neil Posted March 24, 2008 Report Share Posted March 24, 2008 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? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edna Posted March 24, 2008 Report Share Posted March 24, 2008 Hello, neil. Welcome! I love their first albums. I think I lost interest in them by 1973/74... I think they had released Chicago V by then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Joe Posted March 24, 2008 Report Share Posted March 24, 2008 Since V I have only liked a handful of songs out of the hundreds they released. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweet Jane 61 Posted March 24, 2008 Report Share Posted March 24, 2008 For me, early Chicago is the best. Don't worry to much about anything past V, stick with that one and the albums before and you will be lovin' Chicago! We need horn playin' smiley! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil Posted March 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2008 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). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farin Posted March 24, 2008 Report Share Posted March 24, 2008 (edited) 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 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 Edited March 24, 2008 by Guest bad joke Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Levis Posted March 24, 2008 Report Share Posted March 24, 2008 Nirvana! Talk about contrast: from Bleach... to... Nevermind. Makes your head spin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesboy Posted March 25, 2008 Report Share Posted March 25, 2008 For me, it's 1 & 2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonJonSurfer Posted March 25, 2008 Report Share Posted March 25, 2008 I could argue hard for VI...it isn't bad and has Feeling Stronger Every Day on it....then it gets questionable. I love the cut Once or Twice off X but that's about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Laurie_ Posted March 25, 2008 Report Share Posted March 25, 2008 Feeling Stronger Every Day is a great tune...I think I will nominate it and dedicate it to my Dad for the next round.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonJonSurfer Posted March 25, 2008 Report Share Posted March 25, 2008 I agree on both counts Laurie! I think I nominated it once and it didn't do well, but i'll always vote for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Berry Posted March 28, 2008 Report Share Posted March 28, 2008 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Baloni Posted March 30, 2008 Report Share Posted March 30, 2008 What's the album with the poster in it, where they're all in a station wagon and there's a motorcycle cop pulled up next to them? That poster is on my wall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil Posted March 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2008 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chinchu Posted April 1, 2008 Report Share Posted April 1, 2008 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... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy1104 Posted May 11, 2008 Report Share Posted May 11, 2008 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moodringer10 Posted May 13, 2008 Report Share Posted May 13, 2008 i always thought chicago sucked until my brother played Chicago Transit Authority for me and I realized how awesome they were... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuzikTyme Posted May 15, 2008 Report Share Posted May 15, 2008 Then you should like this as it was the same session. Lord have mercy! No one jams like Chicago! I'm a Man! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Laurie_ Posted May 15, 2008 Report Share Posted May 15, 2008 i always thought chicago sucked until my brother played Chicago Transit Authority for me and I realized how awesome they were... I'm glad you realized that they were awesome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicagojeff Posted July 17, 2008 Report Share Posted July 17, 2008 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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