This press release was sent to me by the head of Iconoclassic Records:

THE ISLEY BROTHERS’ SHOWDOWN (1978) AND GO ALL THE WAY (1980) RELEASED ON CD

RIAA PLATINUM #1 ALBUMS – SELF-PRODUCED AND SELF-WRITTEN BY THE LEGENDARY 3 + 3 LINEUP

30th anniversary of SHOWDOWN (“Take Me To The Next Phase,” “Groove With You,” “Coolin’ Me Out”) followed by GO ALL THE WAY (“Don’t Say Goodnight [It’s Time For Love],” “Here We Go Again”)

Latest releases from new reissue imprint Iconoclassic Records, with liner notes by band member Chris Jasper, arrive in stores on October 28, 2008

Announcing the long-awaited reissues of two classic Platinum Isley Brothers albums from their peak period. SHOWDOWN and GO ALL THE WAY have never before been available on CD in the U.S. and are the latest releases from Iconoclassic Records, Inc., a new CD reissue imprint specializing in rock, pop, and R&B music of the 1970s and ’80s. SHOWDOWN and GO ALL THE WAY will be released on October 28, 2008 and available for sale through iconoclassicrecords.com, all major online music retailers, and select physical locations.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees The Isley Brothers have enjoyed one of the longest and most successful careers in the history of popular music. From their 1959 breakthrough “Shout” and 1962’s “Twist And Shout” (covered by the Beatles) through their massive ’70s and ’80s hits on their self-owned independent label T-Neck Records (including “It’s Your Thing,” “That Lady,” “Fight The Power,” “Between The Sheets,” and many others) to their turn of the century comeback (three #1 albums of new material since 2001), The Isley Brothers are among the most influential, imitated, and sampled acts of all time.

SHOWDOWN is a #1 Platinum smash originally released in 1978 on The Isley Brothers’ own T-Neck label. Boasting the #1 hit “Take Me To The Next Phase (Part 1 & 2),” the Top 20 “Groove With You,” and classic, frequently sampled jams like “Coolin’ Me Out” and the title track, SHOWDOWN was the perfect follow-up to The Isley Brothers’ groundbreaking 1977 Go For Your Guns album. The 3 + 3 lineup—combining the vocals of the 3 elder brothers (Ronald, Rudolph, and Kelly) with the writing and producing skills of younger brothers Ernie and Marvin and brother-in-law Chris Jasper—was on fire at this point, producing hit after hit while innovating constantly. Perhaps their funkiest album, SHOWDOWN was built to rock the house, as Chris Jasper explains in his detailed, all new liner notes.

“If there was an overall theme or concept for the SHOWDOWN album, it was that I wanted each song to be a song that we could play on stage—that would go over well with an audience—not just a ballad that was really smooth,” Jasper writes. That aim was definitely achieved, as the livewire SHOWDOWN album unveils eight energetic slabs of Isley funk at its finest. Even the sole ballad, “Groove With You,” is strongly rhythmic.

SHOWDOWN was embraced by both The Isley Brothers’ fans, who made it the group’s 5th consecutive #1 R&B album, and their critics. As noted rock scribe Robert Christgau wrote in The Village Voice, “Disco has been good for this band musically: the chic guitar-and-chant of the title tune, the slow, sensuous funk of ‘Groove With You,’ and the enigmatic air of ‘Ain’t Givin’ Up No Love’ are refreshing variants on their basic moon-and-vroom, and both ‘Rockin’ With Fire’ and ‘Take Me To The Next Phase’ are pure dance-peak ideology.”

Two years later, The Isley Brothers kicked off their fourth decade with the Platinum, #1 GO ALL THE WAY album originally issued in 1980 on T-Neck. GO ALL THE WAY is highlighted by #1 hit ballad “Don’t Say Goodnight (It’s Time For Love)” and finds The Isley Brothers embracing new technology while fortifying their proven strengths. GO ALL THE WAY features a half dozen extended fan favorites and chart hits (including the #11 “Here We Go Again”).

One of their most melodic albums, all was not quite as harmonious behind the scenes for the 3 + 3 lineup at this point, as former Isley Brothers songwriter/keyboardist Chris Jasper reveals in the enlightening liner notes. GO ALL THE WAY was written at a time when business disagreements threatened to split the group in two. “We younger guys [Ernie, Marvin, and Chris] were gonna do an album on our own in 1980,” Jasper relates in an exclusive new interview conducted for this reissue. “I just started writing some music. I didn’t have any idea that Ronald would end up singing it when I wrote it.” Writing outside the 3 + 3 framework paid artistic dividends, as the fresh and energetic GO ALL THE WAY boldly moved The Isley Brothers sound out of the ’70s and into the ’80s once the sextet reunited to complete the recordings as an “Isley Brothers 3 + 3” album. A longtime fan-favorite, GO ALL THE WAY spent 5 weeks at #1 on Billboard’s Soul LP’s chart.

SHOWDOWN and GO ALL THE WAY have both been digitally remastered from the first generation tapes by 3 time Grammy Award winner Joe Palmaccio, who previously oversaw the reissues of The Isley Brothers’ CDs 3 + 3, Live It Up, The Heat Is On and Harvest For The World on Sony/Legacy.

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SHOWDOWN by The Isley Brothers (Iconoclassic ICON 1003, originally issued 1978, as T-Neck 34930, R&B #1 for 3 weeks, Pop #4)



Selections: 1. Showdown (Part 1 & 2) • 2. Groove With You (2nd single, R&B #16) · 3. Ain’t Givin’ Up No Love · 4. Rockin’ With Fire (Part 1 & 2) · 5. Take Me To The Next Phase (Part 1 & 2) (1st single, R&B #1 for 2 weeks) · 6. Coolin’ Me Out (Part 1 & 2) (sampled by Warren G as “Smokin’ Me Out” and featuring Ronald Isley) · 7. Fun And Games · 8. Love Fever (Part 1 & 2)

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001FN4EMQ/?tag=imwan-20

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GO ALL THE WAY by The Isley Brothers (Iconoclassic ICON 1004, originally issued 1980, as T-Neck 36305, R&B #1 for 5 weeks, Pop #8)



Selections: 1. Go All The Way (Parts 1 & 2) • 2. Say You Will (Parts 1 & 2) • 3. Pass It On (Parts 1 & 2) • 4. Here We Go Again (Parts 1 & 2) (2nd single, R&B #11) • 5. Don’t Say Goodnight (It’s Time For Love) (Parts 1 & 2) (1st single, R&B #1 for 4 weeks, Pop #39) • 6. The Belly Dancer (Parts 1 & 2)

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001FN4EN0/?tag=imwan-20

I'm very excited about these! Don't think I've ever seen any foreign editions.

Finally! These are two of their best albums. Could never understand why they were never on CD. Joe Palmaccio's work on the Legacy reissues sounds excellent, happy to see him involved with these.

Bump: added cover art to the first post.