Los Lobos - Will the Wolf Survive?

Los Lobos were an unlikely and underrated success story in the 1980s.  The group's roots date back to 1973, and they were originally named Los Lobos del Este de Los Angeles (the wolves of East Los Angeles.)  The band's name came from a 1977 National Geographic article, "Where Can the Wolf Survive?" making the group perhaps the only rock act named after a story in Nat Geo.

Their music blended traditional rock with country and Tex-Mex influences, creating a unique sound that became critically acclaimed.  Unfortunately, major commercial success proved to be elusive - they only had three charting singles, two of which broke the top 40 (although their cover of "La Bamba" hit #1 in 1987.)

"Will the Wolf Survive?" is a lovely piece of songwriting, and shows the sophistication of Los Lobos.  Rock, country, and Latin American sounds seem to effortlessly fuse together.  The lyrics use the metaphor of a wolf, trying to find his place in a modern world, to illuminate the status of immigrants. In our view it is poetic and evocative.

The single, "Will the Wolf Survive?" peaked at #78 on the singles charts, while the album How Will the Wolf Survive reached #47.

Los Lobos remains together (with most of their original members) as of this writing.

Cool trivia fact:  Rolling Stone rated How Will the Wolf Survive as the 30th best album of the 1980s (and at #431 on their list of the greatest albums ever)

Robbie Robertson - Showdown At Big Sky

In 1987, Robbie Robertson released his eponymous debut album.  Younger listeners might not have been quite sure what to make of it, but it was a significant event for the music industry.

To understand why, we need to go back to Robertson's prior work as the main songwriter of The Band.  That group started as Bob Dylan's backing act, but would go on to become one of the most influential acts of the late 1960s and early 1970s.  They helped pioneer a type of roots rock that influenced ... seemingly everyone, from The Beatles and the Rolling Stones to Eric Clapton and The Eagles.

The Band broke up in 1977 (documented through one of the greatest rock movies ever made - Martin Scorsese's The Last Waltz).  And in the aftermath of The Band's breakup, Robertson didn't seem to have much interest in the mainstream music industry.  Instead, he acted and worked on film soundtracks (often with Scorsese).

So when Robertson decided to release his first solo record, it was kind of a big deal, especially as it became apparent that the sound was different from his prior work.  In general, the critics were supportive of the LP, though the commercial success was mixed.  "Showdown at Big Sky" did pick up a fair amount of rock radio play, but the song did not chart.  The album reached #38.  

Robertson continued to sporadically release albums through the years, and remains active in the music industry as of this writing.

Cool trivia fact:  Rolling Stone ranked Robbie Robertson's first solo LP at #78 on the best albums of the 1980s list. 

The Long Ryders - I Want You Bad

This is the second appearance on ERV for The Long Ryders; the superb "Looking for Lewis and Clark" was posted on our little blog in October, 2013.

Regular readers will recall that The Long Ryders were a roots rock act associated with the LA Paisley Underground scene.  They made a bit of a ripple on the college radio scene in the middle part of the 1980s, but never quite found their audience.

"I Want You Bad" was the lead single of the group's 1987 LP, Two Fisted Tales.  It is a cover (more on that below), but highlights the band's style and musicianship.  Unfortunately, we don't believe that either the LP or single charted.

While The Long Ryders remained well-regarded by critics, their big breakthrough never happened and in 1987 and the strenuous touring schedule finally did the band in.  Bassist Tom Stevens and guitarist Stephen McCarthy left the group by year end, and the remaining members (vocals/guitarist Sid Griffin and drummer Greg Sowders) chose not to continue.  However, the group did re-form in 2014, and plans to tour and perform some more as of this writing.

As mentioned above, "I Want You Bad" is a cover of an NRBQ song, below.  NRBQ is an influential and eclectic rock band who are known for their live shows.

The Hooters - Day by Day

After a long, bumpy road, Eric Bazilian and Rob Hyman finally saw significant success with The Hooters 1985 Nervous Night LP.  The album peaked at #12 on the charts and went double platinum; it also featured all three of the group's top 40 singles.

In fact, the Bazilian/Hyman partnership (sounds dirty but isn't) dates back to the early 1970s when they met as students at Penn.  Their first group (Baby Grand) recorded some decent material, but did not break through.  [Baby Grand also recorded the original version of "Never Enough" which was covered by Patty Smyth in 1987 and featured on ERV in April, 2014.]

Bazilian and Hyman formed The Hooters in 1980 and played extensively in the Philadelphia music scene before breaking up in 1982.  However, the group re-formed the following year and released their first (independent) album.  Their big break came when an old friend (Rick Chertoff from Baby Grand) asked Bazilian and Hyman to work with him on Cindy Lauder's She's So Unusual album.  The success of that project led to The Hooter's signing with Columbia Records.

Many readers will be surprised that "Day by Day" was the highest charting single from Nervous Night -- it hit #18 on the charts.  The song (co-written with Chertoff) is pretty typical of the band's music from this period -- upbeat roots rock, with some new wave and folk elements, to boot.

Sadly, Nervous Night was the peak of The Hooter's success.  Though their material remained strong, the albums did not sell as well.  The band broke up in 1995, but has reunited from time to time in the intervening years.  

Note that The Hooters excellent and underrated "Karla with a K" was featured on ERV in March, 2012.

Tommy Conwell & The Young Rumblers - I'm Not Your Man

Last September, we put up "If We Never Meet Again," a solid pop/rock song by Tommy Conwell & The Young Rumblers.  This was a surprisingly difficult decision, as the band had two strong cuts off their 1988 major label debut, with "I'm Not Your Man" as the other. [In fact, it was the rareness of "If We Never Meet Again" that finally broke the tie.]

"I'm Not Your Man" shows the bar band in fine form, and was a solid choice as the first single off Rumble (the aforementioned 1988 debut LP).  Interestingly, while the song picked up a significant amount of radio airplay at the time, the single only reached #74 on the charts.  "If We Never Meet Again" somehow managed to reach #48 on the singles chart with less airplay.

Rumble did not break to top 100 on the album charts, and when the act's 1990 Guitar Trouble LP didn't chart, that was it for the band.  [Tommy Conwell & The Young Rumblers actually recorded a third album, but Columbia Records chose not to release it; it has been made available in recent years.]

Conwell remained in the industry for years but was unable to break through and eventually moved on.  However, he continued to periodically perform reunion shows to the present day.

Tommy Conwell & The Young Rumblers - If We Never Meet Again

Your basic bar band made good (almost), Tommy Conwell & The Young Rumblers came onto the music scene in 1988 with their major label debut, Rumble.  Sounding like a mix of Bruce Springsteen and George Thorogood (with some 1950s rock and roll thrown in for good measure), the band was definitely cutting against the musical grain of the time.

The group formed in Philadelphia in the mid-1980s and released an independent record (Walking on the Water) in 1986.  They were signed to Columbia Records in 1988 and released two major label LPs before being dropped by the label.

"If We Never Meet Again" is off their 1988 major label debut.  The song picked up some radio play, though we do not recall seeing the video at the time.  The single never charted, while the Rumble album peaked at #103 on the charts -- the group's only charting record.

Conwell and The Young Rumblers disbanded soon after they were dropped by Columbia.  Conwell remained in the music business for a number of years, but never broke through.  In more recent years, he has taught third grade, was a DJ on WYSP (a Philadelphia rock station) and most recently is in the family's fence business.  He and the Young Rumblers continue to periodically perform, typically in the Philadelphia area.

Tommy Conwell & The Young Rumblers excellent first single, "I'm Not Your Man" was featured on ERV in February, 2015.

Steve Earle & The Dukes - I Ain't Ever Satisfied

"I Ain't Ever Satisfied" is off Steve Earle's second MCA record, Exit 0, and it highlights an artist in transition.  While the album is still a country/rock record, songs such as "I Ain't Ever Satisfied" show such a strong roots rock sensibility that it is not surprising to find that Earle migrated to a more straight up rock style for his next album, 1988's Copperhead Road.  [By the by, "Copperhead Road" (the song) was featured on ERV last June.]

For better and worse, Steve Earle has lived the rock and roll lifestyle.  He was born in Virginia but grew up in Texas and began playing guitar at 11.  Earle left home at 16, eventually moving to Nashville.  Years of work led to several recording contracts before he signed with MCA and released Guitar Town in 1986.  Guitar Town was a breakout record, and Earle was seen as a fresh new country artist and a roots rocker. While Exit 0 and Copperhead Road did well, creative and political tensions with the Nashville music scene, drug use, and multiple marriages (7 as of this writing) derailed Earle's career by the early 1990s.

Recorded with his touring band, the Dukes, "I Ain't Ever Satisfied" clearly shows the talent of Earle.  The video, loosely following the Robert Johnson Crossroads story, seems pitch perfect and is enhanced by a Waylon Jennings cameo at 3:31.  The lyrics are also worth calling out, as they are tremendous.  Allmusic goes so far as to state that this is something of a theme song for Steve Earle; at a minimum, it does provide some insight into the man.

Melissa Etheridge - Like The Way I Do

Melissa Etheridge is the second native Kansas artist to appear on ERV, as long time readers may remember Clocks from August 2011.  Unlike Clocks, Etheridge built quite the following, capped by her 1993 CD, Yes I Am, which has sold more than six million units.

For the blog, we went with "Like The Way I Do," from her 1988 self titled debut album.  The record actually generated a fair amount of buzz, and ended up peaking at #22 on the charts, while "Like The Way I Do" did not initially chart (the song hit #42 upon its re-release in 1995).  Interestingly, we don't remember seeing the video on MTV back in the day (readers should feel free to leave a comment if they recall seeing it).

While the video is a pretty standard performance piece, Etheridge's music was somewhat off the beaten track for 1988.  At the time, highly polished pop and hair metal dominated the charts, and Etheridge's folky roots rock reminded  critics of Springsteen or Mellencamp.  It didn't hurt that her raspy voice seemed tailor-made for the songs either.  While Etheridge's hairstyle seems dated (in the video), we think that the songs from her debut album have held up remarkably well.

As most folks will know, Etheridge remains active in the music industry to the present day.

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Change of Heart

Since their 1976 founding, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers have been considered one of the preeminent bands in rock and roll.  Their updated, Byrds-influenced brand of music led the group to fame, fortune and critical acclaim.  While the songs and attitude are straightforward, they are impeccably executed, leading many to view Petty as one of the foremost singer/songwriters of his generation.  How's that for a rave introduction?

My all-time favorite Tom Petty song is "Change of Heart" from the 1982 Long After Dark album.  While the song was a solid success (reaching #21 on the charts), the video was overshadowed by "You Got Lucky" with all of its post-apocalyptic goodness.  This is a shame, because "Change of Heart" is one of a handful of videos directed by the legendary Cameron Crowe.  Crowe is a fascinating figure; the crib notes version is: Rolling Stone writer in his teens, then wrote Fast Times at Ridgemont High and wrote/directed Almost Famous -- two films that get ERV's highest recommendation.  [He's done a bunch of other solid work, but those two really stand out to us.]

The "Change of Heart" video is a well-crafted performance piece, featuring a live audio track and keyboardist Benmont Tench (previously featured on ERV as the songwriter of one of two salacious Feargal Sharkey songs).  Straight up rock and roll doesn't get any better than this.

Note that the excellent (and underrated) Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers duet with Stevie Nicks, "Insider" was posted on ERV In February 2015. 

The Long Ryders - Looking for Lewis and Clark

"Looking for Lewis and Clark" is another reader suggestion and a mighty fine one at that.  The song is by the Long Ryders, a really interesting LA-based band who deserved a lot more success than the pittance they received.

Guitarist/singer Sid Griffin founded the band in the early 1980s.  Named after the 1980 Walter Hill western film of the same name (but with a more traditional spelling), the group quickly gathered a following.  They released their first EP in 1983, and the band's rocked up country sound and political lyrics endeared them to critics and fans alike.  We think of the Long Ryders as sounding like a more rocking version of 1980s R.E.M.; readers who enjoy that music would be well served to check out the band's catalog.

While The Long Ryders were loosely associated with the Paisley Underground scene, many critics (correctly, in our view) consider them more of a roots rock or country rock band.  [As an aside, the term Paisley Underground refers to an LA-based style of roots rock that had strong 1960s (Byrds) and psychedelic influences.  Artists associated with the scene include The Dream Syndicate, The Bangles, Rain Parade, and The Three O'Clock.]

"Looking for Lewis and Clark" was the lead single off the group's major label debut, 1985's State of Our Union.  The song charted in the U.K. (#59) but did not hit the U.S. charts.  It did generate a bit of college radio play, but we do not recall ever seeing the video on MTV.

After a few more years of struggling to break through, the Long Ryders broke up at the end of 1987.  Sid Griffin moved to London a few years later and founded The Coal Porters, a bluegrass act.

We particularly love the call-outs of  Tim Hardin and Gram Parsons in the song.

The Long Ryders' cover of "I Want You Bad" was posted on ERV in March, 2016.

Steve Earle - Copperhead Road

As a country roots rocker in the 1980s, Steve Earle had a challenging time fitting in, not unlike John Hiatt.  Earle was critically acclaimed and flirted with success on both the country and rock charts but ultimately never quite broke through.  However, he recorded a bunch of great music and gradually developed a modest but loyal following.

Earle's 1988 release Copperhead Road was represented a clear break from the more country-oriented sound that preceded it.  A combination of frustration over the Nashville music scene and his liberal politics may have driven the change.  In any event, the result was a unique and really solid country-rock album that reached #56 on the charts.  The single "Copperhead Road" is a classic roots rock storytelling song, and it received some radio airplay at the time.

The video does a fine job of telling the song's story about moonshine, Vietnam and drugs, with a decidedly anti-authoritarian slant.  (I particularly like the intro.) 

In the aftermath of Copperhead Road, Earle's career deteriorated, primarily due to drug use.  His 1990 CD, The Hard Way, is not viewed as one of his better efforts, and he then mostly disappeared from view for several years.  However, he returned to the industry (cleaner) in 1995 and has carved out a solid and interesting path since then.  For readers who are interested, 1986's Guitar Town and 1996's I Feel Alright are especially strong.  ERV also posted an earlier effort, "I Ain't Ever Satisfied" in January 2014.

Earle remains active in the industry as of this writing.

The Call - Let the Day Begin

The Call are another in a long list of bands who were critically acclaimed, but never quite found their audience.  Other artists that would we would place in this category include Marshall Crenshaw and XTC.  Note that the Underrated label to the right captures a bunch of additional bands (or songs) that by all rights should have been bigger than they were.

The Call was led by singer-guitarist Michael Been, and formed in California in the early 1980s.  Critics liked their roots rock sound and sophisticated lyrics, with some referring to The Call as a kind of updated version of The Band.  These comparisons were likely helped by Robbie Robertson appearing on their 1985 album, Reconciled.  Peter Gabriel was also a fan, and guested on the same album.

"Let the Day Begin" from the 1989 LP of the same name was The Call's biggest hit -- it reached #51 on the charts, while the album peaked at #64.  Unfortunately, the band broke up in 1990, when Been left to pursue a solo career.  The Call then re-formed in 1997 but broke up for good in 2000.

Sadly, Michael Been died of a heart attack in 2010, while working as a sound tech for his son's band (Black Rebel Motorcycle Club).

Note that The Call's "When the Walls Came Down" was posted on ERV in June 2014.

Update [July 2021]: We found a cool behind the scenes video for the making of "Let the Day Begin," and have added it to the post.

BoDeans - Only Love

The Wisconsin-based BoDeans came onto the music scene in the mid 1980s, and were another roots rock band that was loved by critics and briefly viewed as The Next Big Thing in rock -- much like the Del Fuegos had been in 1985.  The band's breakout album was 1987's Outside Looking In, and the first single was the catchy song below, "Only Love."  The BoDeans opened for U2 and were named Best New American Band by the readers of Rolling Stone magazine.  (As many readers will know, being named best new artist by anyone is the kiss of death for most acts.  Don't believe me?  See the comments section for a list of Grammy winners for Best New Artist going back to 1975).

At any rate, Outside Looking In stalled at #86 on the album charts, and "Only Love" didn't hit the singles charts.  1989's Home did slightly worse, and while the band continued to release albums and tour, they gradually became a successful working band (their albums tended to chart in the top 200, but not by much).

The band did get a second break, when their song "Closer to Free" was used as the theme to Fox's Party of Five TV show.  The song went to #16 on the Billboard singles charts in 1996, three years after it had been originally released as the lead single from the band's 1993 CD, Go Slow Down.  [By the way, the Rembrandts followed a remarkably similar path in 1994 when they wrote "I'll Be There for You" for NBC's Friends.]

While the video for "Only Love" is a basic performance shoot, it is one of the best videos of this type -- nothing fancy, but really well-shot, and the use of still images is quite effective.

Cool trivia fact:  Jerry Harrison (of Talking Heads fame) produced Outside Looking In.

John Hiatt - Slow Turning

How can you tell if an artist is a great singer-songwriter?  Well, how is this for a partial list of performers who have covered John Hiatt songs:   Bob Dylan, Willy DeVille, Linda Ronstadt, Bonnie Raitt, Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Willie Nelson, Three Dog Night, Joan Baez, Paula Abdul, Buddy Guy, Jimmy Buffett, Mandy Moore, Iggy Pop, Emmylou Harris, Dave Edmunds, Nick Lowe, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Rosanne Cash, Jewel, Aaron Neville, Jeff Healey, Keith Urban, Joe Cocker and Chaka Khan.  Impressive, yo.

John Hiatt put out his first record in 1974, but it took him years to find his voice (and his audience).  In addition, his career was almost ruined by years of alcohol abuse.  His breakthrough came on 1986's Bring the Family, which had two notable songs -- "Have a Little Faith in Me" and "Thing Called Love."  Since then, virtually all of his album have had strong sales, and end up peaking between 110 and 50 or so on the album charts.

Amazingly, in spite of critical acclaim and solid LP sales, Hiatt has never had a top 100 single.  "Slow Turning," from the 1988 LP of the same name, is his biggest hit -- it reached #8 on the Mainstream Rock Charts.  It is also a great song and quirky, cool video.  And, as a bonus, it has one of the great lines in rock and roll:

"Now I'm in my car

Ooh, I got the radio on

And I'm yellin' at the kids in the back

Cuz they're banging like Charlie Watts"

The Hooters - Karla With a K

The Hooters were formed in Philadelphia in 1980, and were driven musically by the partnership between Eric Bazilian and Rob Hyman (who met at Penn in 1971).  The band's style was rocked up folk music (or, if you prefer, folk influenced rock) and sounded quite a bit different from most of what was on MTV in the mid 1980s.

"Karla With a K" was the third single off 1987's Long Way Home, and (unfairly, we think) broke the band's streak of six consecutive singles that charted in the U.S.  The video is a performance clip, with some European travel shots thrown in.

In retrospect, "Karla" was the beginning of the end for The Hooters; while the band's cover of "500 Miles" from 1989's Zig Zag did chart, it was the last Hooters song to do so.  In fact, the poor sales of Zig Zag led Columbia to drop the band.  Although The Hooters soldiered on, and even released an album on MCA, they had little success.  The band unofficially broke up in 1995.

Bazilian and Hyman have remained active in the music industry to this day.  Fittingly, their biggest success was as a team; they co-wrote and performed on Joan Osborne's triple platinum 1995 album Relish ("One of Us" in particular, sounds like it could have been a Hooters song).

Cool trivia fact:  The band took its name from the Melodica (which they called a "hooter"), a combination keyboard/harmonica instrument played by both Bazilian and Hyman.

The Hooters' highest charting single, "Day by Day" was posted on ERV in February, 2016.

Dire Straits - Skateaway

Picking the strongest song from Dire Straits classic album Making Movies is almost like picking your favorite finger.  The LP (justly ranked as the 52nd best album of the 1980s by Rolling Stone) is incredibly solid from start to finish, and well worth a listen for any 1980s music fan.

We eventually settled on "Skateaway," partly for sentimental reasons, as it was the first song that we heard from the album.  Coincidentally, it was the only single from Making Movies to chart in the U.S., reaching #58, while the LP hit #19.  The song is classic Dire Straits, with a great beat, cool lyrics and interesting, artistic guitar work by Mark Knopfler.

The song was inspired by a girl on roller skates in New York City, and the somewhat dated video (featuring "it girl" Jayzik Azikiwe)  does reflect the story line.  We liked that the band is barely present in the video, and when they do appear, it is a humorous, awkward moment.  (We especially liked that the Stratocaster gets better lighting and more air time than the band).

Dire Straits would go on to have tremendous success with the somewhat more commercial-sounding Brothers in Arms, but in my opinion Making Movies was their masterpiece.

The Waterboys - The Whole of the Moon

Mike Scott's masterpiece began on a snowy New York City street in January 1985, when his girlfriend asked him whether it was hard to write a song.  The song started as a few scribbles on the back of an envelope, and was still unfinished when the recording of the This is the Sea album began in March.

As an ode to artistic expression, the song's lyrics are clearly a tribute to the artists who inspired Scott.  While there has been much speculation about who it is written about, the only comments that Scott has made indicate that  C.S. Lewis was "in there somewhere" and that Prince wasn't (Prince had been rumored to be a source of inspiration, and some sources still cite him).

Amazingly, neither "The Whole of the Moon" single nor the This is the Sea album ever charted in the U.S.  "The Whole of the Moon" did chart twice in the U.K.; once in 1985, upon the original release (#26), and again in 1991 (peaking at #3), after the song won an Ivor Novello Award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically.

After This is the Sea, Scott (who was the main creative force behind the Waterboys), opted to go for a smaller, more folk sound, which continued until the band broke up in 1993.

Cool trivia fact:  The video is directed by Irish director Meiert Avis, who has directed dozens of videos, including a bunch from U2.  The Waterboys posed a little bit of a challenge in that Mike Scott will not lip sync; hence an actual concert was created just for the video.

The Del Fuegos - Don't Run Wild

In 1985, the Del Fuegos looked like a good bet to be The Next Big Thing.  Their second album, Boston, Mass was released to critical acclaim, and the first single and video, "Don't Run Wild" were gathering momentum.  They even had a big rock star supporter in Tom Petty (who would go on to work with them on their next album, 1987's Stand Up).

Unfortunately, sales of Boston, Mass (the album, not the city) stalled out in early 1986.  The album peaked at #134, and while "Don't Run Wild" and the follow up, "I Still Want You" received a fair amount of radio airplay, neither single broke the top 40.

The commercial disappointment of the album was exacerbated when the band made an ill-advised, highly visible commercial for Miller Beer.  We think this really hurt their credibility, especially among core roots rock fans, who considered it selling out.  It did not help that for many folks, the commercial was their first exposure to the band.

The sad part is that the band made some really great music and they could have been much more successful with a lucky break or two.