My favorite album by the '5 and arguably my favorite song by the band, as well. Brilliant article and a nice highlight on a monstrous track.
Despite being bookended by two epic albums, my personal feeling is that 'Back in the USA' had to happen for a couple of reasons.
1. Firstly, to reclaim the band and move on from Sinclair.
2. To get back to what they loved, which was high octane, pedal to the metal, Chuck Berry-style Rock 'n Roll.
Ignoring the original's tinny production, 'BITUSA' is the perfect bridge from 'KOTJ' to 'High Time' and allowed the band to re-focus on priorities (and to have fun along the way). We'll never know, of course, but I'm not sure if the brilliance of 'High Time' would have existed without the calculated reset of 'BITUSA.'
A Lot of content and ideas here, aiming at putting thé record straight on the MC5 looking at it through the eyes of their not-so-well-known-members. À very interesting read.
Question Time: Why is producer Geoffrey Haslam so underrated and ignored? The Velvet Underground’s “Loaded”, MC5’s “High Time”, some of the J Geils Band’s early albums, Gil-Scott Heron’ “Thé Révolution Will Not Be Televised”… His name would not appear in a top 200 best ever producers list. Any idea? Maybe he is considered just someone who was given thé task as an in-house employee (man the board, do not mess things up) but (specially for thé MC5) hé brings up (or does not stand in the way of) the essential best to have a good / great record.
My favorite album by the '5 and arguably my favorite song by the band, as well. Brilliant article and a nice highlight on a monstrous track.
Despite being bookended by two epic albums, my personal feeling is that 'Back in the USA' had to happen for a couple of reasons.
1. Firstly, to reclaim the band and move on from Sinclair.
2. To get back to what they loved, which was high octane, pedal to the metal, Chuck Berry-style Rock 'n Roll.
Ignoring the original's tinny production, 'BITUSA' is the perfect bridge from 'KOTJ' to 'High Time' and allowed the band to re-focus on priorities (and to have fun along the way). We'll never know, of course, but I'm not sure if the brilliance of 'High Time' would have existed without the calculated reset of 'BITUSA.'
I agree wholeheartedly, Michael. No High Time without Back in the USA! It's a pity we didn't get the chance to see what would've come next.
A Lot of content and ideas here, aiming at putting thé record straight on the MC5 looking at it through the eyes of their not-so-well-known-members. À very interesting read.
Question Time: Why is producer Geoffrey Haslam so underrated and ignored? The Velvet Underground’s “Loaded”, MC5’s “High Time”, some of the J Geils Band’s early albums, Gil-Scott Heron’ “Thé Révolution Will Not Be Televised”… His name would not appear in a top 200 best ever producers list. Any idea? Maybe he is considered just someone who was given thé task as an in-house employee (man the board, do not mess things up) but (specially for thé MC5) hé brings up (or does not stand in the way of) the essential best to have a good / great record.
Great question! I have no idea. It's the fate of some producers/engineers to slip through the cracks, I suppose