Maps of Music

Everybody's Crazy (1985)

Where the lyrics of Everybody's Crazy take you, and where it was really made.

The lead guitarist left to join Kiss, and the title track's MTV video later turned up in a 1986 Rodney Dangerfield film.

Key places

Power Station, where the album was recorded (1985)

Recording site Power Station Studio — The album was recorded at Power Station in New York City. The point marks the studio building, not the exact room used. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Electric Lady Studios in New York (1985)

Recording site Electric Lady Studios — Electric Lady Studios in New York City is listed among the studios where the album was recorded. The point marks the studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

The Hit Factory in New York (1985)

Recording site The Hit Factory — The Hit Factory in New York City is listed among the studios where the album was recorded. It was also used for mixing. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Garden Rake Studios, Sherman Oaks (1985)

Recording site Record One — Jay Graydon added overdubs at Garden Rake Studios in Sherman Oaks, California. The point shows the city centre because the exact studio building is not confirmed. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Everybody's Crazy: fourth studio album by American singer Michael Bolton
• Released March 15, 1985 by Columbia Records
• Lead guitarist Bruce Kulick, later of Kiss, plays on the album
• After Kulick left, Kevin Reye/Reyes replaced him on guitar for post-album support
• Reissued overseas in the mid-1990s with a then-current photo of Bolton on the cover
• Rock Candy Records reissued it on CD in the UK on February 25, 2008, with a 12-page full colour booklet

Background

• Producer Neil Kernon was contacted by Bolton's manager and asked whether he would be interested
• Kernon had liked 'Fools Game' from Bolton's previous album and met Bolton, who got along with him right away
• Kernon described Bolton as one of the funniest people he had met
• Bolton did not want to re-release this album or his 1983 self-titled album on CD, fearing confusion among fans of his later adult contemporary music

Recording

• Recorded at The Hit Factory, Power Station, Delta Recording Studios and Electric Lady Studios
• Mixed at The Hit Factory, Power Station, Delta Recording Studios, Electric Lady Studios and Soundcastle Recorders in Los Angeles
• Additional overdubs by Jay Graydon at Garden Rake Studios in Sherman Oaks, California
• Mastered at Masterdisk in New York City by Bob Ludwig

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Born Michael Bolotin on February 26, 1953, in New Haven, Connecticut.
• At age 14 he formed the group the Nomads, which was signed to a singles contract by Epic Records when he was 16.
• Began recording in 1975 at The Church Studio in Tulsa, Oklahoma, under his original family name Bolotin.
• Early career focused on hard rock; his band Blackjack once opened for Ozzy Osbourne on tour.

Career

• Anglicized his name to Bolton and gained his first major hit as a songwriter, co-writing "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You" for Laura Branigan.
• Recorded his own version of "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You" in 1988, reaching number one on the Hot 100.
• Achieved peak success as a pop ballad singer in the late 1980s and early 1990s with songwriters such as Diane Warren and Desmond Child.
• Covered Otis Redding's "(Sittin' On) the Dock of the Bay" (1987) and Percy Sledge's "When a Man Loves a Woman," a Grammy-winning cover on the 1991 album Time, Love & Tenderness.
• Faced a plagiarism suit from the Isley Brothers over "Love Is a Wonderful Thing," settled with a $4.2 million payment.
• Has sold more than 75 million records, with eight top 10 albums and two Billboard number-one singles.
• Later worked in television and film, appeared on Dancing with the Stars, and produced the documentary American Dream: Detroit.

Reception

Reappraisal

• AllMusic, in a retrospective review, criticized the album for muting Bolton's distinctive vocals
• AllMusic said Bolton often seemed to be fighting to be heard, and when he was heard, he had mostly clichés to offer
• The hard rock/AOR database Heavy Harmonies gives the album an average rating of 88/100
• Musical style contrasts with the majority of Bolton's later and more successful output
• Because of that contrast, songs from the album rarely appear on Bolton compilations
• The title track was included on Bolton's entry in the Playlist series of Greatest Hits compilations

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• The title track was a minor hit on hard rock radio stations.
• The MTV video of the title track was featured in the 1986 Rodney Dangerfield movie Back to School.
• Starship covered 'Desperate Heart' on their 1985 album Knee Deep in the Hoopla.
• Kevin Reye/Reyes is credited among the guitarists who played in Bolton's post-album support, including bands such as Black Sheep and Fortress.
• The 2008 UK CD reissue came with a 12-page full colour booklet containing original and new artwork.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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