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

 

 

This solo album by Sons of Champlin leader, Bill Champlin was released in about 1978. Bill is a mulit-musician, who can play lead guitar, sing and play keyboards as well. As his name suggests, he was the driving force behind the Bay Area group the Sons of Champlin.

This CD was produced by the legendary David Foster and includes most of Toto as his backup band, and Jay Graydon on guitar. Needless to say, the tracks all rock.

On vocals it is Bill and Michael MdDonald of Doobie Brothers fame and Daryl Hall of Hall and Oates. Needless to say, all the vocals are superb.

The Liner Notes are also terrific and include all the tracks, dates, and a brief interview with Bill. This is an English import and the sound quality is excellent.

The tracks include"

What Good is Love--5 stars, an real ass kicking opening cut by Jay Graydon, which features some of the best guitar work, vocals, and arrangments in the CD.

I Don't Want You Anymore--4 Stars, a funky R&B bass oriented song which spotlights Bill's soul genre.

We Both Tried. 2 Stars, a forlone ballad about a failed love. A little sappy for my tastes.

Yo Mama 4 Stars. Another bass oriented R&B song

Fly With Me. 4 Stars. A nice cut reminiscent of the Sons.

Love is Forever. 2 Stars. Another ballad. Too sappy.

Careless. 2 Stars. Another ballad

Elayne. 2 Stars. A love gone bad ode to Elayne.

Keys to the Kingdom. 2 Stars. Another ballad.

All and all this is a marvelous CD with previous unavailable cuts available only on phonograph records.

I am not a new fan of BC, I met him in 1968 on the west coast when I opened for his band "The Sons of Champlin" and was very excited when he joined and saved Chicago by bringing his soulful vocals to that great band. Of course there are those who will say "He is no Terry Kath", but he is not trying to be Terry, just sing with his own style. Making him as unique and in demand vocally as Michael McDonald was in that same era. On hearing this album I was greatly disappointed that it took 33 years to "discover". My pet peeve is that commercial radio has grossly let the record buying public down. This album and many others was missed, and it is a sad story for the industry.

This is a fabulous collection of songs, with a who's who list of contributers. I listened to copies of it back in the early 80s and was blown away -- it was fabulous. (I had to listen to copies, because there were no actual albums to be found. I looked everywhere.) On a whim I searched for it and found it. I bought 3 copies (2 for gifts). It is still a great album.

No matter what he did , that awesome vocal came through ! Can't stop listening !

Popular with lovers of California "West Coast" pop this is Bill Champlin's debut album. It's a shame he didn't get the success as his fellow Chicago member Peter Cetera did. Most of the Toto guys are featured here as well as two of the fathers of this genre David Foster and Jay Graydon. Sounding like a cross between Kenny Loggins and Stephen Bishop,

Here is another album that shows great musicianship (as all of his albums do)! If you dig Earth Wind & Fire, Toto, and The Doobie Brothers, and bands of that nature; pick up a copy if you can find one! This is a wonderful piece. See and listen for yourself.

Being a longtime follower of Bill Champlin this CD was dissapointing. First of all the sound quality is very poor, I don't know if being recorded in Japan had anything to do with this. All of the text is oriental, very strange. This CD cannot compare with Bill's last one. There are only 9 songs on this album and the cost was $26! I feel like I was taken advantage of. You can do bettet than this Mr. Champlin.