Rock & Roll Strategy

Rock & Roll Strategy is the eighth studio album by the southern rock band 38 Special, released in 1988, and their final album for long-time label A&M Records. It was the first album to feature the new vocalist and keyboard player Max Carl. This album contained their last Top 10 hit, "Second Chance", which peaked at #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.

Rock & Roll Strategy
Studio album by 38 Special
Released	September 1988
Recorded	1987-1988
Genre	AOR, Southern rock, Hard rock
Length	50:58
Label	A&M
Producer	Rodney Mills
38 Special chronology
Flashback: The Best of 38 Special (1987) Rock & Roll Strategy (1988) Bone Against Steel (1991)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]

Track listing

1. "Rock & Roll Strategy" (Max Carl, Donnie Van Zant) – 4:34
2. "What's It to Ya?" (Robert White Johnson, Michael Lunn, Van Zant) – 4:30
3. "Little Sheba" (Carl) – 4:54
4. "Comin' Down Tonight" (Carl, Jeff Carlisi, Johnson, Van Zant) – 4:26
5. "Midnight Magic" (Mark Baker, Carlisi, Cal Curtis, Johnson, Van Zant) – 4:21
6. "Second Chance" (Carl, Carlisi, Curtis) – 5:04
7. "Hot 'Lanta" (Carl) – 5:42
8. "Never Be Lonely" (Carl, Danny Chauncey) – 4:39
9. "Chattahoochee" (Johnson, Lunn, Van Zant) – 4:11
10. "Innocent Eyes" (Carl, Carlisi, Chauncey) – 4:17
11. "Love Strikes" (Carlisi, Johnson, Van Zant) – 4:31

Personnel

.38 Special

• Max Carl – keyboards, lead vocals on tracks 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10
• Jeff Carlisi – guitar, steel guitar
• Donnie Van Zant – lead vocals on tracks 2, 5, 7, 9, 11
• Danny Chauncey – guitar
• Jack Grondin – drums
• Larry Junstrom – bass guitar

Additional Musicians

• James Stroud - Synclavier, Synclavier & LINN Drum Programming
• Robert White Johnson – percussion, background vocals
• Edd Miller – percussion, vibraslap
• The Noise Gator – horns
• The Six Groomers – background vocals

Production

• Producer: Rodney Mills
• Engineers: Edd Miller, Rodney Mills
• Mixing: Rodney Mills, Edd Miller
• Mixing assistant: Thom "TK" Kidd
• Mastering: Bob Ludwig
• Production coordination: Mark Rogers
• Design: Norman Moore
• Art direction: Norman Moore
• Photography: Chris Cuffaro

Charts

Album – Billboard (United States)

Year	Chart	Position
1988	The Billboard 200	61

Singles – Billboard (United States)

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1988	"Little Sheba"	Mainstream Rock Tracks	15
1988	"Rock & Roll Strategy"	Mainstream Rock Tracks	5
1988	"Rock & Roll Strategy"	The Billboard Hot 100	67
1989	"Comin' Down Tonight"	The Billboard Hot 100	67
1989	"Second Chance"	Adult Contemporary	1
1989	"Second Chance"	Mainstream Rock Tracks	2
1989	"Second Chance"	The Billboard Hot 100	6

Notes

1. Rock & Roll Strategy at AllMusic