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The Call’s Michael Been Leaves Legacy Framed in Passion, Missed Chances, But ‘Still Believing’ Fans

In poignant moments of the September 3 Santa Monica, Calif. memorial for the late Michael Been – founder, lead singer and bassist of the ’80s roots-rock band, The Call – Been’s son, Robbie Been (aka Robert Turner) and frontman for the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, delivered a plaintiff rendition of his father’s song, “You Run.”

Accompanying himself on acoustic guitar, in a sometimes broken, but clear tenor, Robbie sang: “You may find a better way. You may find the reason for it all. You say you’ve walked on holy ground. You say you’ve heard the sweetest sound of all…”

Throughout his 60 years on Earth, Michael Been’s great obsessions were his passion and unwavering search for truth. He exemplified that truth, as he saw it, through his powerful lyrics, anthem-like music and passionate operatic baritone. That passion is the legacy Been leaves his son, former band members and fans who continue to revere Been and The Call’s music. Been had many gifts. He was a great singer and bass player. He was more of an evangelistic street prophet and pure poet than a commercial songwriter. His lyrics were laced and graced with biblical imagery and clever inner and outer rhymes, built on a foundation of blues-rock chords and melodies. His best compositions had the inspired force, movement and the classical elegance of a Beethoven. But often, he sacrificed melodic subtlety and nuance – and especially commercial appeal, for lyrical purity.

While Been wrote dark and brooding music, some of his songs were incredibly uplifting. My favorites are: The populist hymn “Let the Day Begin,” which Al Gore adopted for his presidential campaign; the biblically inspired “The Walls Came Down;” the love-tortured “I Don’t Wanna;” the spiritual declarations of “I Still Believe (Great Design)” and “Everywhere I Go;” and the paean to human love, “Us.” Been’s music alternately affirmed his faith or explored his frustration with spiritual and political hypocrisy. As a Christian existentialist, he walked a challenging path. His lyrics were too worldly and politically liberal for traditional Christians and too spiritual and “preachy” for secular folks. And from some Christian fundamentalists, his role as the Apostle John in Martin Scorcese’s “The Last Temptation of Christ,” prompted charges of blasphemy.

To me, Robbie’s memorial performance brought back bittersweet memories of an artist and band that were talented far beyond the measure of their commercial success and material rewards. The Call was no ordinary pop act. The Call was a traveling rock ‘n roll salvation-and-damnation show. The band shook the rafters with its driving live performances – taking audiences on profound sociopolitical, spiritual and emotional journeys. And, it was a band that gained the admiration of industry icons such as Bob Dylan, Robbie Robertson and Garth Hudson of The Band, Jim Kerr of Simple Minds and Peter Gabriel, who proclaimed in the early ’80s that The Call was “the future of American rock ‘n roll.”

Hearing Robbie sing “You Run” also conjured up some old conflicted feelings. It resurrected memories of my formative days as an L.A.-based songwriter and producer in the early ’80s. I recalled being introduced to Michael’s music and how I became a fan, but objective critic of The Call – and sometimes offered constructive criticism and suggestions to its management, regarding the band’s songwriting, production and (frequent lack of) commercial appeal.

I had just had my first three (of 29) songs recorded, when I was introduced to The Call by Island music executive Gary Heaton. Heaton signed one of my tunes to a publishing deal. He seemed to like my songwriting chops, musical instincts and production sensibilities. We discovered we shared eclectic, but similar musical tastes and quickly developed mutual trust and respect. Heaton asked me to write a new lyric for Don Was’ Was/Not Was dance hit, “Out Come the Freaks,” for a potential Grace Jones cover, as well as write a chorus for a Robert Palmer song. One day, while I was at his office, he played a recording of a roots-rock band from Santa Cruz, Calif., alternately called “Moving Pictures” or “Motion Pictures.”

There in Island’s historic landmark building on Sunset Boulevard, I first heard the anthem-like (ya ya ya ya ya – ya ya) strains of “The Walls Came Down” and Michael Been’s bluesy wail. I immediately loved the song and the singer’s passionate voice. It reminded me of Elvis’ and Jim Morrison’s. And the band was solid with lead guitarist Tom Ferrier (Dickie Dirt), drummer Scott Musick, Greg Freeman and Steve Hettle on guitar and keyboards. (Jim Goodwin later replaced Freeman and Hettle on keys, while Been became a prodigious bass player). I told Heaton that if I were a record executive, I’d sign the band in a heartbeat. He decided to manage the band. Soon thereafter, “The Walls Came Down,” opening doors to the renamed band’s first recording contract – becoming The Call’s first hit single.

Within five years, The Call’s recording career stalled, due to a frustrating pattern. Each of the band’s albums contained only one potential single, making it difficult for record labels to brand the band, and causing the band to receive limited airplay. In spring 1989, at a Santa Monica recording studio, I was invited by Goodwin to preview a handful of songs the band had just recorded, which Heaton planned to pitch to MCA in hopes of securing a new recording contract. After noting I was being “conspicuously quiet,” Been asked: So, Larry, what do you think?” I was disappointed in the songs, but tried to be upbeat and tactful. I congratulated the engineer on his sound imaging, but told him I thought he had “cleaned up” the band’s sound too much.

“It’s like cleaning up the Stones,” I told him. “Clean them up too much and there’s not much left.” Then I turned to Michael: “You know I love you guys, but these songs just don’t have the passion that makes me go out and buy your records or come to your shows. And, Michael, the EQ on your voice isn’t right. You sound like Don Henley with a cold. I miss that Elvis-Caruso thing in your voice. I’m sorry, but the passion’s missing from these songs and your vocals.”

Approaching me with a menacing look, Been’s face broke into a smile. Then he shook my hand and thanked me “for having the balls to be honest.” He played six more new recordings, none of which struck me as a hit. He then insisted on “playing one more song,” a rough mix of a tune the band had tracked the night before in one take. It was, “You Run,” the same rockabilly song his son would sing years later at his father’s memorial. While I didn’t think “You Run” was a hit single, it had a roots-rock passionate feel that I associated with the band. I told Been I’d definitely come to hear the song performed in concert. A few days later, an excited Heaton phoned: “Damnedest thing happened: some lunatic went into the studio with Goodwin this weekend and trashed our best new songs.” “That would be me, I confessed dryly. “But hey, I told Michael I heard one good song, ‘You Run.’”

Heaton said he wasn’t sure if he should thank me or cuss me out. Been had sent “You Run” to Irving Azoff at MCA, along with four tracks the recording engineer had chosen. Heaton said Azoff had echoed my sentiments on the songs, including “You Run’s” appeal. He said: “Irving told me: ‘I’m gonna sign your band on faith, ’cause I love them and their music. Now, have Michael write me a hit single.’” That weekend, Been wrote “Let the Day Begin,” which would become the band’s only No. 1 Billboard ranked single. Upon hearing it, I told Heaton: “Great song. Congrats on getting the band a new deal. This is what, their third label? You guys gotta make this one count. You’re running outta labels and outta time. One hit’s not enough. Have Michael write three more.”

“Let the Day Begin” was released during that strange uneasy time in the industry when record labels and consumers were making the transformation from plastic and acetate recordings to CDs. MCA distributed an undisclosed number of “Let the Day Begin” singles and albums to retail outlets. Then, it closed its analog facilities for four weeks to convert to digital technology. Technical delays stretched four weeks into eight weeks. By the time the plant was again functioning, “Let the Day Begin” had fallen off the charts. The single was dead.

MCA executives apologized profusely to Heaton for lacking the foresight to print and ship more singles and albums. The shipped quantity had sold out in three weeks. An MCA executive vowed to “really get behind” the second single, then added: “Oh sh…! You don’t have one.” MCA’s marketing gaffe and the impact of losing a “sure hit single” were devastating. Band members could hardly speak to one another. A short time later, a disheartened Heaton vanished without explanation, never again to contact the band he had loved and nourished (or me).

Three years later, The Call recorded Red Moon, at a San Fernando Valley 16-track studio, with Been producing. Bono and T-Bone Burnett added background vocals. Once again, I was invited to listen. Once again, I heard songs with lyrical themes of spiritual redemption and apocalyptic doom, but each with uninspired productions, mediocre melodies and unfulfilling choruses. This time, Michael didn’t ask for my opinion. I offered none. It was apparent he’d lost the fire in his belly that had always fueled his creative process. Meanwhile, Goodwin, co-writer of the hit single “I Still Believe (Great Design),” had married and begun a family. Months later, upon deciding to leave the band, Goodwin, then 34, confided to me: “This rock ‘n roll thing is a young man’s game. Lately, I’m not feeling so young.”

During its run, the band released nine albums (on Polygram, Elektra, MCA and independently): The Call, Modern Romans, Scene Beyond Dreams, Reconciled, Into the Woods, Let the Day Begin, Red Moon, Live Under the Red Moon, To Heaven and Back, plus Been’s solo album, On the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, which had one riveting single, “Us.” But by then, years of commercial rejection and the grind of the road, had taken a visible toll on Been. He eventually recaptured his musical fervor to help his son, Robbie, and manager Dan Russell, develop the Black Motorcycle Rebels Club. Michael died unexpectedly of heart failure on August 19, backstage, after running sound for BRMC at the Pukkelpop Festival in Belgium. Russell, who first served as The Call’s tour manger, then succeeded Heaton as band manager (and went on to manage BRMC), was at his side.

Unlike Bono, of U2, Been never received, nor was forced by his record label(s) to retain, the help of an outside superstar production/engineering team. When U2’s career was floundering in the early ’80s, Island Records owner Chris Blackwell, forcefully and purposefully yoked that band to the stellar production and engineering team of Brian Eno, Steve Lilywhite and (later) Daniel Lanois. To its credit and collective intelligence, U2 has kept that creative crew intact.

The Call’s lack of such a team was THE ULTIMATE DIFFERENCE in the two bands’ success and fate. The Call never had the creative collaboration, hip commercial sensibilities, nor the technical prowess and consistent reliability of one talented production/engineering team. No George Martin, like the Beatles. No Quincy Jones like Michael Jackson. Due to that void and Been’s fierce refusal to balance his artistic vision with commerce, The Call never achieved superstardom. But if Been’s memorial was any indication, many faithful in The Call’s congregation will continue to raise their hands and testify: “I Still Believe.” Indeed. They still believe in Michael’s calling, his relentless passion and his band’s indelible mark on rock music.

Larry Cox is a veteran multi-recorded L.A.-based veteran music producer, songwriter, publisher, artist manager and the CEO of Cox International. For a limited time, Cox is offering heavily discounted songwriting/production packages for talented young solo artists and bands in alt-rock, contemporary R&B-pop and country-crossover pop. And remember, we will not only write and produce your hit singles, we’ll put our credibility on the line and shop them to our record industry contacts. Besides his association with The Call, he has collaborated with, or had songs recorded by Robert Palmer, Don Was, Vanessa Williams, Fire on Blonde, Stacy Lattisaw, Klique, Donna Washington, Michele Goulet, The Ritchie Family and others.

Visit us online at: http://www.coxinternationalla.com. and go to our Submissions section to res

 

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