Big Bam Boom

Background and recording

The making of Big Bam Boom involved a mixture of traditional recordings and state-of-the-art technologies.

The duo opted to record on analog tape rather than the then-new digital multitrack machines, and due to their commercial success they were able to take advantage of the latest musical devices available at the time, specially the most advanced polyphonic synthesizers like Synclavier and the Fairlight.

Bob Clearmountain, one of the producers and drummer Mickey Curry recorded various drum sounds, manipulating delays and reverbs to create huge dramatic bottom end that is emblematic of this album and the 1980s in general.

Thanks to the new polyphonic synthesizers, the duo experimented with new sounds, for example, recording Boy Scout canteens, cardboard boxes, vocals, footsteps in gravel, etc., and combined them with newer and more sophisticated drum machines.

Promotion

To promote the album, the duo embarked on the Big Bam Boom Tour – Live Through '85; they did most of the travel in a private plane. MTV provided tour date and ticket outlet announcements and the channel's name appeared on all tickets and print advertising, and was tagged on all radio spots. The duo performed a show at The Forum in Inglewood, California, on December 17, 1984, with a satellite-delivered live broadcast of the concert; it aired the following day. The radio broadcast was remastered and released on CD, via music download and streaming in 2015 under the title: The LA Forum – 17 Dec 1984.

Critical reception

In a review for AllMusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine called Big Bam Boom "a sprawling and diffuse album" and "a bigger, noisier record than its predecessors, with its rhythms smacking around in an echo chamber and each track built on layers of synthesizers and studio effects". In Erlewine's opinion, it was a disappointment coming after a trio of albums that had very few flaws. Erlewine also criticized the production on the album saying that "it obscures the dark undercurrent to many of the tunes, several of which seem to foreshadow the duo's long hiatus following this record".

Track listing

Personnel

• Daryl Hall – lead vocals (2–6, 8), backing vocals, synthesizers, guitars, arrangements
• John Oates – lead vocals (7, 9), backing vocals, synthesizers, guitars, synth guitar, arrangements
• Robbie Kilgore – keyboards, synthesizer programming
• Wells Christy – Synclavier programming
• Clive Smith – Fairlight CMI
• Tom "T-Bone" Wolk – synthesizers, guitars, bass, arrangements
• G.E. Smith – lead guitars
• Mickey Curry – drums
• Jimmy Bralower – LinnDrum programming
• Bashiri Johnson – percussion, timbales
• Jay Burnett – additional percussion
• Charles DeChant – saxophone
• Coati Mundi – Spanish vocals

Production

• Producers – Daryl Hall, John Oates and Bob Clearmountain.
• Engineers – Jay Burnett and Bob Clearmountain
• Assistant Engineers – Gary Hellman, Bruce Buchalter and Michael Sauvage.
• Mixed by Bob Clearmountain
• "Mix Consultant and Additional Production"; also remixing on Tracks #10–13 – Arthur Baker
• Editing on Tracks #10–13 – The Latin Rascals
• Mastered by Bob Ludwig at Masterdisk (New York, NY).
• Keyboard Technician – Mike Klvana
• Keyboard and Synth Drum Technician – Anthony Aquilato
• Art Direction and Artwork – Mick Haggerty
• Cover Photography – Jean Pagliuso
• Inner Photography – Jean Pagliuso and Larry Williams
• Management and Direction – Tommy Mottola
• Director of Security – Eddie Anderson

Charts and certifications

The album debuted at number 33 on the Billboard 200 the week of October 27, 1984 as the highest debut of the week. After five weeks it peaked at number five on the chart on December 1, 1984. The album remained on the chart for 51 weeks and was ranked as the 17th most successful album of 1985 on the Billboard 200. Additionally, it reached number 25 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart the week of January 12, 1985.

By December 1984, the album had sold one million copies in the US, and was certified Platinum on December 3, 1984. Eventually, it sold an additional one million copies, and was certified double Platinum by the RIAA on April 1, 1985.

In the United Kingdom the album debuted and peaked at number 28 on October 28, 1984 and was present on the chart for 13 weeks. It was certified Silver by the BPI on February 1, 1985 for shipments of 60,000.

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

References

Bibliography

• {{Citation

References

1. Oates, John. (2017). "Change of Seasons: A Memoir".
2. (October 12, 2015). "Hall and Oates' 'Big Bam Boom' was sparked by moment of experimentation".
3. (2017). "Change of Seasons: A Memoir".
4. "Billboard – October 27, 1984". [[Billboard Magazine]].
5. (July 1988). "SPIN – July 1988". [[Spin Magazine]].
6. "Billboard – December 8, 1984". [[Billboard Magazine]].
7. "The LA Forum – 17 Dec 1984 (Remastered) (Live FM Radio Broadcast Concert In Superb Fidelity) by Daryl Hall & John Oates on Apple Music". iTunes Store.
8. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Daryl Hall & John Oates: Big Bam Boom". [[AllMusic]].
9. Berger, Arion. (2004). "[[The Rolling Stone Album Guide]]". [[Simon and Schuster]].
10. Christgau, Robert. "Daryl Hall & John Oates: Big Bam Boom". www.robertchristgau.com.
11. (1984). "Big Bam Boom". [[RCA Records]].
12. (October 12, 1984). "Big Bam Boom (Remastered) by Daryl Hall & John Oates on Apple Music". iTunes Store.
13. (October 27, 1984). "Billboard – October 27, 1984". [[Billboard Magazine]].
14. (October 28, 1984). "Official Albums Chart Top 100". [[UK Albums Chart]]. [[The Official Charts Company]].
15. Kent, David. (1993). "[[Kent Music Report". Australian Chart Book, St Ives, N.S.W.
16. "Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1985".