Knee Deep In The Hoopla

''Knee Deep in the Hoopla'' is the debut studio album by American AOR band Starship, the succeeding musical project to Jefferson Starship. It was released on September 10, 1985, through record label Grunt.

Four singles were released from the album: the No. 1 hits "We Built This City" and "Sara", "Tomorrow Doesn't Matter Tonight" (No. 26 US Hot 100) and "Before I Go" (No. 68 US Hot 100).

Content

AllMusic retrospectively described ''Knee Deep in the Hoopla'' as the Jefferson Airplane/ Jefferson Starship/Starship project's "most overtly commercial effort to date".

The track "Desperate Heart", written by Michael Bolton and Randy Goodrum, also appears on Bolton's album '' Everybody's Crazy'', released the same year. Two songs sung by Grace Slick were recorded for but left off the album: Slick's own "Do You Remember Me?" (released on '' The Best of Grace Slick'') and the Peter Wolf–Jeremy Smith composition "Casualty" (included as a bonus track on the 1999 remaster). Jeannette and Pete Sears wrote a song for the album called "One More Innocent", but it was rejected for its political lyrics.

''Cash Box'' said of the track "Tomorrow Doesn't Matter Tonight" that "Mickey Thomas’ sensational lead vocal keeps this cut aloft with exhilerating sonic flight" and that "It slices like a double bladed sword, and backed by searing rock guitars and a churning rhythm." '' Billboard'' called that song "exemplary American AOR of the '80s, interrupted only by an ethereal bridge."

Release

''Knee Deep in the Hoopla'' was released on September 10, 1985, through record label Grunt.

Four singles were released from the album: the No. 1 hits "We Built This City" and "Sara", "Tomorrow Doesn't Matter Tonight" and "Before I Go".

The album was certified platinum by the RIAA.

Reception

''Knee Deep in the Hoopla'' received a negative response from professional music critics.

Track listing

Personnel

* Mickey Thomas – lead (1-3, 5-7, 9) and backing (1, 4, 8, 9) vocals
* Grace Slick – lead (1, 4, 8, 9) and backing (1-3, 5-7, 9) vocals
* Craig Chaquico – guitar (all tracks), backing vocals (2, 7, 9)
* Pete Sears – bass guitar (1, 4-7, 9) synth bass (2, 3, 8), backing vocals (2, 5, 7, 9)
* Donny Baldwin – electronic drums (1-3, 6, 8, 9), drums (4, 5, 7), backing vocals (1-3, 5, 7, 9)

Additional personnel
* Peter Wolf – keyboards, synthesizers (all tracks)
* Les Garland – DJ voice (1)
* Peter Beckett, J. C. Crowley, Siedah Garrett and Ina Wolf – backing vocals (3)
* Simon Climie, Lorraine Devon, Phillip Ingram, Martin Page, Chris Sutton and Oren Waters – backing vocals (9)
* Kevin DuBrow – backing vocals on (4)
* Dave Jenkins – backing vocals (5)

Production
* Peter Wolf – producer, arrangements
* Jeremy Smith – producer, engineer
* Dennis Lambert – executive producer
* Skip Johnson – production coordinator
* Bill Thompson – manager
* Bill Bottrell – mixing engineer (1)
* Tom Size – additional engineering
* Paul Ericksen, Dana Chappelle, David Luke, Maureen Droney – assistant engineers.
* Stephen Marcussen – mastering engineer
* Raess Design (Ted Raess) – art, design
* Bill Robbins – photography
* Recorded at The Plant Studios (Sausalito, CA); The Music Grinder (Los Angeles, CA).
* Mixed at Fantasy Studios (Berkeley, CA).
* "We Built This City" re-mixed at The Soundcastle, L. A.
* Mastered at Precision Lacquer (Los Angeles).

Singles

*"We Built This City" (1985)
*"Sara" (1986)
*"Tomorrow Doesn't Matter Tonight" (1986)
*"Before I Go" (1986)

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

References

External links

*

''Starship: Too Old to Rock?''
''Los Angeles Times''

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1985 debut albums
Grunt Records albums
RCA Records albums
Starship (band) albums
albums produced by Peter Wolf