by rick grant rickgrant01@comcast.net
WHAT: Firefall live
WHERE: The Greater Jacksonville Agricultural Fair
WHEN: November 7th at 8 pm
Jock Bartley founded Firefall thirty years ago with a notebook full of catchy songs that appealed to a large number of music lovers. Of course, over the years the band has gone through many personnel changes, but Jock has remained at the helm. Firefall’s longevity as a viable entity is a testament to Jock’s songwriting prowess–his ability to write acoustically-driven, melodic songs that eventually became ingrained in the en masse public consciousness. Play any of Firefall’s big hits like ‘Just Remember I Love You’ and ‘You are the Woman’ to anyone and they will recognize the tunes as Firefall’s music. Along with America, Poco, James Taylor, Pure Prairie League, and Flying Burrito Brothers, Firefall captured the imagination of a large fan base that liked this acoustic form of pop-rock, which is a kissin’-cousin to country. The so-called “soft rock” or “lite rock” radio demographic was born. Yeah, those terms could only come from radio dunderheads who are looking for catchphrases to market their music.
For more insight into Firefall’s glorious history, I chatted with Jock Bartley via telephone from his Colorado home. He was cordial and laid-back and we hit it off. He said he feels blessed that he can still make a living playing his music. He is at peace with the band’s status as a nostalgic act. However, that hasn’t stopped him from writing new songs which the band presents in their live shows. He also recently produced a solo album and an album of Beatles music called From Colorado to Liverpool which is receiving rave reviews and selling well in Great Britain and Europe, countries that do not use playlists based on narrow demographic formulas.
“In the 80s and early 90s the musical landscape we had been playing on changed dramatically underneath us. By in large, multiple acoustic guitars and three part harmonies became a thing of the past (except in country music). There were a number of great groups and artists out there–The Police, Genesis, John Cougar Mellencamp, Peter Gabriel, Talking Heads etc.–but there also was a huge amount of crap. The craft of songwriting took a nose dive. That’s why classic rock, and also, I think, the boom in country music happened. Firefall gave their old fans that and more, gaining new support from the younger crowd.”
Now, the hit music of Firefall that pleased a whole generation of fans has crossed over into the next generation as parents bring their teenagers to Firefall shows. Like so many of these brand name bands that are still touring, the members of Firefall make their living by performing live shows. But, they also write new material and release new product that they sell at their concerts. Today’s corporate radio will not play new material from these established bands, only their hits from yesteryear, which is fine with Jock.
“As you said, in my book, groups that have longevity have great songs. They’re well-crafted songs that people identify with. I feel very fortunate to have many hit songs that people remember. Firefall’s music sounds as pertinent today as they did years ago. We have a large catalog of hit songs that everyone recognizes. The music is pervasive and part of the pop culture. After shows, fans will come up to me and say that one of my songs was playing when the guy proposed to his girlfriend or a certain song was a couple’s favorite dance song. This really pleases me, and makes all the hard work worth it. This is not to say that I’ve rested on my laurels by any means. I write new songs all the time, and we play them in concert. True, corporate radio will not play them, but people buy the new albums at the gigs or from our website. It’s not enough to live on, but it makes writing the songs worthwhile and keeps us relevant.
“When we play our hit songs today in concert, we put a 110 % into the performance and insist on great sound. The songs sound as lively and crisp as they did twenty years ago. We get enthusiastic responses from our audiences, who sing along and make their concert experience a family affair,” Jock said.
Jock’s words rang true. Groups like Firefall are driven by timeless hit music and loyal fans who have grown up with them. It’s all about songwriting excellence. Jock has proved he can crank out music that touches many age groups and crosses over generations. In the music business, it’s the platinum standard.
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EU Critic’s Choice Awards
