Quality: 320, 192, VBR
Michael Clarke - dr
Mark Andes - b, bv
Rick Roberts - v, g
Jock Bartley - g, v
David Muse - fl, sax, harm, p, clav, org, synth
Larry Burnett - v, g
In the early 1970s, Rick Roberts and Jock Bartley first met while Bartley was on tour with Gram Parsons as a member of his backing band The Fallen Angels. Both The Fallen Angels and Roberts were performing in New York City at the same venue on back to back nights. Roberts was impressed by Bartleys lead and slide guitar work. The duo soon began practicing and even performing together. Encouraged by their peers to form a band together, they contacted Mark Andes and Larry Burnett and coaxed them into joining their band, which they christened Firefall.
Although the band already had a vast repertoire of songs to play they still required a drummer. They auditioned several local musicians and played a few shows, they still required a drummer with more experience. Roberts chose his band mate from The Flying Burrito Brothers, Michael Clarke, who was most famous for his time in the Byrds. Clarke was literally hired over the phone.
The band then decided that they wanted to add a more exotic sound to their music, so they brought in Roberts' high school friend David Muse (who was later with Heart). Muse was a multi-instrumentalist who played
saxophone, flute, hamonica and keyboards. Jim Mason, who had worked with Poco in the past, was brought in as their producer. With their line-up complete, the band went into rehearsals in Boulder.
The resulting album, the self-titled Firefall became Atlantic Records quickest album to reach gold status. The group's first single Livin' Ain't Livin' reached the top 40.
The band's next single You Are The Woman, catapulted into the top 10. To add to their exposure, they began touring with Fleetwood Mac, who were at the beginning of their most successful days. Their next single, Cinderella, though played extensively on FM radio, did not fare well on AM radio due to its controversial lyrics being boycotted by feminist groups. This did not however, have a lasting affect on the band's sales.
The group then headed back to Criteria Studios to record their second album, which was to be titled Tropical Nights. After hearing the final mix, the band received a note from Atlantic CEO saying that the album needed to be reworked. The album was re-recorded and renamed Luna Sea. The album peaked at 27 on the charts and went gold less than two months after release. The single from the album Just Remember I Love You, featuring backing vocals by Poco's Timothy B. Schmit, reached the top 10.
In 1978, the band produced their third album Elan. It was a massive success, and it became their first album to reach platinum status. The singles Goodbye, I Love You and Sweet and Sour were released within a few months and continued the band's commercial hot streak.
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