Brent Bourgeois - vocals, keyboards; Larry Tagg - vocals, bass; Lyle Workman - guitar; Michael Urbano - drums; Scott Moon - keyboards; Guest: Todd Rundgren - vocals, guitar on "Love For The Common Man"
Spearheaded by Brent Bourgeois and Larry Tagg, this west-coast based pop act made some great music that, unfortunately, was never heard by the record-buying masses. Bourgeois and Tagg met as youngsters in Dallas and began making music and writing together while still in high school. After attending college, in 1984 they moved to Sacramento, where they formed the version of Bourgeois Tagg featured on this King Biscuit Flower Hour recording from November, 1987.
The group was made up of astounding musicians, whose debt to the music of artists such as the Beatles, Peter Gabriel, Prince, and Todd Rundgren was nothing less than overt. Still, the band had a musical vibe that was all its own, as can be heard on these recordings. This show was recorded on the tour promoting the band's second LP, Yoyo, produced by Todd Rundgren.
The band released a number of singles and MTV videos, but only one of these, "I Don't Mind At All," really saw any chart success. Still the band was right for the times, when the funky synth-pop by bands like Duran Duran, Mr. Mister, and the Power Station were at the top of the charts. This can be clearly observed with the songs "The Move Up," "Out Of My Mind," "Heart Of Darkness," and the catchy, "Cry Like A Baby," which borrows heavily from Steely Dan.
Another highlight is the Rundgren-esque song, "Waiting For The Worm To Turn." The band also does a devastatingly brilliant cover of the 1966 Beatles classic, "Tomorrow Never Knows," which they morph into the Sgt Pepper-based composition by George Harrison, "Within Without You." Rundgren was in the audience the night this show was recorded and joined the band onstage for a version of his own hit, "Love And The Common Man."
Shortly after the release of Yoyo, Bourgeois swore off all drugs and alcohol, and became a Born Again Christian. Initially, his obsession with Christian themes was mostly subtle in the band's music. But tensions began to rise when he wanted to covert the act to, essentially, an all-Christian group.
While the band was helping Todd Rundgren record his comeback solo album, Nearly Human in 1990, Bourgeois decided to leave. The rest of the band decided to pack it in, and become Rundgren's back-up band on his 1990 world tour. Bourgeois landed a solo deal with Virgin Records' off-shoot label, Charisma. He did two albums there before being dropped for lack of sales.
By 1995, he decided to focus full time on his work as a Christian artist. Tagg and the other band members have continued as seasoned session and backing players.