Air Supply (1976 album)

This article is about the 1976 debut album by the band Air Supply. For their 1985 self-titled album, see Air Supply (1985 album).

Air Supply
Studio album by
Air Supply
ReleasedDecember 1976
RecordedOctober 1976
StudioAlbert Studio, Sydney
GenreSoft rock, disco
Length42:37
LabelCBS Records
ProducerPeter Dawkins
Air Supply chronology
Air Supply
(1976) 		The Whole Thing's Started
(1977)
Alternate cover
Japanese reissue
Singles from Air Supply
  1. "Love and Other Bruises"
    Released: October 1976
  2. "Empty Pages"
    Released: February 1977

Air Supply is the debut album by British/Australian soft rock band Air Supply released on CBS Records in December 1976.[1] The lead single "Love and Other Bruises" was released in October, reaching No. 6 on the Kent Music Report Singles Chart, followed by the album's peak at No. 17 on the Kent Albums Chart.[2] While the album reached gold status in Australia, the second single "Empty Pages" did not reach the Top 40 in February 1977.[2] The album was issued as Strangers in Love in Japan.

The album preceded the band's international breakthrough, which came with Lost in Love in 1980. The band would later release another self-titled album in 1985.

Background

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Chrissie Hammond, Russell Hitchcock and Graham Russell met in May 1975 while performing in the Australian production of the Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice musical, Jesus Christ Superstar.[3][4] With Hammond and Hitchcock on vocals and Russell on guitar, they formed Air Supply as a harmony vocal group in Melbourne.[5] Hammond left to form Cheetah and was replaced by Jeremy Paul (ex-Soffrok) on bass guitar and vocals in 1976.[3] The group's first single, "Love and Other Bruises", peaked at No. 6 on the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart in October.[2] It was followed by Air Supply, their debut album, in December, which reached No. 17 on the Kent Music Report Albums Chart and achieved gold in Australia.[2][3] The album was produced by Peter Dawkins (Spectrum, Ross Ryan) with Air Supply line-up as Hitchcock, Paul, Russell and drummer Jeff Browne, guitarist Mark McEntee and keyboardist/arranger Adrian Scott.[3][4] The second single was "Empty Pages" peaked at No. 43.[2] A national tour followed with Hitchcock, Paul, Russell and Scott joined by Nigel Macara (ex-Tamam Shud, Ariel) on drums and Brenton White (Skintight) on guitar.[3][4] Brenton White rehearsed but did not perform with Air Supply.

Critical reception

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Cashbox said that "their music is polished, poised and mainstream without being predictable."[6]

Track listing

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All tracks are written by Graham Russell.

Side one
No.TitleLead vocalsLength
1."Feel the Breeze"Russell Hitchcock3:59
2."I Don't Believe You"Air Supply4:04
3."Empty Pages"Hitchcock4:21
4."What a Life"Jeremy Paul4:39
5."Secret Agent"Graham Russell3:43
Side two
No.TitleLead vocalsLength
1."The Weight is My Soul"Russell3:29
2."Love and Other Bruises"Hitchcock3:43
3."It's Not Easy"Russell with Hitchcock4:25
4."We Are All Alone"Russell3:17
5."Strangers in Love"Hitchcock3:48
6."Ain't it a Shame"Russell with Hitchcock3:09
Total length:42:37

Personnel

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Musicians

  • Graham Russell – lead vocals, backing vocals, electric and acoustic guitars
  • Russell Hitchcock – lead vocals, backing vocals, congas
  • Jeremy Paul – bass guitar, backing vocals, lead vocals (on "What a Life")
  • Adrian Scott – keyboards, additional vocals
  • Mark McEntee – electric, rhythm, and lead guitars
  • Jeff Browne – drums
  • Ian Bloxsom – extra percussion
  • William Motzing – string arrangements and conduction
  • Graeme Pearce – drums (on "Love and Other Bruises")
  • Peter Deacon – piano (on "Love and Other Bruises")

Production

  • Peter Dawkins – producer
  • Richard Lush – engineer (at EMI Studios, Sydney)
  • Bruce Brown – engineer on "Love and Other Bruises" (at Albert Studios)
  • Martin Benge – additional engineering
  • Mastering – CBS Records, Artarmon
  • J. Peter Thoeming – art direction, design
  • Carroll Holloway – photography

Charts

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Chart (1976/77) Peak
position
Australian (Kent Music Report)[7] 17

Certifications and sales

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[8] Gold 50,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

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Date Region Label Format Catalog Notes
1976 Australia CBS LP SBP 234929 [9]
New Zealand
Canada Columbia PES 90413
1976 Australia CBS CAS PC 4929
Summit/Rainbow SUL 3002
1977 Australia CBS 2LP SBP 241031 Repackaged with The Whole Thing's Started
1980 Japan Epic/Sony LP 25•3P-232 Issued as Strangers in Love, alternate cover[9]
1981 Australia Harmony LP HC 15070 Love and Other Bruises compilation, includes six tracks from Air Supply
CAS TCHC 15070
Summit/Rainbow SC 3036
1988 Australia Columbia/Sony CD 463016 2
CBS/Disctronics 463016 2 Reissue of 1981 compilation, alternate cover[10]
CBS CAS 463016 4
1991 Australia Rainbow CD RCD 1118 First appearance of full album on CD [11]
1992 Australia Rainbow 2CD 2RCD 111/112 Feel the Breeze, includes Air Supply and The Whole Thing's Started [11]
1996 Korea Columbia/Sony CD 486553.2 Once Upon a Time, includes three tracks from Air Supply
CAS 486553.4

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Air Supply History Archived 21 April 2008 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 8 December 2008
  2. ^ a b c d e Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book Ltd. ISBN 0-646-11917-6. NOTE: Used for Australian Singles and Albums charting from 1974 until ARIA created their own charts in mid-1988. In 1992, Kent back calculated chart positions for 1970–1974.
  3. ^ a b c d e McFarlane, Ian (1999). "Encyclopedia entry for 'Air Supply'". Whammo Homepage. Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop. St Leonards, NSW: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86508-072-1. Archived from the original on 5 April 2004. Retrieved 16 August 2010. Note: Archived [on-line] copy has limited functionality.
  4. ^ a b c Spencer, Chris; Zbig Nowara, Paul McHenry with notes by Ed Nimmervoll (2002) [1987]. "Air Supply entry". The Who's Who of Australian Rock. Noble Park, Vic.: Five Mile Press. ISBN 1-86503-891-1.
  5. ^ Holmgren, Magnus; Thornton, Mary Ann; Padgett, Chris. "Air Supply". Australian Rock Database. Magnus Holmgren. Archived from the original on 26 September 2010. Retrieved 16 August 2010.
  6. ^ "Album Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. 3 December 1977. p. 20. Retrieved 25 November 2021 – via World Radio History.
  7. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 13. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  8. ^ "Cashbox Magazine" (PDF). Billboard. 18 June 1977. p. 54. Retrieved 12 November 2021 – via World Radio History.
  9. ^ a b "Air Supply History: Chapter 3"
  10. ^ "Air Supply History: Chapter 16"
  11. ^ a b "Air Supply History: Chapter 18"
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