The Action Is Go
The Action is Go is the fourth studio album by California stoner rock group Fu Manchu. It features new drummer Brant Bjork (Kyuss) and new lead guitarist Bob Balch, replacing Eddie Glass and Ruben Romano, who left to form the band Nebula. According to an AllMusic review, the new lineup provided Fu Manchu with "the impetus and inspiration to really start moving forward,"[2] and the resulting album demonstrates the band's "punk energy, classic rock drive, psychedelic crunch, and heavy-ass grind all at once."[3] The album was produced by Jay Noel Yuenger of White Zombie, who contributed some additional instrumentation.[3]
| The Action is Go | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | October 7, 1997 | |||
| Recorded | 1997 at Grandmaster Recorders, Ltd. in Hollywood, California & Sound City Studios in Van Nuys, California | |||
| Genre | Stoner rock | |||
| Length | 55:43 | |||
| Label | Mammoth | |||
| Producer | Jay Noel Yuenger | |||
| Fu Manchu chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   |
Track listing
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Evil Eye" | 3:30 |
| 2. | "Urethane" | 3:36 |
| 3. | "The Action Is Go" | 3:06 |
| 4. | "Burning Road" | 5:47 |
| 5. | "Guardrail" | 2:57 |
| 6. | "Anodizer" | 4:26 |
| 7. | "Trackside Hoax" | 4:54 |
| 8. | "Unknown World" | 2:49 |
| 9. | "Laserbl'ast!" | 3:47 |
| 10. | "Hogwash" | 3:41 |
| 11. | "Grendel, Snowman" | 4:09 |
| 12. | "Strolling Astronomer" | 3:43 |
| 13. | "Saturn III" | 7:55 |
| 14. | "Nothing Done" | 1:15 |
The European version includes two more songs:
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 15. | "Swami's Last Command" | 3:15 |
| 16. | "Module Overload" | 4:19 |
Personnel
- Scott Hill - vocals, guitar
- Brant Bjork - drums
- Bob Balch - lead guitar
- Brad Davis - bass guitar, theremin
- Jay Noel Yuenger - producer, organ, Minimoog, Electro-Harmonix Space Drum
Credits
Recorded by Bradley Cook at Grandmaster Recorders, Ltd. Hollywood, CA, and Sound City, Van Nuys, CA
Assisted by Ryan Boesch and Billy Bowers
except "Unknown World" Recorded by Ulrich Wild at Music Grinder, Los Angeles, CA
Additional recording by Bradley Cook
Mixed by Joe Barresi at The Village, West Los Angeles, CA
Assisted by Eric Greedy
Mastered by Dave Collins at A&M Studios, Los Angeles, CA
Cover photograph 1977 Glen E. Friedman
Fu Manchu photographed by Alex Obleas
Studio photography by Lisa Johnson
Art direction: Lane Wurster
Graphic design: Chris Eselgroth
Artist management: Catherine Enny for Guerrilla Management Collective
All songs written by Fu Manchu 1997 Strolling Astronomer Music (ASCAP) except "Nothing Done" written by Al Barile of SSD 1983 Xclaim!
Notes
"Module Overload" was first released on the Godzilla EP and was re-recorded with a new vocal line and a different middle part. The original version appears again on Eatin' Dust.
"Swami's Last Command" was originally a contribution to the soundtrack of the movie Chicago Cab (1998).
"Evil Eye" was featured on Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2.
Tony Alva (of Z-Boys) is on the CD cover skating in the "Dogbowl".
This albums introduces Brad Davis on the theremin which he used again on Start the Machine.
References
- "The Action Is Go - Fu Manchu". Allmusic.
- Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Fu Manchu: In Search Of... (Review)". AllMusic. Retrieved 2016-05-25.
- Raggett, Ned. "Fu Manchu: The Action Is Go (Review)". AllMusic. Retrieved 2016-05-25.