Imaginos great v. mediocre, no bad timing

[BREVARD Adrian R. (MSMail)]

Regarding Imaginos:

Steve Swan I believed paraphrased it but here is what Pearlman actually
said (not that you weren+t right SS, I just typed most of this before
seeing your qoute. 8^)

"Too bad actually," Pearlman added.  "there+s a summary of the entire
[BOC] career with Imaginos.  If they made Imaginos in the late +70s,
yeah, I think they probably would+ve gone very, very far [on the
strength of it].  A record like Imaginos, given that AOR radio was still
really big, [then], and concept records really ruled AOR radio, it was
an incredible mistake not to do it---just to get out from under me."

Granted this is Mr. Pearlman+s version/recollections on the subject, but
maybe he had a point.   A full length Imaginos done by the original
lineup in say 1976-77 timeframe as a follow up to OYFOOYK, may have
catapulted the band to the top of heavy metal market.I don+t want to
initiate the dreaded -Why weren+t they bigger thread- but if you look at
what and when BOC released (album wise) there is very little flow to the
catalog.

Is Imaginos a mediocre album, yes and no.

Yes, given that what was released was an abridged  hodge podge of
various artist doing individual pieces, with very little incentive and
if you can visualize what Imaginos may have been in its full form with
the complete commitment of the original band.

No, because the album is really quite good despite the way it was made
and the lack of commitment by the artist, producers and CBS.  I can see
how someone not familiar with BOC may not care for it, for the most part
the music goes way over their heads. Imaginos is just not commercially
digestible.

One final point John I enjoyed your description of the various vocal
talents of the main three guys, and for the most part I agree.  I would
however add the word -soulful- in describing Al+s vox, especially on
songs like Vera Gemini.  Don+t know if this one has ever been in a tBS
set, but I think it would be a natural.

AB

obCD: Altura - Mercy