For the Love of Strange Medicine
For the Love of Strange Medicine is the second solo studio album by Steve Perry, released on July 19, 1994 through Columbia Records. The album came after a lengthy 8-year hiatus following the breakup of Journey. The first single "You Better Wait" received radio airplay, reaching the top 10 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart and peaking at #29 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album was certified gold by the RIAA in September 1994 and followed by a tour from 1994-95.
For the Love of Strange Medicine | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | July 19, 1994 | |||
Recorded | 1993 | |||
Genre | Rock | |||
Length | 53:02 | |||
Label | Columbia | |||
Producer | James "Jimbo" Barton, Steve Perry, Tim Miner | |||
Steve Perry chronology | ||||
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Singles from For the Love of Strange Medicine | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Allmusic | [2] |
The song "Young Hearts Forever" was written by Perry as a tribute to his late friend, Thin Lizzy frontman Phil Lynott, who died in 1986.
Background
Journey released their ninth studio album Raised on Radio in 1986, which was Steve Perry's sixth album as lead singer. The band subsequently went on a hiatus in 1987. After the split Perry "didn't feel the passion" for writing and recording music, but eventually began writing songs for the album with musicians Lincoln Brewster, Paul Taylor, and Moyes Lucas.[1]
Track listing
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
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1. | "You Better Wait" | Steve Perry, Lincoln Brewster, Paul Taylor, Moyes Lucas, John Pierce, George Hawkins | James "Jimbo" Barton | 4:51 |
2. | "Young Hearts Forever" | Perry, Clif Magness | Barton | 4:43 |
3. | "I Am" | Perry, Taylor, Brewster | Barton | 4:54 |
4. | "Stand Up (Before It's Too Late)" | Perry, Brewster, Taylor, Lucas, Larry Kimpel | Barton | 4:49 |
5. | "For the Love of Strange Medicine" | Perry, Brewster, Taylor, Lucas, | Barton, Perry | 5:52 |
6. | "Donna Please" | Perry, Taylor, Stephen Bishop | Barton, Perry | 4:02 |
7. | "Listen to Your Heart" | Perry, Taylor, Brewster, Lucas | Barton | 3:31 |
8. | "Tuesday Heartache" | Perry, Magness, Taylor, Brewster, Lucas | Barton | 6:00 |
9. | "Missing You" | Perry, Tim Miner | Perry, Miner | 3:48 |
10. | "Somewhere There's Hope" | Perry, Taylor, Brewster, Lucas | Barton | 6:05 |
11. | "Anyway" | Perry | Perry, Miner | 4:20 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
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12. | "If You Need Me, Call Me" | Steve Perry, Craig Krampf, Richard Michaels Haddad, Steve DeLacey | Perry, Randy Goodrum | 5:50 |
13. | "One More Time" | Perry, Brewster | Perry | 3:32 |
14. | "Can't Stop" | Perry, Goodrum, Michael Landau | Perry, Goodrum | 4:08 |
15. | "Friends of Mine" | Perry, Josh Leo, Goodrum, Krampf | Perry, Goodrum | 3:30 |
16. | "Missing You" (Live in San Francisco 12/9/94) | Perry, Miner | 4:13 |
- Notes (2006 re-release)
- "If You Need Me, Call Me" is a 1994 re-recording of a song of Perry's pre-Journey band, Alien Project.
- "One More Time" is an unreleased out take from 1994.
- "Can't Stop" and "Friends of Mine" are previously unreleased tracks from the 1988 unreleased Against the Wall album.
Personnel
- Steve Perry – lead and backing vocals
- Paul Taylor – keyboards (1-8, 10), backing vocals (1), synthesizers (11)
- Tim Miner – keyboards (9), acoustic piano (9, 11), bass (9, 11), backing vocals (9, 11)
- Lincoln Brewster – guitars (1-8), backing vocals (1)
- Michael Landau – guitars (11)
- Larry Kimpel – bass (1, 2, 4, 10)
- Mike Porcaro – bass (2, 3, 5, 6, 7)
- Moyes Lucas – drums (1, 4-8, 10), backing vocals (1)
- Jeremy Lubbock – string arrangements and conductor (3)
- James "Jimbo" Barton – string arrangements (3)
- Phil Brown – string arrangements (3), bass (8)
- Larry Dalton – string arrangements and conductor (9)
- Dallas Symphony Orchestra – strings (9)
- Alexander Brown – backing vocals (4, 10)
- Carmen Carter – backing vocals (4, 10)
- Jean McClain – backing vocals (4, 10)
Production
- Producers – James "Jimbo" Barton (Tracks 1-8 & 10); Steve Perry (Tracks 5, 6, 9 & 11); Tim Miner (Tracks 9 & 11).
- Production Assistant on Tracks 1-4, 7, 8 & 10 – Phil Brown.
- Engineers – James "Jimbo" Barton (Tracks 1-8 & 10); Tim Kimsey and Frank Salazar (Track 9); Craig Burbidge (Track 11).
- Assistant and Second Engineers – Bill Cooper, Devin Foutz, Manny Marroquin, Christopher C. Murphy, Kyle Ross, Rail Jon Rogut and Ulrich Wild.
- Mixing – Niko Bolas (Tracks 1, 2 & 6); Craig Burbidge (Tracks 3, 4, 5 & 7-11).
- Recorded at Ocean Way Recording and One On One Studios (Hollywood, California); Record Plant (Los Angeles, California); The Enterprise (Burbank, California); American Recording Studios (Woodland Hills, California); Knightlight Studios and Dallas Sound Lab (Dallas, Texas).
- Digital Editing – Brian Lee
- Mastered by Bob Ludwig at Gateway Mastering (Portland, Maine).
Charts
Album
Chart (1994) | Peak position |
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German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[3] | 91 |
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[4] | 23 |
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[5] | 44 |
UK Albums (OCC)[6] | 64 |
US Billboard 200[7] | 15 |
References
- Rosen, Craig (11 June 1994). "Retail's Open Arms Greet Steve Perry". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. 106 (24): 12–13. ISSN 0006-2510.
- For the Love of Strange Medicine at AllMusic
- "Longplay-Chartverfolgung at Musicline" (in German). Musicline.de. Phononet GmbH.
- "Swedishcharts.com – Steve Perry – For The Love Of Strange Medicine". Hung Medien.
- "Swisscharts.com – Steve Perry – For The Love Of Strange Medicine". Hung Medien.
- "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
- "Steve Perry Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard.