Alan Rowan

Meet Alan Rowan from Limerick, Ireland.

It was only by chance that I came across the America Fans page as John O'Donoghue printed it out for me. I knew very little about the internet and I haven't direct access to it. John, who's sending this bio to Steve, was kind enough to give me the print out of the FANS ACROSS AMERICA page. As you can see from my collection [see below], I'm a keen fan of AMERICA and have been since I first heard HISTORY played on my brother's record player around 1975. I straight away loved the music, the words and the images they conjured up in my mind. Since then with the help of contacts I've made all over the place, I've managed to gather a large collection of memorabilia. It hasnt been easy but I think that's part of the thrill in getting something new each time.

Nowadays people this side of the water mainly know of AMERICA from "HORSE WITH NO NAME" and their other big hits, but would be suprised to hear that they're still around performing and recording. In all this time I have never got to see the band but I am heading to France to see them, definately Le Harve and maybe the other after that, all going well.

Here's my Collection:

SONGBOOKS: I have the following - Amercia, Homecoming, Hat-Trick, Holiday, Hearts, History, Harbor, and America Complete. I have two copies of History if anyone wants to trade for a copy of Hideaway.

OTHER BOOKS: I have "California Rock, California Sound" from 1978 which has a 20 page feature on AMERICA and some great pictures.

SCRAPBOOKS: I have a couple with numerous cuttings dating back to 1971 up to the present from British, American, Italian, and German magazines. All great stuff.

PROGRAMMES: I have a programme from the JAPANESE TOUR 1976. Great photographs, plenty of text, unfortunatly it's all in Japanese, but that's cool. I have also a photocopy in B&W from a concert in 1977 I think. I expext a programme in the post anytime now of a concert that AMERICA did with the group Family from 1971, very rare.

ALBUMS ON VINYL

1 AMERICA 1st, 2 copies (one with HORSE, one without)
2 Homecoming - 2 copies
3 Hat-Trick
4 Holiday
5 Hearts
6 History
7 Hideaway - two copies
8 Harbor - two copies
9 Live
10 Silent Letter - 2 copies
11 Alibi - 2 copies,french copy with Gatefold sleeve, great photo's
12 View From The Ground - 2 copies
13 Your Move - 3 copies
14 Perspective - 3 copies
15 In Concert - 2 copies
16 The Last Unicorn
17 Fourth Of July - A Rockin' Celebration 1986
18 Marcus David - Greatest Hits 1980 (Dewey sings lead vocals on "TOO MUCH TO DREAM")

Vinyl albums on which various members took part on.
19 Barnea And Barnes - Soak it Up
20 Soundtrack to California Dreamin'
21 David Blue - Coming Back For More
22 Dan Fogelberg - Souvenirs
23 Jimmy Webb - Angel Heart
24 Mike Hugg - Somewhere
25 Dave Mason - Mariposa de oro
26 Soundtrack - The Lonely Guy

Dan Peek on Vinyl

1 All Things Are Possible
2 Cross Over
3 Electro Voice
4 Door Of The Word

Dan peek on cassette

1 The Best of
2 Marvin & Gentry with Dan Peek - Light Of The World

Albums on CD: I have all The Warner Albums on CD, I got them in an import\ shop in Japan. I also have the following.
1 Venture Highway and other favourites
2 Encore: More Greatest Hits
3 Hourglass
4 Gerry Beckley - Van Go Gan
5 The Last Unicorn
6 Soundtrack to Cry Baby
7 Harry Nilsson -Tribute
8 View From The Ground
9 King Biscuit Flower Hour
10 In Concert
11 Marcus David - Greatest Hits
12 You Can Do Magic

CD SINGLES

1 3" single from Germany with Four of their hits.
2 Hope - 2 copies
3 Young Moon
4 Jeremy Jackson with AMERICA- I need you - 2 copies
5 Spanic -Sister Golden Hair - A hit in Spain and Germany with an unrecognisable dance version.

OTHER STUFF: The Christmas Album - AMERICA sings "Hark The Herald Angels Sing"
Song from "Middle Aged Crazy" taped from Video
Sister Golden Hair sung in spanish by AMERICA, released in Spain on single.
I have lots of singles but seeing as there's no non Album Tracks, I wont bother to list them.

T-SHIRTS: I have a large collection gathered over the years from contacts made. The earliest is The Silent Letter Tour 79'.

VIDEO: I have a massive collection of these, I'll try to list them all

1 "LIVE" in Central Park
2 The Last Unicorn
3 Harbor -Documentary plus TV appearances including God Rest/Do You Hear 83
All Around, The Border, Special Girl, Ventura Higway, Sister Golden Hair, OH Sherrie, You Can Do Magic.
4 More TV appearances on US TV
German TV show 1974,BRILLIANT
Austrialian TV show 87 & 88
Hawaii Beauty Pagent
Regis and Katie Lee 1994
RSH German awards 1995
5 Dick Clark show number 7
6 German TV show 1995, 1 hour Documentary and concert footage, SUPERB
Saturday Variety Show 5 mins
DC Beach Party - Sister Golden Hair
7 Earthquake aid 89
8 Rick Dees Show
Cover Story
Casey Kaseem
Paul Williams Show
Guitar Commercial 91
and loads more.

LIVE TAPES: In total I have 53 live tapes dating from 1972 from a concert in Holland up to a German Radio Broadcast of a concert in 95. On two of the tapes, the early ones, they perform songs that were never released (VERY RARE). Also various tapes from Italy. Most of them are from the US, a lot are of radio interviews which are excellent. But the concert ones, soundwise anyway, vary greatly from good to bad quality. If you would like the full list I will drop it to you as I would be very interested in TRADING with whoever would like to.

I can be contacted via snail mail

Alan Rowan
33 St Lawrences Park
Garryowen
Limerick
Ireland

Feel free to send your comments or questions to Alan in care of John O'Donoghue.