Year : 2020
Style : Melodic Rock
Country : United Kingdom
Audio : 320 kbps + scans
Size : 120 mb
Bio:
Russell Glyn Ballard (31 October 1945) is an English singer, songwriter and musician.Originally coming to prominence as the lead singer and guitarist for the band Argent, Ballard became known by the late 1970s as a songwriter and producer. His compositions "New York Groove", "You Can Do Magic", "Since You Been Gone", "Liar", "Winning", "I Know There's Something Going On", "So You Win Again" and "God Gave Rock and Roll to You" were hits for other artists during the 1970s and 1980s. He also scored several minor hits under his own name in the early and mid-1980s.Ballard was born in Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, England.Ballard was initially a guitarist, joining Buster Meikle & The Day Breakers in 1961 together with his older brother Roy and their friend the drummer Bob Henrit. After a stint with The Roulettes, backing Adam Faith, he then went on to join Unit 4 + 2 in 1967, before becoming the lead singer and guitarist of Argent (along with Henrit, who joined as drummer), writing their hit "God Gave Rock and Roll to You",which would later be covered by both Petra and KISS. Ballard is most well known as the vocalist on Argent's smash "Hold Your Head Up". In 1972, Ballard performed on Colin Blunstone's album Ennismore, which was produced by Chris White. Ballard also wrote the hit single, "I Don't Believe in Miracles", which featured on that album.He left Argent in 1974 and pursued a solo and songwriting career. He wrote such hits as Three Dog Night's "Liar" (originally recorded by Argent), Hot Chocolate's 1977 UK chart topper "So You Win Again",and Rainbow's 1979 hit "Since You Been Gone". Head East had also recorded the song in 1978 for its self-titled album, and before that it was included in Ballard's 1976 solo album Winning. Ballard also wrote Rainbow's 1981 No. 3 (UK) hit "I Surrender".Ballard also wrote and performed on Roger Daltrey's first two solo albums, Daltrey (1973) and Ride a Rock Horse (1975). Daltrey recorded some other Russ Ballard originals for his McVicar soundtrack, and his albums Under a Raging Moon and Can't Wait to See the Movie. Ballard undertook a tour with Roger Daltrey in 1985, playing guitar and singing one of his own songs.British pop band Hello recorded Ballard's "New York Groove" in 1975, reaching No. 7 in Germany and No. 9 in the UK."New York Groove" would also be recorded three years later by Ace Frehley, who turned the tune into a stateside hit.Ballard also wrote the No. 17, 1981 hit for Santana, called "Winning", which appeared on their album entitled Zebop! and had previously been released by Ballard himself on his second solo album. To promote the Winning album he toured Europe and the US in October and November 1976, working with the John Stanley Media Management Company and a four-piece band, performing at large theatre venues in Europe and medium-sized clubs such as The Bottom Line in New York and the Whisky A Go Go in Los Angeles.Ballard wrote and produced "You Can Do Magic" for the group America on its 1982 album View from the Ground. The single climbed to No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 in October 1982, and helped resurrect the band's career. The following year, America brought in Ballard to produce their follow-up album, Your Move. One of its tracks, "The Border", which was co-written by Ballard with Dewey Bunnell, reached No. 33 on the Billboard Hot 100.Ballard wrote ABBA singer Anni-Frid Lyngstad's 1982 solo hit: "I Know There's Something Going On" (which was produced by Phil Collins, and also featured Collins on drums). The track reached No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100. He also penned "Can't Shake Loose" for fellow ABBA former member Agnetha Fältskog, which peaked at No. 29 in the same listings.Returning to a harder rock vein, Ballard wrote "I Did It For Love," which became the last Billboard Hot 100 hit for Night Ranger, appearing on their 1988 Man in Motion album. In 1991 the song he co-wrote with John Waite and Jonathan Cain, "So This Is Eden", appeared on Bad English's album, Backlash.Ballard has also written and produced for Elkie Brooks, and in 2005 acting as a talent scout, he "discovered" Lauren Harris.As a solo artist, Ballard charted once on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, when "On the Rebound" reached No. 58 in 1980.English rock band Uriah Heep covered "On the Rebound" in 1982 on their album Abominog. In 1980, he released a solo album on Epic entitled Barnet Dogs. It reached no. 187 on the Billboard 200.Another notable solo hit, "Voices" – from his second self-titled album (1984) – was featured in the Miami Vice episode "Calderone's Return: Part 2 – Calderone's Demise", which aired on 26 October 1984. The song was a brief hit on rock radio stations, peaking at No. 15 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. However, "Voices" stalled below the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 110. Another song from the same album, "In the Night" was featured in the episode "Calderone's Return: Part 1 – The Hit List". The show also featured "Your Time Is Gonna Come" by Ballard later in its run."The Fire Still Burns", the title track of his 1985 album matched the placement of the previous year's "Voices," peaking at No. 15 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.In addition to KISS covering "God Gave Rock and Roll to You", retitled as "God Gave Rock 'n' Roll to You II".
Album:
Hit maker. Creator of many parts of the soundtrack of our lives. Yes, veteran British singer/songwriter RUSS BALLARD is back with a new album titled “It’s Good To Be Here” – his tenth – and it showcases not only his uncanny way with melody and lyrics, but also his more thoughtful side. Additionally, he performs some of the hits written for other artists such as ‘New York Groove’, ‘Since You Been Gone’ or ‘You Can Do Magic’ If you’ve done any world travelling, out of desire or necessity, you’ll have noticed that there’s always some radio station playing a song written by Russ Ballard.The Rock cognoscenti will recognise Kiss / Ace Frehley’s globe straddling hits ‘God Gave Rock’n’Roll To You’ and ‘New York Groove’; Rainbow’s monster classics ‘Since You Been Gone’ and ‘I Surrender’, all as coming from the prolific pen of Ballard.Apparently he spends many days and hours writing and recording, but this is his first conventional release in 5 years.The album is pure Ballard since the beginning with ‘My Awakening’, an’80s inspired rocker like most the material here.‘Kickin The Can’ unspool like a smart synthesis of Western rhythms, written to the sound of 21st century popular rock. It’s fabulously 3 dimensional, dazzling us with exotic tones and rhythms, backed up by spine tingling orchestration.Ballard’s son, Christian produced and mixed the album, and he has the obsessive’s ear for fine textural detail.Lyrically, songs like ‘Annabel’s Place’ and ‘Wasted’ are provocative looks at Ballard’s past. Powerful images and memorable music, swapping conscience bothering “call and response” vocals with spacey, proggy-pop passages, all giving an epic feel to these clearly personal musings.But in reality, everything is personal here. Sometimes painfully so, as in the overwhelming sense of loss evoked by ‘Time Machine’. But equally, ‘Tidal Wave’s gorgeous rush of melodic rock optimism, and the more contemplative ‘Colliding’ will have you getting alternately buoyed and enjoyably lost in these songs’ orbiting melodies.Ballard acknowledges his past songwriting success on the album’s three closers.He cleverly turns ‘Since You Been Gone’ into an achingly eloquent ballad, sketched around piano and soughing strings, repeating the trick on ‘You Can Do Magic’, creating depth and drama from a resonating piano motif and swaying background vocals.But it’s ‘New York Groove’ that makes the biggest impression. Here, the silky smooth drift of an acoustic guitar provides all the forward momentum needed by this laid back, loose limbed version.Ballards in top form in “It’s Good To Be Here”: his songwriting always will be great, but he’s also fine vocally, and he found a great partner in his son producing his new music with detail, clear and pristine.
Line Up:
Russ Ballard - Lead Vocals , Guitar (EX-Argent)
Tracklist:
01. My Awakening
02. Time Machine
03. Kickin' the Can
04. Annabel's Place
05. Wasted (The Last Ride)
06. Colliding
07. Tidal Wave
08. The First Man That Ever Danced
09. The Misunderstood
10. Proud Man
11. New York Groove
12. Since You Been Gone
13. You Can Do Magic
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