Ruby
Band members Related acts
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line up 1 (1977-78) - Bobby Cochran
-- vocals, drums, percussion
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- Creedence Clearwater Revival
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Genre: rock Rating: ** (2 stars) Title: Ruby Company: PRB Catalog: 7001 Year: 1977 Country/State: US Grade (cover/record): NM / NM Comments: still in shrink wrap; bullet hole top left; played once Available: 1 Catalog number: 5252 Price: $40.00
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Best known for his work with Creedence Clearwater Revival, on the heels of four relatively unsuccessful solo albums Tom Fogerty decided to try a return to a band format. Recruiting drummer Bobby Cochran, bassist Anthony Davis, and former Oda multi-instrumentalist Randy Oda, the newly formed Ruby debuted with an obscure and highly collectable 1975 single on Fogerty's own Ginseng label:
- 1975's 'Judy Lee' b/w 'Baby What You Want Me To Do' (Ginseng catalog number 0001)
Though the single vanished
without a trace, it attracted the attention of the slightly larger PRB
International label which promptly signed the quartet to a recording
contract. Showcasing
Fogerty's likeable voice (close your eyes and it was easy to imagine this
was a CCR effort), 'Life Is But a Dream' had a distinctive '60s vibe that
was propelled by lots of jangle guitar, sweet harmony vocals, and one of
those melodies that you unexpectedly found yourself humming. My pick
for the album's stand out perforrnance. It was also tapped as an
instantly obscure single. Thanks to YouTube you can see one of
mankind's dullest promotion videos for the song at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saxoLeMP0xo
rating: **** stars I
guess you couldn't really blame the band for being influenced by
then-prevailing musical trends. On the other hand, you could blame
them for falling victim to the influence of mindless disco. Penned and
sung by bassist Davis, 'Can You Really Say' was a mindless, second rate
dance number. Seriously bad. rating:
* star Penned
by guitarist Oda, 'B.A.R.T' was a decent guitar propelled
instrumental. Musically the track sounded a bit like the jazz-rock
fusion Jeef Beck and others were pandering in the mid-'70s, though Oda had
the sense to ensure the song had a commercial edge. Wonder if it was
inspired by the San Francisco subway system which goes by the same name
... rating:
*** stars Fogerty
and company were lucky Paul McCartney didn't sue them for borrowing the
opening to 'Band On the Run'. Wish the rest of the song had been as
good. Instead 'Starry Eyed;' was a bland lounge act ballad.
Completely forgettable, the performance had all the energy of a slug.
Coupled with an awful lead vocal (Odea sounded like he was being strangled),
this was another truly painful song. rating:
* star Side
one ended with a perfunctory stab at Jimmy Reed's 'Baby What You Want Me To
Do'. The song hand previously appeared as the 'B' side on Ruby's 1975
debut single 'Judy Lee'. Given a 'heavy rock' arrangement, it wasn't
the best cover of the classic tune you've ever heard, but compared to the
previous three songs, was a step in the right direction. Always
wondered why Fogerty decided against including 'Judy Lee' on the LP
... rating:
*** stars (side 2) 1.) Running Back To Me (Randy Oda - Tom Fogerty) - 7:24 Most
folks probably aren't old enough to remember the mid-'70s when bands like
Journey and Pablo Cruise took over the airwaves with their AOR moves.
Regardless, 'Running Back To Me' would have sounded right at home next to
those chart topping acts. A guitar-propelled rocker, this one
literally sounded like it had been written for FM radio exposure (geez, it
even embedded Joe Walsh-styled voice box guitar effects). That wasn't
to say it had a lick of originality across the seven and a half minutes of
playing time ... rating:
*** stars The
title sounded promising, as did the opening jangle rock guitar ... and then
things kind of fell apart with the song basically degenerating into a slice
of lounge act pop complete with cheesy synthesizers and sweeping harmonies
... 'Course 80 percent of the song was the title track repeated on and
on and on ... Giving credit where due, Oda and Fogerty turned in
some nice dual lead guitar, but that wasn't enough to save this
one. rating:
** stars Another
isolated highlight, if only because Tom handled the lead vocals,
'It's Taking a Long Time' was a pretty Oda-penned ballad. Wonder what
this one would have sounded like given a stripped down, more acoustic
sound. rating:
*** stars The album's 'Slippin' and Slidin'/Big Fat Woman' was probably the album's most CCR--ish sounding performance. The band sounded like they were having fun recording the songs, but I can't say it was anything earth-shattering. I'm thinkin' this was one that would have been much more effective in a small club after you had a couple of cold beers. rating: *** stars
As mentioned, the album spun off one obscure single:
- 1976's 'Life is But a Dream' b/w 'Running Back to Me' (PBR catalog number 507)
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Rating: ** (2 stars) Title: Rock 'n' Roll Madness Company: PRB Catalog: 7004 Country/State: US Year: 1978 Grade (cover/record): -- Comments: -- Available: -- Price: --
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1978's "Rock
'n' Roll Madness" did little to expand their musical
horizons or commercial audience. By the end of the year they'd broken up
with Fogerty moving to Hawaii where he took up real estate. "Rock 'n' Roll Madness" track listing: unknown |
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Rating: *** (3 stars) Title: Precious Gems Company: Fantasy Catalog: F-9637 Year: 1981 Country/State: US Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: -- Available: 1 Catalog number: 337 Price: $10.00
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Credited to Tom
Fogerty and Ruby, 1984's optimistically titled "Precious
Gems"
wasn't half bad. Pulling together nine tracks from the two Ruby studio
albums, it didn't offer up any hidden treasures (once again you were left to
wonder why the debut single 'Judy Lee' was missing in action), rather
provided a convenient way for casual fans, or those merely curious, to check
out this part of Fogerty's career without a lot of time or effort. Sure, much of the material bogged down amidst anonymous AOR
moves; particularly when Oda was singing ('Running Back To Me', 'Can You Really
Sa', and 'Take Me Back To London'), but
Fogerty sounded surprisingly impressive on the over looked single
'Life Is But a Dream', the raucous 'Dance All
Night' and the raw 'Mistreater' (the latter baring an uncanny
resemblance to brother John's solo work). 1.) Running Back To Me (Randy Oda - Tom Fogerty - Bobby Cochran) - 7:24 Most
folks probably aren't old enough to remember the mid-'70s when bands like
Journey and Pablo Cruise took over the airwaves with their AOR moves.
Regardless, 'Running Back To Me' would have sounded right at home next to
those chart topping acts. A guitar-propelled rocker, this one
literally sounded like it had been written for FM radio exposure (geez, it
even embedded Joe Walsh-styled voice box guitar effects). That wasn't
to say it had a lick of originality across the seven and a half minutes of
playing time ... One of the tracks off the debut LP. rating:
*** stars Showcasing
Fogerty's likeable voice (close your eyes and it was easy to imagine this
was a CCR effort), 'Life Is But a Dream' had a distinctive '60s vibe that
was propelled by lots of jangle guitar, sweet harmony vocals, and one of
those melodies that you unexpectedly found yourself humming. My pick
for the album's stand out perforrnance. It was also tapped as an
instantly obscure single. Thanks to YouTube you can see one of mankind's
dullest promotion videos for the song at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saxoLeMP0xo
rating: **** stars One
of five tracks off the second Ruby studio album, 'Mistreater' was one of the
band's standout performance and with Tom on lead vocals and one of Randy
Oda's best solos, had an uncanny resemblance to a John Fogerty solo
effort. Killer rocker and should have provided the band with a radio
hit. rating: ****
stars Yeah the opening was heavily influenced by Cream's 'Sunshine of Your Love', but overlooking that, the rest of 'Run with Your Love' was a decent rocker with some radio potential. Nice to hear Tom showing he could belt one out. rating: *** stars
Penned by guitarist Oda, 'B.A.R.T' was a decent guitar propelled instrumental. Musically the track sounded a bit like the jazz-rock fusion Jeef Beck and others were pandering in the mid-'70s, though Oda had the sense to ensure the song had a commercial edge. Wonder if it was inspired by the San Francisco subway system which goes by the same name ... rating: *** stars 2.) Take Me Back To London (Randy Oda - Tom Fogerty) - 4:15 The
title sounded promising, as did the opening jangle rock guitar ... and then
things kind of fell apart with the song basically degenerating into a slice
of lounge act pop complete with cheesy synthesizers and sweeping harmonies
... 'Course 80 percent of the song was the title track repeated on and
on and on ... Giving credit where due, Oda and Fogerty turned in
some nice dual lead guitar, but that wasn't enough to save this
one. rating:
** stars I
guess you couldn't really blame the band for being influenced by
then-prevailing musical trends. On the other hand, you could blame
them for falling victim to the influence of mindless disco. Penned and
sung by bassist Davis, 'Can You Really Say' was a mindless, second rate
dance number. Seriously bad. rating:
* star Interesting
that they'd title a reggae song 'Singin' the Blues' ...
Probably not the genre these guys should have been dabbling in.
rating: ** stars In spite of the title, 'Dance All Night' was actually a likeable, throwaway pop song. Probably would have sounded good in a concert setting. rating: *** stars
Always wondered what the story was behind Tom's former label acquiring distribution rights to the two Ruby albums ... Speaking of Fantasy, congratulations to the company for coming up with one of the year's ugliest and cheapest looking cover concepts. I think my eight year old could have come up with a better cover.
Sadly, in late 1990 Fogerty died from complications associated with his long standing fight with TB.
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