European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - October 21, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse Alabama goes Back to the basics by Jim Lewis United press International a Labama. With record sales in excess of30 million and a perfect nine for nine Platinum Wilh their albums has responded to the country group s midlife crisis and criticism that their music has become too Randy Owen. I to principal spokesman for his Volt East is. Wanted to do an interview even a Hugh he was dog tired from a grueling two month Lour Hal included slate fairs across America. Whal inc personable and articulate Owen wanted to Lalk Aboul was the group s Bacomo the basics album kist us As Well As criticism that Alabama had gone Loo commercial. Can 1 change Owen said. There were probably some things written about us Hal we sounded Loo commercial. You be got to sell records or nobody is going to want to Lalk to you. Think there s a Fine line. What we re trying to do on i his album is get Back to my Home s in Alabama and reels so flight through the writing not necessarily through the production. Instead of worrying about the finished product we wanted to worry about How it feels and the Molion. I can appreciate Slick sounding music and i know what some of the critics have written. We look a whole Diller enl approach on for inc Fust three cuts. Owen explained he and colleagues Jeff Cook Teddy Gentry and Mark Herndon began from he ground up i took my guitar in and everybody gathered around. We Cut the demo end it became the master he said the first single release from just us is tar top written by Owen. It s an autobiographical song tar top was a nickname for Owen Aboul the group and in the end it wonders where Are you going tar top which direction will you take. Is it country enough is it contemporary Glamour " tar top is probably the most different thing we be Ever done said Owen. I never intended for thai to be a commercial song. What s unique about it is that everybody in the band and management for the first up photo Handy Owen took Tasman for the group Alabama talks about Hie band s Newett album Jutt us time agreed that it should be the first single from the album. I wrote that song Over two or three years ago ii was a time in my Lile when i was making some personal assessments on what i could do and what i could t do physically and mentally slay in touch with the fans and yet pm a lather and i want to stay a father. I want to be a Granddaddy. I Don t want to kill myself in the music business. I want to live to be an old Man and i want to be Able to do a concert a year from now As opposed to burning myself out to where i Don t want to Ever play nol Only tar top but All other culs on the up were written or co written by members of Alabama. Owen said Iho idea for a Back to the Basica album gradually came to All the members of the band a few years ago to had this fooling of a need to go Back to recording what to had written. I Don t think there s anything wrong Wilh that. We be nil been writers and did t want to decide to record Only our own songs and not give the other writers a Chance Owen said. So we did and probably too much we got to the Point where we were recording just Iho Sony or thai people would pitch to us. They were great songs and big hits. Bui still when you Philorm these song night after night Afler night on the stage you suddenly Swait thinking i wonder How that song was written what does it mean i know whal. Let me be the one ept i 9. Little lies few howl my 10. Carrie Eurac top up s1. Bad 2. Whitesnake wmuvv1u 3 a momentary lapse of reason Pik floyd4. Dirty danc1no Gourami cd 5 hysteria in la fwd a Whitney or Tutor Houlon to the lonesome Jubilee or � the Joshua tree u2 9 la Bamba Soumar of to bad 4nimal5 fan top country singles1. She Shike Shine Doty 2. H10.ht room the 3taht owl to Kunj con j. Love me like you used to to nil Tucker t. Am i slue g s. Maybe your baby s got the blues tin jul 61 won t need you an Mofle funny tfj.11 7. Crazy from the heart tin in Ltd b/01 t. Tar top Alt Xii �. Lynda Sim Winmer id somebody Ueo it a Vin of Talon top Black singles i. Bad Midow Jack Ion 1. We be Only just begun ohm Jodi 3. Dom t you want me j 4. Lov1n you tto by s i oort thin that Man 5hculo sleep alone Ray pm. C you and me tonight a 7 Angel Jln Jeu Wuhu i a Rush on me i t mn4 my l 9 heart of old Bwl to twin 10 dinner with Gershwin Donau Samimi oui ref top British singles 1. You win a am be cart full Metal jacket a Cpl mud of own King 3 chair crazy might kill 4. Pump up the volume Mirri 5 Crockett s theme in Hift twi i found lovin til but Eurel i i found Loving Shn w
