Robert Palmer ~ EMI Years and beyond...

This is the conclusion of a three-part posting on Rock music icon Robert Palmer.

Following the enormous success of the “Riptide” album on Island Records, Robert Palmer finally gets his first number 1 record titled “Addicted To Love”(see previous posting). Riding the success of his guitar-driven rock and sleek wardrobe of elegant suits, Palmer’s video becomes MTV’s national anthem. His sexy video, or sexist video - depending upon your viewpoint, featured a dozen mini skirted models performing behind him and created what Palmer suggested was “a jarring effect video.” His follow-up single “I Didn’t Mean To Turn You On” displayed still a different side of his music and peaked at number 2 on Billboard’s chart. Strangely enough, after 14 long years of fractured successes with Island Records, Palmer departs the record label and signs with London based EMI Records.

Impracticable as it may sound, a very unusual career circumstance developed for myself in 1986. While in the process of EMI Records signing Robert Palmer to a long-term contract, I also joined EMI Records as their Regional Promotion & Marketing Manger for the Northwest. This would mark as the third consecutive record label over a course of two decades in which I would represent Robert Palmer as his promotion & marketing representative. First, there was three Vinegar Joe albums on Atlantic Records in the 70's which I promoted and toured with the band. Next there was the platimum album of "Riptide" in 1985 with Island Records as an independent promoter in which I received an award. And now working again with Robert Palmer at EMI Records as his regional field representative. More about this reunion as the posting continues.

Having paid his dues with Chris Blackwell’s Island Records and seemingly at the apex of his career, Palmer’s eclectic musical journey would reach even further heights upon signing a new label deal. His first release with EMI “Heavy Nova” produced the knockout hit “Simply Irresistible” in which again Palmer was immortalized in a video being surrounded with deadpan models pretending to be his backup band. The Terrence Donovan produced video was undoubtedly the signature event of the times while having portrayed Palmer as the modern day Don Juan. Yet Palmer insisted the video clip was all in a days work and that he knew nothing of the scripting of elegant females prior to taping.

EMI was a red hot label at the time with a promotion staff that was
considered very skilled at 'running a record up-the-charts'. Robert Palmer's career background painted a different picture however with him being an artist that had always been considered primarily an album artist. All this was about to change when promotion guru Jack Satter and his EMI marketing team carved-up numerous hit singles that established Palmer in a field that he previously had not dominitaed.

The "Heavy Nova" album produced hit single "Simply Irresistible" and the ever popular video with Palmer and a troupe of lovely females. The single peaked at number 2 on Billboard's chart and earned Palmer his second Grammy Award. His next two singles "She Makes My Day" and "Early In The Morning" both proved to be hits with substanial chart successes. But as the true inovator, Palmer sprinkled-in a few surprises on the "Heavy Nova" album with songs that flavored bossa nova rhythms, beautiful balladeering and romantic lyrics with string arrangements and ofcourse the favorite guitar-oriented rock songs. Robert Palmer's awards kept pouring-in whereas in 1990 Rolling Stone Magazine voted Palmer the best-dressed rock star for that year.



EMI's Phillip Rauls and Robert Palmer pause back stage for a shot in 1990. Palmer's platinum album for "Heavy Nova" was awarded to staff members who participated in the albums success.

"Don't Explain" was Palmers next album and displayed even more of his diverse musical styles including R&B, jazz, rock and music from the islands. Guests on this album included UB40 and featured the Bob Dylan penned "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight" that was a Top 10 chart record. Plus, the Marvin Gaye cover song of "Mercy Mercy Me/I Want You" was a bold and respectable offering to a classic song which ultimately continued to link Palmer with his strong female audience. Of all of Robert Palmer's works, two of my absolute favorites comes from this lesser known album being the Otis Redding song "Dreams To Remember" and also a song co-wrote by Palmer and his long time companion Mary Ambrose titled "Aeroplane." Beyond a doubt, "Don't Explain" was truly a great album.


The album "Honey" was just another example of Palmer being ahead of his time with a brilliant album producing one of the greatest pop songs ever composed, "Know By Now." I've read a great deal of critism from outside observers saying Robert Palmers record label EMI dropped the ball on the merchancising of this album. The truth of the matter is, by this time, Palmer's long time manager David Harper and the label had shared some touchy issues regarding his contract renewal. Disagreements that reflected the bottom line. Don't try to read too much into a possible decline of support from the label at that time. Just embelish those great albums released by EMI in the 90's when Palmer's creativity reached frutition.


My association with Robert Palmer remains as my most memorible being that we worked together at three different record labels over a period of three decades. Of course our stint together at EMI was the most rewarding. Chart successes always have a way of leaving a noteworthy trail of recollection. The truth of the matter for those three decades is that Robert Palmer and I weren't that close. Yet, somehow it seems like everyone in the music business has strong bonds and always remembers each others good vibes. And ours were quite strong. Never mind the fact that Robert Palmer always referred to myself by calling me 'Seattle' instead of my real name. I just remember his pleasant posture towards a grinding schedule of interviews, autographs and endless photographs with everyone including their uncle. On one unforgettable tour through the Northwest, Palmer was performing at The Pier in Seattle when he asked me to drive him to Sea-Tac airport to pick-up his girl friend, Mary Armbrose. I offered to loan him my car when he responded that he didn't know how to drive a automobile. Said that he'd never learned to drive. Hmm. Imagine that. Once we'd made the journey to Sea-Tac Airport to pick-up Mary, those two love birds sat in the back seat of the car and smooched the entire way back to the hotel. Dinner that night was at his favorite Tai Food restaurant on Queen Anne Hill. I sat next to long time drummer and former Memphian Dony Wynn and reminised about living in Soul City. While sitting across the table from Robert Palmer, we struck up a conversation when I asked him "What do you do in your spare time?" I thought that prehaps he was a chess player, or maybe even a golfer. He paused for a moment while looking-up from his cup of hot tea and offered, "In my spare time-I love to play music." At that time the waitress aproached when he ordered a 5-star Tai special. Within minutes after receiving his meal, Palmer's forehead was completely red from the hot pepper spicing when sweat begin dripping down onto his plate. Before the dinner was complete, I had to ask him one more question that had bugged me forever; "Robert," I said, "What is the story behind the song 'John and Mary?' Palmer smiled and seem amused while replying, "It's about a married couple who have been together for so long, they've lost touch with each other and don't communicate." I asked him in response, "Kinda like John Prime's "Hello In There" or Neil Diamond's "Brooklyn Roads?" But someone at the dinner party grabbed his attention and a response was never given.

Widely regarded as Rock's lone pioneer with the fusion of Reggae, syncopated keyboards and guitars with techno beats, Robert Palmer was clearly ahead of his times. Just three postings of this blog are very difficult to capture his entire body of work. He was that good and deserves much more. Plus, he can be so much better appreciated than the deeply infused video of 'dancing goyals'. As Robert Palmer would say..."Anything but typical". I'm proud to say that I have tons of stories and photographs to support my brief time spent with this great artist. He was one of the few music icons who grew in popurlarity with steady growth over the 70's, 80's and 90's rather than pop-up today and fade-away tomorrow. It's unfortunate that we're talking about the passing of what I'd consider to be a pop star legacy of the magitude of Sting, Rod Stewart or Phil Collins. Pure class.

Palmer's last album is titled "Drive" released in 2003 and was critically hailed as his grittiest album of his career. Don't underestimate this splendid album. It features fifteen blues standards plus my favorite original composition from the album titled, "Lucky." That song alone is worth the entire album and has the capabilities of defining his voyage into the future.

Robert Palmer died of a heart attack in Paris, France in 2003. He was 54 years old. Palmer is buried in Lugano, Switzerland where he had lived for the last 15 years. God rest his soul.