At Your Birthday Party
Encyclopedia
At Your Birthday Party is the third studio album by Steppenwolf
, released in 1969 (see 1969 in music
) on the label ABC Dunhill Records. It was the first Steppenwolf album to feature bass player Nick St. Nicholas. Although it was less critically acclaimed than their successful first two albums, Steppenwolf and The Second, it contains a few well-known hits, such as "It's Never Too Late" and "Jupiter's Child", as well as the colossal "Rock Me," which had been featured in the 1968 film Candy. Although the band would be very successful in the early 1970s, 'At Your Birthday Party' was to be their last top ten album and features their last top ten single. The album showcases Steppenwolf at their peak, coming out of, but not yet completely abandoning, the psychedelia of Steppenwolf the Second
and stepping into the distinctive hard rock of their later releases, but with less weight here than later, meaning it slides faster and more furiously.
with a punched-out front cover; the punchout revealed a photo of the band which comprised the inner sleeve's recto
. This photo of the band was shot by Henry Diltz, and it shows the band sitting in the remnants of amplifiers and equipment in a charred house in a that had belonged to Canned Heat
. (A 1969 fire ripped through Canned Heat's house and rehearsal studio on Lookout Mountain Ave in Laurel Canyon, Los Angeles, California
). The surrounding black and white image of the gate-fold sleeve was made by importing images of cartoon-mouse heads onto the bodies of soldiers within an image of a U.S. Civil War trenched battlefield. The black and white portion of the album art was a collage made by Rick Griffin, who was supposed to paint a final version of what became the album art, but Dunhill Records declined to pay for the painting and so used Griffin's black and white prototype. The resultant gritty image may have been an institutional accident, bit it suits the album's dark, rock'n'soul sound.
Singles - Billboard (North America)
Steppenwolf (band)
Steppenwolf are a Canadian-American rock group that was prominent in the late 1960s. The group was formed in 1967 in Los Angeles by vocalist John Kay, guitarist Michael Monarch, bassist Rushton Moreve, keyboardist Goldy McJohn and drummer Jerry Edmonton after the dissolution of Toronto group The...
, released in 1969 (see 1969 in music
1969 in music
-Events:Perhaps the two most famous musical events of 1969 were concerts. At a Rolling Stones concert in Altamont, California, a fan was stabbed to death by Hells Angels, a biker gang that had been hired to provide security for the event...
) on the label ABC Dunhill Records. It was the first Steppenwolf album to feature bass player Nick St. Nicholas. Although it was less critically acclaimed than their successful first two albums, Steppenwolf and The Second, it contains a few well-known hits, such as "It's Never Too Late" and "Jupiter's Child", as well as the colossal "Rock Me," which had been featured in the 1968 film Candy. Although the band would be very successful in the early 1970s, 'At Your Birthday Party' was to be their last top ten album and features their last top ten single. The album showcases Steppenwolf at their peak, coming out of, but not yet completely abandoning, the psychedelia of Steppenwolf the Second
Steppenwolf the Second
The Second is the second studio album by Canadian-American acid rock band Steppenwolf, released in 1968 on ABC Dunhill Records. The album contains one of Steppenwolf's most famous songs, "Magic Carpet Ride"...
and stepping into the distinctive hard rock of their later releases, but with less weight here than later, meaning it slides faster and more furiously.
Cover art
The album's cover was designed by art director Gary Burden. The original LP was a gatefoldGatefold
A gatefold is a type of fold used for advertising around a magazine or section, and for packaging of media such as vinyl records.- LP covers :...
with a punched-out front cover; the punchout revealed a photo of the band which comprised the inner sleeve's recto
Recto
The recto and verso are respectively the "front" and "back" sides of a leaf of paper in a bound item such as a codex, book, broadsheet, or pamphlet. In languages written from left to right the recto is the right-hand page and the verso the left-hand page...
. This photo of the band was shot by Henry Diltz, and it shows the band sitting in the remnants of amplifiers and equipment in a charred house in a that had belonged to Canned Heat
Canned Heat
Canned Heat is a blues-rock/boogie rock band that formed in Los Angeles, California in 1965. The group has been noted for its own interpretations of blues material as well as for efforts to promote the interest in this type of music and its original artists...
. (A 1969 fire ripped through Canned Heat's house and rehearsal studio on Lookout Mountain Ave in Laurel Canyon, Los Angeles, California
Laurel Canyon, Los Angeles, California
Laurel Canyon is a canyon neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. It was first developed in the 1910s, and became a part of the city of Los Angeles in 1923 ....
). The surrounding black and white image of the gate-fold sleeve was made by importing images of cartoon-mouse heads onto the bodies of soldiers within an image of a U.S. Civil War trenched battlefield. The black and white portion of the album art was a collage made by Rick Griffin, who was supposed to paint a final version of what became the album art, but Dunhill Records declined to pay for the painting and so used Griffin's black and white prototype. The resultant gritty image may have been an institutional accident, bit it suits the album's dark, rock'n'soul sound.
Track listing
- "Don't Cry" (Gabriel MeklerGabriel MeklerGabriel Mekler was a songwriter, musician, and record producer who attained fame in the 1960s, helming classic albums for Steppenwolf, Three Dog Night, and Janis Joplin...
) – 3:11 - "Chicken Wolf" (John KayJohn Kay (musician)John Kay is a German-Canadian singer, songwriter and guitarist known as the frontman of Steppenwolf...
, Michael MonarchMichael MonarchMichael Monarch is an American guitarist. He is best known for his work with the band Steppenwolf....
) – 2:58 - "Lovely Meter" (Gabriel Mekler) – 3:10
- "Round And Down" (Michael Monarch) – 3:19
- "It's Never Too Late" (John Kay, Nick St. NicholasNick St. NicholasNick St. Nicholas is a bassist, and is best known for his membership in Steppenwolf from 1968 to 1970, and then again from 1976 to 1980. After World War II, his family moved to Toronto and became Canadian citizens. Sister Maren joined the Canadian Ballet Company & Conservatory of Music as pianist...
) – 4:07 - "Sleeping Dreaming" (Nick St.Nicholas) – 1:07
- "Jupiter's Child" (Jerry EdmontonJerry EdmontonJerry Edmonton was the drummer for the rock band, Steppenwolf.He was born Gerald McCrohan in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. Both he and his brother Dennis, also known as Mars Bonfire, changed their surnames to Edmonton during the 1960s, when they performed in a group called The Sparrows...
, John Kay, Michael Monarch) – 3:28 - "She'll Be Better" (Jerry Edmonton, Gabriel Mekler) – 5:32
- "Cat Killer" (John GoadsbyGoldy McJohnGoldy McJohn is a Canadian keyboard player best known as the original keyboardist for rock group Steppenwolf. Originally a classically trained pianist, he was a pioneer in the early use of the electronic organ in heavy metal...
) – 1:37 - "Rock Me" (Dave GrusinDave GrusinDavid Grusin is an American composer, arranger and pianist. Grusin has composed many scores for feature films and television, and has won numerous awards for his soundtrack and record work, including an Academy award and 12 Grammys...
, John Kay) – 3:45 - "God Fearing Man" (Michael Monarch) – 3:55
- "Mango Juice" (Jerry Edmonton, John Goadsby, Michael Monarch) – 3:01
- "Happy Birthday" (Gabriel Mekler) – 2:16
Personnel
- John KayJohn Kay (musician)John Kay is a German-Canadian singer, songwriter and guitarist known as the frontman of Steppenwolf...
- Lead Vocals, Guitar, Harmonica - Michael MonarchMichael MonarchMichael Monarch is an American guitarist. He is best known for his work with the band Steppenwolf....
- Lead Guitar - Goldy McJohnGoldy McJohnGoldy McJohn is a Canadian keyboard player best known as the original keyboardist for rock group Steppenwolf. Originally a classically trained pianist, he was a pioneer in the early use of the electronic organ in heavy metal...
- Organ, Piano - Nick St. NicholasNick St. NicholasNick St. Nicholas is a bassist, and is best known for his membership in Steppenwolf from 1968 to 1970, and then again from 1976 to 1980. After World War II, his family moved to Toronto and became Canadian citizens. Sister Maren joined the Canadian Ballet Company & Conservatory of Music as pianist...
- Bass - Jerry EdmontonJerry EdmontonJerry Edmonton was the drummer for the rock band, Steppenwolf.He was born Gerald McCrohan in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. Both he and his brother Dennis, also known as Mars Bonfire, changed their surnames to Edmonton during the 1960s, when they performed in a group called The Sparrows...
- Drums, Vocals
Charts
Album - Billboard (North America)| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1969 | Pop Albums | 7 |
Singles - Billboard (North America)
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | "It's Never Too Late" | Pop Singles | 51 |
| 1969 | "Rock Me" | Pop Singles | 10 |