Magazine (album)

Infobox Album | Name = Magazine
Type = Album
Artist = Heart


Released = First release: April, 1977 Second release: April 22, 1978
Recorded = 1975 and 1976 partially re-recorded and re-mixed, 1978
Genre = Hard rock
Length = 39:13
Label = Mushroom Records Capitol Records
Producer = Mike Flicker
Reviews = *Allmusic Rating|2|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:o7dovwdva9ek link]

Last album = "Little Queen" (1977)
This album = "Magazine" (1978)
Next album = "Dog and Butterfly" (1978)

"Magazine" is the second studio album by the hard rock band Heart. The album was certified platinum.

It has an unusual history in that the first release was not authorized by the the group. A second authorized version of the album was re-recorded, re-mixed, and re-released the following year.

Background

The album was originally intended to be the follow-up to Heart's 1976 debut album "Dreamboat Annie". After the debut, Heart began recording 5 new songs that would have been part of their next album for Mushroom Records. However, the group had a falling out with Mushroom over an advertising campaign celebrating the sales of "Dreamboat Annie". Recording sessions stopped after the band and their label were unsuccessful in re-negotiating their contract.

As the group had now proven themselves to be hit-makers, they expected Mushroom to raise their royalty rate. But to the surprise of the group and their producer, Mike Flicker, the label initially refused to pay more and decided not to release a second Heart album. Flicker ended his relationship with the label and the group followed, as they had no obligation to stay without their producer. The CBS Records (now Sony BMG) subsidiary, Portrait Records, had offered Flicker and the group a more lucrative contract. The group broke the 2-album contract with Mushroom by early 1977.

1977 release

The change in labels resulted in a prolonged legal battle with Mushroom's manager, Shelly Siegel. Mushroom, still having a 2-album contract, believed they had the legal right to a release a second Heart album after all. Mushroom took rough mixes of the 5 studio recordings, added "Here Song", a rare b-side, and filled up the rest of the album with 2 live songs recorded in 1975 at the Aquarius Tavern, a Seattle club. Mushroom released the collection as "Magazine" in the spring of 1977 at the same time that the group was preparing their next album for Portrait titled "Little Queen".

According to Flicker, about 50,000 copies of the original "Magazine" album were pressed. Some of these copies were sold in stores, mostly in Los Angeles and Hollywood, Florida. Unsold copies were recalled and destroyed when Heart took Mushroom to court to stop distribution of the album. The 1977 version was also briefly released in Europe through Arista Records. Though the album was not officially released to radio stations in 1977, some stations such as KISW, a leading rock station in Seattle, played songs from the unauthorized version, against the wishes of the group. The 1977 release album cover carried a disclaimer on the back cover which read: "Mushroom Records regrets that a contractual dispute has made it necessary to complete this record without the cooperation or endorsement of the group Heart, who have expressly disclaimed artistic involvement in completing this record. We did not feel that a contractual dispute should prevent the public from hearing and enjoying these incredible tunes and recordings."

Injunction, re-recording and remixing

Unhappy with the demo-like-quality sound of the 1977 release, the group took Mushroom to court with the aim of having the 1977 release of "Magazine" taken off the market. The Seattle court ruled that Mushroom had to recall the album, but the terms of the settlement required that Heart provide a second album for Mushroom. Heart chose to fulfill this obligation by finishing the released songs to a quality of their satisfaction. A security guard stood by in the studio to make sure that the group didn't try to erase the multitrack master tapes.

Heart chose to re-record and/or remix the songs, adding new lead vocals to most of the studio recordings. For example, the synthesizer solo on "Just The Wine" was replaced by a flute solo. Some of the songs were also edited for re-release. Another obvious difference is that on the original recording of "Heartless" Ann Wilson sings "The "doc" said come back again next week..." On the re-recorded version she clearly sings "doctor" instead.

1978 release

The revised version of the album was released with a different track sequence (and no disclaimer) in April 1978.

Epilogue

In the early 1980s Mushroom Records went out of business, and Heart's two albums for the label were purchased and re-issued by Capitol Records.

Track listing - 1977 Release

#"Heartless" (Ann Wilson, Nancy Wilson) – 5:00
#"Without You" (Peter Ham, Tom Evans)– 4:44
#"Just The Wine" (A. Wilson, N. Wilson) – 4:30
#"Magazine" (A. Wilson, N. Wilson) – 6:55
#"Here Song" (A. Wilson) – 1:35
#"Devil Delight" (A. Wilson, N. Wilson) – 4:58
#"Blues Medley (Mother Earth) (You Shook Me Babe)" (Live) (Peter Chapman, Lewis Simkin, Willie Dixon) – 7:11
#"I've Got The Music In Me" (Live) (Bias Boshell) – 6:01

Track listing - 1978 Release

#"Heartless" (A. Wilson, N. Wilson) – 5:02
#"Devil Delight" (A. Wilson, N. Wilson) – 5:00
#"Just The Wine" (A. Wilson, N. Wilson) – 4:16
#"Without You" (Ham, Evans) – 4:42
#"Magazine" (A. Wilson, N. Wilson) – 6:22
#"Here Song" (A. Wilson) – 1:34
#"Mother Earth Blues" (Live) (Chapman, Simkin, Dixon) – 5:59
#"I've Got The Music In Me" (Live) (Boshell) – 6:18

Performers

*Ann Wilson: vocals, guitar, keyboards, violin
*Nancy Wilson: vocals, guitar, piano
*Michael DeRosier: drums
*Roger Fisher: guitar, steel guitar
*Steve Fossen: bass guitar, percussion
*Howard Leese: guitar, keyboards, synthesizer, vocals