The Outfield
Encyclopedia
The Outfield are an arena rock
-influenced English
pop rock
/power pop
power trio
based in London
, England
. The Outfield are unusual for a British band in that they enjoyed commercial success in the U.S., but never reached the album or singles charts in their homeland. They began recording during the mid-1980s, and they released their first album, Play Deep
, in 1985 through Columbia Records
. The album reached #9 on the Billboard 200
list and then reached triple platinum
in America
. Their single
"Your Love"
reached #6 on the Billboard Hot 100
as well as #7 on the Mainstream Rock chart, and it became their signature song
. It went on to be featured in a number of 80s-themed
compilation albums, and over 1,000 covers and remixes
by other artists have been released physically and/or online. The other singles "Say It Isn't So" and "Everytime You Cry" also made it into the top 20 on the Mainstream Rock chart.
The band continued to record and tour through the 1980s and then into the early 1990s. While their second album, Bangin'
, hit the top 20 on the Billboard 200
list had both singles hit the Top 40 Mainstream Rock chart, the group began losing their popular audience by their third album, Voices of Babylon
, in 1989. Drummer Alan Jackman left and, now as a duo, they recorded Diamond Days
in 1991. After the disappointing response to their 1992 album Rockeye
, which represented a shift towards progressive rock
and arena rock
, the group essentially disbanded in the 90s. They resumed touring in 1998, and thereafter released two live album
s via their website including a new studio album, Any Time Now, released by Sidewinder Records in March 2006 . In 2009, original drummer Alan Jackman announced he was returning to The Outfield and the band would be recording a new album. The band's latest album, Replay, was released on June 28, 2011 and constituted a comeback
to their traditional pop rock
sound which has produced two #1 regional chart hits in "California Sun" and "A Long, Long Time Ago".
/singer Tony Lewis, guitarist
/keyboardist
and songwriter
John Spinks, and drummer
Alan Jackman played together in the late-70s in a straightforward power pop
band called Sirius B. Although rehearsing for about six months and playing several gigs, their style did not match the punk rock
that was surging in popularity in England and they broke up. Several years afterward, they gathered back together in London's East End
under the name The Baseball Boys. They performed in and around London until a demo
got them signed to Columbia/CBS Records
in 1984.
Spinks adopted the name 'Baseball Boys' from a teen gang called "The Baseball Furies" in the cult film
The Warriors, a movie that he had just seen. Although he used the name as a joke and "[j]ust to be outrageous", record company people responded favourably. The band got a reputation as a very "American-sounding" group and signed in the U.S. after playing for just a few months in England. Their manager, an American living in England, recommended a new band name with a similar attitude since 'Baseball Boys' seemed too "tacky" and "tongue-in-cheek". Spinks has said, "the Outfield was the most left-wing kind of thing we liked."
Spinks expressed a strong love for the American sport of baseball
, while also being a devoted fan of association football, saying:
Their debut album, Play Deep
, produced by William Wittman, was issued in 1985, and was a success. The album would go on to reach triple platinum sales status and the Top 10 in the US album charts; it also featured a Top 10 single entry with "Your Love
", which peaked at #6. The band toured extensively, opening for Journey
and Starship.
Spinks made a point of mentioning that band was "totally into not smoking or doing drugs" in interviews.
1987 saw the release of their second album, Bangin'
. This album did not achieve the acclaim of Play Deep, but it did spawn a Top 40 single "Since You've Been Gone" (not to be confused with the 1970s Rainbow
and Head East
hit of the same name) and the minor radio/MTV hit "No Surrender", and the album was certified Gold in the U.S.. A US summer tour opening for Night Ranger
followed.
For the group's third album, 1989's Voices of Babylon
, a new producer (David Kahne) and sound was evident. The title track was a Top 25 single and "My Paradise" was a mid-sized album-rock hit, but overall the group's popularity continued to decline.
After the Babylon LP, Alan Jackman parted ways with the band and was replaced for a concert tour by Paul Read.
for MCA
. Playing drums on the disc was session drummer Simon Dawson. The LP, released in 1990, produced a Top 30 US hit, "For You".
Quick to follow was "One Hot Country", included on the soundtrack for the 1991 action film If Looks Could Kill
.
The Outfield returned with 1992's Rockeye
. Its leadoff single, "Closer to Me", was a near Top 40 hit, and a second release, "Winning It All", gained some notice due to extensive play during NBC's NBA Finals
coverage, NBA Superstars series featuring Larry Bird
, the 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympics and the film The Mighty Ducks. Simon Dawson, who played on Rockeye, would eventually become the band's official third member.
and Pearl Jam
, made life difficult for older bands with a less fashionable aesthetic.
The Outfield returned to their East End roots, and often played low-key gigs at a local pub
, where much of the clientele were unaware that the group had sold millions of records in the US
. Unfortunately, this situation was typical of the problems The Outfield had faced in their homeland: little recognition and a much smaller following than they had experienced in the US.
Nevertheless, the band would reappear with a fan club-only release, entitled It Ain't Over..., and resume touring. Soon thereafter, in 1999, they released Extra Innings
, an odds-and-ends compilation of new and older, unreleased songs.
The early 2000s saw the band regroup with Alan Jackman and issue two live collections, issued via their official website: Live in Brazil and The Outfield Live
. In March 2006, the band released Any Time Now, a new studio album.
In 2009, the original line up of John Spinks, Tony Lewis and Alan Jackman returned to a London recording studio to record their first album together since Voices of Babylon
was recorded in 1988. In addition, The Outfield announced Brent Bitner had taken over the band's management and launched their official Facebook
, Twitter
, YouTube
and MySpace
pages in November 2009. On March 22, 2011, the Outfield announced that their upcoming album will be called Replay. Replay
was recorded in various studios in the south of England that included production work at the legendary Abbey Road Studios. Replay
was produced by The Outfield and Brent Bitner with executive production by John Spinks. On June 28, 2011, Replay
was released to rave reviews. The lead single, "California Sun
", was a regional number one AOR chart hit and has subsequently been the second most added song on AC radio as of August 15, 2011. A limited advanced release of the band's possible second single, "A Long, Long Time Ago", reached number one on Worldwide FM ClassX Radio's AOR chart in the second week of August 2011.
that he was majorly influenced by "the music that gives me a rush" and that he "grew up on the Beatles
". He also cited contemporaries Journey
, Foreigner
, and Mister Mister — particularly the latter's hit "Broken Wings". American pop culture critic
and poet Daniel Nester
have stated that the group sounds like "if The Knack
found a helium dispenser".
Arena rock
Arena rock is a term used to describe rock music that utilised large arena venues, particularly sports venues, for concerts or series of concerts linked in tours...
-influenced English
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
pop rock
Pop rock
Pop rock is a music genre which mixes a catchy pop style and light lyrics in its guitar-based rock songs. There are varying definitions of the term, ranging from a slower and mellower form of rock music to a subgenre of pop music...
/power pop
Power pop
Power pop is a popular musical genre that draws its inspiration from 1960s British and American pop and rock music. It typically incorporates a combination of musical devices such as strong melodies, crisp vocal harmonies, economical arrangements, and prominent guitar riffs. Instrumental solos are...
power trio
Power trio
A power trio is a rock and roll band format where the traditional power trio has a lineup of guitar, bass and drums, leaving out the rhythm guitar or keyboard that are used in other rock music to fill out the sound with chords...
based in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The Outfield are unusual for a British band in that they enjoyed commercial success in the U.S., but never reached the album or singles charts in their homeland. They began recording during the mid-1980s, and they released their first album, Play Deep
Play Deep
Play Deep is the debut album released by British band The Outfield, released in 1985. It received widespread popularity with the success of their debut single, "Say It Isn't So" , and a follow up single, "Your Love", in 1986. Play Deep was later certified triple platinum...
, in 1985 through 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...
. The album reached #9 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
list and then reached triple platinum
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
in America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Their single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
"Your Love"
Your Love (The Outfield song)
"Your Love" is a song from The Outfield's debut album, Play Deep. It was written by John Frederick Spinks. The song reached #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 & #7 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart in 1986.-Covers:...
reached #6 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
as well as #7 on the Mainstream Rock chart, and it became their signature song
Signature song
A signature song is the one song that a popular and well-established singer or band is most closely identified with or best known for, even if they have had success with a variety of songs...
. It went on to be featured in a number of 80s-themed
1980s in music
For music from a year in the 1980s, go to 80 | 81 | 82 | 83 | 84 | 85 | 86 | 87 | 88 | 89For a history of music in all times, see Timeline of musical events....
compilation albums, and over 1,000 covers and remixes
RemixeS
RemixeS is a compilation of French singer Mylène Farmer's singles by various famous DJ's, including JXL, Felix Da Housecat and Paul Oakenfold.-Brackground, writing and release:...
by other artists have been released physically and/or online. The other singles "Say It Isn't So" and "Everytime You Cry" also made it into the top 20 on the Mainstream Rock chart.
The band continued to record and tour through the 1980s and then into the early 1990s. While their second album, Bangin'
Bangin'
Bangin' is an album by British band The Outfield, which yielded one Top 40 hit, "Since You've Been Gone" . The Album also contained two other singles "No Surrender" and "Bangin' on My Heart"...
, hit the top 20 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
list had both singles hit the Top 40 Mainstream Rock chart, the group began losing their popular audience by their third album, Voices of Babylon
Voices of Babylon
Voices of Babylon is an album by the British band The Outfield, released during the spring of 1989 and which spawned an eponymous single. It was the group's final album to feature drummer Alan Jackman, and it was also their final album on the Columbia label...
, in 1989. Drummer Alan Jackman left and, now as a duo, they recorded Diamond Days
Diamond Days
Diamond Days is the fourth album by the British band The Outfield. The song "For You" was the band's biggest hit in years, reaching the Top 40. It also featured a new session drummer, Simon Dawson...
in 1991. After the disappointing response to their 1992 album Rockeye
Rockeye
Rockeye is the fifth album by the British band, The Outfield. Though it spawned no hit singles, the album was generally well received. It was also the band's second album to be released under the MCA label. "Going Back" became a hit single in South Africa on Adult Contemporary radio...
, which represented a shift towards progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
and arena rock
Arena rock
Arena rock is a term used to describe rock music that utilised large arena venues, particularly sports venues, for concerts or series of concerts linked in tours...
, the group essentially disbanded in the 90s. They resumed touring in 1998, and thereafter released two live album
Live album
A live album is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances using remote recording techniques, commonly contrasted with a studio album...
s via their website including a new studio album, Any Time Now, released by Sidewinder Records in March 2006 . In 2009, original drummer Alan Jackman announced he was returning to The Outfield and the band would be recording a new album. The band's latest album, Replay, was released on June 28, 2011 and constituted a comeback
Comeback
A comeback is the return of a person of public interest, a style or fashion in the mid-point of media interest. The term is predominantly used in politics, sports and pop music. In the case of a band, the term reunion is used...
to their traditional pop rock
Pop rock
Pop rock is a music genre which mixes a catchy pop style and light lyrics in its guitar-based rock songs. There are varying definitions of the term, ranging from a slower and mellower form of rock music to a subgenre of pop music...
sound which has produced two #1 regional chart hits in "California Sun" and "A Long, Long Time Ago".
Beginnings and Columbia era
BassistBassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
/singer Tony Lewis, guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
/keyboardist
Keyboardist
A keyboardist is a musician who plays keyboard instruments. Until the early 1960s musicians who played keyboards were generally classified as either pianists or organists. Since the mid-1960s, a plethora of new musical instruments with keyboards have come into common usage, requiring a more...
and songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
John Spinks, and drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
Alan Jackman played together in the late-70s in a straightforward power pop
Power pop
Power pop is a popular musical genre that draws its inspiration from 1960s British and American pop and rock music. It typically incorporates a combination of musical devices such as strong melodies, crisp vocal harmonies, economical arrangements, and prominent guitar riffs. Instrumental solos are...
band called Sirius B. Although rehearsing for about six months and playing several gigs, their style did not match the punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
that was surging in popularity in England and they broke up. Several years afterward, they gathered back together in London's East End
East End of London
The East End of London, also known simply as the East End, is the area of London, England, United Kingdom, east of the medieval walled City of London and north of the River Thames. Although not defined by universally accepted formal boundaries, the River Lea can be considered another boundary...
under the name The Baseball Boys. They performed in and around London until a demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
got them signed to Columbia/CBS 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...
in 1984.
Spinks adopted the name 'Baseball Boys' from a teen gang called "The Baseball Furies" in the cult film
Cult film
A cult film, also commonly referred to as a cult classic, is a film that has acquired a highly devoted but specific group of fans. Often, cult movies have failed to achieve fame outside the small fanbases; however, there have been exceptions that have managed to gain fame among mainstream audiences...
The Warriors, a movie that he had just seen. Although he used the name as a joke and "[j]ust to be outrageous", record company people responded favourably. The band got a reputation as a very "American-sounding" group and signed in the U.S. after playing for just a few months in England. Their manager, an American living in England, recommended a new band name with a similar attitude since 'Baseball Boys' seemed too "tacky" and "tongue-in-cheek". Spinks has said, "the Outfield was the most left-wing kind of thing we liked."
Spinks expressed a strong love for the American sport of baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, while also being a devoted fan of association football, saying:
Their debut album, Play Deep
Play Deep
Play Deep is the debut album released by British band The Outfield, released in 1985. It received widespread popularity with the success of their debut single, "Say It Isn't So" , and a follow up single, "Your Love", in 1986. Play Deep was later certified triple platinum...
, produced by William Wittman, was issued in 1985, and was a success. The album would go on to reach triple platinum sales status and the Top 10 in the US album charts; it also featured a Top 10 single entry with "Your Love
Your Love (The Outfield song)
"Your Love" is a song from The Outfield's debut album, Play Deep. It was written by John Frederick Spinks. The song reached #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 & #7 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart in 1986.-Covers:...
", which peaked at #6. The band toured extensively, opening for Journey
Journey (band)
Journey is an American rock band formed in 1973 in San Francisco by former members of Santana. The band has gone through several phases; its strongest commercial success occurred between the 1978 and 1987, after which it temporarily disbanded...
and Starship.
Spinks made a point of mentioning that band was "totally into not smoking or doing drugs" in interviews.
1987 saw the release of their second album, Bangin'
Bangin'
Bangin' is an album by British band The Outfield, which yielded one Top 40 hit, "Since You've Been Gone" . The Album also contained two other singles "No Surrender" and "Bangin' on My Heart"...
. This album did not achieve the acclaim of Play Deep, but it did spawn a Top 40 single "Since You've Been Gone" (not to be confused with the 1970s Rainbow
Rainbow (band)
Rainbow were an English rock band, controlled by guitarist Ritchie Blackmore from 1975 to 1984 and 1994 to 1997. It was originally established with American rock band Elf's members, though over the years Rainbow went through many line-up changes with no two studio albums featuring the same line-up...
and Head East
Head East
Head East is an American hard rock band originally from South Central Illinois. The band was formed by vocalist John Schlitt, guitarist Mike Somerville, keyboardist Roger Boyd, bassist Dan Birney, and drummer Steve Huston. They met and formed the band while studying at the University of Illinois,...
hit of the same name) and the minor radio/MTV hit "No Surrender", and the album was certified Gold in the U.S.. A US summer tour opening for Night Ranger
Night Ranger
Night Ranger is an American rock band from San Francisco that gained popularity during the 1980s with a series of albums and singles. The band's first five albums sold more than 10 million copies worldwide...
followed.
For the group's third album, 1989's Voices of Babylon
Voices of Babylon
Voices of Babylon is an album by the British band The Outfield, released during the spring of 1989 and which spawned an eponymous single. It was the group's final album to feature drummer Alan Jackman, and it was also their final album on the Columbia label...
, a new producer (David Kahne) and sound was evident. The title track was a Top 25 single and "My Paradise" was a mid-sized album-rock hit, but overall the group's popularity continued to decline.
After the Babylon LP, Alan Jackman parted ways with the band and was replaced for a concert tour by Paul Read.
MCA era
Spinks and Lewis continued as a duo, switched labels and began recording Diamond DaysDiamond Days
Diamond Days is the fourth album by the British band The Outfield. The song "For You" was the band's biggest hit in years, reaching the Top 40. It also featured a new session drummer, Simon Dawson...
for MCA
Music Corporation of America
MCA, Inc. was an American talent agency. Initially starting in the music business, they would next become a dominant force in the film business, and later expanded into the television business...
. Playing drums on the disc was session drummer Simon Dawson. The LP, released in 1990, produced a Top 30 US hit, "For You".
Quick to follow was "One Hot Country", included on the soundtrack for the 1991 action film If Looks Could Kill
If Looks Could Kill
"If Looks Could Kill" is the name of a song recorded by rock band Heart. It was released as the fifth and final single from the band's self-titled 1985 album Heart. Musically the song is similar to early Heart tunes, as it is an aggressive, hard rock number...
.
The Outfield returned with 1992's Rockeye
Rockeye
Rockeye is the fifth album by the British band, The Outfield. Though it spawned no hit singles, the album was generally well received. It was also the band's second album to be released under the MCA label. "Going Back" became a hit single in South Africa on Adult Contemporary radio...
. Its leadoff single, "Closer to Me", was a near Top 40 hit, and a second release, "Winning It All", gained some notice due to extensive play during NBC's NBA Finals
NBA Finals
The NBA Finals is the championship series of the National Basketball Association . The series was named the NBA World Championship Series until 1986....
coverage, NBA Superstars series featuring Larry Bird
Larry Bird
Larry Joe Bird is a former American NBA basketball player and coach. Drafted into the NBA sixth overall by the Boston Celtics in 1978, Bird started at small forward and power forward for thirteen seasons, spearheading one of the NBA's most formidable frontcourts that included center Robert Parish...
, the 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympics and the film The Mighty Ducks. Simon Dawson, who played on Rockeye, would eventually become the band's official third member.
1990s and 2000s
The band took an extended hiatus during the mid-1990s as changing musical fashions, especially the popularity of edgier bands such as NirvanaNirvana (band)
Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
and Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included Eddie Vedder , Jeff Ament , Stone Gossard , and Mike McCready...
, made life difficult for older bands with a less fashionable aesthetic.
The Outfield returned to their East End roots, and often played low-key gigs at a local pub
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
, where much of the clientele were unaware that the group had sold millions of records in the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Unfortunately, this situation was typical of the problems The Outfield had faced in their homeland: little recognition and a much smaller following than they had experienced in the US.
Nevertheless, the band would reappear with a fan club-only release, entitled It Ain't Over..., and resume touring. Soon thereafter, in 1999, they released Extra Innings
Extra Innings
Extra Innings is an album by the British band The Outfield. It features a total of fifteen tracks, including eleven songs from their fan-club release It Ain't Over... as well as some new recordings dating from shortly before the album's release in 1999....
, an odds-and-ends compilation of new and older, unreleased songs.
The early 2000s saw the band regroup with Alan Jackman and issue two live collections, issued via their official website: Live in Brazil and The Outfield Live
The Outfield Live
The Outfield Live is an album recorded and released by the British band, The Outfield. It is the band's second live recording, which was made available as a free download via the band's official website in late 2005...
. In March 2006, the band released Any Time Now, a new studio album.
In 2009, the original line up of John Spinks, Tony Lewis and Alan Jackman returned to a London recording studio to record their first album together since Voices of Babylon
Voices of Babylon
Voices of Babylon is an album by the British band The Outfield, released during the spring of 1989 and which spawned an eponymous single. It was the group's final album to feature drummer Alan Jackman, and it was also their final album on the Columbia label...
was recorded in 1988. In addition, The Outfield announced Brent Bitner had taken over the band's management and launched their official Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
, YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
and MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
pages in November 2009. On March 22, 2011, the Outfield announced that their upcoming album will be called Replay. Replay
Replay
Replay may refer to:*Replay , a replayed match in between two sport teams to decide in case of tie or conflict resulting from scoring, officiating, fouling or other factors...
was recorded in various studios in the south of England that included production work at the legendary Abbey Road Studios. Replay
Replay
Replay may refer to:*Replay , a replayed match in between two sport teams to decide in case of tie or conflict resulting from scoring, officiating, fouling or other factors...
was produced by The Outfield and Brent Bitner with executive production by John Spinks. On June 28, 2011, Replay
Replay
Replay may refer to:*Replay , a replayed match in between two sport teams to decide in case of tie or conflict resulting from scoring, officiating, fouling or other factors...
was released to rave reviews. The lead single, "California Sun
California Sun
"California Sun", is a song credited to Henry Glover and Morris Levy. Originally recorded by 35-year-old New Orleans-born singer-songwriter Joe Jones, and released by EMI in the winter of 1961, it peaked at #89 on the charts.-Cover versions:...
", was a regional number one AOR chart hit and has subsequently been the second most added song on AC radio as of August 15, 2011. A limited advanced release of the band's possible second single, "A Long, Long Time Ago", reached number one on Worldwide FM ClassX Radio's AOR chart in the second week of August 2011.
Style and influences
John Spinks said in 1986 interview with the Los Angeles TimesLos Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
that he was majorly influenced by "the music that gives me a rush" and that he "grew up on the Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
". He also cited contemporaries Journey
Journey (band)
Journey is an American rock band formed in 1973 in San Francisco by former members of Santana. The band has gone through several phases; its strongest commercial success occurred between the 1978 and 1987, after which it temporarily disbanded...
, Foreigner
Foreigner (band)
Foreigner is a British-American rock band, originally formed in 1976 by veteran English musicians Mick Jones and ex-King Crimson member Ian McDonald along with American vocalist Lou Gramm...
, and Mister Mister — particularly the latter's hit "Broken Wings". American pop culture critic
Critic
A critic is anyone who expresses a value judgement. Informally, criticism is a common aspect of all human expression and need not necessarily imply skilled or accurate expressions of judgement. Critical judgements, good or bad, may be positive , negative , or balanced...
and poet Daniel Nester
Daniel Nester
Daniel Murlin Nester , known as Daniel Nester, is a writer, editor, and poet.-Biography:...
have stated that the group sounds like "if The Knack
The Knack
The Knack was an American New Wave rock quartet based in Los Angeles that rose to fame with their first single, "My Sharona", an international number one hit in 1979.-Founding :...
found a helium dispenser".
Current members
- Tony Lewis — vocals, bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(1984–present) - John Spinks — guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, vocals (1984–present) - Alan Jackman — drums, percussion (1984–1989, 2002, 2009–present)
Guest members
- David Kahne — 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...
, producer (1990, on Voices of BabylonVoices of BabylonVoices of Babylon is an album by the British band The Outfield, released during the spring of 1989 and which spawned an eponymous single. It was the group's final album to feature drummer Alan Jackman, and it was also their final album on the Columbia label...
) - Reg Webb — keyboards (1990, on Play DeepPlay DeepPlay Deep is the debut album released by British band The Outfield, released in 1985. It received widespread popularity with the success of their debut single, "Say It Isn't So" , and a follow up single, "Your Love", in 1986. Play Deep was later certified triple platinum...
)
Touring members
- Grahame Leslie — guitar (1985–1987)
- Paul Read — drums (1989)
- Jeff Gish — drums (2005)
Studio albums
| Year | Album | US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... | Certification Certification Certification refers to the confirmation of certain characteristics of an object, person, or organization. This confirmation is often, but not always, provided by some form of external review, education, assessment, or audit... |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Play Deep Play Deep Play Deep is the debut album released by British band The Outfield, released in 1985. It received widespread popularity with the success of their debut single, "Say It Isn't So" , and a follow up single, "Your Love", in 1986. Play Deep was later certified triple platinum... |
9 | US: 3×Multi-Platinum |
| 1987 | Bangin' Bangin' Bangin' is an album by British band The Outfield, which yielded one Top 40 hit, "Since You've Been Gone" . The Album also contained two other singles "No Surrender" and "Bangin' on My Heart"... |
18 | US: Platinum |
| 1989 | Voices of Babylon Voices of Babylon Voices of Babylon is an album by the British band The Outfield, released during the spring of 1989 and which spawned an eponymous single. It was the group's final album to feature drummer Alan Jackman, and it was also their final album on the Columbia label... |
53 | - Platinum |
| 1990 | Diamond Days Diamond Days Diamond Days is the fourth album by the British band The Outfield. The song "For You" was the band's biggest hit in years, reaching the Top 40. It also featured a new session drummer, Simon Dawson... |
90 | - |
| 1992 | Rockeye Rockeye Rockeye is the fifth album by the British band, The Outfield. Though it spawned no hit singles, the album was generally well received. It was also the band's second album to be released under the MCA label. "Going Back" became a hit single in South Africa on Adult Contemporary radio... |
- | - |
| 1998 | It Ain't Over... | - | - |
| 1999 | Extra Innings Extra Innings Extra Innings is an album by the British band The Outfield. It features a total of fifteen tracks, including eleven songs from their fan-club release It Ain't Over... as well as some new recordings dating from shortly before the album's release in 1999.... |
- | - |
| 2006 | Any Time Now | - | |
| 2011 | Replay | - |
Compilations
- Playing the FieldPlaying the Field (album)Playing the Field is the first greatest hits album released by the British band, The Outfield, featuring much of the band's popular material released over the previous decade.-Track listing:#"Your Love"#"Since You've Been Gone"#"All The Love"...
(1995) - Big Innings: The Best of The OutfieldBig Innings: The Best of The OutfieldBig Innings: The Best of the Outfield is a greatest hits collection by British band The Outfield, featuring tracks from various albums released from 1985 onwards, together with some unreleased material.-Track listing:#"Voices Of Babylon"#"For You"...
(1996) - Super Hits (1998)
- Playlist: The Very Best of The Outfield (2011)
Live albums
- Live in Brazil (2001)
- The Outfield LiveThe Outfield LiveThe Outfield Live is an album recorded and released by the British band, The Outfield. It is the band's second live recording, which was made available as a free download via the band's official website in late 2005...
(2005)
Singles
| Year | Song | US Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
US MSR Mainstream Rock Tracks Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks is a ranking in Billboard magazine of the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations, a category that includes stations that play primarily rock music. Modern rock tracks are counted in the Alternative Songs chart.This chart began with the March 21, 1981, issue... |
UK Singles UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | "Say It Isn't So" | 38 | 18 | — | Play Deep |
| 1986 | "Your Love Your Love (The Outfield song) "Your Love" is a song from The Outfield's debut album, Play Deep. It was written by John Frederick Spinks. The song reached #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 & #7 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart in 1986.-Covers:... " |
6 | 7 | 83 | |
| "All the Love" | 19 | 14 | 96 | ||
| "Everytime You Cry" | 66 | 20 | — | ||
| 1987 | "Since You've Been Gone" | 31 | 11 | — | Bangin |
| "Bangin' on My Heart" | — | 40 | — | ||
| "Alone with You" | — | — | — | ||
| "No Surrender" | — | — | — | ||
| 1989 | "Voices of Babylon" | 25 | 2 | 78 | Voices of Babylon |
| "My Paradise" | 72 | 34 | — | ||
| 1990 | "For You" | 21 | 13 | — | Diamond Days |
| 1992 | "Closer to Me" | 43 | 46 | — | Rockeye |