JIMMY BARNES – For The Working Class Man [Remastered Commemorative Limited Edition] (2017)

Here’s another exclusive at 0dayrox, the fresh remastered, Commemorative Limited Edition version of Australian singer JIMMY BARNES second album “For The Working Class Man”, originally appeared in 1985.
“For The Working Class Man – Commemorative Limited Edition” adds to the other excellent / remaster of Barnes following album Freight Train Heart (HERE) done by Bloodlines Records.

“For The Working Class Man” marks the first work between Barnes and Journey’s keyboardist Jonathan Cain, who co-write, play and produce / mix some of the songs here.
But he’s not the only well known name involved into this album, with also more than half of the songs mixed by Bob Clearmountain, the ‘man of the moment’ in the mid-80s.

Released in September 1984, Barnes’ first solo album ‘Bodyswerve’ was an immediate success in Australia. It went to number one, and then his management focused on what Jimmy truly deserved – success in America.
They got a deal with Geffen Records, and their A&R man Gary Gersh suggested a meeting that would change Barnes’ life.

Gersh wanted Jimmy to record a song called ‘American Heartbeat’; Jimmy was not so keen. But Gary encouraged him to give it a go, “because I think you’ll work well with this guy”. That guy was Jonathan Cain from Journey.
Jimmy met him, they talked about Jimmy’s career, Jonathan had already written a song with lyrics which summed up Jimmy’s relationship with his audience called ‘Working Class Man’.
Barnesy had his signature song and Australia had a new anthem.

Geffen wanted Jimmy’s first American album to be a mix of new songs and selections from the ‘Bodyswerve album’. For the new songs – ‘I’d Die To Be With You Tonight’, ‘Ride The Night Away’, ‘American Heartbeat’, ‘Working Class Man’ and ‘Without Your Love’ – Jimmy got to work with some of his heroes.

I’m not sure if any Australian album has featured so many international stars. The players included Mick Fleetwood, Jonathan Cain, Little Feat’s Bill Payne and Kenny Gradney, Waddy Wachtel, Charlie Sexton, Billy Burnette (Fleetwood Mac), Tommy Thayer (Kiss), Dave Amato (REO Speedwagon), Randy Jackson (Zebra), Tony Braunagel (Bonnie Raitt), Tony Brock (The Babys) and Kim Carnes on backing vocals.
That’s a pretty impressive line-up!

So the songs mentioned above have that classic US mid-Eighties / 1985 lush production sound we all love. Just listen to ‘American Heartbeat’ and tell me if it doesn’t sound Journey / REO Speedwagon circa 1983-84.
The great Bob Clearmountain remixed seven ‘Bodyswerve’ songs for the new album: ‘No Second Prize’, ‘Vision’, ‘Promise Me You’ll Call’, ‘Boys Cry Out For War’, ‘Daylight’, ‘Thick Skinned’, and ‘Paradise’.
At the time Clearmountain was on high request due the success of his work with Bryan Adams’s album Reckless, also having previously worked for John Waite debut solo album. So expect a similar sound.

Jimmy Barnes’ “For The Working Class Man” was the vocalist firat world-wide exposure after being the frontman of Australian classic rock institution Cold Chisel. This album blends the rocking approach of his early band with the Americanized AORish sound of the era, something accentuated on his following LP.
It’s a very good album plenty of great songs and stupendous performances. I heard better remasters, anyway, this “For The Working Class Man – Commemorative Limited Edition” is the best you can find out there.
HIGHLY Recommended

You’ve seen it first here, at 0dayrox

01. I’d Die To Be With You Tonight
Backing Vocals – Kim Carnes
Bass – Kenny Gradney
Drums – Tony Braunagel
Guitar – Chas Sandford, Mal Eastick, Waddy Wachtel
Keyboards – William (Smitty) Smith
Percussion – Arno Lucas
Vocals – Jimmy Barnes

02. Ride The Night Away
Backing Vocals – Julia Tillman, Maxine Willard
Bass – Kenny Gradney
Drums – Mick Fleetwood
Guitar – Billy Burnette, Charlie Sexton, Johnny Lee
Keyboards – Bill Payne
Percussion – Sam Clayton
Remix – Jim Gaines, Jonathan Cain
Vocals – Jimmy Barnes

03. American Heartbeat
Backing Vocals – Dave Amato, Jimmy Barnes, Jonathan Cain
Bass – Randy Jackson
Drums – Tony Brout
Guitar – Dave Amato
Keyboards – Jonathan Cain
Vocals – Jimmy Barnes

04. Working Class Man
Backing Vocals – Dave Amato, Jimmy Barnes, Jonathan Cain
Bass – Randy Jackson
Drums – Tony Brout
Guitar – Dave Amato
Keyboards – Jonathan Cain
Vocals – Jimmy Barnes

05. Without Your Love
Backing Vocals – Julia Tillman, Maxine Willard
Bass – Kenny Gradney
Drums – Mick Fleetwood
Engineer – Thom Panunzio
Guitar – Billy Burnette, Charlie Sexton, Johnny Lee
Keyboards – Bill Payne
Percussion – Sam Clayton
Vocals – Jimmy Barnes

06. No Second Prize
Backing Vocals – Renee Geyer, Shauna Jenson, Venetta Fields
Bagpipes – Barry Gray, Viv Riley
Bass – Bruce Howe
Drums – Ray Arnott
Guitar – Chris Stockley, Mal Eastick
Vocals – Jimmy Barnes

07. Vision
Backing Vocals – Renee Geyer, Shauna Jenson, Venetta Fields
Bagpipes – Barry Gray, Viv Riley
Bass – Bruce Howe
Drums – Ray Arnott
Guitar – Chris Stockley, Mal Eastick
Vocals – Jimmy Barnes

08. Promise Me You’ll Call
Backing Vocals – Renee Geyer, Shauna Jenson, Venetta Fields
Bagpipes – Barry Gray, Viv Riley
Bass – Bruce Howe
Drums – Ray Arnott
Guitar – Chris Stockley, Mal Eastick
Vocals – Jimmy Barnes

09. Boys Cry Out For War
Backing Vocals – Renee Geyer, S. Jenson, Venetta Fields
Bagpipes – Barry Gray, Viv Riley
Bass – Bruce Howe
Drums – Ray Arnott
Guitar – Chris Stockley, Mal Eastick
Vocals – Jimmy Barnes

10. Daylight
Backing Vocals – Renee Geyer, Shauna Jenson, Venetta Fields
Bagpipes – Barry Gray, Viv Riley
Bass – Bruce Howe
Drums – Ray Arnott
Guitar – Chris Stockley, Mal Eastick
Vocals – Jimmy Barnes

11. Thickskinned
Backing Vocals – Renee Geyer, Shauna Jenson, Venetta Fields
Bagpipes – Barry Gray, Viv Riley
Bass – Bruce Howe
Drums – Ray Arnott
Engineer – Alan Wright, Mark Opitz
Guitar – Chris Stockley, Mal Eastick
Mandolin – Chris Stockley
Vocals – Jimmy Barnes

12. Paradise
Backing Vocals – Renee Geyer, Shauna Jenson, Venetta Fields
Bagpipes – Barry Gray, Viv Riley
Bass – Bruce Howe
Drums – Ray Arnott
Engineer – Alan Wright, Mark Opitz
Guitar – Chris Stockley, Mal Eastick
Vocals – Jimmy Barnes

BUY IT !
www.amazon.de/Working-Class-Man-Jimmy-Barnes/dp/B076D9CB7V
.