How I Spent My Vacation

Mitch Ryder & Detroit Wheels | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 30, 2000)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: J-Bird Records
• ASIN: B00004T02E
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #652,913 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Tough Kid

2. Dance Ourselves to Death

3. Passions Wheels

4. Cherry Poppin'

5. Freezin' in Hell

6. Nice 'N Easy

7. The Jon

8. Falling Forming

9. Poster

Editorial Reviews

2009 reissue of this comeback album from the '60s rocker. Released on Mitch's own label in 1978, this splendid album has nine original songs laced with largely autobiographical and confessional lyrics. Among the highlights is 'Tough Kid', an upbeat number with powerful guitar riffs. 'Freezin' In Hell' is the kind of slow blues Ryder absorbed as a kid growing up in 'Motown'. With a range of styles encompassing Rock, Soul and Blues, this is a mature performance by a revered rocker. Repertoire. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a vacation it was!, November 17, 2002

By 

Daniel Kruse (Hartington, NE United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: How I Spent My Vacation (Audio CD)

This album is a miniscule spec in rock history and that's a crying shame. It's also historically significant in the fact that it just happens to be one of the first overtly gay albums
ever recorded by a pop star who happened to come across as very heterosexual on his earlier albums. Perhaps this was Mr. Ryder's way of purging his demons. We all need to do that from time to time. Don't mistake this for some feather bed pop album. It's greasy, dirty, beautiful and very, very real.
This my friends, is rock n' roll. Who better to cook the meal than Mitch? I'm not going into a song by song rundown here. After all, I write these damn reviews for nothing. I'll just say this: How I Spent My Vacation is a darling of an album. Mitch was at the top of his game here. Please don't be put off by the gay lyrics if the whole gay thing bothers you. Keep an open mind because this damn album is gorgeous in its execution and very gritty through and through. An incredible piece of American rock n' roll that should be owned by anybody who calls themselves a rock n'roll afficiondo. If half the schmucks out there today could get as down and dirty as this, radio might still be fun. Get the word out on this thing. It's a genuine piece of American dirt and I mean that in the most adoring way possible.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rock n Roll At Its Best..!!!! Detroit Style, August 17, 2004

By 

Tim From Cincinnati (Land of Lonnie Mack) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How I Spent My Vacation (Audio CD)

Im sorry, but never really viewed this cd, as an overtly gay cd..Not there's Anything wrong with that..geeze..lol...But, it does kick some serious Ass. Mitch at his finest, along with Wayne Gabriel and Richard Schein on Guitars, Mark Gougeon bass, Billy Csernits-keyboards, and Own Wilson manning drums. Of course Mitch Ryder, one and only Vocals extraordinaire. Powerful Stuff here..One of Mitch's Best aside from Detroit...Buy it, you won't be disappointed. It Rocks...!!!!!!!

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing at best!, September 2, 2010

By 

M. Flis "Mikey Moe Hawk" (Detroit, Michigan) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: How I Spend My Vacation (Audio CD)

Being from Detroit, had hoped that what I remembered from this album when it was originally released would still excite my Detroit blood. It doesn't. It's boring. Mitch Ryder peaked with the DETROIT album and lost everything he had afterwards.