Love Is All That I Ever Needed. Chapter 30. On The Road Again
David paid his debts and now with the family to support he wanted even more to be successful
and wealthy again.
In 1991 he appeared on a new TV series, ‘Flash’, and that role is still remembered among the
series die-hard fans. He played a villain, Sam Scudder, in the episode called ‘Mirror Master’.
He said about his character: ‘People who see the show will find him despicable, but I found
him thoroughly enjoyable and very charming and very charismatic.’
In another interview he
noticed that now he got the kind of roles his father used to play in the 70s.
David decided on a tour in the USA, the first one after nearly 20 years. He started on
September 16 and he played thirty one concerts until November 8. This time there weren’t
thousands in the audience, limos or posh hotels. Only five musicians traveled in a van, and
very often David was a driver.
After 2 months on the road and paying everybody, he earned
about $1000. A star who in the early 70s sometimes received $50,000 for a single
performance. But it was great to play concerts again, to feel fans’ love, give joy, and just play
the guitar and sing.
For the concert at The Bottom Line in New York, David invited two very special guests, two
men whom he hadn't seen in years but who helped him achieve stardom. Tony Romeo and
Wes Farrell. David’s relationship with Wes was complicated when they worked together in the
70s, but it was a long time ago and now he could show and tell how he appreciated their work
and the songs they wrote for him. It was a great decision to invite them. They both were only
in their 50s, but Tony Romeo died in June 1995, and Wes Farrell eight months later.
There was another blast from the past during those concerts. A younger brother, not a real
one, but someone very dear to David. That awful kid who made him angry several times on
the set of The Partridge Family. Danny Bonaduce, at the time 31 years old, the man at rock
bottom. Already in the early 70s he was a trouble-maker. Later he became a drug addict and
homeless. He was arrested trying to buy cocaine and again when he beat a transvestite
prostitute.
David, the only human being who cared, wanted to help Danny. He took him on the
tour and gave him a job - as a warm-up. It was a stand up performance and a great one.
Danny was smart, funny and he could talk for hours.
David played new songs but also rock versions of his old hits. As it used to be, his opener was
‘I Can Feel Your Heartbeat’. He had a great band and they were really enjoying playing
together. David looked sensational in his rock star outfit - fabulous fringed leather jacket
trimmed with beads and stones, leather skin tight pants. He was so sexy, made women scream
again, and so happy playing the kind of music he always loved.
The tour wasn’t unnoticed. There were a lot of articles in the press and reviews. Dana Thomas
wrote a great article in The Washington Post: “Danny’s opening: ‘Welcome to David Cassidy’s
First Annual Ex-Child Star Work Release Program’ (..) The crowd embraced them both, like
long-lost pets.(..) His audience, still screaming..(..) He was the first heartthrob for millions of
post-boomers. Girls 9, 10, 12, 14, oh, how they loved him.(..) Bedrooms across America were
wallpapered with that seductive skinny kid in hip-hugger jeans.’
David also said that in 1992 he would be doing a TV series with his step-brothers, Shirley Jones and her husband Marty
Ingles. He also wanted to release another pop album : ‘I’m a mainstream guy’, and about his
dream to record an album with great, classic songs.
His concerts were sold out. His show was included in an exclusive Ten Top list of ‘The best
local rock shows in 1991’. The first place - INXS, the second - David Cassidy. “It could have
easily been a bad joke to see a 70s icon come to live on the stage. But the joke was on anyone
who doubted Cassidy’s intention, ability and candor. He left his sweat, his heart and his songs
on the stage that night. He really can play the guitar. He really can sing. He really is a
captivating performer. You should’ve been there.’
Many fellow-musicians, famous artists respected his talent, David’s voice, and compassion.
They knew he played the guitar very well.
On March 25, 1992 a special concert was recorded
on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the famous program, ‘American Bandstand’. David
was invited to jam on stage with some very known musicians to accompany Bo Diddley.
On April 29, 1992 David Cassidy and other Los Angeles residents didn’t think about music.
That day, after a trial, a jury acquitted four officers of the Los Angeles Police Departments for
usage of excessive force in the arrest and beating of Rodney King. That verdict started The
LA Riots, the biggest in the USA in the XX century. 63 people were killed, 2,383 injured, more
than 12,000 arrested and 3,767 buildings were burned.
‘Stand And Be Proud’, the song written by David Cassidy and his wife, Sue Shifrin-Cassidy,
became an anthem for the Rebuild LA campaign. The song was recorded and videotaped on
June 6, 1992 at the Hollywood Bowl, and featured about 2,000 musicians including the
Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. They called themselves - ‘The Voice Of The City’. Everybody
worked for free. The song and the video were played at the same time on ‘Good Morning
America’ and 5,000 radio stations across the country on July 29.
David didn’t take part in the video and didn’t do any media. Thanks to their song and the video,
$2 million have been collected.
The TV series with the Cassidy brothers wasn’t done in 1992. It wasn’t a mystery that David
didn’t like Shirley Jones’ second husband.
He recorded a new album, ‘Didn’t You Used To Be..’. It was produced again by Eric Throngren,
released by Scotti Brothers Records. Sue Shiffrin wrote, or co-wrote all 10 songs, but it was
the last time David would work with his wife.
The song ‘I’ll Never Stop Loving You’ was earlier
recorded by Heart, in 1990, and by Cher in 1991. David sang this beautiful and monumental
song in great duet with a young English singer, Treana Morris, who at the time had a recording
contract with Scotti Brothers.
The album was more mature and sophisticated than David’s previous record. More R&B
oriented, also funk and soul, great sound, and harmonies. The songs covered so many kinds
of music from the soulful ballads to rock. Interesting and sincere lyrics.
But again, like always, the most important instrument on this album was David Cassidy’s voice,
his outstanding vocal range, timbre of his voice, passion and emotions, perfection of
performance, every note and every word thought out and refined.
It was an album to listen to as a whole, in the chosen order, it was not just a collection of
songs, and it’s a shame that a single wasn’t released.
But still there were critics for whom saying something nice about David was very difficult.
The critic's name - Tom Maurstad from Dallas Morning News wrote first about the previous
self titled album from 1990 - ‘It was an undistinguished mess, all production and no songs.
You had to dig in earnest to find David’s thin and tiny presence burned beneath the mix.’
He was more gracious for ‘Didn’t You Used To Be..’ : ‘Cassidy and his immediately
frighteningly familiar and breathy croon are front and center. There is one great song, ‘For All
The Lonely’. It’s got a smooth, supple beat, The album has little revelation. Cassidy, once a
crown prince of bubble gum pop, has (or really, really wants to have), a soul.’
In the summer of 1992, David was playing concerts again. This time he and his band were
supporting the Beach Boys. It was an opportunity for him to perform for a much bigger
audience than in 1991. He usually played 10 songs, old and new. Robert G Robbins in an
article called: ’Cassidy’s Voice Earns Respect of Colleagues’ wrote that: ‘Cassidy’s
performance, along with his stage presence, equalled The Beach Boys’. 194 A few times they
asked him to stay and play with them together.
In 1991 and 1992 David had a shorter hair, but still a rock singer image, but in summer of
1993, he looked completely different.
the pic David Cassidy Official Website
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