John Waite - No Brakes Tour (1984) [1992]

JOHN WAITE‘s 1984 “No Brakes Tour” supported his massively successful album ‘No Brakes’, featuring the #1 hit “Missing You,” with tour dates spanning late 1984 across the US, including legendary venues like the Hollywood Palladium, showcasing hits like “Missing You,” “Tears,” “Change,” and The Babys classics, cementing his solo career.
This bootleg “No Brakes Tour ’84” is a nicely done silver pressed CD, capturing JOHN WAITE at his finest moment accompanied by his tight band including great guitarist Earl Slick. Speaking of guitar hero, the unique Eddie Van Halen joins as guest on one song of the set. The CD is completed by a couple of songs recorded in 1982 while Waite was presenting his first solo album.

By 1981, The Babys had essentially become John Waite’s backup band. Two of their key founding members had already left and been replaced with salaried musicians. With the MTV craze at its height, it only made sense that the band’s charismatic lead singer, John Waite, should go off on his own, which he did when Jonathan Cain left The Babys for Journey.
Shortly after departing from The Babys he released a solo album entitled ‘Ignition’ that was a moderate success with the song “Change.” He then left Chrysalis Records, (which also had been The Babys’s label), and signed with the powerful EMI / Capitol conglomerate.
EMI had the promotional resources to make Waite a star in his own right. “Missing You” from ‘No Brakes’ was Waite’s first single under his new deal with EMI and it became a huge hit.

For this tour Waite had assembled a crackerjack band that included Earl Slick (solo artist and ex- David Bowie); keyboardist Tommy Mandel (from Billy Idol and Scandal); drummer Alan Child; and bassist Carmine Rojas (ex-Nona Hendryx and Baby Grand), among others.

Waite went on to do several more solo albums, but failed to have the same hit action as he did with his first EMI record. “No Brakes Tour ’84” featured the best songs from the album, with fine sound quality.

Tracks:

01 – Saturday Night
02 – Crying Over You (Tears)
03 – Dark Side Of The Sun
04 – Missing You
05 – Change
06 – Sheila (Euroshima)
07 – Wild One
08 – Head First [feat. Eddie Van Halen]
09 – Mr. Wonderful
10 – Going To The Top

Personnel:

John Waite – vocals
Earl Slick – guitar
Carmine Rojas – bass
Tommy Mandel – keyboards
Alan Childs – drums
Eddie Van Halen – guest solo on 8