The Babys -

The Babys were an English rock band that released the 1976–77 Chrysalis albums The Babys and Broken Heart. They moved stateside and changed members for the 1978–80 albums Head First, Union Jacks, and On the Edge. They charted with two songs co-written by American singer Ray Kennedy: “Isn’t It Time” and “Every Time I Think of You.”

Drummer Tony Brock recorded earlier with symphonic hard-rockers Spontaneous Combustion.

Singer John Waite went solo and scored a 1984 Billboard No. 1 with “Missing You.” Keyboardist Jonathan Cain notched multiple hits with the 1981–86 incarnation of Journey.

Members: Mike Corby (keyboards, guitar, 1975-78), John Waite (vocals, bass, 1975-81), Tony Brock (drums, vocals), Matthew Irving (bass, 1975), Wally Stocker (guitar), Jonathan Cain (keyboards, guitar, vocals, 1978-81), Ricky Phillips (bass, 1978-81)

Background

The Babys took root in 1973 when keyboardist–guitarist Michael Corby met manager Adrian Millar at Smalls Café on Fulham Road. They signed a management agreement and began auditions for a London group. Guitarist–singer Gordon Hawtin directed signer John Waite to the project during the 1974–75 audition period.

John Charles Waite (b. July 4, 1952; Lancaster, Lancashire) studied at Greaves Secondary Modern and Lancaster Art College. He started ukulele at age four and played in the teenage groups Chalk Farm and Graf Spee. In 1972, he played in a formative lineup of London rockers England. At age twenty-one, Waite moved to Cleveland, Ohio, for a five-month stint with the Boys. After his return to Britain, he met Corby and joined the formative Babys lineup.

Waite and Corby found drummer Tony Brock in Strider during the 1975 audition process. Brock (b. March 31, 1954; Poole, Dorset) attended Longfleet Primary School and Henry Harbin School. He switched from guitar to drums in Transit Sound, a teenage trio that morphed into Spontaneous Combustion, which Greg Lake oversaw for the 1972 Harvest albums Spontaneous Combustion and Triad. In 1973, Brock moved to London and joined Strider for their 1974 second album Misunderstood.

For the first working Babys lineup, Brock invited bassist/keyboardist Matt Irving, who cut three 1970 singles with Glaswegian rockers Dream Police and played on the 1974 second album by Rocket Record folksters Longdancer, the pre-Tourists/Eurythmics vehicle of Dave A. Stewart.

The Babys performed on camera for Millar, who pitched the video to record labels. Millar also produced their 1975 demos, including four cut with Irving. By the time they signed with Chrysalis, Waite assumed bass/vocal duties in the reconfigured four-piece with Corby, Brock, and guitarist Wally Stocker (b. March 27, 1953; London), who played in the unsigned prior bands Joy and Pegasus.

The Babys

The Babys released their self-titled debut album in December 1976 on Chrysalis.

The album contains seven group originals and two Waite titles, plus a cover of “I Love How You Love Me,” a 1961 girl-group ballad by The Paris Sisters.

“Looking for Love” crunches through a chunky guitar riff, echo-coated Waite voice, and two lead breaks that split the stereo field. “If You’ve Got the Time” charges with riotous motion, massive harmony vocals, and a bright Stocker solo. “I Believe in Love” slows around Waite’s upfront voice, a heavy beat, bluesy lead touches, and a mantra-like title repeat. “Wild Man” reclines in a spacious verse with gentle blues-inflected leads and stately riffs.

“Laura” drifts on warm low end, sedate strums, subtle piano, twin-lead figures, crisp synths, and falsetto harmonies. “Over and Over” lingers with Brock at the microphone and a sparse accompaniment. “Read My Stars” barrels through bright lead work, high-note strain, and a recessed lead vocal. “Dying Man” coils around a strident piano figure, clavichord bite, vocal filtering, wah-wah trails, a late dance-floor swerve, synth fade, and a dueling-lead coda.

A1. “Looking for Love” (4:43) – Waite, Stocker, Corby, Brock
A2. “If You’ve Got the Time” (2:38) – Waite
A3. “I Believe in Love” (4:17) – Waite, Stocker, Corby, Brock
A4. “Wild Man” (3:29) – Waite, Stocker, Corby, Brock
A5. “Laura” (5:02) – Waite, Stocker, Corby, Brock

B1. “I Love How You Love Me” (2:21) – a 1961 Billboard Top 5 hit for the Paris Sisters, written by Barry Mann and Larry Kolber; covered in the interim by Barry and Paul Ryan (1966) and Bryan Ferry (1973).
B2. “Rodeo” (2:58) – Waite
B3. “Over and Over” (4:47) – Waite, Stocker, Corby, Brock
B4. “Read My Stars” (2:43) – Waite, Stocker, Corby, Brock
B5. “Dying Man” (6:30) – Waite, Stocker, Corby, Brock

The Babys recorded the album at Nimbus 9 Studio in Toronto with Wireless engineer Brian Christian and Alice Cooper producer Bob Ezrin, a tenured hard-rock soundman (Aerosmith, Kiss, Ursa Major), who worked in sequence on the debut solo album by Peter Gabriel.

The Babys appeared in a sleeve with photography by Jon Prew, whose front image shows the quartet in a standing portrait beneath white title lettering. Prew also captured Split Enz in their harlequin/cone-haired getups for the 1976 Chrysalis release Mental Notes and its antipodean equivalent, Second Thoughts.

Chrysalis lifted “If You’ve Got the Time” as a February 1977 single (b/w “Head Above the Waves”), which reached No. 88 on the Billboard Hot 100 survey. They shot a video for “Looking for Love” on a dark sound stage with heavy use of spiraling psychedelic trail effect.

The Babys reached No. 133 on the Billboard 200 chart. Chrysalis followed with a US promo release of their April 23, 1977, show at the Tower Theatre in Philadelphia, where The Babys performed five songs from their debut (the first four tracks and “Rodeo”) and two numbers from their upcoming second album: “Give Me Your Love” and “If You Could See Me Fly.”

Broken Heart

The Babys released their second album, Broken Heart, on September 9, 1977, through Chrysalis.

Broken Heart retains the debut quartet and includes eight originals, including the Brock-led “Silver Dreams.” They scored a hit with “Isn’t It Time,” a lavish ballad co-written by KGB singer Ray Kennedy with string/horn arrangements by Alice Cooper orchestrator Alan MacMillan and backing vocals by The Babettes. The album closes with “A Piece of the Action,” co-written by ongoing Waite associate Chas Sandford.

“Wrong or Right” swells around acoustic strums, rising strings, and Waite’s torn vocal. “Give Me Your Love” motors at mid-tempo with Corby’s keyboard work up front and a humid vocal setting. “Isn’t It Time” glides from a delicate piano entrance into female backing replies, horn punches, and string-laden lift. “The Golden Mile” grandstands with orchestral sweep and overripe theatrical scale.

“Broken Heart” punches through guitar-driven crunch and polished, compact vocal turns. “Rescue Me” slows around crunching chords and a wounded, open-throat lead. “Silver Dreams” softens with Brock at the microphone and quiet accompaniment. “A Piece of the Action” circles around a recurrent string motif.

A1. “Wrong or Right” (3:26) – Waite
A2. “Give Me Your Love” (3:37) – Waite, Stocker, Corby, Brock
A3. “Isn’t It Time” (4:03) – Jack Conrad, Kennedy
A4. “And If You Could See Me Fly” (2:50) – Waite, Brock, Corby, Stocker
A5. “The Golden Mile” (5:01) – Waite, Brock

B1. “Broken Heart” (3:02) – Waite
B2. “I’m Falling” (3:55) – Waite, Corby
B3. “Rescue Me” (3:50) – Waite, Brock, Corby, Stocker
B4. “Silver Dreams” (3:00) – Brock, Waite
B5. “A Piece of the Action” (4:35) – Mikel Japp, Sandford

The Babys recorded Broken Heart in 1976 and 1977 at Hidden Valley Ranch and the Record Plant in Los Angeles. Quadrophenia soundman Ron Nevison produced and recorded Broken Heart with engineers Pete Carlson and Mike Beiriger. Nevison worked recently with American glam rocker David Werner, a Waite lookalike with a lavish sound that presaged the more sensitive, orchestral Babys material.

Broken Heart appeared in a sleeve designed and photographed by Charles William Bush, whose front image finds The Babys slouched and pastel-rendered under serif peach-toned letters. Bush also handled visuals on 1977 albums by Freda Payne, The Originals, and Tavares.

Chrysalis lifted “Isn’t It Time” as a September 1977 single (b/w “Give Me Your Love”), which reached No. 13 on the US Billboard Hot 100. In Australia, the song spent two weeks at No. 1 on the Kent Music Report. Ray Kennedy recorded a more guttural version for his 1980 second solo album.

In January 1978, “Silver Dreams” followed (b/w “And If You Could See Me Fly”) and reached No. 53 on the Billboard Hot 100 survey.

Broken Heart reached No. 34 on the Billboard 200 chart and No. 9 on the Kent Music Report.

Lineup Change

In 1978, The Babys overhauled amid stalled sessions for their Broken Heart followup. When Chrysalis rejected the initial version of their third album, they replaced original manager Adrian Millar with Ron Stone, a Los Angeles music mogul whose prior client list included America, Joni Mitchell, and Crosby Stills & Nash. In late August, they dismissed Michael Corby over musical differences.

Meanwhile, NEMS issued Millar’s 1975 Babys demos as the 1978 LP The Babys, billed on the sleeve as The Official Unofficial BABYS Album. The ten-song set preserved eight titles that bypassed the first two Chrysalis albums: “Bitch or Angel,” “I Wear Your Ring,” “You’ll Get Yours,” “Jack the Lad,” and four Matt Irving co-writes: “Time on My Hands,” “Do It Nice,” “Step in Line,” and “Rainy Day.” Two tracks (“I’m Falling,” “If You Could See Me Fly”) reappeared in revised form on Broken Heart.

Head First

The Babys released their third album, Head First, in December 1978 on Chrysalis.

Head First preserves Corby’s select keyboard parts from the original sessions and presents Waite, Stocker, and Brock as the trio that completed the album. Guests include bassist Jack Conrad and pianist Kevin Kelly on “Every Time I Think of You,” plus synthesist John Sinclair on “White Lightning” and “California.” Alan MacMillan arranged strings and horns on most titles; Jimmie Haskell arranged the Conrad–Kennedy single.

“Love Don’t Prove I’m Right” revs with stripped-down drive and a swaggering front-end charge. “Every Time I Think of You” swells around Waite’s tender lead, guest backing voices, strings, and horn lift. “White Lightning” flashes through lavish orchestration, steep dynamic rises, and a theatrical finish. “Run to Mexico” races on a fugitive text and fiery Stocker lead work. “Head First” rolls from bass-led verses into a piano-laced chorus and a hard Waite vocal. “California” drifts through acoustic guitar, Hammond shading, mandolin touches, and synthesizer haze.

A1. “Love Don’t Prove I’m Right” (2:45) – Waite, Stocker, Brock
A2. “Every Time I Think of You” (4:00) – Conrad, Kennedy; a minor-key variation of their prior ballad for the band.
A3. “I Was One” (3:30) – Waite, Japp
A4. “White Lightning” (3:20) – Nicholls
A5. “Run to Mexico” (4:35) – Waite, Stocker, Corby, Brock

B1. “Head First” (3:57) – Waite, Stocker, Brock
B2. “You (Got It)” (4:37) – Waite
B3. “Please Don’t Leave Me Here” (5:08) – Waite, Corby, Stocker
B4. “California” (4:00) – Waite

The Babys recorded Head First in summer 1978 at Hidden Valley Ranch and the Castle with the Record Plant Mobile Unit. Additional work occurred at the Record Plant in Los Angeles with returning producer Ron Nevison and Plant staff engineer Mike Clink, the sound team behind contemporary UFO output.

Head First features an illustrated cover image of two high-heeled legs and an outstretched hand against a blue sky field, created by Bill Murphy, a subsequent cover artist for Virginia rockers The States.

Chrysalis lifted “Every Time I Think of You” as a December 1978 single (b/w “Head First”), which reached No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 6 on the Kent Music Report.

In April 1979, “Head First” followed (b/w “California”) and reached No. 77 on the Billboard Hot 100 survey. The now-quintet Babys performed “Head First” on a September 1979 broadcast of The Raes, a Canadian music program where co-host Cherrill Rae accurately described the band’s sound as a merger of British new wave and American rock.

Head First reached No. 22 on the Billboard 200 chart and No. 18 on the Kent Music Report.

1979 Lineup Expansion

The Babys expanded after Head First with keyboardist Jonathan Cain and bassist Ricky Phillips.

Cain — born Jonathan Leonard Friga on February 26, 1950, in Chicago — first recorded for Dial as Johnny Lee on the October 1970 single “God Made Woman (For Man to Love)” (b/w “Look for Yourself”), credited to Chapter III Featuring Johnny Lee. He formed the Jonathan Cain Band for the 1977 Bearsville release Windy City Breakdown.

Phillips took over the bass role as Waite moved fully into the frontman position. The revised five-piece lineup carried the group through its two 1980 albums.

Union Jacks

The Babys released their fourth album, Union Jacks, on January 8, 1980, through Chrysalis.

Union Jacks introduces bassist Ricky Phillips and keyboardist Jonathan Cain alongside Waite, Stocker, and Brock. Cain sings lead on “Turn Around in Tokyo.” Anne Marie Leclerc adds backing vocals to “True Love True Confession.”

“Back on My Feet Again” bursts through big guitar figures, bright keyboard accents, and an oversized chorus. “True Love True Confession” swells with slick drama and polished keyboard gloss. “Midnight Rendezvous” gallops on fiery guitar, keyboard flashes, and Waite’s charged vocal. “Union Jack” grandstands through regal keyboards, hard riffing, and a multi-section sweep. “In Your Eyes” clenches melodramatic rock motion around Cain’s keyboard front.

“Anytime” lumbers through big riffs and stripped-down drive. “Jesus, Are You There?” jabs with shrill synthesizer accents against a severe lyric. “Turn Around in Tokyo” pounds through bluesy boogie, synth flashes, guitar interjections, and a closing Tokyo chant. “Love Is Just a Mystery” softens into atmospheric keyboard space before crunchy backing chords enter behind Waite.

A1. “Back on My Feet Again” (3:18) – Waite, Bugatti, Musker
A2. “True Love True Confession” (4:07) – Waite, Cain
A3. “Midnight Rendezvous” (3:36) – Waite, Cain
A4. “Union Jack” (5:42) – Waite, Phillips
A5. “In Your Eyes” (4:05) – Waite, Phillips

B1. “Anytime” (3:21) – Waite, Brock, Phillips, Stocker, Cain
B2. “Jesus, Are You There?” (3:34) – Waite, Stocker, Cain
B3. “Turn Around in Tokyo” (3:53) – Cain
B4. “Love Is Just a Mystery” (3:32) – Waite, Brock, Stocker

The Babys recorded Union Jacks in 1979 at Sound City Studios in Van Nuys, where Santana soundman Chris Minto co-engineered the album with producer Keith Olsen, who oversaw this and the Babys followup amid turn-of-the-decade credits with Airborne, Airplay, Pat Benetar, and Rick Springfield.

Union Jacks appeared in a sleeve designed by Bill Murphy and Rod Dyer, Inc., whose monochrome front portrait places the five members beneath a white logo and a red crossed-circle mark.

Chrysalis lifted “True Love True Confession” as a 1979 single, backed by live Cleveland versions of “Broken Heart” and “Money.”

“Back on My Feet Again” became a January 1980 single (b/w “Turn Around in Tokyo”) and reached No. 33 on the Billboard Hot 100 survey. “Midnight Rendezvous” followed in 1980 (b/w “Love Is Just a Mystery”) and reached No. 72 on the Billboard Hot 100 survey. The Babys mimed both songs for the Dutch music program TopPop, where Waite and Brock appeared with matching auburn-dyed short hairdos. Brock performs behind a Ludwig kick-drum, customized with a raunchy pinup sketch under the Babys name.

Union Jacks reached No. 42 on the Billboard 200 chart and No. 58 on the Kent Music Report.

On the Edge

The Babys released their fifth album, On the Edge, in October 1980 on Chrysalis.

On the Edge retains the Union Jacks five-piece, with Cain adding rhythm guitar to his keyboard and vocal roles. Cain sings lead on “Too Far Gone” and “Love Won’t Wait.” Anne Marie Leclerc returns on backing vocals.

“Turn and Walk Away” bursts from a massive power chord into stabbed keyboard figures, backing vocals, and a Fender Rhodes link. “Sweet 17” revs through a simple Stocker riff, thicker low-end punch, and a counting chorus. “She’s My Girl” flashes with taut keyboard trim, harmony-loaded chorus, and Waite’s polished lead.

“Darker Side of Town” slows from crisp piano into a moody swell before a Fender Rhodes close. “Rock ’n’ Roll Is (Alive and Well)” salutes through busy piano, aligned guitar figures, and big backing vocals. “Downtown” punches through a verse riff and lands on huge crashing chords. “Postcard” rolls on a simple riff and natural Waite vocal, then cuts a harmony-filled chorus short.

“Too Far Gone” clenches around a tough low-end figure, hard riffs, off-key keyboard stabs, and a bluesy solo. “Gonna Be Somebody” rolls from a wall of ringing guitars into Waite’s vocal pocket, a concise solo, and a huge harmony chorus. “Love Won’t Wait” darkens through locked rhythm figures, a grandiose chorus shift, and Stocker’s angriest lead work.

A1. “Turn and Walk Away” (3:10) – Waite, Cain
A2. “Sweet 17” (2:47) – Waite, Cain, Stocker
A3. “She’s My Girl” (3:17) – Waite, Stocker
A4. “Darker Side of Town” (2:25) – Waite, Cain
A5. “Rock ’n’ Roll Is (Alive and Well)” (4:07) – Waite, Cain, Phillips

B1. “Downtown” (3:36) – Waite, Stocker
B2. “Postcard” (2:41) – Waite, Stocker, Brock, Phillips
B3. “Too Far Gone” (2:53) – Cain, Brock
B4. “Gonna Be Somebody” (2:57) – Waite, Cain, Brock
B5. “Love Won’t Wait” (3:01) – Waite, Cain

The Babys recorded On the Edge at Sound City Studios in Van Nuys with producer and engineer Keith Olsen and engineer Chris Minto. The team mixed the album at Goodnight L.A. with technical assistant Craig Widby.

On the Edge appeared in a sleeve designed by John Van Hamersveld with photography by Norman Seeff, whose front image places the five members on a metal staircase beneath a red band and yellow title lettering.

Chrysalis lifted “Turn and Walk Away” as a 1980 single (b/w “Darker Side of Town”), which reached No. 42 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 15 on the RPM Top Singles chart.

The Babys filmed a video for “She’s My Girl” in front of the Pan Pacific Auditorium, an Art Deco landmark that stood from 1935 to 1989 in the Fairfax District of Los Angeles. The Babys perform at the foot of the building and on the tubes of its four distinct flagpoles, also featured prominently in the 1980 Olivia Newton-John film Xanadu and 1981/82 videos by Devo (“Beautiful World”) and The Producers (“She Sheila”). Waite dons purple jeans and an up-sleeve red trench coat in the video, where Brock sports a Union Jack top: a possible counter-statement to their now-Americanized image.

On the Edge reached No. 71 on the Billboard 200 chart and No. 98 on the Kent Music Report.

Postlude

Jonathan Caine replaced Greg Rollie in Journey, debuting on their 1981 seventh album Escape, which contains his co-written ballad “Open Arms,” based on a piano motif that Waite rejected earlier as a potential Babys track. Caine collaborated with singer Steve Perry on a sequence of Journey hits, including “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “Who’s Crying Now,” “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart),” and “Send Her My Love,” the last two from their 1983 platinum release Frontiers, which includes his lone-written ballad “Faithfully.”

John Waite went solo with the 1982 Chrysalis release Ignition, which spawned the Billboard Rock hit “Change,” an early MTV staple written by Spider keyboardist Holly Knight (“Better Be Good to Me,” “Warrior,” “Never,” “Invincible”). In 1984, Waite topped the Hot 100 with “Missing You,” a ballad from his second album No Brakes, recorded with Gary Myrick. Waite scored further rock hits through 1987 with “Tears,” “Every Step of the Way,” “Welcome to Paradise,” and “These Times Are Hard for Lovers.” In 1989, he reunited with Caine in Bad English, which reached No. 1 with the Dianne Warren-penned power ballad “When I See You Smile.”

Tony Brock joined the backing band of Rod Stewart for the singer’s 1980/81 albums Foolish Behaviour and Tonight I’m Yours. Wally Stocker joined for the 1982 concert release Absolutely Live and Stewart’s 1983 studio album Body Wishes. Stocker also played on mid-Eighties albums by Air Supply, Jackson Browne, and ex-Cold Chisel frontman Jimmy Barnes.

Ricky Phillips played on 1981–84 albums by Sheila B., Noël & The Red Wedge, White Sister, and Wiz Kidz.

Discography: