Devil Without a Cause

Devil Without a Cause
Studio album by Kid Rock
Released August 18th, 1998
Recorded September 1997—July 1998
Genre Rap rock,[1][2][3] nu metal,[3] rap metal[4]
Length 71:12
Label Lava/Atlantic
Producer Kid Rock with John Travis
Kid Rock chronology
Early Morning Stoned Pimp
(1996)		 Devil Without a Cause
(1998)		 The History of Rock
(2000)
Singles from Devil Without a Cause
  1. "Welcome 2 the Party (Ode 2 the Old School)"
    Released: July 30, 1998
  2. "I Am the Bullgod"
    Released: November 23, 1998
  3. "Bawitdaba"
    Released: April 8, 1999
  4. "Cowboy"
    Released: August 17, 1999
  5. "Only God Knows Why"
    Released: October 9, 1999
  6. "Wasting Time"
    Released: January 25, 2000
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[5]
Pitchfork Media(1.3/10)[6]
Robert ChristgauA−[4]
Rolling Stone[7]

Devil Without a Cause is Kid Rock's fourth album. Produced by Kid Rock with John Travis, it was released in 1998 by Atlantic Records. It is Kid Rock's last album to be categorized as "hip hop" before crossing over to more traditional rock music. AllMusic labeled the album as a "rap-rock masterpiece".[2]

The album was certified 11 times Platinum by the RIAA by April 2003.[8] It is Kid Rock's best-selling album, and as of December 2013, it has sold 9,300,000 copies in the US.[9]

Initially Atlantic Records was not sold on the idea of signing Kid Rock based on the strength of his material. Rock then entered the studio and cut a two-song demo tape featuring "Somebody's Gotta Feel This" and "I Got One for Ya" with Robert Bradley. Jason Flom immediately signed him and the band for $100,000 after hearing the tracks.

The song "Bawitdaba" helped increase the popularity of nu metal along with the bands Limp Bizkit and Korn. This led to the success of new groups like Linkin Park, P.O.D., Papa Roach, Everlast and Saliva. "Cowboy" also aided in ushering in the then-new genre "country rap" or "hick hop". The song has gone on to influence Toby Keith, Blake Shelton, Trace Adkins, Big & Rich, Uncle Kracker, Gretchen Wilson, Jason Aldean, Brantley Gilbert, Eric Church, Rehab, Moonshine Bandits and Colt Ford.

Originally "Cowboy", "Devil Without a Cause" and "Only God Knows Why" were rejected by Atlantic Records. The label did not understand a rap song about a cowboy and wanted him to take the "I'm going platinum" line out of the title track. "Only God Knows Why" was too country; they wanted a pure rock album. Rock wrote the first four lines of the song in jail after being arrested for a bar fight he got into while celebrating being signed to Atlantic. The song "Wasting Time" documented his frustrations with the label after he developed writer's block. Because of this he brought back four old tracks—"I Am the Bullgod" from 1993's Fire It Up EP; "Roving Gangster (Rollin)", a demo left off Early Mornin' Stoned Pimp; as well as "Where U at Rock" and "Black Chick, White Guy" off EMSP. The album got its first exposure on the video game Road Rash 3D; it used "Somebody's Gotta Feel This".

A chance meeting at a New York dance club with MTV VJ Carson Daly jump-started Rock's career .

Release and promotion

Atlantic Records would get Kid Rock a slot on the 1998's Van Warped Tour, then released the lead single "Welcome 2 the Party (Ode 2 the Old School)", which failed to find success. The album did not garner any attention until "I Am the Bullgod" was released; the single peaked at number 31 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and garnered the attention of MTV VJ Carson Daly. Kid Rock would go on to open for Monster Magnet on the "White Trash On Dope Tour" in late 1998. Kid Rock would then get his big break performing on MTV's Fashionably Loud and MTV's Wanna Be A VJ in early 1999. MTV took Kid Rock under their wing and he was featured during their spring break special "Say What Karoke" and MTV Beach Brawl. This led to heavy rotation of his next single and his first headline tour called "Destroy Your Liver." The HBO special "Reverb" aired his hometown performance on March 21, 1999.

"Bawitdaba", the third single, bubbled under the Billboard Hot 100 at number 4, but nevertheless was successful on rock radio, peaking at number 10 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart and number 11 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks. The song was used in the trailer to 1999's The Gladitor and his performance at Woodstock 99 made him a househould name. He then went on a European tour and performed at the famed Rock AM and IM Festivals.

"Cowboy", the fourth single, charted at number 82 on the Hot 100 and number 34 on the Mainstream Top 40, as well as number 5 on the Modern Rock Tracks and number 10 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks.The fifth single was "Only God Knows Why", which charted at number 19 on the Hot 100 and number 6 on the Mainstream Top 40, with peaks of number 5 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks and number 13 on the Modern Rock Tracks. He would then go on the Millenium Tour with Metallica,Creed,Ted Nugent and Sevendust. Finally, the album's sixth and final single was "Wasting Time", which was a minor mainstream rock hit at number 35.

Track listing

No. TitleWriter(s) Length
1. "Bawitdaba"  Kid Rock, Matthew Shafer, Jason Krause, David Parker 4:27
2. "Cowboy"  Kid Rock, Matthew Shafer, John Travis, James Trombly 4:17
3. "Devil Without a Cause" (featuring Joe C.)Kenny Olson, Kid Rock, Matthew Shafer, Too $hort, Larry Smith, Jalil "Whodini" Hutchins 5:32
4. "I Am the Bullgod"  Kid Rock 4:50
5. "Roving Gangster (Rollin')"  Kid Rock, Matthew Shafer, Mark Morales, Darren Robinson, Andy Nehra, Damon Wimbley 4:24
6. "Wasting Time"  Kid Rock, Matthew Shafer, Lindsey Buckingham 4:02
7. "Welcome 2 the Party (Ode 2 the Old School)"  Kid Rock, Matthew Shafer, Lamont Dozier, Eddie Holland, Brian Holland 5:14
8. "I Got One for Ya'" (featuring Robert Bradley)Kenny Olson, Kid Rock, Matthew Shafer, John Travis, Jerry Williams 3:43
9. "Somebody's Gotta Feel This"  Kid Rock, Matthew Shafer, Kenny Olson, John Travis 3:09
10. "Fist of Rage"  Kid Rock, Matthew Shafer, John Travis 3:23
11. "Only God Knows Why"  Kid Rock, Matthew Shafer, John Travis 5:27
12. "Fuck Off" (featuring Eminem, does not appear on clean version)Kid Rock, Matthew Shafer, Marshall Mathers, Jason Krause 6:13
13. "Where U at Rock"  Kid Rock 4:24
14. "Black Chick, White Guy / I Am the Bullgod (Remix)" (Part 1 ends at 7:07 and Part 2 begins at 7:10)Kid Rock 12:01

A clean version is also available, removing most profanity as well as the songs "Fuck Off" and "Black Chick, White Guy". The clean version of the disc also features a black background with "Kid Rock" printed on the disc, while the unedited version features an image of Kid Rock's hand with a raised middle finger (the disc of Kid Rock's next album Cocky would later feature both of Rock's hands making the same gesture) with no text on the disc. Also, on the clean version, the song "Welcome 2 the Party (Ode 2 the Old School)" has some portions cut from the song, along with some lyrics being altered. The clean edit shortens the song length from 5:14 to 3:52.

Demos

Samples

Personnel

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Nu Metal Meltdown". MTV. (Retrieved on September 21st, 2015)
  2. 1 2 Rap-Rock | Significant Albums, Artists and Songs | AllMusic
  3. 1 2 Sharp, Tyler. "Kid Rock reflects on his nu-metal days and Korn: "I can do that sh*t in my sleep"". Alternative Press. (March 20, 2015). Retrieved on September 21, 2015
  4. 1 2 Christgau, Robert (May 25, 1999). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice (New York). Archived from the original on March 23, 2013. Retrieved March 23, 2013.
  5. ↑ Stephen Thomas Erlewine (1998-08-18). "Devil Without a Cause – Kid Rock | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-05-29.
  6. ↑ "Kid Rock: Devil Without A Cause: Pitchfork Review". 2001-12-23. Archived from the original on 2001-12-23. Retrieved 2011-12-30.
  7. ↑ "Kid Rock: Album Guide". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2012-03-23.
  8. ↑ "Recording Industry Association of America". RIAA. Retrieved 2011-12-30.
  9. ↑ Paul Grein (December 11, 2013). "A Britney Spears Bummer: New Album Fizzles". Yahoo Music.
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