Wishpool
Encyclopedia
Wishpool is the third and final studio album
by American hard rock
band Brother Cane
, released March 31, 1998. It features the hit "I Lie in the Bed I Make," which was their second #1 single on the Mainstream Rock Tracks
chart, maintaining that position for four weeks. Due to low album sales, however, Virgin
released Brother Cane which disbanded soon after. Nevertheless, Wishpool remains arguably the group's best album.
Frontman Damon Johnson has regarded Wishpool as "certainly my most personal statement as a lyricist and the body of work that I am most proud of." He reflected on the album in a 2006 interview, noting that by the time they began recording Wishpool, he was very comfortable with his vocals and put considerably more effort into his writing and singing. However, Johnson elaborated:
Working with producer Kelly Gray
, who later replaced Chris DeGarmo
of Queensrÿche
, led Johnson, Gray, and Queensrÿche drummer Scott Rockenfield
to later form the side project Slave to the System.
Regarding the commercial success of Wishpool, Johnson has stated that had it been released at a different time, the album would certainly have sold more units. Elaborated on the nature of Virgin Records
and how that effected the album's success:
Brother Cane toured North America from March until November 1998 in promotion of Wishpool. However, Johnson later explained that the band's tour success did not translate into album sales:
. This was sold to benefit United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Birmingham, based in Brother Cane's home state of Alabama
. "I Lie in the Bed I Make" was featured on The Unvailed Alternative Collection 1998, a compilation album
. It, as well as "Machete," would later appear on the 2004 compilation The Best of Brother Cane.
In 2005, Brother Cane reunited for two concert performances. This was later released on a 2009 DVD set entitled Come Alive Again, named after the eighth track on Wishpool. The DVD set also features various songs from that album.
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by American hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
band Brother Cane
Brother Cane
Brother Cane was an American hard rock band that released three albums in the 1990s. The band was formed in 1990 by singer/guitarist Damon Johnson and bassist Glenn Maxey. Joined by guitarist Roman Glick and drummer Scott Collier, Brother Cane released their self-titled debut album in 1993...
, released March 31, 1998. It features the hit "I Lie in the Bed I Make," which was their second #1 single on the Mainstream Rock Tracks
Mainstream Rock Tracks
Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks is a ranking in Billboard magazine of the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations, a category that includes stations that play primarily rock music. Modern rock tracks are counted in the Alternative Songs chart.This chart began with the March 21, 1981, issue...
chart, maintaining that position for four weeks. Due to low album sales, however, Virgin
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
released Brother Cane which disbanded soon after. Nevertheless, Wishpool remains arguably the group's best album.
Production
Wishpool marked a different creative approach for Brother Cane; rather than writing about a dozen songs before entering the studio, the band took an extended period of time to write almost 40 songs, with the idea that the more songs they wrote, the more strong ones they would have to choose from.Frontman Damon Johnson has regarded Wishpool as "certainly my most personal statement as a lyricist and the body of work that I am most proud of." He reflected on the album in a 2006 interview, noting that by the time they began recording Wishpool, he was very comfortable with his vocals and put considerably more effort into his writing and singing. However, Johnson elaborated:
- "Wishpool was a struggle to make on a lot of levels: the band was struggling to find a larger audience and, still, a musical identity; our record company was changing employees like I change my socks; and the entire record lyrically was inspired by challenges I was dealing with in my marriage, which at the time was very up and down."
Working with producer Kelly Gray
Kelly Gray (musician)
Kelly Gray is an American record producer and musician. He started playing guitar in the late 1970s as a founding member of MYTH, a progressive rock band in the suburbs of Seattle, Wash...
, who later replaced Chris DeGarmo
Chris DeGarmo
Chris DeGarmo is an American heavy metal and hard rock guitarist. He co-founded Queensrÿche in 1981 and played with the group during their most commercially successful period. Since departing from the band, DeGarmo has continued his involvement in the music business in a much smaller capacity...
of Queensrÿche
Queensrÿche
thumb|250px|right|Queensrÿche's classic line-up performing at the [[Sauna Open Air Metal Festival]] 2011 in [[Tampere]], [[Finland]]. Left to right: bass Eddie Jackson, lead vocals Geoff Tate, drums Scott Rockenfield and guitars Michael Wilton....
, led Johnson, Gray, and Queensrÿche drummer Scott Rockenfield
Scott Rockenfield
Scott Rockenfield is the drummer for the progressive metal band Queensrÿche and the band Slave to the System....
to later form the side project Slave to the System.
Promotion and touring
On March 22, 1998 Brother Cane was interviewed for an Album Network radio broadcast and performed their upcoming album live in anticipation of its release.Regarding the commercial success of Wishpool, Johnson has stated that had it been released at a different time, the album would certainly have sold more units. Elaborated on the nature of Virgin Records
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
and how that effected the album's success:
- "I hate to sound typical, but our record company was not the best. We had the greatest radio promotion department you could ever hope for, and our success at radio is proof of that. But Virgin is a very urban, pop musicPop musicPop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
company. There were absolutely people at the label in positions of power that did not give a shit about Brother Cane, or care about getting product in stores in smaller cities in the mid-western United States, which is where our biggest audience was. Some of our problems were not unusual; others, especially now looking back on it, could have easily been avoided."
Brother Cane toured North America from March until November 1998 in promotion of Wishpool. However, Johnson later explained that the band's tour success did not translate into album sales:
- "After delivering another #1 track at rock radio ("I Lie in the Bed I Make"), we would go to towns like Dayton, OhioDayton, OhioDayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
for a sold-out club show, have two stations spinning our song 36 times a week, and there would be no fucking records in the store. My bass player and I were both going through divorces, and half the band had serious substance abuse problems. After three albums and relentless touring, we were simply not getting the results we felt we had to have to continue. It was the right decision to let it go."
Song appearances
A live rendition of "Lead My Follow" was featured on the 1998 edition of Live in the X LoungeLive in the X Lounge
Live in the X Lounge is a series of albums released by Birmingham, Alabama's former alternative rock radio station, WRAX.Though the station can no longer be found on the air, this series of live performances was produced while the station was known as 107.7 The X...
. This was sold to benefit United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Birmingham, based in Brother Cane's home state of Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
. "I Lie in the Bed I Make" was featured on The Unvailed Alternative Collection 1998, a compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
. It, as well as "Machete," would later appear on the 2004 compilation The Best of Brother Cane.
In 2005, Brother Cane reunited for two concert performances. This was later released on a 2009 DVD set entitled Come Alive Again, named after the eighth track on Wishpool. The DVD set also features various songs from that album.
Critical reception
Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic gave the album four out of five stars and noted "While it lacks anything as flat-out catchy as 'Got No Shame' or 'And Fools Shine On,' there are plenty of sturdy songs on the record. Brother Cane may not push forward into new territory on Wishpool, but it delivers exactly what its fans would want, and that's enough."Track listing
Personnel
- Damon Johnson - vocals, rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
- David Anderson - lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
- Roman Glick - bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Scott Collier - drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
Production
- Brother Cane, Kelly Gray - producers
- Kelly Gray, Jon Plum - mixing
- James A. Bland - photography
Chart performance
| Year | Song | Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... s Mainstream Rock Tracks Mainstream Rock Tracks Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks is a ranking in Billboard magazine of the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations, a category that includes stations that play primarily rock music. Modern rock tracks are counted in the Alternative Songs chart.This chart began with the March 21, 1981, issue... Chart Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | I Lie in the Bed I Make | 1 |
| Machete | 12 |