Chicago XIV
Encyclopedia
Chicago XIV is the 14th album
by American
rock
band Chicago
and was released in 1980. Recorded at a time of waning interest in the band, Chicago XIV remains one of Chicago's poorest selling albums and was a commercial flop. It is also notable for being their last studio album with Columbia Records
.
After the commercial and critical disappointment of Chicago 13
, and the departure of guitarist Donnie Dacus
, Chicago decided that a new strategy was in order. Instead of incorporating another guitarist into the band, they instead hired on Chris Pinnick
as a session player and live performer. They also tried a new producer, this time Tom Dowd
, who had worked with Aretha Franklin
, Cream
, Eric Clapton
, and Toto
. With Dowd taking the reins, and with Chicago abandoning the ill-advised dance club atmosphere that permeated the last album, the team recorded a lean, more streamlined record which would, predictably, be called Chicago XIV. It may have been a response to the under-produced, New Wave
efforts on the radio at the time. The album was easily the least orchestrated effort to date. Still, it wasn't a perfect marriage, with Dowd having to shepherd a group whose members were not all on the same wavelength or headspace.
With Peter Cetera
taking an even greater role in the band, his compositions included a mix of ballads, pop and rock songs, giving Chicago XIV a somewhat adult contemporary sound. Robert Lamm
turned in the rockers "Manipulation" and "I'd Rather Be Rich" (a song from 1975) and James Pankow
also delivered the uptempo - if downbeat - "The American Dream". Like Chicago 13, before it, Chicago XIV did not improve Chicago's fortunes. To the record-buying public, Chicago's image was out of touch in 1980 and once the new album was released, it became clear that any attempt to win back their fans would be in vain.
Poorly promoted by Columbia Records
, a label that was increasingly disappointing Chicago, Chicago XIV went unnoticed upon release and bombed, only reaching #71 in the US, and disappeared quickly. There were no singles hits again, with "Thunder and Lightning" stalling below the top 50 and "Song For You" failing to chart. Chicago also saw a poor attendance in many venues during the supporting tour. Realizing that the relationship had soured considerably, Columbia Records
terminated their relationship with Chicago. In 1982, Robert Lamm recalled,
""The thrill was gone as far as they were concerned, I think. Especially after Jeff Wald, who managed us in 1978 and 1979, kind of bullied them into signing a ridiculous multimillion dollar contract where every time we delivered an album, they had to cough up a million bucks. CBS didn't get close to recouping their money, and they wanted to get out of the deal. In fact they ended up paying us to leave the label."
As a settlement to ending the arrangement early, Columbia released the band's second Greatest Hits album and jettisoned them from the label. The money from the settlement was used to record Chicago 16
independently, while the band shopped for a new label. Percussionist Laudir de Oliveira, with Chicago since 1973, decided to explore other options and would leave the band in 1981, realizing that the Latin percussion evident in the latter half of the previous decade no longer fit the band style.
In 2003, Chicago XIV was remastered and reissued by Rhino Records with three outtakes from the sessions, "Doin' Business" (which first appeared on the 1991 4-Disc anthology Group Portrait), "Live It Up" and "Soldier of Fortune" as bonus tracks.
Bonus Tracks on Rhino Re-issue:
Additional personnel
Singles - Billboard (North America)
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band Chicago
Chicago (band)
Chicago is an American rock band formed in 1967 in Chicago, Illinois. The self-described "rock and roll band with horns" began as a politically charged, sometimes experimental, rock band and later moved to a predominantly softer sound, becoming famous for producing a number of hit ballads. They had...
and was released in 1980. Recorded at a time of waning interest in the band, Chicago XIV remains one of Chicago's poorest selling albums and was a commercial flop. It is also notable for being their last studio album with Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
.
After the commercial and critical disappointment of Chicago 13
Chicago 13
Chicago 13 is the 13th album by American rock band Chicago and was released in 1979. The follow-up to Hot Streets, Chicago 13 is often considered an unpopular release among Chicago's catalog, both critically and with fans...
, and the departure of guitarist Donnie Dacus
Donnie Dacus
Donnie Dacus is a musician best known for his work in the band Chicago and his role as Woof Daschund in the 1979 movie Hair.-Early life:Don Dacus was born in Galena Park, Texas on October 12, 1951....
, Chicago decided that a new strategy was in order. Instead of incorporating another guitarist into the band, they instead hired on Chris Pinnick
Chris Pinnick
Chris Pinnick is an American guitarist and songwriter, probably best known for his work with the band Chicago from 1980-1985.Pinnick was born in Van Nuys, California and took up the guitar at the age of seven...
as a session player and live performer. They also tried a new producer, this time Tom Dowd
Tom Dowd
Tom Dowd was an American recording engineer and producer for Atlantic Records. He was credited with innovating the multi-track recording method. Dowd worked on a virtual "who's who" of recordings that encompassed blues, jazz, pop, rock and soul records.- Early years :Born in Manhattan, Dowd grew...
, who had worked with Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
, Cream
Cream (band)
Cream were a 1960s British rock supergroup consisting of bassist/vocalist Jack Bruce, guitarist/vocalist Eric Clapton, and drummer Ginger Baker...
, Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE, is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and...
, and Toto
Toto (band)
Toto is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1977. The group currently consists of Joseph Williams , David Paich , Steve Porcaro , Steve Lukather , Mike Porcaro , and Simon Phillips . Toto is known for a musical style that combines elements of pop, rock, soul, funk, progressive rock, hard...
. With Dowd taking the reins, and with Chicago abandoning the ill-advised dance club atmosphere that permeated the last album, the team recorded a lean, more streamlined record which would, predictably, be called Chicago XIV. It may have been a response to the under-produced, New Wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
efforts on the radio at the time. The album was easily the least orchestrated effort to date. Still, it wasn't a perfect marriage, with Dowd having to shepherd a group whose members were not all on the same wavelength or headspace.
With Peter Cetera
Peter Cetera
Peter Paul Cetera is an American singer, songwriter, bassist and producer best known for being an original member of the rock band Chicago, before launching a successful solo career...
taking an even greater role in the band, his compositions included a mix of ballads, pop and rock songs, giving Chicago XIV a somewhat adult contemporary sound. Robert Lamm
Robert Lamm
Robert William Lamm is an American keyboardist, singer and songwriter who came to fame as a founding member of the pop rock band Chicago...
turned in the rockers "Manipulation" and "I'd Rather Be Rich" (a song from 1975) and James Pankow
James Pankow
James Carter "Jimmy" Pankow is an American trombone player, songwriter and brass instrument arranger best known as a founding member of the rock band Chicago.-Early life:...
also delivered the uptempo - if downbeat - "The American Dream". Like Chicago 13, before it, Chicago XIV did not improve Chicago's fortunes. To the record-buying public, Chicago's image was out of touch in 1980 and once the new album was released, it became clear that any attempt to win back their fans would be in vain.
Poorly promoted by Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
, a label that was increasingly disappointing Chicago, Chicago XIV went unnoticed upon release and bombed, only reaching #71 in the US, and disappeared quickly. There were no singles hits again, with "Thunder and Lightning" stalling below the top 50 and "Song For You" failing to chart. Chicago also saw a poor attendance in many venues during the supporting tour. Realizing that the relationship had soured considerably, Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
terminated their relationship with Chicago. In 1982, Robert Lamm recalled,
""The thrill was gone as far as they were concerned, I think. Especially after Jeff Wald, who managed us in 1978 and 1979, kind of bullied them into signing a ridiculous multimillion dollar contract where every time we delivered an album, they had to cough up a million bucks. CBS didn't get close to recouping their money, and they wanted to get out of the deal. In fact they ended up paying us to leave the label."
As a settlement to ending the arrangement early, Columbia released the band's second Greatest Hits album and jettisoned them from the label. The money from the settlement was used to record Chicago 16
Chicago 16
Chicago 16 is the 16th album by American rock band Chicago and was released in 1982. The album marks the beginning of a new era for Chicago. It is the first album in a decade-long association with new label Warner Bros...
independently, while the band shopped for a new label. Percussionist Laudir de Oliveira, with Chicago since 1973, decided to explore other options and would leave the band in 1981, realizing that the Latin percussion evident in the latter half of the previous decade no longer fit the band style.
In 2003, Chicago XIV was remastered and reissued by Rhino Records with three outtakes from the sessions, "Doin' Business" (which first appeared on the 1991 4-Disc anthology Group Portrait), "Live It Up" and "Soldier of Fortune" as bonus tracks.
Track listing
- "Manipulation" (Robert LammRobert LammRobert William Lamm is an American keyboardist, singer and songwriter who came to fame as a founding member of the pop rock band Chicago...
) – 3:45 - "Upon Arrival" (Robert Lamm/Peter CeteraPeter CeteraPeter Paul Cetera is an American singer, songwriter, bassist and producer best known for being an original member of the rock band Chicago, before launching a successful solo career...
) – 3:48 - "Song for You" (Peter Cetera) – 3:41
- "Where Did the Lovin' Go" (Peter Cetera) – 4:06
- "Birthday Boy" (Danny SeraphineDanny SeraphineDaniel Peter "Danny" Seraphine is an American drummer, record producer, theatrical producer and film producer, best known for being the original drummer and founding member of the rock group Chicago, a tenure which lasted from February 1967 to May 1990.-Early life:Danny Seraphine was born in...
/David WolinskiHawk WolinskiDavid J. "Hawk" Wolinski is an American keyboardist, songwriter and record producer probably best known for his work with the funk band Rufus and their lead singer Chaka Khan....
) – 4:55 - "Hold On" (Peter Cetera) – 4:15
- "Overnight Cafe" (Peter Cetera) – 4:19
- "Thunder and Lightning" (Robert Lamm/Danny Seraphine/Peter Cetera) – 3:32
- "I'd Rather Be Rich" (Robert Lamm) – 3:08
- "The American Dream" (James PankowJames PankowJames Carter "Jimmy" Pankow is an American trombone player, songwriter and brass instrument arranger best known as a founding member of the rock band Chicago.-Early life:...
) – 3:19
Bonus Tracks on Rhino Re-issue:
- "Doin' Business" (Robert Lamm) – 3:31
- "Live It Up" (James Pankow) – 3:23
- "Soldier Of Fortune" (Robert Lamm) – 3:50
The Band
- Peter CeteraPeter CeteraPeter Paul Cetera is an American singer, songwriter, bassist and producer best known for being an original member of the rock band Chicago, before launching a successful solo career...
- bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Laudir de Oliveira - percussion
- Robert LammRobert LammRobert William Lamm is an American keyboardist, singer and songwriter who came to fame as a founding member of the pop rock band Chicago...
- keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, vocals - Lee LoughnaneLee LoughnaneLee Loughnane , born 21 October 1946 in Elmwood Park, Illinois to Juanita Wall and Philip Louis Loughnane, is an American trumpeter, flugelhorn player, vocalist, and songwriter, best known for being a founding member of the rock band Chicago.- Biography :...
- trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
, vocals - James PankowJames PankowJames Carter "Jimmy" Pankow is an American trombone player, songwriter and brass instrument arranger best known as a founding member of the rock band Chicago.-Early life:...
- tromboneTromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate... - Walter ParazaiderWalter ParazaiderWalter Parazaider is best known for being a founding member and saxophone player for the rock band Chicago. He also plays the flute and other woodwind instruments in the band, including clarinet. On the hit "You're Not Alone," he played backing rhythm guitar.Parazaider began playing the clarinet...
- woodwinds - Danny SeraphineDanny SeraphineDaniel Peter "Danny" Seraphine is an American drummer, record producer, theatrical producer and film producer, best known for being the original drummer and founding member of the rock group Chicago, a tenure which lasted from February 1967 to May 1990.-Early life:Danny Seraphine was born in...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
Additional personnel
- Chris PinnickChris PinnickChris Pinnick is an American guitarist and songwriter, probably best known for his work with the band Chicago from 1980-1985.Pinnick was born in Van Nuys, California and took up the guitar at the age of seven...
- guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Mark Goldenberg - guitar
- David "Hawk" WolinskiHawk WolinskiDavid J. "Hawk" Wolinski is an American keyboardist, songwriter and record producer probably best known for his work with the funk band Rufus and their lead singer Chaka Khan....
- keyboards - Ian Underwood - programming
- Karat Faye- Engineer
Charts
Album - Billboard (North America)| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Pop Albums | 71 |
Singles - Billboard (North America)
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Thunder and Lightning | Pop Singles | 56 |