- CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
- Chicago "The Chicago Transit Authority" 1969 (USA)
- I know what you're thinking -- what is that lame soft rock band Chicago doing here?! Well, the theme for this week's program is "Jazz/Rock" and arguably no popular group defines the genre better than Chicago -- or as they were orignally known, "The Chicago Transit Authority." The story of the band is actually one of the classic "sell out and fall from grace" stories. When the band debuted in 1969, they featured a brilliant songwriter and front man in keyboardist Robert Lamm, a tight three-piece horn section led by trombonist James Pankow, and the fiery lead guitar and soulful vocals of Terry Kath. However, by the end of the 70's Kath was dead, the horn section receded into the background, and Lamm's songwriting talents seem to have abandoned him. That left crooning pretty boy bass player Peter Cetera and his lame-o ballads to take center stage -- until he went solo in the 1980's, but by then the group had been reduced to the "oldies" circuit. Still, you might be surprised how much killer material there is on the first two Chicago albums, especially this one (which features ZERO Peter Cetera ballads!!)
- For videos this week, here's "I'm A Man", a cover of the Spencer Davis Group hit which is on their debut album and features Kath, Cetera and Lamm all sharing lead vocal duties. And here's one of the big hits from this album, the wedding standard "Beginnings" (hey, it's a good song!) Plus here's "Make Me Smile", their first American Top Ten hit which is on their second album, and their most rockin' hit "25 Or 6 To 4", also from the second album (sound quality at the beginning isn't great, but Kath plays a mad guitar solo in the middle). Finally "Saturday In The Park" is from the Chicago V album of 1972, as far as I'm concerned the last good tune the group ever did. If you want to puke your guts out, here's Peter Cetera mewling his way through the "Theme from the Karate Kid"!