Monday, August 2, 2021

Chapter 76: Africa (January 1981 - December 1983)

General Affairs for Apple Corps Ltd.
Matthew Broderick as David Lightman and Ally Sheedy as Jennifer Mack in WarGames, released 1983. Sheedy was part of the Brat Pack, a group of young actors who frequently appeared together in teen-oriented coming-of-age films in the 1980s, and the group became well known following John Lennon's appearance as Dr. Stephen Falken in WarGames.
Apple Films had made a big boom during the early 1980s, what with successes away from the DC Appleverse such as John Mackenzie's The Long Good Friday and A Sense of Freedom, Hugh Hudson's Chariots of Fire, Terry Gilliam's Time Bandits, Terry Jones' Monty Python's The Meaning of Life, Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl, and John Badham's WarGames. That's not to say that every film they picked up would be a bit hit; Tattoo and Yellowbeard were regarded rather unfavorably while Venom and Mel Brooks' History of the World, Part I were each given a mixed reception. The Burning, however, while not a success initially, would grow a cult following over the next few decades.[1]

With the growth of film projects would come about the growth of television projects under Apple Television. Outside of Thomas the Tank Engine, there was an influx of situation comedies such as David Croft and Jeremey Lloyd's 'Allo 'Allo!, Richard Curtis and Rowan Atkinson's Blackadder[2], Ben Elton and Rik Mayall's The Young Ones, and most famously, John Sullivan's Only Fools and Horses. After fifteen years since first forming, Apple Corps really was becoming everything for everyone as first envisioned by the Beatles.

Apple Corps Executives, December 1983
Managing Director and Chairman of the Board: Brian Epstein
Vice Presidents: Peter Brown, Lord Beeching
Director Communications: Derek Taylor
General Counsels: Lee and John Eastman

Apple Records
President: Ron Kass
Vice President: Jack Oliver
Directors of A&R: Jake Riviera, Trevor Horn
Directors of Promotion and Marketing: Jill Sinclair, Paul Morley
Director of Design: Josh Kosh
Studio Manager, Apple Studios: Geoff Emerick
Other Notable Figures: Mal Evans, Roy Thomas Baker, Tony Bramwell

Apple Films and Apple Television
President: Denis O'Brien
Other Notable Figures: Michael Lindsay-Hogg, Mel Brooks, John Cleese, Terry Jones, Richard Donner, John Lloyd, Rowan Atkinson, George Harrison, John Mackenzie, David Mitton, Britt Allcroft

Apple Management
Director: Neil Aspinall
Associate Director: Mal Evans

Apple Publishing
Director: Alistair Taylor

Highway 61 Records
President: Jack Oliver
Vice President: Chris O'Dell
Directors of A&R: Pete Ham, Dennis Wilson

Swan Song Records
President: Peter Grant
Vice President: Alan Callan
Director of A&R: Dave Edmunds

The Artists of Apple Records

Old Signings
The Jam, 1982, the year that they broke up.
Crosby, Stills & Nash put out Daylight Again on June 18, 1982, the album of which also spawned the Top 10 hit "Wasted on the Way". This would be the group's last album for seven years. Eric Clapton's first album since the Dark Horses' breakup and rehabilitation from alcoholism was Money and Cigarettes (February 1983; #13 UK, #16 US), with lukewarm critical reception. On the other hand, Elton John continued to reach commercial success with The Fox, Jump Up! and Too Low for Zero, with hits such as "Nobody Wins", "Blue Eyes", "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues" and "I'm Still Standing", the latter of which served as his biggest hit from the 1981-83 period.[3]

Vangelis released three soundtracks; Chariots of Fire (an Apple Films production), Batman and Antarctica. In between, he was kept busy with Yes. Splinter, meanwhile, had left the label at the start of 1981, eventually breaking up in 1984. The 1976 signings from Jake Rivieria were faring decently during the 1981-83 period; Elvis Costello (TrustAlmost Blue, Imperial Bedroom, Punch the Clock) continued to achieved Top 10 success while The Damned's Strawberries reached a rather modest #12 in the United Kingdom. The Jam, however, topped the charts there with The Gift in 1982 before breaking up that same year. Following Rockpile's breakup, Nick Lowe put out two more solo albums - Nick the Knife and The Abominable Snowman. Motörhead continued achieving Top 20 success with Iron Fist and Another Perfect Day.

Michael Jackson dancing amongst a zombie horde in the famous "Thriller" music video, 1983.
In 1982, Madness put out their first #1 hit single "House of Fun" that also made an appearance in The Young Ones episode Boring while the lads are visiting the local pub. (They would later appear in Sick performing "Our House".) 7 and The Rise & Fall were both Top 10 hits. Tenpole Tudor also achieved a Top 10 hit with "Swords of a Thousand Men" from Eddie, Old Bob, Dick and Gary. Their follow-up, Let the Four Winds Blow, didn't achieve the same level of success, and they would leave Apple at the start of 1982.

But the biggest success from an Apple Records veteran during 1981-83 was Michael Jackson's Thriller. The first single was a duet with Paul McCartney, "The Girl is Mine" (this was later followed up with the standalone single, "Say Say Say"), followed up by six more hits - "Billie Jean", "Beat It", "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'", "Human Nature", "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" and the title track, the latter of which featured a music video directed by John Landis where Jackson becomes a zombie and performs a dance routine with a horde of the undead. The music video has since then had a lasting impact on popular culture and would be cited as the greatest video of all time.

New Signings
Annie Lennox (left) and Dave Stewart (right) of Eurythmics, 1983.
Eurythmics, formed by Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart of the Tourists, were Apple's first signing of the 1980s, Denny Laine and Wings notwithstanding, as they had formed while Laine was contracted under Apple prior to his death in 1981. Their first single, "Never Gonna Cry Again" charted at #49 in the United Kingdom, but In the Garden did not chart there. However, the follow up album, Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This), managed to reach #1 there (as did the title track), even topping out at #11 in the United States. Touch also hit #1 in the United Kingdom while the singles "Who's That Girl", "Right by Your Side" and "Here Comes the Rain Again" also reached the Top 10.

1983 saw four new signings under both Jake Riviera and Trevor Horn - Art of Noise, Tracey Ullman, Dead or Alive and Frankie Goes to Hollywood, the latter two of which also originated from Liverpool like the Beatles. Art of Noise debuted with an extended play, Into Battle with the Art of Noise, and Ullman's You Broke My Heart in 17 Places debuted in November of that same year. The respective debut albums of Dead or Alive and Frankie Goes to Hollywood would not come out until next year, although reach released a single to tide listeners over until then (DOA's "Misty Circles", FGTH's "Relax"). During that time, Horn would gradually take over for Riviera as Director of A&R, and become a prominent figure for Apple in the 1980s.[4]

Apple Artists, as of December 1983
  • Art of Noise (since 1983)
  • The Beatles (since 1968; contracted to EMI from 1968-1976)
    • George Harrison, John Lennon and Ringo Starr as The Ladders (1970-1976)
    • George Harrison and Ringo Starr as The Dark Horses (1977-1980)
    • Paul McCartney (1971-1980; affiliated with Smile 1972-1980)
  • David Bowie (since 1971; member of The Rolling Stones 1969-1976)
  • Eric Clapton (since 1968; member of Cream 1968-1971, member of the Dark Horses 1977-1980)
  • The Clash (since 1976)
  • Elvis Costello (since 1976)
  • Crosby, Stills & Nash (since 1968; with Neil Young 1969-1977)
    • Stephen Stills & Manassas (1971-1973; solo albums released on Highway 61 Records 1975-1976)
    • Neil Young (1971; solo works released on Highway 61 Records since 1973)
    • David Crosby and Graham Nash as Crosby & Nash (1972-1976)
  • The Damned (since 1976)
  • Dead or Alive (since 1983)
  • Electric Light Orchestra (since 1970)
  • Eurythmics (since 1981)
  • Fleetwood Mac (since 1968)
    • Stevie Nicks (as a solo artist; since 1981)
  • Frankie Goes to Hollywood (since 1983)
  • Michael Jackson (since 1971; contracted to Motown from 1971-1975)
  • Elton John (since 1969)
  • Nick Lowe (since 1976)
  • Madness (since 1979)
  • Freddie Mercury (since 1973; member of Smile since 1980)
  • Motörhead (since 1976)
  • The Rolling Stones (since 1970; on hiatus)
    • Bill Wyman (1974, 1976)
  • Smile (since 1969; affiliated with Paul McCartney 1972-1980)
  • Tracey Ullman (since 1983)
  • Vangelis (since 1972; member of Aphrodite's Child 1967-1972, member of the Dark Horses 1977-1980, member of Yes since 1980)
Departed Apple Artists
  • Aphrodite's Child (1970-1972)
  • Badfinger (1968-1975)
  • Brute Force (1969)
  • Delaney & Bonnie (1969-1972)
  • Cream (1968-1971)
  • Chris Hodge (1972-1973)
  • Mary Hopkin (1968-1972)
  • Hot Chocolate (1969)
  • The Jam (1976-1982)
  • Radha Krishna Temple (1969)
  • Denny Laine & Wings (1980-1981)
  • Jackie Lomax (1968-1975)
  • Jimmy McCulloch and White Line (1975-1977)
  • Nazareth (1972-1975)
  • Yoko Ono (1969-1973)
  • Billy Preston (1969-1977)
  • Sex Pistols (1976-1979)
  • Ronnie Spector (1971-1972)
  • Splinter (1973-1981)
  • The Sundown Playboys (1972)
  • Tenpole Tudor (1979-1982)
  • White Trash (1969)
  • Doris Troy (1969-1971)
  • Lon and Derrek Van Eaton (1972-1973)
  • Wreckless Eric (1976-1980)

The Artists of Highway 61 Records

Old Signings
Neil Young, 1982.
Bob Dylan concluded his Christian trilogy with 1981's Shot of Love, although it was harshly received by critics. His follow-up album, Infidels, would fare much better, being viewed as a return to form for Dylan. Dave Edmunds put out three albums following the break up of Rockpile, one per year: Twangin..., D.E. 7th and Information, the latter of which was co-produced with Jeff Lynne. Cliff Richard had likewise put out an album per year with Wired for Sound, Now You See Me, Now You Don't and Silver, all being Top 10 hits in the United Kingdom.

In the wake of the George Bush administration in the United States, Neil Young returned to the spotlight with 1982's Island in the Sun,[5] which featured two versions of the hit single "Rockin' in the Free World".[6] His follow-up, Old Ways, would come out the following year. Supertramp's only album during the 1981-83 period was Famous Last Words, and it and the main single "It's Raining Again" both hit the Top 10 in the United Kingdom and the United States.

Pat Benatar, 1983.
Heart (Private Audition, Passionworks), the Ramones (Pleasant Dreams, Subterranean Jungle), Rod Stewart (Tonight I'm Yours, Body Wishes), Cheap Trick (One on One, Next Position Please) and Talking Heads (Speaking on Tongues) all continued to achieve chart success. Neither of Lou Reed's albums, The Blue Mask and Legendary Hearts, managed to make it to the Top 100 on either side the Atlantic. James' Taylor's Dad Loves His Work did manage to get a Top 10 hit out of "Her Town Too", a duet with John David Souther.

The Cars' fanbase was steadily growing after Shake It Up, with the title track becoming a Top 10 hit in the United States, but it wouldn't be until 1984 that they came out with another album. Johnny Warman released some singles that didn't go anywhere, nor did Walking into Mirrors or From the Jungle to the New Horizons. Pat Benatar's Precious Time managed to top the charts in the United States, with "Fire and Ice" hitting the Top 10 there. Get Nervous and Live from Earth couldn't match this success, although "Shadows of the Night" and "Love is a Battlefield" were big hits.

Huey Lewis and the News quickly went to stardom following Picture This and the single "Do You Believe in Love", with Sports and singles such as "Heart and Soul", "The Heart of Rock & Roll", "I Want a New Drug" and "If This Is It" proving that it wasn't just a lucky break. The Go-Go's debut album, Beauty and the Beat similarly topped the charts in the United States with their signature song "We Got the Beat", but it stalled out at #2 thanks to the Beatles' "Blow Away". Their follow-up Vacation, however, did not achieve similar heights. The Lambrettas broke up in 1982 after releasing their second album Ambience the year prior.

Toto in the music video for "Africa", released 1982.
Out of Highway 61's artists during 1981-83, Toto had the biggest success with Toto IV, with "Rosanna" and "Africa" becoming their biggest hits to date. The band received six Grammy Awards in 1983 including Album of the Year (Toto IV), Producer of the Year (Toto themselves) and Record of the Year ("Rosanna"). Despite this success, critics hated them as Toto's polished production and songwriting went against the punk rock genre, which was very popular at the time, with some accusing Toto for "fixing" the Grammys.

But not all was well within Toto. Bassist David Hungate had left to pursue a session/production career and spend time with his family, with his position being taken over by Mike Porcaro, brother of Steve (keyboards) and Jeff (drums). Bobby Kimball would face prosecution for drug-related charges before they were dropped, and he took time away to enter drug rehabilitation. Joseph Williams would take over on lead vocals beginning with 1984's Isolation,[7] having previously released a self-titled album in 1982.

New Signings
"Weird Al" Yankovic in the music video for "I Love Rocky Road", a parody of Joan Jett and the Blackhearts' cover of "I Love Rock 'n' Roll", 1983.
Highway 61 Records obtained four new artists, including Joseph Williams, all signed up in 1982. The Bangles were an all-female band like the Go-Go's, but have so far put out a self-titled extended play and a single, "The Real World". Sonic Youth put out their debut album in 1983, Confusion Is Sex, later cited as an important example of what would become the no wave genre. Parodist musician "Weird Al" Yankovic's self-titled debut album was also released in 1983, with his career having begun with "Another One Rides the Bus", a parody of Freddie Mercury's "Another One Bites the Dust". Brian May would say that he found the parody extremely funny.

Highway 61 Artists, as of December 1983
  • The Bangles (since 1982)
  • Pat Benatar (since 1979)
  • Junior Campbell (since 1976; no new recordings since 1978)
  • The Cars (since 1978)
  • Cheap Trick (since 1976)
  • Bob Dylan (since 1973)
  • Dave Edmunds (since 1973; also contracted to Swan Song Records)
  • The Go-Go's (since 1980)
  • Heart (since 1975)
  • The Jacksons (since 1976)
  • Huey Lewis and the News (since 1979)
  • Harry Nilsson (since 1975; no new recordings since 1980)
  • Tom Petty & Mudcrutch (since 1974)
  • Ramones (since 1975)
  • Lou Reed (since 1976; member of Hunky Dory 1972-1978)
  • Cliff Richard (since 1973)
  • Patti Smith (since 1975; no new recordings since 1979)
  • Rod Stewart (since 1975)
  • Stephen Stills (since 1975; also contracted to Apple Records)
  • Sonic Youth (since 1982)
  • Supertramp (since 1974)
  • Talking Heads (since 1976)
  • James Taylor (since 1976; part of Apple Records 1968-1976)
  • Peter Tork (since 1973)
  • Toto (since 1977)
  • Tina Turner (since 1974; on hiatus)
  • Johnny Warman (since 1978)
  • Joseph Williams (since 1982)
  • Dennis Wilson (since 1975)
  • Ronnie Wood (since 1974; member of the Rolling Stones since 1975; member of the Dark Horses 1977-1980)
  • "Weird Al" Yankovic (since 1982)
  • Neil Young (since 1973; also contracted to Apple Records)
Departed Highway 61 Artists
  • Attitudes (1976-1978)
  • Colin Blunstone (1978-1980)
  • Boxer (1975-1978)
  • Kiki Dee (1973-1978)
  • Hunky Dory (1976-1978)
  • L.A. Express (1973-1976)
  • The Lambrettas (1980-1982)
  • Lynyrd Skynyrd (1973-1977)
  • Nigel Olsson (1974-1977)
  • Tom Scott (1973-1977)
  • Neil Sedaka (1974-1976)
  • Ravi Shankar (1973-1980)
  • Solution (1974-1977)
  • Stackridge (1973-1976)
  • Robert Wyatt (1976-1979; member of Hunky Dory 1972-1978)

The Artists of Swan Song Records

Old Signings
Bad Company, circa late 1970s/early 1980s.
Fate seemed to have different plans in store for Bad Company and Sad Café, artists who had been a part of Swan Song Records prior to the Apple takeover. Bad Company fell out behind the scenes of Rough Diamonds, their last album with Paul Rodgers, which became their worst-selling album to date. Sad Café had left the label at the start of 1981, having fulfilled their contract with Swan Song Records.

The transfers from Highway 61 Records had mixed success: Aerosmith's only album throughout 1981-83, Rock in a Hard Place, only managed to reach #26 in the United States. Blue Öyster Cult's Fire of Unknown Origin and The Revölution by Night both did fairly well in the charts, the former producing the hit "Burnin' for You". None of Alice Cooper's three albums of 1981-83 (Special Forces, Zipper Catches Skin, DaDa) managed to make the Top 40 in either the United States or the United Kingdom. Iggy Pop's Party and Zombie Birdhouse received poor reviews, although the latter was more mixed.

Dr. John put out three more albums - Love Potion and Dr. John Plays Mac Rebennack, Vol. 1 and 2 - before departing the label in 1983. Blondie, meanwhile, would break up in 1982 following the release of The Hunter, but Debbie Harry would remain signed onto Swan Song Records as a solo artist, having released KooKoo the year prior while taking a break from the band following Autoamerican.

Prince with his backing band in a photoshoot for 1999, 1982.
The post-Apple takeover artists, however, would carry on with their success. XTC's English Settlement reached the top five in the United Kingdom, but were not so fortunate with Mummer. Kate Bush's The Dreaming was her first to chart in the United States, at just #157, but it still managed to hit #3 in the United Kingdom amidst heavy competition for #1. Devo's New Traditionalists achieved a similar success to Freedom of Choice, but Oh, No! It's Devo did not fare so well due to their change in sound. Prince seemed to be on his way to superstardom by putting out Controversy in 1981 and 1999 the following year. The best was yet to come for Prince in 1984...

Joan Jett and the Blackhearts' I Love Rock 'n Roll would go on to become her biggest album to date, with the title track and "Crimson and Clover" being Top 10 hits. Although the follow-up, Album, contained more original material, it wasn't as successful commercially, but still did well enough with critics. Brenda Russell's Love Life and Two Eyes were also received fairly well. Carly Simon's Torch was recorded in the midst of her breakup with James Taylor and the follow-up, Hello Big Man, was released the year they divorced. Neither album hit the Top 40 in the United States.

The members of Yes, 1983.
Judie Tzuke's I Am the Phoenix, Shoot the Moon and Ritmo, on the other hand, all charted within the Top 40 in the United Kingdom, but none reached the heights of Sports Car. Yes made a comeback following a brief hiatus with 90125 and introduced a new generation of fans to the band, becoming their best selling album to date. Jon Anderson stated that he would be staying with Yes for the foreseeable future.

But of course, with success comes the inevitable downfalls. The Buggles' Adventures in Modern Recording could not live up to the success of The Age of Plastic, and due to Trevor Horn and Geoff Downes pursuing different paths, the band had broken up in 1982. Similarly, the Vapors' follow-up to New Clear Days, Magnets, did not achieve the same level of success, however minor it was, despite the positive reviews. David Fenton had left the group due to the fact he was about to start a family and Howard Smith had also left due to loss of interest. With no reason to continue, Steve Smith and Edward Bazalgette announced the Vapors' breakup.

New Signings
The members of Asia, 1982.
Only three new artists were signed up during the 1981-83 period. Well, technically two, as one of them, Asia, was formed while Steve Howe (Yes) and Geoff Downes (The Buggles) were signed onto the label, forming the supergroup with John Wetton (King Crimson, U.K.) and Carl Palmer (Emerson, Lake & Palmer). The quartet's self-titled debut album was released on 18 March 1982, backed by the hit singles "Heat of the Moment", "Only Time Will Tell" and "Sole Survivor". Their follow-up album, Alpha (26 July 1983), was backed by the singles "Don't Cry" and "The Smile Has Left Your Eyes".[8]

Out of the two official signings, Dramatis was perhaps the most unlucky of them. They only released one album in 1981, For Future Reference, but it failed to chart in the United Kingdom despite one of the singles, "Love Needs No Disguise" with Gary Numan, charting at #33 there. After several other failed singles, they broke up in 1982. Katrina and the Waves, however, seemed to be destined for greater things with their debut album Walking on Sunshine, backed by the title track being a Top 10 hit.[9]

Swan Song Artists, as of December 1983
  • Aerosmith (since 1977; part of Highway 61 Records 1973-1976)
  • Asia (since 1981)
  • Blue Öyster Cult (since 1977; part of Highway 61 Records 1975-1976)
  • Kate Bush (since 1977)
  • Alice Cooper (since 1977; part of Highway 61 Records 1974-1976)
  • Devo (since 1978)
  • Dave Edmunds (since 1977; also contracted to Highway 61 Records)
  • Genesis (since 1977; part of Highway 61 Records 1975-1976)
    • Tony Banks (since 1979)
    • Kim Beacon (since 1979)
    • Mike Rutherford (since 1979)
  • Debbie Harry (since 1981; member of Blondie 1974-1982)
  • Joan Jett and the Blackhearts (since 1979)
  • Katrina and the Waves (since 1983)
  • Iggy Pop (since 1978; part of Highway 61 Records 1976-1977)
  • Prince (since 1978)
  • Brenda Russell (since 1979)
  • Carly Simon (since 1979)
  • Judie Tzuke (since 1979)
  • XTC (since 1977)
  • The Yardbirds (since 1974)
  • Yes (since 1980)
Departed Swan Song Artists
  • Kevin Ayers (1978-1981; part of Highway 61 Records 1976-1977)
  • Bad Company (1974-1982)
  • Blondie (1977-1982; part of Highway 61 Records 1976)
  • Blue (1977-1979)
  • Maggie Bell (1974-1976)
  • The Buggles (1978-1982)
  • Detective (1977-1979)
  • Dr. John (1977-1983; part of Highway 61 Records 1975-1976)
  • Dramatis (1981-1982)
  • The Pretty Things (1974-1976)
  • Sad Café (1976-1981)
  • The Vapors (1979-1981)

Various Artists - The Best of Apple Records Vol. 7: 1981-1983
Released: 19 February 2010
Recorded: 1980-1983
Producer: Various

Track listing
Swords of a Thousand Men [Tenpole Tudor]
Stop Draggin' My Heart Around [Stevie Nicks feat. Tom Petty & Mudcrutch]
Hold on Tight [Electric Light Orchestra]
Hang Fire [The Rolling Stones]
Woman [The Beatles]
Under Pressure [Smile and David Bowie]
Good Year for the Roses [Elvis Costello]
Town Called Malice [The Jam]
Iron Fist [Motörhead]
House of Fun [Madness]
Wasted on the Way [Crosby, Stills & Nash]
Lovely Money [The Damned]
Rock the Casbah [The Clash]
Love in Store [Fleetwood Mac]
Billie Jean [Michael Jackson]
Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) [Eurythmics]
The Shape You're In [Eric Clapton]
Misty Circles [Dead or Alive]
I'm Still Standing [Elton John]
They Don't Know [Tracey Ullman]

Apple's seventh "best of" compilation (#2 UK, #8 US) showcased how much music under the label had evolved in their first fifteen years, now comprised of mainstays from the 60s (Elton John, Fleetwood Mac) and 70s (Michael Jackson, Elvis Costello) along with the then-newer artists from the early 80s (Eurythmics, Dead or Alive). It was practically a melting pot of some of their greatest talents by this point, and critics and fans felt like the track selections best represented it.

Footnotes
  1. As Apple Films is still thriving in TTL, it absorbs a large amount of HandMade Films' filmography.
  2. For TTL, The Black Adder has the titular antihero as the smart one and Baldrick the stupid one, as would become the standard for the next three series - Blackadder II, Blackadder the Third and Blackadder Goes Forth.
  3. Because John Lennon did not die in TTL, "Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny)" does not get written. It was because of the song's inclusion that, to many people, saved Jump Up! from mediocrity all the way through. Bernie Taupin admitted in a 2010 interview that it was a disposable album, but "Empty Garden" made the it worth having.
  4. With Trevor Horn as a part of Apple, ZTT Records (short for Zang Tumb Tuum, although the Ts are sometimes reversed) does not form in this situation, although many of its artists do end up signing for Apple.
  5. Island of the Sun was an album that Neil Young recorded in May 1982 and originally sent over to Geffen Records, but David Geffen didn't think it was good enough.
  6. "Rockin' in the Free World" was actually written in February 1989 while on tour with the Restless. With an earlier Bush administration, it's very likely that Neil Young would've written it earlier as well.
  7. For Isolation, Dennis "Fergie" Frederiksen replaced Bobby Kimball on lead vocals, but he was disliked by the rest of Toto, and he was replaced with Joseph Williams for Fahrenheit. In TTL, Williams is invited to cover for Kimball and both eventually share lead vocals whenever they tour.
  8. In OTL, Greg Lake briefly filled in for John Wetton. The latter would return on the condition that Steve Howe was ousted, being replaced afterward with Mandy Meyer of Cobra. Meanwhile, Howe would form another supergroup, GTR, with Steve Hackett of Genesis, and their sole album was produced by Geoff Downes. In TTL, both Wetton and Howe remain in Asia, likely having sorted out their differences.
  9. In OTL, "Walking on Sunshine" became a hit after it was re-recorded for 1985's Katrina and the Waves, which featured re-recordings of tracks from their two albums under Attic Records (Walking on Sunshine, Katrina and the Waves 2). For TTL, the re-recordings do not take place.
Author's Comments

Well. This chapter took a long time to get ready, and I cannot apologize enough for the delay. I meant to have it ready last week, but I got sidetracked with various projects, pushing this on the backburner longer than I intended. I've only got four more chapters to cover before this first draft comes to an end, and all of them take place during 1984-1985. Hopefully none of them take up to a month in between them.

I wish I had more to say about this chapter, but I tell you; writing up these Apple Corps updates have gotten incredibly tedious and I'm glad that this is the last one for the first draft. I haven't included the 1981-1983 discographies because I simply couldn't be bothered. Again, very tedious to work on. Sorry if I sound pretty bummed out with this description, but I'm hoping to sound more positive for the next one.

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