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The Kings Are Here

1980 studio album by The Kings From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Kings Are Here is the debut Canadian album by the Kings, released in 1980 and certified Platinum in 2021.[3] Its first two tracks, "This Beat Goes On" and "Switchin' to Glide", are usually played together and reached number 59 on the RPM singles chart in Canada.[4]

Released1980
StudiosNimbus 9 "Soundstage", Toronto
GenreRock
Length30:42
Quick facts Studio album by, Released ...
The Kings Are Here
Studio album by
Released1980
StudiosNimbus 9 "Soundstage", Toronto
GenreRock
Length30:42
Labels
ProducerBob Ezrin
The Kings chronology
The Kings Are Here
(1980)
Amazon Beach
(1981)
Singles from The Kings Are Here
  1. "Switchin' to Glide"
    Released: 1980
  2. "This Beat Goes On" / "Switchin' to Glide"
    Released: 1980
  3. "Don't Let Me Know"
    Released: 1980[1]
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The album was reissued on CD for the first time in 1999 with five bonus tracks as The Kings Are Here and More.[5]

Background

The Kings Are Here was produced by Bob Ezrin, who had just completed working on Pink Floyd's The Wall. Taking some time off, Ezrin was back home in Toronto and stopped by the Soundstage studio, where he had worked with Alice Cooper and others. There he encountered the Kings recording a self-funded album and, liking what he heard, agreed to mix the tracks "This Beat Goes On" and "Switchin' to Glide". However, realizing that he was not satisfied with the recordings, Ezrin took the tapes to Elektra Records in Los Angeles and secured the band a deal with the label. Ezrin then made the Kings re-rehearse and re-arrange the songs for a month before they re-recorded the album, with some songs having been re-written.[6]

The album went Gold in Canada[7] and peaked at number 74 on Billboard's Top 200 in October 1980, spending 26 weeks on the chart. The single "Switchin' to Glide"/"This Beat Goes On" reached number 43 on Billboard's Hot 100.[8]

The Kings released one more album on Elektra, the Ezrin produced and less successful Amazon Beach (number 170), before signing with Capitol Canada for the R.S.V.P. EP in 1982.[9][10]

Track listing

All tracks are written by David Diamond and Aryan Zero, except where noted.

More information No., Title ...
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."This Beat Goes On" 3:08
2."Switchin' to Glide" 2:32
3."It's Okay" 2:53
4."Go Away" 3:45
5."Partyitis" 3:49
6."Run Shoes Running" 2:32
7."Anti Hero Man" 3:25
8."Love Store" 3:28
9."Don't Let Me Know" 3:58
10."My Habit"Diamond, Zero, Bill Lanza3:40
Total length:30:42
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More information No., Title ...
1999 bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
11."Right to the Top" (new track) 3:30
12."If the Stars Come Out Tonight" (new track) 4:20
13."Unstoppable" (from Unstoppable, 1993) 3:51
14."Shoulda Been Me" (from Unstoppable) 3:07
15."If We Don't Belong Together" (originally from Unstoppable; reworked and remixed)Sonny Keyes, Zero4:36
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Personnel

The Kings
  • David Diamond – vocals, bass
  • Mister Zero – guitar
  • Sonny Keyes – keyboards, vocals
  • Max Styles – drums
Technical
  • Bob Ezrin – producer
  • Michael McCarty – associate producer, engineer
  • Robert Hrycyna – associate producer, engineer
  • Ben Rogers – engineer
  • John Rosenthal – engineer
  • Rick Hart – engineer
  • Doug Sax – mastering
  • Hugh Syme – design, art direction
  • Deborah Samuel – photography

References

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