The Babys - Broken Heart (1977)

(U.K 1975–1981, 2013–present).
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The Babys' five album career spanned from 1976 through to 1980 but realised only two major hits — one of which, "Isn't It Time", is included on this, their second album.
The bands 'pretty boy' image was a calculated move but never took into account the overwhelming emergence of punk and as a result, the band led by English vocalist John Waite, was perceived as being stale, flat and faded.
Waite eventually carved out a fairly successful solo career, peaking with the emotive "Missing You", an Australian top 10 single in September 1984.

In hindsight, the comparisons between the Babys' and The Rasberries' careers are numerous, in so far as both are fondly remembered but at the time contemporary music was moving away from their respective images, a sad predicament, as the music, when all is said and done, should have been sole consideration.
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Album Review
Broken Heart is a deceptively heavy combination of 70’s AM pop and FM muscle, and definitely the most satisfying listen in The Babys catalog.  This is a big, symphonic stab of searing guitar rock and sugar-laden pop gems.

Starting off with orchestral arrangement of “Wrong or Right,” John Waite’s voice is in impeccable form.  No matter where the guy took his music, no one can claim that Waite can’t sing, and here’s he’s inspired.  Over a gently strummed acoustic guitar, strings rising and falling in the background, Waite sings, “when he takes you babe/oh when he loves you babe/my whole world comes apart/when he loves you babe” with dripping feeling.  Nothing maudlin or whiny about it, this is the song of a man who’s heart and soul are torn apart by the loss of a woman. We've all been there, and Waite captures it dead on.  Then, midway in, when the band kicks in, the song elevates to a powerful mid-tempo rocker with a great and steady groove.  Guitars slash in amongst the strings, leading up to a true searing solo. Throughout the melody is captivating.  A truly stunning album opener.

Then, lest you think you got the album pegged as AM radio fodder, “Give Me Your Love,” percolates out next all mean, dirty, and nasty.  Nevison really spins the dials well here with a huge drum sound and a surprisingly heavy guitar tone.  Sure the lyrics are sappy 70’s pap, but there’s nothing sappy about those end-verse spasms of Stocker’s guitar.  Taking a tip Nevison must’ve picked up from working with Schenker on Light’s Out, Stocker totally surprises here.  Bring on that big drum sound and this is a true heavy melodic rocker of the first order.  “And If You Could See Me Fly,” is also totally huge in its sound; big and raucous and totally sleazy in guitar tone.  Waite really breaks it down to gruff up a rock-and-roll vocal here and I don’t know what Tony Brock is pounding on but his drums sound like they’re being beaten by ogres. Another big-time rock guitar riff and some more inspired electricity coming from Stocker’s fingertips and this song is simply mean and nasty. Perhaps more nasty than you ever thought The Babys could be.

And in between these two slabs of AM metal, we get the sublime beauty of “Isn’t it Time.” Following a delicate piano intro, Waite again sounds pristine. Bring in the flurry of gospel-tinged female backing vocals, raise the whole affair in a fury of strings and drums to that knock-em out chorus and we’ve got one of the best “lost” songs of 70’s radio. Forget the band on this one; this is all Waite carrying the song, giving his most soulful performance through 4:03 of pop perfection.

Perhaps one of the most unexpected aspects of the album is the weight of it.  If you were expecting that The Babys were simply bright AM fluff, you got another thing coming.  Think back to UFO’s "Lights Out" and think about how that album felt like no other of the day.  A certain melancholy and meatiness to it, a dark sobriety.  That’s all here again. Whether on the fun-as-a-kick-in-the-ass pop rocker of the title track “Broken Heart,” the gentle orchestral strains leading to the crunch of the power ballad, “I’m Falling,” the street-wise grit rock of “Rescue Me,” or on their big UFO “Love to Love”-stab at epic rock “A Piece of the Action,” Broken Heart is an infinitely listenable album. Waite never lets up on those stellar vocals and while you may not think of The Babys as a guitar band, Wally Stocker has got the chops to prove you wrong.

Don’t go here expecting riff mad 70’s metal.  What we got is much more refined than that, and certainly more pop friendly.  But also don’t let the poppiness sway you, for on Broken Heart, The Babys show that in their heart and crotch they were truly a rock band, and a formidable one at that. [Review by Racer]
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This post consists of MP3's (320kps) ripped from CD and includes full album artwork from both LP and CD.  This album is a classic in my books and was a total surprise when I purchased the LP while "Isn't It Time" was still circulating on top of the Australian charts. With the exception of the filler track "Silver Dreams" (which wasn't even sung by John Waite) every track on this album is a killer and showed that The Baby's were more than just a one hit wonder.  I then pursued their first album which wasn't far off the mark and will also post this album in the near future, However, their follow up albums never really made the grade and I soon lost interest in the band.  
Anyhow, if you haven't heard this album then 'Isn't It Time' you did ?
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Track Listing

01 - Wrong Or Right
02 - Give Me Your Love
03 - Isn't It Time
04 - And If You Could See Me Fly
05 - The Golden Mile
06 - Broken Heart
07 - I'm Falling
08 - Rescue Me
09 - Silver Dreams
10 - A Piece Of The Action

* Includes bonus video click "And If You Could See Me Fly"

The Babys are:
John Waite (Lead Vocals and Bass)
Michael Corby (Rhythm Guitar and Keyboards)
Wally Stocker (Lead Guitar)
Tony Brock (Drums and Vocals)
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The Babys Link (109Mb) New Link 16/01/2025
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The Babys - Anthology (1981) Expanded Version

(U.K 1975-1981)
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The Babys were a British rock group in the late 1970s. The Babys were able to chart 6 albums between 1976 and 1981 through Chrysalis Records. Their highest charting singles were "Isn't it Time" and "Everytime I Think of You", both of which reached #13 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart.

The 1976-1978 Babys line-up consisted of vocalist/bassist John Waite, drummer Tony Brock, Keyboard player/guitarist Michael Corby, and guitarist Wally Stocker. From 1979-1981, the Babys line-up consisted of vocalist Waite, drummer Brock, bassist Ricky Phillips, guitarist Stocker and keyboardist Jonathan Cain.


Origin
There are two stories regarding the origin of the band and the source of the band's name.

Founding member Mike Corby places the origin of the idea for the band at Smalls Cafe on the Fulham Road in London in 1973 during a chance meeting with manager the late Adrian Millar. An agreement was signed between Corby and Millar on September 4, 1974 and auditions were held to fill out the remaining members. The names "Cry Babys" and "Big Babys" were also proposed with Millar ultimately deciding on "The Babys."

In a 1979 Hit Parader magazine interview, Waite stated, The name was meant to be a joke. We took the name simply because the record companies wouldn't listen to any bands they thought were rock & roll. I mean, they wanted sure-fire teen bands, pre-teen bands. We couldn't get anybody down to hear us to get a record deal, so we called ourselves The Babys. We thought we'd keep the name just for two weeks. Then, the word got around in London that there was a band playing rock & roll called The Babys and it seemed so off the wall, so completely crazy, that it was worth taking a shot with. It really appealed to everyone's sense of humour.

Chrysalis Records finally signed the band in 1976, and they released their selftitled debut album.

Career
The Babys eponymous first album (highlighted by the single "If You've Got The Time") was recorded in Toronto, Canada with producers Brian Christian and Bob Ezrin and released in January 1977, although it appears that Millar and Corby were unhappy with the production.

Some critics felt the teen-friendly packaging on their second album Broken Heart may have affected the group's appeal to wider audiences, although it is claimed that it was part of an experiment by Corby with group members looking like characters from the film A Clockwork Orange. As far as record sales were concerned the Babys seemed to live in the shadow of other Chrysalis artists Blondie, Pat Benatar and Leo Sayer. The Babys second album, Broken Heart, (released in September 1977) produced a top 20 U.S. hit "Isn't it Time" written by Jack Conrad and Ray Kennedy, which peaked at #13 on the Billboard chart. They continued to tour the U.S. successfully with the Babettes who included singers from Andrae Crouch and the Disciples: Lisa Freeman Roberts, Myrna Matthews and Pat Henderson. The album spent two weeks at number one in Australia but did not produce another top 40 single.

Disputes with Chrysalis management resulted in the firing of original manager Millar in 1978. Corby was also sacked by Chrysalis in August 1978 and a  replacement was sought. The company brought in two musicians to replace the co-founder: Jonathan Cain on keyboards and Ricky Phillips to play bass. From 1979 until the final breakup in 1981 the Babys line-up consisted of vocalist Waite, drummer Brock, bassist Phillips, guitarist Stocker and keyboardist Cain.



The Bands Demise
During a performance in Cincinnati on 9 December 1980 (the day after John Lennon had been murdered), John Waite was pulled from the stage by an overzealous fan during an encore and seriously injured his knee. Following a subsequent final performance by the group in Akron, Ohio, the remainder of the tour was cancelled, and the group disbanded following the tour. Although different members of the group have given various reasons for the band's demise, the general issue seems to have been disillusionment that the group never really achieved the success they felt they deserved given the quality of their albums and live shows. Waite later mused, "We were better than people thought we were."  [extract from LyricsFreak.com]

Recording the Dinah Shore Show at CBS Television City in LA (May 6th 1977)

After The Babys
John Waite, Ricky Phillips and Jonathan Cain later played together in the hard rock/glam rock-infused supergroup Bad English. By this time, Cain had already gone on to enjoy great success with Journey. Tony Brock spent many years drumming for Rod Stewart, as well as drumming and co-producing for Jimmy Barnes and producing for Keith Urban. Wally Stocker went on to play guitar for Rod Stewart and Air Supply, as well as a reformed version of Humble Pie in the 1990s. Wally Stocker and Tony Brock have not worked with John Waite since the breakup and there have been no rumors of any kind of reunion for the 1979 lineup. And given the persistent acrimony surrounding Corby's departure from the group, there is also little chance of the original 1976 lineup ever getting together again. [extract rom wikipedia]

Babys In Australia
(extract from the article 'Songs That Make The Back Of Your Neck Feel Dirty' - Sydney Morning Herald, 16th January, 1986)

Hits don't necessarily have to be about the beach, surfing or sunshine. But they do have to pour out of every car radio cruising along every highway and out of every transistor-on-a-towei at every beach for a full three months. Listeners never forget them, songwriters spend their life trying to create them and record companies often couldn't survive without them.
They are Summer Hits, perfect pop songs which seem to capture the imagination of all those between 12 and 40 who shed their outer skin and frolic outdoors between spring and autumn. Summer Hits are the soundtracks to first romances, unforgettable holidays and just goofin' about with friends.
Early in 1980 I was standing sidestage with the promoter of a huge Sydney outdoor concert. The road crew was changing over gear on stage and the sweltering crowd was being treated to a random selection of taped music. Suddenly the restless horde came to life and began singing along, loudly and enthusiastically, with a moderate hit by an American band called the Babys. The song, "Isn't It Time?", struck an incredibly responsive chord with every one of those young bronzed Aussies, who were leaping up and down screaming out the lyrics. The promoter, there and then, decided to book the Babys for a concert tour and would have proceeded, had not they disbanded before it could come to pass. Certainly, most of that audience wouldn't have had a clue who was performing the song but you can be sure that, to this day, they probably remember every word of it.
When the lyrics of a pop hit connect with the collective mood of its audience, a bona fide 'standard' is born. This was the case with "Isn't It Time"

It is interesting to note that the LP release of their Anthology album had 14 tracks squeezed onto its vinyl, whereas the first CD release only had 10 of these tracks.  I'm not sure what Chrysalis were thinking when they decided to water down the CD as it was far from being an Anthology. A later release of the CD returned the collection back to its original state, however, there were still some crucial tracks missing in my opinion.
Therefore, I have chosen to fill these gaps by including the following bonus tracks:  "If You Can See My Fly" (from Broken Heart), "Run To Mexico" (from Head First) and both "Looking For Love" and "Dying Man" from their debut album.
Also note that I have previously posted a Babys Bootleg called 'Spoilt Brats' which is also worth listening to.
This post consists of MP3's (320kps) ripped from vinyl and CD, and as usual full album artwork for both LP and CD. There are also a stack of photos, sourced from Michael Corby's Myspace Page with thanks.

Late Appendum:  If you're interested in hearing an indepth interview with John Waite, talking about his musical influences and career over the past 35 years, then have a listen to transplantedaussie's podcast on his ichatwith website.  For more information about John Waite, you might like to visit some of  the following sites:  John Waite's Official Website,  John Waite's European Website  and his Myspace Page

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Track Listing
01 - Head First
02 - Isn't It Time
03 - Midnight Rendezvous
04 - Money (Previously Unreleased)
05 - Back On My Feet Again
06 - I'm Falling
07 - Broken Heart
08 - Give Me Your Love
09 - Turn And Walk Away
10 - Everytime I Think Of You
11 - If You've Got The Time
12 - Sweet 17
13 - Union Jack
14 - Love Don't Prove I'm Right
(Bonus Tracks)
15 - If You Can See My Fly
16 - Run To Mexico
17 - Looking For Love
18 - Dying Man 
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The Babys were:
John Waite (Lead Vocals, Bass)
Michael Corby (Ryhthm Guitar, Keyborads)
Wally Stocker (Lead Guitar)
Tony Brock (Drums, Vocals)
Jonathan Cain (Keyboards 1979-81)
Rick Phillips (Bass  1979-81)
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The Babys Link (161Mb)  New Link 08/09/2024
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The Babys - Spoiled Brats (1977) Bootleg

(U.K 1976-1980)
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The Babys were a British rock/pop group best known for their songs "Isn't It Time" and "Everytime I Think of You". Both songs were composed by Jack Conrad and Ray Kennedy and reached #13 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart in the late 1970s.
The 1976-1978 Babys line-up consisted of vocalist/bassist John Waite, drummer Tony Brock, Keyboard player/guitarist Michael Corby, and guitarist Wally Stocker.
After Corby was sacked by Chrysalis in August 1978 a replacement was sought. The company brought in two musicians to replace the co-founder: Jonathan Cain on keyboards and Ricky Phillips to play bass. From 1979 until the final breakup in 1981 the Babys line-up consisted of vocalist Waite, drummer Brock, bassist Phillips, guitarist Stocker and keyboardist Cain.


Corby had been dismissed and the control of the name of the band was never relinquished by him, in effect making the 1979 band a breakaway group from the original contract and not entitled to use the name.
The Babys Archives states a very strong case against the name being used after Corby and Millar were sacked, the original contract clearly has Corby as a member and never lists Cain and Phillips. Corby commissioned The Babys Archives a number of years ago to correct a number of misconceptions about the origins of the group.

John Waite went on to produce a major solo hit, "Missing You", in 1984. Stocker and Brock worked with Rod Stewart and other mainstream artists including Elton John and Air Supply. Cain enjoyed major success with Journey and Phillips with Bad English. [extract from Wikipedia]
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This bootleg is another one of my prize possessions in my record collection, although the quality of the recording isn't quite up to the standard of some of my other bootlegs. There is some distortion and occasional drop outs during this recording but overall it isn't too bad - probably a B+ rating would be fair. As far as I can gather, this is the first time this bootleg has been posted. In fact, there is scant information about this recording, other than it was recorded at the Old Waldorf Theatre in San Francisco, sometime in 1977.
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The bootleg was released on the TAKRL label (The Amazing Kornyfone Record Label).
The Amazing Kornyfone Record Label (TAKRL) operated out of Anytown in the USA and was the brainchild of the late Dr. Terrence H. "Telly"fone, Art Gnuvo and Deek Kibard.
The sound quality of the recordings varied depending upon the origin of the source material. Some of the recordings were taken directly from other records, audience cassette tape recordings, FM radio broadcasts and television broadcasts. The quality was not really such an issue for the fans who were desperate to obtain any recording of their favourite artist. One of the most famous bootlegs of all times was an album of rare Bob Dylan recordings called The Great White Wonder. Some bootleg albums were so good they "forced" the legitimate record labels to officially release the material.
The album sleeves were usually two colour paper inserts that were slipped under the shrink wrap that enclosed the plain white cardboard album cover.
The Amazing Kornyfone Record Label was a legendary entity in the bootleg world. They never took themselves seriously however they always utilised high quality vinyl in the production of the records. You could usually obtain the records via various mail order outlets such as Toad Hall's Rare Records. [ extract from http://www.larkin.net.au/takrl/]
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This post contains 2 separate mp3 rips (Side A and Side B) taken from my vinyl copy, at 320kps. I chose not to segment the songs as they tended to run into one another, and I wanted to retain the natural flow of the concert and dialogue spoken between songs.
I have also included full scans of the LP covers and select photos of the band during their early years. The only short comings of this concert was the absence of their hit single "Isn't It Time" which is strange, as this was their biggest hit at the time; and the slightly boring drum solo in the last track "Do You Wanna". Highlights would definitely be "Rodeo" / "Wild Man" on Side A and "I'm Falling" and "If You Could See Me Fly" on the flip side. And what about the front cover - it says it all doesn't it ?
NB> The back cover track listing was slightly inaccurate with "Wild Man" missing after "Rodeo" and "Rescue Me" missing the letter 'c' (which I fixed many years ago using stencils !)
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Track Listing
01 - Looking For Love
02 - Rodeo
03 - Wild Man *
04 - Dying Man
05 - If You've Got The Time
06 - Rescue me
07 - I'm Falling
08 - If You Could See Me Fly
09 - Do You Wanna
* Not listed on back cover
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Band Members:
John Waite - (Bass, Lead Vocals)
Walter Stocker - (Lead Guitar)
Michael Corby - (Rhythm Guitar, Keyboards)
Tony Brock - (Drums, Vocals)
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The Babys Link (115 Mb) New Link 02/01/2024
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