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From: HeadEastMusic
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  • I still have a Guitar pick with HEAD-EAST TONY GROSS on It from back in the day. I remember the Head East road truck being parked in lonedell, missouri when i was in high school.

  • I mean, think about it for a moment... what if Dokken covered a Ratt hit song back in the 80's... that would have been a real WTF moment just like this is.

  • That's like saying an Elvis impersonator is better than Elvis - lol. They might sing a mean Blue Suede Shoes, but any way you look at it they are still singing a cover song.

    Don't get me wrong - I love Rainbow. I just think that #1. The Head East version was just fine without needing to be covered; and #2. It was an insult for Rainbow to cover a song that was only a year old and still on the charts.

  • @whatthefunkbiotch Got news for you ... the Head East version WAS a cover, not the original. Since You Been Gone was a song from Russ Ballard and his 1976 album - 2 years before Head East's version. So really all you are arguing is which Elvis impersonator is better.

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  • This version blows the Rainbow cover version away!! The original always sounds better. BTW, why did Rainbow cover a Head East song just a year after it was released? That sounds pretty desperate to me, to take another band's hit song and try to bank off of it so soon after it was released. If someone did that today they would get ridiculed. I mean, what if Usher covered the Black Eyed Peas song "I Gotta Feeling"? People would think Usher was leeching off of their success with the song.

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  • @whatthefunkbiotch No fucking way!!! You need to adjust your hearing aid!!! There is no comparison!!!

  • The Rainbow version is so so much better than this.This version is ok but its missing 2 key factors......Ritchie Blackmore and my man and one of my biggest influences Cozy Powell........RIP Cozy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Rainbows version is MUCH better IMOP

  • Does this make anyone else miss their ex-girlfriend?

  • @saltyninja actually it does

  • Great songwriting!

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  • I used to see Head East in the Bars is Wisconsin. Flat as a Pancake :)

  • Ok, where do I know this cover song from?

  • Rainbow a much more powerful version though nothing wrong with this one.

  • No disrespect to Headeast. but Rainbow polished the song and had Graham Bonnet on vocals. One the best Rock singers of that era.

  • Sorry Graham Bonnet does'nt get out-sung by many singers and in no way is this one of the people on the list of those who can,No disrespect to those who prefer it over Rainbow,I did'nt give it a thumbs down,nobody who's famous deserves a thumbsdown from a weekend bassist like myself.only my opinion.

  • HeadEast was big in my neck of the woods, N. E. Louisiana...But so was Black Oak Arkansas, Trapeze, FogHat, Montrose, etc.....Great songs..

  • I saw them in Lubbock Texas in 80

  • huh. my dads friends used to be Head East's roadies back in the late 70's. Harold Klamm and Gary Wheatley. Southern Illinois. They still talk about this shit like it was yesterday.

  • Saw them at PORTFEST off the White River in Jacksonport, AR in the early 90's

  • Saw these guys live in PHX club in 80s owned by Rob Halford. Was great time.

    Let you Monkey Shine!!!!

  • Saw them live at The Lost C.

  • the opposite of Go West

  • Sorry, can't beat Graham Bonnets voice or Ritchie Blackmores guitar. Rainbows versions kick ass.

  • While Schlitt had an, excellent voice--Head Easts current lead singer, who I believe is Roger Boyds nephew, is one of the best vocalists have heard.

  • Thanks for sharing this and for enlightening me on music info.I love the song no matter who does it....it always seems to work well and is a nice listening experience!! John Schlitt rules and Russ Ballard sure knows how to write a song!!

  • I prefer the Head East version of "Since You've Been Gone" over Rainbow's. Actually, Rainbow added nothing to their version, but Head East's sounds so much better.

  • This version WAS THE B E S T ! ! ! GO J.S>!!!! F-Rainbow's shi^^y version with that loser

  • Wow, never knew it was a cover when Rainbow did it! 45 years old and I'm still learning! I totally thought this was a Blackmore creation for decades!

  • @Evster2012 Actually, the song was written by Russ Ballard who was a member of Argent ('Hold Your Head Up'). He then went solo and recorded several albums which didn't do much but other acts started covering his stuff. Rainbow had 2 Ballard hits, 'Since You've Been Gone and 'I Surrender', Santana went Top 10 with 'Winning', Samson (w/ Bruce Dickinson, pre-Iron Maiden) covered 'Ridin' with the Angels', Ace Frehley of Kiss did 'New York Groove', and Kiss later 'God Gave R'n'R To You', etc.

  • @SabuPtolemy I didn't realise his connection to Kiss went so deep! Into the Night and The Fire Still Burns from Ace Frehley's Comet; Let Me Rock You and Some Kinda Hurricane from Peter Criss. Looking at his resume, it would appear he's written songs covered by virtually everyone! Thanks for the info!

  • @Evster2012 Yeah, Russ is a super talented man and his stuff was very much in demand in the late 70's / early 80's. You might want to check out his best solo album, the self-titled one from 1984 - really great AOR/melodic rock disc. It contains the song 'Voices' you might remember from 'Miami Vice.'

  • @SabuPtolemy Russ Ballard has an impressive writing resume. I love "New York Groove."

  • @Kissrockguy Yeah, he does. I was a kid when Hello had a hit with 'New York Groove' before Ace Frehley covered it. Great tune!

  • Head East........saw them in Sioux City, Iowa when their hits were on the top. The opening or backup band was, get this, Rush!

  • Yes, John Schlitt went on to perform in a 'little' christian band, callled Petra....One of the longest and most successfull bands (Christian or otherwise) in history!!!!

  • This cover is made based on the song recorded by russ Balard, who is the real composer of the song as i surrender, so head east to cover russ makes Balard, not rainbow

  • It's their song, not Rainbow's.

  • thanks for the history! did not know...i actually like both of them.

  • Head East was always a hidden jewel! 

  • John Schlitt lived in my dorm at Penn State, after Head East. Decent guy.

  • i liked it but was looking for the album with the farm truck on the cover  bobejones52

  • @bobejones52 u from md??ellicott city???if so i worked with you back in 92

  • Love this song!!!  Memories of High School !!!

  • Rainbow's version is good...but no one can compete with originals....

  • @muggy2112 Excuse me but the song was written by Russ Ballard (Argent) and he had it on his solo album Winning (which is also a song covered by Santana)

  • Sorry, Rainbows version is better. Can't beat Graham Bonnet.

  • Sorry, meant @TrollFredrik

  • @Freyja1133

    That's not true. Ace Frehley's solo album was the only of the four that charted, due in part to the success of the song, which landed in the Billboard Hot 100 when it was released.

  • I think that russ ballard's version would be the original

  • I perfer Rainbows cover of this song

  • ISn;t this a russ ballard song?

  • @Freyja1133

    Yes this is a Russ Ballard song. The original version is my personal favourite.

  • @TrollFredrik Did Russ ballard also write I surrender?

  • @Freyja1133

    Yep. He never recorded it though. He also wrote "New York Groove" for Hello, but he never recorded that either.

  • @TrollFredrik That's because Ace FReheley recorded it on his solo lp

    Which went no where..

  • BIG NEWS: John Schlitt to Reunite with Head East during Iowa Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame Induction Sept. 4 - Arnolds Park, IA

    Sure to be a historical event, John will join the current Head East line-up on stage for a few of their most famous hits, including "Never Been Any Reason." This is the first time in more than 30 years that John has been on stage with the band.

  • isnt john touring with Petra on thier reunion tour?

  • @SomeRockVideos I saw them a little over a year ago at the Meskwaki Rockfest in Tama, Iowa. They opened for Warrant, Vince Neil and Cinderella. Great show. Question-why are they being inducted into the Iowa Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame? I thought they were from Rockford, Illinois.

  • @spiderdragon1969 I believe they were from Champaign, Ill. (also the home of REO Speedwagon), but made St. Louis their base. Bass player Dan Birney was from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and I believe drummer Steve Huston was also an Iowan, but I'm not too sure. Regardless, they played zillions of times in Iowa and were well liked. You are thinking of the great Cheap Trick. They were from Rockford and they still play with all four original members.

  • @Dietpepsivanilla I wasn't thinking of Cheap Trick. I know all too well about Cheap Trick. Saw them several times. I'm from Freeport, Illinois and Rockford is just a stone's throw from Freeport. Could have sworn Head East was from Rockford but that's okay. I now live in Iowa and if the band is gonna' be inducted into the Iowa Rock Hall, that's just fine by me !

  • @spiderdragon1969 Awesome! Head East was a pretty cool band.

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  • @Dietpepsivanilla Actually, Cheap trick only performs with three of the original. Bun E. Carlos, only does the occasional apperance with them. Rixck Nielsons son Dax, covers the drum duties for them at this time on the Dream Police anniverery tour. But dax is a hec of a drummer. Bun E. has another project going on with one of the Hansons, James Iba from The Smashing Pumkins and I forget the other at present. Bun E. is still a part but no longer tours with them.

  • from the midwest but heard Rainbow version first .I like the alcatraz version only because I found the album for a buck or two at a resale shop and saw someone purchace same on e-bay for a couple thousand---And my parents said I was pissing my cash away!!!!

  • It's Graham Bonnet, someone who'd totally the right voice to do this song, but he's notably hard to work with, only one album with Michael Schenker ...he of UFO fame, on 82's Assault Attack

  • John will always be one of my favorite singers. That guy is talented.

  • Great song! Flashback to teenage years in midwest. Rainbow did a nice job with the song but this version by Head East is definitely better. Love to guitar riff.

  • @greaser84

    I don't think it's hearing the Rainbow version more, but it sounds the best to my ears

  • I got to meet and party with Head East in 1973 when they played our local TeenTown in Southern Illinois. They had just got out of studio recording Flat As A Pancake and I got to hear rough cut on 8-track. Very cool part of my life.

  • Actually this was the biggest Billboard single hit version of the song...this charted higher than Cherie and Marie Currie and Rainbow, who all had competing versions of the song.

  • @fumetti

    Rainbow charted this in the UK Top 10. Brain May covers this pretty damn well also.

  • WOW...just heard the Rainbow version for the first time...Big DIO fan, and a fan of some Head East songs, thanks to my Big Bro!!! Cool song, liking both versions!!! Awww, the good ole days

  • @92bDad That's not Dio on the Rainbow version. It's Graham Bonnet

  • John Schlitt¡¡gran cantante,gracias a dios por estar en PETRA¡¡

  • I like this (original) version better than Rainbow's

  • Sounds like the voice of god introducing them. LOL

  • One of the favorite cassette tapes to party & get hot and sweaty to during the Deadliest Catch crab season of 78 in Alaska. The liquor & money flowed like water, the men wore their hair long (there was no hair salon or barber shop in town) and everyone was young and hard bodied from the heavy work. Great music. Fond memories.

  • My favorite version(s) of this song:

    1. Rainbow's cover

    2. Head East's cover, this one

    3. The Original by Russ Ballard

    imo ;)

  • @magnificusx Cherie and Marie Currie also had a good version of the song as well.

  • @fumetti Anything with identical blond twins is going to be good eye candy. Cherie just happening to have been the lead singer for The Runaways helps too... lol

  • So does anyone know if they play at all? Last I heard Roger was in Sparta or Chester or that area. I'd love to see them again!

  • Edwardsville, IL

  • Brings me back to my high school days in Iowa. Not only was Head East popular, but so where these Midwest bands: Styx, Shooting Star, REO Speedwagon and Cheap Trick. Cheap Trick was probably the best.

  • @Dietpepsivanilla There's more midwestern bands like The Loose (from Nebraska), Suntower (from Kansas) and Zeabra (from Oklahoma) that I discovered on AOR-FM. They're very much worth checking out.

  • It's amazing how John Schlitt has changed :)

  • 1979 i was at the house on chambers road in jennings, partied with Roger B, Mike S. and some guys from StarCastle

  • @kshe95realrockradio Me, too! My friend lived right across the street and we were there with the guys all the time. What a great group of guys! That would have been 78-79.

  • Remember this????

  • hell ya hed pe is frome illinois i use to hang out with them befor they got famous then every thing broke up its been a long time

  • Hey guys -- Thanks for posting this song!

    Listen for great music like this on a new radio station called "OffTheCharts" - featuring 70's (and some 80's) lost hits and chart wonders!

    Go to Live365.com, type OFFTHECHARTS in the Search box and click on the station logo. The audio stream should begin. Become a VIP member and listen commercial free!

    This song is being featured this week!

  • Best ever!

    

  • I always did love this one! Love Head East!

  • La mejor voz del mundo es de John Schlitt y ahora alaba Jesus el mejor..

  • This version is way better then Rainbows'...and I like both bands!

  • John Schlitt on vocals wow..he has come a long way since his beginnings with this band..I saw his testimony here on you-tube and traced down the band he was in before Petra..his testimony is awsome.

  • @arlenazeek1 Yea, he turned modern christian rock on its ear when he converted and formed Petra. :D

  • @MrAmberRocker JS was with Petra for quite a long time and did a great job. Did you see his testimony? I can't post the link, but it's under the title, "John Schlitt Testimony".

  • @snigglefritz12345 Yes, I've read, seen his testimony here on you tube. It's great!  <3

  • @MrAmberRocker he was invited to play with petra he was an original member but did not form the group

  • JS did not form Petra, but contributed in a major way to a new generation of Christian believers. Check out Petra (band) in Wikipedia.

  • nice flanged toms on this one

  • Head East - "Since You Been Gone"

  • I had the honor of hanging out with John Schlitt twice in my life. He is so cool to hang with. So honest and down to earth.

  • Pretty good....but I like the version from Rainbow a lot better.

  • HOLY CRAP!.......WHERE"D YOU FIND THIS?! I never knew this existed !Awesome job!

  • They are playing local this weekend! Cant wait!! Huge fan!!

  • They just opened the Rockfest at Meskwaki outside of Tama Iowa last Saturday. Made the show!

  • 1975, Spring in Iowa... there was VD weekend ( an annual free concert on the Valen/Ditmer farms near Simpson College in Indianola Iowa) Generators deep down in a creek cut ravine separating the two farm's quiet pastures above... pastoral quiet, until Head East cranked it up ! ... along with Black Oak Arkansas, and hell, I left too many brain cells on those pastures to remember every act that weekend ... But I do know this, that a good time was had by all, and Head East was a well received !

  • HEY THIS IS TIM DAY FROM HEAD EAST ...THX FOR THE SUPPORT ....EMAIL ME AT DYTIMMYS@AOL.COM WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM FANS

  • going to see them in concert

  • So who wrote this song? I thought it was rainbow, but now I am confused.

  • @TellingYouTwice It was orignally by Russ Ballard, who was the lead singer of Argent, but then Rainbow covered it and turned it into a huge hit for them.

  • I loved Head East! My brother got me started listening to them. He had the vinyl lp! We were in Nebraska. Must have been a Midwestern thing. I think they could have been huge! I wish they would have continued!

  • @budafranklin1 Live in Kansas, yeah Head East were biggest in the middle of the Country.

  • I loved Head East! My brother got me listening to them! We were in Nebraska! Must have been a Midwestern thing! I sure wish they would have continued!

  • "Speciality" was on their 5th studio album, and maybe you should try saying "please".

  • Can anybody, ANYBODY, put the song "Specialty" from Head East on here? It's a great song but very few know about it. It's the first song on one of their albums after (flat as a pancake)...not sure which, maybe the next one. I'd appreciate it.

  • the drummer of head east is my professor for my survey of the music industry class at school

  • whos better

  • Yet another of my favorites!

  • Great Song, It brings back a lot of memories as a Young Buck In Augsburg Germany as a soldier. Me and my German Girlfriend Gudrun used to dance to this song or some sembalance of this. Surprisingly I don't think this song got any airplay in the USA or I am sure it would have been a hit there too. I am glad I found this on Youtube I have added it to my favorites

  • Wow!! So John Shlitt formly of Petra was in this band --- never knew that until now!!! Wow!!

  • Check Cherie and Marie Currie version of this

  • I love it. Rainbow couldn't do it this well!

  • One of the most under appreciated bands of that time! Flat as a Pancake!

  • @HickFinn It was a great time. They had a lot of fans in the Midwest.

  • KSHE - 95??? where do you live??? I used to listen to KSHE all the time when I lived in Keokuk, Iowa. In 1976 I bought tickets to Aerosmith in St.Louis from KSHE.

  • hell yah a true KSHE-95 CLASSIC band!! us in midwest know that got a bunch of there albums

  • @killcraz

    You midwesterners really had good taste in hard, tuneful rock.

    I'm from New York City, but however much I loved the New Wave bands of the time, stuff like Head East has, frankly, stayed in my ears and heart a lot longer.

  • In 1978 you COULD NOT walk across my high school parking lot during lunch period without hearing these guys blaring out of somebodys car.

  • Rainbow did this song better

  • @tapehead004 As much as I like this song by Head East....I also like the Rainbow version better. Graham Bonnett has killer voice on their version.

  • Yes the original of this song is from Russ Ballard.Head East sung this song a little bit later..

    Of course ..a great song from both of this bands... Love it

  • The original...since you been gone...not bad

  • @jkebeans

    Actually, the original was by Russ Ballard.

  • Thanks for the info

  • Hey - anyone remember the song "Too Late" by Head East? Please post it if you have it!

  • Yep...  Pretty awesome. I never loved many of their tunes but this one was always a keeper!

  • Russ Ballard wrote this song !

  • I have begged John to rejoin the act to get the copy writes away from A&M records .He seems not to be interested .The royalities are alot more than one would think .John do it .Ya don't have to be a cike head to do this again this time the correct way --god speed

  • Grahm Bonnet does a great version of this, but have to give props to the orginal

  • One of my favorite bands in High School also...They were big in the Iowa/midwest region. I still have all those old albums on vinyl. THis was a favorite track.

  • I listened to HeadEast in high school; I forgot how GREAT they were!!!

  • When I was in high school in the late 70s (in a small town with only a Top 40 station), this version got a lot of air play. (I never even knew there was a Rainbow version.)

    But when I got to college in the early 80s (in a big city with many rock stations), all they played was the Rainbow version (which as far as I knew, hadn't even been a hit). Very odd...

  • ..correction Guitarist Ballard from ARGENT get full tilt Kudo's for writing this one, but Head east Kiked the Shit Outta this Tune!!!

  • I have LOVED this Band since '78, and to think Rainblow would Never give HEADEAST their credit really Pisses Many Off!!! This Band KICKED ASS THEN- AND STILL DOES NOW>> Thanx Guys!!!

  • another one of my favorite songs

  • the drummer from this band is my teacher :P

    i think ive heard this song almost 100 times haha

  • saw them live they great had there lp love the song since you been gone never made it big take care john

  • Big fan of Head East from the late 70's here. They were one of our favorite bands growing up in IOWA. We had all the albums. My favorite was the "Roadsign" Head East LP and LIVE.

  • @shakey64 Where in Iowa? I'm from Iowa but live in Fla. now.

  • @shakey64 Where in Iowa. I gre up in Iowa before we moved to Fla.

  • @donbozarth Grew up in Cedar Rapids. In GA now.

  • @donbozarth Grew up in Cedar Rapids,,,,in Georgia now.

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  • @shakey64 I live in Iowa and I graduated from Washington High School, Washington, Iowa in 1979. Head East was huge in the late '70's in Iowa! I'm taking my 14 year old son to see them August 28 th at the Meskwaki Casino in Tama, Iowa. It's gonna' be Head East-Vince Neil-Warrant and Cinderella! Great show! I can't wait!!

  • @spiderdragon1969 thats a great lineup. I went to Kennedy in CR in 80-83. My friends had all the Head East albums. Speaking of Meskwaki...My grandpa owned the big farm across the road,.Spent my youth there in Tama. Have great time!

  • Thanks so much for posting this vid! I haven't heard the original since ..... forever! Actually just heard the rainbow version on radio last week for first time in about 10 years.

  • once again... a great song written by ARGENTS Russ Ballard... but I remember that I always liked that version well and Head East in commen, great band...

  • @MikeMonroeM I KNEW this could'nt have been written by Ritchie Blackmore!!!....I love him and all but its sooo not his style......and the earlier release date of THIS version tells me so.....cool to learn these things...: )

  • I agree 110%....this is a much better and more lively version than rainblow (not mis-spelled)...I think I still have the original album with this song on it...awesome organ solo

  • Hey John,

    Excellent Video!! My vid of NBAR was taken down by the record company. I agree with you 100% - I think this is the best version - Rainbows singer for this song really couldnt hold a candle to John Schlitt. I have obtained some footage (not the Texas Jam footage) but quite a bit of 8mm footage from several different shows that will be featured here soon - I will let you know when its up.

    -Stephen

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