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On October 30, 1974, Ali beat Foreman in a much-hyped heavyweight bout in Zaire. Snapper Wade called me that night from Bombay – his first genuine world tour in search of cotton. We talked a little about the fight and a little about the gloom of India, but what I really remember is that I raved about an album I had bought that afternoon – Mother Lode by Kenny Loggins and Jim Messina. I’m still raving.
The guys, along with their fabulous side men, clearly over-achieved on this one. Songs like Be Free and Move On defy the expected musical limits of a rock band. Indeed, every song is good….clean…tight. Check out Fever Dream, Changes, and Keep Me in Mind. Messina, who kind of stumbled into a permanent, performing arrangement with Loggins, was never better as a producer & arranger. Or singer. And some of us loved Kenny long before the silly, movie soundtrack days (I identify with Angry Eyes a whole lot more than Footloose). There’s virtually none of the whimsy that can be found on some of their other albums. Mother Lode is fun, but not funny. Like its geological namesake, this album is a rich treasure to be sampled. Enjoy. GD