Foster Sylvers – S.T.
The Detroit-based mutant-funk project Was (Not Was) was not so much of a band, but more the songwriting / studio project of Don Fagenson, a.k.a. Don Was, and his partner David Weiss, a.k.a. David Was. Like Steely Dan, Was (Not Was) employed a constantly rotating cast of top-tier studio musicians and other interesting collaborators including Ozzy Osbourne, Mitch Ryder, Mel Tormé, Stevie Salas, John Patitucci, Frank Sinatra Jr., Wayne Kramer, Marcus Belgrave, and Luis Resto. The “group” was fronted by vocalists Sweet Pea Atkinson and Sir Harry Bowens, who essentially stood in as the face of the band in place of Fagenson and Weiss. The band’s self-titled debut album is a cult classic featuring favorites like “Out Come the Freaks” and “Tell Me That I’m Dreaming,” which features a sample of a 1981 Ronald Reagan speech on the nation’s economy, and the iconic line: “the man likes milk, now he wants a million cows.”
Recommended – Full Listen
Tags: Cult Classic
Tracklist:
A1 Out Come The Freaks
A2 Where Did Your Heart Go?
A3 Tell Me That I’m Dreaming
A4 Oh, Mr. Friction
B1 Carry Me Back To Old Morocco
B2 It’s An Attack!
B3 The Sky’s Ablaze
B4 Go…Now!
Credits:
Art Direction – Maverse Players
Artwork [Airbrush] – Terry Robeson
Backing Vocals – Carol Hall, Carolyn Crawford*, Kathy Kosins, Michelle Goulet, Sheila Horne
Bass – Jervonny Collier, Lamont Johnson
Cover, Photography By [Liner] – Dirk Bakker (2)
Drums – Franklin K. Funklyn McCullers, Jerry Jones (2)
Electric Piano [Rhodes] – Raymond Johnson (3)
Engineer [Mastering] – Ray Janos
Engineer [Recording & Mixing] – Don Was
Engineer [Remote Recording] – Burr Huntington
Executive-Producer – Michael Zilkha
Guitar – Bruce Nazarian, Ricky Rouse*, Wayne Kramer
Mandolin – Mack Pitt
Mixed By [Dance Mixes] – Ken Collier
Percussion – Larry Fratangelo
Percussion [Additional] – Gary Stuck, Jim Matthews, Les Chambers
Percussion, Handclaps [Electronic] – Kevin Tschirhart
Percussion, Vocals [Rap] – Carl ‘Butch’ Small*
Piano – Irwin Krinsky
Producer – David Was, Don Was, Jack Tann
Saxophone [Soprano, Alto & Tenor] – David McMurray
Saxophone [Tenor], Piccolo Flute [Piccolo] – Armand Angeloni
Synthesizer [Moog] – Mark Johnson
Synthesizer [Oberheim Obx & Arp], Piano – Luis Resto
Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Marcus Belgrave
Typography [Typeset/Keyline] – Bill Thomas (18)
Vocals [Additional] – Anthony Was, Kim Heron, Lamont Zodiac, Mark J. Norton, Mitchell Jacobs, Mrs. Martinez’s Fifth Hour Vocal Music Class/Birney Middle School, Pam Schlom, Richard Pinkston, Rick Cushingberry, Rubin Weiss, Ruth Seymore, Tom Brzezina*
Vocals, Bass, Synthesizer [Moog], Vibraphone [Vibes], Clavinet – Don Was
Vocals, Saxophone [Alto], Piano – David Was
