Air Supply
November 24, 2007 1:40 PM   Subscribe

Air Supply formed in Australia in 1975 and became an enormous chart success with groundbreaking ballads like All Out of Love, Even the Nights Are Better, and The One That You Love.

And they were just as brilliant live:
All Out of Love
Lost in Love
Making Love Out of Nothing at All
Goodbye

Other lesser known but equally brilliant pieces:
Love and Other Bruises 1975 pre-superstar era
Here I Am
Dancing With the Mountain
I Can't Wait Forever
Just As I Am
posted by flarbuse (89 comments total) 7 users marked this as a favorite
 
Brilliant. Really?

Really???
posted by smackfu at 1:42 PM on November 24, 2007


Tonight I'm gonna rock you tonight. Mate.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 1:44 PM on November 24, 2007


Still fairly popular in South Korea. Played a concert in Seoul while I was living there in 2003.
posted by flotson at 1:45 PM on November 24, 2007


Very good flarbuse. Braving the mefi indie rock connaisseurs.
No sarcastic comment they can make can hurt your links.
posted by jouke at 1:50 PM on November 24, 2007 [2 favorites]


Sometimes your favorite band really does suck!
posted by found missing at 1:52 PM on November 24, 2007 [4 favorites]


What about their music deserves the adjective "groundbreaking" about there music?
posted by wsg at 1:55 PM on November 24, 2007


oops, please disregard the last "about their music."
posted by wsg at 1:56 PM on November 24, 2007


Flagged as offensively inoffensive.

At least they took the title of "wimpiest band ever" away from Bread, which actually had some interesting songs with well-crafted (okay, sometime over-crafted) lyrics, IMO.

I'm not an OMGLOLMANILOW soft-pop hater. (I offer my playlist from a recent MetaChat Radio show as evidence). But Air Supply... couldn't be better named due to their absolute lack of solid substance.
posted by wendell at 1:58 PM on November 24, 2007


The horror....the horror....
posted by LarryC at 1:58 PM on November 24, 2007


australia has produced some terrible things and this is the worst.
posted by bhnyc at 2:01 PM on November 24, 2007 [2 favorites]


Was it this Thanksgiving classic that prompted you to post this?
posted by not_on_display at 2:01 PM on November 24, 2007


This music completely justifies transportation.
posted by orthogonality at 2:07 PM on November 24, 2007


This is going a lot better than I thought it would.
posted by paulsc at 2:07 PM on November 24, 2007


I hope this doesn't start an unpleasant trend.

Of, you know, people posting shit I hate.
posted by BitterOldPunk at 2:10 PM on November 24, 2007 [5 favorites]


You know who else was all out of love?
posted by fleetmouse at 2:11 PM on November 24, 2007 [3 favorites]


Posted on the same day as a Richard Thompson post?
posted by parki at 2:14 PM on November 24, 2007


It's threads like this that make me want an "apropos of nothing" flag.

I don't really get why this is an FPP--the band's official page and a bunch of YouTube clips are nice and all, but I'd have found them all myself with ten seconds of effort the next time I got the urge to learn more about Air Supply. (Which would be never.) Couldn't this have waited until the next time the band was in the news? (Which, again, would be never.)
posted by Epenthesis at 2:16 PM on November 24, 2007 [4 favorites]


Wiener Rock!!!

Perhaps a heavy metal tribute band would be more to your liking.

Or maybe "liking" is an entirely wrong word for this thread.
posted by bibliowench at 2:20 PM on November 24, 2007 [1 favorite]


Old farts like to get stuck in the quicksand of that old crap. And that is why I lilke it still.
posted by Postroad at 2:23 PM on November 24, 2007 [1 favorite]


Woulda been cool if "Love is Like Oxygen" was one of their hits. Do they cover it?
posted by telstar at 2:28 PM on November 24, 2007


Cool by me. Memories of the "couples skate" at the roller rinkany years ago.
posted by davidmsc at 2:35 PM on November 24, 2007


Air Supply is the new Trucker Hat
posted by TrialByMedia at 2:38 PM on November 24, 2007 [2 favorites]


More easy listening "pleasure".
posted by flotson at 2:40 PM on November 24, 2007


Air Supply aren't so much bad as bland. I think more people would actively hate them if they could remember them for more than a few minutes.
posted by Slack-a-gogo at 2:43 PM on November 24, 2007


Wow. It's as if punk rock never happened.
posted by chillmost at 2:49 PM on November 24, 2007 [1 favorite]


I used to be embarrassed for others to see my Air Supply cassettes when I traveled. But now that they've made the FP of MetaFilter…

Nope. Still embarrassed. Thankfully there's only a song or two of theirs in my iTunes, and no more cassettes. A guilty pleasure, though.
posted by eafarris at 2:49 PM on November 24, 2007


Chorus:
Flarbuse has bad taste, this post was a bad call
I know we're all right, for treating him so wrong
His favorite band can suck on my big balls
I hope his next post won't link to such shitty songs

Oh, what were you thinking of?
What were you thinking of?
Oh, what were you thinking of?
What were you thinking of?
posted by Meatbomb at 2:51 PM on November 24, 2007


This is a great post as a parody of the "Look, I can find videos of my favorite band on YouTube, aren't they great?" style, but I can't for the life of me tell if that was the intention.
posted by Wolfdog at 2:55 PM on November 24, 2007 [4 favorites]


I think Wolfdog is on to something.
posted by adamrice at 2:58 PM on November 24, 2007


I can't for the life of me tell if that was the intention.

Tag?
posted by flarbuse at 3:02 PM on November 24, 2007


I'm it?
posted by Wolfdog at 3:05 PM on November 24, 2007


I was at an Indian Casino concert by an artist way past prime a couple of years ago. (Comped, I swear.)

The entertainment isn't the artist (who may actually be okay, or at least is defeating low expectations), the entertainment is the secretaries-in-stretch-pants audience screeching and squealing in delight. It's like when harbor seals in California take over a dock and won't leave.
posted by gimonca at 3:07 PM on November 24, 2007 [3 favorites]


This will pave the way for future posts about Christopher Cross and Leo Sayer.
posted by horsemuth at 3:09 PM on November 24, 2007 [1 favorite]


It's like when harbor seals in California take over a dock and won't leave.
That is inexplicably hilarious to me, and (not inexplicably) reminds me also of MetaTalk.
posted by Wolfdog at 3:10 PM on November 24, 2007


Errrr, they were/are terrible and horribly MOR. Hardly worth a FPP.

They would be better if they were called Carbon Monoxide Supply.
posted by mattoxic at 3:12 PM on November 24, 2007


Every single one of my grade 7 & 8 dances was heavily sprinkled with these gems. Nothing like shuffling around in a circle while hugging each other to these songs.
posted by smcniven at 3:13 PM on November 24, 2007


BTW, I second bibliowench's mention of Hair Supply - They are frickin' amazing. There's a reason why they're the tristate area's number one heavy metal Air Supply cover band.
posted by deliquescent at 3:14 PM on November 24, 2007





AC/DC formed in Australia in 1973 and became an enormous chart success with groundbreaking rock anthems like TNT, Highway to Hell, and Back in Black.

And they were just as rockingly rocking live:
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
Thunderstruck
For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)
Hell's Bells

In addition to the rock anthems, they also specialized in tunes with sexist/sexy double-entendres:
Big Balls
Let's Get it Up
Giving the Dog a Bone
The Girl's Got Rhythm
posted by Meatbomb at 3:22 PM on November 24, 2007 [3 favorites]


I'm glad I hit preview on my - honest! - "OK, who's going to do an AC/DC post tomorrow?" comment before posting.
posted by Wolfdog at 3:24 PM on November 24, 2007


Don't forget to add context!
Though the song is ostensibly about a person who hosts social balls, the majority of the lyrics are innuendos about sexual activities and testicles.
posted by Wolfdog at 3:26 PM on November 24, 2007 [1 favorite]


As much as I loathe Air Supply, I'm certain that the band exists because of the laws of motion.

Something had to counter AC/DC.
posted by bwg at 3:31 PM on November 24, 2007


Yacht Rock Episode 2: Keep the Fire Burnin Bright
posted by PHINC at 3:32 PM on November 24, 2007


And I'm just itching to tell you about them.
posted by Meatbomb at 3:32 PM on November 24, 2007


There is a 96.8% probability that if an Air Supply cassette was chosen by a Columbia Record Club subscriber a Hall & Oates cassette would also be chosen.
posted by well_balanced at 3:36 PM on November 24, 2007


There is an even greater probability that neither one would ever arrive; the "Selection of the Month", however, would, along with a bill for all three and a form you could give to a friend to sign them up.
posted by Wolfdog at 3:39 PM on November 24, 2007


Just when I thought I was over them.
posted by Astro Zombie at 3:48 PM on November 24, 2007 [1 favorite]


Metafilter: apropos of nothing
posted by telstar at 3:54 PM on November 24, 2007


No link to Slither? FOR SHAME.
posted by Sticherbeast at 3:57 PM on November 24, 2007


Watch it there horsemuth. Christopher Cross is a lyrical genius.

"Arthur he does as he pleases
All of his life, he's mastered choice
Deep in his heart, he's just, he's just a boy
Living his life one day at a time
And showing himself a really good time
Laughing about the way they want him to be

When you get caught between the Moon and New York City
I know it's crazy, but it's true..."
posted by Sailormom at 4:15 PM on November 24, 2007


Wow cool! I can't believe I missed them when they were big. Weird huh. That must have been those years I was in the Apocalyptic cult, awaiting the end times.
posted by The Deej at 4:20 PM on November 24, 2007


See, the difference between Air Supply and Hall and Oates is, Hall and Oates are good.
posted by stenseng at 4:29 PM on November 24, 2007


Not the best band ever, but girls liked them and that was sufficient for me back in the day.
posted by tommasz at 4:38 PM on November 24, 2007


here's the thing: air supply was ... a band and they sold records. lots of them, for some unknown reason. but that doesn't mean they were any good. see also: flock of seagulls.
posted by msconduct at 4:49 PM on November 24, 2007


Bah!!!!!!! Perhaps they sucked-for guys. But they weren't playing for guys. They are directly responsible for my getting to second base at least uh, two or three times!!!!

Sadie Hawkins anyone?
posted by snsranch at 4:50 PM on November 24, 2007


I was at summer camp, around ten or eleven years old. A bunch of kids were sitting around with a radio on. "The One That You Love" came on, and I started singing along. One of my fellow campers looked at me quizzically and asked "what radio station do you listen to?" "Oh, the same ones you listen to," I said, proudly thinking they were impressed with my knowledge of pop music.

It was only much, much later I realized how mistaken I was.
posted by schoolgirl report at 4:57 PM on November 24, 2007


Didn't they once open for AC/DC in Perth?
posted by ZenMasterThis at 5:00 PM on November 24, 2007


From 1976 to 1984, the air waves were dominated by really smooth music, also known as 'Yacht Rock.'
posted by KokuRyu at 5:05 PM on November 24, 2007 [2 favorites]


Y'all will love them when Mark Kozelek does his all-Air Supply covers album.
posted by mykescipark at 5:11 PM on November 24, 2007


They are directly responsible for my getting to second base at least uh, two or three times!!!!

Same here. Only... it was AC/DC and it went into extra innings.
posted by hal9k at 5:19 PM on November 24, 2007


And I can make every tackle at the sound of the whistle! I can make all the stadiums rock!

I admit I love the song, but shouldn't they tackle BEFORE the whistle?
posted by GaelFC at 5:21 PM on November 24, 2007




Bee Gees yes. Air Supply no.
posted by dreamsign at 6:07 PM on November 24, 2007


Ah ! You hit me with Air Supply , I raise you the following, for greater justice:

Nomi's Falling in Love (and i so much want the name of the violet chick in the video)
Sowing the Seeds of Love ( still weird after so many years)
Seven Seas of Rhye (for good measure , of hairyness and 'tude !)
La descrizione di un attimo ( eh ! go figure)
posted by elpapacito at 6:16 PM on November 24, 2007


Didn't they once open for AC/DC in Perth?

Otherwise known as an entire audience collectively saying: WTF?
posted by bwg at 6:18 PM on November 24, 2007


i'd rather be waterboarded.
posted by bruce at 6:44 PM on November 24, 2007


seafood cocktail.... crabs... crayfish
posted by drjimmy11 at 6:52 PM on November 24, 2007


a) I had no idea they were Aussies.
b) Wasn't that leftie on acoustic playing it upside down? Fair dinkum, mate.
posted by Sk4n at 7:03 PM on November 24, 2007


I remember in the mid-90's seeing a flyer for an ice cream social in Minneapolis someplace. "Headlining" (can you even call this headlining?) the event was, indeed, Air Supply.

I remember thinking, "I can see REO Speedwagon doing this... But Air Supply?"

I'm all out of pride...
I'm so lost without it...
I have no delight...
We've been bad for so long...
posted by thewalrusispaul at 7:14 PM on November 24, 2007


we need more rock and roll to ward these air supply demons off!

Woken from their frigid slumber by the recent thread here they were standing by to respond to your rock and roll emergency distress signal. Iron Maiden tried to respond but found they could no longer fit into their pants.
posted by well_balanced at 7:18 PM on November 24, 2007


I think a Krokus link dump is more appropriate for an Air Supply thread than AC/DC.
posted by The Straightener at 7:19 PM on November 24, 2007


at least there was something nice from 80's
that could'nt replaced by now
posted by wemayfreeze at 7:36 PM on November 24, 2007


When their lead singer fell from the stage during a concert and broke both wrists, I thought, "Well, of course."

Something about his voice drives a hot nail through my brain. Same with the lead singer for REO Speedwagon. Maddening.
posted by bigskyguy at 8:25 PM on November 24, 2007


The only ironic t-shirt I have ever purchased in my life is an Air Supply shirt I bought off of ebay for $10.

True story.
posted by Jairus at 8:43 PM on November 24, 2007


I would primarily like to take this opportunity to join the courageous chorus of voices willing to rise up against a piece of conventional wisdom that has held for too long and destroyed too many lives to note that I, too, think Air Supply suck hard.

I would secondarily like to note, inspired by The Straightener's suggestion, that I would totally go see a reborn Air Supply fronted by the lead singers of Quiet Riot (Kevin DuBrow) and Skid Row (Sebastian Bach) instead of those two Australian guys, but only if they were playing a casino on an off-night.
posted by gompa at 8:51 PM on November 24, 2007


It would have been even funnier with Kiss, they were the worst band to ever walk the Earth.
posted by caddis at 9:26 PM on November 24, 2007


I just sent this FPP to my mom and she favorited it too.
posted by dhammond at 9:37 PM on November 24, 2007


I'm no Air Supply fan, but they seem to get trashed almost reflexively as some sort of musical nadir. Their stuff is really not a whole lot worse than a lot of other similar sickly-sweet middle-of-the-road top ten pop music of the early 1980s (or "yacht rock," as someone up above called it). Air Supply's "Sweet Dreams" and Alan Parsons Project's "Eye in the Sky" in a cage match -- which would win? Someone mentioned REO Speedwagon. How about "In Your Letter"? A perfectly horrible song.

On the other hand, Air Supply's latter-day re-appearance as hip-sarcastic TV commercial music is an unwelcome development.
posted by blucevalo at 10:20 PM on November 24, 2007 [1 favorite]


Air Supply vocalist Graham Russell was born in Sherwood, Nottingham. "All Out Of Love" was originally meant to be part of a Robin Hood rock epic, and the lyrics were:

I'm all out of love
I want to arrest you


Seriously.
posted by obiwanwasabi at 12:04 AM on November 25, 2007


Still fairly popular in South Korea.

Anything that is horripilatingly saccharine and sentimental is popular in South Korea. Witness The Carpenters and Abba being (no doubt without proper payments to whoever gets paid for this shit) used all over the TV all the damn time.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 12:34 AM on November 25, 2007


smcniven said: Every single one of my grade 7 & 8 dances was heavily sprinkled with these gems. Nothing like shuffling around in a circle while hugging each other to these songs.

Ahh memories.
posted by amyms at 12:46 AM on November 25, 2007


Same with the lead singer for REO Speedwagon. Maddening

I was in a band for a while, my stage name was Mario Speedwagon

We were shit.
posted by mattoxic at 12:52 AM on November 25, 2007 [1 favorite]


you can take the Beatles, Stones and Hindrix....it's like the emperor who wore no clothes. I adore A/S. First time I made love was in the old honda civic with then wailing on the cassette deck.
lynard sknard, SRV and marshel tucker aint for getting sexed. that was crusin music.
marvin gaye was in heavy rotation too, as was Sade.
posted by dawson at 1:52 AM on November 25, 2007


Making Post!
...out of nothing at all!

MAKING POST!
...out of nothing at all!

(fade out)
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 2:57 AM on November 25, 2007


.
posted by Wolof at 3:05 AM on November 25, 2007


thees word brilliant you keep using... i do not think it means what you think it means
posted by anser at 7:51 AM on November 25, 2007


Didn't they once open for AC/DC in Perth?

Would that be as weird as Jimi Hendrix opening for The Monkees?
posted by kirkaracha at 7:53 AM on November 25, 2007


How odd; I just caught a time-life infomercial about soft rock a few nights ago, hosted (badly) by these guys.
posted by davejay at 9:35 AM on November 25, 2007


It was 1985 and Air Supply was playing at Six Flags Over Texas. The crowd was so big they couldn't perform in the tiny amphitheater inside the park, so a large section of the amusement park's insanely large parking lot was converted into a SRO venue.

I was there with this beautiful girl named Sandy. Air Supply played this new song they said was going to be on their new album. They sang. She put her hand in mine. I smiled like an idiot. She got teary-eyed cuz the name of the song was her name. We kissed. It was a precious moment. She left me for some dude on a motorcycle. Good times.

The moral of the story: only idiots knock cheesy chickflick music. If the chicks dig it, you will on occasion get lucky.
posted by ZachsMind at 10:08 AM on November 25, 2007 [2 favorites]


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