| Under the Gun | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | July 1980 | |||
| Genre | Country rock | |||
| Length | 38:31 | |||
| Label | MCA | |||
| Producer | Mike Flicker | |||
| Poco chronology | ||||
| ||||
Under the Gun is the twelfth studio album by the American country rock band Poco. Released in July 1980, Under the Gun was the follow-up to Poco's breakout album Legend .
Poco's successful album, Legend, had been released in November 1978 on ABC Records just prior to that label being bought out by MCA: in a June 7, 2013, interview with Rockin' Rich Lynch of SoundPress.net Radio Network, veteran Poco member Paul Cotton would state that MCA required that Poco audition prior to being allowed to record for MCA. Cotton said, "We had to go over to a rehearsal hall and play in front of all the executives" who after hearing Poco perform "Under the Gun", a Paul Cotton composition referencing the pressure attendant on the audition, approved Poco's recording for MCA.[ citation needed ]
Released at the same time as the album, the "Under the Gun" single failed to reach the Top 40 stalling at No. 48 on the Billboard Hot 100: another Paul Cotton composition "Midnight Rain" also failed to chart high in its single release with a No. 74 peak. Without the impetus of a major hit single the Under the Gun album failed to match the success of Legend, the former's album chart peak being No. 46.
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [2] |
In his AllMusic review, music critic William Ruhlmann called the album "a workmanlike but unremarkable effort." [1]
| Chart (1980) | Position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report) [3] | 68 |
| Canada | 38 |
| United States (Billboard 200) | 46 |
Poco
Additional musicians
Poco was an American country rock band originally formed in 1968 after the demise of Buffalo Springfield. Guitarists Richie Furay and Jim Messina, former members of Buffalo Springfield, were joined by multi-instrumentalist Rusty Young, bassist Randy Meisner and drummer George Grantham. Meisner quit the band while they were recording their first album, Pickin' Up the Pieces, though his bass and backing vocal parts were kept in the final mix. He was replaced by Timothy B. Schmit in 1969, and Messina left in 1970 to be replaced by Paul Cotton. The line-up would change numerous times over the next several decades, with Rusty Young being the only constant member. A reunion of the founding members occurred in the late 1980s-early 1990s, and the band continued in some form through 2021, though they retired from active touring in 2013, with Young citing health concerns as the primary cause of his retirement. Young died from a heart attack in April 2021.
Crazy Eyes is the fifth studio album released by the American country rock band Poco. Released in 1973, Crazy Eyes was the band's final album with founding member Richie Furay during his original tenure in Poco.
Cantamos is the seventh studio album by the country rock band Poco. It was released in 1974 on Epic Records. This album saw the band moving back towards their traditional country rock sound after experimenting with a harder style on the previous album.
Poco Live is the tenth album, and second live album, by the American country rock band Poco. The material for this album had been recorded for Epic Records shortly after the Cantamos album, but it was not released until over a year later, after Poco's switch to ABC Records and success with the Head over Heels album. The release of this album produced confusion in the marketplace over whether this or Rose of Cimarron was Poco's newest album, helping sales of Poco Live and hurting sales of Rose of Cimarron.
Rose of Cimarron is the ninth studio album by the American country rock band Poco, released in 1976.
Indian Summer is the tenth studio album by the American country rock band Poco, released on May 1, 1977. The appearance of Steely Dan's Donald Fagen playing synthesizer on two of the tracks marked another move away from the country rock sound the band had primarily been known for. This was the band's last studio album before both Timothy B. Schmit and George Grantham left the group.
Legend is the eleventh studio album by the American country rock band Poco, released in 1978.
Blue and Gray is the thirteenth studio album by the American country rock band Poco, released in 1981. The album is a theme-based record, similar to Desperado by The Eagles, only the theme on this record is the American Civil War. The band scored minor chart success with "Widowmaker". The colors in the title refer to United States Army and Confederate States Army uniforms of the period, respectively.
Cowboys & Englishmen is the fourteenth studio album by the American country rock band Poco. The Young-penned "Feudin'" was nominated for a Grammy in 1982 for Best Country Instrumental Performance. Largely made up of cover songs the album was Poco's last for MCA and reflected the fact that it was a contractual obligation album. When ABC Records was sold to MCA the new label A&R department showed little effort in promoting the band and, as a result, the band fielded offers from other labels once their contract was up and signed with Atlantic Records for their next two albums Ghost Town and Inamorata.
Ghost Town is the fifteenth studio album by the country rock band Poco, released September 20, 1982. The Atlantic Records label debut of Poco, Ghost Town was the final album by Poco to feature the group lineup who had played on Poco's 1978 breakout album Legend, as the 1984 Poco album release Inamorata would not feature Charlie Harrison.
Inamorata is the sixteenth studio album by the country rock band Poco, released in 1984. Featuring guest spots by former members Timothy B. Schmit, Richie Furay and George Grantham, this would be the last album that the band would record for Atlantic Records. After this the original line up would reform for the 1989 release Legacy.
Running Horse is the eighteenth studio album by the country rock band Poco. Rusty Young, Paul Cotton, and George Grantham reunite for the first time since 1977 with new material.
The Last Roundup is the 21st album, and third live album, by the country rock band Poco.
Keeping the Legend Alive is the 22nd album and 4th live album by the country rock band Poco. It was re-released in 2006 under the title "Alive In The Heart Of The Night." It includes original members Richie Furay, *George Grantham and Rusty Young, Paul Cotton who replaced Jim Messina in 1970 and Jack Sundrud a member since the 1990s.
Bareback at Big Sky is the 5th live album by the country rock band Poco, released in 2005.
The first in a long line of compilation albums, The Very Best of Poco features highlights from the band's career from 1969–1974. When released on CD in the late 1980s, the album omits two tracks originally on the album, "Railroad Days" and "Skatin" for space reasons. Both were reinstated for the remastered BGO import edition released in 1998.
Backtracks is a compilation album by the American country rock band Poco, released in 1982. The nine tracks are taken from the first six studio albums the band recorded for MCA after having left their original label Epic.
The Ultimate Collection is a compilation album by the American band Poco, released in 1998.
The Essential Collection (1975–1982) is a compilation album by the American band Poco, released in 1997.
"Crazy Love" is a 1979 hit single for the country rock group Poco introduced on the 1978 album Legend. Written by founding group member Rusty Young, "Crazy Love" was the first single by Poco to reach the Top 40 and remained the group's biggest hit, with a special impact as an Adult Contemporary hit, being ranked by Billboard as the #1 AC song for the year 1979.
