| Red | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 14 September 1998 | |||
| Recorded | December 1997–July 1998 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 40:01 | |||
| Label | Gnatfish | |||
| T'Pau chronology | ||||
| ||||
Red is the fourth studio album by British pop-rock group T'Pau, which was released by Gnatfish in 1998. As the first T'Pau album since 1991's The Promise , Red features singer Carol Decker as the only member from the original line-up. This was not issued in the U.S.
In the years after T'Pau's split in 1992, Decker continued to occasionally perform as a solo artist. In 1997, after finding new management, she formed a new line-up of T'Pau in order to begin touring again. As the only original member, Decker originally considered touring under her own name, but was advised that using the T'Pau name would generate more recognition. That year, the band undertook a 25-date UK tour and also released a new version of the band's 1986 hit "Heart and Soul" as "Heart and Soul '97". [1] [2] Decker recorded Red between December 1997 to July 1998 at Roundhouse Studios in London. The album, which was released in September 1998, was supported by a thirty-six date tour named "The Red Tour". Further promotional activities included a live session for Virgin Radio and an appearance on VH1, which Decker also filmed material for in New York. Later in November and December 1998, T'Pau supported Status Quo on the German and UK leg of their Tour "It's Good to Tour". [3] To promote the album, a radio promo single, "With a Little Luck", was released. Red was not a commercial success, nor was a re-recorded version of "Giving Up the Ghost", which was released in 1999. [4]
In a 2011 interview with Old School - Back to the 80s, Decker spoke of the album, "I would've loved to have gotten the same level of success again [with Red]. It didn't happen although I did sell a lot of albums on the road." [5] Speaking to Super Deluxe Edition in 2013, she added, "I recorded Red when I was pregnant with my daughter. I toured it up and down the UK, and then I went across Europe with Status Quo and I left her behind when she was six months old. I sulked my way across Germany – it was just awful. I hadn't been a mum before. I left her safe and sound and well sorted, but I didn't take into consideration being a new mother, separated from her daughter after six months, with hormones raging... I was in bits." [6]
Red was released in September 1998 in the UK by Decker's own label Gnatfish. [7] [8] It was given a release in the United States on 9 November 1999 by Renaissance Records as a two-disc set, with the additional disc containing three tracks: the re-recorded "Heart and Soul '97", a live, unplugged version of the band's 1987 UK number one hit "China in Your Hand", and the demo version of the album track "Do the Right Dance". [9]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [10] |
On its release, Dave Ling of Classic Rock wrote, "Sonically, T'Pau still favour smooth, occasionally faceless walls of melody best exemplified on 'Now That You're Gone' and 'Make Love to Me'. Could have lived without the Big Country flavoured 'Do the Right Dance'; and surely Paul McCartney will be suing Decker for re-writing Wings' 'With a Little Luck' and re-titling it 'Wing and a Prayer'? Nevertheless, this is a solid enough comeback album." [11] Heather Phares of AllMusic stated, "The group's smooth pop sounds remain intact on songs like 'With a Little Luck,' 'Now That You're Gone,' 'Giving Up the Ghost,' and 'Let It All Fall.' [10]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "With a Little Luck" | Carol Decker, Ronnie Rogers, J. David | 3:40 |
| 2. | "Now That You're Gone" | Decker, Scott Taylor | 3:14 |
| 3. | "Do the Right Dance" | Decker, Rogers, D. Howard | 4:18 |
| 4. | "Wing & A Prayer" | Decker, S. Darlow | 4:00 |
| 5. | "Giving Up the Ghost" | Decker | 4:54 |
| 6. | "Make Love to Me" | Decker, Rogers, R. Feldman | 3:28 |
| 7. | "Say You Will" | Decker, Taylor | 3:08 |
| 8. | "Love Song" | Decker, P. Harvey | 4:36 |
| 9. | "Let It All Fall" | Decker, Darlow | 4:36 |
| 10. | "Sweet Dreams" | Decker, Rogers, J. Dunkley, G. Clayton, S. Boorer | 4:06 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Heart and Soul '97" | Decker, Rogers | 3:55 |
| 2. | "China in Your Hand (Live and Unplugged)" | Decker, Rogers | 5:23 |
| 3. | "Do the Right Dance (Demo)" | Decker | 4:21 |
Production
Other
T'Pau are an English pop group formed in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, led by singer Carol Decker. They had a string of top 40 hits in the UK during the late 1980s and early 1990s, most notably "China in Your Hand", "Heart and Soul" and "Valentine", and several hits in the rest of Europe, before disbanding in 1992. Decker still performs under the name T'Pau at solo shows and 1980s nostalgia concerts, and in 2013 she reunited with original band member and co-songwriter Ronnie Rogers for a 25th-anniversary UK tour.
Nicholas David Kershaw is an English singer, songwriter, musician and record producer.
Carol Ann Decker is an English singer and musician. She is the lead vocalist of the band T'Pau, which had international success in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Although Decker is mainly associated with the group, she also released "One Heart", a solo single in 1995, to support the centenary of the formation of the Northern Rugby Football Union and sometimes performs solo at shows and festivals.
Bridge of Spies is the debut studio album by English pop group T'Pau, released on 14 September 1987 by Siren Records. In the United States and Canada, Virgin Records released the album under the title T'Pau.
"China in Your Hand" is a song by English pop group T'Pau from their debut studio album, Bridge of Spies (1987). A re-recorded version was released as a single in October 1987, spending five weeks at number one on the UK Singles Chart. "China in Your Hand" was the 600th single to top the UK chart and kept George Harrison's "Got My Mind Set on You" from hitting the top spot. The song also reached number one in Belgium, Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway and Switzerland. In 2015, the song was voted by the British public as the nation's 11th favourite 1980s number one in a poll for ITV, and in 2017 was chosen by The Daily Telegraph as one of the 21 best power ballads.
I'm the Man is the second album by English musician Joe Jackson, released in October 1979. Released shortly after Jackson's breakthrough debut, Look Sharp!, I'm the Man saw Jackson continue the style of his earlier album. Singles from the album included "I'm the Man" and "It's Different for Girls", the latter of which was his biggest UK chart single, peaking at number five on the UK Singles Chart.
Rage is the second album by British pop group T'Pau, released in 1988. It reached number 4 on the UK Albums Chart and gave the group three hit singles—"Secret Garden", "Road to Our Dream" and "Only the Lonely". It was not issued in the U.S.
"Heart and Soul" is the debut single by British pop rock band T'Pau, released in a rerecorded version from their debut studio album Bridge of Spies in 1987. Following its inclusion in a Pepe Jeans advert, the single reached number four on both the US Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart.
"Secret Garden" is a song by British band T'Pau, released as the lead single from their second studio album, Rage (1988). It was written by vocalist Carol Decker and rhythm guitarist Ron Rogers, and produced by Roy Thomas Baker. Released on 19 September 1988, "Secret Garden" reached number 18 on the UK Singles Chart and remained in the top 100 for seven weeks.
"Whenever You Need Me" is a song by English band T'Pau, released in May 1991 by Siren and Virgin as the lead single from their third studio album, The Promise (1991). It was written by Carol Decker and Ron Rogers, and produced by Andy Richards. "Whenever You Need Me" reached No. 16 on the UK Singles Chart and remained in the charts for six weeks. It was the band's last Top 40 hit in the UK.
"Walk on Air" is a song by British band T'Pau, which was released in 1991 as the second single from their third studio album The Promise. It was written by Carol Decker and Ron Rogers, and produced by Andy Richards. "Walk on Air" reached No. 62 on the UK Singles Chart and remained in the charts for two weeks.
"I Will Be With You" is a song by British band T'Pau, released in 1988 from the seventh and final single from their debut studio album, Bridge of Spies (1987). It was written by Carol Decker and Ron Rogers, and produced by Roy Thomas Baker. "I Will Be with You" reached No. 14 on the UK Singles Chart and remained in the charts for six weeks. The 7" single cover picture is a still of Carol Decker taken from the music video to the track, "Bridge of Spies", which had preceded the release of "I Will Be With You" in some international territories.
"Road to Our Dream" is a song by English band T'Pau, released in 1988 as the second single from their second studio album Rage. It was written by vocalist Carol Decker and rhythm guitarist Ron Rogers, and produced by Roy Thomas Baker. "Road to Our Dream" peaked at No. 42 on the UK Singles Chart and remained in the Top 100 for seven weeks.
Heart and Soul: The Very Best of T'Pau is a compilation album by British pop group T'Pau, which was released by Virgin Records in 1993. It reached number 35 on the UK Albums Chart and remained in the top 100 for two weeks.
"Valentine" is a song by British band T'Pau, which was released in 1988 as the fifth single from their debut studio album Bridge of Spies. It was written by Ronnie Rogers and Carol Decker, and produced by Roy Thomas Baker. It reached No. 9 in the UK and remained on the charts for eight weeks.
"Soul Destruction" is a song by British band T'Pau, released as the third single from their 1991 third studio album The Promise. The song was written by vocalist Carol Decker and rhythm guitarist Ron Rogers. It was produced by Andy Richards.
"With a Little Luck" is a song by British band T'Pau, released as the lead single from their 1998 fourth studio album Red. It was written by vocalist Carol Decker, ex-T'Pau rhythm guitarist Ron Rogers and J. David. It was produced by Decker, Rafe McKenna and Marco Sabiu.
"Just Dream" is a song by English vocalist Carol Decker of the band T'Pau, released as a non-album download-only single in 2007. It was written by Decker and T'Pau's ex-rhythm guitarist Ron Rogers. The song was produced by Decker, Rogers and Jez Ashurst.
Pleasure & Pain is the fifth studio album by English pop/rock band T'Pau, released on 2 February 2015 by Gnatfish Records. It is the band's first album of new material since Red in 1998. The album reached number 98 on the UK Albums Chart. Some tracks were co-composed with original rhythm guitarist Taj Wyzgowski who played on their 1987 debut album Bridge of Spies. This was not issued in the U.S.
"Sex Talk" is a song by British band T'Pau, written by Carol Decker and Ron Rogers, and produced by Roy Thomas Baker. It was originally released as a single in 1987 under the title "Intimate Strangers", but failed to chart. It was re-titled "Sex Talk" and included on the band's debut studio album Bridge of Spies (1987). In 1988, a live version of the song, recorded at the SEC Centre on 29 October 1987, was released as a single and reached No. 23 on the UK Singles Chart. This live version of "Sex Talk" was only released in the UK and Ireland. Elsewhere, a 7" remix of the track, "Bridge of Spies", was released instead.
