Original Sin (album)

Infobox Album | Name = Original Sin
Type = Album
Artist = Pandora's Box

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Released = 1989
Recorded = The Power Station, New York City
Genre = Rock, Wagnerian Rock
Length =
Label = Virgin
Producer = Jim Steinman
Reviews = *Allmusic Rating|4|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:gvdgyl11xpcb link]
Chronology = Jim Steinman
Last album = "Bad for Good"
This album = "Original Sin"
Next album = ""

"Original Sin" is a concept album performed by Pandora's Box and produced by Jim Steinman. Steinman wrote the majority of this album, although there are a couple of cover versions. It was the group's only album. Although a commercial flop, it is held in very high regard by Steinman fans: it attracts favourable amateur reviews on sites such as Amazon.com.

Although the album was not a commercial success (except in South Africa), many of the songs have gone platinum with other artists. Steinman is said to be very proud of the songs on this album, even though "Original Sin" sold very poorly in comparison with his other albums and songs. The album charted at #43 in Sweden. [ [http://swedishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Pandora%27s+Box&titel=Original+Sin&cat=a swedishcharts.com - Pandora's Box - Original Sin ] ]

The album was rereleased in 2006 along with a DVD featuring the videos for "It's All Coming Back To Me Now" and "Good Girls Go to Heaven (Bad Girls Go Everywhere)", a featurette featuring interviews and performances by Steinman.

Track listings and cover versions

Steinman regularly reworks previous material for a newer project, and much of "Original Sin" has been recycled, as listed in the table below. Some demo versions of tracks recorded by others are listed. Some tracks were intended to be released on The Dream Engine's debut album.

Rory Dodd mostly contributed background vocals and his voice was barely distinguishable in the songs, unlike that of Fire Inc, where he is definitely more audible in the background. Todd Rundgren also helped out with the background vocals this time. Another "Bat out of Hell" veteran who contributed with her voice was Ellen Foley.

Videos

Music videos were produced for the songs "It's All Coming Back to Me Now" and "Good Girls Go to Heaven."

Ken Russell directed the video for "It's All Coming Back to Me Now". It was filmed at Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire. Steinman wrote the script, based on Russell's segment in the compilation opera movie "Aria".cite news |first = Sylvie |last = Simmons |title = Sex, Lies & Videotape |url = http://www.jimsteinman.com/sexlies.htm |format = Reprint on website |work = RAW magazine |date = 1989 |accessdate = 2006-09-04] Elements include leather, snakes, tombstones and cockrings with shrunken heads, and the video featured Caswell as a girl near death - from a motorcycle crash - being ministered to by paramedics, fantasising and being 'sexually aroused by a large python and writhing on a bed that lit up in time with the music, while surrounded by a group of bemused, semi-naked dancers'.cite news |first = Jon |last = Hotten |title = Bat Out Of Hell - The Story Behind The Album |url = http://www.jimsteinman.com/00classicr1.htm |format = Reprint on website |work = Classic Rock Magazine |date = September, 2000 |accessdate = 2006-09-03] When Steinman's manager saw it, he responded 'It's a porno movie!' The two day shoot ran over schedule and budget, costing £35,000 an hour. Russell and Steinman even designed a sequence where a motorcyclist would cycle up the steps of a local church-tower, jump out of the turrets at the top, and then explode; alas, the wardens of the church refused permission.

The video for "Good Girls Go to Heaven", directed by Brian Grant, was set in a prison. It shows the arrival of a new inmate called Jenny (the name featured in the first chorus) and her induction. As the song begins, the other inmates dance around her.

Personnel

Pandora's Box

*Elaine Caswell — Vocals
*Ellen Foley — Vocals
*Gina Taylor — Vocals
*Deliria Wilde — Vocals
*Jim Steinman — Keyboards

Band

*Eddie Martinez — Guitars
*Steve Buslowe — Bass Guitar
*Tony Levin — Bass on "Original Sin (The Natives Are Restless Tonight)"
*Roy Bittan — Grand Piano
*Steven Margoshes — Piano on "Pray Lewd"
*Jeff Bova — Synthesizers, Keyboards, Programming
*Jimmy Bralower — Drums, Programming
*Todd Rundgren, Eric Troyer, Rory Dodd, Holly Sherwood, Laura Theodore — Backing Vocals
*Curtis King, Tawatha Agee, Vaneese Thomas, Brenda King, Darryl Tookes — Additional Backing Vocals
*New York Philharmonic (conducted by Steven Margoshes) — Orchestra on "The Opening of the Box"

2006 Special Edition re-issue

In the slipstream of the release of Meat Loaf's "", Virgin / EMI released a two disc special edition. The first disc contains the remastered original album, while the second disc is a DVD, containing the two promo videos, and some additional promotional footage.

DVD track listing

#"Jim Steinman Opens Pandora's Box" - 18:18
#"Prologue (A Teenager In Love)" (video) - 0:58
#"It's All Coming Back To Me Now" (video) - 6:38
#"Good Girls Go To Heaven (Bad Girls Go Everywhere)" (video) - 6:12

DVD credits

#Produced and Directed by Mark Wightwick, Executive Producer: Sue Winter
#Directed by Ken Russell, produced by Vasconcellos
#Directed by Ken Russell, produced by Vasconcellos
#Directed by Brian Grant, produced by Jonathan Cooke

DVD Produced by Abbey Road Interactive

References

External links

* [http://musicmoz.org/Bands_and_Artists/S/Steinman,_Jim/Discography/Pandora's_Box_Original_Sin/ MusicMoz]