You Can't Fight Fashion

Album recording and EMI America's offer

It is hard to question the power of Michael Stanley and his mid westernly glorified band. The band may never have achieved the kind of fame they craved, but they certainly could write popular and catchy hook filled songs. There is little doubt that had the band continued for a few more years they would have caught on in a big way, that has very rarely been debated by rock critics and fans alike. All seemed to be going as planned when the band recorded You Can't Fight Fashion, produced by MSB (Michael Stanley Band) and Bob Clearmountain and released in 1983. The album highlights tenor saxophonist Rick Bell throughout the record, most notably on the song Highlife written by Michael Stanley. The band also experienced personnel changes during the lead up to the recording of this album, lead guitarist Gary Markasky left the unit and replacement Danny Powers joined, showcased on the offering is his considerable skills at leads playing.

However, after the band recorded this landmark album for the mega label EMI America the band's contract with the music producing entity was nearing its end. EMI America would only offer the Cleveland, Ohio based powerhouse a six-month extension on their existing contract. Michael Stanley feeling slighted for not being given the due consideration for the band's apparent national success in the preceding two albums, MSB and North Coast, which both spawned, by the band's perspective, highly successful singles, turned down the offer by the record label. EMI America not seeing eye to eye with that scenario and believing they were being more than fair to the band, called Stanley's poker face move and immediately dropped the band and terminated tour and air promotion. Stanley later said he honestly believed that their initial offer was just that and he felt the label would come back with a better deal after the band's founder turned the first offer down. EMI America apparently never gave this any prolonged or thoughtful consideration.

Final single successes for the band

You Can't Fight Fashion is by all accounts one of the best produced and best performing albums in MSB's decade-long race to the middle of the album charts success. The album produced not only one but two highly remembered and noteworthy singles for the rock band. Far and away the most requested and nationally-known song the band ever recorded, the rock anthem "My Town" reached number #39 on the Billboard Hot 100 1n the second half of 1983. The song is rumored to have been recorded in 100 city specific versions. The second highly acknowledged single was the love song titled "Someone like You" (sung by the band's Kevin Raleigh) the hit reached a very respectable #75 on the Billboard Magazine charts, also in 1983.

Track listing

1983 EMI America Release

1992 Reissue (Razor & Tie)

Extra Bonus Tracks

The song "My Town" is played by The Ohio State University Marching Band during athletic events.

Production