| Zaragon | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | March 1978 | |||
| Recorded | October–December 1977 | |||
| Studio | Plaza Sound Studios, New York City | |||
| Genre | Rock | |||
| Length | 46:25 | |||
| Label | Decca | |||
| Producer | Rupert Holmes | |||
| John Miles chronology | ||||
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Zaragon is the third album by English singer/songwriter/guitarist John Miles, first released in 1978 and reissued as CD in 2008.
The release of Zaragon followed an extremely successful period in the career of John Miles who, during 1976 and 1977, had enjoyed two hit albums (Rebel and Stranger in the City) and four successful singles. Decca remained Miles' record label in the UK but, for the US release, Arista Records paid $500,000 to buy out his contract with London Records. An advance of $500,000 made this into a million-dollar album before release.
In a change of direction from his earlier material (most notably his signature single "Music"), Miles decided not to use orchestral backing on Zaragon. Miles played guitars, keyboards and synthesisers on the album, with Barry Black on drums and Bob Marshall on bass. [1]
The opening track, "Overture", was a rock epic in which keyboards took the place of the orchestral backing on his earlier material. The track is notable for an outstanding guitar solo by Miles. The long, three-part "Nice Man Jack" – a song about Jack the Ripper – was the centrepiece of the album, whilst the title track was science fiction orientated.
Zaragon reached No. 43 in the UK charts, a respectable showing given that musical fashions were moving away from "epic-rock" towards punk and disco. The album was not released on CD until March 2008, thirty years after Zaragon first appeared.
The only single release in the UK was "No Hard Feelings" which the New Musical Express described as "an agreeable ballad". [1] The B-side of the single was "Mitre Square", the second part of the "Nice Man Jack" trilogy. In Spain, the order was reversed, with "Mitre Square" the A-side.
All songs written by Bob Marshall and John Miles
Bonus track on the 2008 reissue
Peachtree Road is the twenty-seventh studio album by British singer-songwriter Elton John, released in 2004. It was named after Peachtree Road, the northern part of Peachtree Street in Atlanta, where one of John's four homes is located. This is the only album during his long career on which John has sole credit as producer, although on some previous projects he was listed as a co-producer, with Clive Franks, or Greg Penny. It was recorded in January 2004.
Back in '72 is the sixth studio album by American rock singer-songwriter Bob Seger, released in 1973. It was the first new album on Seger's manager Punch Andrews' label, Palladium Records, to be released under their distribution deal with the Reprise division of Warner Bros. Records and one of several early Seger albums that has never been reissued on CD.
Phantasmagoria is the sixth album by the Damned, released by MCA in July 1985. Special editions were available on white vinyl or picture disc; some versions included a free 12" of their No. 3 hit "Eloise".
Barabajagal is the seventh studio album and eighth album overall from British singer-songwriter Donovan. It was released in the United States on 11 August 1969, but was not released in the United Kingdom because of a continuing contractual dispute that also prevented Sunshine Superman, Mellow Yellow, and The Hurdy Gurdy Man from being released in the UK.
Love Sculpture were a Welsh blues rock band that was active from 1966 to 1970, led by Dave Edmunds, with bassist John David and drummer Rob "Congo" Jones.
Bad Boy is the seventh studio album by Ringo Starr, released in 1978 during a period where his musical career was sliding into freefall after several years of solo success. Although Bad Boy was meant to reverse this trend, Starr's success dwindled further.
Blue Orchids are an English post-punk band formed in Manchester in 1979, when Martin Bramah decided to quit The Fall after playing on the band's debut album Live at the Witch Trials. Christened by Salford-based punk poet John Cooper Clarke the band recorded for Rough Trade and acted as backing band for the Velvet Underground's Nico before a 25-year period of intermittent activity and alternative identities.
Funny How Sweet Co-Co Can Be is the English glam rock band The Sweet's debut album, released in November 1971 on RCA Records in the UK. The album contained two singles which were hits in the UK: "Funny Funny" and "Co-Co". In the United States, only "Co-Co" dented the chart, reaching No. 99 in October.
"No More Tears" is the fifth song and title track on the 1991 Ozzy Osbourne album of the same name. With a running time of 7:23, it is the longest solo song that Osbourne has ever recorded on a studio album. It reached number five on U.S. Mainstream Rock Tracks, number 71 on the Billboard Hot 100, number 17 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 32 on the UK Singles Chart.
Message from the Country is the fourth and final studio album by the Move, as well as the group's only album for EMI's Harvest label. It was recorded simultaneously with the first Electric Light Orchestra album, Electric Light Orchestra. A contractual obligation, it was to signal the end of The Move and allow them to continue as the Electric Light Orchestra.
Johnny Cash Is Coming to Town is the 73rd album by American country singer Johnny Cash, released in 1987, and his first for Mercury Records. It was re-released in 2003, paired with Boom Chicka Boom on a single CD. "Sixteen Tons" was previously a hit for Tennessee Ernie Ford, "The Big Light" is an Elvis Costello song from his album King of America, released the previous year and "Let Him Roll" is from Guy Clark's debut, Old No. 1. The album reached #36 on the country charts, while the only released single, "The Night Hank Williams Came to Town", peaked at #43.
Eaten Alive is the sixteenth studio album by American singer Diana Ross, released on September 24, 1985 by RCA Records in the United States, with EMI Records distributing elsewhere. It was Ross' fifth of six albums released by the label during the decade. Primarily written and produced by Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees, with co-writing from his brothers Andy, Maurice, and Robin, the album also includes a contribution from Ross' friend Michael Jackson who co-wrote and performed on the title track.
McGear is the second and final solo album by English singer Mike McGear, released in 1974. The album was a collaboration between McGear and his older brother Paul McCartney, who produced the record. All backing tracks on the album are performed by McCartney's band Wings, occasionally accompanied by various guest artists, although all lead vocals are sung by McGear.
Russians & Americans is the tenth studio album by Al Stewart released in 1984. The album featured many of the musicians from his short-lived backing band, Shot In The Dark, along with a number of studio musicians. The album was released on LP and then CD in both the United Kingdom and the United States. The US version deleted two tracks found on the UK version of the album and substituted two new tracks in their stead. In 1993, EMI (UK) released a compilation with tracks from both versions and three live tracks from "The Blue Album". The album was re-released on the Collector's Choice label in 2007, with all tracks from both issues.
Walk a Mile in My Shoes: The Essential '70s Masters is a five-disc box set compilation of the recorded work of Elvis Presley during the decade of the 1970s. It was released in 1995 by RCA Records, catalog number 66670-2, following similar box sets that covered his musical output in the 1950s and 1960s. This set's initial long-box release included a set of collectable stamps duplicating the record jackets of the LP albums on which the tracks in the box set were originally released by RCA. It also includes a booklet with an extensive session list and discography, as well as a lengthy essay by Dave Marsh, some of it excerpted from his 1982 book on Presley. The box set was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America on July 15, 1999.
Rebel was the first solo album of John Miles. It was his most successful album to date with singles "Highfly" and "Music".
Stranger in the City was the second solo album by John Miles and was released in 1977. It was awarded BPI Silver Certification on 19 July 1977.
More Miles Per Hour was the fourth solo album released by John Miles in 1979. Just like Zaragon the album didn't manage to crack the top 40 in the U.K and the singles off the album failed to chart.
For this album, Miles reunited with producer Alan Parsons and orchestral arranger Andrew Powell with whom he also collaborated on Rebel.
For the first time, Miles played some of tracks before the album was released at the Great British Music Festival in Wembley in December 1978.
For the cover Miles wanted a picture of him as a pilot in front of a Concorde, but British Airports in London denied permission so Miles had to fly to New York to do the shoot.
Play On is the sixth solo album by John Miles released in 1983 via EMI label.
Miles High is the fifth solo album by John Miles. It was released in 1981 on the EMI label, and in January 2016 was reissued for the first time on CD by Lemon Recordings, a subsidiary of Cherry Red Records.
