A Foot In Clearwater
Band members Related acts
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line up 1 (1972-75) - Bob Home -- keyboards - Hughie Leggat -- bass, vocals - Alex Machin -- vocals - Paul Naumann (RIP 2009) -- vocals, lead guitar - Danny Taylor -- drums, percussion, backing vocals
line up 2 (1975-77) - Hughie Leggat -- bass, vocals - Alex Machin -- vocals - Paul Naumann (RIP 2009) -- vocals, lead guitar - Danny Taylor -- drums, percussion, backing vocals
line up 3 (1988) - Bob Home -- keyboards - Hughie Leggat -- bass, vocals - Alex Machin -- vocals - Paul Naumann (RIP 2009) -- vocals, lead guitar - Danny Taylor -- drums, percussion, backing vocals
line up 4 (2001-2004) NEW - David Alpin -- lead guitar (replaced Paul Naumann) - Bob Home -- keyboards - Hughie Leggat -- bass, vocals NEW - Rick Lamb (RIP 2004) -- keyboards (replaced Bob Home) - Alex Machin -- vocals - Danny Taylor -- drums, percussion, backing vocals
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- Buttergarden (Paul Naumann) - Champion (Alex Machin) - D.T. and the Phantoms (John Richardson and Danny Taylor) - Christopher Edward Campaign (Alex Machin) - Gus (Danny Thomas) - Island (Alex Machin and Paul Naumann) - Leather (Paul Naumann) - Leggat (Hughie Leggat and Danny Taylor) - The Lords of London (Greg Fitzpatrick, Bob Home, Hughie Leggat, John Richardson, and Danny Taylor) - The Mississippi Hippies (Hughie Leggat - Moxy (Alex Machin) - Nucleus (Greg Fitzpatrick, Bob Home, Hughie Leggat, Alex Machin, Paul Naumann, John Richardson, and Danny Taylor) - Private Eyes (Hughie Leggat) - Ryan Brothers (Danny Thomas) - Steppenwolf (Paul Naumann) - Thunder Road - The Twilights (John Richardson)
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Genre: rock Rating: 3 stars *** Title: All Around Us Company: Elektra Catalog:
7E1025 Country/State: Toronto, Canada Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: promo sticker on cover; white promo label Available: 1 Catalog ID: 2094 Price: $30.00 |
Their American debut for Elektra Records, technically 1974's 'All Around Us' served as the group's third studio set,. A look at the track listing indicated this was really a mixture of new recordings of previously released tunes from their first two Canadian studio sets and six new studio tracks. '(Make Me Do) Anything You Want ' and 'Yalla Yae' were off of 1972's "A Foot In Coldwater". '(Isn't Love Unkind) In My Life' and 'Love Is Coming' were from "The Second Foot In Coldwater".
Produced by John Anthony the album certainly wasn't bad, but after listening to it dozens of times over the years, I still can't figure out what folks hear that make it so special. In terms of talent Alex Machin had a voice that was made for AOR and the late Paul Naumann was truly an overlook guitar player. I quite liked some of the songs ( 'All Around Us', the pretty ballad 'Love Is Coming', and the instrumental 'Para-Dice'), but there' wasn't anything particularly original, or awe inspiring to be found here. To my ears tracks like 'I Know What You Need' and 'It's Only Love' came off as a routine set of AOR-styled rock that's largely indistinguishable from a slew of the competition - April Wine, Chilliwack, Loverboy, etc. etc. In fact, 'Yalla Yae' has always reminded me a bit of an early Van Halen track.
"Al Around
Us" track listing: 1.) I Know What You Need (Bob Home - Hughie Leggat - Alex Machin - Paul Naumann - Danny Taylor) - 3:23 rating: *** stars Powered by Alex Machin's likeably growling voice and a nice refrain, 'I Know What You Need' was a nice enough top-40 AOR tune. Problem is the track was fairly anonymous. This could have been April Wine, Loverboy, or any of dozens and dozens of similarly talented mid-'70s hair bands. It was released as the third single off the album. It was also released as a US promo 45:
Canadian release: - 1974's 'I Know What You Need' b/w ' He’s Always There (Watching You)' (Daffodil catalog number DIL 1065) US release: - 1974's 'I Know What You Need' b/w 'I Know What You Need' (Elektra catalog number E 45250) 2.) All Around Us (Bob Home - Hughie Leggat - Alex Machin - Paul Naumann - Danny Taylor) - 3:58 rating: **** stars 'All Around Us' was one of those rarities that managed to meld a commercial AOR sound with a touch of progressive inspiration - imagine a North of the border Boston ? Add in their nice harmony vocals, tasteful soloing, and this was one of the album highlights. 3.) (Make Me Do) Anything You Want (Bob Home - Hughie Leggat - Alex Machin - Paul Naumann - Danny Taylor)- 2:59 Originally released on their sophomore album, the ballad '(Make Me Do) Anything You Wan' reappeared in a slightly different and abbreviated version. YouTube has a clip of the band lip synching an abbreviated version of the song for an unknown television show. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ek_Xf2HTsZo The track was re- released as a single in Canada and also as a 45 in the US:
Canadian release - 1974's '(Make Me Do) Anything You Want ' b/w 'Para-Dice' (Daffodil catalog number DFS 1058) US release - 1974's '(Make Me Do) Anything You Want ' b/w ' Para-Dice' (Elektra catalog number E 45224) 4.) It's Only Love (Bob Home - Hughie Leggat - Alex Machin - Paul Naumann - Danny Taylor) - 2:46 rating: *** stars Ridiing on Naumann's coattails, 'It's Only Love' found the band upping the hard rock quotient. To my ears the results were okay, but it almost sounded like they were trying a little too hard to be taken seriously. The sense of fun and enjoyment that you heard in so many of their songs seemed absent from this one. 5.) Love Is Coming (Bob Home - Hughie Leggat - Alex Machin - Paul Naumann - Danny Taylor) - 4:10 rating: **** stars Sweet, acoustic guitar powered ballad ... With a wonderful refrain and some acoustic bass, 'Love Is Coming' was easily one of the prettiest melodies the band ever wrote and recorded. It was also tapped as the leadoff single:
- 1973's 'Love Is Coming' b/w 'How Much Can You Take' (Daffodil catalog number DFS 1040)
(side
2) The album's most progressive-flavored tune ... Okay, not quite Rush, but Danny Taylor provided some excellent drumming on this one. 2.) He's Always There (Bob Home - Hughie Leggat - Alex Machin - Paul Naumann - Danny Taylor) - 4:26 rating: *** stars Naumann's opening guitar work provided the highlight to the FM ballad ' He's Always There'. Other than that it was pleasant, but forgettable. 3.) Yalla Yae (Bob Home - Hughie Leggat - Alex Machin - Paul Naumann - Danny Taylor) - 3:46 rating: *** stars Hum, not too hard to image David Lee Roth taking a stab at the arena rocker 'Yalla Yae'. Come to think of it, powered by Machin's badboyk vocals, this one actually sounded a bit like an early Van Halen tune. 4.) (Isn't Love Unkind) In My Life (Bob Home - Hughie Leggat - Alex Machin - Paul Naumann - Danny Taylor) - 4:31 rating: **** stars While it had a slightly different arrangement, ' (Isn't Love Unkind) In My Life' was a repeat, having previously appeared on their 1973 collection "A Second Foot In Coldwater". It remained a pretty ballad .. the combination of Naumann's acoustic guitar and Bob Home's Hammond B-3 should have earned them some chart exposure. 5.) Para-Dice (Instrumental) (Bob Home - Hughie Leggat - Alex Machin - Paul Naumann - Danny Taylor) - 3:00 rating: **** stars Opening up with some backward tape, the breezy 'Para-Dice' then morphed into what may have been their prettiest melody. Always wondered why they didn't set it to words.
- 1975's 'Para-Dice' b/w '(Make Me Do) Anything You Want ' (Daffodil catalog DIL 1058)
The album attracted decent reviews, but few sales. Adding to the band's problems, shortly after the album was released, band supporter/Elektra President Jac Holzman parted ways with the label. Elektra subsequently dropped A Foot In Coldwater from it's recording roster.
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