1993 Street Angel Masters

[mikebise]

BrokenHearted, you are the FIRST person I've EVER heard agree with me about LOVING the Street Angel outtake of "If You Were My Love"!!!!!!!

Yes, all the many earlier versions are cool and wonderful, too.

But the Street Angel version actually seems to fit the wistful words. When Stevie sings, "Now, now, if I were the one who watched over your sleeping, you would never have been frightened... at all... at all..." it just gives me chills, as she looks back at this lost, unrequited love that could never be.

BTW, Stevie gave a HUGE clue as to who "If You Were My Love" is about in the Fall 1981 issue of Bay Area Music, when she talks about being inspired to write the song "last year when we were recording 'Outside the Rain' with the Heartbreakers"... Just speculation, of course!!!

The Street Angel outtake is my favourite song on the album, just beautiful and sad and strong...

FYI: The crappy sound version of "I Call You Missing" is from Rock A Little. The Street Angel version of "I Call You Missing" is not not known to be mass released among fans, but I do know of a stingy woman in San Antonio who has it and dangled it in front of me for years and never shared it, even though she promised and got several things from me first... Oh well...

[seekerj]

Originally Posted by mikebise

The Street Angel Master tapes were turned in on February 23, 1993, mixed and mastered, produced by Glyn Johns.

Blue Denim
Rose Garden
Street Angel
Playing In God's Garden
Docklands
If You Were My Love
Maybe Love Will Change Your Mind
Destiny
Just Like A Woman
Inspiration
Love Is Like A River
I Call You Missing
Greta
Kick It
Jane's Song
Listen To The Rain
Unconditional Love

The album was "ready" for release. Promo commercials with "Unconditional Love" as the first single were released to radio in Summer 1993, with Street Angel to be released that September. In the meantime, Stevie dusted off "Thousand Days" and recorded it with Chris Lord-Alge producing, either as a b-side or to put on the album.

The record company pushed Street Angel back a few months. Stevie, of course, underwent Klonopin withdrawal, pushing the album's release into 1994. Clear-headed, Stevie now saw many flaws with Johns' production and insisted on changes, remixing, adding musicians, etc. Johns refused and even had his name taken off the album as producer.
Stevie completely re-recorded "Maybe Love Will Change Your Mind" and "Jane", while the other songs got remixing and overdubs to augment the sound. This pushed the album's release back further until Late May (Europe) and first week of June (USA) 1994.

I remember hearing an interview where Stevie said that she was very unhappy the whole time with Johns and hated what Johns was doing all through the studio sessions. She hated the production; for example, she did not like that he would not allow percussion of any kind. Then when she mentioned bringing in Waddy, Johns told her that the last thing she needed was Waddy Wachtel! She said she just bit her tongue and kept her mouth shut and behaved until it was over, but never had any intention of releasing the album as it was.

Oh, and hi Mike! Long time, no talk!

- Jim

[Travis]

Originally Posted by BrokenHearted

I know but, to be honest, I really disliked the earlier BD and I think Mirage versions. It just seemed bland and overdone. But this jazzy, sultry version just makes me

Mirage demo bland? Oh no way. If any of them are bland it is the Street Angel version. I can appreciate the music but the vocal is lifeless.

[seekerj]

Originally Posted by BrokenHearted

I know but, to be honest, I really disliked the earlier BD and I think Mirage versions. It just seemed bland and overdone. But this jazzy, sultry version just makes me

Really? For me, all the emotion is gone on the Street Angel version.

[markolas]

So, are the tracks posted here the Glyn Johns versions, then? This is the first time I've heard most of these. If so, I have to say I think Stevie made a mistake. While the vocals are terrible for the most part, the production is (mostly) way less dated than what wound up being released.

I've always thought this version of If You Were My Love was...interesting. I prefer the BD piano demo, just because the SA vocal is so draggy. In general, I think it's a shame Stevie was evidently so hung up on doing the same-old, same-old and couldn't be open to Glyn Johns's ideas for the album. But that's Stevie for you...she doesn't generally like to try new things.

[starshine]

I also like the SA version of IYWML....it really should've been on SA....but really I love all versions of that song....its really a crime it wasn't ever officially relaeased sometime....another missed opportuinity......if you ask me that is....IMO that is.....

[seekerj]

Originally Posted by seekerj

I remember hearing an interview where Stevie said that she was very unhappy the whole time with Johns and hated what Johns was doing all through the studio sessions. She hated the production; for example, she did not like that he would not allow percussion of any kind. Then when she mentioned bringing in Waddy, Johns told her that the last thing she needed was Waddy Wachtel! She said she just bit her tongue and kept her mouth shut and behaved until it was over, but never had any intention of releasing the album as it was.

Oh, and hi Mike! Long time, no talk!

- Jim

Ok, I finally found the interview to back up what I wrote!

"Off the Record" radio interview, with Mary Turner, from December '94:
Announcer: "...Street Angel, the 1994 solo album that Stevie won't be putting in anyone's Christmas stocking"
SN: "No, I've really walked away from it. It's really over for me. It took...it was started in the summer of '92, I hope I get this right, and it went...um...we recorded through 'til after Christmas in '93, when the inauguration was, and then we went back and worked for like another six weeks on it, and then we finished it, basically. And then...all the English people that were involved went home to England and I listened to it for two months and I didn't like it.
And so I went back in, with Thom Panunzio, to try and fix what I was not happy with. And I didn't fix it while I was working with the person that I was working with [Glyn Johns]...who doesn’t like to be talked about because he's not speaking to me, um...I didn't like it when he was there, and he knew it, and basically he told me to...like, in no uncertain English, very rough terms, to shut up and deal with it and this was the way it was going to be.
So I waited for him to not only leave, but be gone for two months, before I summoned up enough courage to say well, I know this isn't right, this is just not me. This is not my record. So I went back in for about eight weeks and I didn't mess with the vocals, which I should have. But I was so sort of overwhelmed with trying to fix the things that I didn't like about the music, which was like...there was no percussion, there was no Waddy Wachtel. Because I was told that the last thing that I would need was Waddy Wachtel. And I, you know...I mean, to that comment I was so speechless that I just didn't do anything, I said ok. So when I went back in, I had Waddy come in and play, and I had Peter Michael come in and put percussion on, and Michael Campbell came back and put some more guitar on it, and we re-mixed everything, and we did a lot of other things besides that.
I should have gone back in and really worked with the album, with the vocals. Because that's something that...I guess that was the last thing that I knew was wrong with it, and after being in two months trying to fix everything that I thought was wrong about the music and the mixes, it was almost kind of like, you know, maybe you just need to let this go and go on. I mean, this is three years now. And this record should have been out a long time ago. It may be new for everybody else, but it's really old for me.
And, it's not my favorite record anyway, so, maybe it's just time to stop. So I did stop."

[ragrsrocalot]

Does anyone happen to have the audio for the 94 Mary Turner, Off the Record, interview? If so, would you please post?

[SapphireSister]

I actually happened upon my Street Angel masters a couple of weeks ago while hunting for something. I can honestly say I enjoy them although I can't avoid the thought of Stevie's condition at the time. Inspiration should have been included on SA! It's a very catchy song and has a nice melody.

[Christopher]

Originally Posted by SapphireSister

I actually happened upon my Street Angel masters a couple of weeks ago while hunting for something. I can honestly say I enjoy them although I can't avoid the thought of Stevie's condition at the time. Inspiration should have been included on SA! It's a very catchy song and has a nice melody.

I agree....But I totally suspect Stevie left off this track purposely cause it was written by Glyn Johns son, Ethan. And Stevie and Glyn (who is a totally respected producer of many great albums and artists) became arch enemies, not a good time at all for Stevie, I'm amazed she released the CD at all, But they did, cause they spent alot of $$$ on it, so they cut their losses, released it, crossed their fingers then grabbed some ribbons and some bows and hit the road.

[SapphireSister]

Originally Posted by Christopher

I agree....But I totally suspect Stevie left off this track purposely cause it was written by Glyn Johns son, Ethan. And Stevie and Glyn (who is a totally respected producer of many great albums and artists) became arch enemies

I did not know that. Interesting...
Do you know why Stevie and Glyn were arch enemies?

Originally Posted by CHRISTOPHER

then grabbed some ribbons and some bows and hit the road.

And cookies, and donuts, and bacon, and french-fries, etc. you get the picture .

[joe68]

Originally Posted by Christopher

I agree....But I totally suspect Stevie left off this track purposely cause it was written by Glyn Johns son, Ethan. And Stevie and Glyn (who is a totally respected producer of many great albums and artists) became arch enemies, not a good time at all for Stevie, I'm amazed she released the CD at all, But they did, cause they spent alot of $$$ on it, so they cut their losses, released it, crossed their fingers then grabbed some ribbons and some bows and hit the road.

EXACTLY what I was thinking. His son Ethan also wrote "God's Garden"... again, probably the reason that song was left off the album as well.

Also, I would die to hear the Streent Angel version of "I Call You Missing". I wonder if Stevie took the same approach to that song as she did with IYWML and toned it down quite a bit.

Guess we'll never know until ICYM suddenly pops up somewhere...

[ragrsrocalot]

Originally Posted by ragrsrocalot

Does anyone happen to have the audio for the 94 Mary Turner, Off the Record, interview? If so, would you please post?

Nevermind- I found it, but thanx anyway.

[nicksphan]

Originally Posted by mikebise

The Street Angel Master tapes were turned in on February 23, 1993, mixed and mastered, produced by Glyn Johns.

Blue Denim
Rose Garden
Street Angel
Playing In God's Garden
Docklands
If You Were My Love
Maybe Love Will Change Your Mind
Destiny
Just Like A Woman
Inspiration
Love Is Like A River
I Call You Missing
Greta
Kick It
Jane's Song
Listen To The Rain
Unconditional Love

The album was "ready" for release. Promo commercials with "Unconditional Love" as the first single were released to radio in Summer 1993, with Street Angel to be released that September. In the meantime, Stevie dusted off "Thousand Days" and recorded it with Chris Lord-Alge producing, either as a b-side or to put on the album.

The record company pushed Street Angel back a few months. Stevie, of course, underwent Klonopin withdrawal, pushing the album's release into 1994. Clear-headed, Stevie now saw many flaws with Johns' production and insisted on changes, remixing, adding musicians, etc. Johns refused and even had his name taken off the album as producer.

Stevie completely re-recorded "Maybe Love Will Change Your Mind" and "Jane", while the other songs got remixing and overdubs to augment the sound. This pushed the album's release back further until Late May (Europe) and first week of June (USA) 1994.

Mike, you never cease to amaze me with the extent of your Stevie knowledge. Thank you so much for sharing.

[Nikolaj]

Something at first confused me a little about Stevie's comment that Glyn John's was so anti-Waddy, and that is that Glyn produced most of Linda Ronstadt's '98 cd 'We Ran' and Waddy plays on 4 tracks on that cd.
But, Waddy only plays on two of the 7 tracks that Glyn produced, of 11 songs, and on two that he, Waddy, himself produced.
If we were to ever get a deluxe re-release of Street Angel, I think it'd be good for there to be Glyn's original version of the album on it, along with outtakes that weren't used, produced by whomever, as well as what Stevie wound up producing that became the released product. It could be that Linda just insisted louder that Waddy be on the album, but still, it could be that Glyn does respect Waddy's playing talent, but felt he was wrong for the over-all sound of 'Street Angel'- and had 'Inspiration' and 'God's Garden' been on the US cd, as maybe Glyn had planned, it could have really improved the cd and I think I kind of get the sound Glyn may have been going for. If only 'Just Like A Woman' and 'Jane' could have been the songs left off, I think it would have been a fine cd. I still really like 'Kick It', 'Listen To The Rain' and 'Unconditonal Love' and had 'Inspiration' and 'God's Garden' replaced 'Woman' and 'Jane' - most of the other songs were just fine. Never was a 'Docklands' lover, but I really think I can picture and almost hear what Glyn may have been going for. I thought the 'Inspiration' performance was a striking change of pace for Stevie and really showed her off gorgeously. The only other complaint I have about 'Street Angel' is that for me, 'Destiny' is a horrible misfire-- the 'oooh-oooh-ooh-ooh' before the chorus is a horrible rip-off of a better song called 'Ameuerese' which was recorded by a bunch of singers, I think first by Kiki Dee, and eventually became 'Emotion' by Helen Reddy, (!) same song as 'Amereuse', with alternate lyrics, and Stevie manages only an inferior copycat (to me) of those songs.
(The original 'Amereuse' was quite beautiful and covered by a number of female singers in the 1970s). When a Stevie 'original' is reduced to an inferior sound-alike to a Helen Reddy single, it's not a good thing! But I liked 'Blue Denim' and most of the album. Oh well.