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Nervous Night

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Like John Mellencamp and Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan, The Hooters made the type of music that was the heart of the nation. Nervous Night was an excellent beginning to a career that should have gone much farther. All ten tracks are very well produced. The music is still fresh 15 years later. It contains the hits "All You Zombies", "Day By Day", "And We Danced" and "Where Do The Children Go" as well as great album tracks like "Don't Take My Car Out Tonight", "Nervous Night", "Hanging On A Heartbeat", "South Ferry Road" and "Blood From A Stone." I think their 1987 cd, One Way Home, is a more mature effort but it lacked the solidity of Nervous Night. However, their 1989 cd, Zig Zag, was just as exceptional as Nervous Night, and if you can find it, it's worth owning. Their 1993 cd, Out of Body, lacked the originality of their first three cds, but is good just the same. What came next surprised me. They changed their name and reformed the band and called themselves Largo. In 1998 they released their self-titled debut. Excellent. See my review on it. Definitely worth having. In fact, all four Hooters cds and the one Largo cd are worth owning. But, if you've only got time and money for one, then Nervous Night is a must have.

Back in 1985 and 1986, a band called "The Hooters" appeared on the music scene that seemed to have the promise of a great future. They had a debut album, "Nervous Night" that was garnering a lot of attention in the music industry. Although it wasn't a Top 10 album and didn't produce a #1 single, most were in agreement that The Hooters were destined for Superstardom. In fact, many people believed that 20 years later - the name Hooters could be associated as one of the legendary bands in music history. It's sad to say that Hooters is more known for being a restaurant and bar chain as opposed to a music band. Many things would go wrong for the band following "Nervous Night" - they were never able to capture the commercial success or critical acclaim they had back in 85 and 86. Yes the band is beginning to have a bit of a renaissance in Europe, but nothing that would approach what they saw when "Nervous Night" was released.

The Hooters seemed to have arrived at the perfect time. At the time "Nervous Night" had been released, the 80s music landscape was beginning to change. It was during the time of 1985 when the 80s music landscape began to move away from Synth-Pop toward a more guitar laden sound. Artists such as Bruce Springsteen and John Cougar Mellencamp were leading this charge. "Nervous Night" - while it did have its share of strong keyboard work by co-founder Rob Hyman was still an album that captured this guitar laden sound. It is kind of ironic that The Hooters were in the middle of this transformation. Co-founders Rob Hyman and Eric Bazilian were involved in one of the most celebrated albums that is seems to be associated with the Synth-Pop sound - Cyndi Lauper's "She's So Unusual" album. On "She's So Unusual", Hyman was a co-writer with Lauper on one of the most critically acclaimed songs "Time After Time". Both Hyman and Bazilian contributed background vocals and instrumentation (Hyman: Keyboards and Hooter; Bazilian: Guitar, Bass, and Saxaphone). With a solid body of work on "She's So Unusual", Hyman and Bazilian took the next step in launching a debut album for their band.

The biggest hit song on the collection was "And We Danced". This is a very catchy song, but I think there is more than just a catchy song when you crack the surface of this track. There is almost a "retro/throwback" like quality to this track - something that was a popular thing to do during this period. This sound was also heard in artists such as John Caffertyand John Eddie. Lyrics such as "She was a be-bop baby on a hard day's night; She was hangin' on Johnny" is a great example of this. The whole song has a reminiscent quality to it - and it is very enjoyable. "Day by Day" in a lot of ways is the perfect song to follow "And We Danced". It has a similar type of "feel good dance feel to it". "Day by Day" doesn't have a reminiscent quality to it. This song looks more to the future. There is some terrific mandolin by Bazilian as well as as some strong guitar work.

While those first two tracks are very nice songs, the powerful songwriting that Hyman demonstrated on Lauper's "Time After Time" isn't heard until the third track, "All You Zombies".. When I first heard this track, - this really made me a fan of the band. The song has one of the great instrumental openings I ever heard in any song. The opening is dominated by some terrific guitar work that also contains keyboards. The nearly 1+ minute intro does great to create a setting to sing about the Old Testament's Moses and Noah. There also is another terrific instrumental bridge about 4 minutes into the song that features some more powerful guitar work - as well as some stellar drumming by an unsung hero of the album, David Uosikkien. This song drew some criticism from the Christian sector, but I do think this is one of the most powerful tracks of the collection.

The seventh track, "Where Do the Children Go" did get some airplay and also is an example of some terrific lyrics. This song deals with youth - and how youth is often misunderstood and led down the wrong path. This song features some outstanding guest vocals by Patty Smyth of Scandal. It's Patty's vocals that give this song a very special quality.

Although the other tracks might not have gotten airplay, there is some terrific stuff. "Don't Take My Car Out Tonight". This song has much more of a Synth-Pop feel - but it is still a good track. This might not have the strong lyrics of "All You Zombies" or "Where Do the Children Go", but it has some terrific instrumentation. Uosikkien has some nice drum work and Bazilian has some of his best saxaphone work at the end of the song. Also worth noting is the title track "Nervous Night". This track takes a little to grow on you. While not a blues song, this song almost gives you a feel of a song you would hear on a Mississippi River Riverboat. "Blood From a Stone" is the collection's finale. It features more Mandolin work that give this song an "up tempo folksy feel" - even a Bob Dylan feel to some extent. The song describes the expression "You can't get blood from a stone" There are also some lyrics not published in the liner notes that do use some mildly strong language.

Most of the lyrics to the songs are included (as the exception in "Blood From a Stone" is noted). This is a fabolous debut album. This should have been the start of something special for Hyman, Bazilian and company. It's a shame they failed to recapture the magic of this album. I'd highly recommend it.

This one should be on anyone's list. Unique sound, and a rare album that has not a single throw-away song in the bunch! Best songs: And We Danced (kicks the CD off right), South Ferry Road (from the opening yell to the closing wistfulness, has more meaning than entire books I've read), Where Do the Children Go? (pensive and deep, but fun and a great sound too), Blood From a Stone (this one rocks, what else can I say). Wow, that was a painful experience, picking a best song on this one! Every song is flawless! Buy this CD immediately, and you won't be disappointed. You may also want to pick up One Way Home, if only for the superb Karla With a K. Rob

To quote a line from an old movie,"They could've been a Contender." This recording is just screaming with potential as the special effects combined with the high energy just works for me. Where Do The Children Go is a special tune as it makes one reflect on how things change from one's growing up years. Patti Smyth contributes a nice vocal on the aforementioned track. And We Danced, Day By Day, South Ferry Road, and Blood From A Stone are excellent rockers while All You Zombies and Hanging On A Heartbeat each offer a creative side to this band. Other than Eric Bazillian's and Rob Hyman's contributions to the Joan Osbourne's smash Relish CD, these guys never reached this high again.

As 80s music goes, these guys were probably ahead of their time. I remember buying this on vinyl for "All You Zombies", and getting hooked on the other tracks (And We Danced / My Love (She Comes in Colors).

Best non-popular group of the decade to come along and disappear behind the new wave/electronic bands that epitomized the 80s. Alas, I wish they had been on the charts more often - but what reviewer and critic in their right mind would consistently rave about a band that employed a Melodica as one of their lead instruments?

Wish they were still putting out gems like this.

Peace Out.

I never paid too much attention to the Hooters during my musical awakening. Yes, I was aware of them and their singles, but it wasn't "Johnny B" from One Way Home, that caught my eye. Anyway, in listening to Nervous Night, this rollicking treasure from the 80's, I see now what I've missed, apart from the work they did on Cyndi Lauper's debut.

"And We Danced" is fun blaze of hard rock guitars and keyboard synths, with some traces of 50's-60's rock, not just the rhythm but the use of "be-bop" and "a hard day's night" clearly owes a nod to Gene Vincent and the Beatles. The danceable chorus, highlighted by the keyboards, is simply fun: "And we danced, like a wave on the ocean, romanced/We were liars in love and we danced/Swept away for a moment by chance/And we danced and danced and danced." And danced and danced and... oh yeah, this is the stuff!

"Day By Day" begins with droning keyboards, mandolin, before repeating the danceable rock of the other single. There is a great guitar solo after the bridge.

"All You Zombies" is a measured, slowed-down number about Moses and Noah, and for ordinary people, the "all you zombies" in the title, to watch out for the pieces of the Commandments/rain that'll fall on them.

OK, back to boogeying time with "Don't Take My Car Out Tonight", which sports three guitar riffs followed by a five harmonica toots (1 2345) repeated in the verses. Keyboards take over in the chorus.

The country-folkishly tinged title track is about a couple on the run and the woman seems a tad more crazy and footloose than the man. "But you're just laughing while the sirens wail/all around the world in the Globe hotel/If Isabella has her way it's gonna be a nervous day as well."

The rock-calypso of "Hanging On A Heartbeat" is an emotional tug-of-war, mainly a play-hard-to-get woman and the downright honest guy and the second verse has a good analogy: "I lay my cards on the table/But you've got aces hidden up your sleeve/I'm ready willing, and able/But I'm a joker when it's time to leave." The ultimate decision comes down to "We'll say goodnight or we can let it be."

Patty Smyth of Scandal lends her tough but sweet voice in the fourth single, "Where Do The Children Go", a song that seems to be about kids being drawn by drugs--"And who's that deadly piper that leads them away?" The mandolin adds a nice sweet touch to this ballad.

"South Ferry Road" is a nostalgic rocker about a secret hideaway for two honeys. They then cover the Grass Roots' "She Comes In Colors. I haven't heard the original, but as I mentioned regarding "Day By Day", the 60's influence is noticeable here.

"Blood From A Stone" is an "And We Danced"-type rocker, hard guitar riffs, keyboards, and mandolins. The keyboard solo, does a tune normally done by a banjo, is followed by a guitar solo. An extra verse that isn't printed makes this a social protest song: "they say strength and fortitude/keeps a man from getting screwed yeah, but the future raises so many doubts. when you put it in and can't get it out/a black hole in a bottomless pit/I'm getting tired all of this BS."

The vocalists remind me of Mike Reno of Loverboy, as does the engaging hard-rocking sound, except Loverboy's material is more hard-rocking, without too much keyboards and mandolin. And you can't go wrong with Rick Chertoff, who produced Cyndi Lauper's She's So Unusual, working his magic as well. Key 80's material, people.

OK, I really loved this album in the 80s, and I think it holds up pretty well. But what's with all these super-long reviews? And did someone REALLY think the Hooters would be super stars? I mean, come on, it is fun music and all, but that's about it.

I do like that pretty much every song is about sex, though. Don't take my car out tonight, indeed.

The vocal tag team of Rob Hyman & Eric Bazillion lead the way for this unique rock sound sprinkled with folk. The band had the common instruments but also incorporated the likes of mandolin riffs and of course, the hooter (the keyboard-harmonica hybrid instrument that gave them a sound unlike any other group.

This debut CD includes such rock hits as "And We Danced" & "Day By Day" along with the softer "All You Zombies" as well as the ballad "Where Do The Children Go." None of them made it to #1, but they were hits for this group (but this may be best known to those who live in the Philladelphia area).

Other noteworthy songs on this CD include the groovin' "Hanging On A Heartbeat." You may also note how this song seems to be a pre-cursor to "Living in the Shadow of Jesus" from the Out of Body CD.

They show some angst toward our leaders (as we all have probably done at some point) with "Blood From a Stone." Although we are also reminded of how the 80' were a simpler time. The band curses once, but decided not to print the lyrics for most of that verse. HA!

All of the songs are enjoyable. This is a CD that one could play in the background for a party. Almost any song could be danced to on here.

Expectations for this band were high, but they never seemed to draw the critical acclaim they deserve. But if you like rock, but would like something a little different, pick up this CD. It's probably their best and best known one.

NERVOUS NIGHT is the definitive Hooters album. On this record, the group's unique blend of new wave, Midwestern rock, California country-rock, Southern boogie rock, and acoustic folk breaks out of the starting gate fully formed, with highly empathetic lyrics and vocals topping it all off. Many of the songs have biblical over- and undertones, with admonitions about troubles in the distance looming throughout. This album is an absolute must for anyone interested in the Hooters.

This is a pretty good album, the sound is kind of dated in places but there are enough strong tracks to elevate it past that. I found a near mint copy of the vinyl in a thrift store for 50 cents and it's a great sounding record. Not sure how well the CD is mastered. Interestingly, the record cover says "Cassette contains one bonus track" but it has the same song lineup as the CD.

I got a laugh from the reviewer who said: "'She Comes in Colors' feels like a knockoff of the Rolling Stones' 'She's A Rainbow'". It's actually a cover of a song by a great 1960s California group called "Love" that came out nearly a year before the Rolling Stones song did. If anything, the Stones ripped off the Love song.