So...Chicago is pretty cool.

I think that 13 is the album with the best title (name) of all their albums

 

The documentary was okay, I felt like it needed to be as long as the Eagles doc was though, plus it was very slanted against Cetera.

 

I agree and actually don't really care for the doc as a couple people come off terrible and it lacks either Peter or Terry's opinions. I'm more jazzed about the upcoming Terry doc.

 

I don't know if I can go that far. Chicago Transit Authority is still my favorite, then Chicago and V. Definitely in my top four though.

 

The Terry Kath documentary is another I'm truly looking forward to. I always knew of him, knew his tragic end, and how Hendrix loved him, but I never got around to finally sitting down and checking out his work.

Thank the record store gods for good quality and 3.99-4.99 price tags, huh? Funny I say that because literally an hour before I picked up the first few albums I got, I was in B&N and saw the 44.99 price tags on the CTA and II reissues and was turned off, thinking it'd be a while before I took the Chicago dive.

 

I understand 'You're The Inspiration" scored a 99.8 on the Mellow-o-Meter, giving pause to Barry, Neil, Lionel, Kenny and Barbra. Forcing them to ask - "are we really mellow enough to stand in such company"?

 

for collectors, 1 and 2 have Columbia 360 sound labels, also known as 2 eye, these are the first pressings. 2 and 3 had posters, 5 had 2 posters and Carnegie had a trove of material in the box...quad lp pressings are quite valuable now. I love the blu ray box, it gives you everything stereo and surround and it doesn't break the bank.

 

I'm pretty sure I don't have the original pressings, but I've been lucky to get all the inserts so far. VIII has the poster AND the iron-on, I was impressed.

 

I don`t own any Chicago albums. To be honest apart from the first album I always, it seems wrongly, labelled them as a `MOR` band. What made me look at this thread was the knowledge that Steven Wilson is remixing Chicago (II?). I think Steven Wilson is a gifted musician and his work in the studio is exemplary. Obviously you guys are fans so am I right to think this album is a classic and what are your recommendatios, I know a daft question given what has already been said, but...

 

I'd say get the new Wilson remix of II. Originals are notorious for not sounding so great, as the new remix makes clear II is terrific, and III has a harder edge if that's what you're into.

 

I'm gonna keep coming to these Chicago threads until SOMEONE finds out what the deal was with Cetera wearing that BAUHAUS t-shirt in one of the videos!!!

 

A minor correction - Chicago IX Greatest Hits also peaked at #1 in the album chart.

Chicago Transit Authority (April 1969) - peaked #17 - 2 x platinum
Chicago (January 1970) - peaked #4 - 2 x platinum
Chicago III (January 1971) - peaked #2 -platinum Chicago At Carnegie Hall (October 1971) - peaked #3 - platinum
Chicago V (July 1972) - peaked #1 - 2 x platinum
Chicago VI (June 1973) - peaked #1 - 2 x platinum
Chicago VII (March 1974) - peaked #1 - platinum
Chicago VIII (March 1975) - peaked #1 - platinum
Chicago IX - Chicago's Greatest Hits (November 1975) - peaked #1 - 5 x platinum
Chicago X (June 1976) - peaked #3 - 2 x platinum
Chicago XI (September 1977) - peaked #6 - platinum

 

This is interesting in that you can see how the band just makes a dent with their first release as far as chart peak, then grows with each studio release until the number one streak starting with V and ending with Greatest Hits....it's also noteworthy that even with a number one single behind them, X starts a slide in chart peak which I attribute to a diminished quality in songwriting.

 

You really can't go wrong with the first 8. Some people even say finish out until XI, the last by Terry Kath and producer James Guercio. I have everything up until that one.

 

I've got most of the Chicago albums from CTA to Chicago 18 (well except from the atrocities from 79-80.) Chicago travels extremely well, it's so weird, certainly didn't expect that.

XI is a very cool, soulful album.

 

VI is where the wheels fell off IMO. CTA, II, III, V are fantastic, and I never seem to tire of them.

 

I don't think the songwriting is the reason. Although Chicago X peaked only at #3, it outsold Chicago III, Carnegie Hall, Chicago VII and Chicago VIII. It's also among the longest charting Chicago albums.

 

That meter needs to be recalibrated, as "You're the Inspiration" is too turgid to be truly mellow.

 

I wanna add that Danny Seraphine is a monster drummer. Doesn't get name checked that often but he should IMO.

 

I like their first few albums. I'd like them better if they dumped the horns. Personal taste and all, but I just don't like a lot of horns in rock.

 

OFF WITH HIS HEAD!!

 

Turgidity comes with age. Its original foundational characteristic was flacidness, the ability to retain a 'shape' (barely) despite no molecular integrity.

 

Chicago III's Side Three is also a strong album side.
Side Three

1. "Mother" ( Lamm Lamm) 4:30
2. "Lowdown" (Cetera/Seraphine Cetera) 3:35
3. "An Hour in the Shower" (Kath Kath) 5:30

1. "A Hard Risin' Morning Without Breakfast" 1:52
2. "Off to Work" 0:45
3. "Fallin' Out" 0:53
4. "Dreamin' Home" 0:49
5. "Morning Blues Again" 1:11

 

They were a rock and roll band with horns.
They were not studio musicians or session artists we normally see in the liner notes on a Steely Dan album as sidemen but the horn section and jazz -rock drummer Danny Seraphine were schooled musicians and the woodwind player Walt Parazaider was a protégé of the E-flat clarinetist in the Chicago symphony.
Guitarist and vocalist Terry Kath was considered the best soloist in Chicago by his own bandmates, and Kath must have been especially honored and humbled when he was also cited by none other than Hendrix himself as one of Jimi’s own favorite guitarists.

 

Chicago is one of my favorite bands of the 70's, but after about X or XI, I have very little interest in them.