| DASH CROFTS...�TODAY�*** NUANCE/LIGHTYEAR RECORDS A couple of weeks before I was scheduled to write this review of Dash�s first ever solo album �Today�, I called up his media consultant Martha Moore to set up a possible interview. She was very pleasant and soon emailed me the date and time for a telephone interview that was to happen a week or so later. Wow, an interview with Dash Crofts - now solo- who with Jim Seals had once been the great duo �Seals and Crofts�. Together they had released a string of albums for Warner Brothers Records, many of which went gold and platinum. Who doesn�t remember such hits as �Summer Breeze�, �Diamond Girl�, or �Hummingbird�? Well, as the dead-line approached I mulled over what questions I should ask this great tenor voiced mandolin player without coming off as unprepared or ignorant of his musical past and present vision. At work, I asked some friends what they knew about Seals and Crofts, and what questions would be cool to ask Dash. I got several replies, some simply inane such as: �Seals who?�, and �What songs did they do?�, and others of a more interesting nature such as: �Why did they break-up?�, �How old is he now? (which I respectfully will decline from revealing)� and �Didn�t they ride with The Hell�s Angels? (huh?)�. Well, I finally decided to hit the books so to speak. Although I had been a fan of Seals and Crofts back in high-school, I really didn�t know that much about their musical history. Well, I found out that Dash was a native of north-central Texas and had begun his career as a drummer. He first met Jim Seals in junior high school. Both moved to California and soon joined The Champs, who ended up touring the world on the strength of their instant classic �Tequila�. (Who doesn�t know that one?). When The Champs disbanded in 1966, Seals and Crofts went their separate ways until joining up again in early 1970. The rest is history. Seals and Crofts last top 40 hit was �You�re The Love� in 1978. Well, before I knew it the day of the telephone interview was upon me and I was due to ring up Dash, 3:30 my time. So what happened? I never got to make the call. I didn�t get off work until 3:15 and then I had to go and pick up my 15 month old daughter who had a runny nose and didn�t feel very good. by the time I got home it was almost 5:00. Damn, Damn, Damn! I�d missed my chance to talk to one of the greatest folk/country/jazz/classical songsmiths in the world who now had his first solo album out, ever. Well, I�d listened to his solo album �Today�, and read every thing I could find about him, so I decided to just write the review anyway, without the benefits of a one on one conversation. The new solo album is great by the way. It Sounds a lot like the old stuff but with the amazing guitar playing talents of the legendary Louie Shelton (who had produced all of Seals and Crofts earlier hits), and featuring several co-writes with old friend and partner Jim Seals. Not a bad song in the bunch. I particularly liked �Ridin� Thumb�. While researching this review I read about how Seals and Crofts became embroiled in controversy in 1974 over their album �Unborn Child�, from which the title song, sang from the fetus� point of view, outraged abortion advocates who held demonstrations at many of their shows. The single flopped, and the album was a critical failure. I wonder how that song would be received in today�s world with most people being a bit more liberal-minded than they were over 25 years ago. Well, I might have missed my chance at the phone interview with Dash, but If he could have seen that little stinker running around with the runny nose, happy and laughing, and how she�d played a part in my missing the aforementioned interview, I�m sure he�d have understood. Visit Nuance Records online at www.nuancerecords.com and Lightyear Entertainment at www.lightyear.com. |