Knee Deep in the Hoopla

1985 studio album by Starship

Knee Deep in the Hoopla is the debut studio album by American AOR band Starship, the succeeding musical project to Jefferson Starship. It was released on September 10, 1985, through record label Grunt.

Four singles were released from the album: the No. 1 hits "We Built This City" and "Sara", "Tomorrow Doesn't Matter Tonight" (No. 26 US Hot 100) and "Before I Go" (No. 68 US Hot 100).

Content

AllMusic retrospectively described Knee Deep in the Hoopla as the Jefferson Airplane/Jefferson Starship/Starship project's "most overtly commercial effort to date".^[3]

The track "Desperate Heart", written by Michael Bolton and Randy Goodrum, also appears on Bolton's album Everybody's Crazy, released the same year. Two songs sung by Grace Slick were recorded for but left off the album: Slick's own "Do You Remember Me?" (released on The Best of Grace Slick) and the Peter Wolf–Jeremy Smith composition "Casualty" (included as a bonus track on the 1999 remaster). Jeannette and Pete Sears wrote a song for the album called "One More Innocent", but it was rejected for its political lyrics.^[4]

Cash Box said of the track "Tomorrow Doesn't Matter Tonight" that "Mickey Thomas’ sensational lead vocal keeps this cut aloft with exhilerating sonic flight" and that "It slices like a double bladed sword, and backed by searing rock guitars and a churning rhythm."^[5] Billboard called that song "exemplary American AOR of the '80s, interrupted only by an ethereal bridge."^[6]

Release

Knee Deep in the Hoopla was released on September 10, 1985, through record label Grunt.

Four singles were released from the album: the No. 1 hits "We Built This City" and "Sara", "Tomorrow Doesn't Matter Tonight" and "Before I Go".

The album was certified platinum by the RIAA.

Reception

Knee Deep in the Hoopla received a negative response from professional music critics.

Track listing

Personnel

Per liner notes^[8]

• Mickey Thomas – lead (1-3, 5-7, 9) and backing (1, 4, 8, 9) vocals
• Grace Slick – lead (1, 4, 8, 9) and backing (1, 2, 5, 6, 9) vocals
• Craig Chaquico – lead guitar, backing vocals (5-7)
• Pete Sears – bass guitar, bass synth, backing vocals (5-7)
• Donny Baldwin – drums, electronic drums, backing vocals (1, 5-8)

Additional personnel

• Peter Wolf – keyboards, synthesizers (all tracks), LinnDrum programming (all but 4)
• Les Garland – DJ voice (1)
• Peter Beckett, J. C. Crowley, Siedah Garrett, Ina Wolf – backing vocals (3)
• Kevin DuBrow – backing vocals (4)
• Dave Jenkins – backing vocals (5)

Love Rusts backing vocals

• Peter Beckett
• J. C. Crowley
• Siedah Garrett
• Ina Wolf
• Simon Climie
• Lorraine Devon
• Phillip Ingram
• Martin Page
• Chris Sutton
• Oren Waters

Production

• Peter Wolf – producer, arrangements
• Jeremy Smith – producer, engineer
• Dennis Lambert – executive producer
• Skip Johnson – production coordinator
• Bill Thompson – manager
• Bill Bottrell – mixing engineer (1)
• Tom Size – additional engineering
• Paul Ericksen, Dana Chappelle, David Luke, Maureen Droney – assistant engineers.
• Stephen Marcussen – mastering engineer
• Raess Design (Ted Raess) – art, design
• Bill Robbins – photography
• Recorded at The Plant Studios (Sausalito, CA); The Music Grinder (Los Angeles, CA).
• Mixed at Fantasy Studios (Berkeley, CA).
• "We Built This City" re-mixed at The Soundcastle, L. A.
• Mastered at Precision Lacquer (Los Angeles).

Singles

• "We Built This City" (1985)
• "Sara" (1986)
• "Tomorrow Doesn't Matter Tonight" (1986)
• "Before I Go" (1986)

Charts

Certifications

References

1. RIAA Gold and Platinum Database^{[permanent dead link]}
2. Strong, Martin Charles (1995). The Great Rock Discography. p. 430. ISBN 9780862415419.
3. McCombs, Joseph. "Knee Deep in the Hoopla – Starship | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Archived from the original on December 15, 2017. Retrieved March 12, 2019.
4. Sears, Jeannette (January 3, 2012). "We Built This City". jeannettesears.com. Archived from the original on September 26, 2015. Retrieved October 22, 2015.
5. "Single Releases" (PDF). Cash Box. April 5, 1986. p. 11. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-01-20. Retrieved 2022-08-04.
6. "Reviews". Billboard. April 5, 1986. p. 71. Retrieved 2022-08-03.
7. "Pick and Pans Review: Knee Deep in the Hoopla". People. November 11, 1985. Archived from the original on April 5, 2020. Retrieved March 12, 2019.
8. Knee Deep In The Hoopla (liner notes). Grunt. 1985. FL85488.
9. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 291. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
10. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 0617". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
11. "Dutchcharts.nl – Starship – Knee Deep in the Hoopla" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
12. "Offiziellecharts.de – Starship – Knee Deep in the Hoopla" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
13. "Charts.nz – Starship – Knee Deep in the Hoopla". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
14. "Swedishcharts.com – Starship – Knee Deep in the Hoopla". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
15. "Swisscharts.com – Starship – Knee Deep in the Hoopla". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
16. "Starship Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
17. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 0618". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
18. "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1986". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 7, 2019. Retrieved July 9, 2021.
19. "Canadian album certifications – Starship – Knee Deep in the Hoopla". Music Canada.
20. "American album certifications – Starship – Knee Deep in the Hoopla". Recording Industry Association of America.

External links

• Knee Deep in the Hoopla at Discogs (list of releases)
• Starship: Too Old to Rock?, Los Angeles Times