Genre: rock
Rating: 2 stars **
Title: Skinny Boy
Company: Columbia
Catalog: PC-33095
Year: 1975
Country/State: Brooklyn, New York
Grade (cover/record): VG / VG
Comments: original lyric inner sleeve; still in shrink wrap (torn)
Available: 2
GEMM catalog ID: 5333
Price: $9.00
I haven't bought a Chicago LP/CD in 15 years - what are they up to now "Chicago 21"? Frankly I've lost track. The last one in my collection is probably something around "Chicago 16" ... Hum I'll have to go look. Anyhow, 1970s-era Chicago has a special place in my heart, if for no reason other that they were the first band I ever saw in an outdoor arena - Chicago and the Beach Boys summer 1974 at Merriweather Post Pavillion. Still one of my favorite summer concert memories ...
For Chicago fans this is all old news - singer/keyboardist Robert Lamm was one of the founding members of the band and the guy responsible for most of their 1970s hits (think along the lines of 'Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?', '25 Or 6 To 4', or 'Saturday In The Park'). By 1975 Chicago was one of the country's biggest selling bands and so it shouldn't have come as a major surprise that some of the members were interested in stretching their creative wings via outside projects. Along those lines Lamm's self-produced "Skinny Boy" marked the first solo outing by any of the Chicago 'family'. In spite of the fact the only other Chicago members was guitarist Terry Kath, propelled by Lamm's instantly recognizable baritone and jumpy electric keyboards, the album could have been easily been mistaken for a Chicago outing. The big difference was the fact Lamm elected to forgo the irritating horns (Chicago fans will probably disagree, but that was a major plus in my book). Unfortunately Lamm also neglected to bring along his songwriting chops. With the possible exception of the title track (which had also appeared on "Chicago VII") literally nothing here came close to his work with Chicago. Highlights included the surprisingly bluesy title track and 'City Living' (both featuring support from The Pointer Sisters). Curiously the LP appears to have received little promotional support from Columbia (which was probably focusing it's attention on "Chicago VII"). Good luck finding a copy of the LP's single 'Skinny Boy' b/w 'Temporary Jones' (Columbia catalog number 3-10068).
"Skinny
Boy" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Temporary
Jones (Robert Russell - Robert Lamm) - 3:30
2.) Love Song (Robert Lamm) - 3:10
3.) Crazy Way To Spend a Year (Robert Lamm) - 3:22
4.) Until The Time Runs Out (Robert Lamm) - 2:26
5.) Skinny Boy (Robert Lamm) - 4:30
(side
2)
1.) One Step Forward Two
Steps Back (Robert Lamm) - 3:10
2.)
Fireplace and Ivy (Robert
Lamm) - 3:40
2.) Someday I'm Gonna Go (Robert Lamm) - 1:40
3.) A Lifetime We (Robert Lamm) - 3:10
4.) City Living (Robert Lamm) - 2:30
5.) Crazy Brother John (Robert Lamm) - 2:46
For anyone curious, Lamm has an interesting website at: