"...Can't Keep A Good Man Down..."
Ex New York City Cop and
raspy vocalist EDDIE MONEY produced a slew of albums for Columbia Records (CBS
in the UK) between 1978 and 1992. But his reputation as one the great Ian
Hunter Rock 'n' Roller-types rests on his first four albums - which America's
'Rock Candy Records' have chosen to reissue in 2013 as 'Collector's Editions
Remastered & Reloaded'.
I bought the vinyl LPs at
the time and loved every good time minute of them - in fact I worked with a
band in Dublin called 'Rogue Angel' who used to cover several of his tunes in
their brill residency at Toner's Bar in Baggot Street (great memories). But
frankly the quality of Money's songs began to taper off by his third platter
"Playing For Keeps" in August 1980 and "No Control" in July
1982 wasn't a whole lot better. For me there's only ever been his rattling
"Eddie Money" debut from late 1977 and this - it's brilliant and
upbeat follow-up "Life For The Taking" released Stateside in January
1979. You 'can't keep a good man down' as they say - so here are the lifelike
details...
USA released January 2013 -
"Life For The Taking" by EDDIE MONEY on Rock Candy Records CANDY173 (Barcode
5055300356574) is a straightforward Remaster of the 1978 US LP with upgraded
booklet and plays out as follows (40:41 minutes):
1. Life For The Taking
2. Can't Keep A Good Man
Down
3. Nightmare
4. Gimme Some Water
5. Rock And Roll The Place
6. Maybe I'm A Fool [Side 2]
7. Love The Way You Love Me
8. Maureen
9. Nobody
10. Call On Me
Tracks 1 to 10 are his 2nd
studio album "Life For The Taking" - released January 1979 in the USA
on Columbia JC 35598 and March 1978 in the UK on CBS Records S CBS 83159.
Produced by BRUCE BOTNIK (of The Doors fame) and Recorded/Engineered by ANDY
JOHNS - it peaked at No. 17 on the US LP charts (didn't chart UK).
Musicians:
EDDIE MONEY - Lead Vocals,
Piano and Harmonica
JIMMY LYON - Guitar
DAVID LINDLEY - Guitar on
"Gimme Some Water"
LLOYD CHIATE and JOHN
WHITNEY - Guitars on "Maybe I'm A Fool"
ALAN PASQUA and NICKY
HOPKINS - Piano
GREGORY PHILLINGANES - Piano
on "Maybe I'm A Fool"
JESSIE BRADMAN - Piano on
"Rock And Roll The Place"
RANDY NICHOLS - Organ on
"Rock And Roll The Place"
TOM SCOTT - Horns
LONNIE TURNER - Bass
TIM SHERIDAN - Bass on
"Rock And Roll The Place"
GARY MALLABER - Drums
DAVE DANZA - Drums on
"Rock And Roll The Place"
The 12-page booklet is
pretty to look at - live photos from the period - repro's of Japanese and US
singles, picture discs and new liner notes from HOWARD JOHNSON which include
recent interviews with Eddie about that heady time (his debut had peaked at No.
39 but this album went Top 20 eventually peaking at No. 17 and lasting an
impressive 26 weeks on the charts). Fans will know that only a couple of tracks
from "Life For The Taking" have been available on a 'Greatest Hits'
set as remasters - this is the first time the entire album has been done (ditto
for the other three). There are no lyrics and its hugely disappointing that
there isn't 'anything' extra but at least the Audio makes up for those
shortcomings...
Experienced Audio Engineer
JON ASTLEY (The Who, Pete Townshend, Tears For Fears, The Boomtown Rats, Bad
Company and more) has handled the 24-bit Digital Remaster from original tapes
at 'Close To The Edge' Mastering in Twickenham, England - and this sucker
'rocks' for all the right reasons. How good is it to hear songs like
"Can't Keep A Good Man Down" and "Love The Way You Love Me"
sound this good...
The album opens with the
slow and weary-from-losing "Life For The Taking" - an Eddie Money
original about his harsh upbringing in the big choke. Instant rush hits you
with the fantastic 'rawk' of "Can't Keep A Good Man Down" - a song Money
co-wrote with Dan Alexander of The Rockets and Chris Solsberg. This 'made some
plans myself' thing kicks like a mule and that Jimmy Lyon Guitar solo roars out
of your speakers ready to trample all over your apartment’s Feng Shui
placements. The preposterously catchy "Nightmare" is a co-write Jimmy
Lyon and features a riff many rock bands would nobble a close relative for.
Upbeat riffage continues with Money's "Gimme Some Water" where our
hero takes of guns and dead men on the Mexican Border (not that border rhymes
with water you understand). Like a call to arms 'everybody' "Rock And Roll
The Place" is a great Saturday Night booze and bands rocker and brings
back great memories of doing just that in 1979.
After all the men-in-tight
trousers Rock of the Side 1 - the flip-side opens with a disconcerting
"Maybe I'm A Fool" - a stab at Rock-Soul that aims its Saxophone and
Lush Strings firmly at the crossover Top 20 without really convincing either
(arranged by Albhey Galuten). Things instantly improve with "Love The Way
You Love Me" - a joyful Rock romp that actually has Soul in it - the
Remaster lifting up that great solo. We enter Southside Johnny & The Asbury
Dukes territory with the Tamla Motown bop of "Maureen" while its
finishes with a wicked one-two sucker punch - a Funky "Nobody" and
the big pleader ballad "Call On Me" where Eddie wants his girl to
give him a tinkle on the blower when she's tired and feeling weak (any other
time she can bugger off).
"Life For The
Taking" only consolidated the strides Money made on his "Eddie
Money" debut LP after years in the Rock 'n' Roll wilderness (he'd been
gigging since 1974). Despite the lack of extras and that greedy full-price tag
- this is a stone 5-star CD remaster and I recommend you 'Rock and Roll' your
place with it right soon...
The January 2013 'Rock
Candy Records' CD Remasters for EDDIE MONEY are:
1. Eddie Money (November 1977
debut LP) - Rock Candy CANDY172 (Barcode 5055300356567)
2. Life For The Taking
(January 1979 2nd LP) - Rock Candy CANDY173 (Barcode 5055300356574)
3. Playing For Keeps (August
1980 3rd LP) - Rock Candy CANDY174 (Barcode 5055300356581)
4. No Control (July 1982 4th
LP) - Rock Candy CANDY175 (Barcode 5055300356598)
