Anybody like rock and roll?

[DeepPurple]

Originally Posted by Randallflagg

...I offer this: Kerry Livgren (Kansas) left the band to become a Christian. Couple of years later he went into the studio to do a "Contemporary Christian" album. He used a bushel of musicians from guys from Jethro Tull to Dio....

When Steve Walsh left Kansas to pursue his solo career and released Schemer Dreamer in 1980, Kerry Livgren must of taken control of the band. While Steve was gone Kansas released Vinyl Confessions and Drastic Measure with John Elefante on vocals and both are considered Christian albums. I guess the rest of the band must of sided with Steve by letting him return and Elefante was out and Livgren didn't like the more rock direction that Steve would bring. The solo album by Steve was like so many others who have tried to step out from the band, it failed, in fact the only CD pressing before 2010 I know of was from Japan.



John Elefante with Kansas 1982.



John Elefante still sings the hits Fight Fire with Fire and Play the Game Tonight as a solo artist. He's gained a few pounds.



What I always found strange was after Steve came back he sings those two hits even though he didn't sing them on the record.



An example of a hit song and the lead singer who didn't record it and returns to the band and does not sing it live is 38 Special. When singer Don Barnes left in the late 80's to try a solo career he was replaced in 38 Special by Max Carl. The band had one hit sung by Carl, it was Second Chance.



If you see 38 Special live now and they perform Second Chance, it's not sung by Don Barnes who returned to the band in '92 but instead by the keyboard player. The song Second Chance was written in '83 by members of the band but Don Barnes at that time refused to record it because he felt it wasn't a 38 Special type song. BTW, Max Carl the original singer of the song is now in Grand Funk Railroad as the replacement for Mark Farner who quit the band 20 years ago due to a disagreement with the drummer Don Brewer who owns the band's name.