L.A. L.A.

L.A. L.A.
Compilation album by Stiv Bators
Released 1994
Recorded 1979-1980
1986-1987
Genre Punk rock
Label Bomp!

L.A. L.A. is a compilation album of the best of the music recorded by Stiv Bators at the Bomp! Records studios (other than his 1980 LP, Disconnected) before and after his involvement with the Lords of the New Church when he was attempting to reinvent himself as a pop singer.

Contents

Release history

This album was released in the CD format by Bomp! Records in 1994, with a catalogue number #BCD 4046.

Nature of the music

Those who know Stiv Bators only from his ground-breaking punk rock with the Dead Boys and the Lords of the New Church will be pleased to see him tackling early rock music standards like "Louie Louie" ("L.A. L.A."), the other great Richard Berry anthem "Have Love Will Travel", and the Moody Blues hit "The Story in Your Eyes". The title song features new lyrics by Bators that are surprisingly well wrought considering the loose nature of the recording session (which included Kim Fowley and members of Sham 69, the Runaways and the Popsicles). The backing band on "Have Love Will Travel" is called the Little Kings; one of their members, Gore Verbinski went on to direct numerous music videos and later helmed Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl and the two Pirates sequels.

The flip side of the first single to emerge from Bomp, "It's Cold Outside" (originally by the Choir, which later reformed as Raspberries with Eric Carmen) is a song that the Dead Boys reportedly could not figure out how to play.[1] The most poignant and perhaps the best track on the album, "I'm No More" is a beautifully rendered love song that was to have been his last single with Bomp.

Following these sessions, Stiv Bators returned to Paris and began working on another solo album.[2] His untimely death came less than three years later.

Musicians

"The Last Year", "It's Cold Outside" (single versions)

"I Stand Accused", "Circumstantial Evidence", "Not that Way Anymore" (single versions)

"L.A. L.A.", "Tropicana Blues", "Factory Boy"

"Story in Your Eyes"

"Have Love Will Travel"

Track listing

  1. "The Last Year" (Stiv Bators/Frank Secich) – Rel. May 1979, single version
  2. "It's Cold Outside" (Danny Klawon) – Rel. May 1979, single version
  3. "Circumstantial Evidence" (Stiv Bators/Frank Secich) – Rel. January 1980, single version
  4. "Not that Way Anymore" (Stiv Bators/Frank Secich) – Rel. January 1980, single version
  5. "I'll Be Alright" (Stiv Bators/Frank Secich) – Rec. 1980, unreleased demo
  6. "I Stand Accused" (W. Levine) – Rec. 1979, unreleased demo
  7. "L.A. L.A." (Richard Berry/Stiv Bators) – Rec. Jan. 1980, unreleased jam session
  8. "Blues" (Kim Fowley/Stiv Bators) – Rec. January 1980, unreleased jam session
  9. "Factory Boy" (Kim Fowley/Stiv Bators) – Rec. January 1980, unreleased jam session
  10. "The Story in Your Eyes" (Justin Hayward) – Rel. Fall of 1986
  11. "Have Love Will Travel" (Richard Berry) – Rel. Fall of 1986
  12. "I'm No More" (Hurriganes) – Rel. 1987, unreleased demo
  13. "Gudbuy t' Jayne" (Holder/Lea) – Rel. 1987, unreleased demo
  14. "Circumstantial Evidence" (Stiv Bators/Frank Secich), alternate version
  15. "I'll Be Alright" (Stiv Bators/Frank Secich), alternate version
  16. "Not that Way Anymore" (Stiv Bators/Frank Secich), alternate version
  17. "It's Cold Outside" (Danny Klawon), alternate version
  18. "The Last Year" (Stiv Bators/Frank Secich), alternate version

References

  1. ^ Liner notes, Pebbles, Volume 2 LP.
  2. ^ Liner notes for the CD, and the source of the other unreferenced items.