Track listening:
1-DON’T STOP THE WHEEL TURNING 3:39 / 2- GOOD LIFE
4:03 / 3- UNCERTAIN 6:34 / 4- I'LL HAVE SOME OF THAT 4:43 / 5- FIRE AND GRACE
3:26 / 6- RAISE YOUR GLASS 3:24 / 7- TIME 4:38 / 8- REAL THING 4:33 / 9- REASON
TO WALK AWAY 4:26 / 10- FAST FORWARD TO LAST NIGHT 3:13 / 11- CHANGE OF HEART
4:21 / 12- THE SAME 4:02 / 13*-YOU ARE THE HEROS 3:27 *bonus track with first
pressing only
All songs: Winterlight Music ASCAP
It seems people often have differing recollections of
important events. Everyone has their perspective or a different point of view.
Sometimes it’s hard, even for trained eyes and ears to trace the roots of
relationships or find the source of a fire. If you were a serious musical
archaeologist or perhaps simply a curious person with a shovel, and you were in
San Francisco’s fog shrouded North Beach area, specifically on Columbus Ave. in
the late-80s you would have been digging through the ash and sifting through the
rubble of Bill Graham’s venue known as Wolfgang’s after the big fire. If you
were lucky you might have found crucial evidence, tattered threads or charred
clues hinting to the origin of Alliance. It was at Wolfgang’s that long time
Sammy Hagar drummer David Lauser and a bandmate, both recently set adrift from
the positions they had graced for years until Hagar jumped to join Van Halen,
came to see the Robert Berry Band perform. It seems Lauser, along with guitarist
Gary Pihl and Gamma / Night Ranger keyboardist Alan ‘Fitz’ Fitzgerald were
searching for an allusive missing piece for a new project they were plotting.
There was a spark for sure. But would it become a flame or a smouldering
match?
***“It seems like just yesterday that Gary called me
about forming a group for the purpose of having a band outside of our main
musical commitments. After several failed attempts with male and female
vocalists and bassists, the illustrious A&R man, John Kalodner suggested we
contact Robert Berry. Subsequently, Gary, Fitz and I jammed with Robert at Sammy
Hagar's home studio. There was a definite spark. An immediate connection. Was
that really 30 years ago? Spanning three decades and an ever changing musical
landscape, Alliance has been truly a labor of love for all of us.” - David "Bro"
Lauser
***“I grew up thinking that being in a band would be the
coolest thing ever. A musical oasis where everybody contributes creative parts
to make a new and unique sound. Bands like Cream or Led Zeppelin had terrific
guitar players but the other musicians were just as important in creating a
style that was easily recognised and different from anyone else. Even different
than the bands those players had been in before. The term, "supergroup" was
coined to describe how several well-known players could bring their previous
experiences to the melting pot of something new. A match, for sure. I'm very
fortunate to be a part of what I think of as a supergroup. Fitz, David and
Robert all have long histories with successful groups and Alliance has been our
opportunity to take the best of what we have as individuals and create a new and
unique identity.
One of my proudest moments with the band was arriving at
our first gig and instead of addressing us by our individual names or past
affiliations, the promoter just said, "Alliance?" ... our answer; "Yes, We Are!"
- Gary Pihl
***As I look back on this musical journey called
Alliance I can’t help but think that my band mates were, and still are, the best
musical partnership I could have ever dream of. But, it almost didn’t happen.
Timing is always an important ingredient for success. In 1986 Sammy Hagar left
his band to join Van Halen. David Lauser, Alan Fitzgerald and Gary Pihl from
Hagar’s band, were determined to continue their musical endeavours together. In
their search they had come to see my band at Wolfgang’s in San Francisco. It was
complicated by the fact that Steve Howe had just invited me to join him in GTR
and I had planned to move to England. Gary had been invited to join Boston and
David was still performing solo shows with Hagar. Jump ahead to 1989 and Gary,
David and FItz still hadn’t come up with the right combination. I had just
returned to the U.S. and the timing was perfect to start this new, yet unnamed
band. Now, 30 years later, after all the writing and recording, the many miles
traveled, and an honest, supportive friendship, we’ve done what I believe is the
definitive Alliance album. Creative, non-compromising, and putting our heart and
soul into every song. Alliance has all the ingredients of what a band should be.
The fire still burns. - Robert Berry
Band is:
Robert Berry: All vocals, Bass and keyboards (solo
artist, 3, and GTR)
Gary Pihl: All Guitars (Boston and Sammy
Hagar)
David Lauser: Drums (Sammy Hagar And The
Waboritas)
Produced by: ALLIANCE
All Arrangements by: ALLIANCE
Recorded at: Soundtek Studios, Campbell,
CA.
GP Studio Boston
Engineered and Mixed By: Robert Berry
Mastered By: Alan Douches
Cover Artwork and design by: Richard Jones at
web-spaghetti, UK
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