1980 - THE BABYS - ON THE EDGE

On the Edge 1980

The fifth album „On The Edge“ is brought into being during an extensive USA Tour, („Our best shows“) where
THE BABYS open the show for Journey. „On The Edge“ is released in October and barely three years after their first difficulties, clouds are gathering again above their heads.

In retrospective to their fifth album, John doesn´t have much good to report. „It was all chaotic“, he says. „We have been all knocked out. First, we promoted ‚Head First’, then ‚Union Jacks’. Two years on tour. We were burnt out when we came back. Nothing went the right way anymore. It was like... too much time together on the tour bus.“

Not enough of that, as it seems, new problems between the band members occure. Jonathan Cain is the reason. „Jonathan had already joined Journey (Photo below, Jon right. By the way, Neil Schon on the left) and no one in the band knew it“, reports John. „He didn´t say a single word to anyone. During the recordings to ‚On The Edge’ we mostly worked without keyboards. Every now and then Jonathan showed up, played his parts and disappeared again.“

„It was clear that it wouldn´t last that long anymore“, John goes. „I don´t say that it´s Jonathan´s fault. I guess the truth is that we have been weary of each other.“


Photo Courtesy of  www.journeytheband.com

Fact is, the recordings go sluggish. THE BABYS work 24/7, have gigs in between time and again and go back to plunge into their work in the studio. John remembers that he didn´t sleep for three days. „I don´t think, that I´ve ever been that tired in my life.“
To continue annoying happenings THE BABYS have to put up the quitting of their reference person at and from Chrysalis and Johns knows definitively that it´s over. „I knew it would be our last album. That´s why it´s called
‚On The Edge’. Actually we weren´t anymore“, he deplores. „I told them that it would be the last tour for me in case this album fails. There was no reason to stay anymore. I didn´t want to go out and play our old hits again and again. I wanted to develop further.“

Yesterday´s Heroes...

But there´s one thing to do - the final tour. „I was at my end. I felt homesick and I missed my girlfriend. I was fully intended to take a boat to England. A boat...!“ John laughs. „In Winter! And it was Christmas! I think it´s quite difficult to cross the Atlantic at that time from New York to Liverpool by boat.“
Might John laugh about that today, at that time it was the proof of lost hope.
„Meanwhile we knew that Jonathan would leave. It was only a matter of time.“ Despite the difficulties THE BABYS start a large tour at the end of 1980. Whatever it is, fortuity or destiny, the tour finds its finish in a dead end.

On December 9, 1980 (one day after John Lennon was murdered) John Waite tumbles on stage in Cincinnati and incurs a bad injury at his knee. It happens during „Midnight Rendezvous“ THE BABYS give as encore. John´s ambition doesn´t allow him to simply stop here. As planned he wants to finish this tour, but he overestimates himself and the final two Ohio concerts will be cancelled. It´s the end of THE BABYS at the same time.

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