Ep. 41: Underrated Rockers: John Waite

John Waite was in The Babys, out front of two pop hits that both peaked at No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100, ("Isn't It Time" and "Everytime I Think of You") His solo career started with a really good but forgotten 1982 debut album Ignition, which produced the single "Change". It didn’t chart on Billboard's Hot 100 during its initial release (June 1982) but was #16 rock track on AOR radio stations and was produced by the great Bob Clearmountain. And Patty Smyth sings background vocals on "Change"

But it was the album No Brakes that gave him his career a real path to moving forward. "Missing You" went to No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and the album was a top 10 record.

We spend our time digging into his often-overlooked career. A guy with a distinctive voice that rocks.

“Perched perfectly between anthemic mainstream rock and sleek post-new wave pop, it was a minor miracle -- a flawlessly written, classicist pop song, delivered with a stylish, MTV-ready flair. It deservedly became not just a number one hit, but one of those records that everybody knows” -- Stephen Thomas Erlwine / allmusic.com

Waite had two more singles from No Brakes, including "Tears" which was a #8 hit on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart and #37 top 40. His next album had a single, "Every Step of the Way" that got radio play (#4 rock charts and #25 top 40 and would be his last top 40 hit.

He did join former Babys bandmates Jonathan Cain and Ricky Phillips, along with Neal Schon and drummer Deen Castronovo from Journey, to form Bad English and the 1989 ballad "When I See You Smile" went to No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100 and the album sold nearly two million copies. I didn't love that band, but I've always had a spot for John Waite in my rocker heart.

He kept going after the band broke up. But he keeps going. Waite is not always the first thought as a terrific rock band frontman - but he was - and is. He is still on the road. A singer who fronts a band like someone who wants to be there. Who has been there. He’s 72 years old. He’s on tour as I recorded this, with dates booked well into 2024. One who is worth mentioning if you talk about great rock and roll frontmen of the past, for like 50 years. He’s a rock and roll lifer still working. There is honor in that.

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Read Rob's current and archived writing at rockforwardmusic.com

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