Defend the Indefensible: AIR SUPPLY

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if cotton candy could sing, it would sound like "lost in love."

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Thursday, 21 April 2005 18:24 (twenty years ago)

some of the arrangements are really good!!

― teeny (teeny), Thursday, 21 April 2005 18:27 (twenty years ago)

One of my first great musical loves at nine. Between them and Bonnie Tyler Jim Steinman owned the top of the charts in fall 1983.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 21 April 2005 18:27 (twenty years ago)

Do they sing "Carry On My Wayward Son?" If so, I don't think even the late Johnny Cochran (god rest his soul) could defend them.

― Lemonade Salesman (Eleventy-Twelve), Thursday, 21 April 2005 18:33 (twenty years ago)

That's Kansas, nevermind.

― Lemonade Salesman (Eleventy-Twelve), Thursday, 21 April 2005 18:34 (twenty years ago)

As far as pleasant music goes, they could be much worse. I always liked the contrast of the two voices - one singing the verse and the other singing the chorus/ or bridge.

― driede mousedropping (Dave225), Thursday, 21 April 2005 18:43 (twenty years ago)

Drumming by Max Weinberg!

no they suck. my wife makes me listen to them occasionally but even she can't take the treacle sometimes. I have to admit, they are fucking catchy.

― Shakey Mo Collier, Thursday, 21 April 2005 18:49 (twenty years ago)

The turbulence of my life in the summer of 1981 was heavily ameliorated by Air Supply's "The One That You Love" and Marty Balin's "Hearts" being in regular radio rotation all season. And Russell Hitchcock was able to hit notes that I'll never again hear a guy hit in the Top 40. I still dig them.

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Thursday, 21 April 2005 18:50 (twenty years ago)

Perhaps the ultimate challenge is them vs. the Little River Band.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 21 April 2005 18:52 (twenty years ago)

Christopher Cross -vs- Little River Band or
Christopher Cross -vs- Air Supply ..

But I just don't see Little River Band -vs- Air Supply.

― driede mousedropping (Dave225), Thursday, 21 April 2005 18:55 (twenty years ago)

Excuse me, I was thinking in terms of Australian dudes of the time and place.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 21 April 2005 18:57 (twenty years ago)

But I just don't see Little River Band -vs- Air Supply.

Australian pastel-shirted mellow-rock FITE!

― Rick Massimo (Rick Massimo), Thursday, 21 April 2005 18:57 (twenty years ago)

See, SOMEONE gets it!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 21 April 2005 19:00 (twenty years ago)

air supply v. pseudo-echo?!?

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Thursday, 21 April 2005 19:12 (twenty years ago)

Last week I asked Dave Queen as a joke, "So what would you say is your -very favorite- Air Supply song?" and fuck me if he didn't come up with a reasonable argument right on the spot, which I CAN'T REMEMBER NOW. Daddino and donut, you were there, little help?

― j. niimi (litotesia), Thursday, 21 April 2005 19:15 (twenty years ago)

Different era, Tad. Synth-rock and all.

Haha, that sounds like a Dave Q explanation that's a dream. I can think of a couple of candidates but I'll await on the final word.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 21 April 2005 19:15 (twenty years ago)

Kansas kicks ass.

― wckg, Thursday, 21 April 2005 19:40 (twenty years ago)

Belle & Sebastian could do an excellent version of "Lost In Love" with Stevie on lead vocal.

― mike a, Thursday, 21 April 2005 20:55 (twenty years ago)

I really like "All Out of Love". It was used well in Undergrads.

― Sundar (sundar), Friday, 22 April 2005 00:24 (twenty years ago)

their music placement in three kings is genius.

― philip sherburne (philip sherburne), Friday, 22 April 2005 00:48 (twenty years ago)

Belle & Sebastian could do an excellent version of "Lost In Love" with Stevie on lead vocal.

So could the Fall, with David Thomas doing the high notes.

― driede mousedropping (Dave225), Friday, 22 April 2005 00:51 (twenty years ago)

My friend and I once serenaded a room full of metal-heads at a party with 'All Out Of Love' -- we snuck in to their room while they were rocking out, hijacked the stereo and...well almost got ourselves killed, but fuck it was funny.

My defense of Air Supply: every now and again, you just need a band who'll give you melancholy without the cumbersome moodiness. Air Supply delivers palatable melancholy for the masses, and in pastel shades too, instead of depressing old black. Why not smile and be sad?

― VegemiteGrrl (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 22 April 2005 02:07 (twenty years ago)

"All out of love" is one of the all-time greatest karaoke records.

― Jacob (Jacob), Friday, 22 April 2005 02:34 (twenty years ago)

"I don't know what to saaaaay,
I don't know what to SAAAAAAY"
from The One That You Love is up there with Spandau Ballet's "Why do I find it hard to write the next line" in True as a great space-filler lyric.

― late adopter, Friday, 22 April 2005 05:32 (twenty years ago)

they have a shout out in a pretty good promise ring song. is that album called "nothing feels good?"

― Dave M, Friday, 22 April 2005 06:14 (twenty years ago)

VegemiteGirl, Air Supply as palatable melancholy in pastel shades is brilliant!

― Sundar (sundar), Friday, 22 April 2005 15:21 (twenty years ago)

I went to Cuba last year. The Havana streets throbbed with great salsa, reggaeton, all that stuff. I went on catamaran one day and the all-Cubano crew had but one casette on board - The Very Best Of Air Supply.

― Adam Faithless (Adam Faithless), Friday, 22 April 2005 15:27 (twenty years ago)

'making love out of nothing at all' has that great moment when the singer informs us that he can "make all the stadiums rock."

― lauren (laurenp), Friday, 22 April 2005 15:47 (twenty years ago)

Heh heh, I knew it was just a matter of time! Every other act that used to be regarded as pure '80s cheese (or '70s cheese or whenever) eventually gets a thorough re-evaluation on ILM, so why not Air Supply? Never had much use for 'em myself, but there were moments. "Lost In Love" was probably my favourite, if only because it was their first hit and therefore (relatively) original. And "All Out Of Love" had that impressive note held for, like, 30 seconds or whatever. Did these guys record any hits without "love" somewhere in the title?

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Friday, 22 April 2005 16:49 (twenty years ago)

"Every Woman in the World"
"Sweet Dreams"

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Friday, 22 April 2005 17:02 (twenty years ago)

Fuck all y'all, I'm a fan. Russell H. and G. Russell are BOOMIN'!

― J (Jay), Friday, 22 April 2005 17:52 (twenty years ago)

J, I forgot dave q's answer myself, but for me, "Making Love Out Of Nothing At All" justifies their existence alone.. especially for the "MAKING THE STADIUMS ROCK *GUITAR STAB*" moment.

― donut debonair (donut), Friday, 22 April 2005 18:51 (twenty years ago)

What was the 80s commercial that claimed some car's sunroof made it the perfect car to take to an Air Supply concert? Dodge Aspen? It showed the group wearing pastel sweaters parked parked under a starry sky. I heard the ad was pulled because dealers got a lot of negative feedback from Air Supply hatas.

― Curt (cgould), Friday, 22 April 2005 19:29 (twenty years ago)

SAFE MEN

― pher (pher), Saturday, 23 April 2005 00:28 (twenty years ago)

> It showed the group wearing pastel sweaters parked parked under a starry sky.

Russell H. and G. Russell at Inspiration Point? No wonder the ad was pulled!

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Saturday, 23 April 2005 00:35 (twenty years ago)

Hey, I completely forgot about "Even The Nights Are Better". I like that one!

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Saturday, 23 April 2005 02:52 (twenty years ago)

Air Supply have always turned my stomach, from the time I was a kid. To me they epitomize the most depressing era in pop music, or at least US FM radio. As disco died and before Van Halen/Duran Duran/the Go-Go's went platinum, one could tune in and "enjoy" Anne Murray, Eddie Rabbit, Styx, "Sometimes When We Touch," Dan Fogelberg, etc.

The only possible defense for this putrid entity is that it was referenced in the title of Peach of Immortality's album "'Jehovah' My Black Ass - REM is Air Supply!"

(On a semi-related note, Skullflower released a song a few years later called "Satan My Black Ass, Steve Albini = Jim Steinman." I wonder if Albini's band Shellac recorded "My Black Ass" as an "answer" song.)

― Curt W, Saturday, 23 April 2005 07:49 (twenty years ago)

Phoo.

― J (Jay), Saturday, 23 April 2005 15:44 (twenty years ago)

Having spent time on the dole and playing in a band, I got a rude awakening in 1980. My mother said to me that it was about time I got a job (the next band being slow to come together) so I applied for a part-time job in a shop in Bayswater that developed photos, and also sold newspapers, sweets and tourist trinkets. I got the job but really hated it. I remember the time Ken Lockie from Cowboys International walked in to buy some cigarettes or a newspaper or something (he was living up the road at the time, unknown to me) and was shocked to see me there putting price labels on Mars Bars. Anyway, they had a transistor radio permanently on in the shop, tuned to Capital, and it seemed like Air Supply's 'All Out of Love' was getting 10-15 plays a day at that time. It became a particular reminder of my imprisonment. I remember getting a friend of mine to go to the shop one evening when I wasn't there and annoy the staff by pretending to be a tourist that couldn't speak English. He recorded the ridiculous exchanges with the shop assistants on a cassette recorder hidden in his bag and when we played the tape back later it was no surprise that 'All Out of Love' could be heard faintly at one point. Of course it just had to be the bit that goes 'what are you thinking of.. what are you thinking of..' which was the really annoying bit for some reason.

I don't have a problem with their rehabilitation. They did seem pretty hateful at the time though.

― Oak (small items), Saturday, 23 April 2005 18:43 (twenty years ago)

You've never been in love if you can't appreciate Air Supply.

― molly, Saturday, 23 April 2005 18:53 (twenty years ago)

"'Jehovah' My Black Ass - REM is Air Supply!"

haha I hadn't thought of that but Automatic-era ballads do kind of sound like "All Out of Love" - the fingerpicked standard chord progressions, the string arrangements and tasteful piano tinkling, the earnest whitebread singing, even those echoed chords in the chorus!

(I don't think I actually know any other AS songs.)

― Sundar (sundar), Saturday, 23 April 2005 19:02 (twenty years ago)

Did Air Supply consider themselves or did other people consider them to be New! Wave! in some way(s)? Did they wear New Wave clothes and/or have New Wave haircuts? Did they play New Wave instruments? "Air Supply" seems like a New Wave name.

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Saturday, 23 April 2005 20:28 (twenty years ago)

it was 'easy listening' all the way to my recollection.

― teeny (teeny), Saturday, 23 April 2005 21:52 (twenty years ago)

I'm just puzzled as to why an easy listening band would call themselves Air Supply.

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Saturday, 23 April 2005 22:13 (twenty years ago)

Or any band other than weirdo post-punk avant-gardists, for that matter.

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Saturday, 23 April 2005 22:14 (twenty years ago)

five years pass...

"Even the Nights are Better" is a fantastic song. Great arrangements.

― oscar, Wednesday, 19 May 2010 23:54 (fifteen years ago)

It just occurred to me that Air Supply would be the perfect Geir Hongro test case -- if melody really is everything (or almost everything), then Air Supply should be one of his favorite bands of all time; the melodies in their hits are unstoppable. Indeed, if one doesn't care much about rhythm, groove, or attitude, then there is little reason to avoid ranking Air Supply as one of the greatest artists of all time. Anyone for Taking Sides: Air Supply vs. James Brown?

― medelman, Thursday, 20 May 2010 03:35 (fifteen years ago)

Their greatest hits singles are some of my favorite songs. But they sure made a lot of filler over the years. One of these days I'm going to catch them at a casino. For real.

― Nate Carson, Thursday, 20 May 2010 09:15 (fifteen years ago)

one year passes...

my first favorite band!

i can make u every promise that has ever been made and i can make all ur demons begone

― mookieproof, Wednesday, 25 April 2012 05:52 (thirteen years ago)

three years pass...

^^^

still remember being an 11yo going to b&d records -- where i would later get my zepp and even my used copy of transient random-noise bursts -- and being like no, the pastel one, not the one with the balloon, as both b&d scorned me

― mookieproof, Tuesday, 12 May 2015 03:06 (ten years ago)

you know you cant fool me

― difficult-difficult lemon-difficult (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 12 May 2015 05:54 (ten years ago)

three years pass...

They were quite handsome when they were young:

https://thebilgebucket.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/peter-cook-l-with-dudley-moore.jpg

― On the Wingers of Love: The Kip & Debra Story (Old Lunch), Monday, 4 June 2018 12:22 (seven years ago)

eight months pass...

....yet so ugly at the peak of their powers.

― Your sweetie-pie-coo-coo I love ya (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 5 February 2019 02:52 (seven years ago)

Do they sing "Carry On My Wayward Son?" If so, I don't think even the late Johnny Cochran (god rest his soul) could defend them.
― Lemonade Salesman (Eleventy-Twelve), Thursday, April 21, 2005 2:33 PM Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

That's Kansas, nevermind.
― Lemonade Salesman (Eleventy-Twelve), Thursday, April 21, 2005 2:34 PM Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

― fuck the NRA (Neanderthal), Saturday, 16 February 2019 22:25 (seven years ago)

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