Feature: Albums that time forgot – NEAL SCHON – Late Nite

May 6th, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

Neal Schon - Late Nite

Columbia [1989]

Years ago there was a very good record store in the Liverpool area and with a branch in my nearby shopping bolthole Chester. Penny Lane Records yielded a fine selection of import albums at a reasonable price. It was whilst casually browsing one day, as you do, that I came across Neal Schon’s album ‘Late Nite’. As far as I recall it never got a proper release in the UK but it was the Journey/Santana guitarist’s first solo album.

Most readers of a certain age will recall Schon as the “wunderkind” with Santana at the age of 15. just missing Woodstock but lending his skills to the two albums ‘Santana III’ and ‘Caravanserai’. He was a perfect foil for the mustachioed one, and grew in confidence so that he was sparring in finer style on the 1972 live album with Buddy Miles which yielded the wig-outs ‘Marbles’ and in particular ‘Lava’.

For many, it was Schon’s tenure in Journey from 1973 that would seal their recognition of a highly melodic and tasteful player who – given the chance – would excel on guitar-led songs such as ‘Who’s Crying Now’ and later on the more guitar-led album ‘Eclipse’ which brought Journey very much kicking and screaming fully into the millennium.

Late Nite yielded a selection of vocal and instrumental tracks, and of the latter the title track is a perfect exercise in controlled melodic rock guitar meltdown. Of the other instrumentals, the nine-minute ‘The Theme’ is another great vehicle with the world flavours that Schon would explore subsequently.

Schon handles vocals and the album vibe throughout is superior AOR, and it’s not a million miles from the sort of album Steve Lukather was producing at the same time. But as with Lukather, in-demand session men also have soul. And like Luke, during the 1980s – in downtime from Journey – Schon guested on many other artist albums.

Yes, the album is very “late eighties” but the musicianship is top notch. From the soulful ‘Rain’s Comin’ Down’ to the funky Prince-lite rocker ‘Smoke Of The Revolution’ with vocal back-up from Sheryl Crow.

Of the remaining instrumentals ‘Inner Circles’ is a fusion workout that quotes primetime Ray Gomez and ‘Schooldays’ and ‘Steps’ is the typical power ballad that we associate with Schon.

Honouring the trend for guitarists, solo albums and the need to introduce a curveball, ‘Blackened Bacon’ is sadly as whiffy as the title suggests. It is the only blip on an otherwise pristine offering. But, hey, it’s barely two minutes long.

The album was produced by Bob Marlette (responsible for Iommi’s Fused, another “forgotten” album in this series, and recently producing Vandenberg) who also contributes keyboards throughout.

Later solo albums have run the full gamut of styles from world (Electric World, 1997) via blues (Piranha Blues,1999), covers (Voice, 2001) and fusion (I On U, 2005). The more recent offerings have sometimes meandered and been a tad over indulgent forsaking the tune for sustained (and I mean sustained) guitar pyrotechnics (The Calling, So U) but pick out the nuggets and you will be well rewarded. Late Nite is one of those.

David Randall

In 2015 Neal Schon chatted to Get Ready to ROCK! Radio about his solo album ‘Vortex’. In this extended interview edit he recalls working with Santana and influences on his own playing, plus Journey and solo albums.

Further reading

Album review (Vortex, 2015)

2020 Vision - Rock. Reviewed. Revisited.

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.

Next session: Sunday 19 January

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio

David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 1 December 2024.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 3 December 2024.

How to Listen Live?

Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)

Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”

Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.

More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com

Power Plays w/c 9 December 2024

In this sequence we play ‘The Best of 2024′ GRTR! reviewer selections

Featured Albums w/c 9 December 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2024 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2024 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2024 (Singer Songwriter)