 As a solo artist and as the lead singer of
the Babys and
Bad English,
John Waite was a fixture of album-oriented rock radio stations during the
'70s and '80s.
John Waite had a talent for power ballads and driving arena rock, occasionally
touching on new wave-styled power pop, as well. Though he didn't consistently
have hits, several of his songs -- including "Missing You,"
the Babys' "Isn't It Time," and
Bad English's "When I See You Smile" -- became radio staples.
John Waite formed
the Babys in London, England, in 1976 with Wally Stocker (guitar), Mike
Corby (vocals, keyboards), and
Tony Brock (drums). Initially conceived as a teen pop band, the group earned
a record contract based on the strength of a video demo they constructed with
producer Mike Mansfield. Chrysalis pushed the band heavily, resulting in "Isn't
It Time" becoming a hit in the U.S. and U.K. in 1977. As their career
progressed, the group began to experiment with synthesized, new wave-inspired
power pop, which resulted in a handful of minor hits.
Jonathan Cain became the band's keyboardist in 1978, and he and
John Waite developed a close relationship. When
Cain left
the Babys to join
Journey in 1981, the group disbanded.
John Waite began his solo career the following year, releasing Ignition on
Chrysalis. While the album generated the minor hit "Change," his second album,
1984's No Brakes, became a genuine Top Ten hit on the strength of the number one
single "Missing You." While "Missing You" was an international smash, eventually
becoming one of the best-remembered songs of the early MTV era, No Brakes
produced only one other hit, the Top 40 "Tears." Its failure to produce another
blockbuster was indicative of how
John Waite's solo career would proceed. Mask of Smiles (1985) barely managed a
Top 40 entry ("Every Step of the Way"), but Rover's Return (1987) produced no
hits, bringing
John Waite's career to a standstill.
With his career stalled,
John Waite formed the supergroup
Bad English with former
Babys
Jonathan Cain and
Ricky Phillips (bass), ex-Journey
guitarist
Neal Schon, and drummer
Deen Castronovo. The group's eponymous debut, released in 1989 on Epic
Records, became a platinum success after the power ballad "When I See You Smile"
became a number one hit. "Price of Love" was a Top Ten hit in the wake of "When
I See You Smile," but their 1991 follow-up, Backlash, suffered from one.
Bad English broke up shortly after the album's release.
John Waite resumed his solo career in 1995, releasing Temple Bar on Imago.
Several albums appeared on various labels as the 21st century got under way,
including Figure in a Landscape and Live & Rare Tracks from Gold Circle and One
Way Records, respectively, in 2001, followed by Hard Way on Hard Brakes in 2004
and Downtown Journey of a Heart on Frontiers in 2006. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine,
All Music Guide
Contact Grabow for more information or to book
John Waite for your next corporate or private event.
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