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Bubble, Van Gogh's second full-length album, was unleashed on an unsuspecting world in 1995. It was decidedly more energetic and eccentric than The Final Scene, with more electric guitars and much bigger harmonies, proving that they were not interested in making the same album over and over. Bubble was bold and confident and dared you not to like it. One reviewer praised it as an "amazing record", saying, "almost every song here glistens with an iridescent pop brilliance." Wearing their musical hearts on their sleeves, Bubble has an enthusiastically Beatlesque feel to it, but without ever sounding forced or derivative. They pay homage to their musical heroes on some of the songs ("Mrs. Pinkerton", "Fields of Elanor", "In the Daze of the King"), while continuing to develop their own sound throughout ("Like I've Never Seen the Rain", "I'll Sit Beside You"). They also covered a version of The Beatles' "Dear Prudence" that has to be heard to be believed. "Dear Prudence" became their second video. Robby designed the album cover after the artist commissioned never came through with any work. In a last-minute panic, the album was renamed and Robby did his first ever design. Throughout '95, Van Gogh's performance schedule only got busier. They performed at the Augusta Arts Festival, the Clayton County Performing Arts Center, Shepherd Spinal Center's renaming dedication ceremony, and the one-year countdown to the Paralympic Games, among others. Without a doubt, one of the year's highlights was an invitation to perform two nights on the main stage at the Atlanta Arts Festival. The show was an extravaganza, incorporating dancers and special effects, and wowed audiences both nights. A full-page newspaper article praised the quality and scope of both the music and the performance. Van Gogh had definitely hit their stride. The band was once again invited to perform at the First Night Atlanta celebration. Due to the overflow crowds that had broken every existing fire code to see them the previous year, the First Night planners chose a much larger venue, the 14th Street Playhouse. Despite low overall turnout that year due to inclement weather, all four Van Gogh performances (four 50-minute shows) were standing room only. Van Gogh invited the dance company E=motion to join them on stage for a very unique performance. In 1996, Robby and Ricky began endorsing Invacare power-chairs, which they had been using onstage for years. They were featured in a two-page national magazine ad campaign, which won the company its first ever advertising awards.
Also in '96, Van Gogh was asked to perform and sign posters at the International Abilities Expo and MedTrade Expo. The response was so overwhelmingly positive that they were asked to appear at all five Abilities Expos across the country the following year. Finishing the year on a high-note, on December 31, Van Gogh appeared at their third straight First Night Atlanta celebration, at the largest venue available. 1997 was their busiest year yet.
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Robby Heisner: Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals, Specials Producer: Robby Heisner All Songs Written by Heisner, Heisner (except where noted): |
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