Magnificent Obsession (album)

Background

In the mid-1980s, Donnie Iris and the Cruisers released the album No Muss...No Fuss. By this point the band began to split into different directions. During that same year, in 1985, Mark Avsec released a solo project under the moniker Cellarful of Noise. Even after releasing the eponymous debut album that same year, Avsec and Iris maintained that Donnie Iris and the Cruisers was still their main focus, and that they wanted to continue to release new albums with the band and its new line-up. The band returned to the studio in 1986 and recorded a new album titled Cruise Control; however, a lawsuit with the band's former label MCA resulted in the shelving of that album pending the resolution of the lawsuit. It still remains unreleased. With the HME label going out of business, the band became an unsigned act. Since the band had hit a road block, Avsec began work on the second Cellarful of Noise album, Magnificent Obsession, despite the debut release failing to make any commercial impact. He approached Iris to help on the project, and he provided lead vocals on a selection of tracks, as well as co-writing a couple of tracks. Alan Greene once more contributed guitar parts, like on the debut album, while Avsec's Marty Lee, from the Cruisers, also added some guitar. Released in 1988, the album produced a moderately successful single, "Samantha (What You Gonna Do)", which reached #69 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in April 1988. Afterwards Avsec backed away from the music scene again as a solo act, and has since continued to perform and record with Iris as well as pursue his full-time business as an entertainment lawyer.

In an interview with Avsec in AOR Basement Issue #4 (April 1988), by Ian McIntosh, he revealed "After doing another LP [with Donnie Iris] called "Cruise Control", I went off to work with Mason Ruffner on his "Gypsy Blood" LP. After that I started doing the new Cellarful of Noise record and eventually I asked Donnie if he'd like to team up with me and he was into that. Then we went to England (Bath) to mix it, and now here's that record coming out..." He also spoke of the debut Cellarful of Noise album: "Right after it came out, I wanted to get more serious about it and make a better sounding record." When asked about the future of the project, Avsec stated "For now we're watching what's happening - if the new LP does well then we'll eventually put together a band and hit the road. I'm always writing new material too. Obviously Donnie and I are looking forward to doing another record when the time comes."

The album features a cover of "Heartzone", a song originally performed by the band The Innocent on their 1985 album Livin' in the Street. The band featured drummer Kevin Valentine and guitarist Albritton McClain, who were both members of Donnie Iris and the Cruisers. When asked why the song was covered in the AOR Basement magazine, Avsec revealed "I heard that song right after it was first done in the studio and it totally slayed me! Unfortunately the record company never picked up on it. So I asked Rodney Psyka if I could use it and he said 'yes'. It's quite noticeable that on my version there's no guitars - I wanted to make it sound a bit different, even though it was a real guitar song before."

The only single from the album - "Samantha" - has lyrics concerning a teenager deciding whether or not to abort her unborn child. Released on 7" vinyl in America only, it featured the album track "Shuck and Jive" as the B-Side. In The Pittsburgh Press of March 29, 1988, an article on Iris and the album was written by Peter B. King. At the time "Samantha" had remained in the 70s region of the Top 100 for a month, and CBS were busy pushing the Henry Lee Summer single "I Wish I Had a Girl", in hopes it would be a hit. This single started to show promise and reached #20 in the end. Once it started taking off, CBS Associated announced that the "Samantha" single was now the label's No. 1 priority. Iris spoke of the situation: "As far as "Samantha" is concerned, it was doing everything that it was doing on its own, without a lot of help from the record company as far as a video, a CD and all that stuff. Well, now that Summer's record is a breaker, they're ready to concentrate on our record. As long as they can pull it off and do a number on the record at this point with promoting it right and getting it on the radio stations, then we'll be satisfied. But to be honest with you, if they lose it at this point, we won't be very happy. Yeah, we will be very disappointed if the song doesn't hit."

Recording

The album was created within Avsec's basement studio "The Cellar", in Twinsburg, Ohio, which was equipped with MIDI. It was mixed by Ted Hayton and Cellarful of Noise at Crescent Studios in Bath, England. The album was mastered by Jack Skinner at Sterling Sound in New York City. The vocal tracks recorded for "Samantha" were recorded at Jeree's Studio in New Brighton, Pennsylvania. The guitar tracks for the same song were recorded at Beachwood Recording Studios in Beachwood, Ohio. The song was digitally transferred and mixed by Joe Barbaria at Soundworks Studio, New York City.

Iris enjoyed making the album using the MIDI method, as it avoided interference from engineers, producers and the record company. He noted "You're down there by yourself, creating what you want to create, and that's the way it comes out. The best thing about it is, once you have all that equipment, you can just save so much money in studio time." Avsec also spoke of the studio work in the AOR Basement interview, noting "I think next time I'll do all the sequencing in 'The Cellar' and then go to a 24-track studio to do the vocals. For "Samantha", we went back to a studio called Jeree Studios with an engineer called Jerry Reed who went through the bulk of the Crusiers days with me and Donnie. I credit that studio with the distinctive vocal sounds we got on the Crusiers' LPs, I've never found another studio where I can get the same sound - I'm a real freak for the vocals!"

Release

The album was released on vinyl and cassette in America only, via CBS Associated Records. It was also manufactured and distributed by the same label. To date it has not been released on CD, and has remained out-of-print since its original release.

Critical reception

Allmusic writer Steve "Spaz" Schnee spoke of the album, stating "Three years after the first album, the long-delayed sophomore release, Magnificent Obsession, finally appeared with a bigger, beefier sound and with Iris on board, singing lead on about half the album, including the fabulous opener "Samantha (What You Gonna Do?)." Though the album was made for the times, the general public never got a chance to hear it."

In the AOR Basement issue of April 1988, writer Ian McIntosh stated "If you haven't heard the "Magnificent Obsession" LP, then I heartily recommend it although it is far more overtly poppy than the majority of the old Crusiers material. The songs are as strong as ever and it makes a perfect companion for the classic "King Cool" LP (although, obviously the style's a bit different) which no home should be without!"

Personnel