| Therapy | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Studio album by | |
| Released | 2007 (original release) November 2009 (double CD release) 23 September 2016 (re-issue) [1] |
| Genre | Rock, Pop |
| Length | 55:57 |
| Label | Jim Jam Records |
| Producer | James Whild Lea |
Therapy is the debut studio album by English musician Jim Lea, best known as the former bassist and songwriter of the British rock band Slade. Although Therapy is Lea's first solo album, he had previously released material as singles under various pseudonyms since the early 1980s. [2]
After the disbanding of Slade in 1992, Lea entered the property business in 1993 and went on to study psychotherapy in 1997, although he did not take it up as a career. In 1998, he began writing and recording material again. However, beyond the release of the "I'll Be John, You Be Yoko" single in 2000, the material would remain unreleased as Lea was unsure of how to get the material released to the public. In 2000, Lea put his music plans on hold to care for his father, who died in 2002. That year, Lea performed a charity show "Jim Jam" at the Robin 2 club in Bilston and afterwards, in 2003, he decided to record a solo album. [3] The first demos for the album had been made around the time of his father's death. [4]
Titled Therapy, Lea arranged a meeting with Slade's former record label Polydor, however he decided to cancel after he felt that the label would not understand the project. Wishing to avoid conventional marketing strategies and the pressure to tour to promote the album, Lea decided to release Therapy independently in 2007. [4] On his official website, Lea stated:
"I was never a naturally public figure, but now I am re-emerging as an artist in my own right, mostly free from the restrictions of the industry. There will be more to come soon, but for now make the journey, step on the train, and get some Therapy. The reason I have adopted this website approach, for now at least, is that every time I have spoken to a record company about putting my music out there, it always seems to be inexorably linked with touring, which is a great consumer of time, energy and of course money, in other words, a great obstacle." [5]
In 2007, "Heaven Can Wait" was rated eight out of ten by the magazine The Last Word. [6] The song "Big Family" was originally recorded in 2000 by Belgian boy-band Mama's Jasje under the title "Samen Door Het Vuur". [7] [8] "Dead Rock U.K." references numerous musicians, mainly from the 1970s, including Marc Bolan, Freddie Mercury, Phil Lynott, John Lennon and John Bonham. During Lea's 2002 live performance at the Robin, he revealed that "Go Out in Style" was written about Keith Moon, the drummer of the English rock group The Who. The album contains a version of "Universe", a song that was written by Lea for Slade and released as a single in 1991. [9] The song was Slade's last single, failing to chart after it was lost in the Christmas rush that year. [10]
In 2002, Lea performed live for charity at the Robin 2 venue in Bilston. While most of the set-list contained covers, Lea performed two original songs that would appear on Therapy; "Great Big Family" and "Over the Moon", with the latter being re-titled "Go Out in Style". The entire Robin 2 gig was originally released in 2007 as a download on Lea's official site. [11] Later in 2009, the gig was added as a bonus disc on a double CD edition of "Therapy". [12] Although it contained the entire set-list of his main performance, it did not feature the encore tracks: "Get Down and Get with It", "Teddy Bears Picnic", "Johnny B. Goode", "Gudbuy T'Jane", "Twist and Shout", and "Purple Haze". During the concert, Lea performed covers of Slade hits "Cum On Feel the Noize", "Mama Weer All Crazee Now", "Far Far Away", "Gudbuy T'Jane" and "Get Down and Get with It".
Therapy was originally released in 2007 as a 13-track CD and digital release on Jim Jam Records. Although no singles were released from the album, the opening track "Heaven Can Wait" appeared on the promotional CD Now Hear This! 54, distributed free with Word magazine. [13] In 2009, the album was released as a double CD to include the Robin 2 gig on the second disc. [14]
In 2016, the album was re-issued as a double CD by Wienerworld. In addition to the altered colour of the sleeve, the re-issue featured three previously unreleased bonus tracks: "21st Century Thing?", "Thank God It's Friday Right Now" and "Am I the Greatest Now?" The 16-page booklet contained new liner notes from Lea, as well as memories of the Robin 2 gig by owner Mike Hamblett. [15] A vinyl edition of Therapy was also released by Wienerworld in November 2016. It featured an additional three bonus tracks, two of which were previously unreleased: "Misty Morning Light" and "Dare to Be Great". The other bonus track, "I'll Be John, You Be Yoko" was released in 2000 as a single under the name "Whild". [16]
All tracks are written by Jim Lea
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Heaven Can Wait (For Those Who Pray)" | 4:12 |
| 2. | "Big Family" | 3:55 |
| 3. | "The Smile of Elvis" | 3:27 |
| 4. | "Dead Rock U.K." | 5:26 |
| 5. | "Could God Be a Woman" | 4:39 |
| 6. | "Go Out in Style" | 4:11 |
| 7. | "Universe" | 4:26 |
| 8. | "Time and Emotion" | 3:29 |
| 9. | "Your Cine World" | 4:18 |
| 10. | "The Valley of the Kings" | 3:47 |
| 11. | "Why is Youth Always Wasted on the Young" | 4:31 |
| 12. | "Notice" | 3:59 |
| 13. | "Let Me Be Your Therapy" | 5:37 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Intro" | Lea | 1:34 |
| 2. | "Shakin' All Over" | Frederick Heath | 3:37 |
| 3. | "I Saw Her Standing There" | John Lennon, Paul McCartney | 3:43 |
| 4. | "Hey Joe" | Billy Roberts | 5:58 |
| 5. | "I Am the Walrus" | John Lennon, Paul McCartney | 3:21 |
| 6. | "Cum On Feel the Noize" | Noddy Holder, Lea | 5:10 |
| 7. | "Great Big Family" | Lea | 4:41 |
| 8. | "I Got You" | James Brown | 3:42 |
| 9. | "You Really Got Me" | Ray Davies | 2:48 |
| 10. | "Far Far Away" | Holder, Lea | 5:34 |
| 11. | "Pretty Vacant" | Paul Cook, Stephen Jones, Glen Matlock, Johnny Rotten | 3:54 |
| 12. | "Over the Moon" | Lea | 3:57 |
| 13. | "Substitute" | Pete Townshend | 4:19 |
| 14. | "Goin' Bak to Birmingham" | Lea | 3:23 |
| 15. | "Mama Weer All Crazee Now" | Holder, Lea | 4:57 |
| 16. | "Wild Thing" | Chip Taylor | 5:17 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14. | "21st Century Thing?" | Lea | 3:13 |
| 15. | "Thank God It's Friday Right Now" | Lea | 3:21 |
| 16. | "Am I the Greatest Now?" | Lea | 3:51 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14. | "21st Century Thing?" | Lea | 3:13 |
| 15. | "Am I the Greatest Now?" | Lea | 3:51 |
| 16. | "Misty Morning Light" | Lea | 2:59 |
| 17. | "Thank God It's Friday Right Now" | Lea | 3:21 |
| 18. | "I'll Be John, You Be Yoko" | Lea | 3:26 |
| 19. | "Dare to Be Great" | Lea | 1:55 |
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Bubblegum Slut | favorable [17] |
| Classic Rock |   [18] |
| The Last Word | favorable [19] |
| Subba-Cultcha | |
| Trucking Magazine | favorable [20] |
Upon release, Bubblegum Slut said: "Therapy is an appropriately named, open-hearted, on-the-couch record from a man whose public persona has always been rather one dimensional. As a result there seems to be something of a watershed here; different styles and ideas are crammed in hectically and most songs feature some candid emotional outpouring. Therapy is a record which raises a lot of issues for its author - listen only if you're prepared for some seriously thought provoking pop." [17] The Last Word described the album as a "fantastic solo record" and commented: "Of all the things I didn't expect to enjoy this year, a solo album by the guy who used to play bass in Slade was right up there at the top. It's been 16 years since Lea's last album but on this evidence he's kept up with both pop and rock. Especially if it's the sort of pop and rock that owes its very existence to Slade. A truly surprising pleasure." [19] Robin Dart of Subba-Cultcha said: "Wonderfully crafted songs, it is an album in the true sense. On Therapy, James Whild Lea showcases his song-writing ability, by penning the kind of songs which are quite simply really well written. In a world of mediocre songwriters pushing albums on more style than substance this record harks back to the Paul McCartneys of song-writing, welding effective melodies to imaginative arrangements, and it is quite simply a joy." [21]
Classic Rock stated: "Jimmy Lea was always the most enigmatic, talented and attractive member of Slade. Now pursuing a successful career as a therapist, his solo album seems to be more a labour of love than a stab at a comeback. Virtually a one man show a la Todd Rundgren/Roy Wood, Lea doesn't hide his influences, lyrically it's a universe away from the dyslexic musical football chants of his former employees. It's a treasure trove of lo-fi nuggets. And any album that name checks John Bonham and Phil Lynott in one verse has got to be worth the price of admission. Commendable and inspiring." [18] Trucking magazine wrote: "OK, it's definitely not Slade Mk II - and it's not even The Dummies Mk II. It's light years from "Cum On Feel the Noize" but is not easy to pigeonhole, being a collection of tracks that are clearly the work of a multi-talented one-man band a la Roy Wood. Broadly speaking, it's a great album to listen to - and "listen" is the key word. You get the feeling these are personal lyrics, a genuine labour of love in both words and music - and because of that, maybe not necessarily a serious comeback in terms of chart success, but more a case of "doing what I like, how I like it". Jim promises more in the future and I personally can't wait." [20]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Beat | favourable [22] [23] |
| Classic Rock | [24] [25] |
| Fireworks | favourable [26] [23] |
| Lancashire Telegraph | favourable [27] |
| R2 (Rock'n'Reel) |  [28] [23] |
| Shindig! |  [29] [30] |
| Total Music | [31] [23] |
Chris Roberts of Classic Rock wrote: "...he addresses his midlife crises with bold, ambitious pop songs, the scale of which suggest a Midlands Todd Rundgren or Brian Wilson. Lyrically stretching, they trade in solid rock tropes, which he's adept enough to re-energise, although once or twice you're not sure if he's aping or parodying Oasis. The live album gives you all the Slade rock-outs you need, but Therapy itself is a more thoughtful bag of thrills." [25] [23] Kevin Bryan of Lancashire Telegraph said: "The studio offering showcases a generous helping of the melodic Beatles influenced rock which became Slade's trademark during their glory years in the early seventies, whilst the concert package serves up an appealing assortment of golden oldies and covers, including loving revamps of such unlikely bedfellows as The Fab Four's "I Am the Walrus" and the Sex Pistols' "Pretty Vacant" to name but a few." [27]
Shindig! commented: "For an album composed and recorded while Lea undertook a psychology course, what could have been an indulgent album, full of introspective navel-gazing, is actually a blast. Despite the preoccupation with self-exploration the album is full of brash and ballsy songs, with hooks and killer choruses aplenty. It seems the man cannot help writing belting pop-rock tunes, and can also knock out a pretty decent piano ballad ("Smile of Elvis")." Speaking of the 2002 Robin live disc, the review added: "Tearing through an incendiary covers-heavy set, the self-confessed "miserable one" from Slade sounds like he's having fun. Revelatory and immensely enjoyable." [29] [30] Ray Harper of Total Music said: "...he did record some songs that really deserved a larger audience ("Deadrock UK" could've graced any classic Mott album and "Go Out in Style" is only a Noddy vocal short of prime time Slade). A second live CD addition makes this a good time to check this out." [31] [23] Steven Reid of Fireworks wrote: "Jim Lea was always a superb songwriter and with Therapy, he may [have] delivered his most consistent set of songs ever which is high praise indeed." [26] [23]
Ian Abrahams of R2 (Rock'n'Reel) commented: "Don't expect something in line with Slade. This gorgeous album, luscious in sound and beautifully written and played has a resonance and depth to it. It's such an immediately likeable work, songs with memorable hooks, layered with great instrumentation and inhabited by haunting and heartfelt lyrics. Its great frustration is that it's a one-off, that since its original website release there's not been anything else. You'll want more." [28] [23] Jim Stewart of Beat said: "When I was about to listen to Therapy, I had no real expectations, just a hope that it didn't try to recreate too much of the sound of the old band, and fortunately it doesn't. In fact it's a good listen, with the 'Live' bonus disc brilliant. An interesting package of solid productions, plus a great live set, what more could you want." [22] [23]
Slade are an English rock band formed in Wolverhampton in 1966. They rose to prominence during the glam rock era in the early 1970s, achieving 17 consecutive top 20 hits and six number ones on the UK Singles Chart. The British Hit Singles & Albums names them the most successful British group of the 1970s based on sales of singles. They were the first act to have three singles enter the charts at number one; all six of the band's chart-toppers were penned by Noddy Holder and Jim Lea. As of 2006, total UK sales stood at over 6,500,000. Their best-selling single, "Merry Xmas Everybody", sold in excess of one million copies. According to the 1999 BBC documentary It's Slade, the band have sold more than 50 million records worldwide.
You Boyz Make Big Noize is the fourteenth and final studio album by the British rock group Slade. It was released on 27 April 1987 and reached number 98 in the UK Albums Chart. The album was largely produced by bassist Jim Lea, with two tracks produced by John Punter and another two by Roy Thomas Baker. It was the last studio album by the original lineup, prior to their split in 1992.
James Whild Lea is an English musician, most notable for playing bass guitar, keyboards, piano, violin, guitar, and singing backing vocals in Slade from their inception until 1992, and for co-writing most of their songs.
Slade Alive! is the first live album by the British rock band Slade. The album was released on 24 March 1972 and reached No. 2 on the UK Albums Chart, remaining in the chart for 58 weeks. It was Slade's first album to enter the UK charts and also the first to enter the Billboard 200 in the United States, where it reached No. 158. The album was produced by Chas Chandler.
"Cum On Feel the Noize" is a song by the English rock band Slade, which was released in 1973 as a non-album single. It was written by lead vocalist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea, and produced by Chas Chandler. It reached No. 1 in the UK Singles Chart, giving the band their fourth number one single, and remained in the charts for twelve weeks. The song was included on the band's 1973 compilation album Sladest. In a UK poll in 2015 it was voted 15th on the ITV special The Nation's Favourite 70s Number One.
Whatever Happened to Slade is the seventh studio album by the British rock group Slade. It was released on 21 March 1977 by Barn Records, but did not enter any national album chart. By the time of the album's release, Slade's popularity was waning as were their record sales, which they acknowledged in the album's title. The glam rock movement, with which Slade was associated, had died, and the careers of other glam rock artists such as Mud, Gary Glitter and Sweet had hit the buffers. In Britain, where Slade had traditionally been most popular, the fashion of the day was punk rock. With this album, Slade stood their ground as a straight-ahead rock group; gone were their "glam" statements of the early decade.
Return to Base is the eighth studio album by the British rock group Slade. It was released on 1 October 1979 by Barn Records, and did not enter any national album charts. At the time of the album's release, the band's success had waned and were receiving little fortune. Forced to play at small halls and clubs around the UK, the only income they were reliant on was Noddy Holder and Jim Lea's songwriting royalties. Their recent singles had sold poorly and they were no longer drawing in large audiences. Prior to their last-minute call up for the 1980 Reading Festival, they were on the verge of disbanding.
"Mama Weer All Crazee Now" is a song by the British rock band Slade, released in 1972 as the lead single from their third studio album Slayed? It was written by lead vocalist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea, and produced by Chas Chandler. It reached No. 1 in the UK, giving the band their third number one single, and remained in the charts for ten weeks. In the United States, the song reached No. 76.
"Coz I Luv You" is a song by the British rock band Slade, released in 1971 as a non-album single. It was written by lead vocalist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea, and produced by Chas Chandler. It reached number 1 in the UK Singles Chart, giving the band their first number one single, and remained in the top 50 for fifteen weeks.
"Take Me Bak 'Ome" is a song by the British rock band Slade, released in 1972 as a non-album single. It was written by lead vocalist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea, and produced by Chas Chandler. It reached No. 1 in the UK, giving the band their second number one single, and remained in the charts for thirteen weeks. The song was certified UK Silver by BPI in 1972. In the United States, the song reached No. 97. The song would be included on the band's 1973 compilation album Sladest.
"Radio Wall of Sound" is a song by English rock band Slade, released on 7 October 1991 as the first single from their compilation album Wall of Hits. Written and produced by bassist Jim Lea, the song reached number 21 in the UK Singles Chart and remained in the top 100 for five weeks. It was Slade's last hit single, discounting later chartings of "Merry Xmas Everybody".
"Everyday" is a song by the British rock band Slade, released in 1974 as the second single from their fourth studio album, Old New Borrowed and Blue. It was written by lead vocalist Noddy Holder, bassist Jim Lea and his wife Louise Lea (uncredited), and was produced by Chas Chandler. It reached number 3 in the UK Singles Chart and spent seven weeks in the top 50. The single was certified UK Silver by BPI in April 1974, only three days after its release.
"Look Wot You Dun" is a song by the British rock band Slade, released in 1972 as a non-album single. The song was written by lead vocalist Noddy Holder, bassist Jim Lea and drummer Don Powell, and produced by Chas Chandler. It reached No. 4 in the UK, remaining in the charts for ten weeks. The song would be included on the band's 1973 compilation album Sladest.
"How Does It Feel" is song by the British rock band Slade, released in 1975 as the second single from the band's first soundtrack album and fifth studio album Slade in Flame, in promotion of the film of the same name. The song was written by lead vocalist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea, and produced by Chas Chandler. It reached No. 15 in the UK, remaining in the charts for seven weeks.
"Still the Same" is a song by English rock band Slade, released in 1987 as the lead single from their fourteenth and final studio album, You Boyz Make Big Noize. The song was written by lead vocalist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea, and was produced by John Punter. "Still the Same" peaked at number 73 in the UK Singles Chart and remained in the top 100 for four weeks.
You Boyz Make Big Noize is a song by English rock band Slade, released on 27 July 1987 as a non-album single. It was written by lead vocalist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea, and was produced by Lea. Named after the band's 1987 album of the same name, the song reached number 94 in the UK Singles Chart and remained in the top 100 for the one week.
"Slam the Hammer Down" is a song by the British rock band Slade, released in 1984 as a promotional-only single from the band's American studio album Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply. It was written by lead vocalist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea, and produced by Lea.
"Wild Winds Are Blowing" is a song by the British rock band Slade, released in 1969 as a non-album single under the name "The Slade". The song was written by Bob Saker and Jack Winsley, and produced by Chas Chandler. It failed to make an appearance in the UK charts.
The Dummies was a musical project formed by Slade bassist Jim Lea and his brother Frank Lea in 1979. Between 1979 and 1981, they released three singles and recorded a number of original and Slade songs, which were collected on the 1992 album A Day in the Life of the Dummies.
A Day in the Life of the Dummies is a compilation album by The Dummies, which was a musical project of Jim Lea of Slade and his brother Frank. The album was released in March 1992 and gathers all of the 1979-80 recordings produced by the pair.
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