Notes

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Arista AL 4078
White Label Promo Vinyl

SINGING IN THE STREETS (Jack Tempchin)
MY OLD PALS (Richard Stekol)
SO LONG (Richard Stekol)
HIGHWAY SONG (Drive, Drive, Drive) (Jack Tempchin)
NOTHING WAS EXCHANGED (Jules Shear)
SLOW DANCING (Jack Tempchin)
LET ME GO (Jules Shear)
SO EASY TO BEGIN (Jules Shear)
HELP TO GUIDE ME (Richard Stekol)
MATTRESS ON THE ROOF (Jack Tempchin)
ANYWHERE BUT JIMMIE'S (Richard Stekol)


Band...

JACK TEMPCHIN
vocals, harmonica, guitar
JULES SHEAR
vocals, guitar
RICHARD STEKOL
vocals, guitar, piano
GREG LEISZ
pedal steel, dobro, guitar, vocals
BILL BODINE
bass, vocals
FRANK COTINOLA
drums, percussion

With...

MIKE FINNEGAN
organ and vocal on "Anywhere But Jimmie's"
BARRY BECKETT
piano on "Let Me Go"
GEOFF MULDAUR
string arrangement on "Slow Dancing"
KATY MOFFATT
background vocal on "Let Me Go"

PRODUCED BY PAUL A. ROTHCHILD FOR W AND L MUSIC
ENGINEERED BY FRITZ RICHMOND
MIXED BY VAL GARAY


With the California country-rock, singer-songwriter sound of the Eagles and Jackson Browne a hot commodity in the mid-'70s, the idea for the Funky Kings seemed to make perfect sense. Formed in 1976 for Clive Davis' Arista Records, Funky Kings was an odd teaming of three singer-songwriters -- Jack Tempchin ("Peaceful Easy Feeling", "Already Gone"), Jules Shear, and Richard Stekol -- with a funk rhythm section, bassist Bill Bodine and drummer Frank Cotinola, and steel guitarist Greg Leisz.

Although Davis had high hopes that the Kings would become the next Eagles, they received little notice, and, when Arista passed on releasing a second record, disbanded after one album. The first single from the record, Tempchin's "Slow Dancing," did receive minor airplay at the time of its release, but failed to make any waves until being covered by Johnny Rivers in 1977, when it peaked at number ten.

Tempchin had written "Peaceful Easy Feeling" and "Already Gone" which the Eagles turned into big hits, and Stekol had previously been a member of the group Honk. Shear was just getting started in the music industry at this point, but he subsequently went on to lead the band Jules and the Polar Bears, and he's also written what are now highly familiar '80s hits including Cyndi Lauper's "All Through The Night" and the Bangles "If She Knew What She Wants".

Released on Arista, the "Funky Kings" album flopped, missing the US Billboard Top 200 altogether, despite the minor success of the single "Slow Dancing".

This is a really good album though. Produced by the late, legendary Doors producer Paul A. Rothchild, "Funky Kings" has a mid-'70s soft rock/country rock vibe a la the Eagles, with performances that are super-professional, but still lively and spirited.

So, if you've got a fondness for West Coast, mid-'70s singer-songwriter rock, and you're burnt out on your Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, and other records (or even if you haven't, for that matter), "Funky Kings" is well-worth seeking out.

(It appears that "Funky Kings" has never been given an official release on CD at all anywhere in the world, not counting the fact that "Nothing Was Exchanged" appears on Jules Shear's "Horse Of A Different Color" compilation.)


Another quality GALEMARK needledrop
"When you care enough to send the very best"