Eric Carmen--All By Myself (1975)

     Eric Carmen was the lead singer of one of my favorite bands of all times. The Raspberries who became one of the groundbreaking bands of what is now known as power pop. They were also highly misunderstood by a press that couldn't pigeonhole them, and by a public who seemingly couldn't either. What they were however, was a band who could play straight-ahead rock and roll with a leaning towards The Who and, who just as easily could sound like a Beatles/Beach Boys hybrid with gorgeous harmonies and inventive melodies.
      The frustration with attempting to just be seen as a serious rock band finally led to the break-up of the group. Carmen went into a solo career and his first outing was based on the 2nd movement of Sergei Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor (interestingly enough, his second hit was also based on a piece by the same composer). It reached #2 on the charts in early 1976 and was the first of eight top 40 hits. It has spawned several dozen covers and launched Carmen into a success that eluded him with his previous group. Over the last decade or so, he works on projects now and then, and reunited with his former group for a tour and a fantastic live CD.