Bette Bright is an English singer who emerged in the proto new wave band Deaf School, which released three albums on Warner Bros. She formed her own band, the Illuminations, for a pair of singles on Radar Records, followed by the 1981 album Rhythm Breaks the Ice. Soon after, she married Madness frontman Suggs and […]
Slayer was an American metal band from Huntington Park, California, that formed in 1981 and fixed its classic lineup around bassist-vocalist Tom Araya, guitarists Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman, and drummer Dave Lombardo. The band opened its catalog with Show No Mercy in 1983, followed by the Haunting the Chapel EP and the 1985 album […]
Tantra was a Portuguese symphonic-rock band that made the 1977/78 Epic albums Mistérios e Maravilhas and Holocausto, followed by the 1981 release Humanoid Flesh. Members: Manuel Cardoso (guitar), Armando Gama (keyboards, 1975-81), Américo Luis (bass, 1975-81), Pedro Luis (keyboards, 1975-81), TóZé Almeida (drums, 1975-81) Inception Tantra formed in 1975 in Lisbon, where guitarist Manuel […]
Foghat is an English hard-rock/blues band that formed in London in 1971 and built its main recording career in the United States after signing with Bearsville. The founding lineup paired singer-guitarist “Lonesome” Dave Peverett, slide guitarist Rod Price, bassist Tony Stevens, and drummer Roger Earl. Across twelve studio albums and one live set between 1972 and […]
Abacus was a German art-rock band that released the 1971/72 Polydor albums Abacus and Just a Day’s Journey Away, followed by the 1972–74 Zebra titles Everything You Need and Midway. Members: Hans Rolf Schade (guitar, percussion, sitar, vocals), Felix Hans (drums, percussion, vocals), Chris Williams (vocals, guitar), Klaus Kohlhase (bass, percussion, harmonica), Chris Barutzky (piano, […]
Matrix was an American nine-piece jazz-rock ensemble formed by pianist and composer John Harmon. They released a 1976 private-press debut, followed by the 1978/79 Warner albums Wizard and Tale of the Whale and the 1981 indie title Harvest. In 2000, they reunited for concert activity and cut the 2002 disc Proud Flesh. Members: Larry Darling […]
Samson was an English heavy metal band, formed in 1977 by namesake guitarist Paul Samson. They cut two 1978 singles on small-press Lightning Records, followed by the 1979 album Survivors on Laser. Drummer Thunderstick (aka Barry Graham Purkis) functioned as the band’s leather-masked mascot in photos and live shows, where he performed inside a metal […]
Affinity was an English jazz-rock/psych band that released a self-titled album on the Vertigo “swirl” label in 1970. Vocalist Linda Hoyle followed up the band with a 1971 solo album Pieces of Me. Drummer Grant Serpell resurfaced in 1974 with vaudeville-popsters Sailor. Members: Mike Jopp (guitar), Mo Foster (bass), Grant Serpell (drums), Linda Hoyle (vocals, […]
Pantha was an Australian Latin-jazz/rock band that released the 1975 album Doway Do Doway Do and three singles through Wizard Records. Members: Paul Curtis (lead vocals, percussion), Roger Pell (guitar, percussion, harmonies), Jack Wilson (bass, percussion), Dannie Bourne (electric piano, percussion, harmonies), Peter Lee (congas, percussion, drums), Adrian Paine (drums, percussion), Jose McLaughlin (keyboards, vocals), Barry […]
Pirana was an Australian Latin jam-rock band from Sydney that released the 1971–72 albums Pirana and Pirana II on Harvest. Members: Tony Hamilton (vocals, guitar), Stan White (keyboards, 1970-71), Keith Greig (keyboards, 1971-72), Jim Duke-Yonge (drums, percussion, 1970-73), Phil Hitchcock (bass, 1974), Andrew McCue (keyboards, flute, 1973), Richard McEwan (guitar, vocals, 1972), Paul Spetter (drums, […]
Crucis was an Argentine symphonic/hard-rock band that released back-to-back albums in 1976 on RCA Victor. Members: Gustavo Montesano (bass, guitar, vocals), José Luis Fernández (bass, 1974), Daniel Frenkel (drums, 1974-75), Daniel Oil (keyboards, 1974-5), Aníbal Kerpel (1975-77), Pino Marrone (guitar, vocals, 1975-1977), Gonzalo Farrugia (drums, percussion, 1975-77) Background Crucis formed in Buenos Aires in 1974 […]
Strife was an English hard-rock band that released the 1975 Chrysalis album Rush, followed by the 1978 Gull release Back to Thunder. Bassist Gordon Rowley became a mainstay of Nightwing. Members: Paul Ellson (drums, 1969-77), Peter Hobbs (bass, 1969), Pete Trotman (guitar, 1969-71), Gordon Rowley (bass, vocals, 1970-79), Graham Kin (keyboards, 1970), John Reid (lead […]
Aviary was an American symphonic/hard-rock band formed in Seattle from a north-central Washington partnership between keyboardists Brad Love and Paul Madden. The original five-piece released the self-titled Epic album Aviary, then made an unissued follow-up in Britain before closing the original run. Archival tapes surfaced on Ambition in 2003, and Love later revived the name […]
Spectrum was an Australian rustic-rock/jam band from Melbourne that debuted with the popular single “I’ll Be Gone” and the album Spectrum Part One on Harvest in 1971, followed by the double-album Milesago in 1972. A pair of live and studio releases on EMI in 1973 were co-credited to the band and their alter-ego the Incredible […]
Sun was an Australian jazz-rock-soul band from Sydney that released the album Sun 1972 on RCA Victor. Singer Renée Geyer launched a long-lasting solo career. Members: Renée Geyer (vocals, 1972), Keith Shadwick (saxophone, flute, clarinet, vocals), Chris Sonnenberg (guitar), George Almanza (piano), Henry Correy (bass), Garry Norwell (drums), Richard Clapton (vocals, 1972-73), Starlee Ford (vocals, […]
Tamam Shud was an Australian psych-rock band from Sydney that released the album Evolution on CBS in 1969, followed by Goolutionites and the Real People on Warner Bros. in 1970. Members: Bjerre (guitar, vocals), Peter Barron (bass), Dannie Davidson (drums, 1967-70), Tim Gaze (guitar, vocals, 1970-72, 1994-95), Bobby Gebert (keyboards, 1971), Richard Lockwood (saxophone, flute, […]
The Tarney–Spencer Band (alternately billed as Tarney & Spencer) was the Australian pop-rock duo of multi-instrumentalist Alan Tarney and drummer Trevor Spencer. They released a self-titled 1976 album on Bradley’s, followed by the 1978–79 A&M albums Three’s a Crowd and Run for Your Life. “No Time to Lose” remains an FM wildcard in select US […]
Tin Tin was an Australian orchestral-pop combo that released the 1970–71 albums Tin Tin and Astral Taxi on Atco–Polydor. They charted with “Toast and Marmalade for Tea,” a psychedelic Bee Gees pastiche produced by Maurice Gibb. Singer–keyboardist Steve Kipner (ex-Steve & The Board) formed the Los Angeles trios Friends and Skyband. After his 1979 solo […]
The Twilights were an Australian beat sextet that released thirteen singles and two albums between 1965 and 1968 on Columbia (EMI). Their concept album Once Upon a Twilight evolved from a planned TV series. They included future Axiom–Little River Band singer Glenn Shorrock and guitarist–songwriter Terry Britten, who later wrote hits for Cliff Richard and […]
Twenty Sixty Six and Then were a German symphonic/hard-rock band that released the 1972 album Reflections on the Future on United Artists. Members: Geff Harrison (vocals), Gagey Mrozeck (guitar), Steve Robinson [Rainer Geyer] (keyboards, vibraphone, synthesizer, Mellotron, vocals), Veit Marvos (keyboards, vibraphone, synthesizer, Mellotron, vocals), Konstantin “Konni” Bommarius (drums), Dieter Bauer (bass) Background Twenty Sixty […]
Mirage was an English jazz-rock band that released the 1977 album Now You See It… on Compendium. They featured journeyman guitarist Brian Godding (Blossom Toes, Julie Driscoll, Centipede, Magma), saxophonist George Khan (Mike Westbrook Orchestra, Solid Gold Cadillac, Arthur Brown, Robert Wyatt), drummer Dave Sheen (Ben, Jonathan Kelly’s Outside), and bassist Steve Cook (CMU, Gilgamesh). […]
Triana was a Spanish rock trio that released the 1975 Movieplay album El Patio, followed by five records on Gong Records, including the 1977–79 titles Hijos del Agobio and Sombra y Luz. Members: Eduardo Rodríguez Rodway (guitar), Jesús de la Rosa (organ, vocals), Juan José Palacios [aka Tele] (drums, percussion) Background Triana grew out of […]
Demon was an English hard-rock/metal band that released the 1981 Carrere album Night of the Demon and charted with their 1982 second, The Unexpected Guest. They followed with the epic 1983 release The Plague, their first of four Clay Records albums, followed by the 1989 Sonic title Taking the World by Storm. Members: Dave Hill […]
Pigbag was an English new wave jazz-funk band, best known for the 1982 UK hit “Papa’s Got a Brand New Pigbag.” They released five singles and the 1982–83 albums Dr. Heckle and Mr. Jive and Lend An Ear on Y Records. Members: Chris Hamlin (clarinet, percussion, 1980-81), Roger Freeman (trombone, percussion, 1980-82), James Johnstone (guitar, […]
Quill was an American symphonic-rock trio from Santa Barbara that recorded the two-movement suite Sursum Corda for a 1977 private test pressing. Syn-phonic issued the album on CD in 1993; Quill then appeared at Progfest in UCLA’s Royce Hall. Members: Keith Christian (vocals, bass, classical guitar), Ken DeLoria (Hammond organ, Moog, Mellotron, electric harpsichord, grand […]
Paul Young is an English soul-pop singer who first recorded with Streetband, which made two albums and charted with the 1978 novelty song “Toast.” In 1980, he fronted the R&B septet Q-Tips on one self-titled Chrysalis album. As a solo artist, Young released the 1983–86 CBS albums No Parlez, The Secret of Association, and Between […]
The Swell Maps were an English post-punk band that cut four singles and the 1979/80 Rough Trade albums A Trip to Marineville and …In “Jane From Occupied Europe”. Frontman Nikki Sudden launched a prolific solo career. Members: Nikki Sudden (vocals, backing vocals, guitar, piano, saxophone, percussion, harmonica, handclaps, balloon), Epic Soundtracks (piano, drums, organ, bass, […]
Ashra was the solo vehicle of German electronic musician and Ash Ra Tempel mastermind Manuel Göttsching. Under the Ashra name, he made the 1976/77 albums New Age of Earth and Blackouts. He formed a trio with keyboardist Lutz Ulbrich and drummer/synthesist Harald Grosskopf for the 1979/80 Ashra albums Correlations and Belle Alliance, all on Virgin […]
The Seeds were an American garage-rock band that released four 1966–67 studio albums and a 1968 live album on GNP Crescendo. They are best known for the folk-pop number “I Can’t Seem to Make You Mind” and the proto-punk classic “Pushing Too Hard,” both mainstays of sixties psych comps. Members: Sky Saxon (vocals, bass), Daryl […]
Il Baricentro was an Italian jazz-rock band that released the 1976–78 EMI Italiana albums Sconcerto and Trusciant. Members: Francesco Boccuzzi (keyboards, guitar, percussion), Vanni Boccuzzi (keyboards, percussion), Tonio Napolitano (bass, percussion), Piero Mangini (drums, percussion) Inception Il Baricentro formed in 1974 as an offshoot of Festa Mobile, a Bari symphonic trio with bassist Tonio Napolitano […]
Space was a French electro/space-funk band that released four albums between 1977 and 1980 on Vogue. Members: Didier Marouani [aka “Ecama”] (synthesizers, 1977-79, 1982-present), Roland Romanelli (synthesizers, 1977-80), Joe Hammer (drums, percussion, 1977-78), Cissy Stone (vocals, 1980), Jannik Top [aka Yannick Top] (bass, 1980), Patrice Tison (guitar, 1980) Background Space formed in France in 1977 […]
Valerie Carter (Feb. 5, 1953 — March 4, 2017) was an American pop singer active on the 1970s Laurel Canyon scene. She cut an album with the folk-trio Howdy Moon and made the 1977/78 Columbia solo albums Just a Stone’s Throw Away and Wild Child. Background Valerie Carter was born Valerie Gail Zakian Carter on […]
The Fatback Band was an American soul-funk rhythm ensemble from New York City, formed in 1970 by drummer–producer Bill Curtis. Fusing street funk, dance rhythms, and improvisational interplay, they pioneered an East Coast counterpart to West Coast soul collectives like War. As a studio and party band, Fatback blurred the line between live and sequenced […]
Bohannon (1942–2020) is an American percussionist, composer, and producer who started as an arranger at Motown. As a solo artist, he scored the 1974–75 UK hits “Foot Stompin Music,” “South African Man,” “Disco Stomp,” and the 1978 transatlantic crossover hit “Let’s Start the Dance.” Between 1973 and 1980, he cut six albums each for Dakar […]
The First Cosins Jazz Ensemble was an American jazz-funk supergroup that released the 1977 Capitol album For the Cos of Jazz. Members: David Shields (bass), James Gadson (drums), Nate Neblett (drums), Wah Wah Watson (guitar), Ray Parker (guitar), Larry Farrow (keyboards), Stu Gardner (keyboards), Allen Estes (percussion), Rudy Johnson (saxophone), Doug Richardson (saxophone, flute), Dick […]
Lindisfarne was an English folk-rock band from Newcastle upon Tyne that released four albums and a live disc between 1970 and 1973 on Charisma, followed by a 1974 fifth studio title on Elektra. After a mid-1970s disbandment where frontman Alan Hull recorded solo and the others formed Jack the Lad, the two parties reconvened for […]
Marquis de Sade was a French New Wave/art-punk band from Rennes that issued a pair of shortplayers on Terrapin in 1978, followed by two albums and a standalone single on Pathé between 1979 and 1981. Members: Philippe Pascal (vocals), Frank Darcel (guitar), Anzia (guitar, 1977-78), Christian Dargelos (bass, vocals, 1977-78), Pierre Thomas (drums, 1977-78), Thierry […]
Stray was an English hard-rock band that released five albums between 1970 and 1974 on Transatlantic Records, followed by three 1975–76 albums on Pye. They were mainstays of the festival circuit with slots at the 1971–72 Reading Rock events. Members: Steve Gadd (harmonica, guitar, vocals, percussion, 1966-74), Del Bromham (lead guitar, vocals, Mellotron, organ, harpsichord), […]
Egba was a Swedish jazz-rock band that released three albums and a live disc between 1974 and 1978 on Sonet, followed by four further albums between 1979 and 1985 on MNW. Members: Ulf Adåker (trumpet), Ulf Andersson (saxophone), Jan Tolf (guitar, 1971-74), Claes Wang (drums, percussion, 1971-74), Harald Svensson (piano, 1971-74), Stefan Brolund (bass, 1971-74), […]
Brân was a Welsh-language rock group active from 1974 through 1979. The group issued a four-song EP on Gwawr, then recorded three albums for Sain with guitarist and singer John Gwyn as the sole constant member. Members: John Gwyn (guitar, vocals), Nest Howells (vocals, keyboards), Gwyndaf Roberts (guitar), Dafydd Meirion (drums, flute), Louis Thomas (bass, […]
Bubu was an Argentine symphonic-rock septet that was active for five years during the 1970s. Their singular release from that period is the 1978 album Anabelas, which has since been hailed as one of the cornerstones of South American maximalist rock. The band would reunite four decades later and issue a second album. Members: Sergio […]
Linx was an English soul-funk group from London led by singer David Grant and bassist Peter “Sketch” Martin. They released two 1981 Chrysalis albums and placed six singles on the UK chart, including the Top 20 hits “Intuition,” ,“You’re Lying,” and “So This Is Romance.” Members: David Grant (lead vocals, percussion), Peter “Sketch” Martin (bass), […]
Coma was a Danish jazz-rock band that released the 1977–80 Genlyd albums Financial Tycoon and Amoc. Members: Jakob Mygind (saxophone), Leif Christensen (bass), Michael Bundgaard (keyboards), Flemming Friberg (guitar, vocals), Klaus Thrane (drums), Palle Rosenkrantz (percussion, guitar), Michael Friis (percussion, drums), Viggo Steincke (guitar) Background Coma formed in Frederikshavn in 1971 from a local pre-history […]
Ocean was a French hard-rock band that released the album God’s Clown on Crypto in 1976, followed by three albums on Barclay at the turn of the 1980s. Members: Georges Bodossian (guitar, synthesizer, vocals), Robert Belmonte (vocals, percussion, 1976-2004), Noël Alberola (bass, vocals, 1976-?), Bernard Leroy (drums, percussion, 1976-79), Jean-Pierre Guichard (drums, 1979), Alain Gouillard […]
Zoo was a French brass-rock band that released three albums between 1969 and 1972 on Riviera. Members: Michel Bonnecarrère (guitar), Tony Canal (trumpet), Daniel Carlet (saxophone, violin), Joël Daydé (vocals, 1968-70), Christian Devaux (drums), Pierre Fanen (guitar, 1968-70), André Hervé (keyboards), Michel Hervé (bass), Michel Ripoche (saxophone, violin, trombone), Ian Bellamy (vocals, 1970-72) Background Zoo […]
Penetration was an English rock band that cut the 1977 Virgin single “Don’t Dictate” and the 1978 album Moving Targets, a blend of punk and hard rock. After their 1979 album Coming Up for Air, singer Pauline Murray formed The Invisible Girls for a 1980 new wave album. Members: Pauline Murray (vocals), Gary Chaplin (guitar, […]
Elf was an American hard-rock band that released a self-titled 1972 album on Epic, followed by the 1974/75 MGM albums Carolina County Ball and Trying to Burn the Sun. They were a frequent opening act of Deep Purple, whose bassist, Roger Glover, produced Elf’s three albums. Singer Ronnie James Dio joined guitarist Ritchie Blackmore in […]
Andy Fairweather Low (born Aug. 2, 1946) is a Welsh vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter who first emerged as the frontman of late-1960s soul-rockers Amen Corner. After three albums, the band morphed into Fair Weather for two further albums. Between 1974 and 1976, Fairweather Low released three albums to local fanfare on A&M. After a fourth […]
Emmanuel Booz (born 1943) is a French symphonic/folk singer and composer who released four albums and six singles on Barclay, Atlantic, and Polydor during the 1970s. Background Emmanuel Booz was born in 1943 in Versailles, Île-de-France, France. Little is known about his childhood, but he was reportedly taken in by members of the French Resistance […]
Ma Banlieue Flasque was a French jazz-rock/Zeuhl band that released a self-titled album on Celluloid in 1979. Members: Philippe Maugars (guitar, vocals), Marc Ledevedec (guitar), Philippe Botta (flute, saxophone), Loïc Gautier (bass), Christian “Chypo” Cheype (drums, vocals) Background Ma Banlieue Flasque (“My Flabby Suburb”) formed in Ermont, Île-de-France, in 1978 as a continuation of Nova […]
Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft (German American Friendship, DAF) was the German NDW duo of singer Gabi Delgado and synth programmer Robert Görl. They released two indie titles, followed by the 1981/82 Virgin albums Alles ist Gut, Gold und Liebe, and Für Immer. After a three-year split, they regrouped for the 1986 release 1st Step to Heaven. […]
The 7th Wonder was an American soul-funk band from Tuskegee that released the 1978/79 Parachute albums Words Don’t Say Enough and Climbing Higher, followed by the 1980 Chocolate City title Thunder. Members: Jerome “Thump” Thornton (bass), Johnnie Hammond (drums, percussion), Marvin Patton (guitar, vocals), Iulus Chislom (keyboards), Allen Williams (percussion, vocals), Wilbert Cox (vocals), Deborah […]
Pumpkin was a Dutch jazz-rock band that released a 1975 self-titled album on Bubble. Members: Fred Leeflang (Baritone Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Bass Clarinet, Flute, Piccolo Flute), Frank Noya (Bass), Nanning Van Der Hoop (Drums, Percussion), Peter Schön (Piano, Electric Piano [Rhodes], Clavinet, Synthesizer [Arp], Strings) Background Pumpkin was a Dutch jazz-rock quartet with […]
Mi-Sex was a New Zealand new wave band that released four albums between 1979 and 1983 on CBS–Epic. Members: Don Martin (bass), Murray Burns (keyboards), Richard Hodgkinson (drums, 1977-1981), Steve Gilpin (vocals, 1977-1984), Kevin Stanton (guitar, 1977-1986), Paul Dunningham (drums, 1981-present), Colin Bailey (guitar, 1983-present) Background Mi-Sex formed in 1977 in New Zealand when vocalist […]
Brave New World was a German Krautrock band behind the 1970 single “The World’s Full of People” and the 1972 Vertigo album Impressions on Reading Aldous Huxley. Members: Dicky Tarrach (drums, percussion), Lucas Lindholm (bass, bass fiddle, organ, piano), Herb Geller (flute, cor anglais, alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone, organ), Reinhart Firchow (recorder, flute, […]
The Vapors were an English rock band that released the 1980–81 albums New Clear Days and Magnets on United Artists–Liberty. They foreshadowed the Second British Invasion with their transatlantic hit “Turning Japanese.” Members: David Fenton (vocals, guitar), Edward Bazalgette (lead guitar), Howard Smith (drums), Steve Smith (bass) Background The Vapors assembled in Guildford, Surrey, in […]
Tractor was the English post-psych duo of singer–guitarist Jim Milne and drummer Steve Clayton. They formed as The Way We Live, which released the 1971 album A Candle for Judith on John Peel’s Dandelion label. Renamed Tractor, they made a 1972 self-titled album. They half-completed a third album before Dandelion’s collapse and cut three singles […]
Shona Laing is a Kiwi singer/songwriter who rose to fame in her native New Zealand with a pair of teen-prodigy albums in 1973–74 on Vertigo and Philips. During the 1980s, she gained renown in the Northern Hemisphere with the hi-tech political numbers “(Glad I’m) Not a Kennedy” and “Soviet Snow,” both included on her 1987 […]
Good God was an American jazz-rock band from Philadelphia that released a 1972 self-titled album on Atlantic. Members: Zeno Sparkles (guitar, vocals), Cotton Kent [aka Carlton Kent] (keyboards, saxophone, vocals) Greg Scott (saxophone), John Ransome (bass), Hank Ransome (drums, vocals) Background Good God formed in early 1972 as a fusion supergroup drawn from Philadelphia’s underground […]
The Troll was an American pop-psych band from Chicago that cut four 1966/67 singles as The Trolls on ABC, followed by the 1968 album Animated Music on Smash Records. Members: Richard Clark (vocals, keyboards), Richard Gallagher (vocals, guitar), Kenneth Cortese [Ken Apples] (drums), Max Jordan Jr. (vocals, bass) Background They formed in 1966 as The […]
Missing Link was a German jazz-rock sextet from Munich that released the 1972 album Nevergreen! on United Artists. Members: Markus Sing (guitar), Günther Latuschik (saxophone), Gabriel Dominik Mueller (vocals), Dieter Miekautsch (keyboards), Dave Schratzenstaller (bass), Holger Brandt (drums) Background Missing Link formed around the rock core of guitarist Markus Sing, bassist Dave Schratzenstaller, and drummer […]
The Wild Magnolias were an American Mardi Gras Indian ensemble that merged traditional chants with a funk rhythm section. They worked with Willie Tee and members of The Gaturs on two albums in 1974 and 1975 for Barclay. Their blend of street-rooted vocal rituals and electric instrumentation linked New Orleans tribal culture with the city’s […]
The Enid was an English symphonic-rock band from Tenterden, Kent, that released the 1976 album In the Region of the Summer Stars on Buk Records and the 1977 sophomore effort Aerie Faerie Nonsense on EMI International. Two 1979 titles appeared on Pye, after which The Enid issued numerous 1980s albums on their eponymous label and […]
Akritas (Ακρίτας) was a Greek symphonic-rock trio that released a self-titled album on Polydor in 1973. The band included musician/vocalist Stavros Logarides, who would later records as a solo artist. Members: Άρης Τασούλης [Aris Tasoulis] (piano, organ, keyboards), Σταύρος Λογαρίδης [Stavros Logarides] (bass, acoustic guitar, vocals), Γιώργος Τσουπάκης [Giorgos Tsoupakis] (drums) Background Akritas formed in Athens […]
Smoke was an American soul group from Kansas City, Missouri, that released the 1976 album Risin’ on local-press J.Bridge Records. Members: Ernest Malone, Arthur Malone, Melvin Manning, Larry Brown For the West Coast soul-funk band behind the 1976 album BlackSmoke, click here. Background Smoke coalesced when Kansas City brothers Ernest and Arthur Malone teamed with […]
Eddie Russ (1934–November 1996) was an American jazz-funk keyboardist from Pittsburgh who released the 1974 album Fresh Out on Jazz Masters, followed by the 1976–78 Monument albums See the Light and Take a Look at Yourself. While under contract with that second label, he adopted the pseudonym Gaff Dunsun to participate in the singular album […]
Ace Spectrum was an American soul group from N.Y.C. that released three albums between 1974 and 1976 on Atlantic. Members: Henry “Red” Zant [aka Edward “Easy” Zant] (vocals), Aubrey “Troy” Johnson (vocals), Elliot Isaac (vocals), Rudy Gay (vocals), Frederick G. Duff (vocals), Lawrence “Dee” Coley (vocals) Background Ace Spectrum was formed in 1966 by singers […]
L’ Uovo di Colombo was an Italian symphonic-rock band that released a 1973 self-titled album on Columbia. Members: Toni Gionta (vocals), Enzo Volpini (keyboards, acoustic guitar, vocals), Elio Volpini (bass, guitar, vocals), Ruggero Stefani (drums, percussion, vocals) Background L’ Uovo di Colombo (Columbus’s Egg) formed in 1973 in Rome. Keyboardist Enzo Volpini and drummer Ruggero […]
The Power of Zeus was an American hard-rock/psych band from Detroit that released the 1970 album The Gospel According to Zeus on the Motown-subsidiary Rare Earth. They gigged for two years prior as Gangrene but changed names as a condition of their contract. Members: Joe Periano (guitar), Bill Jones (bass), Dennie Webber (Hammond organ, harpsichord, […]
The Second Coming was a nine-member American brass-rock band that released a self-titled album on Mercury in 1970. Members: Jack Kramer (trumpet, bugle, trombone, background vocals), Buddy Stephens (trumpet, lead vocals), Bill Dinwiddie (trombone, percussion, background vocals), Rick Rudolph (alto saxophone, baritone saxophone, alto flute, trombone), Les King (drums, congas, percussion, timpani), Dave Miller (Hammond […]
Ronnie Foster is an American organist and arranger who released eight albums between 1972 and 1986 and played on more than 200 jazz, funk, and soul titles. Background Ronnie Foster was born on May 12, 1950, in Buffalo, New York. He took an interest in music as a small child and studied accordion for one […]
Pages were an American adult-oriented rock band from Los Angeles that released the 1978–79 albums Pages and Future Street. Mainstays Richard Page and Steve George made a third album (also titled Pages) in 1981 on Capitol. They later co-founded Mr. Mister. Members: Steve George (keyboards, vocals), Richard Page (vocals, piano, clavinet, guitar), John Lang (lyrics) […]
Nancy Priddy is an American singer/songwriter who released the 1968 album You’ve Come This Way Before on Dot Records. Background Nancy Priddy was born January 22, 1941, in South Bend, Indiana. She worked as a radio DJ at age 12 and later studied drama at Oberlin College and Northwestern University. In 1961 and 1962, she […]
Larry Ridley (born Sept. 3, 1937) is an American jazz bassist from Indianapolis who released the album Sum of the Parts on Strata-East in 1975. Background Larry Ridley was born September 3, 1937, in Indianapolis and began violin lessons at age five with Ruth McArthur, whose school supported African American students amid segregation. Early classical […]
Naked Eyes were an English electro/art-pop duo composed of singer Pete Byrne and keyboardist Rob Fisher. They first appeared in late 1982 with a hi-tech cover of the Bacharach/David classic “There’s Always Something There to Remind Me.” In 1983, they released Burning Bridges on EMI, charting with “Promises Promises,” “When the Lights Go Out,” and […]
Glass Harp was an American psych-rock band that made three albums in 1971/72 on Decca. Guitarist Phil Keaggy became a world-class virtuoso and a leading light in contemporary Christian music. Members: Phil Keaggy (guitar), Daniel Pecchio (bass), John Sferra (drums), Steve Markulin (bass), Tim Burks (guitar), Randy Benson (violin), John Carrozzino Background Phil Keaggy emerged […]
Flame was an American hard-rock band from Brooklyn that released the 1977/78 RCA albums Queen of the Neighborhood and Flame. They later worked as backing players for Brooklyn-born German star Helen Schneider. Singer Marge Raymond had a background in session work and roots in the girl group era. She was one of many talents picked […]
David Werner is an American rock singer and songwriter from Pittsburgh. At nineteen, he signed with RCA and released the 1974–75 albums Whizz Kid and Imagination Quota, both influenced by the UK glam rock of David Bowie and Mott the Hoople. In 1979, he resurfaced with a new wave rock album on Epic. As a […]
Chelsea Beige was an American brass-rock band that released the 1971 Epic album Mama, Mama Let Your Sweet Bird Sing. Members: Allan Springfield, Billy Schwartz, Chris Efthimiam, Dominick Aloi, Earl Ford, John Scorzello, Kenny Lehman, Lloyd Michels, Stafford James Background Chelsea Beige formed in 1970 as a followup to The Last Ritual, an occultist psychedelic […]
Bobby Hutcherson (January 27, 1941 – August 15, 2016) was an American vibraphonist who started as a sideman for Les McCann, Eric Dolphy, and Grant Green. Between 1963 and 1977, he recorded twenty-one albums for Blue Note. Background He was born Robert Hutcherson on January 27, 1941, in Los Angeles. His earliest exposure to jazz […]
Zazu was an American rock band from Chicago that released a self-titled album in 1975 on Wooden Nickel. Members: Randy Curlee (bass, vocals), Mickey Lehockey (drums), John Melnick (keyboards, vocals), Paul Ripurero (guitar, vocals) Background Zazu formed in Chicago when keyboardist–composer John Melnick teamed with guitarist Paul Ripurero, bassist Randy Curlee, and drummer Mickey Lehockey. […]
