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Description
Recorded in December 1977 at Plaza Sound Studio in New York City, Robert Gordon w/ Link Wray: Fresh Fish Special (1978) arrives on Private Stock Records as the sequel to the pair's 1977 debut. The album finds the pre-Heartbreakers Gordon-a rockabilly purist who once cut his teeth in Tuff Darts and performed at CBGBs-channeling his Elvis Presley-obsessed vocals behind Link Wray's jagged, three-chord riffs. While Wray was already a legend by this point, his presence on the album anchors the record in a raw, electric tension that recalls the early Sun Records days.
The sessions were reportedly quick and lean, with Gordon focusing on capturing that essential rockabilly vibe rather than overproducing. He recruited The Jordanaires, who were the background vocalists for Elvis Presley at the time, to add harmonic support to his lead vocals. Bruce Springsteen, meanwhile, appears on keyboards for the track "Fire," a little-known collaboration that shows Gordon's network and connections in the mid-1970s New York scene. Critics at the time noted the album's crisp production and Gordon's clear, emotionally direct delivery-qualities that helped revive interest in rockabilly after the initial punk wave had faded.
Though the album didn't chart wildly, it found an audience among rockabilly fans and collectors who appreciated Gordon's unwavering dedication to the genre. In the years that followed, Gordon would move to RCA Records and release several more albums, including "Bad Boy" in 1980, which AllMusic writer Bruce Eder later called one of the best mature rockabilly albums ever recorded. By comparison, Fresh Fish Special reads like a passionate, focused snapshot of a moment in time: Gordon and Wray, two icons of early rock, working in a studio that echoed with the ghosts of Presley, Cochran, and Vincent.
The legacy of Fresh Fish Special lives on today in the rockabilly revival community, where it serves as a touchstone for fans who appreciate the raw, unpolished energy of the genre. While it may not be Gordon's most commercially successful work, its place in his discography as a testament to his early collaborations is undeniable. For those curious about the album's tracks, a quick browse on Discogs provides a comprehensive tracklist: <https://www.discogs.com/master/138882-Robert-Gordon-2-W-Link-Wray-Fresh-Fish-Special>. Gordon's enduring influence is well-documented on AllMusic, where his catalog and discography can be explored: <https://www.allmusic.com/artist/robert-gordon-mw0000117379>.
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