The album Love's a Prima Donna is released.
Steve Harley began writing material for the album while touring with Cockney Rebel to promote their 1976 album "Timeless Flight." The recording sessions for the new album occurred at Abbey Road Studios in London from June to September 1976. After completion, guitarist Jim Cregan departed from Cockney Rebel to join Rod Stewart's band.
As the album recording sessions progressed, EMI issued "Here Comes the Sun" as a single in July 1976, which climbed to number ten on the UK Singles Chart, aligning with an exceptionally warm British summer. The album "Love's a Prima Donna" was launched by EMI in October 1976, securing the 28th spot on the UK Albums Chart. Concurrently, "(I Believe) Love's a Prima Donna" was unveiled as the second single from the album and reached number 41 in the UK Singles Chart. EMI had plans to release "(Love) Compared with You" as the third UK single; however, this was ultimately shelved, though the track was later issued as the sole US single. The album "Love's a Prima Donna" made its debut in the US on January 10, 1977.
The album received its first CD release by EMI in 1990. In 2001, BGO Records released the album as a double CD set with the band's 1976 US compilation A Closer Look.
The album's theme centers on love, encompassing true love, lost love, maternal affection, the solitude of a soldier, valentine sentimentalism, and a fan's adoration for a musician. In a 1977 Trouser Press interview, Harley described the album as "a collection of love attitudes. Each song represents a different facet of the emotion we call love. It's a straightforward concept." The album also features a variety of musical genres, including progressive rock, folk, doo-wop, and reggae.
In an early 1977 interview with Melody Maker, Harley stated, "With this album, I feel I've achieved something as a singer, producer, and songwriter. Even if it only sold three copies, I wouldn't be concerned. The accomplishment is more significant than the success. It's entirely autobiographical; that's the only way I can write. I planned a lot of it with the album's sequence in mind. 'Seeking a Love' was always meant to open the album. The variety of musical styles may confuse some, but it reflects the maturity needed to express oneself in the first person. Initially, six of the lyrics were about love, so I decided to continue that theme throughout. It's an album that explores the emotion of love. Writing this album gave me a lot of confidence. I've returned stronger because I believe in myself. I enjoy writing about human relationships. The LP also contains humor, as seen in 'GI Valentine' and 'Give Me More'."
In 2015, Harley disclosed to guitar-bass.net the albums that most influenced him, including 'Love's a Prima Donna'. He stated, "This isn't self-indulgence, I promise! I allowed Jim Cregan complete freedom during the recordings, and he delivered some outstanding parts that I could blend with the keyboards. As my production grew more extravagant, Jim increasingly challenged himself. Cockney Rebel began as a band without guitars, yet here we were, dishing out copious amounts of electric chaos!"
After the album was released, the band set out on an eight-date UK tour from December 2 to 12, 1976. For this tour, Cregan was substituted by Jo Partridge, who initially joined the band as a rhythm guitarist on the Timeless Flight tour. Partridge played a role in recording two tracks on 'Love's a Prima Donna', playing guitar and providing backing vocals for "Here Comes the Sun", and adding backing vocals to "(If This Is Love) Give Me More". Harley recorded several concerts during the tour, which he used to produce the double live album 'Face to Face: A Live Recording', released in 1977, featuring six tracks from 'Love's a Prima Donna'.
Program and ticket December 10, 1976 care of @malcsmith58
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A most informative piece on a great album and tour.