Still Crusin..

[CenturyDeprived]

Add Spirit of RNR too.

Still waiting for Still Cruisin/Summer in Paradise 2fer.

AGD did his best to give diplomatic, not overly gushing, but still praiseworthy liner notes to the KTSA/BB85 2-fer. It would be amazing to see someone pull that off for the  Still Cruisin/Summer in Paradise 2-fer. I like a chunk of the songs on both albums as guilty pleasures, but to publicly in liner notes write good stuff about SIP would be challenging (and humorous to read) at best.

The author would simply have to spend the bulk of the space praising Carl's vocals, as well as...well, Al's vocals.

This is very true. Carl is so ridiculously out of sight awesome, vocally speaking, on all of his stuff from the 80s/early 90s, even the biggest turds are elevated sooo much with his voice. Al too.

I wonder; could Kokomo have been the hit it was with anyone else singing the Carl parts? I think it's one of Mike's best leads, but Carl really brings it over the top. Would it have hit #1 with a 1988 Al, Bruce, or Brian singing the Carl parts? I'm not sure it would have.

I doubt it.  Carl's vocal is so strong on the chorus chant (Aruba, Jamaica) as well. He's just all over that song.

Agreed. Carl makes it. I cannot get into any live version without Carl present, all due respect to Jeff.

[Moon Dawg]

  Brian's "Let's Go to Heaven in My Car", from one of the POLICE ACADEMY films, fits the concept. I'd go for "The Spirit of Rock & Roll" and "Oh Lord", the outtake from the eponymous 85 LP. These three would give the record a Brian-centric conclusion.

  "Rock & Roll to the Rescue" and "California Dreamin"?  As CD bonus tracks today, fine, but in 1989 they'd just been on MADE IN USA and been moderate hit singles. It would have turned me off at the time.

 I love Little Richard, and like some of Bruce's work, but "Happy Endings" was not fit for release on the album...not like that would have stopped them from putting it on had the tune been popular.

 Hard to say if  STILL CRUISIN' would have sold better or worse, but it would have made more aesthetic sense for sure. And "Kokomo" would still have been the big draw.

[KDS]

  Brian's "Let's Go to Heaven in My Car", from one of the POLICE ACADEMY films, fits the concept. I'd go for "The Spirit of Rock & Roll" and "Oh Lord", the outtake from the eponymous 85 LP. These three would give the record a Brian-centric conclusion.

  "Rock & Roll to the Rescue" and "California Dreamin"?  As CD bonus tracks today, fine, but in 1989 they'd just been on MADE IN USA and been moderate hit singles. It would have turned me off at the time.

 I love Little Richard, and like some of Bruce's work, but "Happy Endings" was not fit for release on the album...not like that would have stopped them from putting it on had the tune been popular.

 Hard to say if  STILL CRUISIN' would have sold better or worse, but it would have made more aesthetic sense for sure. And "Kokomo" would still have been the big draw.

Does anyone know if Lets Go to Heaven in My Car and In My Car were written around the same time?  I always liked Let's Go to Heaven.  By far the best part of Police Academy 4. 

[37!ws]

I dunno about "In My Car," but "Let's Go To Heaven In My Car" was written (and recorded) during those two years when Brian worked with Gary Usher on what was supposed to be Brian's first solo album.

[KDS]

Gotcha,
 
While the song itself might not be as strong, I actually like the production of Lets Go to Heaven better than anything on the actual BW88 album.

[HeyJude]

"Let's Go to Heaven in My Car" is on that short list of weird 80's BB-related songs that have epically embarrassing 80's guitar solos, along with "East Meets West" and to a slightly lesser degree, "Chasin' the Sky."

At least the Gary Moore stuff on "Maybe I Don't Know" was more bluesy and whatnot.

[CenturyDeprived]

"Let's Go to Heaven in My Car" is on that short list of weird 80's BB-related songs that have epically embarrassing 80's guitar solos, along with "East Meets West" and to a slightly lesser degree, "Chasin' the Sky."

At least the Gary Moore stuff on "Maybe I Don't Know" was more bluesy and whatnot.

What I want to know is,  during the 1980s, did Carl or Al ever attempt to do that type of guitar sound with they themselves  playing? Either in the studio or live?  It always struck me as weird that a band with two guitar players did not feature them on studio guitar parts during this time.  Was it because they didn't have enough time or were feeling lazy about trying to learn how to play this new vaguely hair metal esque soloing style?

[Lonely Summer]

"Let's Go to Heaven in My Car" is on that short list of weird 80's BB-related songs that have epically embarrassing 80's guitar solos, along with "East Meets West" and to a slightly lesser degree, "Chasin' the Sky."

At least the Gary Moore stuff on "Maybe I Don't Know" was more bluesy and whatnot.

What I want to know is,  during the 1980s, did Carl or Al ever attempt to do that type of guitar sound with they themselves  playing? Either in the studio or live?  It always struck me as weird that a band with two guitar players did not feature them on studio guitar parts during this time.  Was it because they didn't have enough time or were feeling lazy about trying to learn how to play this new vaguely hair metal esque soloing style?

I would guess it just wasn't their style as guitar players. Took me a few spins to get into "Let's Go to Heaven' because of the metal guitar and loud drums, but I came to love it. I was a young guy in the 80's, hearing 80's AOR and CHR radio constantly, so the 80's production sound probably doesn't bother me as much as it does those who grew up in the 60's. It sure sounds dated now, though.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Add Spirit of RNR too.

Still waiting for Still Cruisin/Summer in Paradise 2fer.

AGD did his best to give diplomatic, not overly gushing, but still praiseworthy liner notes to the KTSA/BB85 2-fer.

Wasn't easy, as the material was, in the main, significantly lacking. Basically, the thought of how much I was being paid kept me going.