Gold Afternoon Fix

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Professional reviews
Gold Afternoon Fix

Studio album by The Church
Released	February 22nd, 1990
Recorded	Ocean Way Recording Studios Los Angeles, CA 1989
Genre	Alternative rock
Length	57:17
Label	Arista Records
Producer(s)	Waddy Wachtel and The Church
All Music Guide link
The Church chronology
Starfish (1988)	Gold Afternoon Fix (1990)	Priest=Aura (1992)

The Church's seventh studio album and second on Arista, Gold Afternoon Fix was released in February of 1990. Meant to capitalize and build on the success of 1988's Starfish, the album saw considerable promotion upon its release. Despite moderate success on modern rock charts, however, the release failed to deliver mass commercial appeal.

Like on Starfish, studio production was overseen by Waddy Wachtel, despite the band's desire to employ John Paul Jones, formerly of Led Zeppelin. The recording sessions for the album were particularly tense and unsuitable, and in-band tensions led to drummer Richard Ploog being ostracized. While some of the bare, open sound that characterized Starfish punctuates the recording, heavy use of a drum machine (duplicating Ploog's parts) has resulted in the album being criticized as somewhat stiff and cold. Ploog left the group following the recording.

Gold Afternoon Fix is also unique among the Church's releases in the absence of any 12-string electric guitar. The missing trademark sound was due to guitarist Marty Willson-Piper's 12-string Rickenbacker having been stolen during the previous tour.