Based on a True Story (The Del-Lords album)

Based on a True Story is an album by the American band the Del-Lords, released in 1988 on Enigma Records. The band supported the album with a North American tour.

Production
Recorded in Los Angeles, the album cost $120,000. It was produced by Neil Giraldo. Pat Benatar duetted with Scott Kempner on "Poem of the River".

Critical reception
The Washington Post wrote that "Kempner spreads on the working-class persona a little thick at times, but this is still the equal of any previous Del-Lords set." The Toronto Star deemed the album "a rip-snorting, noisy, trashy little garage opus."

The Chicago Tribune determined that "the album, energy and polish notwithstanding, emerges as a good but not great package with a faintly 'generic' feel." The New York Times concluded that "the straightforward, stomping rock songs on the band's third album ... insist on independent thinking and truthfulness."

Track listing
All songs written by Scott Kempner.

Personnel

 * The Del-Lords
 * Scott Kempner – lead vocals, guitar
 * Eric Ambel – guitar, vocals, keyboards on "The Cool and the Crazy" and "River of Justice", lead vocals on "Judas Kiss" and "A Lover's Prayer"
 * Manny Caiati – bass guitar, vocals
 * Frank Funaro – drums, vocals
 * Additional musicians and production
 * Scotty Bem – gong
 * Pat Benatar – backing vocals on "Judas Kiss" & "Poem of the River"
 * Lenny Castro – percussion
 * Spyder Curtis James – keyboards on "Judas Kiss", "Poem of the River" and "Ashes to Ashes"
 * Frank Linx – vocals on "Cheyenne", "Whole Lotta Nothin' Goin' On", "A Lover's Prayer", "Judas Kiss" and "River of Justice"
 * Rev. Mojo Nixon – sermon on "River of Justice"
 * Johnny Powers – harp on "River of Justice" and "A Lover's Prayer"
 * Kevin Savigar – keyboards on "Whole Lotta Nothin' Goin' On" and "Poem of the River"
 * Kim Shattuck & Karen Blankfeld of The Pandoras – vocals on "The Cool and the Crazy"
 * Syd Straw – backing vocals on "Judas Kiss", "River of Justice" and "Ashes to Ashes"
 * Gordon Fordyce – engineer
 * Michael Frondelli – mixing
 * Neil Geraldo – production
 * Assistant engineers: Bill Cooper, Angus Davidson, Scott E. Gordon