THE BABYS : LIVE AT THE BOTTOM LINE, 1979

1. Head First
2. Give Me Your Love
3. Run to Mexico
4. California
5. Every Time I Think of You
6. Stick to Your Guns
7. Crystal Ball (Aka Anytime)
8. Isn't It Time
9. Lookin' for Love
10. Money (That's What I Want)
11. Loaded

Label : Omnivore Recordings

Venue : The Bottom Line, New York City, New York, USA

Recording Date : March 23-24, 1979

Release Date : January 5, 2024

Length : 53:11

Review (Omnivore Records) : Omnivore Recordings has announced Live At The Bottom Line, 1979, a previously unissued performance of The Babys at New York’s legendary Bottom Line club. Recorded on the Head First tour, the show contains three new-at-the-time songs making their official debut including an early version of “Anytime,” as well as the hits “Every Time I Think Of You,” “Head First,” and “Isn’t It Time.” Live At The Bottom Line, 1979 will be released on January 5. After signing with Chrysalis Records for—at the time—the highest paid contract for a new band, The Babys released their self-titled debut in 1976, with Broken Heart following the next year, containing the Top 20 hit “Isn’t It Time.” Released at the end of 1978, Head First arrived, and the newly expanded band featuring future-Journey keyboardist Jonathan Cain and bassist Ricky Philips hit the road. (Waite, Cain, and Philips would later reunite in the platinum-selling act Bad English, whose “When I See You Smile” hit #1 in 1989.) The Babys played two nights at New York’s fabled Bottom Line in early 1979, showcasing not only material from their first three albums, but debuting a trio of new songs. One track, “Crystal Ball.” would appear in a different form as “Anytime” on 1981’s Union Jacks; another, “Stick To Your Guns,” was recorded for that album but never issued; and a third, “Loaded,” existed only in their live shows. Those three tracks, coupled with the rest of their 11-track set, are finally available on Live At The Bottom Line, 1979. All performances are previously unissued. Featuring their hits “Isn’t It Time” and Head First’s “Every Time I Think Of You” (both of which hit #13 on the Billboard Charts), fan favorites, and three new tracks unavailable anywhere else, The Babys Live At The Bottom Line, 1979 is an important document in the history of The Babys and a fascinating listen to the band at the peak of their creativity in a stellar performance at a legendary venue.

Review (Wolfgang's) : This show was part of a two-night stint at New York's famed Bottom Line club. It was, in some ways, a coming out party for England's Babys. Although the band had already released three records, they were promoting Head First, their breakthrough U.S. album. This show was one of three performances recorded for the King Biscuit Flower Hour in 1979. The Babys had gone through a recent transition and were debuting their new lineup that included new members Ricky Phillips on bass and Jonathon Cain on keyboards, who would go on to become a key member in Journey. The Babys emerged in 1975 from what was left of the U.K. punk movement. The band never embraced punk, and focused instead on well-crafted power pop. They didn't really see any substantial success in their native U.K., but their sound was perfect for the growing FM power hits format in the U.S. and the band's label, Chrysalis, capitalized on this. The group's biggest songs are featured in this set, including "Head First," "Run to Mexico," "California," "Every Time I Think Of You" and of course, their biggest smash from 1977, "Isn't It Time." They end the show with a rousing remake of the Motown classic, "Money (That's What I Want)." The Babys had the necessary elements to hit the big time, but the label put the focus on singer John Waite. Waite, a great singer but a mediocre performer, certainly had the looks and the voice to be a bona fide rock star. In the end, Chrysalis and the band's management would let the band gradually dissolve so it could launch Waite's solo career. He had a somewhat successful solo stint, which was temporarily put on hold in the early 1990s when he formed another band with Jonathon Cain entitled Bad English. The Babys were undergoing a massive change when this recording was captured at New York's legendary Bottom Line club in March 1979. The group had been one of the most hyped bands to emerge from the English scene in 1976, and seemed to be headed for a long run atop the FM radio charts. Despite a few very big hits -including "Isn't It Time" and "Every Time I Think Of You" - the band's momentum was eventually eclipsed by the popular new wave alternative scene championed by acts like Elvis Costello, The Pretenders and Joe Jackson. But at the time the Babys' sell-titled debut album was released, adult oriented rock radio was still a very vibrant format, and the group received enough attention to become bona fide rock stars. Singer John Waite, who had originally launched the group as its bassist, was now out front leading vocals. At the time of this recording, the Babys had just released their third record, Head First, which was initially rejected by their label, Chrysalis Records. During the album sessions, they replaced original keyboardist Mike Corby with Jonathon Cain, who would leave in a matter of years to join Journey. They also recruited a second bass player, Ricky Phillips. (Jack Conrad, who joined after the first album, had left during the recording sessions for Head First). Although Head First would yield two strong radio tracks (the aforementioned "Every Time I Think Of You" and the title track, which received considerable airplay but failed to become a hit), the Babys were beginning to struggle at the time this show was recorded and broadcast on the King Biscuit Flower Hour. The band's playing is rather sloppy, and from Waite's onstage commentary after "I'm Falling" regarding a bad review the band had received that day in one of the New York City newspapers, it is clear the press' aversion to the band was starting to affect their confidence as a live act. The songs that made the group most famous don't get played during this show, but it's still interesting to hear what they were like as a live show during the late '70s. Waite made two more albums with the band before departing to have a solo career, and did eventually hit pay dirt, with the song "Missing You," in 1984. Waite would also re-group with Cain in the one-off Brit rock super-group, Bad English in 1989, before resuming his solo career.