Update?

[jaxmanjoe]

Can someone from the Survivor camp please post some type of update on what's going on with the new record? How many songs are in the can? How many left to finish? Release date?

We know you are still playing gigs but throw us a bone already. How long until the website is back? What's the current line up? Who is producing the album? Any guests on the album?

It's been months since we've heard anything about new material. It takes one minute to post 50 words on Twitter or Facebook. If you can't post an update for legal reasons let us at least know that.

Are you playing any of the new songs in upcoming dates?

I'm starting to feel like Old Mother Hubbard's dog. This message board is bare.

[Eyeof]

This might be the worst stretch ever....simply because of the promises that were made and how inevitable they made it seem...and then.....ssshhhhhhhhhhhhh

Reminds me of the Rocky Balboa news that was going to 'blow' our minds...then...cue the crickets....

I think being a big fan of this band might be one of the most frustrating things on the planet!

I mean we all know the body of work...we all love it...we all know it should have been bigger, but we are reminded on a daily basis just why it wasn't....

[Slander]

Can someone from the Survivor camp please post some type of update on what's going on with the new record? How many songs are in the can? How many left to finish? Release date?

We know you are still playing gigs but throw us a bone already. How long until the website is back? What's the current line up? Who is producing the album? Any guests on the album?

It's been months since we've heard anything about new material. It takes one minute to post 50 words on Twitter or Facebook. If you can't post an update for legal reasons let us at least know that.

Are you playing any of the new songs in upcoming dates?

I'm starting to feel like Old Mother Hubbard's dog. This message board is bare.

Hi Jax,

Frankie does updates on fb and twitter. I following him on both. There isn't anything new of late but a few months back FS said something to the effect that there wasn't a rush because it's not The White Album. He was being funny. I took from his comments that it will be out when it comes out period. There is no rush. I would be interested in knowing if they are playing new material in concert.

[MarcelJordan]

I do know that the website is being updated (FS confirmed 2 days ago). It was supposed to correspond with the new album, once album is ready.

I am aware 6 tunes are done and dusted. Perhaps they're cleaning up the rest with some tweaks here and there.

The guys are on the road and did play two new tunes some weeks back atleast.

MJ

[Eyeof]

Hey Marcel....what were the new tunes?

[IngoK]

I mean we all know the body of work...we all love it...we all know it should have been bigger, but we are reminded on a daily basis just why it wasn't....

Excellent Post. Couldn't agree more.

[Andrew]

Yeah, there's no rush...why rush anything....we're all still 20-something and the world is on tender hooks just waiting for new material from classic rock bands. Take your time...everyone will still be waiting around in 5 years time....no rush at all.

[MarcelJordan]

[quote="Eyeof"]Hey Marcel....what were the new tunes?[/quote

I really don't know the names but what I do know is that one of them is confirmed to be in the album and an MP3 of it is ready.


MJ

[Eyeof]

When he said no rush to put anything out was he talking about "Fire Makes Steel" or "Re-Entry" or does it even matter? There is a pattern here...

[mrsromek]

Other than the die-hards, would anyone really care if they made a new album? Go ask 10 people you know about Survivor. I bet 7 of the 10 think they broke up in the mid 80's after Burning Heart.

[IngoK]

Jimi's website is down too. Let the rush begin. Who's faster.....

[jaxmanjoe]

Other than the die-hards, would anyone really care if they made a new album? Go ask 10 people you know about Survivor. I bet 7 of the 10 think they broke up in the mid 80's after Burning Heart.

Most people I mention Survivor to go, "Who?"

I sigh and say, "The Eye of the Tiger Band" and they go, "Oh."

Poor souls...

[Eyeof]

That is my point...the music was solid...it is the complete ineptness of the band to do any pr, promotion and/or help themselves that make that the case...you know?

[Slander]

..the music was solid...it is the complete ineptness of the band to do any pr, promotion and/or help themselves that make that the case...you know?

Eye you and I agree here 100 percent. I have said that for years. Their music, I feel was superior to many bands of the 80's and yet they were second tier. I always hated that. I had friends that really thought VS rocked. I won a lot of male friends over to Survivor. They were poised for huge things. However after WSC the sound soften and I believe newly converted fans left in droves for the hair metal craze. Just my opinion. I could be wrong. Also I think Scotti Brothers was having issues if I recall.

[Eyeof]

You know if you think about it...the two releases off of WSC could not have been worse for them....maybe two of the most pop sounding Survivor songs EVER! (Is This Love and How Much Love)...Hell the fact they both had the word love should have told someone something!

There actually are a couple of songs on the album that rocked. The point is, they should have jumped more towards the hair metal, harder edge sound at that time, not complete keyboard pop...but I regress...

All I know is that I can listen to their body of work up against Journey and Reo Speedwagon any day, but that is not the perception. I actually prefer Survivor...You go back and take a listen to some of the early stuff, CITG, the OTHER songs on EOTT...damn it, this band rocked and should have been HUGE!

I don't think Scotti Bros helped much...thought John Cafferty should have been bigger as well...

Hell, I'm on a roll!..

Like it our not, Moment of Truth should have been a HUGE, HUGE hit...The movie was BIG. The song was perfect....Hell, you could not get the damn thing. I had to special order it from a local record store. How can that be a hit, when you can't get it? It's better than the songs from the next two Karate Kid movies, and both were hits!


I even remember that THTS was out for six months before I even knew it!


ahhhh

I

[Slander]

You know if you think about it...the two releases off of WSC could not have been worse for them....maybe two of the most pop sounding Survivor songs EVER! (Is This Love and How Much Love)...Hell the fact they both had the word love should have told someone something!

There actually are a couple of songs on the album that rocked. The point is, they should have jumped more towards the hair metal, harder edge sound at that time, not complete keyboard pop...but I regress...

All I know is that I can listen to their body of work up against Journey and Reo Speedwagon any day, but that is not the perception. I actually prefer Survivor...You go back and take a listen to some of the early stuff, CITG, the OTHER songs on EOTT...damn it, this band rocked and should have been HUGE!

I don't think Scotti Bros helped much...thought John Cafferty should have been bigger as well...

Hell, I'm on a roll!..

Like it our not, Moment of Truth should have been a HUGE, HUGE hit...The movie was BIG. The song was perfect....Hell, you could not get the damn thing. I had to special order it from a local record store. How can that be a hit, when you can't get it? It's better than the songs from the next two Karate Kid movies, and both were hits!


I even remember that THTS was out for six months before I even knew it!


ahhhh

I

Eye we may have to come to grips with fame may have been more important to us fans than the band itself.

[Eyeof]

I don't care about fame, but respect would have been nice!

But we'll never know the truth behind it all, and it sure won't be a movie as nobody cares!

lol

[kgdjpubs]

You know if you think about it...the two releases off of WSC could not have been worse for them....maybe two of the most pop sounding Survivor songs EVER! (Is This Love and How Much Love)...Hell the fact they both had the word love should have told someone something!

the songs were no more pop than anything released up to that point. It was the PRODUCTION that was pop with the keyboard-based sound and burying the guitars. Live, the songs were much closer to a rock band.

There actually are a couple of songs on the album that rocked. The point is, they should have jumped more towards the hair metal, harder edge sound at that time, not complete keyboard pop...but I regress...

The B-side of the record (Rebel Son onwards) is trying it's best to be a rock album under a pop production. Much heavier lyrically and instrumentally than the first half of the record. Makes me wonder how something like Can't Let You Go would have done on rock radio at the time. How Much Love with audible guitars would had stood at least a little bit of a chance.

All I know is that I can listen to their body of work up against Journey and Reo Speedwagon any day, but that is not the perception. I actually prefer Survivor...

Being a big Journey fan also, I think the Survivor catalog is stronger overall than the Journey one. Some of the big-big Journey songs might have peaked at a higher level, but they usually had a few fillers also. Survivor overall was pretty consistent, with a pretty even quality across the cds.

You go back and take a listen to some of the early stuff, CITG, the OTHER songs on EOTT...damn it, this band rocked and should have been HUGE!

Unfortunately, the band got pigeon-holed into two sounds. Eye of the Tiger, the song....and Vital Signs. One was a song written especially for a movie, which sounded little like the rest of the album....and the other was a very lightweight pop sound that was never repeated again. Neither really captured the true sound of Survivor.

The singles would argue against it, but if you listen to a fair representation of the whole catalogue, Survivor was much more of a hard rock band than Journey was. Too bad the radio choices made them out to be lightweight pop-rock instead. I think the same thing happened to Journey to a lesser extent, but at least they got some rock songs on radio. Survivor didn't get the rock side shown with the exception of the Rocky songs and maybe I Can't Hold Back. It was all pop and ballads.

The Bickler era, the B-side of When Seconds Count (ie Rebel Son onwards) and Too Hot to Sleep show rock band. Problem is, unless you have the catalogue, you'd never know it. Premonition might be the best album in the catalog (and is certainly a rocking record!), and nobody other then the diehards have ever heard it.

[Slander]

Premonition might be the best album in the catalog (and is certainly a rocking record!), and nobody other then the diehards have ever heard it.

Premonition has some real gems on it. I just listened to it the other day. By the way, I think Tiger is an underrated album. Their is some great music on their and nothing I consider filler. "The One That Real Matters" real sticks out for me. That got airplay on a couple of stations where I lived. Damn that song cooks.

[kgdjpubs]

Premonition might be the best album in the catalog (and is certainly a rocking record!), and nobody other then the diehards have ever heard it.

Premonition has some real gems on it. I just listened to it the other day.

yep...even better with the full version of Summer Nights (which was massacred in the short version), and the revised--and better--running order of the Japanese release.

By the way, I think Tiger is an underrated album. Their is some great music on their and nothing I consider filler. "The One That Real Matters" real sticks out for me. That got airplay on a couple of stations where I lived. Damn that song cooks.

Tiger is a good album. I still think Premonition edges it a bit, but Tiger's very solid. Listening to how higher Bickler was, with the benefit of hindsight, it's no wonder he blew out his voice though. The change is very noticeable between Eye of the Tiger and Caught in the Game.

[MarcelJordan]

The change is very noticeable between Eye of the Tiger and Caught in the Game.

I agree with this.

As far as personal point of view goes, I loved the Eye album Dave was impeccable. Not so much for CITG or that level that Dave reached in Premonition. But the saving grace was it was guitar centric.

MJ

[kgdjpubs]

The change is very noticeable between Eye of the Tiger and Caught in the Game.

I agree with this.

As far as personal point of view goes, I loved the Eye album Dave was impeccable. Not so much for CITG or that level that Dave reached in Premonition. But the saving grace was it was guitar centric.

MJ

I think Dave was a much improved singer by the CITG album, but he was singing beyond his normal range on Tiger, and it caught up with him. Jim Peterik is one of the best at getting a great vocal out of singers, and both Bickler and Jamison benefited from that.

[Eyeof]

Based on your post I went back and listened to a boot of the WSC tour and it seems like an overall direction of the band. Even Tiger and CITG seem more keyboard driven in that era. Granted, it's not a great boot and maybe I'm just not hearing the lead guitar as I should, but I can sure hear the synth...

You know if you think about it...the two releases off of WSC could not have been worse for them....maybe two of the most pop sounding Survivor songs EVER! (Is This Love and How Much Love)...Hell the fact they both had the word love should have told someone something!

the songs were no more pop than anything released up to that point. It was the PRODUCTION that was pop with the keyboard-based sound and burying the guitars. Live, the songs were much closer to a rock band.

There actually are a couple of songs on the album that rocked. The point is, they should have jumped more towards the hair metal, harder edge sound at that time, not complete keyboard pop...but I regress...

The B-side of the record (Rebel Son onwards) is trying it's best to be a rock album under a pop production. Much heavier lyrically and instrumentally than the first half of the record. Makes me wonder how something like Can't Let You Go would have done on rock radio at the time. How Much Love with audible guitars would had stood at least a little bit of a chance.

All I know is that I can listen to their body of work up against Journey and Reo Speedwagon any day, but that is not the perception. I actually prefer Survivor...

Being a big Journey fan also, I think the Survivor catalog is stronger overall than the Journey one. Some of the big-big Journey songs might have peaked at a higher level, but they usually had a few fillers also. Survivor overall was pretty consistent, with a pretty even quality across the cds.

You go back and take a listen to some of the early stuff, CITG, the OTHER songs on EOTT...damn it, this band rocked and should have been HUGE!

Unfortunately, the band got pigeon-holed into two sounds. Eye of the Tiger, the song....and Vital Signs. One was a song written especially for a movie, which sounded little like the rest of the album....and the other was a very lightweight pop sound that was never repeated again. Neither really captured the true sound of Survivor.

The singles would argue against it, but if you listen to a fair representation of the whole catalogue, Survivor was much more of a hard rock band than Journey was. Too bad the radio choices made them out to be lightweight pop-rock instead. I think the same thing happened to Journey to a lesser extent, but at least they got some rock songs on radio. Survivor didn't get the rock side shown with the exception of the Rocky songs and maybe I Can't Hold Back. It was all pop and ballads.

The Bickler era, the B-side of When Seconds Count (ie Rebel Son onwards) and Too Hot to Sleep show rock band. Problem is, unless you have the catalogue, you'd never know it. Premonition might be the best album in the catalog (and is certainly a rocking record!), and nobody other then the diehards have ever heard it.

[kgdjpubs]

Based on your post I went back and listened to a boot of the WSC tour and it seems like an overall direction of the band. Even Tiger and CITG seem more keyboard driven in that era. Granted, it's not a great boot and maybe I'm just not hearing the lead guitar as I should, but I can sure hear the synth...

The whole industry was going to heavy keyboards at that time, not just Survivor. That's going to decrease the rock aspect, and increase the pop. The songwriting didn't change much though--they just put a pop production on what could have been a rock album.

compare these with the studio versions. You aren't going to hear them bury the keys, but you can at least hear the guitars.
How Much Love (Japan tour)...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7-KvksvWp0
or the JJ-solo version of Is This Love...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUq7oVFQ_eQ (I have a better one from a '97 show, but this is close enough for online)



as far as CITG, I'm not hearing much keys here at all from the WSC tour live in Japan...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmSt9n7uLs4
Of course, it sounds like it's downtuned a bit from the studio version, so it's going to sound a bit heavier/darker. That '87 live video from Japan didn't find JJ's best night.

[Richard Epps]

No that 1987 show wasnt great for JJ,EOTT sounds terrible,the drum and cymbol sound are awful and Jamo mucks up the second verse a bit. I notice on the track When Seconds Count there is a lot of background vocals from Frankie,whereas other shows from this tour he hardly sang any background vocals on that track,I reckon it was because it was being filmed.