Jon and Vangelis - The Friends of Mr. Cairo
#319
By Timothy Sprague
Jon and Vangelis
The Friends of Mr. Cairo
Genre: JonGelis
Allen’s Rating: 4 out of 5
Timothy’s Rating: 3 out of 5
Highlights:
The Friends of Mr. Cairo
State of Independence
Jon and Vangelis is the duo created by Yes lead singer Jon Anderson and keyboard virtuoso Vangelis, best known for composing the soundtracks for Blade Runner and Chariots of Fire, after Anderson moved on from Yes in 1979. Anderson’s goal was to explore his interest in electronic music so he engaged the help of his larger-than-life friend that he had met in the early 70s. According to the account that Anderson has told at his solo concert appearances, someone had suggested that he meet this crazy Greek musician. So, Anderson showed up at his place one day and, when Vangelis buzzed him in, found the keyboardist firing arrows down a hallway for his own amusement. When Rick Wakeman parted ways with Yes in 1974, Anderson invited Vangelis to jam with the band as a possible replacement but the vibe with the rest of the guys just wasn’t right. So, they kept in touch and later formed a successful collaboration that yielded several hit singles in England, Canada and Europe in the early 80s, while remaining mostly obscure to the majority of the population of the United States.
Polydor released two different versions of The Friends of Mr. Cairo at around the same time in 1981. Why is anybody’s guess but they each have a different song order. My lp copy is the one with the white cover, which was apparently released first. The other version features a picture of Jon and Vangelis in tuxedos, enjoying a glass of wine together on the cover and has an additional song, I’ll Find My Way Home, which was a number one hit single in Switzerland and climbed to number six in the UK. Remarkably, the title track also made it to number one in Canada. But ask anyone in the US if they have heard either and all you will get is a blank stare.
This review is based on the white cover edition, which starts out strong with a catchy techno synth bass line before Vangelis’ trademark echo-y piano gets the melody started. Car chase sound effects and gunshots pan back and forth between the speakers while actors do impressions of Humphrey Bogart and Peter Lorre acting out a scene in a film noir movie. It’s quite corny but it works in its own way. It’s all lighthearted fun and a good silly departure from Anderson’s trippy cosmic persona that he had cultivated for so many years as prog rock’s preeminent choir boy. The album version is 12 minutes long and morphs into a nostalgic ballad about the lost days of the silver screen, while the one that was such a big hit in Canada only includes the first 4 minutes.
From there, side one becomes kind of a letdown. The second track is Back to School, which sounds like Vangelis whipped it together on his Casio right before they ran into the studio and Jon could not come up with anything more creative than intoning that he “wants to go back to school” because those days were so carefree. It kind of makes me cringe. This is followed by the ultra-sappy Outside of This (Inside of That), a song that I am sure would be quite popular with four-year-olds around bedtime but best exemplifies the main reason I am careful about spending money on Anderson’s solo work. He quite often strays into new age children’s lullabies so I have learned to be cautious over the years, even though I am a really big Yes fan.
Side Two starts with the best and most well-known song that Jon and Vangelis ever recorded, State of Independence. Most people know it as a Donna Summer song and the band Moodswings recorded a popular rendition with Chrissie Hynde on vocals. It has been used in numerous movie soundtracks, as well. The original version on this album is an uplifting masterpiece that remains a highlight of Anderson’s solo concerts. Quincy Jones told Jon that he and Michael Jackson were listening to it a lot as they were getting ready to record Thriller, although it was the Donna Summer cover that really impressed Michael. He also said it had an influence on We Are the World. (See my earlier comments about children’s music.)
The album ends with the very Blade Runner-sounding The Mayflower, a song about a spaceship leaving Earth to carry pilgrims away to a new and better world. It’s also pretty corny but if you can’t lighten up a little you will never enjoy this kind of music. The sentiment is sincere enough and this is the part of the album where Yes fans looking for a spacey hippie trip get their money’s worth.
In the mid-2000s I attended the Flashback to the Future festival concert sponsored by legendary Los Angeles radio station KROQ. The station is well-known for breaking just about every new wave and punk act of the 1980s. Near the entrance they had a blown up list of the top ten songs they were playing during their first year of existence. And, wouldn’t you know it, The Friends of Mr. Cairo was among them! Looking back on that time, it’s hard to picture anyone considering Jon and Vangelis new wave. But it was all new. That was the point! Before anyone could scoff and call it uncool, they were willing to give it a chance. And that is the best way to approach this album, without preconceptions or cynicism. It has some obvious flaws but the good parts will give you a nice warm tingly feeling, so just sit back and let it flow over you.
https://open.spotify.com/album/5xqDwdauo7dizP38KurfOB?si=fVC29BZHRW-dt4NsmZ-fUg
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