Welcome to Hollywood

[brywool]

While WI certainly has production issues and dated sound (a la the drums), the real problem is the songwriting. It's not Tommy at his best. While people may not like GWG because it may be too produced, it's a much better album.

I agree with this. However, there are worse songs in the Styx catalog, or DeYoung's and definitely Young's. I agree, the songwriting wasn't great, especially when held up against "Ambition". BUT- it wasn't all bad. Just like Dennis' "Boomchild" album. There are some horrible songs on it. There are also some magical ones on Boomchild (BC, Harry's Hands, etc.). With WI, there are some songs there that were just recorded very poorly, but there are 3 or 4 great songs on it. "Jealousy" is a great one. "See Me Now" is a great one (though it ripped off "Don't Stop Believin's" bass line), "Nature of the Beast" is a great one.

There are some songs that I'd still listen to if the production weren't so terrible. I could make a better sounding album in my basement.

None of those solo albums are 100% perfect. In fact, MOST albums rarely are strong front to back. Ambition, while a better effort, also sounds a bit dated by its production as well ...

agreed. Too much reverb, too many synths. Still, a really good album. For me, it was the best of the solo Styx stuff. Zens is pretty good and 100 Years is also decent.
BUT THEY ALL PAIL IN COMPARISON TO 'OUT ON A DAY PASS'!!!

Man, JY really needed a producer that would tell him what he shouldn't be doing on an album. I haven't listened to those in years, but I remember the vocal shrieks he was doing on those albums were so bad. Without those shrieks and with more attention to the vocals, the albums could've been passable. I'll have to dig that one out. I seem to remember a song called "Something to Remember You By" that was fairly decent... can't remember...

[Zan]

Palookaville is still my all-time favorite solo effort.

[brywool]

speaking of glen, who's doing his web site...?

[Zan]

Queenie has been doing it for years

[Boomchild]

How do you think "What If" would sound if Tommy re-recorded it a little different, no electronic drums?

Actually, I think if he re-recorded it, it could be much better. I've always thought so. It's his worst solo album, but mostly, for me, it's sonically bad. It needs a remaster in the worst way. There are some really decent songs on that one (and some crap, don't get me wrong).

Didn't Tommy do remastered versions of WI and GWG that were released by JY's record label? I am sure I have them somewhere.

[brywool]

How do you think "What If" would sound if Tommy re-recorded it a little different, no electronic drums?

Actually, I think if he re-recorded it, it could be much better. I've always thought so. It's his worst solo album, but mostly, for me, it's sonically bad. It needs a remaster in the worst way. There are some really decent songs on that one (and some crap, don't get me wrong).

Didn't Tommy do remastered versions of WI and GWG that were released by JY's record label? I am sure I have them somewhere.

I think they were reissues and not remasters- what it needed was 're recording'

[StyxCollector]

How do you think "What If" would sound if Tommy re-recorded it a little different, no electronic drums?

Actually, I think if he re-recorded it, it could be much better. I've always thought so. It's his worst solo album, but mostly, for me, it's sonically bad. It needs a remaster in the worst way. There are some really decent songs on that one (and some crap, don't get me wrong).

Didn't Tommy do remastered versions of WI and GWG that were released by JY's record label? I am sure I have them somewhere.

I think they were reissues and not remasters- what it needed was 're recording'

They were reissued and remastered on JY's label and sold on the RTP tour. GWG has also been reissued on American Beat (haven't compared the pressings to see if it's just a straight reissue or reissue + remaster). WI is currently out of print in any form.

[Boomchild]

How do you think "What If" would sound if Tommy re-recorded it a little different, no electronic drums?

Actually, I think if he re-recorded it, it could be much better. I've always thought so. It's his worst solo album, but mostly, for me, it's sonically bad. It needs a remaster in the worst way. There are some really decent songs on that one (and some crap, don't get me wrong).

Didn't Tommy do remastered versions of WI and GWG that were released by JY's record label? I am sure I have them somewhere.

I think they were reissues and not remasters- what it needed was 're recording'

They were reissued and remastered on JY's label and sold on the RTP tour. GWG has also been reissued on American Beat (haven't compared the pressings to see if it's just a straight reissue or reissue + remaster). WI is currently out of print in any form.

Thanks Allan. I remember that before WI was reissued it was like trying to find a needle in haystack for a copy of WI on CD. Then everyone seemed to want a mint for it.