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Genre: horn-rock

Rating: ** (2 stars)

Title:  Chicago Live Beginnings

Company: Stack-O-Hits

Catalog: 

Year: 1981

Country/State: Chicago, IL

Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+

Comments: --

Available: 1

Catalog ID: 4779

Price: $25.00

Cost: $1.00

I own quite a few Chicago albums and I've seen them in concert a couple of times, but between the annoying horns and the latter stage band's wholehearted embrace of MOR I'm not a big Chicago fan.  That said, their early work (first three or four LPs) had some interesting work.

Released in 1981 by the small LA based Stack-O-Hits label (I'll let you judge whether it is a legitimate effort), "Chicago "Live" Beginnings" supposedly captured the band at the 1969 Toronto Rock Festival.  Sound quality on this puppy is okay - a little hollow, but at least listenable.  The performances are all pretty good with the band running though a mix of hits and lesser known numbers ('Purples' and 'Liberation').  Nice to hear the late Terry Kath again.  Not much more to say about this one ...

"Chicago Live Beginnings" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) Beginnings

2.) Purples

3.) 25 or 6 to 4

4.) Does Anybody (Know What Time It Is)

(side 2)
1.) I'm a Man

2.) Questions 67 and 68

3.) Liberation

Genre: horn-rock

Rating: ** (2 stars)

Title:  Chicago Live Beginnings

Company: Stack-O-Hits

Catalog: 

Year: 1981

Country/State: Chicago, IL

Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+

Comments: --

Available: 1

Catalog ID: 4779

Price: $25.00

Chicago and the Beach Boys at Merryweather Post Pavillion was one of the first concerts I ever saw.  I went for The Beach Boys and ended up being more impressed by Chicago.  That led me to buy a lot of Chicago albums over the years.  To be honest, it also led to a slow and steady decline in interest.  Released in 1988, the Ron Nevison and Chas Sandford produced "Chicago 19" was the final straw - the last new Chicago album I ever purchased.  Last time I looked they'd recorded an additional eleven studio albums (including two Christmas albums), though they'd finally walked away from the numeric titling pattern.

"Chicago 19" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) 

(side 2)
1.) 

Chicago 19 is the sixteenth studio album by American rock band Chicago, released on June 20, 1988. After recording Chicago 18 with David Foster, the band worked primarily with producers Ron Nevison and Chas Sandford for this album. Their Full Moon Records imprint moved to Reprise Records. This is the final album to feature the band's original drummer Danny Seraphine, who was dismissed from the group in 1990.

Background With a reception similar to its predecessor, Chicago 19 became a success on the album chart, going platinum and yielding several hit singles. The album includes "Look Away" (No. 1), "I Don't Wanna Live Without Your Love" (No. 3), and "You're Not Alone" (No. 10). A remixed version of Jason Scheff's "What Kind of Man Would I Be?" (No. 5) would also be successful in late 1989 as part of the follow-up Greatest Hits 1982-1989 release. The album relied heavily on outside writers with five of its ten compositions. The first two singles were either written or co-written by Diane Warren, and the third by British-born songwriter Jimmy Scott.[6]

After the tour for Chicago 19, original drummer Danny Seraphine was fired from the band for undisclosed reasons. Session drummer Tris Imboden then joined the band, in time to record "Explain It to My Heart" (the last song recorded for the album) on Twenty 1.

Track listing Side One No. Title Writer(s) Vocals Length 1. "Heart in Pieces" Tim Feehan, Brian MacLeod Jason Scheff 5:04 2. "I Don't Wanna Live Without Your Love" Albert Hammond, Diane Warren Bill Champlin 3:55 3. "I Stand Up" Robert Lamm, Gerard McMahon Robert Lamm 4:06 4. "We Can Last Forever" Scheff, John Dexter Scheff 3:45 5. "Come in from the Night" Champlin, Bruce Gaitsch Champlin 4:43 Side Two No. Title Writer(s) Vocals Length 6. "Look Away" Diane Warren Champlin 4:02 7. "What Kind of Man Would I Be?" Scheff, Chas Sandford, Bobby Caldwell Scheff 4:21 8. "Runaround" Champlin, Scheff Champlin and Scheff 4:10 9. "You're Not Alone" Jim Scott Champlin 3:56 10. "Victorious" Marc Jordan, John Capek Lamm 6:02 Chicago 19 (Full Moon/Reprise 25714) reached #37 in the US during a chart stay of 42 weeks. It did not chart in the UK.

Outtakes An alternate version of "Come in from the Night" exists called "Hide Behind the Window". A cover version of Otis Redding's "I Can't Turn You Loose" was intended for Chicago 19 and was performed live in July 1988. "Dancing in The Streets" was omitted, and performed in 1989 in Houston, Texas as part of an encore; Wilson Pickett's "In the Midnight Hour" was also performed at the same show.

Personnel Chicago Bill Champlin – keyboards, lead and backing vocals Robert Lamm – keyboards, lead and backing vocals Lee Loughnane – trumpet, brass arrangements James Pankow – trombone, brass arrangements Walter Parazaider – saxophone Jason Scheff – bass, lead and backing vocals Danny Seraphine – drums, percussion, programming Dawayne Bailey – guitar, backing vocals Additional musicians Chas Sandford – guitars Dann Huff – guitars Phillip Ashley – keyboards John Campbell – keyboards Charles Judge – keyboards Kiki Ebsen – keyboards, programming Peter Kaye – programming Peter Maher – programming Mike Murphy – programming, cowbell, drum technician Efrain Toro – drum programming Paul Jamieson – drum technician Tamara Champlin – additional backing vocals Tim Feehan – additional backing vocals on "Heart In Pieces" Production Producers – Chas Sandford (Tracks 1, 3, 5, 7, 8 & 10); Ron Nevison (Tracks 2, 4, 6 & 9). Tracks 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, and 10 engineered by Gary McGachan and Chas Sandford, assisted by Daren Chadwick. Tracks 2, 4, 6, and 9 engineered by Ron Nevison, assisted by Nick Basich, Michael E. Hutchinson, Stan Katayama, Jeff Poe and Bob Vogt. Mixed by James Guthrie, Chas Sandford and Greg Walsh. Recorded and Mixed at Record Plant and Secret Sound (Los Angeles, CA); A&M Studios (Hollywood, CA); Gold Mine (Woodland Hills, CA); Can-Am Recorders (Tarzana, CA). Production Assistant to Ron Nevison – Deandra Miller Production Assistant to Chas Sandford – Lisa M. Allen Art Direction and Design – Janet Levinson Computer Illustration –Jim Hillin for DeGraf/Wahrman Inc. Direction – Howard Kaufman for Front Line Management The album makes extensive use of the then popular Roland D-50 synthesizer presets. For example: "I Don't Wanna Live Without Your Love" with "Pressure Me Strings" and "Look Away" with PCM E-Piano.

Charts Chart (1988) Peak position Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[7] 38 Finnish Albums (The Official Finnish Charts)[8] 39 German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[9] 42 Japanese Albums (Oricon)[10] 16 Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[11] 5 Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[12] 7 Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[13] 22 US Billboard 200[14] 37 Certifications Region Certification Certified units/sales United States (RIAA)[15] Platinum 1,000,000^

"I Don't Wanna Live Without Your Love" Released: 20 May 1988 "Look Away" Released: 9 September 1988 "You're Not Alone" Released: 13 January 1989[2] "We Can Last Forever" Released: 21 April 1989[3] "What Kind of Man Would I Be?" Released: 17 November 1989[4]

hicago 19 contained four Top Ten hits, "I Don't Wanna Live Without Your Love," "Look Away" (which hit number one), "You're Not Alone," and "What Kind of Man Would I Be?," yet did not reach the Top Ten on the album list, definite proof that Chicago was reaching an easy listening, (or adult contemporary) radio audience but missing the rock audience. It paid the bills, though.

Having explored several Chicago albums that are either very uneven or badly rated, here we finally have a Chicago album which is honestly quite bad. I wouldn't have believed that the hit single "What Kind of Man Would I Be", which I like only moderately, is the best track on the whole album. "We Can Last Forever" is another decent number. Much of Chicago 19, including "Look Away" which also was a hit single, is substandard, crappy-sounding 1980s mainstream. One of the least interesting albums that I have met for a while. Published [Rating110198521] GAZHOO117 Jan 18 20162.50 stars Embarrassing. How could some of the guys who put out a long time ago innovative songs like those contained on I, II, III, V, till the sad Kath's passing away have reached such a point of (...)? This is certainly no piece of s..t, but I bet I am not going to listen to it anymore. Could someone convince me of his fondness for this sort of prominent drums? Who could be interested in those corny love songs. Of course, there is nothing bad. Could you imagine MESSI ending his career in a Belgian twentieth division club? Was it so necessary to change something that went so well and was brilliant? That said, I really appreciate friend Kid Charlemagne's well balanced review!!!! Published [Rating74830128] exilion May 07 20043.50 stars It just isn't as good as Chicago 16 - 18. That's the reason for the 3.5 star rating.

Track listing...

1. Heart in Pieces 2. I Don't Wanna Live Without Your Love 3. I Stand Up 4. We Can Last Forever 5. Come in from the Night 6. Look Away 7. What Kind of Man Would I Be? 8. Runaround 9. You're Not Alone 10. Victorious Unpublished by mod [Rating798101] Matt_K Dec 12 2022 +1 Album Of The Day: Chicago XIX (1988)

Maybe it’s the Stockholm Syndrome talking but I find myself kind of liking Chicago’s fourth straight platter of Adult Oriented Rock. Even with its artwork which should have won a Grammy for jaw-dropping ugliness. Maybe it’s because the producer has switched from David Foster to Ron Nevisom, but it feels a little fresher than XVIII. Which isn’t to suggest they’re trying anything new - they’re not - but I think the songwriting is stronger this time. Just have a listen to We Can Last Forever - fans of unapologetic power ballads should be in heaven with this should-have-been-hit, bassist Jason Scheff’s Cetera impression building with the track before exploding into an AOR-perfection chorus. As for actual hits, there’s four big singles here. First is the outrageously cheesy I Don’t Wanna Live Without Your Love, almost a parody of lovelorn power ballads as singing keyboardist Bill Champlin hams it up over a smorgasbord of 80s cliches. Those who like the style will enjoy it, others will sympathize with only half of the song’s message, specifically the “I Don’t Wanna Live” part. You’ll also find #5 hit What Kind Of Man Would I Be, a - can you guess - power ballad where Scheff once again delicately serenades the ladies over the electric piano verses before going big on the catchy chorus. And despite my not caring for it at all, You’re Not Alone hit the top ten too, though it’s light on hooks and seems like a poor rehearsal for the real monster single around the corner. #1 in the US and Canada and according to Billboard the most played song of 1989, the Champlin sung Look Away was a smash. A power ballad (gasp) the song makes good use of Champlin - not as natural a singer as Lamm or Scheff, Champlin nevertheless has a gruff, wounded quality that makes him suited to play the narrator of this tale of repressed romantic victimhood. Musically there’s not much to write home about, but it’s a Diane Warren song and she generally knows what she’s doing - it’s well structured with a sentimental keyboard opening that transitions smoothly to the big dumb vocal melody on the chorus and an effecting circling back to the opening at the end. Elsewhere Lamm gets a bit soulful on I Stand Up but don’t get excited - it’s soulful in a very white, very 80s way that was probably the closest Chicago could get at this time but I still like the song. Champlin, for who this album is something of a coming out party, delivers a tenser rocker (though it’s still rather mild mannered in terms of tempo) with Come In From The Night. Unfortunately the record is bookended by poo-poo; the sappy chorus and shitty drum sound of Heart In Pieces make it hard to enjoy and six minute closer Victorious appears to be an attempt at a big finale but is a rather slow, empty song that isn’t worth sitting through. Yet if you’re a fan of - that’s right - power ballads and want more of what XVI and XVII had to say, XIX makes for a better listening experience than XVIII. Everyone else is advised to look away, baby look away. Published [Rating186000039] LambdaBoyo May 02 20222.00 stars David Foster stuck with the band for three albums, but when the success began to stall with Chicago 18, Foster left. Besides that change, this would be the final album with Chicago's original drummer Danny Seraphine (not that he was doing much true drumming at this point). With the key to their comeback gone, Chicago brought on Chas Sandford to produce the album, and the result is easily the most dated, hard to sit through album of their comeback years yet. Every bad idea and sound from 80s production combines here for what is a tired, painful listen. It doesn't help that the album barely has the tunes to give itself some worth. A disappointing, mediocre album that signals the end of Chicago's comeback. No, it can't last forever.

Is there any, and I mean ANY, redeeming factor on this product that is undoubtedly the result of pressing a synth directly into a vinyl press? Well, yes. These positives are really just relegated to a few solid moments. "Heart in Pieces" is a memorable opener. "We Can Last Forever" is a great pop song that almost recalls memories of songs from Chicago 17; the fact that I'm reminiscing about Chicago 17 should tell you how desperate this album is for quality (for the record, I do like 17, but it can barely hold a candle to the classics). "What Kind of Man Would I Be" is a memorable enough hit from the album, too. Finally, "Look Away" is the biggest hit on the album, and it is probably the best moment on the album (either that or the opener for me, honestly).

So, what about everything else? Jesus. Let's start with the production - take every bad idea from the 80s and put it on a record. You have Chicago 19, which makes the overblown Chicago 18 feel comparatively timeless. Couple this with the most filler on any album since Chicago XIV, which seems preferable in comparison to this trite record. Outside of the aforementioned tunes, I can not recall a single note or song on this sorry album, with the exception of some notable moments. "I Don't Wanna Live Without Your Love" was another hit off the album, but I can't stand it. Something about the production and the melody makes me feel. I wanna live without it, that's for damn sure. Outside of that specific moment, the rest of this is truly in one ear and out the other. Find me one person whose favorite song on Earth is "Come In From the Night."

I doubt that I will hear anything as painfully boring as Chicago 19 in the future, but I thought the same thing when hearing Chicago XIV so... can't wait. This is the new bottoming out of Chicago. Painful production and even more painfully boring moments, saved by only a few high-points that save it from complete failure. Say what you will about the Peter Cetera years, but this is proof to me that the group was completely lost without him.

4/10 Published [Rating171335263] Lucasstevens Dec 03 20202.00 stars David Foster fue sustituido por Ron Nevison y Chas Sanford, manteniendo cierto éxito. Dawayne Bailey debutó como guitarrista de la banda. "Chicago 19" tuvo como singles las aceptables I Don't Wanna Live Without Your Love, We Can Last Forever, Look Away y What Kind of Man Would I Be, además del más flojo noveno tema. Predominan las baladas ochenteras, bastante genéricas y similares unas a otras. Algunas de las composiciones son de otros autores, con dos de Diane Warren. Está claro que Chicago murió sin Kath ni Cetera. Por si fuera poco Danny Seraphine sería despedido poco después en 1990 por diferencias con el resto de la banda. Mi edición tiene tres bonus tracks en forma de versiones single.

- Temas destacables: I Don't Wanna Live Without Your Love, Look Away. Published [Rating140614152] W2 24714 CD (1988) Ezreal Nov 05 20171.50 stars While Chicago 18 at least had "Will You Still Love Me?" as a nice piece of ear candy, 19 has little to recommend it. The singles aren't horrible, but aren't especially memorable, either.

What really does this in is Chas Sandford's production. Every bad idea of the late '80s is here, making the whole thing barely listenable. Jason Scheff's weak, nasally voice doesn't help much, either. Published [Rating92692399]

After Peter Cetera left the group after 17, Chicago release 18 with their new bassist/lead singer Jason Scheff. Although 18 wasn't bad, it was very timid. But there's no denying Jason Scheff coming into his own on "What Kind Of Man Would I Be" and "We Can Last Forever". Champlin also hits solo for the first time on "Look Away", "I Don't Wanna Live Without Your Love" and the much forgotten about "You're Not Alone". Also of note is the Robert Lamm composition "Victorious" which paves new ground for production experimentation for a band that's done it all. I love their 80's sound. The songs "Look Away" and "We Can Last Forever" as well as "What Kind of Man Would I Be" are excellent. One of the greatest songs on this album was never a single. It was Victorious and that is the last song, with this song being a beautiful Ballad which is of a solid synthesizer orchestral setting with Bass and Drums, and sung by Robert Lamm beautifully. Bill Chapman and Brian Scheff sing also on this album, and they both had great voices on the album. I think that this is one of the best albums ever in the history of Chicago even though they were different from before.

Overall rating: 4.0 Published [Rating78092301] jogelito Aug 25 20135.00 stars Great pop-aor! Published [Rating55307494] skirmani Aug 30 20113.50 stars This reminds me of my high school era, wasn't very familiar with Chicago other than that Peter Cetera was their singer and he had sang that Glory of love song on the Karate Kid movie, which was a big hit way back when. Having picked the album, I liked some of the songs immediately specially "Heart in Pieces" and "Runaround". Look away was another big hit and had a pretty steamy video from my recollection and had nothing to do with the song itself, but the girl was very hot. Later on found out that Cetera had nothing to do with this album! Looking back, it seems to be a very manufactured sound, aiming for hits, several ballads, though I still like the vocals of Lamm , Champlin and Scheff.

Highlights: Heart in Pieces; Runaround; What kind of man; look away; Alone; I don't wanna; We can last Published [Rating39882099] pmtpimp1969 Jan 11 20083.00 stars Some decent songs. "You're Not Alone" was my favorite song for a day. Same thing with "We Can Last Forever" just recently. Some bad songs. It's Chicago in 1988. Shitty album artwork featuring that familiar logo. Published [Rating10794018] kingofsuede Sep 26 20071.50 stars Pure cheese all the way. I kinda like the first track, in a "Wow, that's catchy, but I'd never admit to anyone that I even remotely enjoyed it." kind of way... Published [Rating11400071] linkst3r Nov 09 2005?2.50 stars At least this was better than 18, but not by much. Except for the cover...this is the lamest cover. Oh, well. Somehow, despite the hollow feel of these songs, they are still more listenable than the hits off of 18. And I actually like "I Stand Up". Too bad "Free Flight 2" wasn't on here.... Published [Rating3081391]

A big record in the day, Chicago 19 marked the end of their second platinum era. With the exception of Chicago Greatest Hits, 1982-1989, their Warner / Reprise hit years had hit the skids. The hits were still coming on this collection, but they were mostly power ballads delivered by outside writers. And the production was very '80s and non-horns. I Don't Wanna Live Without Your Love. Look Away. You're Not Alone. We Can Last Forever. What Kind of Man Would I Be? Big sellers. Big radio hits. Big ballads. But they all had a sense of 'haven't we all been here before?' about them. And that downbeat sense would bring along the oncoming downturn in record sales and airplay for the studio follow-up, Chicago Twenty-one (a must to avoid). Three-and-one-half stars from me, mostly for nostalgic reasons. Recommended for fans of post-Peter Cetera '80s Chicago.