Biography
As a frontman for both the Babys and Bad English, as well as a solo performer, John Waite remained a steady presence on album-oriented rock radio throughout the 1970s and 1980s. His knack for crafting power ballads and high-energy arena rock extended at times into new wave-tinged power pop. Although consistent chart success eluded him, several tracks such as “Missing You,” the Babys’ “Isn’t It Time,” and Bad English’s “When I See You Smile” became enduring radio favorites.
Waite assembled the Babys in London, England during 1976 alongside Wally Stocker on guitar, Mike Corby handling vocals and keyboards, and Tony Brock on drums. The group, initially aimed at teen pop audiences, secured a recording deal after submitting a video demo produced by Mike Mansfield. Heavy promotion from Chrysalis propelled “Isn’t It Time” into hits on both sides of the Atlantic in 1977. Over time the band shifted toward synthesized, new wave-inflected power pop, yielding a few modest successes. Jonathan Cain joined as keyboardist in 1978 and formed a close bond with Waite. Following Cain’s departure for Journey in 1981, the Babys dissolved.
Waite launched his solo work the next year with Ignition on Chrysalis. The set produced the minor success “Change,” yet his follow-up, 1984’s No Brakes, reached the Top Ten largely because of the chart-topping single “Missing You.” That track became a worldwide hit and one of the defining songs of early MTV, though No Brakes yielded only one additional entry, the Top 40 “Tears.” The absence of further blockbusters foreshadowed the pattern of Waite’s solo trajectory. Mask of Smiles arrived in 1985 and scraped just inside the Top 40 with “Every Step of the Way,” while Rover’s Return in 1987 generated no hits and stalled his momentum.
Seeking to revive his profile, Waite created the supergroup Bad English with former Babys members Jonathan Cain and Ricky Phillips on bass, ex-Journey guitarist Neal Schon, and drummer Deen Castronovo. Their self-titled debut appeared on Epic Records in 1989 and achieved platinum status once the power ballad “When I See You Smile” topped the charts. “Price of Love” followed into the Top Ten, but the 1991 sequel Backlash lacked comparable singles and prompted the band’s quick dissolution.
Waite returned to solo recording in 1995 with Temple Bar on Imago. Additional releases surfaced on assorted imprints early in the new century, among them Figure in a Landscape and Live & Rare Tracks issued by Gold Circle and One Way Records in 2001, Hard Way on No Brakes in 2004, and Downtown: Journey of a Heart on Frontiers in 2006. After a five-year break, he resurfaced with the aptly titled Rough & Tumble in early 2011.
Waite assembled the Babys in London, England during 1976 alongside Wally Stocker on guitar, Mike Corby handling vocals and keyboards, and Tony Brock on drums. The group, initially aimed at teen pop audiences, secured a recording deal after submitting a video demo produced by Mike Mansfield. Heavy promotion from Chrysalis propelled “Isn’t It Time” into hits on both sides of the Atlantic in 1977. Over time the band shifted toward synthesized, new wave-inflected power pop, yielding a few modest successes. Jonathan Cain joined as keyboardist in 1978 and formed a close bond with Waite. Following Cain’s departure for Journey in 1981, the Babys dissolved.
Waite launched his solo work the next year with Ignition on Chrysalis. The set produced the minor success “Change,” yet his follow-up, 1984’s No Brakes, reached the Top Ten largely because of the chart-topping single “Missing You.” That track became a worldwide hit and one of the defining songs of early MTV, though No Brakes yielded only one additional entry, the Top 40 “Tears.” The absence of further blockbusters foreshadowed the pattern of Waite’s solo trajectory. Mask of Smiles arrived in 1985 and scraped just inside the Top 40 with “Every Step of the Way,” while Rover’s Return in 1987 generated no hits and stalled his momentum.
Seeking to revive his profile, Waite created the supergroup Bad English with former Babys members Jonathan Cain and Ricky Phillips on bass, ex-Journey guitarist Neal Schon, and drummer Deen Castronovo. Their self-titled debut appeared on Epic Records in 1989 and achieved platinum status once the power ballad “When I See You Smile” topped the charts. “Price of Love” followed into the Top Ten, but the 1991 sequel Backlash lacked comparable singles and prompted the band’s quick dissolution.
Waite returned to solo recording in 1995 with Temple Bar on Imago. Additional releases surfaced on assorted imprints early in the new century, among them Figure in a Landscape and Live & Rare Tracks issued by Gold Circle and One Way Records in 2001, Hard Way on No Brakes in 2004, and Downtown: Journey of a Heart on Frontiers in 2006. After a five-year break, he resurfaced with the aptly titled Rough & Tumble in early 2011.
Albums
Singles
