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Because They Can

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Released
  
1995

Because They Can(1995)
  
Release date
  
1995

Genre
  
Length
  
55:26

Artist
  
Nelson

Because They Can httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediaenthumbb

Producers
  
John Boylan, Matthew Nelson, Gunnar Nelson

Similar
  
After the Rain, Peace Out, Monster Ballads XMas

Nelson you got me all shook up because they can


Because They Can is the second album from American rock group Nelson, released by Geffen Records in 1995.

Contents

The album had a shaky production history as a result of creative differences between brothers Matthew and Gunnar Nelson and the Geffen Records executives, the latter led by John Kalodner. After the success of their debut album, After the Rain, the band recorded the heavier and darker follow-up Imaginator. When Kalodner and other Geffen executives were displeased with it, Nelson was told to record a lighter album. After more than a year of writing and recording, Nelson came up with Because They Can. The band left Geffen shortly after the release of the album.

Background and recording

After the success of their first album, After the Rain, and years of touring, Nelson returned to the studio to record their second album. They came up with a darker and harder, concept album titled Imaginator. However, when they presented the album to producer John Kalodner and the executives at Geffen Records, they weren't pleased. They then gave the band the choice to either record another album, more according to what they were expecting, or they would be released from their contract. The band decided to return to the studio and began working on a more acoustic-oriented album which was, according to Gunnar, "180 degrees in the opposite direction of Imaginator".

Because They Can was recorded at various studios such as Sound City, Studio F, Nichols Canyon Studios, Caravell Studios, Granny's House, Capitol Studios, Cactus Studios and Quarkbrain Studio. It featured original band members Brett Garsed, Paul Mirkovich, Joey Cathcart and Bobby Rock on most of the songs, and it featured guest musicians such as Mike Baird, Don Felder, Steve Porcaro and others. The album was mixed at Conway Studios.

Reception

Because They Can was released in 1995, five years after the release of Nelson's first album. According to Gunnar Nelson, Geffen was not "going to put any money into promoting it". The album went mostly unnoticed and did not appear on Billboard. On another interview, Gunnar said about the album "I’m really proud of [it], but our fanbase had gone away. Everybody had changed their musical tastes, and it was really kind of a drag".

Gunnar has also noted that People gave them the "best bad review in the history of rock 'n' roll" for Because They Can writing only "Maybe they shouldn’t". He has argued that a lot of the negative reviews they had were just based on their legacy and not in the actual music.

Track listing

All tracks written by Matthew & Gunnar Nelson and Marc Tanner, except where noted.

Musicians

  • Matthew Nelson - lead and back-up vocals, bass, 12-string electric and acoustic guitars, and rhythm guitars
  • Gunnar Nelson – lead and back-up vocals, 6-string guitars, rhythm guitars, gut-string acoustic guitar, tambourine and other percussion
  • Brett Garsed - 12 and 6-string electric guitar, high-string acoustic guitar, rhythm and lead guitars
  • Joey Cathcart - Acoustic and electric guitar, rhythm and slide guitar
  • Paul Mirkovich - Hammond organ, piano, harmonium, and melodica
  • Bobby Rock - drums (Tracks 5, 7, 11, 12, 13)
  • Mike Baird - drums (Tracks 1, 2, 3)
  • Michael Botts - drums (Track 4)
  • Don Felder, Kenneth Blackwell - additional mandolins
  • Steve Porcaro - keyboard (Track 3)
  • Jeff Baxter - pedal steel guitar (Track 4)
  • Eliott Easton - solo guitar (Tracks 7 and 13)
  • Sid Sharp - concertmaster (Tracks 10 and 13)
  • Production

  • John Kalodner - producer
  • John Boylan - producer
  • David J. Holman - producer, mixer and engineer (Tracks 7, 11, and 13)
  • Guy DeFazio - engineer
  • Paul Grupp - engineer, mixer
  • Frank Wolf - engineer
  • Jeff Sheehan - recording assistant
  • Barry Taylor - recording assistant
  • Bjorn Thorsrud - recording assistant (Track 7 and 13)
  • Tom Gordon - recording assistant (Track 7 and 13)
  • Pete Doell - recording assistant (Track 10)
  • Chris Henderson - recording assistant (Track 11)
  • Andrew Gold - recording assistant (Track 12)
  • Mick Guzauski - mixer
  • Marnie Riley - assistant mixer
  • George Marino - mastering
  • Art

  • Robin Sloane - art direction
  • William Wegman - photography
  • Teri Weigel and John Boylan - additional photography
  • Songs

    1(You Got Me) All Shook Up4:45
    2The Great Escape5:26
    3Five O'Clock Plane4:59

    References

    Because They Can Wikipedia


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