Heard Ya Missed Me, Well I'm Back

Last updated
Heard Ya Missed Me, Well I'm Back
Sly-stone-heard-you-missed-1976.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedDecember 18, 1976 (1976-12-18)
Recorded1976
Genre Funk
Length33:30
Label Epic
Producer Sly Stone
Sly and the Family Stone chronology
Small Talk
(1974)
Heard Ya Missed Me, Well I'm Back
(1976)
Back on the Right Track
(1979)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [1]
Christgau's Record Guide B− [2]

Heard Ya Missed Me, Well I'm Back is the eighth studio album by American funk/soul/rock band Sly and the Family Stone, released by Epic/CBS Records in 1976. This album is an effort to return the idea of the "Family Stone" band to singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Sly Stone's work, after his previous album, High on You , was released without the Family Stone name. It also reflects the beginnings of change in the concept of "Sly and the Family Stone". The original Family Stone had broken up in 1975, and a new Family Stone was assembled for this album: the only holdover is stalwart Family Stone trumpet player Cynthia Robinson. Vet Stone and Elva Mouton, both formerly members of Family Stone backing band Little Sister, are credited as providing "additional background vocals", and John Colla (aka Johnny Colla) is credited as providing "alto and soprano saxes, vocals". Colla would go on to become a founding member and integral part of "Huey Lewis and The News", both producing and penning such hits as "Heart of Rock & Roll", "Power of Love", and "If This Is It".

Contents

Background

Formerly a tangible self-contained band, the Family Stone broke up in January 1975 after a disastrous booking at the Radio City Music Hall. Subsequent to his 1975 solo album, Stone returned to using the name of his former band, although they were largely solo recordings.

From this point on, each "Sly & the Family Stone" album would essentially be a Sly Stone solo recording, with contributions from a varying group of collaborators. Sometimes, members of the original Family Stone would participate in the sessions, and sometimes session players and new members would work with Stone as well. For the most part, however, Stone performed a large part of the instrumentation for each song on his own using multitracking (as he had been doing for Family Stone LPs since There's a Riot Goin' On in 1971). This album, like the others, includes a combination of all three types of recordings.

Only one single was released from this LP, "Family Again" b/w "Nothing Less than Happiness", which failed to chart. Epic released Sly from his recording contract in 1977, and released a remix album Ten Years Too Soon, in 1979. Ten Years Too Soon took several Sly & the Family Stone hits (among them "Dance to the Music", "Stand!", and "Everyday People") and had them reimagined as disco songs.

Track listing

All songs credit Sly Stone as songwriter and producer.

Side A

  1. "Heard Ya Missed Me, Well I'm Back" - 3:55
  2. "What Was I Thinkin' in My Head" - 3:58
  3. "Nothing Less Than Happiness" - 2:57
  4. "Sexy Situation" - 2:55
  5. "Blessing in Disguise" - 3:48

Side B

  1. "Everything in You" - 3:14
  2. "Mother Is a Hippie" - 3:01
  3. "Let's Be Together" - 3:36
  4. "The Thing" - 3:20
  5. "Family Again" - 2:46

Personnel

Sly & the Family Stone

Assisting musicians

Tour

Date [3] CityCountryVenue
3 November 1976San AntonioUnited StatesSan Antonio Convention Center
5 November 1976DallasConvention Center
6 November 1976NormanUniversity Of Oklahoma
7 November 1976TulsaAssemble Center
10 November 1976ShreveportHirsch Coliseum
12 November 1976NashvilleCivic Auditorium
14 November 1976BaltimoreCivic Auditorium
18 November 1976PittsburghCivic Arena
19 November 1976RoanokeCivic Auditorium
20 November 1976CharlotteCharlotte Coliseum
21 November 1976GreensboroColiseum
24 November 1976BirminghamColiseum
25 November 1976MontgomeryCivic Auditorium
26 November 1976MaconColiseum
27 November 1976ColumbusEntertainment Centre
28 November 1976MobileColiseum
1 December 1976St. PetersburgBay Front Centre
3 December 1976JacksonvilleJacksonville Coliseum
4 December 1976HollywoodHollywood Sportatorium
5 December 1976LakelandCivic Auditorium
7 December 1976SavannahCivic Auditorium
9 December 1976FayettevilleMemorial Auditorium
10 December 1976HamptonHampton Roades Coliseum
11 December 1976ColumbiaCarolina Coliseum
12 December 1976CharlestonCivic Auditoruim
17 December 1976New York CityMadison Square Garden
26 December 1976LargoCommunity Center
27 December 1976PhiladelphiaThe Spectrum
30 December 1976AtlantaThe Omni
31 December 1976
1 January 1977HuntsvilleVan Braun Coliseum

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References

  1. Heard Ya Missed Me, Well I'm Back at AllMusic
  2. Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: S". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies . Ticknor & Fields. ISBN   089919026X . Retrieved March 9, 2019 via robertchristgau.com.
  3. "SEARCH: Cash Box Magazine, Click on 20 November 1976". www.americanradiohistory.com. Retrieved 2019-01-20.