Originally signed to RCA under his real name, Michael Bolotin, Bolton's early years were not easy. He cut three unspectacular albums which came and went to little acclaim, finding himself cut adrift by the label in 1978 with no visible means of support. In desperation, he moved away from his soul and R&B roots and teamed up with Bruce Kulick(late to join Kiss) to form Blackjack.
Signed to Polydor, Blackjack produced two LPs of classic, Bad Company-styled hard rock. But again nothing more than cult status was attained and the band petered out due to lack of interest. Entering a new dacade, Bolton changed musical tack again and found himself a home with Columbia Records. He then embarked on a phase of his career regarded by many of his long term fans as his Golden era. The first fruit of his Columbia liaison, Michael Bolton, is a landmark in American AOR history.
The 1983 LP mixed storming rockers such as 'She Did The Same Thing' with big production ballads like 'I Almost Believed You'. A big success in the US, the album sold well on import in Europe and at last it seemed that Bolton was on his way to success.. But the setbacks hadn't stopped yet. Encouraged by the success of the debut's heavier moments, Bolton returned to the fray with 1985s Everybody's Crazy. Teaming up again with Kulick as well as Mark Mangold and Craig Brooks from AOR Gods Touch, Bolton created a bona fide Heavy Metal Classic. Every song was a winner, from the Kiss-crazy title track to the sets' standout moment, the epic ballad Call My Name (later massacred by Jennifer Rush, who had the cheek to give herself a songwriting credit!). Unfortunately the public at large wasn't ready for something like this from Michael, and the album stiffed at the sales counter. For the third time in a decade Bolton was forced to step back and re-evaluate his work.
Luckily retrenchment is another one of Bolton's talents and the day was not lost as Columbia showed enough faith in the man's abilities to take their option on another album- they were paid back in spades.
Whereas the two previous albums had been primarily self penned, Bolton's third solo outing of the eighties, 1987s The Hunger, enlisted the help of a wealth of outside aid in it's bid for World domination. Proven hitmakers such as Eric Kaz, Bob Halligan Jnr, Martin Brileyand the ubiquitous Dianne Warren were dfafted in to give the traditionally steely Bolton a glossier edge- it worked. Coupled with a titanic cover of the Otis Redding standard Dock Of The Bay, The Hunger was Bolton's most complete set yet.. The Hard Rock was still there (checkout the fantastic 'You're All That I Need' and Gina) but the album was shot through with pop and soul sensibilities that enabled Bolton at last to cross over to wider audiences. Hits ensued with the already mentioned Redding cover and another ballad, 'That's What Love Is All About'.
If Hard Rock fans were worried by the reduction of Metal in the Bolton diet on The Hunger, they were mortified by it's 1990 successor, Soul Provider.
All that was left of Michael's rock heritage was the leonine mane and one song, 'How Can We Be Lovers'. For the remainder of the album Bolton plumped for a mixture of pure pop, soul and Rhythm and Blues.From the Ray Charles chestnut 'Georgia On My Mind' to the schmaltzy duet with Suzy Benson on From Now On it was clear that this was an opus aimed straight at the heart of the commercial mainstream. 1991s release, Time Love And Tenderness featured more of the same- and his ever growing legion of fans weren't complaining. The inevitable hits followed on both sides of the Atlantic and, unusually for a man who hadn't really a reputation for roadhogism, a succesful and extensive World Tour followed, Bolton's rider demanding of promoters everywhere that adequate dry cleaning facilities be provided for his massive collection of designer stagewear.
Following this gruelling period of worldwide adulation was never going to be easy, but Bolton managed to earn himself some breathing space with the 1992 covers collection Timeless- The Classics, a set of Bolton's favourites delivered in his inimitable leather- larynxed style. Standouts were a blistering version of The Four Tops' Reach Out I'll Be There and a soulful reading of Narvel Felts' Drift Away. Lowlight was an all out saccharine assault on White Christmas, but the album did serve to give an ibsight into Bolton's inspirations and influences. After the respite afforded him by the Timeless bagatelle, Bolton threw himself back into the fray with The One Thing, the third in his series fo gloriously overblown white soul melodramas. Lead off single broke Said I Loved You... But I Lied broke absolutely no new ground at all, but again he provided the fans with the sounds they wanted to hear. And hear it they did, in their millions.
The last ten years have seen Bolton enter that rarified area granted to only the true Gods of entertainment: a world of duets albums and self congratulatory backslapping, the world of Celine Dion and Shania Twain... He wears it well, but there are still some of us who yearn for a quick game of Blackjack...
Bio written by: Hammerheart |
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