The Action Is Go is the fourth studio album by American stoner rock band Fu Manchu. It features new drummer Brant Bjork (Kyuss) and new lead guitarist Bob Balch, replacing Eddie Glass and Ruben Romano, who left to form the band Nebula. The album was produced by Jay Noel Yuenger of White Zombie, who contributed some additional instrumentation.[1] The album sold 25,000 copies in the United States by May 2000.[10]

The Action Is Go
Studio album by
ReleasedOctober 7, 1997 (1997-10-07)
Recorded1997
StudioGrandmaster Recorders, Ltd. in Hollywood, California & Sound City Studios in Van Nuys, California
GenreStoner rock
Length55:43
LabelMammoth
ProducerJay Noel Yuenger
Fu Manchu chronology
In Search of...
(1996)
The Action Is Go
(1997)
Godzilla's/Eatin' Dust
(1999)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Chronicles of Chaos4/10[2]
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal8/10[3]
Entertainment WeeklyA−[4]
The Independent[5]
Kerrang![6]
NME8/10[7]
Rock Hard7.5/10[8]
Select[9]

According to AllMusic, the new lineup provided Fu Manchu with "the impetus and inspiration to really start moving forward,"[11] and the resulting album demonstrates the band's "punk energy, classic rock drive, psychedelic crunch, and heavy-ass grind all at once."[1]

Track listing

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No.TitleLength
1."Evil Eye"3:30
2."Urethane"3:36
3."The Action Is Go"3:06
4."Burning Road"5:47
5."Guardrail"2:57
6."Anodizer"4:26
7."Trackside Hoax"4:54
8."Unknown World"2:49
9."Laserbl'ast!"3:47
10."Hogwash"3:41
11."Grendel, Snowman"4:09
12."Strolling Astronomer"3:43
13."Saturn III"7:55
14."Nothing Done"1:15
European bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
15."Swami's Last Command"3:15
16."Module Overload"4:19

Personnel

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  • Scott Hill – vocals, guitar
  • Brant Bjork – drums
  • Bob Balch – guitar
  • Brad Davis – bass, theremin
  • Jay Noel Yuenger – producer, organ, Minimoog, Electro-Harmonix Space Drum

Notes

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  • "Module Overload" was first released on the Godzilla EP and was re-recorded with a new vocal line and a different middle part. The original version appears again on Eatin' Dust.
  • "Swami's Last Command" was originally a contribution to the soundtrack of the movie Chicago Cab (1998).
  • "Evil Eye" was featured on Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2.
  • Tony Alva (of Z-Boys) is on the CD cover skating in the "Dogbowl".
  • This albums introduces Brad Davis on the theremin which he used again on Start the Machine.

References

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  1. ^ a b c Raggett, Ned. "The Action Is Go Review". AllMusic. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
  2. ^ Bromley, Adrian (January 1, 1998). "CoC : Fu Manchu - The Action Is Go! : Review". Chronicles of Chaos. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  3. ^ Popoff, Martin (2007). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 3: The Nineties. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector's Guide Publishing. p. 163. ISBN 978-1-894959-62-9.
  4. ^ Sinclair, Tom (November 7, 1997). "Album Review: 'The Action Is Go'". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  5. ^ Lewis, Angela (March 14, 1998). "Pop: Album Reviews". The Independent. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  6. ^ Ruskell, Nick (November 2011). "Fu Manchu: The Action is Go". Kerrang!: 666 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die!. Bauer Media Group. p. 44.
  7. ^ Johns, Darren (April 18, 1998). "Fu Manchu - The Action Is Go". NME. Archived from the original on October 10, 2000. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  8. ^ "The Action Is Go". Rock Hard (Vol. 130) (in German). February 24, 1998. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  9. ^ Anon. (April 1998). "Albums: Witches, Crusties, XTC..." Select. EMAP. p. 93. Retrieved May 21, 2024 – via selectmagazinescans.monkeon.co.uk.
  10. ^ "Fu Manchu - Pollstar News". May 29, 2000. Retrieved May 22, 2024.
  11. ^ Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Fu Manchu: In Search Of... (Review)". AllMusic. Retrieved May 25, 2016.