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For the Love of Strange Medicine

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For the Love of Strange Medicine
Studio album by
ReleasedJuly 13, 1994[1]
Recorded1993
StudioOcean Way Recording (Hollywood, California)
One On One Studios (Hollywood, California)
The Record Plant (Los Angeles, California)
The Enterprise (Burbank, California)
American Recording Studios (Woodland Hills, California)
Knightlight Studios (Dallas, Texas)
Dallas Sound Lab (Dallas, Texas)
GenreRock
Length53:02
LabelColumbia
ProducerJames "Jimbo" Barton, Steve Perry, Tim Miner
Steve Perry chronology
Street Talk
(1984)
For the Love of Strange Medicine
(1994)
Greatest Hits + Five Unreleased
(1998)
Singles from For the Love of Strange Medicine
  1. "You Better Wait"
    Released: June 28, 1994[2]
  2. "Missing You"
    Released: August 1994
  3. "Young Hearts Forever"
    Released: 1994
  4. "Anyway"
    Released: 1994
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic [3]

For the Love of Strange Medicine is the second solo studio album by Steve Perry, released on July 19, 1994 through Columbia Records. The album came after a lengthy 8-year hiatus following the breakup of Journey. The first single "You Better Wait" received radio airplay, reaching the top 10 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart and peaking at #29 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album was certified gold by the RIAA in September 1994 and followed by a tour from 1994-95.

The song "Young Hearts Forever" was written by Perry as a tribute to his late friend, Thin Lizzy frontman Phil Lynott, who died in 1986.

Background

[edit]

Journey released their ninth studio album Raised on Radio in 1986, which was Steve Perry's seventh album as lead singer. The band subsequently went on a hiatus in 1987. After the split, Perry "didn't feel the passion" for writing and recording music, but eventually began writing songs for the album with musicians Lincoln Brewster, Paul Taylor, and Moyes Lucas.[2]

Track listing

[edit]
Standard version
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."You Better Wait"Steve Perry, Lincoln Brewster, Paul Taylor, Moyes Lucas, John Pierce, George HawkinsJames "Jimbo" Barton4:51
2."Young Hearts Forever"Perry, Clif MagnessBarton4:43
3."I Am"Perry, Taylor, BrewsterBarton4:54
4."Stand Up (Before It's Too Late)"Perry, Brewster, Taylor, Lucas, Larry KimpelBarton4:49
5."For the Love of Strange Medicine"Perry, Brewster, Taylor, Lucas,Barton, Perry5:52
6."Donna Please"Perry, Taylor, Stephen BishopBarton, Perry4:02
7."Listen to Your Heart"Perry, Taylor, Brewster, LucasBarton3:31
8."Tuesday Heartache"Perry, Magness, Taylor, Brewster, LucasBarton6:00
9."Missing You"Perry, Tim MinerPerry, Miner3:48
10."Somewhere There's Hope"Perry, Taylor, Brewster, LucasBarton6:05
11."Anyway"PerryPerry, Miner4:20
2006 re-release (bonus tracks)
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
12."If You Need Me, Call Me"Steve Perry, Craig Krampf, Richard Michaels Haddad, Steve DeLaceyPerry, Randy Goodrum5:50
13."One More Time"Perry, BrewsterPerry3:32
14."Can't Stop"Perry, Goodrum, Michael LandauPerry, Goodrum4:08
15."Friends of Mine"Perry, Josh Leo, Goodrum, KrampfPerry, Goodrum3:30
16."Missing You" (Live in San Francisco 12/9/94)Perry, Miner 4:13
Notes (2006 re-release)
  • "If You Need Me, Call Me" is a 1994 re-recording of a song of Perry's pre-Journey band, Alien Project.
  • "One More Time" is an unreleased out take from 1994.
  • "Can't Stop" and "Friends of Mine" are previously unreleased tracks from the 1988 unreleased Against the Wall album.

Personnel

[edit]
  • Steve Perry – lead and backing vocals
  • Paul Taylor – keyboards (1-8, 10), backing vocals (1), synthesizers (11)
  • Tim Miner – keyboards (9); acoustic piano, bass and backing vocals (9, 11)
  • Lincoln Brewster – guitars (1-8, 10), backing vocals (1)
  • Michael Landau – guitars (11)
  • Larry Kimpel – bass (1, 2, 4, 10)
  • Mike Porcaro – bass (2, 3, 5, 6, 7)
  • Moyes Lucas – drums (1-8, 10, 11), backing vocals (1, 7)
  • Jeremy Lubbock – string arrangements and string conductor (3)
  • James "Jimbo" Barton – string arrangements (3)
  • Phil Brown – string arrangements (3), bass (8)
  • Larry Dalton – string arrangements and conductor (9)
  • Dallas Symphony Orchestra – strings (9)
  • Alexander Brown – backing vocals (4, 10)
  • Carmen Carter – backing vocals (4, 10)
  • Jean McClain – backing vocals (4, 10)

Production

[edit]
  • Randy Jackson – A&R direction
  • James "Jimbo" Barton – producer (1-8, 10), engineer (1-8, 10)
  • Steve Perry – producer (5, 6, 9, 11)
  • Tim Miner – producer (9, 11)
  • David Reitzas – string recording (3)
  • Tim Kimsey – engineer (9)
  • Frank Salazar – engineer (9)
  • Craig Burbidge – mixing (3, 4, 5, 7-11), engineer (11)
  • Niko Bolas – mixing (1, 2, 6)
  • Bill Cooper, Devin Foutz, Manny Marroquin, Kyle Ross, Rail Rogut and Ulrich Wild – second engineers
  • Brian Lee – digital editing
  • Bob Ludwig – mastering
  • Phil Brown – production assistant (1-4, 7, 8, 10)
  • Diarmuid Quinn – product manager
  • Dave Coleman – art direction
  • Reisig & Taylor – photography
  • Bob Cavallo and Scott Welch with Third Rail Management – management

Studios

  • Recorded at Ocean Way Recording and One On One Studios (Hollywood, California); Record Plant (Los Angeles, California); The Enterprise (Burbank, California); American Recording Studios (Woodland Hills, California); Knightlight Studios and Dallas Sound Lab (Dallas, Texas).
  • Mixed at Aire L.A. Studios (Glendale, California); The Hit Factory (New York City, New York).
  • Edited and Mastered at Gateway Mastering (Portland, Maine).

Charts

[edit]
Chart (1984) Peak
position
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[4] 63
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[5] 91
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[6] 23
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[7] 44
UK Albums (OCC)[8] 64
US Billboard 200[9] 15

Certifications

[edit]
Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[10] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "American album certifications - Steve Perry - For the Love of Strange Medicine". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
  2. ^ a b Rosen, Craig (11 June 1994). "Retail's Open Arms Greet Steve Perry". Billboard. Vol. 106, no. 24. Nielsen Business Media. pp. 12–13. ISSN 0006-2510.
  3. ^ For the Love of Strange Medicine at AllMusic
  4. ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 2605". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  5. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Steve Perry – For the Love of Strange Medicine" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  6. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Steve Perry – For the Love of Strange Medicine". Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  7. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Steve Perry – For the Love of Strange Medicine". Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  8. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  9. ^ "Steve Perry Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  10. ^ "American album certifications – Steve Perry – For the Love of Strange Medicine". Recording Industry Association of America.