The Firm (album)
| The Firm | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 11 February 1985 | |||
| Recorded | 1984 | |||
| Studio | Sol Studios, Cookham, Berkshire, England. Mixed at Sol Studios. Mastered at The Townhouse, London, England. | |||
| Genre | Rock | |||
| Length | 40:19 | |||
| Label | Atlantic | |||
| Producer | Jimmy Page, Paul Rodgers | |||
| The Firm chronology | ||||
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| Jimmy Page chronology | ||||
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| Singles from The Firm | ||||
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| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Rolling Stone | [2] |
| Smash Hits | 7/10[3] |
| Sounds | [4] |
The Firm is the first studio album by British rock band the Firm, released by Atlantic Records on 11 February 1985. Its tracks range from the epic "Midnight Moonlight", based on a previously unreleased song by Led Zeppelin called "Swan Song" – first tinkered with during the Physical Graffiti sessions – to the commercially successful "Radioactive". "Closer" employs a horn section to subtle effect. The album also includes a version of the Righteous Brothers' hit "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'".
The Firm peaked at No. 17 on the Billboard 200 chart, and reached No. 15 on the UK Albums Chart. The song "Radioactive" topped Billboard's Top Rock Tracks chart for one week.
Track listing
[edit]| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Closer" | Jimmy Page, Paul Rodgers | 2:52 |
| 2. | "Make or Break" | Rodgers | 4:21 |
| 3. | "Someone to Love" | Page, Rodgers | 4:55 |
| 4. | "Together" | Page, Rodgers | 3:54 |
| 5. | "Radioactive" | Rodgers | 2:49 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" (The Righteous Brothers cover) | Phil Spector, Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil | 4:33 |
| 2. | "Money Can't Buy" | Rodgers | 3:35 |
| 3. | "Satisfaction Guaranteed" | Page, Rodgers | 4:07 |
| 4. | "Midnight Moonlight" | Page, Rodgers | 9:13 |
Personnel
[edit]The Firm
[edit]- Paul Rodgers – lead vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, production
- Jimmy Page – acoustic and electric guitars, production
- Tony Franklin – fretless bass, keyboards, synthesizer, backing vocals
- Chris Slade – drums and percussion[5]
Additional musicians
[edit]- Steve Dawson – trumpet on "Closer"
- Paul "Shilts" Weimar – baritone saxophone on "Closer"
- Willie Garnett – tenor saxophone on "Closer"
- Don Weller – tenor saxophone solo on "Closer"
- Sam Brown, Helen Chappelle & Joy Yates – backing vocals on "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" & "Midnight Moonlight"[5]
Production personnel
[edit]- Stuart Epps – engineering
- Gordon Vicary – mastering
- Steve Maher – cover artwork
- Steve Privett – tape operation; supplier of tea, gin and tonics[5]
Accolades
[edit]| Publication | Country | Accolade | Year | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kerrang! | UK | Albums of 1985[6] | 1985 | 20 |
Charts
[edit]| Chart (1985) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[7] | 16 |
| New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[8] | 47 |
| Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[9] | 21 |
| UK Albums (OCC)[10] | 15 |
| US Billboard 200[11] | 17 |
Certifications
[edit]| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Canada (Music Canada)[12] | Gold | 50,000^ |
| United States (RIAA)[13] | Gold | 500,000^ |
|
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
[edit]- ^ a b "The Firm - The Firm | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
- ^ [1] [dead link]
- ^ Duff, Linda (28 February – 13 March 1985). "Albums: The Firm – The Firm (Atlantic)". Smash Hits. Vol. 7, no. 5. Peterborough: EMAP National Publications, Ltd. p. 21. ISSN 0260-3004. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ Chirazi, Steffan (23 February 1985). "The Firm: The Firm". Sounds. p. 26.
- ^ a b c "The Firm - The Firm | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
- ^ "Kerrang! Albums of 1985". Rocklistmusic.co.uk. Retrieved 19 January 2009.
- ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 0503". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
- ^ "The Firm". RMNZ. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
- ^ "The Firm". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
- ^ "Kenny Rogers Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
- ^ "Canadian album certifications – The Firm – The Firm". Music Canada.
- ^ "American album certifications – The Firm – The Firm". Recording Industry Association of America.
