''Breaking Loose'' is the debut
studio album
An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as Digital distribution#Music, digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early ...
by Canadian
hard rock
Hard rock or heavy rock is a loosely defined subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the garage, psychedelic and blues rock movements. Some of the earliest hard ...
band
Helix. Recorded primarily at
Springfield Sound in
Aylmer, Ontario with producer R.A. "Bob" Morten, it was released in 1979 on the band's own label H&S Records. The album features all original material, written by the band's frontman
Brian Vollmer
Brian Vollmer (born June 30, 1955) is the lead singer and only remaining original member of Canadian hard rock group Helix. Since the band's inception in 1974, Vollmer had gone from lead singer to ''de facto'' leader of the band, weathering numero ...
, and two guitarists
Paul Hackman and Brent Doerner. It was supported by the release of Hackman's "Don't Hide Your Love" and Doerner's "Billy Oxygen" as
single
Single may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Single (music), a song release
Songs
* "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004
* "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008
* "Single" (William Wei song), 2016
* "Single", by ...
s.
Material for ''Breaking Loose'' was recorded over a two-week period in 1979 and featured contributions from a range of guest performers, including up-and-coming vocalist
Lydia Taylor, session guitarist Peter Follett, and keyboardist Joel Wideman. Although the album did not chart, it received significant radio airplay in Canada and the United States which led to several touring and promotional opportunities. ''Breaking Loose'' was reissued for its 40th anniversary in 2019 with two bonus tracks.
Background
After five years of touring with various lineups, Helix recorded its debut album in 1979, funded by money raised by manager Bill Seip.
Describing the recording process in 2009, the band's lead vocalist
Brian Vollmer
Brian Vollmer (born June 30, 1955) is the lead singer and only remaining original member of Canadian hard rock group Helix. Since the band's inception in 1974, Vollmer had gone from lead singer to ''de facto'' leader of the band, weathering numero ...
recalled that ''Breaking Loose'' was tracked over a period of two weeks using
24-track 2-inch tape, during which time the band "ate, slept,
ndlived at the studio". The album was independently released on the group's own label H&S Records, which stands for "Helix & Seip".
According to ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' magazine, ''Breaking Loose'' sold approximately 10,000 units after its initial pressing.
"Don't Hide Your Love", written by guitarist
Paul Hackman, was released as the lead
single
Single may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Single (music), a song release
Songs
* "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004
* "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008
* "Single" (William Wei song), 2016
* "Single", by ...
from ''Breaking Loose''. This was followed by a second single, "Billy Oxygen", which was written and sung by guitarist Brian Doerner. The latter track is credited with gaining Helix early Canadian airplay. Outside of Canada, radio host Joe Anthony of
San Antonio,
Texas station KISS FM began playing "You're a Woman Now" which gave the band an opportunity to perform in the US for the first time. This resulted in a four-date tour of the state, after which they "returned to Canada
ndwere treated as stars by their rabid following", leading to their first TV interview.
Following its initial pressings on
LP record
The LP (from "long playing" or "long play") is an analog sound storage medium, a phonograph record format characterized by: a speed of rpm; a 12- or 10-inch (30- or 25-cm) diameter; use of the "microgroove" groove specification; and a ...
, ''Breaking Loose'' was released on
compact disc for the first time as one half of the 1991 compilation ''
The Early Years'', alongside 1981 follow-up ''
White Lace & Black Leather''.
After several subsequent limited-run re-releases, the album was remastered and reissued in 2019 to mark its 40th anniversary (''White Lace & Black Leather'' was also remastered and reissued at the same time). The new version contains two previously unreleased bonus tracks: "Let Me Take You Dancin'", which was reportedly the first song the band ever recorded; and "Sidewalk Sally", the first song to be co-written by Vollmer and Doerner.
Reception
Music website
AllMusic awarded ''Breaking Loose'' three out of five stars, although did not publish a written review for the album.
Independent writer Mike Ladano gave it five out of five, writing that "''Breaking Loose'' isn't metal, but what it lacks in firepower is made up for in class, ambition and natural talent.
..Though it lacks the oomph of Helix today, it's perfectly listenable."
Ladano added that "the only complaint I have about this album would be that some of the lyrics were a little weak".
Reviewing the 2019 40th anniversary expanded reissue alongside the reissue of ''White Lace & Black Leather'', Ladano praised the albums'
mastering and wrote that "These discs are the versions to get; the expanded tracklist making them musts to the collecting fan who already own them all."
Track listing
Personnel
Helix
*
Brian Vollmer
Brian Vollmer (born June 30, 1955) is the lead singer and only remaining original member of Canadian hard rock group Helix. Since the band's inception in 1974, Vollmer had gone from lead singer to ''de facto'' leader of the band, weathering numero ...
– lead vocals , production
*Brent Doener – guitars; vocals and bass ; production
*
Paul Hackman – guitars, backing vocals, production
*Keith "Bert" Zurbrigg – bass, backing vocals, production
*Brian Doerner – drums, backing vocals, production
Guest musicians
*Peter Follet – guitar
*Joel Wideman – keyboards
*Wayne Smith – percussion
*
Lydia Taylor – backing vocals
*Valerie Hudson – backing vocals
*Doug Varty – backing vocals
*Richard Zuiceuicz – backing vocals
*"Dennis" – backing vocals
Additional personnel
*R.A. "Bob" Morten – production
*Declan O'Doherty – engineering
*Dan Donovan – engineering assistance
*Bob Doble – engineering
*
George Marino – mastering
*Robert Yendt – art direction
*Roger Psutka – photography
*Rose Janovich – photography
References
External links
*
{{Helix
1979 debut albums
Helix (band) albums