Fantastic Plastic (album)

Last updated
Fantastic Plastic
FlaminGroovies Fantastic.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedSeptember 22, 2017
RecordedStudio D Recording and Severn Sound Studios
Genre Power pop
Length39:38
Label Severn
Producer Cyril Jordan, J. Jaffe
The Flamin' Groovies chronology
A Bucket of Brains
(1995)
Fantastic Plastic
(2017)

Fantastic Plastic is the ninth studio album by The Flamin' Groovies, released on September 22, 2017, and produced by Cyril Jordan and J. Jaffe. [1] The first new album from the Groovies since 1993, it features the reunion of the Groovies most commercially successful line-up, the classic 1970s combo of guitarists/vocalists Jordan and Chris Wilson and bassist George Alexander, who recorded three albums together before splitting up in 1981. [2]

Contents

Background

For 2013, the Hoodoo Gurus, with whom the Flamin' Groovies had played in Australia, put together an invitational named Dig It Up to play at four cities in Australia and invited Jordan to participate. [3] Jordan then invited Alexander and Wilson, who both agreed to the limited tour, and the band added drummer Victor Penalosa. [1] After the Australian dates, the band chose to stay together and eventually recorded a single ("Crazy Macy") to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Groovies in 1968, which was released on vinyl in 2016. [1] This album followed the next year.

In addition to the members of the Groovies, co-producer/engineer J. Jaffe, bassist Alec Palao and drummer Prairie Prince, who were original members of Jordan's mid-2000s band "Magic Christian", and bassist Steve Gomes and drummer Rob Stupka of the Fabulous Thunderbirds also perform on the album. [4] The NRBQ song "I Want You Bad", one of the Groovies' two non-originals on the album, was previously covered by the group's 1970s producer Dave Edmunds.

Jordan painted the album cover as an homage to MAD Magazine artist Jack Davis; it draws from Davis' cover for the 1959 Hans Conried/Alice Pearce novelty album Monster Rally. [2] Also, the album and CD label pays homage to the Laurie Records labels of the 1960s. [2] The cover also shows images of the Flamin' Groovies previous albums on Sire Records: three studio albums recorded by this incarnation of the band ( Shake Some Action , Flamin' Groovies Now , and Jumpin' in the Night ), along with the group's greatest hits album focused on that period (Groovies' Greatest Grooves). [4]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Cyril Jordan and Chris Wilson except where noted.

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."What the Hell's Goin' On" 4:45
2."End of the World" 3:54
3."Don't Talk to Strangers" Ron Elliott, Bob Durand3:04
4."Let Me Rock" 3:55
5."She Loves Me" 2:35
6."I Want You Bad" Terry Adams, Phil Crandon2:55
7."Crazy Macy" 3:01
8."Lonely Hearts" 2:59
9."Just Like a Hurricane" 2:57
10."Fallen Star" 3:10
11."I'd Rather Spend My Time with You" 2:23
12."Cryin' Shame" 4:02

Personnel

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Stems</span> Australian garage punk band from Perth, Western Australia

The Stems are a garage punk band formed in Perth, Western Australia in late 1983. They were founded by Dom Mariani in late 1983. The Stems are heavily influenced by 1960s garage rock and 1970s power pop. The band initially broke up in August 1987 and reformed in 2003, releasing a new album in 2007. Although the group disbanded in October 2009, as of 2013 The Stems are an ongoing live concern.

Flamin' Groovies is an American rock band that formed in San Francisco in 1965, originally co-led by Roy Loney and Cyril Jordan. After the Groovies released three albums, on Epic (Supersnazz) and Kama Sutra, Loney left the band in 1971. He was replaced as co-leader by Chris Wilson, and the band's emphasis shifted more toward British Invasion power pop.

<i>Shake Some Action</i> 1976 studio album by Flamin Groovies

Shake Some Action is the fourth studio album by American rock band the Flamin' Groovies. The album was released in June 1976 by Sire Records. The title Shake Some Action originates from a line in the 1965 film None but the Brave.

<i>Children of Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the Second Psychedelic Era, 1976–1995</i> 2005 box set by Various artists

Children of Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the Second Psychedelic Era, 1976–1996 is a box set compilation album of alternative pop music, released in 2005 by Rhino Records. The set consists of four compact discs of songs recorded between 1976 and 1996, with most of the recordings stemming from the 1980s. The title refers to the original Nuggets LP, which was first issued in 1972 and whose music influenced the bands featured on Children of Nuggets.

Michael Ray Wilhelm was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter, best known as a founding member of the influential Bay Area band the Charlatans, who have been widely credited as starting the Haight-Ashbury psychedelic scene during the 1960s. He later played with the bands Loose Gravel and the Flamin' Groovies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Baker (musician)</span> Australian musician

James Lawrence Baker is an Australian musician, best known as the drummer of various rock and punk rock groups, including the Victims, the Scientists, Hoodoo Gurus, Beasts of Bourbon, and the Dubrovniks. In 2006 Baker was inducted into the West Australian Music Industry Hall of Fame. The following year, Hoodoo Gurus were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame.

<i>Teenage Head</i> (Flamin Groovies album) 1971 studio album by The Flamin Groovies

Teenage Head is the third studio album by the San Francisco rock band Flamin' Groovies, released in March 1971 by Kama Sutra Records.

<i>Groovies Greatest Grooves</i> 1989 compilation album by The Flamin Groovies

Groovies' Greatest Grooves is a 1989 compilation album by U.S. rock band the Flamin' Groovies, released by Sire Records. The tracks were selected by Rolling Stone Senior Writer Michael Goldberg and freelance rock critic Michael Snyder, who also co-wrote the liner notes. Goldberg and Snyder wanted to emphasize the Groovies' original material, and so 18 of the album's 24 songs are Groovies originals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Sneetches (band)</span> American indie pop/power pop band, 1985–1995

The Sneetches were an American indie pop/power pop band formed in San Francisco, California, United States, in 1985, who released several albums before splitting up in the mid-1990s. The band was described by Trouser Press as "one of the most tasteful, consistently tuneful pop bands on the American scene". In 2017, All Music described The Sneetches as "one of the best classic guitar pop bands in the late '80s/early '90s."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Wilson (American musician)</span> American guitarist of Flamin Groovies, born 1952

Chris Wilson is a guitarist and multi instrumentalist, most known for his role as the singer of the best-remembered line-up San Francisco band the Flamin' Groovies, having replaced original singer Roy Loney in 1971. With Wilson on lead vocals, the band released their influential 1976 album Shake Some Action.

Cyril Jordan is a guitarist and founding member of San Francisco cult band the Flamin' Groovies. Jordan founded the band in 1965, playing with them until they initially disbanded in 1992.

<i>Flamingo</i> (Flamin Groovies album) 1970 studio album by The Flamin Groovies

Flamingo is the second studio album by the rock band the Flamin' Groovies. It was released in 1970. Following the group's departure from the Epic record label, it was the first of their two albums for Kama Sutra Records.

<i>Supersnazz</i> 1969 studio album by The Flamin Groovies

Supersnazz is the debut studio album by the rock band the Flamin' Groovies. It was released in 1969 on the Epic label. The release was their only album recorded expressly for a major record label, although all of their next five albums were distributed by major labels. Supersnazz was later released in compact disc format in 2000 on Sundazed Records with four edits of songs from the album included as bonus tracks.

<i>Flamin Groovies Now</i> 1978 studio album by The Flamin Groovies

Flamin' Groovies Now is a studio album by The Flamin' Groovies, released in 1978. It was produced by Dave Edmunds, and marked a resurgence of the San Francisco band. It brought them to international audiences informed by the post-punk ethic of simplicity that chimed with their classic West Coast melodic pop.

<i>Jumpin in the Night</i> 1979 studio album by The Flamin Groovies

Jumpin' in the Night is the sixth studio album by The Flamin' Groovies, released in 1979. It was produced by Cyril Jordan and Roger Bechirian.

<i>One Night Stand</i> (Flamin Groovies album) 1987 studio album by The Flamin Groovies

One Night Stand is an album by the Flamin' Groovies. It was released in 1987 and produced by Cyril Jordan, who also provided the cover art. The album was recorded "live in the studio" in a single night in Australia by the then-current version of the Groovies during a "grueling" tour of Australia, Japan and Europe.

<i>Rock Juice</i> 1993 studio album by Flamin Groovies

Rock Juice is the eighth studio album by the Flamin' Groovies, released in September 1993 and produced by Cyril Jordan, who also provided the cover art, and Karl Derfler. The album was completed by Jordan and Groovies' bassist George Alexander after the group's breakup in 1991, and they are the only musicians credited in the liner notes.

<i>A Bucket of Brains</i> 1995 studio album by Flamin Groovies

A Bucket of Brains is a studio EP/CD by the Flamin' Groovies, primarily consisting of seven songs recorded by the group while living in England and recording for the British branch of United Artists Records ("UA") in 1972. The songs were intended to form the basis of the Groovies' fourth studio album, to be entitled A Bucket of Brains. Six of the songs were produced by Dave Edmunds, while the seventh was produced by Groovies' leader Cyril Jordan. The eighth song on the album is the original "correct speed" studio version of the Groovies' most famous song, "Shake Some Action".

<i>Step Up</i> (Flamin Groovies album) 1991 studio album by Flamin Groovies

Step Up is a compilation album of in-studio demos recorded by the Flamin' Groovies in the San Francisco Bay Area between 1984 and 1989 and released in 1991. The demos were produced by Cyril Jordan and engineered and mixed by Karl Derfler, and the album was released shortly after the band broke up. However, after the breakup, eight of the 13 songs were reworked and remixed by Jordan and Derfler, along with removing all lead and backing vocals except for those by Jordan and Groovies' bassist George Alexander, and were then ultimately issued on the Groovies' eighth studio album Rock Juice in 1993.

Alejandro "Alec" Palao is a British musician, music historian, writer, and reissue producer. In addition to his musical output with groups like the Sting-Rays, the Sneetches, and Mushroom, his works include hundreds of production credits and liner notes on important compilations of vintage rock and soul from Ace Records, Rhino Records, and others, plus a wide array of music-related print and film credits. Palao is unusual in that he normally supervises each aspect of the projects he compiles, including audio transfers and restoration as well as research and liner notes. Honors include five Grammy Award nominations for historical albums and liner notes.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Graff, Gary (July 25, 2017). "The Flamin' Groovies Classic '70s Lineup Reunites for New Album: Exclusive". Billboard Magazine . Retrieved October 28, 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 Smotroff, Mark (August 23, 2017). "A Flamin' Groovies Kind of Plastic Fantastic Love". AudiophileReview.com. Retrieved October 28, 2017.
  3. Jones, Nicholas (2013-02-01). "The Hoodoo Gurus' Dig It Up 2013 Lineup Announced". Tone Deaf (AU). Retrieved 2017-10-29.
  4. 1 2 Performer listing and references to prior albums per sleeve credits.