Steve Winwood (album) explained

Steve Winwood
Type:	studio
Artist:	Steve Winwood
Cover:	SteveWinwoodAlbum.jpg
Released:	June 1977
Recorded:	1976–1977
Length:	37:38
Label:	Island
Producer:	Steve Winwood, Chris Blackwell, Mark Miller Mundy
Prev Title:	Winwood
Prev Year:	1971
Next Title:	Arc of a Diver
Next Year:	1980

Steve Winwood is the debut solo studio album by blue-eyed soulster Steve Winwood. It was released in 1977, three years after the break-up of his former band, Traffic. Though the album sold moderately well in the US, it was a commercial disappointment compared to Traffic's recent albums, peaking at number 22 on the Billboard 200 album chart. In the UK, however, while Traffic's recent albums had only been moderately successful, Steve Winwood reached number 12 on The Official Charts.^[1] Island Records launched two singles from the album, "Hold On" and "Time Is Running Out", both of which failed to make the charts.

Reception

Reviewing in (1981), Robert Christgau wrote: "Combined with Stomu Yamashta's ersatz electronic classicism on Go, Winwood's chronic meandering seemed vaguely interesting. On its own again, it just seems vague."

Track listing

All songs written by Steve Winwood and Jim Capaldi, except where noted.

Side one

1. "Hold On" – 4:32
2. "Time Is Running Out" – 6:30
3. "Midland Maniac" (Winwood) – 8:32

Side two

1. "Vacant Chair" (Winwood, Viv Stanshall) – 6:54
2. "Luck's In" – 5:23
3. "Let Me Make Something in Your Life" – 5:33

Personnel

Track numbering refers to CD and digital releases of the album.

Musicians

• Steve Winwood – lead and backing vocals (all tracks), electric piano (1, 2, 5), synthesizer (1, 2, 4), electric guitar (1, 2, 5, 6), saxophone (1), organ (2, 3, 4, 6), clavinet (2), acoustic piano (3, 4, 6), harmonium (3), harpsichord (3), acoustic guitar (3), electric and acoustic basses (3), drums (3), percussion (3, 5)
• Junior Marvin – guitar (4)
• Willie Weeks – bass guitar (1, 2, 5, 6)
• Alan Spenner – bass guitar (4)
• Andy Newmark – drums (1, 2, 5, 6)
• John Susswell – drums (4)
• Brother James – percussion (1, 4)
• Jim Capaldi – percussion (2), backing vocal (2)
• Rebop Kwaku Baah – congas (2, 5)
• Nicole Winwood (credited as "Nicole") – backing vocal (2)

Production

• Steve Winwood – producer
• Chris Blackwell – producer
• Mark Miller Mundy – associate producer
• Phill Brown – recording engineer
• Robert Ash – assistant engineer
• Ray Doyle – assistant engineer
• Lee Hulko – mastering
• Fin Costello – photography
• James Hutcheson – cover design, paintings

Charts

Chart (1977)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)^[2]	78
United Kingdom (Official Charts Company)	12
United States (Billboard 200)	22

Notes and References

1. Web site: Steve Winwood chart history . OfficialCharts.com . Official Charts Company. 15 January 2016.
2. Book: Kent, David. David Kent (historian). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. illustrated. Australian Chart Book. St Ives, N.S.W.. 1993. 0-646-11917-6. 342.