Recent fondness for "Street Angel" period

[gldstwmn]

You can read about Glyn Johns here:

http://www.musicweb.uk.net/encyclopaedia/j/J115.HTM

[Johnny Stew]

I'm sure Stevie wasn't necessarily a picnic to work with at the time, but then other producers (Don Was, Thom Panunzio) seemed to have no trouble working with her during that period, and neither did any of the musicians who played on the recordings.

If I remember correctly, the Eagles also hated their time in the studio with Mr. Johns, and I think he and Roger Daltry clashed when he worked with the Who... but apparently he's worked quite well with many other artists, so who knows.

I think Stevie's biggest beef with Glyn Johns was that he was dismissive of her and her ideas, with an air of condescension and the attitude that, "you may have done that on your other albums, but we will not be doing that with this album!"

The final straw seems to have been the mandate that Waddy Wachtel would not be "allowed" to work on the album. Stevie's fierce loyalty to her friends is legendary, and I imagine Mr. Johns dug his grave with that statement.

With all of the strife going on during the recording of 'Street Angel,' it's very easy to see why Stevie would just as soon disown that project... which is a pity, because it's not at all bad. But there's a sense of how much better it could have been.

[Jessica Leigh]

lol all this talk about Glyn Johns is reminding me of the scene in Almost Famous when the kid is first trying to get backstage at black sabbath and the guys from Stillwater show up and call him the enemy for being a rock writer and the kid tries to kiss their butts and says something to the effect of "good move producing this new album yourself and not letting Glyn Johns do it" ... lol i'm pretty sure that's the name...

[Sarah]

I haven't learned how to like Street Angel yet.. but I hope that one day I will. Maybe I'll give it another listen today.

[blinker12]

I've always had a place in my heart for "Street Angel." First, it came out during the summer after my freshman year in college. It was a pivotal time for me, a lot of new things were happening in my life. I used to play the CD on my way to work each day, so I strongly associate the album with that time.

Also, I think it was a pivotal period for Stevie. She was just starting to fight her way back to respectability after years of drug addiction and general despondency about her career. She'd become a laughingstock in the late 80s-early 90s _ and for good reason; she was very self-indulgent and lazy. The Street Angel tour was the first time I'd seen her *care* about life for some time. I remember her voice on that tour sounded fantastic; she was performing with passion for the first time since the mid-1980s. She had been completely listless on the "Timespace" and "Behind the Mask" tours.

It was reassuring to see her coming back to life, and I'll always remember '94 as the year Stevie started to get her bearings again.

wow...i never expected so many posts when i wrote this....and thank you everyone for not bashing her or the album....i never realized the problems she had recording the album...i do remember in the summer of 1993 some radio station announced the record was coming out in the fall but it was delayed till the following spring.....i dug out a comp video i have of that era with her on Letterman and Leno and i admit she could have looked a little better but i didn't think she was that bad for the critics to completely pan her or her performance.

[WednesdaysChild]

Critics were/are all about looks, not sound. She could have been back to her BN voice range and they would have kept making comments about her weight/her looks. Really sad, especially when she's always been about talent--the looks were just coincidental.

[EveryHour]

Originally posted by strandinthewind
I really like almost all of Street Angel except for Docklands. I think people at this time tend to somewhat confuse Stevie's weight with the quality of her voice. For example, although I am sure that one exists and unlike the RAL period, she sounded great in every recording I have heard of the Street Angel concerts and she sounded great when I saw her live in Atlanta. So, I conclude people thought well, she is fat - so she can't sing. Also, she totally rocked and danced around in the Atlanta show despite her weight. Actually, she moved around so much I kind of thought she was dancing so much in an effort to lose weight. Finally, God's Garden is just great. Why o why did she take it off and stick Docklands on there. You really cannot blame the Klonopin because I read an interview where she came out of rehab, realized she did not like the record, and then tried to fix it but stopped not because of time, but becasue she said she had to just let it go. Thus, I say if she had time to try to fix it, she could have booted Docklands for God's Garden.

Also, I know it is often ridiculed, but I think Jane is one of her
prettiest songs ever.

I LOVE this album!!! I agree with Docklands, though. I like the music, but some of those lyrics! It is baffling why this is on the album instead of God's Garden or Inspiration (love it!) I think those two should replace Docklands and Jane. I completely agree with you, I think Jane is a beautiful song. However, I think it would make more sense placed on perhaps a Jane Goodall benefit album. If people don't know why Stevie was compelled to write this song, they're just left wondering why the hell she's singing about a chimpanzee on her album. And why she chose Docklands over other new songs (namely Listen or Kick It) for the tour, I'll never get.
Stevie's voice is seriously amazing and powerful on this record. And on the tour. I agree that she was very energetic despite her weight. Kneeling down in front of the audience for the middle of Edge?! She was great! THANK YOU, THANK YOU EVERYONE for defending Stevie's weight gain! It shouldn't have mattered. Period. (I have been personally effected by Klonopin, and I hope you all really listen to how awful Stevie says it is and NEVER take it or let anyone you know take it.) I know she didn't feel comfortable or healthy, but I think she looked beautiful in her more voluptuous days, and that Street Angel hair I think is my all-time favorite! Also those dresses with the fringe from the knee to the floor! Gorgeous.