Tag Archives: Lou Beach

Yellow Magic Orchestra: Solid State Survivor

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On September 25, 1979, “Alfa” label released “Solid State Survivor”, the second Yellow Magic Orchestra studio album. It was recorded March – June 1979, at “Alfa Studio A” in Shibaura, Tokyo, Japan, and was produced by Haruomi Hasono.

Personnel:

  • Ryuichi Sakamoto – keyboards, vocoder, electronics, arrangements, remix, cover conception
  • Haruomi Hosono – bass guitar, synth bass, keyboards, vocoder, electronics, arrangements, remix, cover conception
  • Yukihiro Takahashi – vocals, drums, electronic drums, electronics, arrangements, remix, cover concept, costume design
  • Hideki Matsutake – Microcomposer programming
  • Sandii – vocals
  • Makoto Ayukawa – electric guitar
  • Norio Yoshizawa – recording, remixing
  • Mitsuo Koike – recording
  • Masako Hikasa, Akira Ikuta – recording coordinators
  • Heikichi Harata – art director
  • Lou Beach – logo type
  • Masayoshi Sukita – photography
  • Kunihiko Murai, Shōrō Kawazoe – executive producers
  • Bricks – costumes
  • Takehime, Fumiko Iura, Mayo Tsutsumi – stylists
  • Mikio Honda (Clip) – hair

Track listing:

All tracks by Chris Mosdell, except where noted.

  1. Technopolis – Ryuichi Sakamoto
  2. Absolute Ego Dance – Haruomi Hosono
  3. Rydeen – Yukihiro Takahashi
  4. Castalia – Ryuichi Sakamoto
  5. Behind the Mask – lyrics by Chris Mosdell, music by Ryuichi Sakamoto
  6. Day Tripper – Lennon – McCartney
  7. Insomnia – lyrics by Chris Mosdell, music by Haruomi Hosono
  8. Solid State Survivor – lyrics by Chris Mosdell, music by Yukihiro Takahaski

Bill Withers: Menagerie

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In December 1977, “Columbia” label released “Menagerie”, the sixth Bill Withers studio album. It was recorded in 1977, at “The Record Plant” in Los Angeles, “A&R Recording” in New York City, and was produced by Bill Withers, Keni Burke, Clarence McDonald and Clifford Coulter.

Personnel:

  • Bill Withers – lead and backing vocals, guitar, keyboards
  • Ray Parker Jr. – guitar
  • Clarence McDonald – keyboards, string arrangements, horn arrangements, arrangements
  • Dean Gant – keyboards
  • Clifford Coulter – keyboards, synthesizer solo
  • Mike Jones – synthesizers
  • Jerry Knight – bass
  • Keni Burke – bass
  • Russ Kunkel – drums, shaker
  • Alvin Taylor – drums
  • Ralph MacDonald – percussion
  • Paul Riser – horn arrangements, string arrangements
  • Charles Veal – concertmaster
  • Pat Hodges – backing vocals
  • Denita James – backing vocals
  • Jessica Smith – backing vocals
  • Phil Jantaas – assistant engineer
  • Roger Carpenter – design
  • Lou Beach – illustration
  • Elliot Gilbert – photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Bill Withers, except where noted.

  1. Lovely Day – Bill Withers, Skip Scarborough
  2. I Want to Spend the Night
  3. Lovely Night for Dancing
  4. Then You Smile at Me – Bill Withers, Clarence McDonald
  5. She Wants To (Get on Down) – Bill Withers, Larry Nash
  6. It Ain’t because of Me Baby – Bill Withers, Michael Jones
  7. Tender Things
  8. Wintertime – Cliff Coulter
  9. Let Me Be the One You Need – Bill Withers, Skip Scarborough

Weather Report: Mr. Gone

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In September 1978, “ARC” label released “Mr. Gone”, the ninth Weather Report album. It was recorded in May 1978, at “Devonshire Sound Studios” in Hollywood, and was produced by Joe Zawinul and Jaco Pastorius.

Personnel:

  • Joe Zawinul- modified Rhodes 88 electric piano, acoustic piano, two ARP 2600 synthesizers, Oberheim polyphonic synthesizer, Sequential Circuits Prophet 5 synthesizer, Mu-Tron Bi-Phase and Mu-Tron Volume Wah effects, kalimba, thumbeki drums, sleigh bells, melodica, high hat, voice
  • Wayne Shorter- tenor, alto and soprano saxophone, voice
  • Jaco Pastorius- bass, drums, timpani, voice
  • Peter Erskine- drums , high hat , voice
  • Tony Williams, Steve Gadd- drums
  • Manolo Badrena- voice solo
  • Jon Lucien, Deniece Williams- voice
  • Maurice White- vocal
  • Alex Kazanegras – engineer
  • Dave Mancini – second engineer
  • Nancy Donald – design
  • Lou Beach – cover illustration

Track listing:

  1. The Pursuit of the Woman with the Feathered Hat – Joe Zawinul
  2. River People – Jaco Pastorius
  3. Young and Fine – Joe Zawinul
  4. The Elders – Wayne Shorter, arranged by Joe Zawinul
  5. Gone – Joe Zawinul
  6. Punk Jazz – Jaco Pastorius
  7. Pinocchio – Wayne Shorter
  8. And Then – music – Joe Zawinul, lyrics – Sam Guest