Cleveland International RecordsHave a Good Time (But Get Out Alive), the second studio album by Pittsburgh roots rocker Joe Grushecky‘s band Iron City Houserockers, celebrates its 40th anniversary in June, and to mark the milestone, an expanded reissue will be released digitally on May 22 and on CD and vinyl on June 19.
The album was co-produced by a team that included David Bowie‘s Spiders from Mars band guitarist Mick Ronson, with additional input on song arrangements from ex-Mott the Hoople frontman Ian Hunter and E Street Band guitarist Steven Van Zandt.
Hunter, Ronson and Van Zandt also lent their musical talents to select songs on the record. The reissue features 16 previously unreleased bonus tracks, including demo versions of many of the songs and a cover of the 1964 Manfred Mann chart-topper “Do Wah Diddy Diddy.”
Grushecky, a longtime friend and collaborator of Bruce Springsteen, credits Van Zandt with helping his own songwriting by suggesting he make every lyric of every tune count. In the reissue’s liner notes, Joe points out that “Little Steven, Mick and Ian all contributed tremendous arrangements often trying to outdo each other.”
Reflecting on the album, Grushecky says, “We had great songs and the band was smoking. We all knew something special was happening. The results were a mixture of Pittsburgh rock and roll, Jersey Shore savvy and soul, and English mystic and muscle.”
Hunter, meanwhile, recalls of his experience working with Grushecky and his group, “So many ‘rock and roll’ bands are not real — they just look and act like they are — and fool people most of the time. These guys are for real — and what a lovely man Joe is.”
The Have a Good Time (But Get Out Alive) reissue can be pre-ordered now. Here’s the track list:
“Have a Good Time (But Get Out Alive)”
“Don’t Let Them Push You Around”
“Pumping Iron”
“Hypnotized”
“Price of Love”
“Angela”
“We’re Not Dead Yet”
“Blondie”
“Old Man Bar”
“Junior’s Bar”
“Runnin’ Scared”
“Rock Ola”
Bonus Tracks:
“Have a Good Time…But Get Out Alive” (demo)
“Don’t Let Them Push You Around” (demo)
“Pumping Iron” (demo)
“Don’t Stop the Music” (demo)
“Angela” (demo)
“Price of Love” (demo)
“Hold Out” (demo)
“Rock Ola” (demo)
“Struggle & Die” (demo)
“Rock Ola” (extended)
“Charlena/Blondie”
“Runnin’ Scared”
“Runnin’ Scared #2”
“Hypnotized (A Work in Progress)”
“Rooster Blues”
“Do Wah Diddy”
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