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Chicago question


neil

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New user here - hello everyone.

The trouble with Chicago is that they will forever be remembered for the syrupy 'If you leave me now'. I was guilty of thinking this was their standard fare, till I checked out their first release. Up to V now and still enjoying them all, but I'm wondering if I ought to go any further as I have heard that from VI onwards is a little patchy. Is this right?

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Hmmm I had sorta come to the conclusion that there was no way Chicago could have topped the first five albums and what's been written has kind of confirmed that. I've a long-held theory that most bands start off at the top of their game and descend into averageness. I cannot think off the top of my head of a band who went from averageness to sudden greatness (might be the subject of another thread though).

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I cannot think off the top of my head of a band who went from averageness to sudden greatness (might be the subject of another thread though).

good idea :grin:

and I could think of some... even when we try to stay with "Classic" bands, eg I don't consider the Beatles' first albums as their best (even if I wouldn't dare to call them 'average')

PS Welcome to SF neil :thumbsup:

Edited by Guest
bad joke
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You really need to check an album called 'Chicago Transit Authority' (their first album)

There's a six minute cut of Terry Kath on his guitar imitating a sports car going trough it's paces.

Then comes their cover of 'I'm a Man' that rocks like you wouldn' believe...really, really energetic.

On the second album, Chicago II, is where the record execs saw dollar sign, with "Colour My World' topping the list....but on the same album was a song called '25 or 6 to 4'...whose intro sounds suspiciously like Zep's 'Babe I'm Gonna Leave You'...both albums happened around the same little time there...must have been something in thw water.

Terry Kath was THE MAN!!!

In the late 60's, Jimi Hemdrix was quoted as calling Terry Kath,"the best guitar player in the world" after hearing them perform.

Don't write it all off as syrup

Try looking through the first five or six albums for some real weighty stuff...buried treasure, man...burried treasure

....but yeah...i could do without ever hearing 'Wishing You Were Here' and the like...strictly commercial

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Oh I totally agree Barry. 1 to 5 (not heard the live 4th yet) are all masterpieces in their own way. That's what I meant about going onwards and wondering if they match up to what went before.

Having mentioned the 4th, I wonder if anyone else has got anything to say about how expensive it seems to be. I clocked it at £37 in HMV, which equates to about $70 on the other side of the pond.

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Chicago's first albums are the best, especially Chicago II which is a masterpiece, I may say... But Hearing Chicago through the decades you see how much they change and grow, evolve actually... And that's normal because music changes through the years, and Chicago went along with these changes... YOu know, there are some great ballads from the 80's by Chicago... It doesn't matter what you play, if the band is great, the product will sound great...

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  • 1 month later...

One of the best live albums recorded in the early 70's (may have been in 1972) is Live At Carnegie Hall. On it you will find some great concert variations on their early music.

I owned this set back then and it came in a box which included 4 records. I am not sure if this is found on CD, but now that I think about it, it is time to replace that album with CD's.

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  • 2 months later...

I totally agree Barry.. when Terry Kath playing around blew his head off. Chicago.. just sank.. the syrupy Peter Cetera stuff is what everyone remembers now..

Ironic.. Cetera won't return or from what i understand doesn't communicate with the guys at all..

Terry Kath.. man.. Questions 67&68

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