Kvartetten Som Sprängde was a Swedish jazz-rock/psych trio behind the 1973 album Kattvals on Gump. Members: Finn Sjöberg (guitar, bass, flute), Fred Hellman (keyboards), Rune Carlsson (drums) Background Kvartetten Som Sprängde (The Quartet That Blew Up) formed in 1972 in Stockholm when guitarist Finn Sjöberg teamed with singer Margareta Söderberg, drummer Rune Carlsson, and organist […]
Lach’n Jonsson is a Swedish musician and composer who emerged in Zut Un Feu Rouge, which made the 1985 RIO classic Who’s Afreud. Concurrently, he went solo with Music for the Dying Forest, issued as J. Lachen on the self-operated Bauta Records. He spearheaded the trio Ur Kaos, which debuted with a 1987 Bauta album, followed […]
Janne Schaffer (born Sept. 24 1945) is a Swedish jazz-rock guitarist, composer, and session musician who released more than twenty albums in solo and group configurations. He emerged from the Stockholm beat and studio scenes through the Sleepstones, Opus III, Björn J Lindh, Ted Gärdestad, and early ABBA, then went solo with a 1973 self-titled […]
Hot Salsa was a Swedish Latin-jazz/funk band behind a 1979 album on Montezuma, followed by the 1984–88 Amigo albums Maldito Primitivo and Hot Salsa Meets Swedish Jazz and the 1989 Rub-A-Dub title Vamonos Pa’ Cuba. Members: Amadeo Nicoletti, Bo Schelin, Ed Epstein, Erik henriksen, Fredrik Norén, Jan Levander, Johan Alenius, Malando Gassama, Manuel Mercedes, Mats Hermansson, […]
Ibis was a Swedish jazz-rock band behind a 1974 self-titled album on Grammofonverket, followed with the 1980 Dragon release Sabba Abbas Mandlar. They evolved from the post-psych band Vildkaktus. Members: Gösta Nilsson (keyboards, piano), Island Östlund (drums), Olle Nilsson (guitar), Tommy Johnsson (bass), Bengt Ernryd (trumpet, flugelhorn), Ed Epstein (saxophone), Mats Hellberg (drums), Stefan Isaksson […]
Horizont was a Swedish symphonic-rock band behind four singles and the 1978/79 CBS albums Horizont and Andra Vye. Members: Christian Rosenberg (keyboards), Jonas Isacsson (guitar), Thomas Lögren (drums), Tommy Gällhagen (bass), Tommy Nilsson (vocals) Background Horizont formed around 1975 in Upplands Väsby, Sweden, with singer Tommy Nilsson. Guitarist Jonas Isacsson later joined Nilsson in a […]
Häxmjölk was a Swedish jazz-funk band behind the 1976 album Eskimo Heat on Metronome. Members: Jan Tolf (guitar), Malando Gassama (percussion), Harald Svensson (keyboards), Guy Roellinger (bass), Lennart Åberg (saxophone), Kofi Bentsi-Enchill (bass) Background Häxmjölk formed in 1975 when guitarist Jan Tolf left the jazz-rock group Egba and teamed with keyboardist Harald Svensson. The founding […]
Hawk on Flight was a Swedish jazz-rock band behind the 1979 Nordisc title In Time For, followed by four albums through their 1989 release Bermuda Triangle, plus three Nineties-era discs. Members: Matz Nilsson (bass), Håkon Graf (piano, keyboards), Lars Jansson (piano, keyboards), Dan Helgesen (piano, keyboards), Frederik Adlers (piano, keyboards), Tomas Darelid (piano, keyboards), Håkan […]
Gycklarnas Afton was a Swedish jazz-rock band that self-released a 1980 self-titled album. Members: Villy Karlsson (keyboards), Erik Berg (guitar), Per Gustavsson (saxophone), Lasse Schmoranz (bass), Per Schmoranz (drums), Olle Schmoranz (percussion) Background Gycklarnas Afton emerged in Gamleby, Sweden, around three sibling rhythm players: bassist Lasse Schmoranz, drummer Per Schmoranz, and percussionist Olle Schmoranz. The […]
Grace were a Swedish symphonic-rock band that released the album Blind on MNW-subsidiary Manifest in 1981. Members: Bernt Ek (bass, vocals), Dick Greuz (guitars), Henrik Thall (keyboards), Jan Lundberg (drums), Jan Morin (guitars), Mikael Junell (keyboards) Discography: Blind (1981)
The Foundation were a Swedish symphonic-rock band that issued the album Departure on self-press Heavenly Heights Records in 1984. Members: – Discography: Departure (1984)
Vanessa was a Norwegian jazz-rock band that made the 1975 album City Lips for the On label, followed by the popular 1976 release Black and White on Compendium. Members: Svend Undseth (flute, saxophone, guitar), Frode Holm (keyboards), Thorsten Dulsrud (drums), Harald Salater (bass), Jan Erik Pedersen (bass), Knut Værnes (guitar), Frank Aleksandersen (drums), Håkon Graf […]
Lava were a Norwegian smooth-rock band that issued four albums on Polydor between 1980 and 1984, followed in 1990 by a comeback on Mercury. A trio of albums on Tylden appeared during the 2000s. Members: Svein Dag Hauge (guitar, vocals), Per Hillestad (drums, percussion), Geir Langslet (keyboards, vocals), Stein Austrud (keyboards), Stein Eriksen (keyboards, 1977-80), […]
Thule were a Norwegian symphonic/goth band that self-released six albums between 1985 and 2004. Members: Jens Morten Søreide (vocals, 1983-85), Einar Jan Larsen (guitar, 1983-85), Even Gaare (drums, 1983-85), Steve Riise Jensen (guitar, vocals, 1985-present), Peer-Einar Pedersen (bass, vocals, 1985-present), Pål Valle (keyboards, vocals, 1985-93), Jens Haugan [Frommholz] (drums, 1986-87), Hugo Barbala (drums, percussion, 1988-present) […]
Sven Libaek (born Sept. 20, 1938) is a Norwegian-born/Australian-based keyboardist, composer, conductor, and producer with a recording career that spanned two decades. Between 1965 and 1986, he released more than eighteen albums and movie/television soundtracks. Background Sven Erik Libæk was born on September 20, 1938, in Oslo, Norway. His father worked as an impresario who […]
St. Helena was a Norwegian folk-rock/psych band that recorded roughly an album’s worth of material circa 1973/74 that appeared on the archival discs Hello Friend and Early Daze. Members: Fezza Ellingsen (guitar, flute), Rolf Andersen (vocals, acoustic guitar), Kjell Are Playm (keyboards, vocals), Ray Briseid (bass), Willy Bendiksen (drums) Background St. Helena formed in Hammerfest […]
Octopus was a Norwegian symphonic-rock band that released the album Thærie Wiighen in 1981 on Octocon. Members: Tore Aarnes [aka Y Me] (keyboards), Olaf Dahle, Henry “Nunne” Holden (vocals), Frank Berg Olsen (drums), Roar Søderlind (drums, bass), Jon Ola Sand, Dag Bjune (bass) Discography: Thærie Wiighen (1981)
Lotus was a Norwegian jazz-rock band that released a 1979 self-titled album on Nor-Disc. Members: Åsmund Snortheim (bass), Bent Patey (guitar), Ole Henrik Giørtz (piano), Espen Rud (percussion, drums), Finn Sletten (drums, 1976-79), Vidar Johansen (tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute, 1977-83), Audun Kleive (drums, 1981-83) Background Lotus formed in 1975 in Oslo when Bazar alumni […]
Akasha was a Norwegian symphonic/space-rock band that released a self-titled album on Bat in 1977. Members: Sverre Svendsen (vocals, Mellotron), Kjell Evensen (drums), Arild Andreassen (bass), Jens Ivar Andreassen (guitars, Mellotron, synthesizer, piano, organ), Tor-Jonny Hansen (lyrics) Background Akasha formed in the mid-1970s in Kjøllefjord, Finnmark, among amateur musicians connected to a local counterculture club. […]
Kong Lavring was a Norwegian folk-rock band that released two albums between 1977 and 1978 on Nor-Disc. Members: Liv Nelle Solberg (vocals, melodica), Jørn Jensen (vocals, dulcimer, mandolin, crumhorn, guitar), Per Ladegaard (guitar, mandolin, dulcimer), Geir Holmsen (bass), Arne Hågensen (drums), Marit Jordbræk (vocals), Petter Lindstad (drums), Knut Ellevold (vocals, bass), Lars Just Nilsen (recorder), […]
Karin Krog is a Norwegian jazz singer from Oslo who made her recording debut on Metropol Jazz in 1963 and released her first album, By Myself, the following year. Her discography spans standards, free improvisation, electronic voice treatments, and duo settings, with Dexter Gordon, Archie Shepp, Steve Kuhn, Red Mitchell, Bengt Hallberg, and John Surman […]
Hole in the Wall was a Norwegian rustic folk-rock band that made a 1972 self-titled album on Sonet, followed in 1978 by Rose of Barcelona on Mercury. Members: Erik Moll (vocals, guitar), Rune Walle (guitar, vocals, piano), Trygve Thue (guitar), Harald Dyb (accordion), Kaare Øivind Moldestad (bass), Gunnar Bergstrøm (drums), Lasse Berntzen (guitar, accordion), Inge […]
Anni-Frid Lyngstad — known professionally as Frida (born Nov. 15, 1945) — is a Norwegian-born singer best known as one-fourth of the Swedish pop sensation ABBA. In 1982, she achieved solo success with the Phil Collins-produced Something’s Going On and its Russ Ballard-penned title track. Discography: Something’s Going On (1982)
Frode Thingnæs (May 20, 1940 — Nov. 15, 2012) was a Norwegian trombonist, composer, and arranger who played on numerous jazz and pop albums, starting in the early Sixties. As a bandleader, he made the 1974 Polydor jazz-funk album Feelin’ All Right and led the 1978–80 quintet titles Night Sounds and Direct to Dish on […]
Flax was a Norwegian hard-rock band that made the 1976 Vertigo album One, followed by the 1980 Harvest release Monster Tapes. Members: Hermod Falch (vocals), John Hesla (guitar, flute), Bruce C. Rasmussen (drums, 1972-75), Arve Sakariassen (bass, 1972-75), Lars Hesla (keyboards), Morten Jakobsen (drums, 1978-?), Willy Bendiksen (drums, 1978-?), Jørun Bøgeberg (bass, 1978-81) Background Flax […]
Déjà-Vu was a Norwegian symphonic-rock band that self-released the 1976 album Between the Leaves. Initially limited to a run of 100 copies, the album later reappeared on Research Records. Members: Svein Rønning (guitar, vocals), Harald Otterstad (keyboards), Kai Grønlie (vocals), Per Amundsen (bass), Knut Lie (drums, vocals) Background Déjà-Vu formed in summer 1975 in Østfold […]
Bridges were a Norwegian art-rock quartet that made the 1980 album Fakkeltog on self-press Våkenatt. Guitarist Paul Waaktaar and keyboardist Magne Furuholmen later teamed with singer Morten Harket in the art-pop trio a-ha. Members: Magne Furuholmen (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Paul Waaktaar-Savoy (vocals, guitar), Øystein Jevanord (drums), Viggo Andreas Bondi (bass) Background Bridges formed in 1978 […]
Blow Out was a Norwegian jazz-rock band that released a 1977 self-titled album on Compendium. Members: Håkon Graf (keyboards), Jon Eberson (guitars), Sveinung Hovensjø (bass), Jon Christensen (drums), Miki N’Doye (percussion) Background Blow Out formed in 1977 in Oslo when keyboardist Håkon Graf initiated a project with bassist Sveinung Hovensjø, drummer Jon Christensen, and guitarist […]
Blaupunkt were a Norwegian New Wave band that issued a standalone single on Torpedo and a self-titled album on Sonet between 1980 and 1982. Members: Tone Rønning (vocals), Kåre Berntzen (guitar), Harald Haakstad (guitar), Bjørn Rølla (bass), Ola Snortheim (drums), Gunnar Hanslien (drums) Discography: “Cupfinalen” / “Jostein og Elskerinna til Torstein” / “La Meg Være […]
Bazar were a Norwegian folk-rock band that issued two albums on Samspill/Mai between 1973 and 1974. Members: Brynjulf Blix (keyboards), Ole Henrik Giørtz (vocals), Bent Patey (guitar), Øyvind Rauset (fiddle, 1976-77), Per Vestaby (bass, 1978-79), Kåre Virud (guitar) Discography: Det er ikke så enkelt (1973) Drabantbyrock (1974)
Espen Beranek Holm is a Norwegian new wave musician known professionally as Beranek. He scored a hit with “Dra te Hælvete,” followed by the albums Sound of Danger, X-Ray, and Trigger on the Mind Expanding and Snowflake labels. He returned on Epic with the 1986–88 titles Daylight in the Dark and The Red File. Background […]
Barock was a Norwegian jazz-rock/folk band that released the 1976 Mercury album Bare en Blåveis. Members: Magne Høyland, Anders Bru, Bjørn Aslaksen, Reidar Olsen, Sveinung Sand, Tommi Haukland Background Barock formed around 1970 in Stavanger as a continuation of Witchcraft, which included singer Magne Høyland, guitarist Bjørn Aslaksen, bassist Reidar Olsen, guitarist Terje Munthe, and […]
A-ha are a Norwegian art-pop band that soared to international fame with the 1985 hits “Take On Me” and “The Sun Always Shines on TV,” both accompanied by semi-animated videos and included on their debut album Hunting High and Low. They followed with the 1986–90 Warner albums Scoundrel Days, Stay on These Roads, and East […]
Alf Emil Eik is a Norwegian musician, composer, and vocalist who made the 1979 Harvest album Joy and Breath of Eternity. Background Alf Emil Eik was born March 24, 1953, in Arendal, Norway, where he took interest in recording technology and moved between different instruments through his youth. By 1972, he moved to Oslo for […]
The Power Station was an English-American modern-rock/R&B super-project that issued a 1985 self-titled album on Parlophone (UK) and Capitol (US). Guitarist Andy Taylor and bassist John Taylor (no relation) hailed from Duran Duran while drummer Tony Thompson came from Chic along with the album’s producer, Bernard Edwards. Robert Palmer fronted each track but resumed his […]
Grim Reaper was an English hard-rock/metal band that circulated the demo cassette Bleed ’Em Dry and emerged on RCA with the 1983–87 albums See You in Hell, Fear No Evil, and Rock You to Hell. Members: Nick Bowcott (guitar, 1979-88), Paul DeMercado (vocals, 1979-82), Kevin Neale (bass, 1979-81), Phil Matthews (bass, 1981), Dave Wanklin (bass, […]
Grand Prix was an English hard-rock band that made the 1980–82 RCA albums Grand Prix and There for None to See, followed by the 1983 Chrysalis release Samurai. Members: Robin McAuley (vocals, 1981-84), Michael O’Donaghue (guitar, 1980-84), Ralph Hood (bass, 1980-84), Phil Lanzon (keyboards, 1979-84), Andy Bierne (drums, 1980-83), Bernie Shaw (vocals, 1978-81), Clive Edwards […]
Tierra was an American Latin-rock band from Los Angeles that made a 1973 self-titled album on 20th Century Records, followed by the 1975 Salsoul release Stranded. They returned with the 1980–82 albums City Nights, Together Again, and Bad City Boys on Boardwalk Entertainment. Their Intruders cover “Together” became a 1981 Billboard hit. Members: Rudy Salas […]
Riot are an American hard-rock band formed in New York in 1975 by guitarist Mark Reale. The 1977–81 albums Rock City, Narita, and Fire Down Under established the first recording phase, while the 1988 album Thundersteel introduced a faster heavy-metal lineup and sound. Reale led successive Riot lineups through the 2011 album Immortal Soul; following […]
Wings were an American folk-rock/psych band from San Francisco that released a self-titled album on Dunhill in 1968. Members: Jerry Peloquin, Jim Mason, Oz Bach, Pam Robins, Steve Knight Discography: Wings (1968) Sources: Discogs: Wings
The Split Decision Band were an American soul-funk band from Des Moines, Iowa, that released a standalone single on local-press Network Records in 1978. The band recorded an album’s worth of material that was issued four decades after the fact by archivists Now-Again. Members: Gordon Starr Flipping (guitar, synthesizer, vocals), Jerry Macmahon (bass), Ronnie Macmahon […]
Hajime Tachibana — 立花ハジメ (born Oct. 28, 1951) — is a Japanese guitarist from Tokyo who recorded three albums with New Wavers the Plastics during the early 1980s. As a solo artist, he issued three albums on Yen Records between 1982 and 1984, followed by two titles on Midi Inc. Discography: H (1982) Hm (1984) […]
EPO (エポ) — aka Eiko Sato (佐藤榮子: born, May 12, 1960) — is a Japanese vocalist and songwriter from Tokyo who released four albums on RCA between 1980 and 1982, followed by six titles on Dear Heart during the ensuing five-year period and two further discs at decade’s end on Midi Inc. Discography: Down Town […]
Gerard were a Japanese symphonic-rock band that released two albums and an EP on Nexus in 1984/85. A lengthier run of titles appeared on Trycle, Musea, and Avalon during the subsequent quarter-century. Members: Toshio Egawa (keyboards), Yukihiro Fujimura (vocals, guitar, 1983-92), Masaki Tanimoto (drums, 1983-84), Yasumasa Uotani (bass, 1983-84), Toshimi Nagai (bass, 1990-92), Kota Igarashi […]
Eiichi Ohtaki — 大瀧詠一 (July 28, 1948 — Dec. 30, 2013) — was a Japanese singer, songwriter, and arranger from Esashi, Iwate, who cut four albums with folk-rockers Happy End during the early 1970s. As a solo artist, he released two albums on Bellwood Records between 1972 and 1975. During the ensuing eleven-year period, he […]
After Dinner was a Japanese art-pop band led by singer/composer Haco. They made the 1984 Kang-Gung album Glass Tube and the 1989 RecRec disc Paradise of Replica. Haco appears in Fred Frith‘s 1990 musical travelogue Step Across the Border. Background After Dinner formed in Kobe in 1981 when singer-keyboardist Haco met prospective players through Kageroh […]
Nasty Pop was an English pop-rock band that released a self-titled album on Island in 1975, followed by Mistaken I.D. on Polydor in 1977. Musically, the band crossed the folksy whimsy of Stackridge and Stealers Wheel with the updated Revolver-isms of Pilot and the string-laden effervescence of Jigsaw. Members: Jon Fitzpatrick (piano, vocals), Steve Grace […]
Martin Wall is a Canadian keyboardist and songwriter who self-released the 1977 album Metaphysical Facelift. That same year, he cut an album with local rockers Vehicle. In 1980, he resurfaced in the new wave/synthpop act Instructions. Background Martin Wall grew up in Hamilton, Ontario. His grandmother was a classical pianist. Wall studied at the Royal […]
Squiggly Wigglies were an American zolo band from Portland that released five singles and three albums on Sforzando between 1991 and 1994. Members: Terry Sharkie (guitar, banjo, percussion, vocals), Toby Korder (xylophone, piano, synthesizer), Ezra Doyle (bass, vocals), Igor (drums), Mimi Giddy (vocals), Victoria Fifi (slide whistle, backing vocals) Squiggly Wigglies formed in the summer […]
Grace was an English rock band from Stoke-on-Trent that released two singles and a self-titled album in 1980/81 on MCA. Singer Mac Austin and reedist Harry Davies formed the synthpop trio White Door. Members: Mac Austin (lead vocals), Dave Rushton (bass), Harry Davies (flute, saxophone, whistle), Dave Edge (guitar, backing vocals, 1977-98), Phil Brown (drums, […]
Gordon Haskell (April 27, 1946 — Oct. 15, 2020) was an English musician, vocalist, and songwriter who emerged in the beat combo Les Fleur de Lys during the mid-1960s. As a solo artist, he released the album Sail in My Boat on CBS in 1969, followed by the popular It Is and It Isn’t on […]
Girl was an English pop-metal band from London that released the 1980–82 albums Sheer Greed and Wasted Youth on Jet Records. Guitarist Phil Collen joined Def Leppard in time for Pyromania. Members: Phil Lewis (vocals), Gerry Laffy (guitar), Phil Collen (guitar, 1979-82), Dave Gaynor (drums, 1979-81), Mark Megaray (bass, 1979), Simon Laffy (bass, 1979-82), Pete […]
Beckett was an English rock band from Newcastle that released a self-titled album on Raft Records in 1974. Singer Terry Wilson-Slesser subsequently fronted Back Street Crawler, formed by ex-Free guitarist Paul Kossoff. After Kossoff’s death, that band morphed into Crawler. In 1983, he joined Charlie and sang on their transatlantic hit “It’s Inevitable.” Members: Kenny […]
Witchfynde was an English hard-rock/metal band, active six years on the midlands circuit before their 1980 albums Give ‘Em Hell and Stagefright, both on Rondelet Music. They reappeared with the 1983 Expulsion album Cloak & Dagger, followed by the 1984 Mausoleum release Lords of Sin. Members: Trevor Taylor [aka Montalo] (guitar), Gra Scoresby (drums), Neil […]
November was a Swedish post-psych power trio that released three albums on Sonet between 1970 and 1972. Members: Björn Inge (drums, vocals), Christer Stålbrandt (bass, vocals), Richard Rolf (guitar) They evolved from The Imps, formed in 1968 by bassist/singer Christer Stålbrandt and drummer Björn Inge. Stålbrandt soon left to form a new band, Train, with Terence […]
Joe O’Donnell (born Sept. 4, 1948) is an Irish violinist who played with various folk and rock bands between the late 1960s and mid-’70s. In 1977, he released the jazz-rock solo album Gaodhal’s Vision on Polydor. Discography: Gaodhal’s Vision (1977)
Wooden Horse was an English-Australian folk-rock band that released two eponymous albums in 1972/73 on York Records. They featured singer Susan Traynor, who found subsequent fame as Noosha Fox in the art-pop band Fox. Members: Susan Traynor [Noosha Fox] (vocals), Graham Vick, David “Dave” Mateer (guitar, vocals), Malcolm Harrison (guitar, vocals), Steve Marwood (lead guitar), […]
Wilding/Bonus were an English jazz-rock duo that issued the 1978 album Pleasure Signals on DJM (U.K.) and Passport-subsidiary Visa (U.S.). The duo consisted of flutist Danny Wilding and guitarist Pete Bonus, augmented on select tracks by ex-Traffic percussionist Rebop Kwaku Baah, future-Dream Academy oboist Kate St. John, and members of Automatic Man and Brand X. […]
Wildfire was an English hard-rock band behind the 1983/84 albums Brute Force and Ignorance and Summer Lightning, plus the standalone “Jerusalem,” on the Belgian metal label Mausoleum Records. Members: Paul Mario Day (vocals), Jeff Summers (guitars), Martin Bushell (guitar), Jeff Brown (bass), Bruce Bisland (drums) Background Wildfire formed in 1982 in London when singer Paul […]
White Spirit was an English hard-rock/metal band behind a 1980 self-titled album on MCA. Guitarist Janick Gers joined Gillan and later tenured with Iron Maiden. Members: Bruce Ruff (vocals), Janick Gers (guitar), Phil Brady (bass), Graeme Crallan (drums), Malcolm Pearson (keyboards), Mick Tucker (guitar) Background White Spirit formed in the summer of 1975 in Hartlepool, […]
Weaselsnout was the moniker of English folk-psych musician Julian Mount, who issued the album Unsung Lies on Deroy Sound Service in 1973. Members: Julian Mount (vocals, acoustic guitar) Discography: Unsung Lies (1973)
Grant Green (June 6, 1935 — Jan. 31, 1979) was an American jazz guitarist and composer from who released more than 20 albums on Blue Note between 1961 and his death in 1979 at age 43. Background Grant Green was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri. He received early guitar instructions from his father, […]
Ferris was a Finnish jazz-rock/psych band behind a 1971 self-titled album on Love Records. Guitarist Dave Lindholm proliferated as a solo singer-songwriter. Members: Dave Lindholm (guitar, vocals), Heikki Hiekkala (organ, guitar, vocals), Matti Saxelin (drums, percussion), Jaakko Itävaara (bass), Klaus Stolt (bass, 1971) Background Ferris Wheel formed in 1969 in Helsinki when bassist Jaakko “Jake” […]
Piirpauke are a Finnish ethno-jazz/rock band that released two albums and a live disc on Love between 1975 and 1978, followed by a round of titles on Ponsi, Kerberos, and Rockadillo during the 1980s. Members: Sakari Kukko (wind instruments, keyboards, kantele, percussion, vocals), Antti Hytti (bass), Hasse Walli (guitar), Jukka Wasama (percussion), Juha Björninen (guitar), […]
Nova was a Finnish symphonic-rock band from Helsinki that released a 1975 standalone single and the 1976 album Atlantis, both on Love Records. Members: Antti Ortamo (keyboards, vocals, guitar, harmonica), Jukka Marjala (drums), Veikko Kumpula (bass, 1975), Junnu Kostia (guitar, 1975), Michael Wasenius (guitar, 1975-?), Petri Peltola (bass, 1975-?) Background Nova formed in Helsinki in […]
Yellow were a Finnish hard-rock/psych band from Turku, Varsinais-Suomi, that released the album Keltakuume on Finnlevy in 1975. Members: Hannu Takala (lead vocals, piano, percussion), Melvin McRae (guitar, vocals), Helge Koskela (bass), Raimo Osterman (drums) Discography: Keltakuume (1975)
Don Pullen (Dec. 25, 1941 — April 22, 1995) was an American avant-garde jazz pianist and organist from Roanoke, Va., who co-featured with drummer Milford Graves on a pair of 1966/67 live releases on SRP Records. Pullen played on albums by Charles Williams, Charles Mingus, and George Adams, then cut multiple bandleader titles Atlantic and […]
Frank Lowe (June 24, 1943 — Sept. 19, 2003) was an American free-jazz saxophonist and composer from Memphis who cut the 1973 album Black Beings on ESP Disk, followed by titles on assorted labels through 1985 in solo and collaborative form. Background Frank Lowe was born June 24, 1943, in Memphis, Tennessee. As a child, […]
Mother Mallard’s Portable Masterpiece Co. was an American electronic group that released a 1973 self-titled album on Earthquack, followed in 1976 with Like a Duck to Water. Further material, mostly Seventies archival tracks, later appeared on Cuneiform. Members: David Borden (Moog, Minimoog, electric piano), Steve Drews (Moog, Minimoog, electric piano), Linda Fisher (Moog, Minimoog, 1969-74), […]
Herbie Mann (April 16, 1930 — July 1, 2003) was an American jazz flutist, multi-reedist, bandleader, and producer. He recorded prolifically for Atlantic through the 1960s and 1970s with rotating guests that included Chick Corea, Roy Ayers, Sonny Sharrock, Larry Coryell, Miroslav Vitous, and Duane Allman. Mann moved from bop-based small-group jazz toward Afro-Latin and […]
The V.S.O.P. Quintet was an American post-pop/jazz supergroup featuring the seasoned talents of keyboardist Herbie Hancock, saxophonist Wayne Shorter, trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Tony Williams. The band released two live double-LPs in 1977 and a third in 1979, followed by a studio album, all on CBS/Sony. Members: Herbie Hancock (keyboards), Freddie […]
Sheila E. is an American percussionist who started in Pete & Sheila Escovedo, a father/daughter Latin-funk duo. An associate of Prince, she charted with her 1984 solo debut The Glamorous Life and the Krush Groove number “A Love Bizarre,” included on her 1985 Paisley Park release In Romance 1600. Background Sheila E. was born Sheila […]
Zee was the collaborative project of English musicians Richard Wright (Pink Floyd) and Dave Harris (Fashion). The project yielded the album Identity on EMI’s Harvest imprint in 1984. That same year, Harris backed Limahl on the ex-Kajagoogoo singer’s debut solo album Don’t Suppose. Members: Richard Wright (keyboards, percussion, Fairlight, vocals), Dave Harris (guitar, keyboards, percussion, […]
Cymande was a multi-national funk-psych band assembled in London, England, by Guyanese musicians Steve Scipio and Patrick Patterson. They released three albums between 1972 and 1974 on Janus Records, then returned in 1981 with Arrival. Members: Ray King (vocals, percussion), Steve Scipio (bass), Derek Gibbs (soprano saxophone, alto saxophone), Pablo Gonsales (congas), Joey Dee (vocals, […]
The Cuddly Toys were an English New Wave/art-rock band that released the album Guillotine Theatre in 1979 on Japan’s Overseas Records label. Two years later, the album was issued in the U.K. on small-press Fresh Records, which released the band’s second album, Trials and Crosses, in 1982. Four-fifths of the band were previously known as […]
Agnes Strange was an English hard-rock trio from Southampton that released the album Strange Flavour on small-press BirdsNest in 1975, followed by a standalone single on Baal in 1977. During the 1972–74 period, the band recorded an album’s worth of material that was twice issued in 2000: as Dust In the Sunlight on Thorns Backtrack […]
Keith Tippett (Aug. 25, 1947 — June 14, 2020) was an English free-jazz pianist and bandleader who was active for five decades, starting in the late 1960s. He led the experimental big band Centipede and played on the 1970 King Crimson albums In the Wake of Poseidon and Lizard. During the next two decades, he […]
Downliners Sect were an English R&B/beat group from Twickenham that emerged from the London club circuit in 1963. Columbia issued twelve singles by the group between 1964 and 1966, including “Baby What’s Wrong,” “Little Egypt,” and “All Night Worker.” The Downliners released three albums: The Sect, The Country Sect, and The Rock Sect’s In. Members: […]
SOD was an American brass-rock band from Las Vegas behind the 1971/72 Decca albums SOD and Face the Music. Drummer Larry Devers hailed from the local jazz-psych band Loadstone, which issued a 1969 self-titled album. Members: Cal “California” Arnold (bass), Larry Devers (drums, percussion), Michael Green (trumpet), Rick Kellis (saxophone), Jo Jo Molina (keyboards), Don […]
Sigmund Snopek III (born Oct. 21, 1951) is an American multi-instrumentalist, composer, and producer from Milwaukee, Wisc., who first emerged in the pop-psych band Bloomsbury People, which issued a 1970 self-titled album on MGM. As a solo artist, he released the concept album Virginia Woolf on local-press Water Street Records in 1972, followed by the […]
Brian Short (1948 – 2014) was an English singer who emerged as the frontman of Black Cat Bones. His solo album, Anything for a Laugh, appeared in 1971 on Transatlantic Records. He later wrote songs for Jeff Beck and Hummingbird. Background Short first fronted The Sect, a Newcastle beat group that played numerous Tyneside venues […]
