Carry On For No Return

Description

The seventh Kansas album, Audio Visions, was released in September 1980, having been recorded during the end of '79 and the opening months of '80. The album continued the Kansas tradition of putting out an album a year, a pace they had maintained since their self-titled debut in 1974. In fact, in 1975 the band released two studio albums, although only the double live set, Two for the Show, surfaced in 1978. Founding member, guitarist, and one of the group's main songwriters, Kerry Livgren, had recently converted to born again Christianity and lyrics concurrent with his new found faith were first heard on this latest record, notably so in the words to 'Hold On' - written as an evangelistic plea to his wife. The song remains Kansas' last Top 40 Billboard hit, peaking at #40 as the album's first single. On the Audio Visions Tour, which began soon after the album's release, not a single song from their previous album, Monolith , was performed, although interestingly a track apiece from Steve Walsh's (Schemer-Dreamer) and Livgren's (Seeds Of Change) solo albums, both also released in 1980, were played. Audio Vision was to be the last album with the band's original lineup in place, until 2000's Somewhere to Elsewhere, and coincidentally the band's last studio album to be certified gold by the RIAA (which it was in December 1980). Walsh quit the band in 1981, and in 1983 Livgren left too, unhappy with how Kansas were reflecting his faith. Bassist Dave Hope (who had also converted) left at the same time, and the pair formed new group AD. The show featured on this CD, a magnificent spectacle with Kansas on fine form at New York's famous Palladium Ballroom on 20th November 1980, is therefore something of a legendary performance; among the last to feature the original band line-up and shortly before they basically went their separate ways.