Welcome to a the series I have on YouTube called Retro Rock Reviews. Each week, we pick an album and do a quick review. They won’t be long shows, something quick and fun to get you through your day. For Episode 4, we are talking about the last album that came out after her passing on October 4, 1970. We are talking about Janis Joplin and her last album ‘Pearl’ which was released on January 11, 1971 , The album spent 9 weeks at #1 and sold over 4 million copies. It was a heck of a final album and a great tribute to her legacy. I hope you enjoy my review.
So go check it out as it is live now on August 29, 2024 at Noon. Thanks for stopping by and please click “Like” and hit “Subscribe” as it helps out the site when you do.
Alright…You Picked It! And this one wasn’t ever really that close. There was a lot of back and forth between Johnny Cash and Janis Joplin, but once Janis pulled ahead there was no stopping her. The winner was Janis Joplin’s 1971 album ‘Pearl’ which is one I do have in my collection. Here are the results.
Janis Joplin – ‘Pearl’ – 9 votes
Johnny Cash – ‘American IV: The Man Comes Around’ – 6 votes
Sly & the Family Stone – ‘There’s a Riot Goin’ On’ – 3 votes
AC/DC – ‘Dirty Deeds Done Dirty Cheap’ – 2 votes
Crobot – ‘Feel This’ – Sadly, 0 votes
Thanks to all for participating. The August choices will be up on Saturday!
JANIS JOPLIN – ‘PEARL’:
Janis Joplin died on October 4, 1970 of a heroin overdose at the tender age of 27 like so many musicians and actors before her. Janis had been recording her new album at the time of her death as they had started back in July and had recorded up to her death. Four months after her death, the album was released on January 11, 1971. It would go on to hold the #1 spot on Billboard 9 weeks and has been certified quadruple platinum. Not a bad way to go out.
After the disappointing sales of ‘Busted’, Cheap Trick left Epic Records and later signed a multi-album deal with Warner Brothers. The were under contract for 10 albums. Warner Brothers had high hopes for the band. Those hopes got the band a massive producer with the great Ted Templeman. Thanks to Ted, the album had a much heavier sound with way more guitar and way less keyboards. I couldn’t be happier with that idea.
The album was released on March 4, 1994 but didn’t sell like the label would’ve liked. The biggest reason was lack of promotion as the two reps that signed Cheap Trick had both been fired prior to release and as a result, the lack of promotion. Well duh, how can the label blame the band. I guess it doesn’t matter whose fault because the label dropped the band after one album. I guess that 10 album deal wasn’t worth the paper it was written on. The boys must have been very disheartened after that. Robin Zander, Rick Nielsen, Tom Peterrson and Bun E. Carlos were now 12 albums in to their career and now no label.
The band used a lot of outside writers again and some really big names like Jim Peterik, Michael Mcdonald, Mark Spiro, Terry Reid, Todd Cerney and Julian Raymond. The album also featured something different on the cover, the Cheap Trick logo was changed and the normal font was no more. The cover was also scary as hell as it had some clown molesting a woman or whatever he was about to do to her. Not the most flattering and I am missing the normal Robin & Tom on the front and Rick and Bun E. on the back.
Melanie Martinez was on Season 3 of The Voice and Team Adam. She didn’t win, but she was able to transition to a record deal with Atlantic Records. Her first full length album is ‘Cry Baby’ and was released last year on August 14, 2015.
I don’t know if I would have listened to this album on my own. The only reason I really know about her is my oldest daughter. Melanie is one of her favorite artist. When we were on vacation a couple weeks ago, we came across her record in the Vinyl section of a store and I let her get it. And of course on the car ride home, we had to listen to the album (no, not on vinyl as my car is not outfitted with a turntable – we streamed it).
2 Loud 2 Old Music 