TOWER OF POWER "Way Back To Oakland: Best of Warner Years & More" will be sold exclusively at Tower Records on May 15th!

TOWER OF POWER “Way Back To Oakland: Best of Warner Years & More”

This work, planned and produced by Tower Records, commemorates the 50th anniversary of the release of the hugely popular album “Back to Oakland,” recorded by the strongest lineup of the band’s 50-plus year career. With founding members Emilio Castillo (ts, vo) and Stefan “Doc” Kupka (bs) at the core, the band continues to evolve and play today, and the album looks back on their career through a number of songs that could be considered their greatest achievements.

The song selection and commentary for this work was done by music writer Takaaki Sakurai, who is also the president of Japan’s top fan club. Thirty-six songs were selected from the recordings of the band’s heyday at Warner, based on the criteria that they were good songs and familiar songs at live performances, and are recorded using 24-bit digitally remastered sound sources. This is a best collection with a total time of over 150 minutes and a two-disc SHM-CD set.

■Tower Records Online Details Page URL

https://tower.jp/article/feature_item/2024/04/10/0102

TOWER OF POWER “Way Back To Oakland: Best of Warner Years & More”

■ “TOWER RECORDS PREMIUM” 5th release product overview

Artist: TOWER OF POWER

Title: Way Back To Oakland: Best of Warner Years & More

Release date: Wednesday, May 15, 2024

Price: 2,750 yen (tax included)

Specifications: 24-bit digitally remastered sound source/SHM-CD 2-disc set

Planning and sales: TOWER RECORDS

Produced and distributed by: Warner Music Japan

“Way Back To Oakland: Best of Warner Years & More” is the ultimate 2-disc best collection by Tower of Power (TOP), the Bay Area’s strongest funk/soul band from Oakland, featuring an explosive horn section and a driving funk beat.

This album includes not only their signature tracks such as “What Is Hip?” and “Tsurai Wakare”, but also live tracks that show off their true talents. Also, a rare single version of “What Is Hip?” is included as a special bonus.

In addition, five tracks are included from TOP’s work with other artists. Three selected mid-70s funk tunes from Graham Central Station are selected as the best recordings that fully demonstrate the funkiness of the band, even outside of the original performances. Also included is “Dreams of Tomorrow” (1979) by Marilyn Scott, a West Coast AOR singer who was active as a backing vocalist for TOP, and “Ai no Mezame” (1976), recorded with Akari Eiko, a singer who was active in both Japan and the US and performed everything from pop to popular songs.

What Is Hip? Absolutely Tower Of Power!

recorded music:

DISC1:

01. Oakland Stroke…

02. Knock Yourself Out

03. You Got to Get Funkifize

04. Down to the Nightclub

05.You’re Still a Young Man

06. What Is Hip?

07. This Time It’s Real

08. So Very Hard to Go

09. Soul Vaccination

10. Don’t Change Horses (In the Middle of a Stream)

11. Just When We Started Makin’ It

12. Can’t You See (You Doin’ Me Wrong)

13. Squib Cakes

14. Time Will Tell

15. Love’s Been Gone so Long

16. Below Us, All the City Lights

17. Oakland Stroke

18. What Is Hip? (Single Version)

DISC2:

01. Only so Much Oil in the Ground

02. You’re the Most (To Say the Least)

03. Willing to Learn

04. Walkin’ up Hip Street

05. Just Enough and Too Much

06. Treat Me Like Your Man

07. As Surely as I Stand Here

08. On the Serious Side

09. That Girl is a Super Girl You’re so Wonderful, so Marvelous

10. Drop It in the Slot

11. Down to the Nightclub (Live Version)

12. You’re Still a Young Man (Live Version)

13. What Is Hip? (Live Version)

14. Release Yourself / Graham Central Station

15. Feel the Need / Graham Central Station

16. It Ain’t Nothing but a Warner Bros.

Party / Graham Central Station

17. Dreams of Tomorrow / Marilyn Scott

18. Awakening of Love / Eiko Shuri I’m Not a Little Girl Anymore / Eiko Shuri

TOWER RECORDS PREMIUM

◀ “TOWER RECORDS PREMIUM”

This is a Tower Records limited edition series of best albums that we can confidently recommend to all music lovers, planned and produced by the staff of Tower Records themselves.

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