''Survivor'' is the first
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 the
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
rock band
Survivor, recorded and released in 1979. It is the band's only album with its original drummer,
Gary Smith, and bass guitarist, Dennis Keith Johnson. The recording sessions, overseen by the
A&R executive
John Kalodner
John David Kalodner is a retired American A&R (artists and repertoire) executive.
History
John David Kalodner was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and was a writer and photographer at ''Concert'' magazine. He went on to be a photographer for v ...
, were not without difficulties. First,
Ron Nevison
Ron Nevison is an American record producer and audio engineer. He started his career in the early 1970s as an engineer on ''Quadrophenia'' by the Who and Bad Company's debut album. He eventually became a producer, working with artists including M ...
replaced Barry Mraz as producer, and then the project had to be taken to
Bruce Fairbairn in
Vancouver
Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...
to achieve a mix that was to Kalodner's satisfaction.
The album took eight months to finally be released.
The album just entered the charts, reaching #169 on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100 in spring 1980, but the opening track, "Somewhere In America", was a regional hit in the
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
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area,
and "Youngblood", with its dramatic guitar introduction, proved to be something of a blueprint for the band's smash hit two years later, "
Eye of the Tiger
"Eye of the Tiger" is a song by American rock band Survivor. It was released as a single from their third album of the same name and was also the theme song for the 1982 film ''Rocky III'', which was released a day before the single. The song ...
".
An additional song recorded for the album, "
Rockin' into the Night", was rejected by Nevison as "too Southern". It was given to
.38 Special
The .38 Special, also commonly known as .38 S&W Special (not to be confused with .38 S&W), .38 Smith & Wesson Special, .38 Spl, .38 Spc, (pronounced "thirty-eight special"), or 9x29mmR is a rimmed, centerfire cartridge designed by Smith & ...
who turned the song into a hit.
The original Survivor recording became available in 2004 on the compilation ''Ultimate Survivor''.
The single "Rebel Girl" was recorded about a year after the album sessions, though the Japanese release of the album on CD includes it as song number six. The 2010 reissue on Rock Candy Records adds the song as a bonus track.
The model on the cover of the album is the actress
Kim Basinger
Kimila Ann Basinger ( ; born December 8, 1953) is an American actress and former fashion model. She has garnered acclaim for her work in film and television, for which she has received various accolades including an Academy Award, a Golden Glo ...
, according to the band's founding member
Jim Peterik
James Michael Peterik ( ; born November 11, 1950) is an American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the founder of the rock band Survivor, as vocalist and songwriter of "Vehicle" by the Ides of March, and as co-writer of the anthem " ...
.
Track listing
Personnel
;Survivor
*
Dave Bickler
David Bickler (born March 31, 1953) is an American singer, best known as the lead singer for the rock band Survivor from 1978 until 1983, most notably on the #1 U.S. hit "Eye of the Tiger". In addition to his wide vocal range, his trademark l ...
–
lead vocals
The lead vocalist in popular music is typically the member of a group or band whose voice is the most prominent melody in a performance where multiple voices may be heard. The lead singer sets their voice against the accompaniment parts of t ...
,
keyboards
Keyboard may refer to:
Text input
* Keyboard, part of a typewriter
* Computer keyboard
** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping
** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware
Music
* Musi ...
*
Jim Peterik
James Michael Peterik ( ; born November 11, 1950) is an American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the founder of the rock band Survivor, as vocalist and songwriter of "Vehicle" by the Ides of March, and as co-writer of the anthem " ...
– guitar,
vocals
Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or without ...
, lead vocals (6)
*
Frankie Sullivan
Frankie Sullivan (born February 1, 1955) is an American guitarist, best known for being a founding member of the rock band Survivor. He has been the only permanent fixture in its lineup since the band's 1977 inception.
Early life
According t ...
–
lead guitar
Lead guitar (also known as solo guitar) is a musical part for a guitar in which the guitarist plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs and chords within a song structure. The lead is the featur ...
* Dennis Keith Johnson –
bass guitar
The bass guitar, electric bass or simply bass (), is the lowest-pitched member of the string family. It is a plucked string instrument similar in appearance and construction to an electric or an acoustic guitar, but with a longer neck and ...
,
Moog bass pedals
*
Gary Smith –
drums
A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...
,
percussion
A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a beater including attached or enclosed beaters or rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or struck against another similar instrument. Exc ...
Production
*
Ron Nevison
Ron Nevison is an American record producer and audio engineer. He started his career in the early 1970s as an engineer on ''Quadrophenia'' by the Who and Bad Company's debut album. He eventually became a producer, working with artists including M ...
– producer
* Barry Mraz – producer
*
Bruce Fairbairn – recording engineer, mix assistant
* Jim Peterik – recording engineer, mix assistant
*
Mike Clink
Mike Clink is an American record producer. He began his career as an engineer at Record Plant Studios, recording such bands as Whitesnake, Triumph, Guns N' Roses, Mötley Crüe, Megadeth, UFO (including ''Strangers in the Night''), Jefferson ...
– assistant engineer
*
Bob Rock
Robert Jens Rock (born April 19, 1954) is a Canadian record producer, sound engineer and musician, best known for producing rock bands and music artists such as Metallica, Mötley Crüe, Bon Jovi, Aerosmith, The Tragically Hip, the Cult, 31 ...
– mixing
* Mike Salisbury – art direction, album design
* Mark Feldman – cover photography
Charts
References
External links
*
''Survivor''at ''Allmusic''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Survivor (Survivor Album)
1979 debut albums
Survivor (band) albums
Albums produced by Ron Nevison
Scotti Brothers Records albums