Stripped to the Bare Bones

Stripped to the Bare Bones
Live album by Steve Harley
Released 27 September 1999
Genre Pop rock
Length 73:56
Label Burning Airlines (NMC Ltd.)
Producer Steve Harley
Steve Harley chronology
The Cream of Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel
(1999)		 Stripped to the Bare Bones
(1999)		 Acoustic and Pure: Live
(2002)
Alternative Cover
2000 re-issue "Unplugged"

Stripped to the Bare Bones is a 1999 live acoustic album by English songwriter and musician Steve Harley.[1][2]

Background

The album consists of fourteen live unplugged tracks, which were recorded live and acoustic at the Jazz Cafe in London, during March 1998. The album features Harley on acoustic guitar and harmonica, as well as Nick Pynn on acoustic lead guitar, dulcimer, mando-cello and violin. In 1997, Harley first performed some casual shows at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival consisting of music and chat about his career, accompanied by Pynn. The success of these led to Harley and Pynn playing over a hundred dates in 1998, performing under the explanatory tour-title "Stripped to the Bare Bones". This tour included 54 concerts across the UK alone, and around 90 songs were rehearsed for use on the tour. Tying in with the tour was the release of More Than Somewhat – The Very Best of Steve Harley, the mid-price re-issue of most of the early catalogue, and this live album entitled Stripped to the Bare Bones.[3]

Although Harley initially had preference of performing with a full rock band, he was invited to do an acoustic show at Castlemilk Festival in Glasgow. After thinking about the offer, Harley took a chance and accepted. He ended up really enjoying the acoustic-format, and got a taste for that type of performance.[4]

The tour and album title originated from the fact that the majority of Harley's songs are penned with a piano or guitar, and so they can easily be performed with an acoustic guitar.[4] The album was recorded using Sensible Music Ltd. and an ADAT system.[5]

Of the fourteen tracks, one was a new song "Only You". The song later appeared on the 2006 compilation The Cockney Rebel – A Steve Harley Anthology, but has never been recorded in the studio.

As the first acoustic album from Harley, two others would follow; Acoustic and Pure: Live in 2002, and Anytime! (A Live Set) in 2004.

Release

The album was originally issued in the UK by Burning Airlines (NMC Ltd.). This CD now remains out-of-print. In 2000 it was re-issued under a new title Unplugged. Featuring the same track-listing but with different artwork, the re-issue was released by Brilliant.[6] The album remains in print to date.[7]

Track listing

All tracks written by Steve Harley. 

No.TitleLength
1."My Only Vice (Is the Fantastic Prices I Charge for Being Eaten Alive)"  2:41
2."Star for a Week (Dino)"  5:07
3."The Best Years of Our Lives"  9:33
4."Judy Teen"  3:08
5."The Last Time I Saw You"  5:21
6."Mr. Soft"  3:17
7."(Love) Compared with You"  5:39
8."Tumbling Down"  6:28
9."Only You"  5:11
10."Bed in the Corner"  3:20
11."Sling It!"  3:46
12."Riding the Waves (For Virginia Woolf)"  6:30
13."Sebastian"  8:32
14."Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)"  5:16

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic (Stripped to Bare Bones)[8]
Allmusic (Unplugged)[9]

Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic reviewed the Stripped to Bare Bones album and noted "The live album happens to be proof that Harley was a solid song-craftsman and a fine performer, more than just a glam has-been. His relaxed yet energetic performances and ease at storytelling make it a highly entertaining album, even for listeners who aren't familiar with his body of work. Since the record is effectively a document of a full concert, complete with shtick, it isn't something that would make its way to the stereo all that often, but when it's on, it will likely make you smile."[8]

Dave Thompson of Allmusic reviewed the Unplugged re-issue version of the album, and commented "At a time when every artist worth his salt, and a lot who wished they still were, was jumping on the "unplugged" bandwagon, it became increasingly difficult to even hear that word without cringing just a little bit at the prospect of another round of hits strummed earnestly on acoustic guitars. But even amid so much swine there was the occasional pearl, and Steve Harley's contribution to the genre stands as one of the best. Taking a leaf from that other music television staple, the "storyteller" format, Harley is a most engaging host, punctuating songs with humor and anecdote, and if he does push the "gee, it's really great to be here" sincerity button a little too often for comfort, then that goes with the territory as well. A quarter of a century had passed since he was last considered a commercial force, yet his audience is as devotedly die-hard as ever, and the songs have held up remarkably well too, particularly those (more than half the set) which were drawn from the peak years of Harley's career."[9]

Personnel

References

  1. ↑ "Stripped To The Bare Bones". Harleyfanzone.com. Retrieved 2014-07-09.
  2. ↑ "Discography". Myweb.tiscali.co.uk. Retrieved 2014-07-09.
  3. ↑ The Rough Guide to Rock - Google Books. Books.google.co.uk. Retrieved 2014-07-09.
  4. 1 2 Stripped to the Bare Bones CD booklet
  5. ↑ "Stripped To The Bare Bones". Harleyfanzone.com. Retrieved 2014-07-09.
  6. ↑ "Official Steve Harley Website UK - Stripped To The Bare Bones (1999)". Steveharley.com. Retrieved 2014-07-09.
  7. ↑ "Unplugged: Amazon.co.uk: Music". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 2014-07-09.
  8. 1 2 Stephen Thomas Erlewine (1999-08-03). "Stripped to Bare Bones - Steve Harley | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-07-09.
  9. 1 2 Dave Thompson (2001-03-19). "Unplugged - Steve Harley | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-07-09.
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