Air Supply (1976 album)
Air Supply is the debut album by Australian soft rock band Air Supply which was released on CBS Records in December 1976. The album peaked at No. 17 on the Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart. It includes the single, "Love and Other Bruises" released ahead of the album in October which reached No. 6 on the Kent Music Report Singles Chart. The second single, "Empty Pages", issued in February 1977 did not reach the Top 40. The album reached gold status in Australia. It wasn't until the album Lost In Love that the band broke through international charts. In Japan, the album was reissued as Strangers in Love to avoid confusion with the band's 1985 self-titled album.
Background
, Russell Hitchcock and Graham Russell met in May 1975 while performing in the Australian production of the Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice musical, Jesus Christ Superstar. With Hammond and Hitchcock on vocals and Russell on guitar, they formed Air Supply as a harmony vocal group in Melbourne. Hammond left to form Cheetah and was replaced by Jeremy Paul on bass guitar and vocals in 1976. The group's first single, "Love and Other Bruises", peaked at No. 6 on the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart in October. It was followed by Air Supply, their debut album, in December, which reached No. 17 on the Kent Music Report Albums Chart and achieved gold in Australia. The album was produced by Peter Dawkins with Air Supply line-up as Hitchcock, Paul, Russell and drummer Jeff Browne, guitarist Mark McEntee and keyboardist, arranger Adrian Scott. The second single was "Empty Pages" peaked at No. 43. A national tour followed with Hitchcock, Paul, Russell and Scott joined by Nigel Macara on drums and Brenton White on guitar. Brenton White rehearsed but did not perform with Air Supply.Track listing
Personnel
Air Supply members- Russell Hitchcock – lead and backing vocals, congas
- Mark McEntee – electric lead and rhythm guitars
- Graham Russell – electric and acoustic guitars, lead and backing vocals
- Adrian Scott – keyboards, backing vocals
- Jeremy Paul – bass guitars, lead and backing vocals
- Jeff Browne – drums
- Ian Bloxsom – extra percussion
- Peter Deacon – piano
- William Motzing – string arrangements and conductor
- Graeme Pearce – drums
- Producer – Peter Dawkins
- Engineer – Richard Lush at EMI Studios, Sydney.
- * Except "Love and Other Bruises" engineer – Bruce Brown at Albert Studios
- * Additional engineer – Martin Benge
- Mastered – CBS Records, Artarmon.
- Art direction and design – J. Peter Thoeming
- Photography – Carroll Holloway
Release History
Date | Tracks | Length | Label | Catalog |
1976 | "Love and Other Bruises" | 3:43 | CBS | BA 222231 |
1976 | "If You Knew Me" | 4:02 | CBS | BA 222231 |
1977 | "Empty Pages" | 4:20 | CBS | BA 222274 |
1977 | "Feel the Breeze" | 3:55 | CBS | BA 222274 |
Album
Date | Region | Label | Format | Catalog | Notes |
1976 | Australia | CBS | LP | SBP 234929 | |
1976 | New Zealand | CBS | LP | SBP 234929 | |
1976 | Canada | Columbia | LP | PES 90413 | |
1976 | Australia | CBS | CAS | PC 4929 | |
1976 | Australia | Summit/Rainbow | CAS | SUL 3002 | |
1977 | Australia | CBS | 2LP | SBP 241031 | Repackaged with The Whole Thing's Started |
1980 | Japan | Epic/Sony | LP | 25•3P-232 | Issued as Strangers in Love, alternate cover |
1981 | Australia | Harmony | LP | HC 15070 | Love and Other Bruises compilation, includes six tracks from Air Supply |
1981 | Australia | Harmony | CAS | TCHC 15070 | Love and Other Bruises compilation, includes six tracks from Air Supply |
1981 | Australia | Summit/Rainbow | CAS | SC 3036 | Love and Other Bruises compilation, includes six tracks from Air Supply |
1988 | Australia | Columbia/Sony | CD | 463016 2 | Love and Other Bruises compilation, includes six tracks from Air Supply |
1988 | Australia | CBS/Disctronics | CD | 463016 2 | Reissue of 1981 compilation, alternate cover |
1988 | Australia | CBS | CAS | 463016 4 | Reissue of 1981 compilation, alternate cover |
1991 | Australia | Rainbow | CD | RCD 1118 | First appearance of full album on CD |
1992 | Australia | Rainbow | 2CD | 2RCD 111/112 | Feel the Breeze, includes Air Supply and The Whole Thing's Started |
1996 | Korea | Columbia/Sony | CD | 486553.2 | Once Upon a Time, includes three tracks from Air Supply |
1996 | Korea | Columbia/Sony | CAS | 486553.4 | Once Upon a Time, includes three tracks from Air Supply |