Time Life was founded in 1961 as the book division of Time Inc.. It took its name from Time Inc.'s cornerstone magazines, Time and Life, but remained independent of both. During 1966, Time Life combined its book offerings with music collections (two to five records) and packaged them as a sturdy box set. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, the selection of books, music and videos grew and was diversified into more genres. When record labels stopped producing vinyl albums in 1990, Time Life switched to CD only. In the mid-1990s, Time Life acquired Heartland Music, with the Heartland Music label now appearing as a brand. This company was subsequently sold off and is no longer attached to Time Life.
Time Life was founded in 1961 as the book division of Time Inc.. It took its name from Time Inc.'s cornerstone magazines, Time and Life, but remained independent of both. During 1966, Time Life combined its book offerings with music collections (two to five records) and packaged them as a sturdy box set. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, the selection of books, music and videos grew and was diversified into more genres. When record labels stopped producing vinyl albums in 1990, Time Life switched to CD only. In the mid-1990s, Time Life acquired Heartland Music, with the Heartland Music label now appearing as a brand. This company was subsequently sold off and is no longer attached to Time Life.
"The Essential" Don Johnson might be stretching it. Still, Johnson's two albums had their merits, particularly Heartbeat, his debut. Of the 16 cuts on this set, nine of the ten original tracks from Heartbeat are included here. Of the tracks that come from Let It Roll, only the best make the cut, such as Johnson's versions of "Tell It Like It Is," "Your Love Is Safe With Me," "Heartache Away," etc. Johnson was smart about his singing career. He enlisted help form major-league songwriters like Bob Seger ("Star Tonight") and Tom Petty ("Lost in Your Eyes"), and of course his biggest hit, "Heartbeat," was written by Eric Kaz and Wendy Waldman. Throughout this collection there are surprises, and Johnson's voice is steady, rock-solid even. The material isn't always great, but it is never less that reliably sound pop/rock played by a host of aces, with guest stars including Bonnie Raitt, Willie Nelson, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Ron Wood. Pretty cool, kitsch or not.
As the Seventies faded into the Eighties, Top of the Pops approached its 1000th episode, MTV launched in America, and kids across Britain were falling in love with pop music away from the TV, through a small little box called a Walkman. Through their headphones came new, strange sounds: mechanical, but organic and alive. The synthesiser was the sound of tomorrow, today, and it was thrilling.
"The Essential" Don Johnson might be stretching it. Still, Johnson's two albums had their merits, particularly Heartbeat, his debut. Of the 16 cuts on this set, nine of the ten original tracks from Heartbeat are included here. Of the tracks that come from Let It Roll, only the best make the cut, such as Johnson's versions of "Tell It Like It Is," "Your Love Is Safe With Me," "Heartache Away," etc. Johnson was smart about his singing career. He enlisted help form major-league songwriters like Bob Seger ("Star Tonight") and Tom Petty ("Lost in Your Eyes"), and of course his biggest hit, "Heartbeat," was written by Eric Kaz and Wendy Waldman. Throughout this collection there are surprises, and Johnson's voice is steady, rock-solid even. The material isn't always great, but it is never less that reliably sound pop/rock played by a host of aces, with guest stars including Bonnie Raitt, Willie Nelson, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Ron Wood. Pretty cool, kitsch or not.