Call of the West
Encyclopedia
Call of the West is the second studio album by Los Angeles
new wave
band Wall of Voodoo
, released in 1983. "Mexican Radio
", released as a single and as a video that received moderate airplay on MTV
), is the group's most well-known song.
Australian label Raven Records reissued a digitally remastered CD of Call of the West. It is coupled with the first Wall of Voodoo album, the long out of print Dark Continent
.
with:
Singles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
new wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
band Wall of Voodoo
Wall of Voodoo
Wall of Voodoo was an American New Wave group from Los Angeles best known for the 1983 hit "Mexican Radio". The band had a sound that was a fusion of synthesizer-based New Wave music with the spaghetti western soundtrack style of Ennio Morricone.-Formation:...
, released in 1983. "Mexican Radio
Mexican Radio
"Mexican Radio" is a song written and performed by the band Wall of Voodoo, and produced by Richard Mazda. The track was initially made commercially available on their 1983 album Call of the West. The song peaked at #58 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the U.S...
", released as a single and as a video that received moderate airplay on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
), is the group's most well-known song.
Australian label Raven Records reissued a digitally remastered CD of Call of the West. It is coupled with the first Wall of Voodoo album, the long out of print Dark Continent
Dark Continent (album)
In a retrospective review, Allmusic declared Dark Continent to be Wall of Voodoo's greatest album, claiming the absence of any weak songs and the album's intensely original voice and style as justification.-Track listing:All tracks written by Wall of Voodoo...
.
Track listing
- "Tomorrow" – 3:03
- "Lost Weekend" – 4:59
- "Factory" – 5:33
- "Look at Their Way" – 3:18
- "Hands of Love" – 3:54
- "Mexican RadioMexican Radio"Mexican Radio" is a song written and performed by the band Wall of Voodoo, and produced by Richard Mazda. The track was initially made commercially available on their 1983 album Call of the West. The song peaked at #58 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the U.S...
" – 4:11 - "Spy World" – 2:41
- "They Don't Want Me" – 4:31
- "On Interstate 15" – 2:44
- "Call of the West" – 5:59
- All music composed by Wall of Voodoo.
- All lyrics composed by Stan Ridgway.
- Note: The original cassette release of the album featured a bonus track called "Exercise" at the end of side one, following "Hands of Love".
Personnel
- Stan RidgwayStan RidgwayStanard 'Stan' Ridgway is an American multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter known for his distinctive voice, dramatic lyrical narratives, and eclectic solo albums and was the original lead singer of the band Wall of Voodoo...
– lead vocals, harmonicaHarmonicaThe harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments... - Marc MorelandMarc MorelandMarc Moreland was an American rock musician. He was the former guitarist for new wave band Wall of Voodoo, punk band The Skulls, and rock bands Pretty and Twisted and Department of Crooks...
– 6-GuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
and 12-string guitars - Joe NaniniJoe NaniniOliver Joseph Nanini was a drummer, most famous for being part of the New Wave group Wall of Voodoo during their heyday in the 1980s. He was known for using pots, pans and other objects as drums. He, along with Stan Ridgway and Bill Noland, left the band after their performance at the US Festival...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
, spoken wordSpoken wordSpoken word is a form of poetry that often uses alliterated prose or verse and occasionally uses metered verse to express social commentary. Traditionally it is in the first person, is from the poet’s point of view and is themed in current events.... - Chas T. Gray – synthesizerSynthesizerA synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
, bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, melodicaMelodicaThe melodica, also known as the "blow-organ" or "key-flute", is a free-reed instrument similar to the melodeon and harmonica. It has a musical keyboard on top, and is played by blowing air through a mouthpiece that fits into a hole in the side of the instrument. Pressing a key opens a hole,...
, backing vocals
with:
- Richard MazdaRichard MazdaRichard Mazda is a record producer, writer and musician. In later life he also became an actor and director.-Music career:Mazda was one of the co-founders of Poole punk/mod band Tours, singing and playing lead guitar. They signed to Virgin Records in 1979 after selling large quantities of their...
– bass guitar - Louis Rivera – percussion
Charts
Album| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... Pop Albums |
45 |
Singles
| Year | Chart | Single | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Billboard Mainstream Rock | "Mexican Radio" | 41 |
| Billboard Pop Singles | 58 |