Steppenwolf 7 is the fifth studio album by Canadian-American rock band Steppenwolf. The album was released in November 1970, by Dunhill Records. It is the first Steppenwolf album with new bass player George Biondo. The album’s numerical title reflects the fact that it was the band’s seventh album release for ABC/Dunhill records (including the four preceding studio LP’s, as well as two live albums). While the album featured Steppenwolf's trademark rock and roll sounds, none of the songs were able to make the top 40. The album featured a cover of Hoyt Axton's "Snowblind Friend", their second cover of one of his antidrug songs (the first being "The Pusher"). Along with "Who Needs Ya", it was one of two singles from the album which made the charts, but fell short of the top 40.[5] The album track "Renegade" is autobiographical for lead vocalist John Kay, recounting his flight with his mother from the Soviet occupation zone to the West in 1948. The intro to "Earschplittenloudenboomer" is spoken by Kay partially in German.
| Steppenwolf 7 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | November 1970 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 39:57 | |||
| Label | Dunhill | |||
| Producer | Richard Podolor | |||
| Steppenwolf chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Steppenwolf 7 | ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [3] |
| Christgau's Record Guide | C−[4] |
Critical reception
editRobert Christgau stated: "Laying back hasn't been good for them, and neither has getting heavy. Their way lies somewhere in between--which come to think of it is also how it is for the rest of us."[6]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Ball Crusher" | John Kay, Jerry Edmonton, Goldy McJohn | 4:50 |
| 2. | "Forty Days and Forty Nights" | Bernie Roth | 3:02 |
| 3. | "Fat Jack" | George Biondo, Edmonton, Larry Byrom | 4:50 |
| 4. | "Renegade" | Biondo, McJohn, Kay | 6:07 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Foggy Mental Breakdown" | Byrom, Kay | 3:52 |
| 2. | "Snowblind Friend" | Hoyt Axton | 3:52 |
| 3. | "Who Needs Ya'" | Byrom, Kay | 2:59 |
| 4. | "Earschplittenloudenboomer" | Byrom | 5:00 |
| 5. | "Hippo Stomp" | Byrom, Kay | 5:43 |
Personnel
editSteppenwolf
edit- John Kay – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, harmonica
- Larry Byrom – lead guitar, backing vocals
- Goldy McJohn – Hammond organ, piano
- George Biondo – bass, backing vocals, lead vocals on "Fat Jack" and co-lead vocals on "Foggy Mental Breakdown" and "Who Needs Ya'"
- Jerry Edmonton – drums
Technical
edit- Richard Podolor – producer, engineer
- Bill Cooper – engineer
- Tom Gundelfinger – photography
- Gary Burden – art direction, liner design, artwork
Charts
edit| Chart (1970–1971) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[7] | 26 |
| US Billboard 200[8] | 19 |
Singles[5]
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | "Who Needs Ya" | Billboard Hot 100 | 54 |
| 1971 | "Snowblind Friend" | Billboard Hot 100 | 60 |
References
edit- ^ "Steppenwolf singles".
- ^ "Steppenwolf singles".
- ^ Allmusic review
- ^ Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: S". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 13, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
- ^ a b Steppenwolf USA chart history, Billboard.com. Retrieved January 18, 2013.
- ^ Robert Christgau: CG: Steppenwolf
- ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 293. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ "Billboard 200-Steppenwolf". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 18, 2017. Retrieved September 3, 2017.