Back to the Drive
Encyclopedia
Back to the Drive is an album by Suzi Quatro
. Released in 2006, it was the comeback album for Suzi Quatro, her first album since 1990's "Oh Suzi Q" (apart from 1995's 'What Goes Around, which contained mostly re-recordings of her oldies and 1998's 'Unreleased Emotion' which had been recorded in 1983, but until then unreleased) and her eleventh studio album. Produced by The Sweet guitarist Andy Scott
and Steve Grant, it was overseen by inveterate producer Mike Chapman and featured backing vocals by Shirlie Roden, and ex-husband Len Tuckey on guitar, including her daughter Laura Quatro (then Laura Tuckey) duetting with her on the download-only single "I'll Walk Through The Fire With You".
It was issued on EMI Records
throughout the world, and in the UK on the revived Liberty Records and EMI distributed independent label Caroline Records
in North America.
The rock title track samples the intro from "Devil Gate Drive
" and the guitar line from her debut worldwide hit "Can The Can
".
"15 Minutes Of Fame" has a folk rock
flavour to it.
"Duality" is derived from an Indian raga.
"I Don't Do Gentle" is a throwback to 1950s big band rock.
As with most of her albums, Quatro includes a cover song, a version of the Neil Young
song "Rockin' in the Free World
".
Two ballads from the album, "Sometimes Love Is Letting Go" and "Free The Butterfly", are her most personal and introspective songs to date. The former tells a story of her past relationships with her parents and Len Tuckey; the latter is also the album title of a New Age motivational album she made with Shirlie Roden.
and Victory Tischler-Blue. Mankowitz had previously photographed Suzi for her early albums on RAK Records
.
The title "Back to the Drive" is a play on her 1974 hit "Devil Gate Drive", which implied she was returning to her rock'n'roll roots after the last few albums were more dependent on pop and soft rock.
Andy Scott - guitar, backing vocals and production
Len Tuckey - guitar
Steve Grant - various instruments and production
Paul Jones - harmonica
Andy Dowding - drums
Ray Beavis - saxophone
Toby Gucklhorn - trombone. Note that "Gucklhorn" is misspelt "Guckelhorn" in this album's booklet.
It is spelled correctly in the booklet for In the Spotlight.
Dick Hanson - trumpet
Bruce Bisland - drums
Reg Webb - piano and backing vocals
Kate Webb - backing vocals
Laura Tuckey - backing vocals and duet vocals on "I'll Walk Through The Fire With You"
Shirlie Roden - backing vocals
Suzi Quatro
Susan Kay "Suzi" Quatro is an American singer-songwriter, bass player, and actor.She scored a string of hit singles in the 1970s that found greater success in Europe and Australia than in her homeland, and had a recurring role on the popular American sitcom Happy Days.-Music:Quatro began her...
. Released in 2006, it was the comeback album for Suzi Quatro, her first album since 1990's "Oh Suzi Q" (apart from 1995's 'What Goes Around, which contained mostly re-recordings of her oldies and 1998's 'Unreleased Emotion' which had been recorded in 1983, but until then unreleased) and her eleventh studio album. Produced by The Sweet guitarist Andy Scott
Andy Scott (guitarist)
Andy Scott is a British musician and songwriter. He is best known for being the lead guitarist and a vocalist in the band Sweet.-Early years:Scott started out playing bass guitar...
and Steve Grant, it was overseen by inveterate producer Mike Chapman and featured backing vocals by Shirlie Roden, and ex-husband Len Tuckey on guitar, including her daughter Laura Quatro (then Laura Tuckey) duetting with her on the download-only single "I'll Walk Through The Fire With You".
It was issued on EMI Records
EMI Records
EMI Records is the flagship record label founded by the EMI company in 1972 and launched in January 1973 as the successor to its Columbia label. The EMI label was launched worldwide...
throughout the world, and in the UK on the revived Liberty Records and EMI distributed independent label Caroline Records
Caroline Records
Caroline Records started out as a subsidiary of Richard Branson's Virgin Records label during the early to mid 1970s. The label originally specialized in putting out budget price LPs by mainly progressive rock and jazz artists generally not considered to have a great deal of 'mainstream' or...
in North America.
Music
The album is an eclectic affair that draws from several different music styles.The rock title track samples the intro from "Devil Gate Drive
Devil Gate Drive
"Devil Gate Drive" is a popular song by Suzi Quatro. Written and produced by Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman, "Devil Gate Drive" was Quatro's second number one single in the UK, spending two weeks at the top of the chart in February 1974...
" and the guitar line from her debut worldwide hit "Can The Can
Can the Can
"Can the Can" was a popular single by Suzi Quatro and the name of her debut album in Australia ....
".
"15 Minutes Of Fame" has a folk rock
Folk rock
Folk rock is a musical genre combining elements of folk music and rock music. In its earliest and narrowest sense, the term referred to a genre that arose in the United States and the UK around the mid-1960s...
flavour to it.
"Duality" is derived from an Indian raga.
"I Don't Do Gentle" is a throwback to 1950s big band rock.
As with most of her albums, Quatro includes a cover song, a version of the Neil Young
Neil Young
Neil Percival Young, OC, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter who is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his generation...
song "Rockin' in the Free World
Rockin' in the Free World
"Rockin' in the Free World" is a song by Neil Young, released on his 1989 album Freedom. Two versions of the song were released, similar to the song "Hey Hey, My My " of Young's Rust Never Sleeps album, one of which is performed with a predominantly acoustic arrangement, and the other with a...
".
Two ballads from the album, "Sometimes Love Is Letting Go" and "Free The Butterfly", are her most personal and introspective songs to date. The former tells a story of her past relationships with her parents and Len Tuckey; the latter is also the album title of a New Age motivational album she made with Shirlie Roden.
Cover art and title
The front cover photograph was created by Steve Payne which featured a photo of Quatro screaming whilst playing the bass guitar with graphics which made the cover look like she had shattered a window. The inside photographs and back cover photos were taken by Gered MankowitzGered Mankowitz
Gered Mankowitz is a British photographer of the rock music scene over the last 40 years. Some of his portraits of rock musicians, such as The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix and Slade, are now part of the permanent collection of the National Portrait Gallery.-Personal life:His father was the late...
and Victory Tischler-Blue. Mankowitz had previously photographed Suzi for her early albums on RAK Records
RAK Records
Rak Records was a British record label, founded by record producer Mickie Most in 1969. Rak was home of artists like Herman's Hermits, Suzi Quatro, Mud, Kenny, Hot Chocolate, Smokie, Arrows, Span, Racey and Kim Wilde. Rak Records were distributed via a licensing deal with EMI, which bought the...
.
The title "Back to the Drive" is a play on her 1974 hit "Devil Gate Drive", which implied she was returning to her rock'n'roll roots after the last few albums were more dependent on pop and soft rock.
Track listing
| No. | Title | Composer | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Back to the Drive | Mike Chapman | 4:31 |
| 2. | 15 Minutes Of Fame | S.Quatro/A.Scott/S.Grant | 3:50 |
| 3. | Duality | S.Quatro/V.Tischler-Blue/A.Scott/S.Grant | 5:00 |
| 4. | I Don't Do Gentle | S.Quatro/A.Scott/S.Grant | 4:24 |
| 5. | I'll Walk Through The Fire With You | S.Quatro/Laura Tuckey/S.Roden/A.Scott/S.Grant | 4:26 |
| 6. | Wasted Moments | S.Quatro/A.Scott/S.Grant | 5:00 |
| 7. | Rockin' In The Free World | Neil Young | 4:57 |
| 8. | No Choice | S.Quatro/Jean Roussel | 5:30 |
| 9. | Sometimes Love Is Letting Go | S.Quatro/S.Roden | 4:35 |
| 10. | Dancing In The Wind | S.Quatro/S.Roden | 4:51 |
| 11. | Free The Butterfly | S.Quatro | 4:55 |
| 12. | Born Making Noise | S.Quatro/A.Scott/S.Grant | 4:45 |
Critical reception
Whilst the album was warmly received by the critics and fans, it did not chart anywhere. Allmusic gave it a four-star rating. It was four years before Quatro was ready to record another album, this time with Mike Chapman on production duties called "In The Spotlight", released in August 2011.Personnel
Suzi Quatro - bass guitar and lead vocalsAndy Scott - guitar, backing vocals and production
Len Tuckey - guitar
Steve Grant - various instruments and production
Paul Jones - harmonica
Andy Dowding - drums
Ray Beavis - saxophone
Toby Gucklhorn - trombone. Note that "Gucklhorn" is misspelt "Guckelhorn" in this album's booklet.
It is spelled correctly in the booklet for In the Spotlight.
Dick Hanson - trumpet
Bruce Bisland - drums
Reg Webb - piano and backing vocals
Kate Webb - backing vocals
Laura Tuckey - backing vocals and duet vocals on "I'll Walk Through The Fire With You"
Shirlie Roden - backing vocals
External links
- The Official Website of Ray Beavis, Saxophonist & Teacher based in Exeter, UK