John Phillips has been called one of the greatest pop songwriters of the later 20th century. The songs he wrote and performed with The Mamas and the Papas are pop classics, “California Dreamin’,” “Monday Monday,” and “Creeque Alley” among them.
In 1969, John Phillips was moving past The Mamas and the Papas, and assembled a collection of songs at his home studio that would eventually become his first solo album, and the only one to be released during his lifetime. It is an album reflective of the changing era, and the ever-changing composer and arranger.
The album was produced by Lou Adler, who also produced all of The Mamas and the Papas’ recordings, as well as Carole King’s Tapestry and The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Playing on the album are many of the session musicians who contributed to the success not only of The Mamas and the Papas but also to that of Elvis Presley and Ricky Nelson, as well as countless other recordings in the ’60s and ’70s, and whom John dubbed the “greatest players in the world” (including Hal Blaine, Larry Knechtel, Joe Osborn, James Burton, Buddy Emmons and Red Rhodes).
This expanded and completely re-mastered edition features eight previously unreleased bonus tracks, all recorded during the original sessions for the album. It is the first in a series of official releases from the archives of the John Phillips estate.