You May Know Them, But Do You Know This?

The Tubes-No Way Out-1979- From the album "Remote Control"

https://youtu.be/4ZhTXSfJDQo?si=OrapijtIiCQ31rWY

Locally here in Southern California, on the 2 Los Angeles hard rock stations at the time, KMET and KLOS this got a fair amount of airplay. I was glad to find out it was the B-side of their 45 release "Prime Time" so I picked it up. Curious to know if it got airplay in other parts of the Country. Still one of my favorites.

Pivotal Role in Remote Control: Remote Control is a concept album inspired by Jerzy Kosiński’s Being There, centering on an average person who becomes completely consumed and hypnotized by television. "No Way Out"—the final track on Side 1 of the original LP—serves as the dramatic turning point where the protagonist realizes the suffocating, inescapable grip of media conditioning and consumption.

The Todd Rundgren / Utopia Sound: Produced by Todd Rundgren, the track leans heavily into his trademark late-’70s new-wave/power-pop production style. Critics and reviewers often note that "No Way Out" sounds strikingly like Rundgren’s own group Utopia—featuring driving, syncopated rhythm guitars, punchy drumming from Prairie Prince, and crisp synth textures.

Musical Contrast: On an album full of eclectic genre experiments—ranging from the sleazy disco-pop of "Prime Time" to reggae and lounge satire—"No Way Out" is appreciated for being a relatively straight-ahead, aggressive rocker that showcases the band's formidable technical musicianship.