If you were from the midwest, this album mattered.
"This release "Stage Pass" with it's live, extended version of "Let's Get The Show On The Road" was in regular rotation on the station (KSHE-95), which in those days meant it got played about once a week."
October 30th, Okay guys and gals it's time for "Twofer -Tuesday where we focus on a double live album on "Live Vinyl Lovefest". This one definitely has that "moth ball" smell to it. I have not listened to this release in God knows how long. But I have fond memories of it from my time as a youngin while living in St. Louis. And nearly all of my memories of listening to this record are while it was being played on famed radio station KSHE-95 "Real Rock Radio" in the mid 1970's. This release "Stage Pass" with it's live, extended version of "Let's Get The Show On The Road" was in regular rotation on the station, which in those days meant it got played about once a week. The album was featured a couple of times on "The 7th Day", a show where they would play 7 albums in their entirety, uninterrupted on Sunday nights. Great premise for a radio show.
At any rate Michael Stanley Band was one of those interesting stories in Rock history where by all accounts they were so close to breaking HUGE and never quite got over the hump. They were the stuff of legend in Cleveland where they held long time attendance records at multiple venues, including Blossom Music Center (75,000 over three nights) and at Richfield Coliseum (nearly 21,000) But on whole, their popularity seemed to wane at the Ohio state line. They did have a few songs that charted in the top 40 if memory serves me, "He Can't Love You" ... I think? I also remember actually being a bit stunned to see them on MTV a couple of times in the very earliest days of the channel.
This release was recorded at the legendary Agora Ballroom and co-produced and mixed by Bill Szymczyk. Allan Blazek and Ed Marshal.
If the 70s pop rock motif is your thing ... Michael Stanley Band has got some stuff for you ... check it out.