Song#: 3499
Date: 04/30/1988
Debut: 91
Peak: 91
Weeks: 2
Genre: Rock
Pop Bits: This Canadian band's second album, 1985's The Big Prize, would get to #61 and stay on the chart for a lengthy thirty-five weeks mainly thanks to the #34 Pop/#8 Rock track "Feel It Again." It would end up being their biggest hit in the US. After a supporting tour, the band got back into the studio to record their third LP. Unfortunately, they experienced a delay when lead singer Johnnie Dee was struck by a car at the Los Angeles airport. His leg was injured and it required surgery along with a recovery period. The band was finally able to finish the album at the beginning of '88 and as spring approached they released this first single from Racing After Midnight. In Canada, the song would become the band's first Top 10 hit reaching #9. In the US, the track got to #13 at Rock, but it couldn't do much of anything on the Pop chart dropping off after two short weeks. Further singles failed to reach either chart and that left the album stalling at #86. A hits compilation would come out in '89 followed by a new studio album in '91. Neither made an impact in the US. The band would continue to perform over the years and experience personnel changes. They wouldn't issue out another album until 2002.
ReduxReview: After the crunchy, arena rock of "Feel It Again," this track sounded so tame in comparison. Bruce Fairbairn produced "Feel It Again" and gave it a big 80s sound with lots of depth and huge drums. It helped that the song was good to begin with, but Fairbairn's production took it to the next level. While "Love Changes Everything" wasn't quite as good of a song, what dimmed it further was the tepid production by Ted Templeman. It sounded flat and one dimensional. It reminded me of an early Bon Jovi or Loverboy track - something '84-ish, not late 80s. The band had something good going with Fairbairn and I'm not sure why they didn't stick with him. Templeman's clean production just didn't fit the band and it didn't help to advance them at all.
ReduxRating: 5/10
Trivia: For their third album, the band was hooked up with producer Ted Templeman (Van Halen, Doobie Brothers). He worked out of L.A. so the band flew there to record tracks. That's when Johnnie Dee got injured at the airport. With studio time booked and the need to get something done, the rest of the band went into the studio with Templeman. To help things along, Templeman brought in an old friend to lend a hand. Former Doobie Brother Michael McDonald dropped by the studio to work with the band. He would end up co-writing and singing background vocals on the track "Long Way Back." It would be included on the album, but would not be released as a single. With that push, the band soldiered on and as soon as he could Johnnie Dee would join them to finish the sessions. In Canada, the album would reach #6 and go double-platinum.
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When I first saw the title to "Love Changes Everything" I actually thought it was the Climie Fisher song which was a fairly big hit back in the Summer of 1988.
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