Where's The Party?? Bathing in the afterglow of his latest acid trip? Mahoney moved to California (the home of the hipster-hippies) and began performing at local clubs for years without much success or money. Then, in 1976, after changing his surname to Money, he was introduced to promoter Bill Graham and they signed a contract with Columbia Records and released the debut album the following year (1977). His best-selling album (double platinum). Pretty much only popular in America though and never really toured outside of the states. Most Europeans are still not sure about the Money Man and why AXS TV did several seasons of its reality series Real Money starring the rocker and his family.

Spending the eighties with one feet in the AOR of John Waite and Rick Springfield and the other firmly rooted in the working class sound of Mellencamp, Petty, Southside Johnny, Bryan Adams, the majority of the albums feature two sides (well, duh!) of the coin and two very different sounds. Can't Hold Back (produced by Richie Zito in 1986), the very slick effort and he was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance the following year. Hanging out with his pal John "Party-Hardy" Belushi and ending up sniffing laundry detergent, that he mistook for cocaine, Ed suffered damage to the nerve on his left leg and had a permanent limp thereafter. Folks, just say no to powder.

"I don't want to retire, because I get the chance to dress up, I can shave and shower and get a haircut and go out there and do 'Two Tickets to Paradise' and 'Baby Hold On' and the fans love it," Money explained in the interview. "I'm helping my kids out. I got my son back there on drums, my other kid's great on rhythm guitar, my daughter is dancing around like it's her first gig. I feel very fortunate that I'm still doing what I'm doing". The family man and working class hero was diagnosed with cancer in August and sadly complications resulted in his death in a LA hospital on September 13, 2019, at age 70. RIP Eddie. Thank you for the music.

10. Run Right Back
9. After This Love Is Gone
8. Fall In Love Again
7. Take Me Home Tonight
6. Walk On Water

5. Two Tickets To Paradise
It's got that flow and percussion in the vein of the Doobie Brothers and soft-rock of its era. It displays elements of West Coast aka Yacht Rock, though I don't know if that's just another way of saying it's mainstream? The structure of the song is built on the rhythm and the whole agenda of 'no matter what - don't stop the groove', so the vocals kind of dances above the beat. The summer vacation and holiday themed song feature the catchy hook and I recall listening to this while non-stop playing Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Classic Money 'ala '77.

4. Don't Say No Tonight
One of many cool songs co-written by Curt Cuomo and Survivor's Frankie Sullivan on his last proper rock album, the underrated 'Ready Eddie' from the year of 1999. It starts like a moody John Waite track and accelerates toward classic Money, although never at the expense of the really catchy refrain. Smashing guitar work by Sullivan and slamming drums by Kenny Aronoff, lyric-wise, the tyical couple against the world story "well your friends try to tell you that we never last. we've got the future they live in the past".

3. I Wanna Go Back
"I was listenin' to the radio. I heard a song that reminded me of long time ago. Back then I thought things were never gonna change. It used to be that I never had to feel the pain. I know now that things will never be the same. I Wanna Go Back and do it all over. Can't go back, I know. I wanna go back cause I'm feelin' so much older. But I can't go back, I know". Its powerful message goes straight to the heart and the words are 4-real. Originally performed and written by cult US band Billy Satellite on their debut album in 1984. Their singer Monty Byrom would in fact co-write/produce the Right Here album in 1991. Eddie's 1986 version is even more AOR friendly and feature the dut-dut keys. "Back then I thought I would never stand alone. It used to be that a lonely heart was never shown"..

2. Think I'm In Love
The 1982 hit single from the album 'No Control' reached #16 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was written by Money and Randy Oda (Tom Fogerty) and it's the Power-Pop tune in the vein of The Outfield, The Cars, The Romantics or any other 'The' act. Simple and direct, it does sound slightly different than the rest of the album. "Don't leave me by myself tonight 'Cause I don't think I can make it through the night". Unfortunately there's not much to add about the lyrics, unless you're fascinated by the subject of love. Simplicity at Money's best

1. Looking Through The Eyes of A Child
"What you know is what you are. Hollywood is Shangri-La. Will you ever make your mind up there". Not entirely sure why I always end up howling madly along to the words of 'Life is a Rollercoaster' as performed by Ronan Keating? They are not that close or similar, but there's something going on here. One of three new songs off his Greatest Hits album (produced by Chris Lord-Alge in 1989) and the winner at my money list. Poppy AOR, drenched in keyboards, but never annoying and clearly catchy as the followers like to say. People who don't care for AOR tend to look the other way though. A good song is a good song, no matter genre or style.

This list by: Urban "Wally" Wallstrom

The list as a YouTube playlist

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