Wolftracks is an album by John Kay and Steppenwolf, released in 1982 by Wolf Records, with distribution by Nautilus Records in the U.S. and Attic Records in Canada.[1] It was the first new studio album in six years for John Kay, featuring a new line-up of Steppenwolf and Kay renaming the group accordingly.

Wolftracks
Studio album by
Released1982
Recorded1982
StudioOcean Way, Hollywood, California
GenreRock
Length45:09
LabelWolf
ProducerJohn Kay, Richard Podolor
Steppenwolf chronology
Skullduggery
(1976)
Wolftracks
(1982)
Paradox
(1984)
Singles from Wolftracks
  1. "Hot Night in a Cold Town"
    Released: 1981

Background

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In 1980, John Kay reclaimed the Steppenwolf name, touring as “John Kay & Steppenwolf.” The album Wolftracks, the first after the band reformed, was recorded "live" in the studio on a 2-track digital recorder, which was then a new medium.[2]

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [3]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide     [4]

The Globe and Mail wrote that "the basic elements are all there: Kay's husky, Wilson Pickett singing style dominates the digitally processed mix, and Michael Wilk adds the familiar, fat organ sounds to the lurching, half-soul and half-rock beat."[5]

Track listing

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Side one
  1. "All I Want Is All You Got" (John Kay) – 3:55
  2. "Time" (Kay, Michael Palmer, Kevin Kern) – 3:31
  3. "None of the Above" (Kay, M. Palmer, Steven Palmer) – 5:59
  4. "You" (Kay) – 3:50
  5. "Every Man for Himself" (Kay) – 3:19
  6. "Five Finger Discount" (Kay) – 4:36
Side two
  1. "Hold Your Head Up" (Rod Argent, Chris White) – 3:42
  2. "Hot Night in a Cold Town" (Rick Littlefield, Geoffrey Cushing-Murray) – 3:20
  3. "Down To Earth" (Kim Fowley, Ross Wilson) – 3:00
  4. "For Rock-N-Roll" (Kay) – 3:42
  5. "The Balance" (Kay) – 6:15

Personnel

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John Kay and Steppenwolf

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Additional musicians

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Technical

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References

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  1. ^ "Steppenwolf Biography by Mark Deming". AllMusic. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  2. ^ "Wolftracks-CD". Stepphenwolf.com. John Kay & Steppenwolf. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  3. ^ "Wolftracks John Kay & Steppenwolf". AllMusic. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  4. ^ The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 670.
  5. ^ Lacey, Liam (11 Sep 1982). "Wolftracks Steppenwolf". The Globe and Mail. p. F6.