Origin: Cleveland, Ohio (USA)
KEVIN RALEIGH
 |
| Kevin Raleigh |
Discography:
Delusions of grandeur - 1989 (with lyrics)Notes:
- This Cleveland native joined the ranks of one of that city's most popular bands, the Michael Stanley Band, in 1979 during the recording of its Greatest Hints album. Although the act was a major draw in its home state and had a strong following in the Northeast and Midwest, the group was never truly able to make an impact nationally. However, Kevin Raleigh was an integral member, adding keyboards, and as a lyricist and singer for the band. In fact, he wrote and sang lead on several of the band's charted singles, including "When I'm Holding You Tight," "Someone Like You," and "He Can't Love You," which was the Michael Stanley Band's highest-charting hit, reaching number 33 in early 1981. Raleigh remained with the band until their formal breakup in 1986, at which time he pursued a solo career. Signed to Atlantic Records, Raleigh released Delusions of Grandeur during the spring of 1989. Although the album did little beyond Michael Stanley Band devotees, it did produce a minor hit in "Moonlight on Water." By 1995, Raleigh had moved to the business side of the music industry,
managing the Pittsburgh-based Brownie Mary. -
- Let's face it, to me, the most inspiring aspect of the Michael Stanley Band were always the songs and vocals Kevin brought to the party, look at the evidence; from the likes of the 1982 'MSB' titled album, with 'When I'm holding you tight' or from 1983 'You can't fight fashion' album, with the tuneful 'The damage is done'. However, back to the question why hasn't this been reviewed?
My first conclusion is that initially this was a huge disappointment for me, I was hoping for some much more, I just never connected with it, it just didn't flow, but with most things in life, with years passing I have learnt to appreciate this album, but I still have reservations, I mean when you set the bar so high, it's sometimes impossible to lift it any higher. Let's take one step backwards with some background; Kevin Raleigh first appeared for MSB on the 1979 'Greatest hints' and remained a creative force up to and including the already metioned classic 'You can't fight fashion' with minimal involvement on 'Inside moves' released in 1986 plus a live album being 'Fourth & Ten', which at that point, Michael put the band to bed. While Stanley reappeared with The Ghost Poets in 1993, and remained active with a number of solo albums, the same can't be said for Kevin. We only have this release from 1989 where he took the massive opportunity to release his first and only to my limited knowledge solo album, being this, 'Delusions of Grandeur'. Nothing musically has been heard since, although he seems to be alive and well and can be located through the web if one so desires, I understand he has transferred into the management of artists. Kevin vocals are made for AOR, slick, sweet, stackful of emotion, and with a stickness that you find hard to let go once you have heard his voice. He still remains one of my favourite vocalists, surely an underused talent, and why he hasn't been more active is a question that remains unanswered, put him with someone from the Frontiers house writers then that would be worth investigating. With Kevin's pedigree it was only a matter of time before a solo album was released and in 1989, Atlantic took the plunge, 10 tracks were recorded, which contain two from outside writers and these tracks opened the album. Were strange forces at work here? Was undue pressure put on kevin to sing other peoples tunes? I am unsure but I feel this direction plus the number of producers in the mix, may have had some negative effects. -
- Raleigh came to local prominence in 1969 with the band Paper Sun, later known as Freeport Express and Freeport. As Freeport, the band cut an album in Miami for Mainstream Records.
In 1973, Raleigh was recruited by former Raspberries members Jim Bonfanti and Dave Smalley to join them in the band Dynamite, who cut an album of Smalley-Raleigh originals which was never released.
Raleigh would also be a member of Bonfanti's subsequent band, Pictures, formed in 1977. That same year he was in a band with Paper Sun/Freeport bandmate Roger Lewis and guitarist Neil Giraldo.
Raleigh first performed with the Michael Stanley Band when they toured behind their 1978 album Cabin Fever. His first recording with the band was Greatest Hints in 1978, on which he emerged—in tandem with Stanley—as their principal singer and songwriter.
Remaining with MSB until its 1987 dissolution, Raleigh was responsible for several of MSB's most high-profile cuts, including "Someone Like You", "When I'm Holding You Tight" and the band's most successful single, "He Can't Love You", which peaked on the Hot 100 at #33 in 1980. -
(Notes by http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Raleigh)
0 comentarios:
Post a Comment