Album Notes

Press Release: Providence, RI
What better way to celebrate thirty years in the business of rock & roll ! !

One of the factors that contributed to the Renaissance in the city of Providence, Rhode Island over the past two decades is it's vibrant music scene. One band that is keeping things vibrating in this music center will be celebrating thirty years in the business of rock & roll. Steve Smith & the Nakeds couldn't think of a better way to get the party started than the release of their CD, “Coming to a Theatre Near You”.

The Nakeds, as they are affectionately known by their fans, are high mileage for sure, but it is all highway mileage for these guys. Since 1973 they have performed in concerts, clubs and special events all over the United States and Canada. In 1994 they performed in concert with E Street Band alumni Clarence Clemons for President Bill Clinton at his Health Care Rally in Washington, D.C. Widely acclaimed music artists such as Clarence Clemons, Nils Lofgren, Gary U.S. Bonds, and John Cafferty (Eddie & the Cruisers fame) occasionally use the ten-piece Nakeds band as their lineup of road-tested musicians.

The significance of the new CD release “Coming to a Theatre Near You” is that it was recorded in 1985, just as the city of Providence was at a turning point in it's resurgence to vitality. The cover art of the original vinyl album (remember those?) was preserved for the new CD and it depicts the marquee at the front of the Palace Theatre in downtown Providence which has since been restored and is now called the Providence Performing Arts Center (PPAC). During the days of the mid-eighties, you could walk downtown after business hours to find the streets desolate and deserted, quite in contrast to the restaurants, theatre, music and nightlife that thrives there today.

Throughout their history, as now, Steve Smith & the Nakeds are recognized as a hard-core working band creating memorable times for people who hear them play in the nightclubs of the city, or at some popular hangout at the beach on a summer night. These days, the boys have started their own record label, “Still Huge Publishing” with two other recent CD releases to date. Their presence on the internet (http://www.thenakeds.com) has helped to bridge a gap in communication between the band and the public. The new media is a saving grace to the Nakeds, in an industry dominated by the megalithic record companies that continue to have a stranglehold on the radio airwaves and the record stores.

There was more than a little concern about the condition of the original master tapes from the 1984 recording sessions when the Nakeds first decided that to go forward with the remaking of “Coming to a Theatre Near You”. The tapes were in storage for more than fifteen years and restorative measures were taken to preserve and protect them before taking the risk of using them. Over a period of years, the adhesive layer that creates a strong chemical bond between the metal oxide and the mylar tape, is weakened by exposure to humidity. The actual process of restoration involves putting the tape into a convection oven at a constant temperature for an extended period of time to strengthen the chemical bond between the metal oxide and the mylar substrate. Without taking these measures, more and more metal oxide would be pulled off the tape by the magnetic playback heads of the tape machine every time the tape was played. Needless to say, the restoration was successful and future generations can continue to enjoy listening to Steve Smith & the Nakeds “Coming to a Theatre Near You”.

What is it about this band that kept it going for thirty years? It's about music that creates a strong bond between the players and their audience. For as long as the Nakeds have been around, they have kept the music hot and kept the folks coming back to enjoy it.