[PhishPhan]

I'm not ashamed to say I like Chicago, the early stuff that is. 25 or 6 to 4 is great stuff IMO.

[martyo]

I first saw Chicago at the Fillmore West just before the 2nd album came out. My girlfriend liked Blood Sweat and Tears and was not prepared for Chicago. Terry Kath was the show. Later they became a pop horn band, but early on the horns were there playing their harmony but the lead was Kath. They were stoney Fillmore shows.

[John Casler]

I first saw Chicago at the Fillmore West just before the 2nd album came out. My girlfriend liked Blood Sweat and Tears and was not prepared for Chicago. Terry Kath was the show. Later they became a pop horn band, but early on the horns were there playing their harmony but the lead was Kath. They were stoney Fillmore shows.

Filmore West?  Marty you're the man.  Did you see Santana, Beautiful Day, or Airplane there?

Those were the days

I liked all those HORNY groups like Chicago including:

David Clayton Thomas and Blood Sweat and Tears
 
Skip Prokoff and Lighthouse - One Fine Morning had a multi-horn crescendo at the end that was great

Ides of March - Vehicle

Remember:

Lyrics for: Vehicle
 
Hey well, I'm the friendly stranger in the black Sedan
Won't you hop inside my car
I got pictures, got candy, I'm a lovable man
And I can take you to the nearest star

I'm your vehicle, baby
I'll take you anywhere you wanna go
I'm your vehicle, woman
By now I'm sure you know
That I love ya (love ya)
I need ya (need ya)
I want ya, got to have you, child
Great God in heaven, you know I love you

Well, if you wants to be a movie star,
I'll take you to Hollywood
But if you want to stay just like you are,
You know I think you really should

I'm your vehicle, baby
I'll take you anywhere you wanna go
I'm your vehicle, woman
By now I'm sure you know
That I love ya (love ya)
I need ya (need ya)
I want ya, got to have you, child
Great God in heaven, you know I love you
Oh, you know I do

(Guitar Solo - then repeat)

[martyo]

Filmore West?  Marty you're the man.  Did you see Santana, Beautiful Day, or Airplane there?

Saw them all. Add the Dead and Quicksilver and CSN&Y and you have my favorite bands from that time. 

[nathanm]

Wow, Richard Marx, Zero?  That takes the cake! 

[lcrim]

Al Kooper was the original singer and basically leader of Blood, Sweat And Tears.  I believe the original album was Child is Father to the Man and was very much more in a jazz/blues vein.  David Clayton Thomas came later.  I think they booted Al but maybe someone knows more about it.

[Lyndon]

Al Kooper had a...way of getting under other musician's skin.  I think he was the producer of Lynyrd Skynyrd's first album, and they hated the guy.  Great Hammond organ on Dylan's 'Like A Rolling Stone', not bad fill-in French Horn for Stone's 'You Can't Always Get What You Want'...and the 'Super Sessions' with Michael Bloomfield. 
Back to guilty pleasures...
I bought the 45 single of 'Afternoon Delight'...my only excuse was my girlfriend loved that song.
It was the 1976 Bicentennial summer and it was a BIG hit on the radio.

[chadh]

So I'm driving around today and listening to the local "classic rock" station on the radio, when this mindblowing tune comes on.  Of course, the dj doesn't bother to tell anybody what the damn song was, so I spend the rest of the drive trying to work out what those confusing lyrics could mean, hoping for a hint about what the song title could be.  I knew that I'd heard the song before, but I never knew what or who it was.  When I finally get near the computer and google the random snatches that I can remember ...."waiting for the break of day"...something about "624"...imagine my surprise to find that this had been none other than CHICAGO and a curiously titled "25 or 6 to 4".

It was awesome.

What happened to these guys that left them playing crap like "You're a Hard Habit to Break"?

Chad

[chadh]

Hey, I even know what the lyrics mean now!

Chad

[bpape]

What happened to these guys that left them playing crap like "You're a Hard Habit to Break"?

Chad

Terry Kath died.

[chadh]

What happened to these guys that left them playing crap like "You're a Hard Habit to Break"?

Chad

Terry Kath died.

This officially qualifies as a tragedy.

Chad

[nodiak]

Early Chicago is great. But agree not the later prom night ballads.
Chase (Bill Chase) was another good brass rock band from the day.
Don
martyo, good going, I'm jealous, tho at least I saw some of those folks in Indiana, and later at Red Rocks in Colorado.

[John Casler]

What happened to these guys that left them playing crap like "You're a Hard Habit to Break"?

Chad

Terry Kath died.

This officially qualifies as a tragedy.

Chad

Actually it is worse than that.  Terry, was pretty high at a party and decided to play Russian Roulette (bad Idea) and you can guess the rest.

At least that is how it was told to me by some people who should know.

http://www.timmwood.com/kathdeath.html

If you can get a copy of "Does anybody really Know What Time it is" with the longer Piano Intro.  25 or 6 to 4, also has a bit of an good intro too.

It is on my Classic Rock Reference Cuts.

Nothing like some great Brass work, and Chicago was at the top of that list, that also included BS&T, Lighthouse, and Ides of March.

[lonewolfny42]

Chicago (CTA) ...on their first album...."I'm A Man".....smoking track !!!

Sample Link...

[satfrat]

Chicago (CTA) ...on their first album...."I'm A Man".....smoking track !!!

Sample Link...

yeahhh, them was the days when i was a smokin' man,,,,,,, and the music was a heavenly experience. 


Cheers,
Robin

[sts9fan]

Any of you guys read Chuck Klosterman?  Here is a good article he wrote on just this topic.
http://www.esquire.com/features/ESQ1104-NOV_AMERICA

kris

[PhilNYC]

Chicago (CTA) ...on their first album...."I'm A Man".....smoking track !!!

Sample Link...

The Rhino remaster sounds great, too!

http://www.rhino.com/store/ProductDetail.lasso?Number=76171

[chadh]

Chicago (CTA) ...on their first album...."I'm A Man".....smoking track !!!

Sample Link...

The Rhino remaster sounds great, too!

http://www.rhino.com/store/ProductDetail.lasso?Number=76171

I actually just went and picked up the Rhino remaster of Chicago II.: http://www.rhino.com/store/ProductDetail.lasso?Number=76172

Chad

[Les Lammers]

So what do you think, should a guy feel guilty pleasure for listening to Chicago?  Cause I've got the 'ol iTunes on shuffle and up came some Chicago tunes, stuff which I think was an early childhood musical touchstone.  Anyway, I got to thinking, "Man, this is really schmaltzy, if I turned this up and someone heard me I'd feel a little embarassed.  Stuff like "Hard To Say I'm Sorry", "Hard Habit To Break" and "You're The Inspiration".  I have no Chicago historical knowledge whatever, so I have no perspective of them as a band or anything.  But somehow I feel I should have my ass kicked for even playing this, if you'll pardon the expression, GAY music.  Hmmm...  Cripes, wasn't one of these things from the Karate Kid...I'm so mortified. 

I woulld see a shrink ASAP and get heavy meds.