog that she's one of my most-posted artists. Please don't take me repping Christine as any disrespect for Stevie!

Do I like "Landslide" a little more than I otherwise might because it's specifically about outgrowing the aforementioned new guy? Maybe.  Or do I like it a little less than I otherwise might because I can't hear it without thinking of him? Maybe that too.

overall rating out of 10: Then: 9.4. Now: 9. The new guy went 2-for-4 for my money at the time, and the two that he whiffed on are genuinely terrible...but as bad as those two clunkers were, the rest of the album seemed perfect to me. Certainly among my most-played mainstream rock records into the early 80s. I was perfectly fine skipping one song on each side.

Even though nowadays I can't stand any of the songs he sings lead on, you take those off, and you STILL have "Landslide", "Rhiannon", "Say You Love Me", "Over My Head", and "Warm Ways". No album with ALL THOSE on them gets less than an 8.5, right?

I'm adding a few tenths each for how tightly Fleetwood and Mac are locked into each other and these songs on rythm (easily the most underrated duo of the era, sez me), and Keith Olsen's immaculate production. The score of 9 is therefore objectively correct and mathematically unassailable. LOL

I'm going to end where I began, by talking about Christine McVie. Instead of listening to this first and foremost as an album with a couple of giant Stevie Nicks songs, listen again to Fleetwood Mac as Christine McVie really lighting things up. She deserves so much more credit for the band's success than she gets, and seriously, "Over My Head" fucks. 

Now looky here, @aluacrescente . I know that YOU have strong feelings about this record, so spill! And the rest of you, too! I don't intend to have the last word on the albums in any of these Asks! Just the first one. :-) So lemme know what YOU think!

PS. Apologies for any formatting weirdness! I started this on desktop, where I do all my writing, saved the first few paragraphs to come back to later, only to be told by tumblr that I'd stated this on the app (DID NOT) and could only edit there. Grrr. Not cool, @staff. I've spent another day just tweaking to make it somewhat readable and wondering how these people can be so bad at their jobs. LOL

My crackpot opinions and wobbly writing are my own of course, and I'm aware that they have a larger negative impact on readability than tumblr's incompetence by far. LOL

[cjostrander]

The Rolling Stones: Self Titled (1964)

Okay guys; So i didn’t really have much motivation today for a specific album to do; so i decided to venture towards another stones album. This is the very first album by the band and is easily the oldest album listed on my review sheet at 45 years old (Hence why i want to tackle it today). It is sure it will have a dated sound being as old as it is but it should be an interesting one to get through quickly. It is just over a half hour long and with the exception of one song (Tell Me) it is entirely cover based and contains no singles. Well let’s begin and see how easy of a review this is.

Not Fade Away:  We start with a nice little guitar jam combined with some enjoyable harmonica additions. It works to fill in gaps nicely and Mick casually delivers his verses with a solid show of energy. This Buddy Holly cover is probably going to be the easiest cover to remember due to its presence in a couple 90′s movies. At just under two minutes long it comes and goes very quickly unfortunately. It would of been nice to of had another half minute in order to toss in a guitar solo for closing; but other than that not a bad start. 7.5/10

Route 66: This album mostly has 2 and a half minute long R&B covers so expect these song reviews to be very short. This track starts at just two minutes long. It begins with a very clear 60′s rock jam that should appeal to fans of that era. Mick sings solidly and the instrumentals do a good job of creating an energy that will be hard not to want to dance along to live. This one will start the album off very directly with some nice jams tossed in without overdoing anything to throw the listener off too soon. 8/10

I Just Want to Make Love to You: This next cover begins quickly with a nice guitar and harmonica jam familiar to the first track. Mick brings forth a little southern drawl into his vocals that fit very nicely with the energy of the song. It does well to create some solid jam segments and allow for an audience to get up and dance with ease. Instrumentally so far the tracks are expectedly straightforward given the time but do very well at given modern listeners a good show of music from that era. 8/10

Honest I Do: This slow moving blues ballad starts off with a more vulnerable vocal presence from Mick that manages to hold its own rather firmly. The more blues like guitars work with the harmonica to give a nice sense of complex tension to the mix and allow modern listeners to be able to find a sense of appreciation for it. The drums and bass naturally arent going to be expect to stand out on the album but they get the job done so i can’t knock them. 8.5/10

Now I’ve Got a Witness: This next track starts off a little more rustic in terms of old fashioned key melodies. The keys dominate the front of the mix while the harmonica commands the sidelines. It makes for an interesting garage band feeling that would make this album more interesting to see being performed live verses hearing solely on record. I think this track and the next one are original songs by the band but aren’t entirely sure. But this instrumental will help to lengthen the jam experience on the album without dragging things along too sluggishly. 7.5/10

Little by Little: This slower country tinged track concludes the first half of the album with a nice rhythm to dance along to. The subtle keys in the background fill in gaps efficiently while Mick dominates the front with a more angsty performance than normal. The guitar jam is a nice focal point that will be enjoyable to see live. The harmonica combined with the keys definitely make for a very full presence and the drum beats stick out more energetically for a change; which is a big plus overall. 8.5/10

I’m a King Bee: The second half of the album begins with an acoustic deviation for the band. Mick uses this structure to bring forth more of his rustic drawl into the song. It creates a slower moving presence but shifts focus more heavily towards the vocals this time around. I would say that while it is a little slow moving for me; the guitars do spice it up well with interesting melodies at times. 7/10

Carol: Now this is a Chuck Berry cover so i’m sure you will remember this one a bit. The guitars start off with a trademark Berry sound and the band latches onto it with a very convincing energy. Mick delivers a very fast and energetic performance in perfect sync with the instrumentals. The instrumentals do very well in making this one of the most dance friendly tracks on the album. If you are just doing a browse listen on this album; (i don’t really see a mood for just browsing but okay) then this track is definitely going to be one of those picks. 8.5/10

Tell Me: Now this is definitely one of the band’s first original songs and is an emotional ballad. It begins with an interesting acoustic opening. Mick arrives over an echoed foundation that is very reminiscent of the 60′s sound. The drums create a nice echo that fits nicely with the emotion of the vocals. Mick does well at delivering a very convincing sense of heartbreak which can relate well with people today and many years to come. 8/10

Can I Get a Witness: Keys begin on here with a more uplifting mood verses the last song. Mick uses an energetic but less melodic style and incorporates more backing vocals from Keith into the mix. The instrumentals have a much more repetitive structure so you could probably view this as a hit or miss on the album. I defintiely think the half hour timing is a smart pick because while it may be interesting; it would by no means be able to keep a listener engaged if it ran into the 40 or 50 minute time frame. 7/10

You Can Make It If You Try: Mick starts off with a more emotionally wounded drawl supported by a more background centered instrumental focus. The instrumentals dial down their energy in order to emphasize the emotional tension in the song’s lyrics. The backing harmonies help to add a little extra spice to the song without really reaching for attention. Well that could of been the closer for the album but let’s see how the next one does. 7.5/10

Walking the Dog: Mick begins on the closing track with a nice sense of vocal swagger that is supported rather strongly by a good instrumental rhythm. Other than that; this will conclude the album fairly well and leave the listener to make their own opinions of it. 7/10

Overall album rating: 7.8/10

Well; that was definitely a dated album to review today; but it’s important to always take a look back at albums from this era in order to appreciate how music has evolved over the decades. It’s a decent album to look at when interest in checking out that style of music or where the Stones started from. Now we are about two anniversary albums from the Stones down; so hopefully you guys enjoy the double hitter today. See you next time guys!

[jesusintheleast]

1978 Rolling Stones Interview

6/17/2019

Spring 2019, Mick Jagger recovering from heart surgery.

Advised to Postpone Upcoming 2019 American and Canadian Tour

Pray for Mick, Keith, Ronnie, Charlie, and Bill.

Can you believe it? The Rolling Stones are still very newsworthy.

Mick recently posted: "Thank you everyone for all your messages of support. I’m feeling much better now and on the mend—and also a huge thank you to all the hospital staff for doing a superb job."

And then in another post: “I’m so sorry to all our fans in America & Canada with tickets. I really hate letting you down like this. I’m devastated for having to postpone the tour but I will be working very hard to be back on stage as soon as I can. Once again, huge apologies to everyone.”

So with the Rolling Stones still very much in the news and even having a tour planned and then postponed due to Jagger’s heart surgery, I was prompted to reprint an old “rock-star” witness that Cornerstone Magazine ran back in the summer of 1978. It was my friend, Jon Trott, and myself who had the opportunity to meet up with a few of the Stones.

As you will see, we weren’t shy about sharing our faith. That was the way it was back then. We were “Jesus freaks” on a mission. And if you had asked me if I thought that the Stones could possibly be touring (or even alive!) in 2019, I would have answered, “No way.”

But then again, who am I? What do I know about the future of anyone? Not much, not anything really.

All I know is that I believe in II Peter 3:9: “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise (of a day of judgment coming), as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

And so with those thoughts in mind, I invite you to listen in on the brief encounters we had with a few of the Stones back in 1978.

All of a sudden Jagger pulls up in his limo. He and his girlfriend get out and survey the whole setup. Everyone stands back in awe. He’s here.

A series of people casually file by making their adoration vocal. Seeing Jagger alone for a second, I walk up to him and blurt out, “Hey, Mick, you know Jesus loves you?” as I hand him a couple of tracts. He takes the literature and with a quick negative glance, takes off behind one of the trailers.

It was July 8, and we were backstage at the Rolling Stones concert at Soldier Field here in Chicago. After getting a quick witness to Mick Jagger, we continued to share with a few people who were a part of the Stones’ entourage. Amidst the trailers, small tents, the barbecuing, and the drinking, we had quite an eventful day. We knew the Lord had gotten us in, but was there going to be another chance to witness? All we could do was pray.

That night, the Stones showed up at a small club where Muddy Waters was playing, and we got another chance to talk to them. When the show was all over, they were whisked into a small dressing room in the back of the club. “Now you’ve got ten minutes,” the manager told us. “There’s a lot of people back there, and I’ve got to keep them moving in and out. So when I tell you you gotta go, you gotta go, OK?” “OK.”

So when we entered the dressing room, we knew didn’t have much time. We quickly took in the scene, which revealed a shoulder-to-shoulder crowd of about thirty in a small, dank, dressing room. Nearly everyone had a drink in their hand and the atmosphere was bubbling. Jagger was standing off a ways from Muddy Waters and the other Stones. I boldly approached him. “Hey, Mick, remember me? I was the guy who handed you a couple of tracts down at the concert today. What do you think?”

“I get them all the time. I don’t really get into tracts,” he said in his thick English accent.

“Well, anyway, do you know the Lord really loves you? He really cares about you?” While I continued telling him of God’s love for him, he started mumbling under his breath, “You can’t be telling me this. You can’t be telling me this. You can’t be telling me this.” All of a sudden, he looked up from his drink and threateningly blurted in a stage whisper, “Hey, aren’t you afraid the Lord will put a curse on you?” “It’s only the devil that’s going to put a curse on anyone,“ I replied. He sarcastically shrugged and said, “Oh.”

He didn’t want to continue our conversation, but it was crowded and while he was trying to get away, I leaned over and said, “You know something? The devil has a real hold on you, but the Lord can set you free!” He stopped for a second. He was stunned and acted like he couldn’t believe his ears. I added, “We really love you Mick, and we’ll be praying for you.” He slowly continued to mingle in the crowd and soon left.

Ronnie Wood was busy whooping it up. “Hey, you know the Lord really loves you?” I said. “Oh, yeah, I know He loves us all,” he said, very drunkenly. “Don’t you know that He wants us to live for Him? “ “Hey, man, I ain’t got time for that stuff. My life’s too messed up already without giving it to the Lord; it’s bad enough. That’ll make it worse. Besides, I’m having too much fun right now. I can’t think about that.”

“But, Ron, don’t you see that if we can’t get along with the Lord down here, we’re never going to get along with Him for eternity?” “Yeah, I see that,” he said hesitantly. “But hey, man, really, the Lord’s too heavy for me, man.” “Well, we really love you, Ronnie, do you know that?” “I know you do. I really do. And I have to admit, you really make me think. You kind of set me back about three steps.” “But really, don’t you ever get tired of this whole party scene?” He thought for a second, “No!” “Hey, by the way, where’s Bill Wyman, anyway?” “Oh, he’s back in the hotel, all whacked out.” “You know, Jesus does love you, and we’re all praying for you and we care about you.” He seemed to lighten up a little and said, “Hey, man, that’s cool, thanks a lot.”

Then I looked over at Keith Richards. He looked really out of it. He looked like he was on what they call a “mean drunk,” so I hesitated to go over to him. Charlie Watts was sitting off to the side, all by himself, so I went up to him.

“Hey, you know Jesus really loves you, Charlie. He wants you to be living for Him.” “Yeah, I know, “ he said casually. “Have you ever really received Him into your heart?” Thinking . . . ”I don’t know.” “Well, if you don’t know, then you haven’t.” “Hey, man, I’m doing alright.” “Yeah, but are you serving God? Is he number one in your life?” “No, I can’t say that.” “Well then, what is? Do you live for yourself?” “No.” “Other people then. You live for other people, right?” “That’s right.” “Well, that’s still wrong, you see, because the Lord wants to be number one. You see, it says in the Bible that you have to love the Lord your God with your heart, soul, mind, and body. Then other people come second.” “Hey, man “ Charlie said. “You know if Billy Preston was here, he ‘d be preaching to you.” “Yeah, I know. I talked with Billy Preston recently. Do you know he has a Gospel album out?” “Yeah.” I told him that we really did care about him and that we’d be praying for him. Finally, I turned back to see what Keith Richards was doing. He looked like he had lightened up a touch. I went over and butted into his conversation in a nice way. “Hey Keith, you know the Lord loves you.” He was stumbling around.

“Yeah, yeah, I know He cares about me,” he said cynically. “I just hope He cares about me enough to keep me out of prison.” (Richards was facing some criminal drug charges in Canada at the time.) “Well, you know something, Keith, even if you have to go to prison, He wants to be right there. He wants to help you out.” He seemed to turn bitter. “Hey, man, I don’t even want to talk about this anyway.” I told him Jesus really did care about him. I just wanted him to know that he had a bunch of people here in Chicago that would be praying for him. We witnessed to a few more people and then we felt it was time to split. As we were leaving, an old man, who was the chauffeur for the Stones, was having a rough time walking down the stairs. He was really blasted. So I offered to help him down. He refused. Then I said, “Jesus loves you.” He suddenly became enraged and, in a fury, hurled his glass down the stairs, where it shattered.

Looking back on the whole day, I couldn’t help but remember what it used to be like for me. I used to be an old Stones freak. My favorite band. I would have thought this was really great, to be backstage with the Stones, to go to a nightclub where they were at, and then get a chance to talk with them. That would have been heavy. But all during the day, I just couldn’t help feeling pity and sorrow. Even that afternoon, while they were playing, with sitting backstage, it seemed like the Lord was speaking to me, “Do you know that these guys could be dead in a week?” And then I thought of Lynyrd Skynard, Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin.

Above all, I felt He showed me that these guys are really scared, and I’m sure that they have a lot of late nights when they curse the day that they were born. And when they sing, “I can’t get no satisfaction” ( ironically, it was their last song of the concert), I’m sure they mean it a lot more now than they did back when it was first released. What’s more, it seemed to me that these guys had lived their lives to the hilt for the devil. They went all out. And this is how we believers need to be living for the Lord. We need to be living all out. Let’s pray for the Stones. You never know what’s going on down in their hearts.

End of 1978 interview.

And now that we know that the Stones are still “rolling” can we still find it in our hearts to keep on praying for them? And so, that is what I’m asking you to do. Because remember what the Lord has said—that he’s not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. In fact the verse before this one tells us that God’s timing is not like our “timing” in our mind's comprehension. In fact, “With the Lord, a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.“ (II Peter 3:8b) So even though the Stones have been going for more than 50 years and say they want to keep on going, it’s really just a drop in the ocean of time. You just never know what might happen. And maybe we’ll never know if anything has ever happened in their relationship to God or not. Our lot is to pray for God’s mercy towards these folks. After all, he sure did show us a lot of mercy and grace, right? And we’re no more special than they are So this could be “The Last time” that the Stones and everyone living like they do (or wish they could) hear this message. Why? Because none of us know how much time we have left. And “Time” is definitely not on their side”… especially at their ages. And God says to us all: “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.” (II Cor.6:2)

Thanks for stopping by.

Chris

[kuyarexdelsdiaries]

FOREIGNER: THE JUKEBOX HEROES FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE ATLANTIC

There was a band which was formed by a British Guitarist and an American lead singer which scored a lot of hits including a #1 Power Ballad in the 1980s a band is called "FOREIGNER". Lou Gramm era (1976-1990) Since its beginning, Foreigner has been led by English musician Mick Jones (former member of Nero and the Gladiators, Johnny Hallyday's band, Spooky Tooth and The Leslie West Band). After the collapse of the Leslie West Band in 1976, Jones found himself stranded in New York City; West's manager, Bud Prager, encouraged Jones to continue his songwriting and rehearse a band of his own in some space Prager had near his New York office. Jones got together with New York keyboardist Al Greenwood (who had just played with former Flash members Colin Carter and Mike Hough in a group called Storm), drummer Stan Williams and Louisiana bassist Jay Davis (later with Rod Stewart) and began jamming. Another friend, Stories singer Ian Lloyd, was brought in to sing but Jones decided the chemistry was not quite right and retained only Greenwood as he renewed his search for players. During a session for Ian Lloyd's album, Jones met up with transplanted Englishman and ex-King Crimson member Ian McDonald and another session for Ian Hunter unearthed another fellow Brit in drummer Dennis Elliott. But after auditioning about forty or fifty singers, the right vocalist was becoming harder to come by until Jones dragged out an old Black Sheep album given to him backstage at a Spooky Tooth concert a few years prior by that group's lead singer, Lou Gramm. Jones put in a call to Gramm, who was back in his hometown of Rochester, New York after Black Sheep's break-up, and sent him a plane ticket to New York City. Gramm proved to be the missing piece of the puzzle and Brooklyn, New York bassist Ed Gagliardi completed the new sextet. A name, "Trigger", was tentatively agreed to and was the name that appeared on their demo tape, but it was passed on by all the record companies it was delivered to. John Kalodner, a former journalist and radio programmer who was working in A&R at Atlantic Records, happened to spot a tape on Atlantic president Jerry L. Greenberg's desk with the Trigger identification on it. Kalodner had just been to hear an outfit called Trigger and realized that this was not the same band. He convinced Greenberg that at least one of the songs on the tape could be a big hit and to look into signing this group immediately. Because the Trigger name was already taken, Jones came up with the Foreigner moniker from the fact that no matter what country they were in, three would be foreigners, because Jones, McDonald and Elliott were British, while Gramm, Greenwood and Gagliardi were American. In November 1976, after six months of rehearsals, the newly named Foreigner started recording their debut album with producers John Sinclair and Gary Lyons at The Hit Factory but switched to Atlantic Recording Studios where they finished recording the basic tracks and completed the overdubs. The first attempt at mixing the album was done at Sarm Studios, London. But, because of the band's dissatisfaction with the results, the album was re-mixed back at Atlantic by Mick Jones, Ian McDonald and Jimmy Douglass. Bud Prager signed on as the group's manager, a role he would continue in for the next 17 years. The band's debut, Foreigner, was released in February 1977 and sold more than four million copies in the United States, staying in the Top 20 for a year with such hits as "Feels Like the First Time", "Cold as Ice" and "Long, Long Way from Home". By May 1977, Foreigner was already headlining theaters and had already scored a gold record for the first album. Not long afterwards, they were selling out U.S. basketball arenas and hockey rinks. After a show at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kansas on May 6, 1977, drummer Elliott injured his hand, prompting the band to call in Ian Wallace (ex-King Crimson) to play alongside Elliott on some of the dates until the hand was healed. After almost a year on the road, the band played before over two hundred thousand people at California Jam II on March 18, 1978 and during the following month, the band toured Europe, Japan and Australia for the first time. Their second album, Double Vision (released in June 1978), co-produced by Keith Olsen, topped their previous, selling five million records and spawned hits in "Hot Blooded", the title track "Double Vision" and "Blue Morning, Blue Day". The third album, Head Games (September 1979), co-produced by Roy Thomas Baker, which was referred to by Gramm as their "grainiest" album, was also successful because of the thunderous "Dirty White Boy" and another title track hit "Head Games". For Head Games, bassist Ed Gagliardi was replaced by Englishman Rick Wills. In his autobiography, Juke Box Hero (named after the seminal Foreigner song), Gramm explains why the band parted ways with Gagliardi: "He was a little headstrong and had his own ideas that weren't always compatible with what we were trying to accomplish. Ed was obstinate at times, playing the song the way he wanted to play it rather than the way it was drawn up. Jones often had to stop sessions to get Ed back on track. After a while it became tiresome and slowed down the recording process." Gramm went on to say that he was disappointed overall with Head Games and thought it sounded unfinished. It ended up selling about two million fewer than its predecessor. In September 1980 co-founders Al Greenwood and Ian McDonald were sacked as Jones wished to have more control over the band and write most of the music (along with Gramm). In his book, Gramm goes on to talk about this difficult time: "The chemistry that made the band right in the beginning didn't necessarily mean it would always be right. I think a pretty major communication lapse appeared and I don't think anybody really knew what anybody was feeling—the deep, inner belief about the direction of the band and how we were progressing. We had reached a point where there was a lot of dissatisfaction". The band was now stripped down to a quartet, with session players brought in as needed to record or tour (see below for complete list of members). Greenwood soon joined Gagliardi to form the AOR band Spys, with John Blanco, Billy Milne and John DiGaudio. The band released two albums, an eponymous debut, and the follow-up Behind Enemy Lines. In the meantime, Foreigner began work on the next album at Electric Lady Studios in New York City with producer Robert John "Mutt" Lange, engineered by Dave Wittman (currently with Trans-Siberian Orchestra). 4 (released in July 1981) contained the hits "Urgent" (which includes the famous Junior Walker sax solo), "Waiting for a Girl Like You", "Juke Box Hero" and "Break it Up". Before releasing albums of his own, Thomas Dolby played synthesizers on 4 (he contributed the signature synth sound on "Urgent" and played the intro to "Waiting for a Girl Like You"). For their 1981–82 tour in support of 4, the group added Peter Reilich (keyboards, synthesizers, who had played with Gary Wright), former Peter Frampton band member Bob Mayo (keyboards, synthesizers, guitar, backing vocals) and Mark Rivera (sax, flute, keyboards, synthesizers, guitar, backing vocals). Mayo and Rivera had also appeared on the sessions for 4. Reilich was dropped in May 1982 but Mayo and Rivera continued with the band through 1988. Their next album, Agent Provocateur, co-produced by Alex Sadkin, was released successfully in December 1984 and gave them their first and only No. 1 hit in 1985 (in the US, UK, Australia, Norway, Sweden, etc.), "I Want to Know What Love Is", a ballad backed by Jennifer Holliday and the New Jersey Mass Choir. The song was their biggest U.S. hit. "That Was Yesterday" was the next single from the album in early 1985 and proved to be another sizable hit. During their 1985 summer/fall tour, Foreigner appeared at the very first Farm Aid on September 22 in Champaign, Illinois. In between his Foreigner commitments, Jones also started a side career as a producer for such albums as Van Halen's 5150 (1986), Bad Company's Fame and Fortune (1986) and Billy Joel's Storm Front (1989). In December 1987 Foreigner released Inside Information, spawning hits such as "Say You Will" and "I Don't Want to Live Without You". On May 14, 1988 the band headlined Atlantic Records 40th Anniversary concert at Madison Square Garden, culminating with "I Want to Know What Love Is", in which the likes of Phil Collins, Crosby, Stills and Nash, Roberta Flack and other Atlantic artists joined in, singing in the choir. Later during the summer, the band went back on the road but the touring for Inside Information was limited to Europe, Japan and Australia. For this tour, Rivera and Mayo were not available, so Larry Oakes (guitar, keyboards, synthesizers, backing vocals) and Lou Cortelezzi (sax) augmented the quartet of Gramm, Jones, Elliott and Wills. Lou Gramm's first departure (1990-1992) In the late 1980s, Jones and Gramm each put out solo efforts on Atlantic. Gramm released Ready or Not in January 1987 and shortly after its release, rehearsals for Foreigner's next album had started but ground to a halt as Gramm's status with the group was uncertain. But after the promotion and concert dates for Gramm's album were finished, cooler heads prevailed and Lou rejoined Foreigner in the studio for Inside Information, which was out at the end of 1987. Jones had Mick Jones in August 1989, then Gramm followed with his second solo release, Long Hard Look (October 1989), and decided to leave the group in May 1990 while preparing to tour behind Long Hard Look as the opener for Steve Miller Band. After finishing this tour, Gramm went on to form the short-lived band Shadow King, which put out one eponymous album on Atlantic in October 1991. Meanwhile, Jones brought in a new lead singer, Johnny Edwards (formerly of the bands Buster Brown, Montrose, King Kobra, Northrup and Wild Horses). Edwards made his first live appearance with Foreigner at the Long Island club Stephen Talkhouse on August 15, 1990, where he, Jones, Dennis Elliott and Rick Wills appeared, joined by special guests Terry Thomas (on guitar, who produced their next album) and Eddie Mack on harmonica. The new edition of Foreigner released the album Unusual Heat in June 1991. This was at the time their worst-selling album and only climbed as high as No. 117 on the Billboard 200, although "Lowdown and Dirty" was a minor mainstream rock hit, reaching No. 4 on that chart. In July 1991 the new lineup of Foreigner played some European dates then made its official U.S. debut on August 9 performing on the second night of a Billy Joel benefit concert at Deep Hollow Ranch in Montauk, New York to raise funds for the preservation of Montauk Point Lighthouse. For their 1991 tour, Jeff Jacobs, who had played in Joel's band, was brought in as the new keyboardist and Mark Rivera returned. But during the fall leg of this tour, Elliott decided to leave the group after a concert at The Ritz in NYC on November 14, 1991 and embark on a career as a wood sculptor. Larry Aberman was then recruited as a temporary replacement until Mark Schulman arrived in 1992 to hold down the drum throne for the next three years. Scott Gilman (guitar, sax, flute) joined the touring band in 1992 and Thom Gimbel took over from Gilman and Rivera in late 1992 after they departed. When Gimbel went to Aerosmith in 1993, Gilman returned to handle the guitar/sax/flute duties until Gimbel came back permanently in the spring of 1995. Gramm returns then leaves again (1992-2003) During the Los Angeles riots, inside the confines of the Sunset Marquis Hotel in West Hollywood, where Mick Jones had gone to meet with Lou Gramm, they both ended up sequestered by a city curfew. They decided to use their time together resurrecting their partnership. "I flew to Los Angeles, during the riots," says Gramm. "We got flown to John Wayne Airport instead of LAX because they were shooting at the planes. Mick and I were holed up in the Sunset Marquis in L.A., with armed security guards walking around on the roof. It was a little weird, to say the least." Gramm ended up rejoining Foreigner (bringing along his Shadow King bandmate bassist Bruce Turgon, replacing bassist Wills (who'd left after the band's 1991 tour after a falling out with Jones) and co-produced the band's second greatest hits album, The Very Best ... and Beyond (September 1992), which included three new songs. In October 1994 Foreigner released what was supposed to be a comeback album, Mr. Moonlight, in Japan. Featuring new drummer Mark Schulman and augmented by a fifth member, keyboardist Jeff Jacobs, this album was not released in the U.S. until February 1995 and fared even worse than Unusual Heat. It only peaked at No. 136 on the Billboard 200, although the ballad "Until the End of Time" was a minor hit, reaching No. 42 on the Billboard Hot 100. In January 1995 Ron Wikso (who had played in The Storm with former Journey members Gregg Rolie and Ross Valory) took over percussion duties from Schulman, and Brian Tichy succeeded Wikso in 1998 before Schulman would return in 2000. In 1997 Gramm underwent surgery to remove a brain tumor. The medications he was prescribed caused considerable weight gain and weakened his singing voice. By 1998, the band was back on the road, but Gramm was visibly struggling and it would take him a decade to get back to the point where he felt comfortable on stage. In the summer of 1999, Foreigner went on tour as the opening act for Journey and the following summer, Jeff Jacobs had to leave the road for a short time during the band's 2000 summer tour while his wife was giving birth to their child. Keyboardist John Purdell (who had been co-producer of the new tracks on their 1992 album The Very Best of ... and Beyond) stepped in to sub for Jacobs until he was able to return. In 2001 the Warner Music Group selected Foreigner and 4 to be among the first group of albums from their catalog to be remastered, enhanced and released in the new DVD Audio format. In 2002 the 25th Anniversary Year brought affirmation of the enduring respect for Foreigner recordings with Rhino Entertainment reissuing the 1977 to 1981 multi-platinum albums in special enhanced formats. Foreigner, Double Vision, Head Games and 4 received the attention of Rhino's staff with new photos, liner notes and bonus tracks of previously unreleased material. New greatest hits albums were also produced in the U.S. and in Europe. The U.S. version reached No. 80 on the Billboard 200 Album chart. For the group's 25th Anniversary Tour in 2002, they were joined by former Heart and Montrose beat keeper Denny Carmassi. In late October/early November, then December, of 2002, Foreigner played in Belgium and Germany at the annual Night of the Proms festival. It was the last time that Lou Gramm and Mick Jones would play together until June 2013. Gramm would leave the group in early 2003. Jones stated that he and Gramm split because they weren't communicating: "I think we really tried hard to save it, but it got to the point when we both realized that to go on would be detrimental for both of us." Kelly Hansen era (2004-Present) Jones, the founder and only remaining original member of Foreigner, decided to take some time off before looking to form a new lineup in 2004. On July 25, 2004 in Santa Barbara, California at Fess Parker's DoubleTree Resort, Jones appeared at a benefit show for muscular dystrophy dubbed "Mick Jones & Friends" that included: Jeff Jacobs, Thom Gimbel, former Dokken bass player Jeff Pilson, future Black Country Communion drummer Jason Bonham (son of Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham and leader of Bonham) and Bonham singer Chas West. West was front man for that show only. Inspired by the event and further encouraged by Jason Bonham, Jones continued the search for a new frontman. He would eventually find former Hurricane singer Kelly Hansen, who had sent the band an audition tape and was invited aboard in March 2005, making his debut with the group on March 11 at Boulder Station near Las Vegas. Their 2005 BMG album, Extended Versions, featured the new line-up playing all their classic hits live in concert in one of the most "studio like, clean sounding" live album recordings produced. Foreigner joined Def Leppard along with Styx on tour in 2007. They also toured extensively in their own right in 2007—the thirtieth anniversary of the release of their debut. In late 2007, keyboardist Jeff Jacobs left Foreigner after 16 years and was replaced, first by Paul Mirkovich then by Michael Bluestein (in 2008). And in 2008, Bonham also parted ways with Foreigner. Bryan Head was then brought in to fill the drum chair. But his tenure was short and he also departed to be replaced by the returning Tichy. The band released a greatest hits anthology on July 15, 2008, titled No End in Sight: The Very Best of Foreigner. The anthology included all of their greatest hits plus some new live recordings and a new studio track, "Too Late", which was their first new song release since the 1994 album Mr. Moonlight and the first recorded output of the new lineup. "Too Late" was released as a single on June 17, 2008. Foreigner released a new album on September 29, 2009, titled Can't Slow Down. It was one of several recent classic rock releases (AC/DC, the Eagles, Journey and Kiss being four others) to be released exclusively through the Walmart stores chain in the US, while in Europe the album was released by earMUSIC (a label part of the Edel group), charting top 20 in Germany (16) and Top 30 in Switzerland. Can't Slow Down debuted at #29 on the Billboard 200. The first two singles from the album, "When It Comes to Love" and "In Pieces" both reached the Top 20 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart. In 2010 it was awarded a gold certification from the Independent Music Companies Association, which indicated sales of at least 100,000 copies throughout Europe. In early 2010, Foreigner teamed up with Styx and Kansas for the United in Rock Tour. On May 4, 2010 it was announced that Brian Tichy's replacement as drummer would be Jason Sutter. Jason Sutter's time with the band was short as he left by 2011. Mark Schulman then returned to Foreigner for his third go-round as drummer. On February 20, 2011 the band played for the first time in Bangalore, India along with sitar player Niladri Kumar. In June 2011 Foreigner (again along with Styx) co-headlined with Journey on their UK tour. After this, they joined up with Journey and Night Ranger on a triple bill summer/fall tour of the US. For some dates of this tour, Brian Tichy filled in for Foreigner's drummer Mark Schulman when he was not available. From August 19 to September 10, 2011, Night Ranger guitarist Joel Hoekstra did double duty playing for NR as well as subbing for Jones, who had taken ill. Right after this, guitarist Bruce Watson (ex-Rod Stewart) was brought in as Jones' stand-in for the tour's remaining dates and continued to tour with the group when they hit the road again in February 2012 after Jones underwent aortoiliac bypass surgery in Miami. On October 4, 2011 Foreigner released Acoustique, which presented their best and most famous songs, along with some newer tracks, recorded in stripped-down acoustic mode. In May 2012 after being diagnosed with colorectal cancer, Bluestein was forced to take a leave of absence from the band. His stand in on keyboards was Ollie Marland. Bluestein was able to return to the group in August 2012 and Tichy once again rejoined in the interim until his schedule with Whitesnake called him away. In September 2012, the man Tichy replaced in Whitesnake, Chris Frazier, became Foreigner's new percussionist. On August 31, 2012 after over a year away, Jones returned to the concert stage at Atlanta's Chastain Park. Guitarist Watson, in the meantime, stayed on until Jones was able to return to full health. At this very same show, keyboardist Derek Hilland (ex-Iron Butterfly, Whitesnake and Rick Springfield) came on board to sub for Bluestein for the group's late summer/fall tour dates and again during the winter/spring of 2013 until Bluestein was able to return. On January 9, 2013 the band's original drummer, Dennis Elliott, joined Foreigner on stage at the Hard Rock Cafe in Hollywood, Florida to play on "Hot Blooded". In addition to touring small clubs and venues, the band frequently is engaged for private parties and conventions, including playing at SeaWorld in Orlando for an IBM Rational Conference (June 6, 2012), at the Gaylord convention center in Washington, D.C. for the Teradata Partners 2012 conference (October 25, 2012) and at SAP's Field Kickoff Meeting in Las Vegas (January 23, 2013). On June 13, 2013 at the 44th Annual Songwriters Hall of Fame Award Ceremony, Jones and Gramm were officially inducted to the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Billy Joel was on hand to induct Jones and Gramm, singing snippets of Foreigner's hits in his introduction speech. Jones said he was proud as the honor makes his work "legit". The duo then took stage one more time and, along with Thom Gimbel and the house band, performed "Juke Box Hero" and "I Want to Know What Love Is" with Anthony Morgan's Inspirational Choir of Harlem—a performance that brought the entire audience to its feet. In 2014 Foreigner teamed up with Styx and former Eagles guitarist Don Felder for the Soundtrack of Summer Tour. Original bassist Ed Gagliardi died on May 11, 2014, aged 62, after an eight-year battle with cancer. Although discussions of an original member reunion had been proposed, the original band had not performed together since 1979. On June 18, 2014 Foreigner teamed up with the Brockton High School concert choir at the Blue Hills Bank Pavilion in Boston, MA. They performed one of their greatest hits: I Want To Know What Love Is. On January 12, 2015 in Sarasota, Florida, Foreigner were joined on stage by original drummer Dennis Elliott and former bassist Rick Wills to play "Hot Blooded". In Hartford, Connecticut on June 24, 2015, Foreigner began a summer tour as the opening act for Kid Rock. Foreigner appeared on the "Today Show" on February 11, 2016 along with the choir from Our Lady of Mercy Academy to promote their Acoustic Tour and the release of their new album, In Concert: Unplugged. On Saturday September 24, 2016, Foreigner performed before an estimated 20,000+ people at the 100th anniversary of the Durham Fair in Durham, Connecticut. The encore song "I Want to Know What Love Is" utilized the local Coginchaug High School concert choir for backup—their performance having been rehearsed with the band via Skype during the previous months. In a 2016 interview, Jones talked about a possible 40th-anniversary reunion tour, featuring the Head Games-era lineup: "It's quite possible. We've actually been talking about it. I'm not at a point where I can say it's definitely gonna happen, but we're all working on trying to make it happen. It's kind of exciting. And hopefully it'll be feasible and possible to pull it off next year (2017). Lou (Gramm) and I have communicated and we've kept up a sort of loose communication as I have actually also with Ian McDonald, Al Greenwood, Dennis Elliott and Rick Wills. We're at the early stages, but we're trying to put something together to commemorate (it's scary when I say it) 40 years." On November 25, 2016, in celebration of their 40th anniversary, Foreigner released a limited-edition 10-inch vinyl EP, The Flame Still Burns, on Rhino Records for Record Store Day's Black Friday event. The EP's track listing contained the title song (which had previously appeared on Foreigner's Acoustique album and had earlier been featured in the 1998 film Still Crazy) plus live unplugged versions of "Feels Like The First Time", "Long, Long Way From Home" and "Juke Box Hero". Reunion of original members (2017-2019) On July 20, 2017, at Jones Beach Theater in New York, the current Foreigner lineup were joined for their encore by Lou Gramm, Ian McDonald and Al Greenwood to help celebrate the band's 40th anniversary and Greenwood and McDonald came back the following year to take the stage with the group for their Jones Beach show on June 22, 2018. Dennis Elliott likewise joined his old mates for two songs at Foreigner's show on August 2, 2017, at MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre in Tampa, Florida. Another reunion was announced for a pair of shows to take place on October 6–7, 2017, at the Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, where the group was set to be joined again by Lou Gramm, Dennis Elliott, Al Greenwood, Ian McDonald and Rick Wills. The concerts were filmed for future release, appearing on PBS stations in the U.S. on June 8, 2018. In a July 2018 interview with OC Weekly, bassist Jeff Pilson said that Foreigner has no plans to record a new studio album anytime soon, but will continue to only release new songs periodically. On November 9, 2018, all surviving original members of Foreigner came on stage to play alongside the current line-up for a show at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, beginning a series of "Foreigner Then and Now" concerts set to run through the end of the year. Foreigner songs to be made into show by GMA Network Like Styx on the previous article, The songs by Foreigner can be made into a show placing on the Afternoon Prime and Telebabad blocks. If that happens, GMA will tap Mick Jones and Lou Gramm to co-produce the said show alongside Filipino producers. The three shows are: I Want to Know What Love Is, Urgent and Juke Box Hero. For more information on Styx see this article: https://kuyarexdelsdiaries.tumblr.com/post/180502770511

1.) I Want to Know What Love Is

The first of the three series and one of the two shows placed on GMA Afternoon Prime is named after a song written by Jones from the 1984 album "Agent Provocateur" which charted at #1 in the UK and in the US. The show's genre is romantic-comedy series The show will be led by Gabbi Garcia (from Encantadia 2016, Sherlock, Jr., Pamilya Roces) and Derrick Monasterio (from Inday Will Always Love You). Other cast members include: - Kyline Alcantara (from Kambal, Karibal, Inagaw Na Bituin) - Jasmine Curtis-Smith (from Pamilya Roces) - Carla Abellana (from Pamilya Roces) - Andre Paras (from Sherlock Jr., Pamilya Roces) - Rayver Cruz (from Asawa Ko, Karibal Ko) - Marvin Agustin (from Inagaw na Bituin) - Sophie Albert (from Pamilya Roces, Bihag) - Laura Lehmann - Bembol Roco (from The One That Got Away) - Candy Pangilinan (from My Special Tatay) - Zoren Legaspi (from Sahaya) - Carmina Villaroel (from Kambal, Karibal, Kara Mia) The show will be directed by former Cain at Abel and Inagaw na Bituin director Mark A. Reyes while the majority of the writers and editors will come from Contessa. The said show will be created by Mick Jones and Lou Gramm and produced by Arlene del Rosario-Pilapil. It’s theme song will be sung by Lou Gramm and Kelly Hansen featuring the show’s cast as the choir.

2.) Urgent

The second of the three series and one of the two shows placed on GMA Afternoon Prime is named after a song written by Jones from the 1981 album "Foreigner 4" which charted at #4 in the United States, #1 in Canada and #20 in Sweden. The show's genre is emergency drama which contains firemen, policemen and medical personnel. The show will be led by Mikee Quintos (from Encantadia 2016, Onanay) and Yasser Marta. Other cast members include: - Clint Bondad (former boyfriend of Catriona Gray, from Love You Two) - Denise Barbacena (from Legally Blind, Contessa) - James Blanco (from Impostora 2017, Onanay, Dragon Lady) - Rita Daniela (from Impostora 2017, My Special Tatay) - Gary Estrada (from The Stepdaughters) - Angelu de Leon (from The Stepdaughters, Inagaw na Bituin) - Marco Alcaraz (from Ika-6 Na Utos, Ika-5 Utos, Onanay) - Dion Ignacio (from Hiram na Anak) - Empress Schuck (from Hiram na Anak) - Angelika Dela Cruz (from Ika-6 Na Utos, Inagaw na Bituin) - Mika Dela Cruz (from Kara Mia) - Kate Valdez (from Onanay) The show will be directed by former Victor Magtanggol director Dominic Zapata while the majority of the writers and editors will come from Onanay. The said show will be created by Mick Jones and Lou Gramm and produced by Nieva Sabit. It’s theme song will be sung by Lou Gramm and Kelly Hansen.

3.) Juke Box Hero

The third of the three series and the only show placed on GMA Telebabad is named after a song written by Lou Gramm and Mick Jones from the 1981 album "Foreigner 4" which charted at #26 in the US and #48 in the UK. The show's genre is 50s Rock n Roll setting.   The show will be led by Dennis Trillo (from Cain at Abel) and Rhian Ramos (from The One That Got Away) Other cast members include: - Migo Adecer (from Sahaya) - Miguel Tanfelix (from Kambal, Karibal, Sahaya) - Bianca Umali (from Kambal, Karibal, Sahaya) - Pauline Mendoza (from Kambal, Karibal, Cain at Abel) - Leandro Baldemor (from Contessa, Cain at Abel) - Melbelline Caluag (from Inagaw na Bituin) - Jerald Napoles (from Inagaw na Bituin) - Maureen Larrazabal (from TODA One I Love) - David Licauco (from TODA One I Love) - Rich Asuncion (from Ika-6 Na Utos) The show will be directed by former The One That Got Away director Mark Sicat Dela Cruz while the majority of the writers and editors will come from Cain at Abel. The said show will be created by Mick Jones and Lou Gramm and produced by Michele R. Borja. It’s theme song will be sung by Lou Gramm and Kelly Hansen. Reaction Foreigner including Lou Gramm hasn't performed in the Philippines yet including Ian McDonald, Al Greenwood, Dennis Elliott and Rick Wills. We will have to wait for Kelly Hansen and the current Foreigner lineup to perform with the original lineup live at Sunday Pinasaya and have concerts at Solaire, Resorts World Manila, MOA Arena or Smart Araneta Coliseum.

(DISCLAIMER: This post is for factual basis and is to be veirified at the soonest possible time by some sources at GMA Network. Don’t be assured yet, but it is just for the contributor’s point of view.)

(NOTE: The contributor of this post is Carl Veluz, a good friend of the EIC/Publisher of KRD.)

KRD Welcomes everyone who can contribute to ‘The Blog that tells Stories and More’. Send in via email: kuyarexdeldiaries@gmail.com with the subject ‘KRD Contributor’ with your draft as attachment, and your details of your work. You may include your personal details, but we respect your privacy if we opt to include some other details or not depending on the individual’s request. You can also send in as private message via Kuya Rexdel’s Diaries Facebook page (fb.com/KRDOfficialPH).

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We Need Congress's Wonks and the White House's

The CBO has offices in the Ford Office Building. (Photo. Architect of the U.S. Capitol)

(Bloomberg View) — Has the day of the Congressional Budget Office come and gone? That’s the pronouncement of Mick Mulvaney, the director of the White House’s Office of Management and Budget.

You can think of the OMB as the Red Sox to the CBO’s Yankees. They’re in the same league — assessing the likely outcomes of proposed legislation — but each team has its own style. (Players, however, may float from one team to another, as my Bloomberg View colleague Peter Orszag did from the CBO to the Obama White House.) The OMB is essentially a creature of the White House, which is to say, political. The CBO, on the other hand, stays so scrupulously out of politics that a running joke in Washington notes that its full name is the “nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office,” as journalists seem to automatically add the word.

Mulvaney’s broadside against the CBO claims that it’s not so nonpartisan at all. “If the same person is doing the score of undoing Obamacare who did the scoring of Obamacare in the first place,” he told the Washington Examiner, “my guess is that there is probably some sort of bias in favor of a government mandate.”

(Related: Nonpartisan Scorekeeper in Hot Seat in GOP’s ACA De-Funding Fight)

Is that a fair accusation? CBO analysts are people, not calculating machines; no matter how scrupulously they think they’re trying to be fair, it’s undoubtedly true that their own ideas and values are going to affect how they assess various pieces of research, the weights they put on different probabilities, and so forth. To that extent, Mulvaney’s point is inarguable: There is probably some sort of bias. Moreover, as uberwonk Yuval Levin has pointed out to me, the architects of Obamacare spent the better part of a year tossing ideas into the CBO model in order to see how they scored, and then taking out the stuff that didn’t score well, producing a program precision-tailored to the CBO’s scoring methods. So it may even be fair to say that CBO scoring is biased in favor of Obamacare.

To that I’d add an observation: There is something very weird going on with the CBO score of the American Health Care Act. Essentially, it suggests that the Republican health care plan offers almost zero net improvement over the pre-2013 status quo. And that finding is frankly unbelievable.

The AHCA, despite its many flaws, represents billions of dollars of subsidies compared to the pre-Obamacare era. I am as skeptical as the next pundit about the effectiveness of government subsidies. You would be hard-pressed to find very many pundits who have as little faith as I do in the curative power of government programs. But when you tell me that the government is going to spend tens of billions of dollars every year on premium tax credits, and almost no new people will get any insurance out of it? Well, I’m going to want some powerful proof of that proposition.

To be clear, I’m quite sure that the CBO is directionally right: Under the AHCA, we would spend less government money on health care, and the U.S. would have more uninsured people. But the CBO is not in the “direction” business; it provides precise point estimates. And I do not believe these estimates.

Having acknowledged all these things, let me also say that I do not think, as Mulvaney implies, that the CBO is engaged in some sort of conspiracy to make the AHCA look bad. I think that the Republicans did a fine job of that all by themselves, by rushing through the CBO process and choosing a program design that was almost bound to work badly with CBO models.

Do CBO health care analysts like government-sponsored insurance programs more than I do? Perhaps. Probably. (Most people do!) But the CBO is currently headed by Keith Hall, an economist of impeccably conservative credentials. I am skeptical that he is allowing the CBO to run wild with liberally biased estimates. More plausibly, this bill is just unscorable.

Mulvaney’s proposed solution — turn legislative analysis into a Hobbesian war of all-against-all, with competing ideological interest groups producing independent scores of legislation — misses the fundamental point of having the CBO, which is not that its estimates are precisely right, but that they are consistent.

Consistency is tremendously valuable in working with data — so valuable that analysts have to think hard about switching to new estimation methods that will break their data series, even if the new estimation methods are more precise. The CBO’s institutional continuity (quite different from think tanks, which can staff up or slim down programs very quickly), means that you don’t score budget bills one way this year, and then next year, when there’s a new guy in charge, completely switch models so that the estimates aren’t comparable.

Perhaps most important of all, the CBO is the only player in the process that is definitely not starting from an outcome — to support a bill, or to oppose it — and then working backward to a model that will support that outcome. That has enormous value, even if the scores sometimes miss the mark. Without them, people trying to discuss legislation would have no common reference point for the discussion; conservatives would wave the Heritage estimate, liberals one from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, and both sides would talk past each other. Partisan think tanks serve a vital function in the policy discussion; they are the warriors who make things happen on the battlefield of ideas, and their contention keeps us moving closer to the truth. But opposing sides also need neutral territory where they can negotiate deals peacefully.

And though conservatives may chafe at the idea of letting center-left analysts have the last budgetary word about their legislative proposals, it’s worth noting that before the CBO, the left had enormous room to propose high-cost programs using rosy projections — programs that turned out to be darned hard to repeal when the real numbers came in. (I’m looking at you, Medicare.) One of the first big impacts the CBO had was providing a reality check on a health care bill proposed by Ted Kennedy, which the office estimated would cost three times what its sponsor claimed. Over the office’s long history, it has helped conservatives to make their case more often than it has hindered them.

There is undoubtedly a serious discussion to be had about ways to make the CBO scoring process better. I hope that we will have that discussion. But until someone comes up with an outside institution that can be reasonably credible to both sides, and which can start from the model rather than the desired output, then the CBO is still useful all around, even when you disagree with it.

— Read Repealing Obamacare Would Cost $353 Billion Over Next Decade on ThinkAdvisor. 

[cjostrander]

The Rolling Stones: Exile on Main St.

Hello everyone! Since the Rolling Stones Have Exile On Main St. (1972) and Their Satanic Majesties Request (1967) up for review this year; i am going to tackle Exile on Main St. Due to its more essential ranking in their discography. It is a lengthy favorite among fans that helped to continue the band’s popularity into the early 70′s. At 45 years old; it is going to be a nicely older gem to scratch off of the blog so lets get it started!

Rocks Off: We begin the first of 18 tracks on this album with an energetic rocker. It begins with some moving rock riffs that are very soothing to the ears but still make you want to get up and dance. The keys are a nice touch in the background and Mick Jagger does very well to infuse this song with a high degree of energy. The subtle angst in his voice resonates smoothly with the backing grit of Keith’s support vocals. The drums keep a steady beat underneath the moving brass elements and the guitars fill in any gaps that this song may happen to miss. The live potential for this song appears immediately once it starts due to the level of energy it brings to the listener. The lyrics prove to be a nice focal point during the slower segments but overall its the classic easy going; working-class tone that i contains that helps it to resonate so well with its audience. Even 45 years later this song appears to have aged very well in comparison to other work from them. Already a highlight on the album! 9/10

Rip This Joint: Easily judging by the song title; This song continues the momentum of the opening track and ups the ante with an even livelier jam element. The guitars and keys bring forth some of that classic 50′s rock tone and Mick continues to steal the show with a high dose of energy in his voice. The lyrics are very solid and prove to be a good balancing point for the listener while the keys and brass elements work their magic. The brass solo is an especially nice touch for the listener that will help to confirm this song as another stellar live piece for them to get an audience up and moving. The drums definitely keep a nice beat going and the guitars while hidden; continue to fill gaps without appearing overwhelming. Really can’t complain so far! 10/10

Shake Your Hips: The guitars begin with a low bluesy rhythm open that originally made me think of George Thorogood to a positive note. Mick is low vocally and seeks to use a low and gloomy sense of grit to push the consistently low rhythm of the song along. It proves to be soothing yet attention grabbing despite the very low tone of the song. The brass is a good prop up element for keeping the listener from getting bored at all. Overall it is pretty straightforward and breaks up the jam atmosphere of the last two songs and keeps the album from becoming overly predictable too soon. 8/10

Casino Boogie: Low guitar riffs begin this one on a bluesy note while Mick and Keith deliver some old fashioned gritty vocals into the song. The vocals work well with the catchy rhythm to establish a very enjoyable foundation for the listener or audience to dance along to pleasantly. The guitars are smart to stay reserved in the background because it allows the bass and drums to stick out a bit more in the mix; before the brass comes along to deliver another entertaining solo. As with most songs this one will float along pleasantly quick and will do well to relax the listener after a tense day at work. 8/10

Tumbling Dice (single): Now this first single of the album and easily most recognizable one as well; begins on a very soothing note. The guitars open up with the drums and keys on a very easy going format. Mick and backing female vocals seek to infuse it with a very fitting combination of southern drawl and hints of gospel charm into the background. The bass is a nice element that will do well to keep the song flowing and ensure that the band’s trademark rhythm structure remains intact. The lyrics are decent and will be a good focal point as the song progresses. It does have potential to be a bit forgettable as you venture further in the album; but try and look at the individual songs as pieces of a whole mood and atmosphere instead of trying to stick out by themselves. That’s definitely one thing that i’ve noted about them as i went through their work. 8/10

Sweet Virginia: Acoustic guitars and a nice appearing of the harmonica join to give this song a very relaxing campfire atmosphere. I’m sure that it would be a rather nice live piece to see as well. The drums and bass add in further grit that accentuate Mick’s background vocal echo quite nicely. His lyrics prove to be very smooth and a strong focal point as the instrumentals keep the song flowing fresh. The subtle rhythm of the song definitely surprises you at how easy it is to like because they continue to add in different elements as the song progresses such as backing brass; female vocals, and gang vocals from the band mates as well. The brass solo continues to do very well in the mix  and stretches the song out quite well as it approaches its end. Definitely a good highlight to pay attention to when you come across it. 9/10

Torn and Frayed: Mick and Keith begin this one with a layered showing of grit. The guitars, drums, and keys do a decent job of building a soothing atmosphere while Mick delivers his vocals. The lyrics are a bit smothered and likely won’t be a strong focal point substance wise. It is going to be the general angst of his voice that you will pay attention to during this song. Overall it is very straightforward and will evoke some elements of repetition; but does pass by fairly smooth. Because of this, it can be skipped easily if you are looking for attention grabbing songs; but if you are content to just relax then this song will be another easy song to sit by and ponder. 7/10

Sweet Black Angel (single): This next single begins with a nicely echoed guitar tone. The acoustic nature of it is soothing and Mick joins with Keith to infuse the song with a more urging sense of emotion that the listener with immediately become locked onto as the song opens up. the guitars, drums, and harmonica will do a good job of keeping a nice energy flowing so that the listener can remain in a contemplative state of bliss. This is another easy highlight that instrumentally will prove very interesting when the listener comes across it for the first time. 9/10

Loving Cup: Keys start this song off with a nice sense of beauty before Mick and Keith infuse a soothing sense of angst. The drums ease their way softly into the mix so that the song can have an easygoing yet filled atmosphere for the listener to fall in love with. The bass then comes to deliver a more dominant rumble than it has in past songs and as a result will catch some attention for a bit; before the instrumentals liven up a little more. The lyrics for this one are pretty good and will provide a steady flow for the listener to focus on as it progresses. The brass emerges during the middle section of the song with keys and helps Mick to successfully deliver a dose of emotion into his voice. This song (track 9) will end the first half of this album and should leave the listener impressed enough to be more than ready for the second half of the album. 8.5/10

Happy (single): This Keith Richards song (and single) features him taking the lead on one of his better songs. The guitars begin with a nice sense of cheer and when the drums and bass enter it builds a nicely balanced energy for Keith’s highly gritty (grandpa sounding) voice to enter. His voice gives the song a nice texture and will help to keep the listener interested due to the break from Mick Jaggers voice. The lyrics are well done and scream to a working class audience. The brass will help to liven things up a bit more before keys join in and the song will take on a lively balance. It would be a decent piece to see live and for Keith it’s not bad because believe me; it is hard to find songs with him singing that are decent (Little T and A is my personal favorite). 8/10

Turd on the Run:  Mick returns quickly over some lively key notes and guitar riffs to infuse the song with an echoed live tone. Keith is clearly prominent in the background to prep things up; but you can certainly note that nearly everything int he song appears to be placed in the background of the mix; if that makes sense. The guitar solo is a decent moment in this song that will capture attention with ease; but do to its very low presence this is going to be a song that is easy to forget and skip. If it was mixed better then it would be better. 6/10

Ventilator Blues: The guitars begin a much more rough note and Mick returns to the lead to deliver a very aggressive and dark tone to the song. It is a nice change of pace that grows into a very lively yet soothing tone once the keys and brass enter the mix. The bass is definitely very prominent in the mix for this song so if you like a more demanding bass riff; then this is going to be a song for you. The lyrics are decent so you will have that working for you; but the primary pleasure in this song is going to be the overall atmosphere of this song’s dark jam rumble. 8.5/10

I Just Want to See His Face: Mick echoes softly in the background while the instrumentals warm themselves up with their 60′s style of performing that will appeal decently to fans of their even older era. This is another filler piece that seeks to offer the listener a few moments to refresh themselves before they venture further into the album. Nothing really to say about this one but tone wise; it is very familiar to Turd on the Run; but with a more soothing tone to it. 7/10

Let It Loose: This is the longest song on the album at over 5 minutes long. The guitars begin on a gloomy note that is very efficient at building a nicely emotional atmosphere for Mick to walk into. The keys are a good balancing element while the guitars play around and wait for the drums to enter. It is definitely another low in the mix type song but things gradually gain prominence as the song progresses. Mick captures a good amount of attention in between the band’s gang vocals and female backing vocals. The keys do have a soft solo in the middle to stretch things out before the brass enters to add in a little extra life. It is another one that has some filler quality and is up in the air as to whether you would sit through it or just skip to the next one that catches your attention. 7/10

All Down the Line (single): this final single for the album begins with a more energetic guitar presence and Mick Jagger infuses the song with a nice degree of grit that enables everything to work together nicely. The gang vocals are a good element to point out in between the instrumentals as it helps to keep things from getting redundant. The brass slows things down a bit before Mick continues on with his decent lyrics. This song overall appears to be one that will capture the listener’s appreciation more so due to the tone of the instrumentals jam aspects rather than vocal substance. 7.5/10

Stop Breaking Down: This is an old Robert Johnson cover that begins with a soft guitar opening and energetic keys in the background. The bass has a nice presence during the opening and when Mick enters; he easily makes this song his own. His voice is a nice combination of relaxing melody and subtle grit for the listener to focus on before the instrumentals embark on a light jam segment. Overall it is a nicely soft jam track for the listener to begin to decompress to as the album approaches its final two tracks. 8/10

Shine a Light: The keys open this one up on a very deep and complex note. Mick enters with subtle hints of gospel power and infuses this song with a very high degree of emotion that would make for a very entertaining finale track had it been picked as such. The keys then liven up as the bass and drums enter. Mick adds a little extra spark into his vocals that the listener will surely find added interest in. The lyrics prove to be a prominent focal point in this song as things progress and the instrumentals will have an easy job of allowing this song to flow by easily without losing its initial impression from the listener. 8.5/10

Soul Survivor: This finale track begins things quick with a gritty guitar performance and Mick delivers his vocals at a relaxing pace and tone in order to help end the album on a smooth note. The guitars actually have a bit of an 80′s pop rock feeling that will help it to appeal a little easier to fans of that era that may not be as open to 70′s rock. As a closer it ends this lengthy album on a smooth note without getting flamboyant or sluggishly lazy as well. 7.5/10

Overall album rating: 8.0/10

Well score wise this album edged its way into a B- and scratches a lengthy 67 minute long album off of my sheet. At 45 years old it was another essential piece to scratch off of my blog before the year ends and is one of the band’s highlight releases. Personally it is a bit lengthy in my opinion and loses some momentum during the latter half but the songs are interesting and will be good to take out during a relaxing day off at home. I do suggest checking this one out if you are curious about their classic albums. Hope you all enjoy this and i will do my best to keep them coming to you. I know David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust album is 45 this year and is one of my most urgent albums to scratch off of the blog; so that’s a high priority for me to get done soon. I also will have to tackle some new ones as well before they pile up on me too bad but we shall see how things turn out. Later!

*Reviewer’s Pick*