The Power Station (album)

Infobox Album |
Name = The Power Station
Type = Album
Artist = Power Station


Released = March 1985
Recorded = 1984
Genre = Rock
Length = 46:56
Label = Parlophone/Capitol/EMI/
Producer = Bernard Edwards
Reviews =
* Allmusic Rating|4|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:r9axlf3e5cqu link]
Last album =
This album = "Power Station"
(1985)
Next album = "Living In Fear"
(1996)

The Power Station is the debut album by Power Station. It was released in 1985 on EMI. An anniversary edition was released 21 February 2005, featuring 7 bonus tracks, as well as a 35 minute DVD.

Background

Power Station was a supergroup formed by Robert Palmer, Tony Thompson (of Chic) and Andy and John Taylor from Duran Duran. They came together in 1985 to record a one-off album, as a respite from the relentless global touring and promotion of Duran Duran.

The original plan for this one-album project was for the three musicians (Taylor, Taylor and Thompson) to provide musical continuity to an album full of material, with a different singer performing on each track. Those who were approached included Mick Jagger, Billy Idol, Mars Williams (who eventually contributed brass to the album) and Richard Butler (of The Psychedelic Furs), and Mick Ronson.

The group then invited eclectic soul singer Robert Palmer to record vocals for the track "Communication". When he heard that they had recorded demos for "Get It On (Bang a Gong)", he asked to try out vocals on that one as well, and by the end of the day, the group knew that they had found that elusive chemistry which distinguishes successful bands. Before long, they had decided to record the entire album with Palmer.

However, the union was not to hold. By the time the band decided to take the 8-track set on the road, Palmer had left to record his solo album "Riptide" (which, likely due to the involvement of Power Station participants Edwards, Thompson, and Andy Taylor, is very similar in sound to the Power Station album). He was replaced by Michael Des Barres (famed for co-writing Animotion's "Obsession").

During the promotion cycle for the album, EMI released three singles, including the cover of T-Rex's "Get It On". Versions of these three singles are now included among the bonus tracks on the 2005 re-release.

Title

While the actual name of the album is "The Power Station", the specific formats were adopted as part of the name (ala PiL's 1986 long-player "Album"), so you had "The Power Station 33 1/3" vinyl album, and "The Power Station CD" on CD.

Track listing

1985 release

# "Some Like It Hot" – 5:05
# "Murderess" – 4:17
# "Lonely Tonight" – 3:58
# "Communication" – 3:37
# "Get It On (Bang a Gong)" – 5:29
# "Go to Zero" – 4:58
# "Harvest for the World" – 3:37
# "Still in Your Heart" – 3:20

2005 rerelease

# "Some Like It Hot" – 5:05
# "Murderess" – 4:17
# "Lonely Tonight" – 3:58
# "Communication" – 3:37
# "Get It On (Bang a Gong)" – 5:29
# "Go to Zero" – 4:58
# "Harvest for the World" – 3:37
# "Still in Your Heart" – 3:20
# "Someday, Somehow, Someone's Gotta Pay" – 4:32
# "The Heat Is On" – 3:18
# "Communication [Long Remix] " – 4:39
# "Get It On (Bang a Gong) [7"] " – 3:45
# "Some Like It Hot and the Heat Is On" – 6:36
# "Communication [Remix] " – 3:51
# "Some Like It Hot [7"] " – 3:44

ongwriting credits

All tracks by Taylor, Taylor, Palmer except:
* "Get It On" - Bolan
* "Harvest for the World" - Isley/Isley/Isley/Isley/Isley/Jasper
* "Communication" - Bramble/Taylor/Taylor/Thompson
* "Lonely Tonight" - Palmer/Edwards
* "Go to Zero" - Palmer/Pratt
* "We Fight For Love" - Des Barres/Thompson/Taylor/Taylor

Singles

* "Get It On (Bang a Gong)"
* "Some Like It Hot" (heard in National Lampoon's European Vacation)
* "Communication"

Personnel

Power Station were:

* John Taylor - Bass
* Andy Taylor - Guitars
* Tony Thompson - Drums
* Robert Palmer - Vocals

Additional Musicians:

* Curtis King Jr - Additional Vocals
* Fonzi Thornton - Additional Vocals
* B.J. Nelson - Additional Vocals
* Charmaine Burch - Additional Vocals
* Lenny Pickett - Brass
* Mark Pender - Brass
* Stan Harrison - Brass
* Hollywood Paul Litteral - Brass
* Mars Williams - Brass
* Roger Taylor - Percussive Effects
* Jimmy Bralower - Percussive Effects
* Wally Badarou - Keyboards
* David LeBolt - Keyboards
* Robert Sabino - Keyboards
* Rupert Hine - Keyboards

Production Credits:

* Bernard Edwards - Producer
* Jason Corsaro - Engineer