Search - Johnny Warman :: Walking Into Mirrors

At last !!!

Saturnino Salazar | Midland, Michigan United States | 12/07/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I bought the vinyl version back in 1982. This relatively unknown artist at that time teamed up with Peter Gabriel, Jerry Marotta, Tony Levin, Larry Fast and others to produce a very interesting album. For all of us who enjoyed the experiments and sounds of Peter Gabriel in his third album, this was a "must-have" as it had several Gabriel's musicians playing in the album (and Gabriel himself appears in "Screaming Jets", one of the best tracks of this record).
Twenty years later we get the CD edition, with an impressive quality in terms of sound, art and bonus. There are two videos of that era included in this edition ... somehow funny to watch 20 years later (how computers looked at that time).
"Walking into Mirrors" and "Martian Summer" are two other key high points of this jewel.
If you are a Genesis / Gabriel / Collins fan, you must already be aware of this unique recording and getting the CD edition after 20 years of waiting is just a no brainer. In case you weren't aware that this existed, then hurry up and get the CD."

It Was 20 Years Ago Today

Martin Summer | Poole, England | 08/06/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"So, there I was in England, in a market, in my hometown ..... Yep straight to the record stall... for these were the days of vinyl!



Bargin buckets and their contents of unknown acts/bands were the order of the day that's where you would find the 'cool' stuff that everyone but the few had passed over or missed.



Yeah I never was much one for the musical order of the day, I'd seen the tail end of the 60's , hit the 70's running with Heavy & Prog Rock, Fell in love with the 'Do It Yourself' attitude of Punk Rock (It was a supernova) up until it finished (for me) in 1978, backed into the 80's with the Ska revival and then one night..... Back to that in a second.



So there I was looking through this rack of vinyl

There was not much there but I did dig out this album with a very cool looking guy wearing these welding glasses . Looks a bit interesting I thought..... What with the Bleached hair and the red glow emanating from those glasses..... This looks great I must get it.



What I had done was to buy what turned out to be one of my all time favourite albums.... How did this Johnny Warman get through the net for so many people I'll never know! Well he didn't & the album sold well 100,000 copies worldwide... so there are a few Johnny fans out there. In the wide angle view he's still a well kept secret.... but those of us in the know, well know and I'd love you all to get to know this cd



Fast forward to now.... the bootleg cd version of 'Walking Into Mirrors' had been around for some six years but was mainly distributed amongst diehard fans and was for love not profit, when the record label AngelAir noticed this demand for the product and the interest in 'Johnny Warman' there was no option but to release an official version, including some great bonus tracks.



Of the cd the standout tracks have to be 'Searchlights' 'Dancing Dolls' and 'Automatic Kids' I'm just ignoring the more obvious tracks (I'm like that ;) )

Truth is the whole album is great but



What a statement in verse on Searchlights

"Look to the sky love, there's the face of God'



Or the chant of " We are automatic kids" on 'Automatic Kids'.

The original single had this 'Village of the Damned' (The Midwich Cuckoos) type picture of kids on the front cover again with odd eyes!



Oh them eyes are gonna getcha!!!!



That's just my favourites though Automatic Kids was not on the original album the rest of the tracks are stunning...



A futuristic post nuclear fallout haze falls over this album it's dark and deep, but there still hope from the Martians.... ah bliss.



Other notables :Radio Active, Martian Summer, S.O.S Sending Out Signals and of the bonus material.... Future Fun (b-side of Automatic Kids) King Robot.



Oh and did I mention the Two slightly dated Videos.... dated but welcome bonus material.



The musicians used on this cd were some of the finest available at the time from the very powerful playing style of Jerry Marotta (drums) to the subtle stick bass work of Tony Levin all complemented by the keyboard works of Dave Lawson / Larry Fast.

Not to mention the inspired writing of one Johnny Warman plus the vast imput of unsung prodution/engineering heros as Hugh Padgham & the one and only Vic Coppersmith-Heaven.



Yes... I've bought the CD again.... Yes I still have the vinyl

Yes... after buying the album in the market some 20 years ago (because it looked interesting)then going home to play it.. I then realised that the band I was in at the time 'Skavengers the' had actually done a support slot with 'Johnny Warman - 003 Minutes' some months earlier.

I remember the soundman playing a track that night, it was 'Searchlights'....this is great I remember thinking.



My advise.... buy the CD and remember it's a small world out there!

Become a Warman fan all over again or for the first time!





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