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DOOR IN THE WATER 25th Anniversary Expanded Edition

by Johnny J Blair "Singer at Large"

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grandeped
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grandeped I love it when artists re-release classic albums, but even more so when they expand them with songs that the "label" didn't want on the album at the time. Stuff like this is really timeless. Favorite track: One Planet One Utopia One Helmet (1985).
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Brad Snyder
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  • Streaming + Download

    Immediate download of 22-track album in your choice of 320k mp3, FLAC, or just about any other format you could possibly desire. Name your own price to download this entire album! Your contribution is mightily appreciated and allows me to continue working as a musician, as God has called me to be.
    Purchasable with gift card

      $5 USD  or more

     

  • Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

    We recently found a short stack of the original issue LP as it appeared on record store racks in 1985. Johnny is signing each of these copies while they last!

    Includes unlimited streaming of DOOR IN THE WATER 25th Anniversary Expanded Edition via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 10 days
    edition of 3 
    Purchasable with gift card

      $20 USD or more 

     

  • Full Digital Discography

    31
    releases

    Get all 31 Johnny J Blair "Singer at Large" releases available on Bandcamp and save 25%.

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of FIRE, Mutiny Radio - Interview & Music, Frontiers of Love (The Celtic Phase EP), UNITED single + remixes, I LIKE THE STREET, LOST & FOUND VOL. 3: PURE POP MUSIC Deep Cuts & Rarities, "(AND YOU CAN) COLOUR MY WORLD" + FUTURE FLASHBACKS, BILLTOWN BUS STOP RADIO HOUR WITH MIKE GARSON, and 23 more. , and , .

    Excludes supporter-only releases.

    Purchasable with gift card

      $132.75 USD or more (25% OFF)

     

1.
Welcome to the Open Door 03:57
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2.
One Planet One Utopia One Helmet (1985) 03:28
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I heard someone crying Waterloo Could be the big one, watcha gonna do? Yin yang, sorry Arthur You don't crucify for soap operas Some girl takin' motion pictures of some hillbillies in a union house with fixtures Envision trilateral Commission subliminal Chorus 1: It's indoctrination Gradual sensation Bugs in conversation Next assassination Could be a politician Or some kind of musician Now is the time of salvation I knew a young czar Local heavy punker dead Kaiser Got elected mayor (He say) no more Kinks, No more Stones No more Who, metal drone Saw him buying psychedelics At the coal mine, erecting the new relics He banned the cross, gave us all a new savior Gonna get the mark, or you're gonna get the razor Chorus 2: It's indoctrination ideological rebellion With no consideration Next assassination Deifies the politician Deifies the musician Still there is time for salvation A new prophet, new age centurion He's such a nice man with a nice one world religion One mind, one planet One utopia, one helmet Someone is pulling all the strings His name is backwards, and he'll tell you anything Riling up the left, ruffling the right But it ain't too long 'fore we tie him up tight Repeat Chorus 1 Song written by Johnny J. Blair copyright 1985 Singnorbertmusic, Inc. ASCAP copyright renewed 2007 Word2Soul CMI
3.
Please Don't Wait Too Long 03:14 video
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4.
Ya Gotta Care (SimpleMindFunk Mix) 02:53
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5.
Eternal Life 05:34
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6.
The Compleat Angler (remastered) 03:45 video
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7.
Rebellion Comes On 04:03
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Rebellion Comes On (Johnny J Blair Copyright 1985, 2005, Word2Soul Music BMI) Dreaming I was in a restaurant Where no one ate their food The music played But I can't say The name of a single tune Flowing past the words and discussions None of which were used So I asked my dream as a person would Are you really as much as you learn? The dream just turned his head as if he thought that I should die I saw my voice ascend the rain and cut right through the sky Rebellion comes on Like the calm before the storm Offering things we were told that we wanted Till clouds bled and washed it all away, away... Tears of joy reflecting rolling down my neck Joyful miracles in every single breath Because I've been redeemed from schemes and dreams I would consign None of which we're in the will of he who can design Before rebellion came on Like the calm before the storm Offering control that we can't handle All to be taken away, away...
8.
Seven Long Years 02:26
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Seven Long Years (written by Johnny J Blair Copyright 1984 Singnorbertmusic, Inc. BMI) I think there's something you should know About your friends where did they go Without a trace without a sign All they had was left behind You wanna know Down in your soul Faster you're going on to the unknown It ain't no joke When you can't vote for another Seven long years of a sugar-coated usher Smiling in a big new age You heard the facts there once before About the religious whore She used to get out of the way And now she finally got her day Now just hold on There's something wrong When you can only sing a national song You didn't care Till there's no prayer For another Seven long years of a religious lover Bluffing you into a new age You think you'll take another look Into the forbidden Book The cleanest one under your bed Before that mark gets on your head And now you're broken There's not a token That can redeem the word already spoken It took the plagues and the wars to make you see that it's Seven long years of a wide-eyed assumption Spawning off a killer new age Seven long years till the final crown is worn by the One who was supposed to Wear it in the first place Seven long years which you probably can't stand but your heart can start over
9.
Locusts 01:17
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10.
Open Door 04:07
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11.
Circles & Cycles (Big Country Version) 02:18
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12.
Sequel 00:52
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13.
Johnny J Blair & October - Spirit (Waterboys cover) remastered 2021 (free) 03:47
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14.
Johnny J Blair & October - One Planet One Utopia One Helmet (live 1986--remastered 2021) 03:39
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15.
Johnny J Blair & October - Apathy (live 1986) (free) 02:23
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Apathy (written by Johnny J Blair Copyright 1985, 2005 Word2Soul Music BMI) (Chorus) There's not much you can say about apathy (3x) It kind of wrecks you mind It kind of wastes your time It kind of leaves you blind When you weren't even looking (repeat chorus, fill in the blank with your own comic renditions of people with too much time on their hands and too little direction)
16.
Johnny J Blair & October - Seven Long Years (live 1986) (free) 02:29
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17.
Johnny J Blair & October - Desert Ruby (band rehearsal 1986) (free) 03:14
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For the full back story & lyrics, go to http://www.johnnyjblair.com/?page_id=834
18.
Johnny J. Blair & October feat. Victor Valverde - Love Is Strange (band rehearsal 1986) 05:03
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19.
Everybody Needs Jesus Instead 02:48
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20.
KUSF-FM (San Francisco) interview 4/86 (free) 06:44
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21.
Please Don't Wait Too Long (instrumental 2-track demo) (free) 03:57
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22.
Johnny J Blair w/Jonny V - Sequel to the Sequel (free) 01:09
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about

DOOR IN THE WATER was a "New Wave concept album" by "Singer at Large" Johnny J Blair. Given positive reviews in Canada, Europe, and the USA, this was his first full-length project after a string of singles, demos, EPs, and field recordings--including work with members of The Tubes and making a live recording of Nico (Velvet Underground).

Sounds of water and redolent choral themes run throughout the album, inspired by cornerstone "concept albums" such as PET SOUNDS (Beach Boys) and THE LAMB LIES DOWN ON BROADWAY (Genesis) and the PRESERVATION ACT series of The Kinks. Post-punk rock reverie flows next to visionary melodicism, urban satire, and bittersweet spirituality.

Blair recalls, "I started this album in San Francisco. Then, I got signed to my first record deal, but they didn't like the California tracks--said they were too experimental and ratty. So they sent me to the uber-cool town of Knoxville, Tennessee to work at a large studio that The Jacksons used as a rehearsal space for their 'Victory' tour. I got to borrow Michael Jackson's Yamaha DX7 keyboard (The Jacksons used seven DX7's on stage!). The session players were blues and country guys. I played them records by Big Country and The Clash so they'd 'get it,' and they nailed the parts in less than three takes.

"The original vinyl LP had two flaws: The track assignment was forced on me by the record company (they rejected "Locusts" and "Rebellion Comes On"), and their mastering was hasty and deficient in the midrange where the vocals sit (back then I was fairly ignorant on that subject). As a result, people repeatedly complained they couldn't hear my vocals. At last, these problems have been fixed! I now offer the songs in the order I originally intended, and Scott Francis (Mind's Eye Music Studios) remastered it. The fidelity is vastly improved and the vocals are more prominent.

"As a bonus, I've added some of the pre-studio demos from 1984 plus several tracks (demo, live, and rehearsal) from 1986 with the band October (named after the U2 album), and an a cappella rockabilly-doo wop-gospel tribute to Dion & the Belmonts, "Everybody Needs Jesus Instead"--the track the record company preferred over "Rebellion Comes On." I thought "ENJI" disrupted the flow of the album, but a lot of people thought it was catchy."

Reviews:

BAM magazine 10/85 (San Francisco): “…A surprisingly punchy and well-crafted effort…varied, very listenable…Blair proves himself an able melody writer and resourceful producer…combining pop simplicity and studio ingenuity…he knocks off several ear-grabbing, upbeat numbers…notably “One Planet—One Utopia—One Helmet”…a cheerfully, nasty-sounding stomper…” (Barry Alfonso)

Music & Art Magazine 2/89 (Rotterdam, Holland): “Let’s start with the cover. A nice picture of a door laying in the water. In or out? You decide…the music is rather experimental, with a lot of influences, from Dylan to Brian Wilson to The Kinks to Todd Rundgren…for all of us who want something different, a record to dive into.” (Wim Boluijt)

Rockbox magazine 3/86 (Toronto): “Raised on heavy doses of Motown, British Invasion, and The Beach Boys…Blair’s first full-length album neatly fuses his spiritual concerns and rock’n’roll base…”Welcome to the Open Door” is inviting, with a gorgeous guitar and keyboard mélange at the fade; “Ya Gotta Care” is a noisy but effective rallying call; “Seven Long Years” is an update on Dylan’s “With God on Our Side” with raunch from The Clash “Should I Stay or Should I Go?” The clincher is the funny “One Planet—One Utopia—One Helmet,” evoking confusion (“Buying psychedelics at the coal mine”) with tough humor over ex-Johnny Winter And member Darryl Puett’s compact, furious guitar snatches.” (JJ Syrja)

credits

released April 23, 1985

All songs written & produced by Johnny J Blair except "Ya Gotta Care" co-written with Jeff Lloyd, and "Spirit" written by Mike Scott. All original songs published by Singnorbertmusic, Inc. BMI 1984 and Word2Soul Music BMI 2005, except "Spirit."

Tennessee studio musicians:

Johnny J Blair: bass, Simmons drums, drum programs, guitars, keyboards, percussion, vocals on all tracks
Daryll Puett: lead guitar
Billy Reynolds: drums

California studio musicians:

Cassie Blair: treated tambourine, vocals
Johnny J Blair: bass, drum programs, guitars, keyboards, percussion, vocals
Bridget Purifoy: vocals
Anna Yagashita Valdez: percussion, vocals
Victor Valverde: bass
Jonny Vee: drums, vocals

Live/rehearsal musicians:

Johnny J Blair: bass, guitars, vocals
Ron Davis: drums
Chris Haggerty: guitar, saxophone, vocals
Bridget Purifoy & Anna Yagashita Valdez: percussion, vocals
Victor Valverde: bass, harmonica, vocals

Engineered by JJB, Daryl Hunley, & Michael Paul. Produced by Johnny J Blair and Johnny J Blair & October.

Recorded at Big Mama’s, Knoxville TN, 12/84 and various project studios in the San Francisco Bay Area between 1983-84, except for "Locusts" recorded 1980. Live tracks from Uncle Charlie's, Corte Madera CA 5/5/86. Rehearsal from The Farm, San Francisco CA, 3/86. Remastered by Scott Francis at Mind's Eye Studios, Williamsport PA 2005.

Original photos by Cassie Blair. LP cover art by Francis Vieira Souza.

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Johnny J Blair "Singer at Large" San Francisco, California

"Johnny is a virtuoso"--Brian Wilson
"Pop music with a conscience.”--Goldmine
“the Harry Houdini of rock and roll.”-- Spotlight. Listen to Johnny's fast-paced mix of old school soul, psychedelia, punk/new wave, & classic pop/rock. Singer-songwriter in his own right, he was also a sideman for Davy Jones and The Monkees + performed with David Cassidy, Al Stewart, Buddy & Julie Miller, & others. ... more

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