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Recommended Albums featuring Kevin Chalfant:
Released during a period when AOR was still supported by major labels, and indeed this album went on to sell a considerable amount and spawned two hit singles, the brilliant midtempo AOR track "I've Got A Lot To Learn About Love" and the ballad "Show Me The Way". Those weren't the only highlights, the opener "You Keep Me Waiting", "I Want You Back" and "Can't Live Without Your Love" are classic stuff in my books, featuring Kevin sharing vocal duties with Gregg Rolie, the band's keyboard player. I could've done without the banal rocker "In The Raw" though...
Although the major label deal vanished, The Storm didn't sell out and change their style to suit the changed musical climate. No, instead they released another fine AOR album that I consider even better than the first one! My original, very short review from 1996: "This album has been getting favourable reviews all over the place, and I have to agree with them. This is one of the best albums I have heard in a while. I would have liked if there had been more uptempo melodic rockers like "Fight For The Right" or "Don't Give Up", now it seems that the band has concentrated on the slower songs. Anyway, that's just a small detail, there are a lot of great songs on this album!"
Kevin's solo album is a less layered and big-sounding affair than the other albums mentioned here. Still, this mainstream rock album contains a few gems, including the catchy Bryan Adams-like "Anywhere The Wind Blows", "If This Is Love" and one of the finest ballads of the nineties, "Love Changes Everything", which was also covered by Axe a year or two later.
Two Fires meant a return to the classic AOR style of The Storm/Journey/Survivor for Chalfant. A good album, of which you can find both the Loud & Clear and The Vigilante reviews in our Archive. We both seemed to agree that while it's a good album, there still something missing.
Originally recorded in the late eighties, this album was finally released in 2000. A very good album for sure and contains the all-around favourite track of AOR-Europe, "Keys To The City". Again, two original reviews can be found in the Archive.
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KEVIN CHALFANT TALKS TO AOR-EUROPE! 1. What is going in the world of Kevin Chalfant right now? Thanks for asking. Currently I am finishing up production on the second Two Fires CD. 2. Last year saw a couple of releases from you, Two Fires and The V.U. Both albums were critical success stories, but how well did they fare when it comes to sales figures? Well, that is a good question. You would have to ask Frontiers Accounting Dept. for sure. 3. Do you have high expectations for the new Two Fires album? I always have high expectations for every album that I am involved with. I try to stack the deck the best that I can. I am collaborating with Jim Peterik on half of the songs this time. We get along great together and write some tasty tunes as a duo.
As for the V.U., it would take a serious commitment from a record company to reassemle the band. Everyone has gone in different directions since 1989. Ross in Journey, Prairie in The Tubes, Stef with Huey Lewis, Tim with movie scores and myself with Two Fires. But who knows???? 5."Keys To The City" by The V.U. was my favourite song of the year 2000. I've been hearing that Starship covered it, but can not seem to find that version anywhere...do you know whether it has been released on some soundtrack or what? Thanks for listening. It was slated for release on a greatest hits CD along with a Diane Warren song as bonus tracks. I do not know the name of the CD. I heard it and Mickey sang the daylights out of the song. We met at his house and he changed some of the lyrics to serve his purpose. 6. Out of all the albums you've sung on, which are the most "precious" to you?
7. "Kevin Chalfant as the new lead singer in Journey" was a dream to some and I've heard that you've actually sung with them on some occassions. They went for Augeri instead. Did you "apply for the job" back then? Many opportunities have come to me. Some have stuck and some have not. Journey is probably the most talented collection of musicians that I have ever seen or had the wonderful opportunity of working with. I love them and concider them all a part of my family. I am not looking back with bitterness. They have opened many doors for me and I will only hold them in the highest regard. They make choices as we all do. They made theirs and must live with it, so must I. I appreciate the many supporters that showed me kindness by encouraging me to pursue Journey. They will always be a source of my inspiration. Hopefully, I can still keep a high level of quality in my work and earn their continued respect and support. 8. Now if the call should come from another band, for which band would you consider dropping everything else and going for it? Foreigner! 9. You've co-written quite a few songs, many of which I could imagine some major label artists would be interested in covering. Have your songs been covered by anyone?
Yes, Cher covered a song on the V.U. CD. It is entitled "Who Ya Gonna Believe". It was the final track on her "Love Hurts" CD. I met Cher in LA while mixing The Storm Debut CD in the Village Recorders. She was very nice and happy to meet me. She is very beautiful and quite warm. She told me that she loved my voice and was excited about the song. She said that it was her favorite song on the CD. Truly a night to remember.
10. The future of melodic rock - where do you see it going? (Now that was a deep and insightful question! :))
I think Melodic Rock is just that....melodic. Sounds will change around it, but the melody will never change. It is like the meat and potatoes of modern music.
11. Do you follow what's on the charts etc., are you familiar with the limpbizkits and eminems etc.? Any new bands that have impressed you lately?
I like songs more than artists mainly, but I do like Destiny's Child and NSYNC as far as hard working artists in modern music.
I do know that many new groups and artists have signed, friends of mine like Kelly Keagy, Kip Winger, Mickey Thomas, and others. I have heard a few of the bands, but have not checked them all out. If you recall, I was injured last year and spent most of my time in my hotel room under pain meds, so I missed a lot of the acts.
13. If there's something you'd like to say to our readers, here's your chance! Fire away!
Well yes, Thank you Kimmo, I will Fire away. I was not invited to godsfest this year, so I hope to be touring throughout the Euro markets early next year. It takes the efforts of fans to get promoters to take the steps towards getting a group in their areas...so let them know your feelings. That is the key to bringing a group from America to meet the European fans.
Please visit my website and drop us a note at www.CliqueRecords.com. Keep the Fires burning.
Interview by kimmo@rockunited.com
Images borrowed from www.CliqueRecords.com and Now & Then Records Website |
The Storm: "The Storm"
The Storm: "Eye Of The Storm"
Kevin Chalfant: "Running With The Wind"
Two Fires: "Two Fires"
The VU: "Phoenix Rising"
4.Was The V.U. album just a case of "let's get it released finally and get done with it" or can we expect The VU to return someday?
I would have to say The Storm Debut was the most memorable to me. The fact that we we're all so well placed together. Working with such a powerful team with the full commitment of personnel resources from Interscope and Warner Brothers made us feel unstoppable.
12. You've signed to Frontiers/Now & Then here in Europe. Are you familiar with the other bands of the label? Did you catch any bands live when you were in Wigan last year?