Knee Deep in the Hoopla

Last updated
Knee Deep in the Hoopla
Kneedeep2.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedSeptember 10, 1985
Recorded1984−1985
Studio
Genre AOR, pop rock
Length40:28
Label Grunt/RCA
Producer
Starship chronology
Knee Deep in the Hoopla
(1985)
No Protection
(1987)
Singles from Knee Deep in the Hoopla
  1. "We Built This City"
    Released: August 1985 (US) [1]
  2. "Sara"
    Released: December 1985
  3. "Tomorrow Doesn't Matter Tonight"
    Released: April 1986
  4. "Before I Go"
    Released: June 1986 [2]

Knee Deep in the Hoopla is the debut studio album by American AOR band Starship, the succeeding musical project to Jefferson Starship. It was released on September 10, 1985, through record label Grunt.

Contents

Four singles were released from the album: the No. 1 hits "We Built This City" and "Sara", "Tomorrow Doesn't Matter Tonight" (No. 26 US Hot 100) and "Before I Go" (No. 68 US Hot 100).

Content

AllMusic retrospectively described Knee Deep in the Hoopla as the Jefferson Airplane/Jefferson Starship/Starship project's "most overtly commercial effort to date". [3]

The track "Desperate Heart", written by Michael Bolton and Randy Goodrum, also appears on Bolton's album Everybody's Crazy , released the same year. Two songs sung by Grace Slick were recorded for but left off the album: Slick's own "Do You Remember Me?" (released on The Best of Grace Slick ) and the Peter Wolf–Jeremy Smith composition "Casualty" (included as a bonus track on the 1999 remaster). Jeannette and Pete Sears wrote a song for the album called "One More Innocent", but it was rejected for its political lyrics. [4]

Cash Box said of the track "Tomorrow Doesn't Matter Tonight" that "Mickey Thomas’ sensational lead vocal keeps this cut aloft with exhilerating sonic flight" and that "It slices like a double bladed sword, and backed by searing rock guitars and a churning rhythm." [5] Billboard called that song "exemplary American AOR of the '80s, interrupted only by an ethereal bridge." [6]

Release

Knee Deep in the Hoopla was released on September 10, 1985, through record label Grunt.

Four singles were released from the album: the No. 1 hits "We Built This City" and "Sara", "Tomorrow Doesn't Matter Tonight" and "Before I Go".

The album was certified platinum by the RIAA.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [3]
People negative [7]

Knee Deep in the Hoopla received a negative response from professional music critics.

Track listing

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."We Built This City" Bernie Taupin, Martin Page, Dennis Lambert, Peter Wolf 4:53
2."Sara"Ina Wolf, P. Wolf4:52
3."Tomorrow Doesn't Matter Tonight"Steven Cristol, Robin Randall3:41
4."Rock Myself to Sleep" Kimberley Rew, Vince De la Cruz 3:24
5."Desperate Heart" Randy Goodrum, Michael Bolton 4:04
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
6."Private Room" Craig Chaquico, Mickey Thomas 4:51
7."Before I Go"David Roberts5:30
8."Hearts of the World (Will Understand)"Stephen Broughton Lunt, Arthur Stead4:21
9."Love Rusts"Taupin, Page4:57
Remastered CD bonus track
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
10."Casualty"P. Wolf, Jeremy Smith4:34

Personnel

Per liner notes [8]

Additional personnel

Love Rusts backing vocals

Production

Singles

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada) [19] Platinum100,000^
United States (RIAA) [20] Platinum1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

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References

  1. RIAA Gold and Platinum Database [ permanent dead link ]
  2. Strong, Martin Charles (1995). The Great Rock Discography. p. 430. ISBN   9780862415419.
  3. 1 2 McCombs, Joseph. "Knee Deep in the Hoopla – Starship | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic . Archived from the original on December 15, 2017. Retrieved March 12, 2019.
  4. Sears, Jeannette (January 3, 2012). "We Built This City". jeannettesears.com. Archived from the original on September 26, 2015. Retrieved October 22, 2015.
  5. "Single Releases" (PDF). Cash Box. April 5, 1986. p. 11. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-01-20. Retrieved 2022-08-04.
  6. "Reviews". Billboard. April 5, 1986. p. 71. Retrieved 2022-08-03.
  7. "Pick and Pans Review: Knee Deep in the Hoopla". People . November 11, 1985. Archived from the original on April 5, 2020. Retrieved March 12, 2019.
  8. Knee Deep In The Hoopla (liner notes). Grunt. 1985. FL85488.
  9. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 291. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
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