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ON THE FRITZ - 1985 (Produced by Ian McDonald and Steve Taylor)
Liner notes:
Produced by Ian McDonald & Steve Taylor
Engineered by Alan Douches
Recorded & Mixed at Grand Slam Studios, West Orange, NJ
Assistant Engineers: Joey Flamingo & Jay Healy
Mixed by Ian McDonald & Alan Douches
Mastered by Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound, New York, NY
Vocals: S.T.
Drums: Alan Childs
Bass: Carmine Rojas
Guitars: Hugh McCracken, Tony Davilio, Ian McDonald
Guitar Solo on TO FORGIVE &
YOU'VE BEEN BOUGHT: John
McCurry
Keyboards: George Small
Keyboards on LIFEBOAT: George Small
& Ian McDonald
Synthesizer Programming: Larry Fast & George Small
Synthesizer: George Small
Percussion: Ian McDonald
Percussion and Simmons Drums on I
MANIPULATE: Cactus Moser
Linn Drum 9000 on I MANIPULATE:
S.T. (big deal)
Alto Sax on IT'S A PERSONAL THING:
Dave Thrush
Alto Sax on YOU DON'T
OWE ME NOTHING: Ian McDonald
Tenor Sax on YOU DON'T OWE ME
NOTHING: Dave Thrush
Background Vocals: Mary Davis, Beverly Slade, Kitty Markham
Finger Snaps on DRIVE, HE SAID:
Cactus Moser & Debbie Taylor
Special thanks to Ian McDonald for creativity and patience. For Debbie (I love you)
REVIEWS
The All Music Guide says:
Widely regarded as contemporary Christian music's best lyricist, Steve Taylor
resembles Leonard Cohen in that his music takes a definite back seat to his
smart and witty wordslinging. Taylor, though, is as much comedian as poet.
While On the Fritz feels a little less like a novelty record than his previous
albums, several of the songs are still essentially satirical sketches with
musical accompaniment. In "Lifeboat,"
for example, Taylor adopts a pepper pot falsetto and portrays a female
headmistress who teaches her students the superficial values of a culture
obsessed with physical beauty. When Taylor does sing, he usually employs
one of two character voices (one a high-pitched, manic nasal yell, the other
a sinister deep-throated affectation). The effect is almost that of a substantive
Weird Al Yankovic, but Taylor's genius with words extends beyond his razor-sharp
comic timing. He also has the ability to communicate insights of some wisdom
and depth with originality and power. The Joe Walsh-esque pop on this album
doesn't demonstrate that as well as his later albums (particularly the sweepingly
cinematic I Predict 1990 and the fragmented
poetry he wrote with Chagall Guevera).
But in moments like the jangly U2 pop anthem
"To Forgive," On the Fritz shows signs
that Taylor's range of expression was steadily expanding.
Billboard Magazine says (review 6/1/85)
The good-hearted bad boy of gospel delivers another album packed with lyrics
that are witty, insightful and deeper than most. Taylor was the first to
attract a young audience of new wavers to gospel, and he continues his reign
with songs that cut like a knife and sting like a bee.