Chestnut Street Incident | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | October 1, 1976 | |||
Recorded | 1975 | |||
Studio | Gilfoy Sound Studio, Bloomington, Indiana, The Hit Factory, New York City | |||
Genre | Heartland rock | |||
Length | 33:42 | |||
Label | MCA | |||
Producer | Tony Defries, James J. C. Andrews | |||
Johnny Cougar chronology | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1] |
Classic Rock | [2] |
Rolling Stone | [3] |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [4] |
Chestnut Street Incident is the debut studio album by John Mellencamp, then known as "Johnny Cougar," released in 1976. [3]
Signing on with David Bowie's manager, Tony Defries, Mellencamp travelled to New York City to cut this first album. DeFries would also go on to produce the album as well. With the thinking that a name like "Mellencamp" wouldn't generate a lot of interest, DeFries changed Mellencamp's name to "Johnny Cougar." [5] Mellencamp would later go on to say that he had no idea about the name change until he saw the final product and that nobody had ever called him "Johnny" before. It would take Mellencamp 15 years to have his full real name on an album, Whenever We Wanted , in 1991. [6] [1] [7] [3]
Five of the tracks are covers from the '50s and '60s, [3] and six are original songs by Mellencamp. The 1998 Original Masters rerelease added two bonus songs that were also covers. [1] The album sold 12,000 copies when it was originally released, which would lead to MCA's refusal to release his next album, The Kid Inside , and drop Mellencamp. [7]
The 2009 CD reissue by Cherry Red Records added six bonus tracks recorded during the original album sessions. [8]
All tracks composed by Johnny Cougar (a.k.a. John Mellencamp); except where indicated [1]
Technical personnel
James Newell Osterberg Jr., known professionally as Iggy Pop, is an American singer, musician, songwriter, actor, and radio broadcaster. He was the vocalist and lyricist of proto-punk band The Stooges, who were formed in 1967 and have disbanded and reunited many times since. Often called the "Godfather of Punk", he was named one of the 50 Great Voices by NPR. In 2010, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as a member of the Stooges. Pop also received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020, for his solo work.
John J. Mellencamp, previously known as Johnny Cougar, John Cougar, and John Cougar Mellencamp, is an American singer-songwriter. He is known for his catchy brand of heartland rock, which emphasizes traditional instrumentation. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2008, followed by an induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2018.
Raw Power is the third studio album by American rock band the Stooges, released on February 7, 1973 by Columbia Records. The album departed from the "groove-ridden, feel-based songs" of the band's first two records in favor of a more anthemic hard rock approach inspired by new guitarist James Williamson, who co-wrote the album's eight songs with singer Iggy Pop. Pop produced the recording sessions himself and David Bowie assisted with post-production work, though the team were allotted only one day to mix the album and the resulting fidelity was poor. Later reissues have attempted to either correct or enhance the original mix, most notably Pop's 1997 remix which became notorious for its extreme volume and compression.
Soldier is the fourth studio album by American rock singer Iggy Pop. It was released in February 1980 by record label Arista.
"Jack & Diane" is a song written and performed by American singer-songwriter John Mellencamp, then performing as "John Cougar." Described by critics as a "love ballad", this song was released as the second single from Mellencamp's 1982 album American Fool, and was chosen by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) as one of the Songs of the Century. It spent four weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1982 and is Mellencamp's most successful hit single.
Brick by Brick is the ninth studio album by American singer Iggy Pop, released in June 1990 by Virgin Records.
The Idiot is the debut studio album by American musician Iggy Pop, released on March 18, 1977 through RCA Records. It was produced by David Bowie and primarily recorded at the Château d'Hérouville in Hérouville, France. The album followed the break-up of Pop's band the Stooges in 1974 and a period of drug addiction for both Pop and Bowie, after which the two moved to Europe in an effort to kick their addictions.
New Values is the third studio album by American musician Iggy Pop. It was released in July 1979 by record label Arista.
The Lonesome Jubilee is the ninth studio album by American singer-songwriter John Mellencamp, credited as John Cougar Mellencamp. The album was released by Mercury Records on August 24, 1987. Four singles were released from the album, the first two in 1987 and the last two in 1988.
Uh-Huh is a 1983 album by John Cougar Mellencamp, a stage name for John Mellencamp and a transition from his early work under the name John Cougar. It was Mellencamp's seventh studio album and the first in which he used his real last name. It charted at #9 on the Billboard 200.
Dance Naked is the thirteenth studio album by American singer-songwriter John Mellencamp released on June 21, 1994. The album was released in response to the record company's accusations that Mellencamp's previous album, Human Wheels, didn't "fit the format." Mellencamp was irritated with this remark, feeling that none of his albums ever fit the format. As a result, he wrote several purposely radio-friendly songs and recorded them within the span of 14 days at his Belmont Mall recording studio in Belmont, Indiana, intending to show the lack of effort required to produce the type of album they were asking for.
Avenue B is the twelfth studio album by American rock singer Iggy Pop, released in 1999.
Blah-Blah-Blah is the seventh studio album by American musician Iggy Pop. Originally released in October 1986, on the label A&M, it remains his most commercially successful album to date. Blah-Blah-Blah appeared after a four-year hiatus for Pop, with David Bowie serving as his prime collaborator. It would be their final collaboration. A successful tour followed the album's release.
TV Eye Live 1977 is a live album by American musician Iggy Pop originally released in 1978. Iggy took a $90,000 advance from RCA Records to finish his contract with a live album. According to AllMusic, the album was assembled from soundboard tapes. Iggy Pop doctored them in a German studio, quickly and cheaply for around $5,000. The album features recordings from concerts on March 21 & 22, 1977 at The Agora in Cleveland, Ohio; on March 28, 1977 at The Aragon in Chicago, Illinois; and on October 26, 1977 at The Uptown Theater in Kansas City, Missouri.
A Biography is John Mellencamp's second released album, and last credited to his then-stage name "Johnny Cougar." Recorded in London, it was released in the UK and Australia by Riva Records on March 6, 1978.
The Kid Inside is the sixth studio album by American singer-songwriter John Mellencamp. It was released January 27, 1983 by MainMan Records. It was recorded in 1977 for MCA Records and was intended to be the follow-up to his debut album Chestnut Street Incident, but MCA declined to release the album and dropped Mellencamp from the label. The recordings remained unreleased until 1983 when Tony Defries, Mellencamp's former manager, released the album on his own MainMan label. Defries was attempting to capitalize on the recent success of Mellencamp's breakout album American Fool, which was one of the best-selling albums of 1982 and spawned two top 5 singles.
Anthony Defries is a British former music manager and impresario. He managed David Bowie's career during his elevation to global stardom, but later fell out with him in a contract dispute. He established a rights management organisation called MainMan and helped launch the careers of Iggy Pop, Mick Ronson, Mott the Hoople, Dana Gillespie, Lou Reed, Luther Vandross and John Cougar Mellencamp. Defries and MainMan have received multiple awards for their achievements in the music industry.
"I Need a Lover" is the debut single by John Mellencamp, first released in 1978 under the stage name "Johnny Cougar". A music video for the song directed by David McMahon was released the same year, also being Mellencamp's first music video. The song was covered by Pat Benatar a year later and also had a hit with it.
George Michael Green was an American songwriter. His collaborations with his childhood friend John Mellencamp include the Top 10 Billboard hits "Crumblin' Down" and "Hurts So Good", as well as "Key West Intermezzo ", a #1 hit in Canada.
"Cherry Bomb" is a song by American rock singer John Mellencamp. It was released as the second single from Mellencamp's ninth studio album, The Lonesome Jubilee (1987). "Cherry Bomb" is a nostalgic song that reflects on Mellencamp's teenage years hanging out at the Last Exit Teen Club. The single was released in the United States in October 1987, backed with the B-side "Shama Lama Ding Dong".