Kids From Fame Live

"The Kids From Fame Live" was the third album to be released by the cast of the U.S. TV series "FAME". It was released in the U.K. on LP (KIDLP 003) and Cassette (KIDK 003) in February 1983, by BBC Records, licensed by RCA music. 

It entered the U.K. charts at number 41 on 26th February 1983. Over the course of the next 7 months it spent 28 weeks on the U.K. charts. It's highest position was number 8. The album achieved gold status and was the 78th best selling album of 1983 in the U.K. 

The album was produced by Barry Fasman for The Entertainment Company. Executive producers were Charles Koppelman & Martin Bandier.  Lead Vocals were by Debbie Allen, Lee Curreri, Erica Gimpel, Carlo Imperato, Gene Anthony Ray and Lori Singer. With the Waters Family, Oren, Luther, Julie and Maxine providing backing vocals. Lee Curreri wrote/Co wrote 2 of the songs "Could We Be Magic Like You" and "Be My Music". The album was released to tie in with the lunch of Season 2 of "Fame" being broadcast in the U.K. and to coincide with the cast returning to the U.K. 3 months after their first U.K. tour to tour again. Acting like a like Greatest Hits album and incorporating new songs from the second season. 

One single was released in the U.K. from the album "Friday Night Live" which would the Kids last proper U.K. hit single.  

In Spain/Argentina a 4 track 12 inch single was released featuring live versions of "Fame", We Got The Power", Desdemona and "Starmaker".  

Tracklisting:

Side A:

"Body Language" (Barry Fasman & Steve Sperry) - Debbie Allen & Gene Anthony Ray.

"Could We Be Magic Like You" Lee Curreri.

"Friday Night" (Billy Falcon) - Carlo Imperato.

"Desdemona" (Barry Fasman & Steve Sperry) - Gene Anthony Ray, Carlo Imperato & Erica Gimpel.

"Starmaker" (Bruce Roberts & Carol Bayer Sager) - Kids From Fame.

Side B:

"Hi-Fidelity" (Enid Levine) - Debbie Allen.

"Mannequin" (Henry Gaffney) - Gene Anthony Ray.

Medley:

"A Special Place" (William Goldstein & Sue Sheridan) - Debbie Allen.

"It's Gonna Be A Long Night" (Gary Portnoy & Estelle Levitt) - Lori Singer.

"I Still Believe In Me" (Gary Portnoy & Sue Sheridan) Erica Gimpel & Debbie Allen.

"The Secret" (Barry Fasman & Steve Sperry) - Carlo Imperato & Gene Anthony Ray.

"Be My Music" (Lee Curreri & Ethan Hurt) - The Kids From Fame.

"Life Is A Celebration" (Rick Springfield) - The Kids From Fame.

"We Got The Power " (Barry Fasman & Steve Sperry) - The Kids From Fame.

"Fame" (Michael Gore & Dean Pitchford) - The Waters. 

I really love the cover to this album, the stage view of all the cast and then their individual live pictures really sets the scene for what we are going to get on this album plus all the other great pictures on the back cover and both sides of the inside sleeve bring back so many great many memories of the concerts and how energetic and inspiring the show was.  The pictures alone make this album quite unique.

 The cast really put on a wonderful show full of excitement and emotion.

The live element and the audience participation and the little snippets of conversation we get also give this album a unique and high energy feel to it.

"Body Language"                                         

We start off in great Fame style and Debbie's energy is all over this track as she encourages the audiences to get on down. For me this just has that extra excitement to the original episode version and I like that Gene is included on vocals too. I never understood why he wasn’t included on the episode version.

"Could We Be Magic Like You"   

I love this live version of this song, it’s just so beautifully and dreamily sung and performed by Lee and always seemed to be a particular favourite with his fans. I love how there is almost complete silence when Lee sings “a Sudden Hush”. For me this is Lee at his best. The song works so much better with Lee and the backing singers rather than being a duet with Debbie like the original.

"Friday Night"    

Another great bouncy number that Carlo sings enthusiastically. Even though this song was new to audiences when we first heard it, it is such a catchy pop number that it really got the audience going straight away and Carlo whips the audience up with his "Everybody here loves Fame…" statement.   The only single to be released from the album and the last single to become a proper hit for the cast in the U.K. The single was also released on picture disc.

"Desdemona"  

The live version is every bit as good as the TV and album versions and it was nice to see the story acted out on stage in front of us. Although I’m convinced Gene isn’t actually performing some of the higher notes and they are done by the backing singers. Erica Takes Valerie's part.

 "Starmaker"  

The live version which includes the actual ending rather than the song fading out as on the original album is my favourite and I always found it just that little bit more emotional than the album version.

“Hi Fidelity” 

With Valerie unable to make the first tour Debbie takes over on Hi Fidelity. I always wondered why they didn’t just leave the song off the set list but I guess as it was a big U.K. single audiences were expecting to hear it. Debbie’s involvement gives this a really different feel to the original and it’s nice to have both versions for the contrast.

“Mannequin” 

This song has never been a favourite of mine and to be honest I can’t tell too much difference between the live version and the original version.

 Medley:

 "A Special Place”; "It’s Gonna Be A Long Night”; "I Still Believe In Me”; "The Secret”;  “Be My Music”. 

This is a wonderful medley of some of the best emotional and sentimental ballads the cast recorded. Everything is perfect and fits together wonderfully apart from Lori’s solo vocals. She wasn’t the best singer and it really shows here where’s she’s singing solo. Even the backing vocalists can’t hide the harshness and weakness of her voice. However that really is just a small gripe to a wonderful part of the show. I love the emotion between Erica and Debbie and I love how the cast harmonize on the wonderful “Be My Music”.

“Life Is A Celebration” 

This is a Fame classic and the live version including all the cast members is stunning. It’s totally energetic, motivating and feel good.

“We Got The Power”

I love this live version, again all the cast get to sing on it and the live energy really lifts the song from being great to fantastic.

 "Fame" 

This starts with an incredible explosion that always gives me goose bumps as I remember how happy and excited I felt actually being at one of the concerts. The excitement and energy continues right through to the end with an excellent version of the theme tune but I’d rather have more of the cast and less of the Waters.