L.A. L.A.

Infobox Album
Name = L.A. L.A.
Type = compilation
Longtype =
Artist = Stiv Bators


Released = 1994
Recorded = 1979-1980
1986-1987
Genre = Punk rock
Length =
Label = Bomp!
Producer =
Reviews =
Last album =
This album =
Next album =

"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.

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 flip side of the first single to emerge from Bomp, "It's Cold Outside" (originally by the Choir, which later reformed as the Raspberries with Eric Carmen) is a song that the Dead Boys reportedly could not figure out how to play. [Liner notes, Pebbles, Volume 2 LP.] 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. [Liner notes for the CD, and the source of the other unreferenced items.] His untimely death came less than three years later.

Musicians

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

* Stiv Bators, "guitar, vocals"
* Frank Secich, "guitar, vocals"
* Eddy Best, "guitar"
* Rick Bremmer, "drums"

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

* Stiv Bators, "guitar, vocals"
* Frank Secich, "guitar, vocals"
* Eddy Best, "guitar"
* David Quinton, "drums"

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

* Stiv Bators, "guitar, vocals"
* Frank Secich, "guitar, vocals"
* Eddy Best, "guitar"
* Jimmy Pursey, "vocals"
* Tommy Rock, "acoustic guitar"
* Mark Cain, "drums"
* Scott Sneller, "Hammond B3"

"Story in Your Eyes"

* Stiv Bators, "vocals, 12-string guitar, bass"
* Frank Infante, "lead guitar"
* Grant Femming, "bass"
* Jordan, "bass"
* Hein Hoven, "Fairlight synthesizer"
* Brian James (possibly)
* Nigel Harrison (possibly)

"Have Love Will Travel"

* Stiv Bators, "vocals"
* Charlie Sexton, "backing vocals"
* Jimmy Ashurst, "bass"
* The Little Kings:
** Tommy Wright, "bass"
** Chris Bailey, "drums"
** Nick Ferrari, "guitar"
** Bernie Bernstein, "backing vocals"
** Gore Verbinski, "guitar"

Track listing

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

References