Artist:Concrete Blonde
Song:Joey
Album:Bloodletting: 20th Anniversary Edition
Joey was a top 20 pop hit in 1990. It was the only hit single for Concrete Blonde. Most of their success was through college radio and MTV playing their videos. Singer songwriter bassist Johnette Napolitano first formed a group with guitarist James Mankey in Los Angeles in 1982. At first they called themselves Dreamers and then Dream 6. After releasing a couple of EPs, they signed with I.R.S. Records in 1986. Labelmate Michael Stipe of R.E.M. suggested the group name Concrete Blonde as he thought it described their music. Drummer Harry Rushakoff was added for their 1986 debut album Concrete Blonde. Bassist Alan Bloch was added for the 1989 album Free so Johnette could concentrate on singing. The single God Is a Bullet was a college radio hit. For the 1990 album Bloodletting, Bloch left and Rushakoff was in drug rehab so Roxy Music drummer Paul Thompson played drums. The single Joey topped the Alt Rock chart and reached #19 on the Billboard Hot 100. So this was their biggest hit. Johnette wrote it about her relationship with Marc Moreland of Wall of Voodoo. After subsequent albums did not sell very well, Johnette split up Concrete Blonde in 1994. Bloodletting is available in a 20th Anniversary Edition with six bonus tracks. This is available as a budget CD. After reuniting and releasing a couple of albums, Johnette officially retired Concrete Blonde in 2006. She has recorded a few solo albums but it doesn't look like she tours anymore. Here's the video for Joey by Concrete Blonde.
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