Robin Zander (album)

Robin Zander
Robin Zander
Studio album by Robin Zander
Released	July 6, 1993
Genre	Rock
Length	51:13
Label	Interscope
Producer	Jimmy Iovine, Robin Zander, James "Jae-E" Earley, Matt Dike, Mike Campbell
Robin Zander chronology

Robin Zander is the debut solo album from American singer Robin Zander of Cheap Trick, released in 1993 by Interscope.

Background

When Cheap Trick parted from their label, Epic, in 1991, Zander felt he had the opportunity to record a solo album while the band secured a new record deal. Zander told Billboard in 1993: "It just seemed like the right time. There's absolutely no dissatisfaction within the Cheap Trick realm. It's sort of like when you have this career, you need a hobby on the side. That's how I think of it." Speaking of the album itself, Zander commented: "It's not a half-baked Cheap Trick album. A lot of the solo albums I've heard over the years sound just like the band the person used to be in, or is in, and I didn't want to do that."^[1]

Song information

"I've Always Got You" was released as a single and peaked at No. 13 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart.^[2] "Show Me Heaven" was released as the second and final single from the album.

"Emily" was written with David A. Stewart (of the Eurythmics) and features Cheap Trick bassist Tom Petersson on bass guitar. "Secret" was written with the songwriting team Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly along with Rick Nielsen, lead guitarist of Cheap Trick. Cheap Trick later performed "Time Will Let You Know" live in 2000, which was released the following year on their live release Silver. Holland Zander, Robin Zander's daughter and former lead singer of The Snaggs, made a guest appearance to sing a duet version of the track. The song "Walkin' Shoes" was re-recorded for Zander's intended 2010 solo follow-up Countryside Blvd..

For the German version of the "I've Always Got You" single, an extra non-album track was added, "Stone Cold Rhythm Shake", written and originally performed by singer/songwriter Robert Vaughn on his 1991 album Songs from the Riverhouse.^[3] The track was added as a bonus track to the Japanese version of the Robin Zander album.^[4]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[5]

Upon release, Mark Blackwell of Spin commented: "...yawn as you mist as the prospect, Zander has 'surrendered' his debut, and has actually done a damn fine job of it. From the opening Mellencamp-Petty-esque riffs of the drivin'-down-the-highway-with-the-top-down pop of 'Reactionary Girl' to the Queen-10cc-esque layered balladry of 'Time Will Let You Know', Zander digs through his classic rock collection to appropriate a wide variety of styles—almost every track has a different, recognizable feel, the least 'in-effect' of which is standard Cheap Trick power pop."^[6]

Pan-European magazine Music & Media considered the album to "boast a bewildering array of different styles, although the respect for "the song" always remains the focal point." They added: "Zander not only proves to be a very able songwriter himself, he also knows how to pick songs by others and turn them into something of his own."^[7] Billboard described the album as "well-sung", but one that "unfortunately suffers from underambitious writing and song selection". They added: "The best tracks here have the snap of Zander's finest work with [Cheap Trick], but much of the remainder just doesn't match the quality of the singing."^[8]

Tom Demalon of AllMusic retrospectively said: "It's a balanced mix of taut, power pop, heartfelt ballads, and tasty covers. Zander's not redefining pi here. Instead, it's fifty minutes of well-crafted rock delivered by one of the most-gifted vocalists and frontmen in rock history."^[5]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Reactionary Girl"	Rob Laufer	3:19
2.	"I've Always Got You"	J.D. Souther Mike Campbell Robin Zander	3:40
3.	"Show Me Heaven"	Eric Rackin Jay Rifkin Maria McKee	4:03
4.	"Jump into the Fire"	Harry Nilsson	3:12
5.	"Time Will Let You Know"	Zander Brian O. Who	5:32
6.	"Boy (I'm So in Love With You)"	Fred Reynolds Zander	4:55
7.	"Tell It to the World"	Souther Campbell Zander	3:30
8.	"Emily"	Dave Stewart Zander	6:09
9.	"I Believe in You"	Neil Young	4:03
10.	"Secret"	Billy Steinberg Rick Nielsen Zander Tom Kelly	4:30
11.	"Everlasting Love"	Mick MacNeil Zander	4:32
12.	"Walkin' Shoes"	Mark Spiro Zander	3:59

Personnel

Robin Zander – vocals, keyboards, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, string arrangements

Additional Musicians

Peter Asher – drum programming
Christina Amphlett – guest vocals
David Bianco – mixer
Gregg Bissonette – drums
Robbie Buchanan – keyboards
Paul Buckmaster – conductor, string arrangements
Kim Bullard – keyboards, synthesizers
Mike Campbell – guitar, resonator guitar, synthesizer, bass guitar, keyboards, producer
James "Jae-E" Earley – drum programming, keyboards
Don Felder – guitar solo
Steve Ferris – guitar
Mike Fisher – percussion
Mick Fleetwood – drums
Derrick Forbes – bass guitar
Bobbye Hall – percussion
Bonnie Hayes – keyboards
Scott Humphrey – keyboards, synthesizer
Dr. John – piano
Rob Laufer – guitar
Patrick Leonard – piano, organ, synthesizer
Mick MacNeil – keyboards, co-producer, programmer
Linda Mae McCrary – choir
Alfred McCrary – choir
Brian McGee – drums
Maria McKee – additional vocals on "Show Me Heaven", drum programming
Stevie Nicks – additional vocals
Edna Wright Perry – choir
Tom Petersson – bass guitar on "Emily"
Nathaniel Phillips – bass guitar
Tim Pierce – acoustic guitar, electric guitar
Richard Ruce – bass guitar
Alfie Silas – choir
J.D. Souther – additional vocals
David A. Stewart – guitar
Gary Taylar – guitar
Benmont Tench – organ, electric piano
Carlos Vega – drums, drum programming, percussion
Brian O. Who – piano and keyboard arranger

Production

Martin Brumbach – assistant engineer
Bob Clearmountain – mixer
Matt Dike – engineer, producer
James "Jae-E" Earley - engineer, producer
Rob Hart – assistant engineer
Jimmy Iovine – producer
Rob Jacobs – additional engineer, mixer
Phil Kaffel – associate producer, engineer
Mick MacNeil - co-producer
Brian Scheuble – engineer
Robin Zander - producer

Charts

Chart (1993)	Peak position
Swedish Albums Chart^[9]	38

References

^ Billboard magazine - Artists & Music: Robin Zander pulls solo trick - David Sprague - August 7, 1993 - page 10
^ "Robin Zander - Robin Zander". AllMusic. 1993-07-06. Retrieved 2011-08-10.
^ "Songs from the Riverhouse - Robert Vaughn | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards | AllMusic". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2015-05-14.
^ Martin E. Adelson. "Robin Zander - Robin Zander". discog.fleetwoodmac.net. Retrieved 2015-05-14.
^ ^a ^b Tom Demalon (1993-07-06). "Robin Zander Robin Zander". AllMusic. Retrieved 2019-02-01.
^ SPIN. SPIN Media LLC. September 1993. p. 122. ISSN 0886-3032. Retrieved 2015-05-14.
^ Music & Media magazine - New Releases: Albums - September 4, 1993 - page 13
^ Billboard magazine – Album Reviews – July 24, 1993 – page 56
^ Steffen Hung (1993-08-25). "Robin Zander - Robin Zander". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 2019-02-01.