Black Rose
Studio album by
Black Rose
ReleasedAugust 21, 1980
August 17, 1999 (reissue)
Recorded1980
StudioSunset Sound Recorders, Hollywood, California
Westlake Audio, West Hollywood, California
Genre
Length33:17
Label
ProducerJames Newton Howard
Alternative cover
Reissue album artwork, featuring only the face of Cher

Black Rose is the lone album by the rock band Black Rose, whose lead singer was American singer-actress Cher. The album was released on August 21, 1980, by Casablanca Records, her final project on the label. Unlike Cher's previous solo records (such as Take Me Home), the album was a commercial failure. It failed to chart and has sold only 400,000 copies worldwide.[1]

Album information

The Black Rose Band

In 1980, Cher and her part-time boyfriend Les Dudek wanted to form a band called Black Rose.[2]

The band, before signing a contract with Casablanca Records, was an independent rock band that played in small clubs around Los Angeles and tried to make it without trading on Cher's celebrity.[2] Besides Cher, the other band members were Les Dudek, Gary Ferguson, Michael Finnigan, Warren Ham, Rocket Ritchotte and Trey Thompson.

Black Rose, the last of Cher's albums released by the Casablanca Records, was produced by James Newton Howard.[3] Her name never appeared on the album cover and Cher's face was only seen in a band photo on the back cover.[2][4]

The album is Cher's first album with a rock sound, that would characterize her future Geffen-era albums. The album was a flop and Cher fans were unaware of the project. After the failure of the album, the band broke up the following year.

In Germany, Spectrum Records re-released the Black Rose album, completely intact, for the first time on a CD. It was packaged with a photo of Cher singing in concert and marketed as a Cher album, instead of as a Black Rose album.

In August 2020, a remastered version was released on Rock Candy Records for the album's 40th anniversary. It was remastered by Jon Astley. A vinyl release on purple vinyl scheduled for the end of 2020 will include two previously unreleased songs, "Desperado" and "I Shall Be Released."

Second untitled album

There were rumors about a subsequent album, recorded during 1980 and 1981, which would have contained some songs sung live in their mini-tour, "The Black Rose Show", such as "Ain’t Got No Money" and "Dirty Old Man", but the project was cancelled. "Don't Trust That Woman" written by Cher and Les Dudek, was written for the album but was dumped. Dudek recorded the song for his album, and a song with the same lyrics was later recorded by Elton John.

Promotion

The album was promoted on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and the band performed "Never Should've Started"[5] and "Julie"[6] but both lip-synched. The album was also promoted at the Midnight Special with four performances: "Never Should've Started", "Julie", "You Know It" and the Frankie Miller cover "Ain't Got No Money" all the songs were sung live. Videos of the performance have been available on YouTube since March 2009. The album was also promoted on The Merv Griffin Show.

The Black Rose Show

To support the album and to lift sales in 1980, the Black Rose band and Cher did a mini tour called The Black Rose Show performed only in North America. The setlist for the show contained: "Never Should've Started", "Julie", "You Know It", "Ain't Got No Money", a little band introduction, and "Dirty Old Man". For six East Coast concert dates, Black Rose was the opening act for Hall & Oates. The costumes for the show were designed by Bob Mackie. The band performed in Pennsylvania, Central Park, Garden State Arts Center in Holmdel Township and elsewhere.

Set list

  1. "Intro"
  2. "Never Should Have Started"
  3. "Julie"
  4. "Take it from the Boys"
  5. "88 Degrees"
  6. "Déjà Vu (Da Voodoo's In You)"
  7. "Fast Company"
  8. "Ain't Got No Money"

Source:[7]

Shows

Date City Country Venue
North America[8]
August 15, 1980 Columbia United States Merriweather Post Pavilion
August 16, 1980 Philadelphia Mann Music Center
August 17, 1980 Holmdel Township Garden State Arts Center
August 20, 1980 Bethlehem Stabler Arena
August 21, 1980 North Tonawanda Melody Fair Music Theater
August 23, 1980 New York Dr Pepper Central Park Music Festival

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[9]

The reviews were mixed, many critics questioning Cher's credibility and drawing comparisons to other New Wave rock groups, particularly Blondie. Billboard magazine said that "[...] it shapes a New Wave style that fits the midtempo rock mode with which the main group members are associated" and about Cher "especially well done though Cher's vocals are emotional and full of life on the entire disk". People magazine said that "Cher's quivering, over-mannered vocals on this LP need all the help they can get, and she gets more than she deserves" and "This album could be vastly improved, rerecorded by the Group with No Singer".[10]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Never Should've Started"
4:14
2."Julie"
3:21
3."Take It From the Boys"
4:59
4."We All Fly Home"
3:56
5."88 Degrees"Phil Brown5:57
6."You Know It"Les Dudek3:20
7."Young and Pretty"
4:03
8."Fast Company"
  • Fred Mollin
  • Larry Mollin
3:47

Personnel

References

  1. ↑ "Cher 80's bio". Project80s.com. Archived from the original on 2008-05-02. Retrieved 2009-02-04.
  2. 1 2 3 "Info about Black Rose". TvParty.com. Retrieved 2009-02-04.
  3. ↑ "Black Rose". Angelfire.com. Retrieved 2009-03-22.
  4. ↑ "See the back-cover here". Geocities.com. Archived from the original on 2009-08-05. Retrieved 2009-03-22.
  5. ↑ Cher with Black Rose band performing Never Should've Started on YouTube
  6. ↑ Cher with Black Rose band performing Julie on YouTube
  7. ↑ "Black Rose Setlist at Dr. Pepper Summer Music Festival 1980". Setlist.fm. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  8. ↑ "Hall & Oates Live Concert History". Hallandoates.de. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  9. ↑ "allmusic ((( Black Rose > Overview )))". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2010-01-29.
  10. ↑ "BLACK ROSE". justplaincher.net. Archived from the original on 2008-04-15. Retrieved 2009-03-22.
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