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Category: JOHN O’BANION

JOHN O'BANION / REMASTER

JOHN O’BANION – White Light / Satomi Hakken-Den [Legend Of Eight Samurai] (1983) [digitally remastered] HQ

JOHN O’BANION was one of the smoothest voices in Westcoast AOR history. His ’81 self titled album, and second ‘Danger’ (’82) are true gems and still sound fresh today thanks to the production-wise and songwriting abilities by the industry monsters Joey Carbone & Richie Zito.
One of the ’82 singles went to No. 24 on the Billboard magazine, then O’Banion, Zito & Carbone were invited to go to Japan for a five-city concert tour and to compete in the Tokyo Music Festival. They won the grand prize as best performance and best arranger awards.
When Carbone returned to America, feels some kind of magnet pulling him back towards Japan, so asked to his music publisher find a place into a Japanese project. He offered to him, Zito & O’Banion as a working combo, the soundtrack for the Kadokawa movie “Satomi Hakken Den“.
Known in the west as “Legend of Eight Samurai”, the film was the number one Japanese film on the domestic market in 1984, earning ¥ 2.3 billion, and the theme song (a ballad translated “I Don’t Want This Night To End”) the first O’Banion / Carbone big hit in Japan.
The other song composed (with Richie Zito) to the movie, “White Light“, is a very nice commercial poppy AOR tune full of ’83s magic…

JOHN O'BANION / REMASTER / SHM-CD

JOHN O’BANION – John O’Banion [Vivid Sound SHM-CD Remastered +2]

Some time ago we featured here JOHN O’BANION‘s self-titled gem “John O’Banion” in its remastered version Japan pressing on SHM-CD. Now we have here Vivid Sound Records same release / SHM but including two bonus tracks.
“John O’Banion” is, without a doubt, a classic, and one of the first albums ever mixing equal parts of upbeat pumping AOR and West Coast-styled AOR. Part of this success is the pair of brilliant producers in Richie Zito (providing the glossy, almost rocking sound) and expertised Joey Carbone, responsible for the smooth, delicated West Coast oriented tracks. Both as well play instruments all over the recording.
Add to that several monsters from the L.A. Session crew such as Dennis Belfield, Carlos Vega, Bobby Kimball or Lenny Castro and you have a top notch product.
In fact, in the sonic department, “John O’Banion” feels pretty much ahead of its time with a sound which became a staple for the genre only two or three years after. But alongside that sumptuous production, the real…

JOHN O'BANION / REMASTER / SHM-CD

JOHN O’BANION – Danger +4 [Japan SHM-CD mini LP remastered]

As requested, here’s JOHN O’BANION‘s second album “Danger” reissued by Vivid Sound Records Japan pressed on high quality SHM-CD fully remastered plus 4 juicy bonus tracks.
As happened with the first John O’Banion album, “Danger” was again produced & arranged by the magic duo Richie Zito / Joey Carbone whom even perfected the polished, huge sound of the singer’s debut.
If the first was great, “Danger” is simply wonderful.
Pleasant results usually follow the collaboration of great songwriters + great singers and we get no exception here. The Joey Carbone / Richie Zito / Kathi Pinto partnership on one side and The Great Voice on the other has resulted in a terrific example of pure ’80s AOR.
There are many standout tracks here that show a vast improvement over the debut album, if that was possible… Additionally, the sound design in “Danger” is more muscular, upfront, many times bringing to mind Toto ‘IV’…

JOHN O’BANION – John O’Banion [Remastered SHM-CD reissue]

JOHN O'BANION / REMASTER / SHM-CD

JOHN O’BANION – John O’Banion [Remastered SHM-CD reissue]

As part of the Warner Music Japan ‘AOR Best Selection 1300’ reissue series, we have received JOHN O’BANION‘s self-titled gem “John O’Banion“. This ‘AOR Best Selection 1300’ campaign features the best titles from the label’s catalogue being sold at the affordable price of 1300 Yen (around $11), all remastered and pressed on high quality SHM-CD. “John O’Banion” is, without a...