Central Heating is the second studio album by funk-disco band Heatwave.[4] It was released in 1977 on the GTO label in the UK and in 1978 on the Epic label in the US. It was produced by Barry Blue. Central Heating sold more than a million copies in its first two years of release.[5]
| Central Heating | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 31 March 1978 | |||
| Recorded | 1976–1977 | |||
| Studio | ||||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 38:32 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Producer | Barry Blue | |||
| Heatwave chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Central Heating | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Christgau's Record Guide | C−[2] |
| The Virgin Encyclopedia of R&B and Soul | [3] |
It was the last Heatwave album to feature bassist Mario Mantese and guitarist Eric Johns, as well as the first to feature new member Roy Carter on guitar. The album was also the final performance of Rod Temperton as an official member of Heatwave, although he would continue to write songs for the band after his departure until 1982.
The song "Star of a Story" appeared on George Benson's album Give Me the Night, a song written by Temperton, which was produced by Quincy Jones.
The album was remastered and reissued with bonus tracks in 2015 by Big Break Records.
The two singles taken from the album were both hits. "The Groove Line" reached No. 7 in the US and No. 12 in the UK, while "Mind Blowing Decisions" also made No. 12 in the UK.
Track listing
editAll tracks are written by Rod Temperton, except where noted.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Put the Word Out" | 6:36 | |
| 2. | "Send Out for Sunshine" | 4:28 | |
| 3. | "Central Heating" | 4:46 | |
| 4. | "Happiness Togetherness" | Johnnie Wilder, Jr. | 4:00 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5. | "The Groove Line" | 4:20 | |
| 6. | "Mind Blowing Decisions" | Johnnie Wilder, Jr. | 4:16 |
| 7. | "The Star of a Story" | 5:45 | |
| 8. | "Party Poops" | 3:51 | |
| 9. | "Leavin' for a Dream" | 3:23 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 10. | "Wack That Axe" | 3:46 |
| 11. | "The Groove Line" (12" disco version) | 7:26 |
| 12. | "Mind Blowing Decisions" (12" disco version) | 7:31 |
Personnel
editHeatwave
- Johnnie Wilder Jr. – lead, backing, and choir vocals, congas
- Keith Wilder – lead vocals
- Rod Temperton – Fender Rhodes piano, clavinet, synthesizers, acoustic piano, organ
- Mario Mantese – bass guitar
- Eric Johns – electric lead and rhythm guitars, Spanish Guitar
- Ernest "Bilbo" Berger – drums, timbales
- Roy Carter – rhythm and bass guitar, Fender Rhodes piano, acoustic piano
with:
- Frank Ricotti, Tristan Fry – percussion
- Chris Payne – trombone solo on "Happiness Togetherness"
- Ron Mathieson – acoustic bass on "Leaving for a Dream"
- Pat Halling – string leader
Technical
- James Guthrie, Geoff Calver – engineers
Charts
edit| Chart (1978) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Albums Chart[6] | 26 |
| Billboard Top LPs[7] | 10 |
| Billboard Top Soul LPs[7] | 2 |
Singles
edit| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK [6] |
US [7] |
US R&B [7] | ||
| 1978 | "The Groove Line" | 12 | 7 | 3 |
| "Mind Blowing Decisions" | 12 | — | 49 | |
References
edit- ^ Henderson, Alex. Central Heating > review at AllMusic. Retrieved 2012-09-19.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: H". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved 26 February 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (1998). The Virgin Encyclopedia of R&B and Soul. Virgin. p. 150.
- ^ Baker, Arthur (30 March 1978). "Breakdown". Bay State Banner. No. 25. p. 15.
- ^ Partipilo, Vic (23 February 1979). "On Location". Oakland Post. No. 216. p. 4.
- ^ a b "UK Charts > Heatwave". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 September 2012.
- ^ a b c d "US Charts > Heatwave". Billboard. Retrieved 19 September 2012.
External links
edit- Central Heating at Discogs (list of releases)