Ellen Foley - Sprit of St. Louis (1981)

I heard a song YEARS ago; I found her voice as amelodic and unappealing as Bette Davis'. She's fine on "Hitsville U.K."

I like her on "Car Jamming," but she's pretty grating on the Meatloaf stuff!

Wasn't this album on Xgau's "Must to Avoid" list? The only song I remember was Torchlight, which I enjoyed...I should give it another go. What I do remember is that the effect of the Clash boys on the record is negligible.

(check your email)

She and Mick Jones were an item, I believe. And she was on "Night Court".

The album has been reissued by Wounded Bird, with bonus tracks even.

xp Not to mention (probably goes with out saying) on a Meat Loaf album (or two, or three? I lost count.)

I still confuse her with Ellen Shipley and Carolyne Mas, who I believe Rolling Stone may have reviewed her along with at the time. (My guess is, if I heard them all now, I'd prefer Eve Moon to any of them.) (And I haven't heard her album in 28 years, either.)

I've got a copy of it (tracked it down also for the Clash connection) and was pretty disappointed also. Niteout is the only album of hers I've gone back to.

did markie post ever put out an album?

Yeah, she and Mick were definitely in a relationship. The liner notes to this album read "produced by my boyfriend."

Wasn't this album on Xgau's "Must to Avoid" list?

I'd be interested to know what he said about it!

Spirit of St. Louis [Epic/Cleveland International, 1981]
This well-intentioned side trip from punk postpurism to Weimar-manqué artsong might be less embarrassing if Foley and all her voice lessons weren't such typical backup stuff, but as it is she really bollixes such conceits as "Priests married themselves, using Bibles and mirrors/In China all the bicycle chains snapped at once." Which Joe Strummer, here reduced to strummer and backerupper, might actually spit out with some authority. Producer Mick Jones, dubbed "My Boyfriend," acts as if too many chops are Peter Asher's problem, but it's just the opposite--in studio-rock, every note has to be perfect and then some, which leaves Paul, Topper, Mickey etc. two steps short much of the time. C

Lol!

snap

(But he still gave it a C?!)

Combat Rock-era Clash as backing band, Strummer/Jones-penned songs

Sandinista-era, right down to Norman Watt-Roy on bass instead of Simonon, and Mickey Gallagher and Tymon Dogg present. I think Dogg wrote a song or two, as well.

I own this, and may have made it through a second listen sometime, but wouldn't swear to it in some kind of Clash-based court. It's really not worth the curiosity factor.

This all said, I've now been prompted to dig out Bat Out of Hell again, so thanks thread!

I sort of like it, but a lot of the songs (like Tymon Dogg's amazing "Indestructible") exist in better versions. Joe gave me a tape of the demos (four of the six of the Strummer/Jones tunes on the album) and I've got all the Tymon Dogg versions of his three songs . . . plus (of course) the Piaf tune, so one could make a nearly complete alternate version of this album, which would be a lot better.

Hm, I was under the impresison it was right before Combat Rock began recording.

(Thanks, musically!)

Might have been closer in time to Combat Rock sessions, I dunno - but in terms of the actual personnel on the record, everyone being happy with Mick producing*, and Topper not having notable writing input, it's definitely a shitty, barrel-scraping sides G and H of Sandinista rather than an interesting warm-up/prologue to CR.

*and happy to spend time on a vanity project for his girlfriend, rather than kicking him out of the band for his insufferability!

I bought that Mick Hunter album wot Jones produced around the same time, and don't think I've even run my thumbnail down the plastic on the sleeve after being so disappointed in this...

Joe gave me a tape of the demos (four of the six of the Strummer/Jones tunes on the album)

!!!!

Mick Hunter

!!!!

er, Ian Hunter, oops

Waht's with the Bette Davis hate, Alfred? Nobody ever said she was a singer!