Artful Dodger
An unsung power pop band of the '70s, Artful Dodger existed in the mid-'70s gap that separated the Raspberries from Cheap Trick. Sonically, Artful Dodger skewed toward the huge arena hooks of the Raspberries but they lacked the Paul McCartney infatuation of Eric Carmen, favoring a big roar that tamed the arena rock of the Who. Producer Jack Douglas helped give their eponymous 1975 debut muscle and he'd take some these tricks to Cheap Trick's first album in 1977, by which time Artful Dodger were starting to seem like the old guard -- they lacked Cheap Trick's punky attack and sense of irony. Being stuck between the early days of power pop and its impish revival during New Wave meant that Artful Dodger were by definition a cult band, but the music they made was tuneful and hard, the kind of thing that was prized by power pop aficionados.
Guitarist Gary Herrewig, vocalist Billy Paliselli, guitarist Gary Cox, bassist Robb Michael Inglis, and drummer Steve Brigida all played with the intertwined garage bands Badge and Homestead before they formed Brat in Fairfax, Virginia in 1973. They released an independent 45 called "Not Quite Right" in 1974. Inglis left not long afterward, replaced by Steve Cooper. The band switched their name to Artful Dodger and signed with Aerosmith's managers Leber-Krebs, who helped get them signed with Columbia Records. Jack Douglas, who previously helmed albums for Aerosmith, produced the 1975 debut Artful Dodger.
Despite being laden with radio- and arena-ready rockers, Artful Dodger didn't go anywhere commercially. For their second album, Honor Among Thieves, the group worked with Douglas and co-producer Eddie Leonetti. Arriving in 1976, Honor Among Thieves was supported by an opening tour for Kiss, but the record stalled commercially. Babes on Broadway, produced by Leonetti, arrived in 1977 to less attention, as rock was undergoing a generational shift.
Artful Dodger lost their deal with Columbia after Babes on Broadway and Cox left the group. The group hired Peter Bonta as a replacement and delivered Rave On to the Arista subsidiary Ariola in 1980. Rave On was another commercial disappointment and the band began to splinter, with Paliselli leaving after its release; the group called it a day in 1982. Most of the group busied themselves with music in the ensuing years -- notably, Bonta went on to play with Mary Chapin Carpenter -- but the group reunited for a pair of 1991 reunion shows in Cleveland, Ohio; this was the original lineup plus Bonta. They'd continue to play the occasional live performance in Cleveland during the 2000s, during which time American Beat reissued Honor Among Thieves. Cox died in 2012 and the group finally got its due in 2017, when Real Gone Music released the double-disc retrospective The Complete Columbia Recordings.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
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Discografia
19 álbum(ns) • Ordenado por Mais vendidos
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Artful Dodger
Rock - Lançado por Columbia - Legacy em 3 de set. de 2014
Disponível em24-Bit/96 kHz Estéreo -
Artful Dodger
Rock - Lançado por Columbia - Legacy em 3 de set. de 2014
Disponível em24-Bit/96 kHz Estéreo -
Re-Rewind (The Crowd Say Bo Selecta) (Wideboys Remix)
Electronic - Lançado por Crimson em 14 de ago. de 2000
Disponível em24-Bit/44.1 kHz Estéreo -
Woman Trouble
House - Lançado por Public Demand Records em 3 de jul. de 2000
Disponível em16-Bit/44.1 kHz Estéreo -
Moving Too Fast
Artful Dodger And Romina Johnson
Dance - Lançado por Bacci Bros Records em 1 de set. de 2011
Disponível em16-Bit/44.1 kHz Estéreo -
Movin' Too Fast
Artful Dodger And Romina Johnson
Dance - Lançado por Bacci Bros Records em 1 de set. de 2011
Disponível em16-Bit/44.1 kHz Estéreo -
It's All About the Stragglers
Electronic - Lançado por London Music Stream em 20 de nov. de 2000
Disponível em16-Bit/44.1 kHz Estéreo -
Re-Rewind (The Crowd Say Bo Selecta) (feat. Craig David)
Electronic - Lançado por Crimson em 29 de nov. de 1999
Disponível em16-Bit/44.1 kHz Estéreo -
Honor Among Thieves
Rock - Lançado por Columbia - Legacy em 17 de fev. de 2007
Disponível em16-Bit/44.1 kHz Estéreo -
Moving Too Fast (Radio Edit) - Single
Artful Dodger & Romina Johnson
Pop - Lançado por Bacci Bros Records em 4 de set. de 2014
Disponível em16-Bit/44.1 kHz Estéreo -
Movin' Too Fast (Radio Edit) - Single
Artful Dodger & Romina Johnson
Pop - Lançado por Bacci Bros Records em 4 de set. de 2014
Disponível em16-Bit/44.1 kHz Estéreo -
Please Don't Turn Me On (Disclosure Extended Remix)
Artful Dodger, Disclosure, Lifford
House - Lançado por Public Demand Records em 29 de ago. de 2013
Disponível em16-Bit/44.1 kHz Estéreo -
The Complete Columbia Recordings (1975-1977)
Rock - Lançado por Columbia - Legacy em 3 de mar. de 2017
Disponível em16-Bit/44.1 kHz Estéreo -
Babes on Broadway
Rock - Lançado por Columbia - Legacy em 1 de mar. de 1977
Disponível em16-Bit/44.1 kHz Estéreo -
Please Don't Turn Me On (Disclosure Remix)
Dance - Lançado por Public Demand Records em 29 de ago. de 2013
Disponível em16-Bit/44.1 kHz Estéreo -
Here We Go
Electronic - Lançado por Emerald Distro em 10 de ago. de 2021
Disponível em16-Bit/44.1 kHz Estéreo -
Please Don't Turn Me On (Disclosure Remix)
House - Lançado por Public Demand Records em 29 de ago. de 2013
Disponível em16-Bit/44.1 kHz Estéreo -
Honor Among Thieves
Pop/Rock - Lançado por Columbia - Legacy em 26 de jun. de 1976
Disponível em16-Bit/44.1 kHz Estéreo