Paris - Big Towne, 2061 (1976)

Paris was an American rock music power trio formed in 1975 by guitarist and vocalist Bob Welch, who had just left Fleetwood Mac, bass player Glenn Cornick, formerly of Jethro Tull, and drummer Thom Mooney who had been a member of Nazz with Todd Rundgren. The group released two albums for Capitol Records, but was largely unsuccessful and split in 1977. After the first album, Mooney was replaced by Hunt Sales, who had also played with Rundgren.
Initially the band's sound was rock-oriented, but later developed towards funk, and represented a departure from Welch's work with Fleetwood Mac. A third album was planned, but Sales fell ill and the band split. Songs from the aborted third Paris album were used for Welch's first solo album, “French Kiss”, and the deal with Capitol was converted into a solo album deal for Welch.
“Big Towne, 2061” was the second album, drums on this album were played by Hunt Sales, who had previously been with Todd Rundgren's Runt.
The songs are as lyrical and melodic as anything else he's written, just not as heavy as what's on the first album. It still rocks (Blue Robin, Money Love, the title track) but with a funkier, groovier sound. If you liked Outskirts on his “French Kiss” album, for example, you'll love all of this.
The album was not critically acclaimed, and did not sell well, reaching #152 on the Billboard pop album chart.
After Paris split up, Welch launched a successful solo career, and Sales worked with Iggy Pop and later Tin Machine with David Bowie. British-born Cornick moved to the US where, after a decade out of the music business, he reformed his band Wild Turkey in the 1990s.

Track listing

01.  "Blue Robin"  (Bob Welch)  - 2:26
02.  "Big Towne, 2061"  (Bob Welch)  - 4:30
03.  "Pale Horse, Pale Rider"  (Bob Welch)  - 3:23
04.  "New Orleans"  (Bob Welch)  - 4:15
05.  "Outlaw Game"  (Bob Welch, Hunt Sales)  - 5:17
06.  "Money Love"  (Bob Welch, Hunt Sales)  - 3:53
07.  "Heart of Stone"  (Bob Welch)  - 2:41
08.  "Slave Trader"  (Bob Welch)  - 3:09
09.  "1 in 10"  (Bob Welch)  - 3:00
10.  "Janie"  (Bob Welch, Glenn Cornick)  - 7:27

Credits
Bob Welch - vocals, guitar
Glenn Cornick - bass guitar, keyboards
Hunt Sales - vocals, drums, percussion
Produced by: Bob Hughes
Engineered by: Bob Hughes assisted by Steve Pouliot & Meyrick Smith

Notes
Recorded at Total Experience Studios, Hollywood, California
Genre:  Rock
Length: 40:05
Label:  Capitol Records

© 1976