54•40 “Green Album” reissue
It is with great pride that we present this remastered reissue of our second long play album 54•40 , affectionately referred to by our beloved fans, as the “Green” album. After recording our first album Set The Fire, we went through a period of discovery. The songwriting was starting to flow and our band vision was becoming more clear. It started with the last couple of songs written for Set The Fire recorded by Dave ‘Rave’ Ogilvie. Those songs “A Big Idea”and “What To Do Now” would lead to defining ourselves as 54•40 - the rock combo (2 guitars, bass and drums). We went back to Mushroom Studios with Rave and recorded the “Green’ album in late 1984. Baby Ran , I Go Blind , Take My Hand and other songs all emerged during this time. Signing to a record company wasn’t exactly on our radar in 1984 but we were actively promoting and touring north -south as far as Highway I-5 would take us. Seattle, Portland and in particular San Francisco became a second home for the band. Eventually shows in Los Angeles lead to record company interest. After much deliberation, Warner Brothers Records became our first label home. They would put out the “green” album with the suggestion that we mix the album with Dave Jerden (Rolling Stones). The label committed to the next album which was half written at the time of signing. This was a big breakthrough for us and a turning point opportunity. The rest is history so they say. Baby Ran became a hit song for us. I Go Blind, despite not being released as a single in the USA , became a hit for us and a massive international hit for Hootie and The Blowfish a decade later. Our thanks to Sing! Marketplace for making this happen and curating the Deluxe Vinyl bundle box. Our thanks to Phil and Darryl, Rave, Felix and Kevin, our partners in business but mostly thanks to our fans that have embraced our band and songs.
With love and peace.
54•40 Bridgeview Dogs by Phil Comparelli
With the cooperation of Phil Comparelli and our relationship with SING Market, we are pleased to present this limited edition fine print depicting the early days of 54•40. In those early days, band members lived and rehearsed in the industrial neighbourhood of Bridgeview in Surrey, BC thus the title 54•40 “Bridgeview Dogs”. Phil Comparelli joined in1983, transitioning 54•40 from a three to four piece band. A talented multi-instrumentalist, Phil was the perfect compliment to the sparse trio. Phil first appeared on the 1984 album Set The Fire singing background vocals, playing some trumpet, piano and guitar. By the time the band entered the studio to record the followup “green” album, Phil had established his signature sound as the lead guitarist and backing vocalist. During downtime at recording sessions or off-stage time during tours, Phil would often be found crafting pen and ink drawings. A humble and talented artist, Phil’s integral contribution to 54•40 cannot be overstated. Phil Comparelli’s time with the band spans twenty years from 1983 to 2003. We fondly remember those twenty years.
