Air Supply (1976 album)
1976 studio album by Air Supply
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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.
| Air Supply | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | December 1976 | |||
| Recorded | October 1976 | |||
| Studios | Albert Studio, Sydney | |||
| Genres | Soft rock, disco | |||
| Length | 42:37 | |||
| Label | CBS | |||
| Producer | Peter Dawkins | |||
| Air Supply chronology | ||||
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| Alternate cover | ||||
 Japanese reissue | ||||
| Singles from Air Supply | ||||
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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
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
Track listing
All tracks are written by Graham Russell.
| No. | Title | Lead vocals | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Feel the Breeze" | Russell Hitchcock | 3:59 |
| 2. | "I Don't Believe You" | Air Supply | 4:04 |
| 3. | "Empty Pages" | Hitchcock | 4:21 |
| 4. | "What a Life" | Jeremy Paul | 4:39 |
| 5. | "Secret Agent" | Graham Russell | 3:43 |
| No. | Title | Lead vocals | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Weight Is My Soul" | Russell | 3:29 |
| 2. | "Love and Other Bruises" | Hitchcock | 3:43 |
| 3. | "It's Not Easy" | Russell with Hitchcock | 4:25 |
| 4. | "We Are All Alone" | Russell | 3:17 |
| 5. | "Strangers in Love" | Hitchcock | 3:48 |
| 6. | "Ain't It a Shame" | Russell with Hitchcock | 3:09 |
| Total length: | 42:37 | ||
Personnel
Musicians
- Graham Russell – lead vocals, backing vocals, electric and acoustic guitars
- Russell Hitchcock – lead vocals, backing vocals
- 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
| Chart (1976/77) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[7] | 17 |
Certifications and sales
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[8] | Gold | 50,000^ |
|
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
Release history
| 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 |