BAD ENGLISH

BAD ENGLISH


During Journey's decade long breakup in the late 80's, Neal Schon (guitar) and Jonathan Cain (Keys) teamed up with vocalist John Waite and bassist Ricky Phillips who were the group The Baby's with Cain . Thus was born the super group Bad English, after adding Deen Castronovo on drums (who would later join Journey when they reformed). Bad English was more known for their power ballads, which is a shame, cause this band could rock. Like Journey before, Schon was the back bone to this group, and gave the music, much needed balls (like in Journey). But the radio seemed to skip over that part of the band and go with the heart of the music, which like in Journey, Cain was the man. Surprisingly Waite, who in my opinion was never a strong vocalist, provided the soul to the music (much like Journey's soul master, Steve Perry). Waite was able to hold his own with Schon and Cain and make some of the best power ballads ever. Power ballad aren't any good without heart and soul, and the balls to push out this sweet sappy stuff. And all of this was on the first cd. Bad English could have made a good run of cds, but seemed to just give up when things didn't go their way with the second cd.

BAD ENGLISH (A+)

Bad English's debut cd is one of my all time favorite cds. This cd is just simply awe inspiring. And why can't this cd be great?!? It has 2/3's of Journey's hit makers Jonathan Cain and Neal Schon, and Journey's drummer Deen Castronovo. Plus Ricky Phillips on bass (Styx's ) and on vocals John Waite.
The cd starts out with the hard hitter Best Of What I Got, and it just keeps going on from there. Lay Down and Rockin Horse, Tough Times Don't Last are other big rockers. These rockers have the big sound plus the get down.
Also with the big sound, are the power ballads When I See You Smile, Ghost In Your Heart, Possession, and The Price Of Love (which has one of Neal's best solos).
The other songs hold up very good too. Don't Walk Away and The Restless Ones sound more like Waite solo than a Journey type songs, but still hold up good. Heck, this whole cd stand up well to the test of time.
A great cd from the band


BACKLASH (B-)
The cd is a dim journey for the band. Their first cd seemed hard and big, this one has a darker edge. Even though some of the songs were very Journeys, they didn't seem to have the heart of Journey or the their first cd.

So This Is Eden is a hard rocking Hotel California updated song, that goes in to the spoils of stardom, so yeah this song should be dark, but the ballads Like Time Stand Still, and Time Alone With You, are also downers, even though they have some very good acoustic guitar work by Neil. Straight Thru Your Heart comes straight from the Journey playbook, it still carries an undertow, take almost takes the heart out of the song. Dancing Off The Edge Of The World, about a hot woman on the dance floor, is about how all the men treat her.
Those are the first five songs, but they can not lift up the second half of the cd. Some good attempts with Make Love Last and Pray For Rain, but given the half hearted attempts at the songs on the last part, and the over all darkness of the cd, it just isn't a fun listen. This cd, even though it has some good songs, just can not match what all of these guys have done in the past. I only pull this cd out when I am in a down mood and really don't want to be cheered up.


GREATEST HITS (A-)
Kind of weird that a group that has only 2 cds has a 2cd hit package. But they do. Actually they have 2 different hit packages. Both are the same on the first cd. But the 2002 has the extra cd that the 2003 doesn't have. Plus the 2002 is cheaper too!?! Go figure. The 2002 is the better, for the extra songs and better price. Plus it includes the radio remix of The Price Of Love on the extra cd.
So pick it up, the mixtures of the songs together from BACKLASH and BAD ENGLISH, actually given the over cd a better grade, since a lot of the darkness of BACKLASH is lessened when listened with the first cd.

UNRELEASED

Bad English only released two cds of new music before the band broke up. Both the cds BAD ENGLISH and BACKLASH are worth buying, or you can pick up the 2002 hits cd. But the group never got a live cd out there. The band was awesome live. So I listed below the shows I have and included a down loadable link to the RESTLESS ONES show.

WHEN I SEE YOU SMILE - This is a radio broadcast from 1989. Good sounding boot. John forgets the lyrics in one of the songs.

THE RESTLESS ONES - The best of the Bad English shows, band sounds alive and like they are having a blast up on stage. Show is from 9-15-89. Link is below, has 15 tracks and front and back artwork.
www.megaupload.com/?d=IP4QVLZ8

Live At The Pavilion - Recorded in Concord, CA on 4-14-91. this was recorded just weeks before Backlash came out and the band fell apart. Were the above two shows are FM or SB, this show is an audience recorded show, and you can here two goofballs talking at times.

The Lost Tapes - This cd is suppose to be demos that never made it onto a Bad English cd. Some songs sound like John Waite solo material (maybe they hadn't been Schonized yet). But some tracks, you can clearly hear Schon's playing. In doubt about this "whole" cd.