Tag Archives: 1974

John Denver: Back Home Again

On June 15, 1974, “RCA Victor” label released “Back Home Again”, the eighth John Denver studio album. It was recorded in 1974, at “RCA’s Music Center of the World” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Milton Okun and Susan Ruskin.

Personnel:

  • John Denver – vocals, 6 & 12-string acoustic guitars
  • Julie Connor – vocals
  • John Sommers – banjo, acoustic guitar, mandolin, fiddle, backing vocals
  • Steve Weisberg – acoustic guitar, dulcimer, dobro, backing vocals, arrangements
  • Jim Connor – vocals, banjo, harmonica
  • Glen Hardin – piano
  • David Jackson – bass
  • Dick Kniss – bass
  • Jim Gordon – drums, percussion
  • Hal Blaine – drums, percussion
  • Buddy Collette – clarinet
  • Lee Holdridge – orchestral arrangements
  • Don Wardell – executive producer

Track listing:

All tracks by John Denver, except where noted.

  1. Back Home Again
  2. On the Road – Carl Franzen
  3.  Grandma’s Feather Bed – Jim Connor
  4. Matthew
  5. Thank God I’m a Country Boy – John Sommers
  6. The Music Is You
  7. Annie’s Song
  8. It’s Up to You – Steve Weisberg
  9. Cool an’ Green an’ Shady – John Denver, Joe Henry
  10. Eclipse
  11. Sweet Surrender
  12. This Old Guitar

Bob James: Two

On May 29. 1975, “CTI” label released “Two”, the fourth Bob James album. It was recorded December 1974 – January 1975, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Creed Taulor.

Personnel:

  • Bob James – electric piano, clavinet, ARP Odyssey, Yamaha YC-30 combo organ, arrangements, conductor
  • Richard Resnicoff – guitar
  • Eric Gale – guitar, bass
  • Gary King – bass
  • Andrew Smith – drums
  • Steve Gadd – drums
  • Arthur Jenkins – percussion
  • Ralph MacDonald – percussion
  • Patti Austin – vocals, lead vocal
  • Frank Floyd – vocals
  • Lani Groves – vocals
  • Zachary Sanders – vocals
  • Randy Brecker – trumpet, flugelhorn
  • John Frosk – trumpet, flugelhorn
  • Victor Paz – trumpet, flugelhorn
  • Lew Soloff – trumpet, flugelhorn
  • Marvin Stamm – trumpet, flugelhorn
  • Wayne Andre – trombone
  • Eddie Bert – trombone
  • Tom Mitchell – trombone
  • Tony Studd – trombone
  • Hubert Laws – flute, electric flute
  • Eddie Daniels – clarinet
  • James Buffington – French horn
  • Peter Gordon – French horn
  • Al Richmond – French horn
  • Harry Cykman, Max Ellen, Paul Gershman, Harry Glickman, Emanuel Green, Harold Kohon, Charles Libove, Harry Lookofsky, Joe Malin, David Nadien, Gene Orloff and Matthew Raimondi – violin
  • Seymour Barab, Alla Goldberg, Warren Lash, Jesse Levy, George Ricci, Alan Shulman and Anthony Sophos – cello
  • Rudy Van Gelder – engineer
  • Bob Ciano – design
  • Greg Laurents – cover photography

Track listing:

  1. Take Me to the Mardi Gras – Paul Simon
  2. I Feel a Song (In My Heart) – Tony Camillo, Mary Sawyer
  3. The Golden Apple – Bob James
  4. Farandole – Georges Bizet
  5. You’re as Right as Rain – Thom Bell, Linda Creed
  6. Dream Journey – Bob James

Breakout: Kamenie

In May 1974, “Polskie Nagrania Muza” label released “Kamenie”, the seventh Breakout album.

Personnel:

  • Tadeusz Nalepa – vocals, guitar, harmonica
  • Winicjusz Chróst – guitar
  • Zdzisław Zawadzki – bass
  • Wojciech Morawski – drums
  • K. Urbańska – engineer
  • J. Urbański – recording supervisor

Track listing:

All lyrics by Bogdan Loebl, all music by Taduesz Nalepa.

  1. Cozy Zgadniesz
  2. Czułość Niosę Tobie
  3. Spiekota
  4. Modlitwa
  5. Bądź Słońcem
  6. Pójdę Prosto
  7. Koło Mego Okna
  8. Kamienie
  9. Tobie Ta Pieśń

Lynyrd Skynyrd: Second Helping

On April 15, 1974, “Sounds of the South” and “MCA” labels released “Second Helping”, the second Lynyrd Skynyrd studio album. It was recorded June 1973 – January 1974, at “Studio One” in Doraville, Georgia, “Record Plant Studios” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Al Kooper. In 1987, “Second Helping” was certified 2 x Platinum by RIAA.

Personnel:

  • Ronnie Van Zant – lead vocals
  • Gary Rossington – guitar
  • Allen Collins – guitar
  • Ed King – guitar, bass, backing vocals
  • Al Kooper – piano, backing vocals
  • Billy Powell – keyboards
  • Leon Wilkeson – bass, backing vocals
  • Bob Burns – drums
  • Mike Porter – drums
  • Bobby Keys, Trevor Lawrence, Steve Madaio – horns
  • Merry Clayton, Clydie King, Sherlie Matthews – backing vocals

Track listing:

  1. Sweet Home Alabama – Ed King, Gary Rossington, Ronnie Van Zant
  2. I Need You – Ed King, Gary Rossington, Ronnie Van Zant
  3. Don’t Ask Me No Questions – Gary Rossington, Ronnie Van Zant
  4. Workin’ for MCA – Ed King, Ronnie Van Zant
  5. The Ballad of Curtis Loew – Allen Collins, Ronnie Van Zant
  6. Swamp Music – Ed King, Ronnie Van Zant
  7. The Needle and the Spoon – Allen Collins, Ronnie Van Zant
  8. Call Me the Breeze – J. J. Cale

Nils Lofgren: Same

In March 1975, “A&M” label released the self-titled, debut Nils Lofgren studio album. It was recorded 1974 – 1975, at “Sound City Studios” in Los Angeles, and was produced by David Briggs.

Personnel:

  • Nils Lofgren – vocals, guitars, piano
  • Wornell Jones – bass
  • Aynsley Dunbar – drums
  • Stu Gardner – backing vocals
  • David Briggs – engineer
  • Roland Young – art direction
  • Junie Osaki – design
  • Ed Caraeff – photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Nils Lofgren, except where noted.

  1. Be Good Tonight
  2. Back It Up
  3. One More Saturday Night
  4. If I Say It, It’s So
  5. I Don’t Want to Know
  6. Keith Don’t Go (Ode to the Glimmer Twin)
  7. Can’t Buy a Break
  8. Duty
  9. The Sun Hasn’t Set on This Boy Yet
  10. Rock and Roll Crook
  11. Two by Two
  12. Goin’ Back – Gerry Goffin, Carole King

Peter Frampton: Somethin’s Happening

On March 19, 1974, “A&M” label released “Somethin’s Happening”, the third Peter Frampton studio album. It was recorded in 1973, at “Olympic” and “Island Studios” in London, “Headley Grange” in Hampshire, and was produced by Peter Frampton.

Personnel:

  • Peter Frampton – lead vocals, acoustic and electric guitar, guitar synthesizer, piano, organ, drums, percussion
  • Nicky Hopkins – piano
  • Rick Wills – vocals, bass
  • John Headley-Down (John Siomos) – drums, percussion
  • Hipgnosis – design

Track listing:

All tracks by Peter Frampton except where noted.

  1. Doobie Wah – Peter Frampton, John Siomos, Rick Wills
  2. Golden Goose
  3. Underhand
  4. I Wanna Go to the Sun
  5. Baby (Somethin’s Happening)
  6. Waterfall
  7. Magic Moon (Da Da Da Da Da!)
  8. Sail Away

Rush: Same

On March 18, 1974, “Moon” label released the self-titled, debut Rush studio album. It was recorded in November 1973, at “Eastern Sound”, “Toronto Sound” in Toronto, Canada, and was produced by Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and John Rutsey.

Personnel:

  • Alex Lifeson – guitar, backing vocals
  • Geddy Lee – lead vocals, bass guitar
  • John Rutsey – drums, percussion, backing vocals
  • Terry Brown – engineer, remix
  • Paul Weldon – design
  • BIC Photography – photography
  • SRO Productions – executive production

Track listing:

All tracks by Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson, except where noted

  1. Finding My Way
  2. Need Some Love
  3. Take a Friend
  4. Here Again
  5. What You’re Doing
  6. In the Mood
  7. Before and After – Geddy Lee
  8. Working Man

Smokey Robinson: Pure Smokey

On March 15, 1974, “Tamla” label released “Pure Smokey”, the second Smokey Robinson album. It was recorded September – December 1973, and was produced by Smokey Robinson and Willie Hutch.

Personnel:

  • Smokey Robinson – vocals, arrangements
  • Melvin “Wah Wah” Ragin – guitar
  • Marvin Tarplin – guitar
  • Henry Davis – bass guitar
  • Jeffrey Osborne – drums
  • Bobbye Hall – percussion
  • Russ Turner – keyboards, arrangements
  • Gene Page – arrangements
  • Bruce Ellison, Jim Hilton, Larry Miles, Russ Terrana, Tom Knox – recording
  • Russ Terrana – mixing
  • Robert Gleason – design
  • Jim Britt – photography

Track listing:

  1. It’s Her Turn to Live – Smokey Robinson, Marvin Tarplin
  2. The Love Between Me and My Kids – Smokey Robinson
  3. Asleep on My Love – Smokey Robinson, Marvin Tarplin
  4. I Am I Am – Smokey Robinson
  5. Just Passing Through – Marvin Tarplin, Janie Bradford, Al Cleveland
  6. Virgin Man – Smokey Robinson, Rose Ella Jones
  7. She’s Only a Baby Herself – Smokey Robinson
  8. Fulfill Your Need – Smokey Robinson, Marin Tarplin, Pamela Moffett
  9. A Tattoo – Smokey Robinson

Dragon: Scented Gardens For The Blind

In February 1975, “Vertigo” label released “Scented Gardens for the Blind”, the second Dragon studio album. It was recorded in December 1974, at “Stabbings Studio” in Auckland, New Zealand, and was produced by Rick Shadwell.

Personnel:

  • Ray Goodwin – vocals, guitars
  • Ivan Thompson – keyboards
  • Marc Hunter – vocals, saxophone, percussion
  • Todd Hunter – bass, backing vocals
  • Neil Storey – drums
  • Josie – backing vocals
  • Tony Moan – engineer
  • Super Graphics Ltd – artwork, design

Track listing:

  1. Vermillion Cellars – Marc Hunter, Todd Hunter, Ray Goodwin
  2. La Gash Lagoon – Marc Hunter, Todd Hunter, Ray Goodwin
  3. Sunburst – Ray Goodwin, Todd Hunter, Marc Hunter
  4. Greylynn Candy – Ray Goodwin, Todd Hunter
  5. Darkness – Marc Hunter, Todd Hunter, Ray Goodwin
  6. Scented Gardens for the Blind – Marc Hunter, Todd Hunter, Ray Goodwin