Customer Reviews

On

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

How truly sad it is that Off Broadway's time in the spotlight was so brief; they were and still are a great band! This classic debut features their sole hit "Stay In Time", but also features some equally accessible and fun songs such as "Bully Bully", "Bad Indication", and "Full Moon Turn My Head Around", a song that a band I used to be in played as our show-opener!

I saw Off Broadway in late 1979 at the International Ampitheatre in Chicago; they were the opening act for Cheap Trick, and they were great! Unfortunately, some people in the audience were heckling the band; they just came to hear Cheap Trick and would barely give them any attention, which they SO much deserved! You couldn't help but dance and sing along to Off Broadway's infectiously catchy power-pop songs; and lead vocalist Cliff Johnson's distinctive voice and high energy stage presence were the highlight of their show!

I recommend this CD highly!

This indeed was a great band. This album was produced really well - every song is good. I remember hearing "Stay in Time" on WLS-AM for the first time. It was a major hit in the Midwest. When they opened up for Cheap Trick in South Bend - everyone who saw the show became an instant fan. "Full Moon" is a classic in my book. In 1979, I bought this on vinyl and made a copy on an 8-track so I could play it in my first car (Dad's old '72 Chevelle wagon). This music holds up well - not dated at all. Load it on your MP3 player, roll down the windows and crank it up!

I grew up in Naperville, Illinois, and The Loop played them (along with WLS, which someone else sited already). I thought that they rivaled The Cars for their edgy music when Punk/New Wave/Alt was struggling against the old rock genre. Wish their website hadn't disappeared, they were still touring up to a few months ago...they're still a part of what I considere the music that I grew up with and still love. Wish I could have seen them in concert!

I suppose the lack of public acclaim for this truly great band has only made their music all the sweeter--especially if you're
a midwest native. I saw them live in '97 at a small club in Chicago's north side- on a full moon!!-They played all the hits
from "ON" and a few from "QUICK TURNS". "ON" is one of those rare musical statements from a time and place that will never be
duplicated. It was of it's time and in retrospect out of time as
well. Now after all these years, Off Broadway can be assured of
"staying in time"- and "ON", their most lasting musical state-
ment will endure on cd and on vinyl for those of us lucky enough
to have a copy in good shape. Music like this keeps ya' young.

This has to be one of the most criminally overlooked albums in rock history. While some bands were getting "hits" with songs about sleazy girls named Sharona, this group was showing how it's really done-10 beautifully cafted songs dealing with issues that young people really face.The sound is similar to Cheap Trick, only Cheap Trick never made an album this good start to finish. There are no tuneless riff-rockers for the stage, no sappy power-ballads for the radio, just great rockin' songs. No wonder they never made it big.

I don't know if there's ever been a better straight ahead rock and roll pop melody than "Full Moon Turn My Head Around". Unfortunately, this band was so underrated that they didn't survive, despite the success of "Stay in Time". The good news is that not only did this work survive, but also many of these songs can be found on "Live at Fitzgerald's", The best news is that the band has reformed with all the original members except guitarist John Ivan, and the new album, "Fallin' In", is terrific. Ivan was replaced by long-time friend of the band and guitarist extraordinaire Mimi Betinis (who co-wrote "Drop Me a Line"). Listening to this album without the scratches and pops of my old LP makes me ask one question: WHERE IS QUICK TURNS??

I saw Off Broadway several times at the Vogue Theater in Indianapolis in the early 80s, and had the chance to meet Cliff Johnson out in back of the theater to talk shop. My brother and I played in a cover band at the time and we knew when we saw Off Broadway that we were seeing a band that was doing everything right, from writing great songs to presenting them well on stage.

Our band and a couple of other Indy area bands covered Off Broadway songs - they were just so infectiously catchy that it didn't matter that our audiences had never heard them on the radio. They made an instant connection and always drew people to the dance floor.

This album is one you definitely don't want to miss if you're a fan of the early 80's power pop genre!

Off Broadway was/is a fantastic band that never even got close to getting the fame they deserved. I never understood why they didn't go as far as they deserved, but I'm pleased that I found out about them back in 1980 while a young man living in the suburbs of Chicago.

I have heard very few albums with so many catchy hooks and tunes. The music is just insanely catchy and, in my mind, is the perfect example of power pop music. All of the their albums are great and worth your time. In addition, the music simply doesn't sound dated at all. The band is up there with other relatively unknown greats such as "Klaatu", "Sad Cafe", and "Camel".

I hope the band members realize how good they were because obviously the music companies didn't "get it" and resigned this fantastically fun, 1st rate band to 2nd rate status.

one of the legendary Midwest bands of the late 70s and early 80s along with HeadEast - they were great live - saw them several times

I saw the 1979 Cheap Trick/Off Broadway show at the Amphitheater in Chicago. At the time, Cheap Trick were massive and people just wouldn't give Off Broadway a chance. I bought the record and loved it. Cheap Trick actually gave Off Broadway a chance to open for them (in the late 90's) at the Star Theater in Merrilville (or is it Hobart now?). Off Broadway put on a great show and it was nice to see how everyone in the audience has grown up, actually giving Off Broadway a well deserved applause.