Fireballet was an American symphonic/art-rock band from New Jersey that made the 1975/76 albums Night on Bald Mountain and Two, Too on Passport Records. Multi-instrumentalist and composer Jim Cuomo hailed from Spoils of War and Mormos and later played in the multi-national jazz-funk group Pacific Eardrum. Cuomo and guitarist Ryche Chlanda partook in the 1977 […]
The Leopards were an American music-hall band that released the album Kansas City Slickers on Moon Records in 1977. Ten years later, a revised lineup released Magic Still Exists on Voxx Records. Members: Dennis Pash (vocals, guitar, keyboards, percussion, harmonica), Kevin Sanders (vocals, guitar, 1975-87), James Bordy (guitar, vocals, 1987-present), Dennis Bouch (drums, percussion, 1987-present), […]
Gary Wilson is an American avant-pop musician who privately pressed the 1974 trio album Another Galaxy, followed by the 1977 solo release You Think You Really Know Me. Background Gary Thomas Wilson was born in October 1953 in Endicott, New York. His father played string bass in a hotel quartet and worked at IBM. Wilson […]
Surprise was an American symphonic/art-rock band from the St. Louis area that released the 1977 album Assault on Merryland through self-press Carousel Records. Members: Rick Bess (electric guitar, bass, twelve-string acoustic guitar), Blair Blake (Hammond organ, grand piano, MiniMoog, Moog Taurus bass pedals, ARP string ensemble, celeste), Dave Kelly (drums, timpani, orchestra bells, gongs, triangle, guiro), […]
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 […]
Yezda Urfa was an American symphonic|art-rock band that self-pressed 300 copies of their 1975 demo album, Boris. In 1976, they recorded a proper album and shopped it to multiple labels. It finally appeared as an archival disc, Sacred Baboon, in 1989 on Syn-Phonic. Members: Brad Christoff (drums, tubular bells, metallophone, percussion), Phil Kimbrough (keyboards, accordion, […]
Flight was an American symphonic/jazz-rock band that released the 1975/76 Capitol albums Flight and Incredible Journey, followed by the 1980 Motown title Excursion Beyond. Members: Pat Vidas (brass, lead vocals), Ted Karczewski (electric guitar, acoustic guitar), John Ray (acoustic guitar, bass), Russell A Dawber Jr (drums, percussion), Jim Michael “Fizzwah” Yaeger (keyboards), John DeNicola (bass), […]
Band X was an American jazz-rock/space-rock band from Massachusetts that released an album titled The Best of Band X in 1976 on Broken Records before evolving into the Craig Peyton Group. Members: Craig Peyton (vibraphone, vocals, percussion; b. 1953; New Canaan, Connecticut), multi-instrumentalist Alan Grzyb (bassoon, tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, clarinet, keyboards, backing vocals), bassist/trombonist […]
Peter Ivers (September 20, 1946 — March 3, 1983) was an American musician and songwriter from Boston who released the 1969 Epic album Knight of the Blue Communion, followed by the 1974–76 Warner albums Terminal Love and Peter Ivers. As a songwriter, he co-wrote “In Heaven (Lady in the Radiator Song)” for the 1977 David […]
Mallard was an American swamp-rock band that released a self-titled album on Virgin in 1975, followed by In a Different Climate in 1976. They were formed by three members of Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band. Members: Mark Boston [aka Rockette Morton] (bass), John French (drums, vocals), Bill Harkleroad [aka Zoot Horn Rollo] (guitar), John […]
The Bronin Hogman Band was an American symphonic/art-rock octet from New Hampshire that released a privately pressed self-titled album in 1975 on Gamut. Members: Delrio (vocals, percussion), Frank Barnes (vocals, bass guitar), Peter Baron (vocals, electric and acoustic guitars), Bill Arvantis (lead and classical guitars), Brian Poor (grand piano, string synthesizer, Pro-Duo Farfisa organ), John Schunemann […]
Henry Gaffney (March 8, 1949 — May 23, 2010) was an American singer/songwriter from Brooklyn who released the 1976 RCA album Waiting for a Wind, followed by the 1978 Manhattan release On Again Off Again. Background Henry Michael Gaffney was born on March 8, 1949, in Brooklyn, New York, to Mary Gross Gaffney and Henry […]
Musica Orbis was an American electric chamber-music ensemble from Philadelphia that released the 1977 album To the Listeners on Longdivity. Members: Kitty Brazelton (vocals, flute, recorder, piano), Tom Stephenson (drums, cello, vibraphone, marimba, vocals), Caille Colburn (harp, knee harp, e-piano, grand piano, vocals), David Clark (electric and double bass, vibraphone, marimba, piano, vocals), Susan Gelletly […]
The Liberty Bros. were an American art-rock quartet that released No Time Lasts Forever in 1977 through Astro Records. Members: Tom Campbell (drums, vocals), Shannon Taylor (piano, Mellotron, percussion, vocals), Gordon Morris (bass, 12-string guitsr, piano, vocals), Mike Thompson (electric/acoustic guitar, bass, vocals) Background Liberty Bros. operated from Pasadena, Texas, in the mid-Seventies, when the […]
Light Year was an American symphonic/jazz-rock band from San Francisco, active from 1974 to 1976 on the Bay Area club circuit. New Music–Green Tree later issued the group’s archival recordings on Reveal the Fantastic and Hypernauts of the Absolute Elsewhere. Members: Cornelius Williams (piano, keyboards), Zak McGrath (drums), Randy Sellgren (guitar), John Yu (bass), Doug […]
15-60-75 (aka the Numbers Band) was an American avant-rock ensemble from Kent, Ohio, that released the live album Jimmy Bell’s Still in Town in 1976 on self-press Water Brothers. After a six-year gap, they issued the 1982–87 studio albums 15.60.75 2 and Among the Wandering. Members: Robert Kidney (vocals, guitar), Terry Hynde (alto saxophone, baritone […]
Hot Flash was an American space-rock band that released the 1977 album First Attack! They’ll Never Take Us Alive on small-press Rockwell Records. Members: John Ferrara (bass, synthesizer, bass pedals), Fredric “Muff” Schwenk (flute, guitar, vocals), Thom Stolar (flute, keyboards, vocals), Joe Prima (keyboards, vocals), Steve Balsavage (percussion, vocals) Background Bill Macek directed Hot Flash […]
Vyto B (June 5, 1952 — May 2, 2022) was a Lithuanian-American songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Chicago who released the private-press albums First Chips Volume I and Tricentennial 2076 through Clay Pigeon. He also worked as a producer and music archivist. Later projects include the cassette Automatic Vaudeville and the Scott Carlton duo Virtual Party. […]
Galaxy was an American psychedelic space-rock band from Jacksonville, Florida, that released the 1976 album Day Without the Sun on their own private-press label, Sky Queen. Members: Mark ‘Frenzi’ Fabbri (guitar), Marilyn ‘Space Mama’ Geiger (keyboards), Pepper Leonardi (bass), Miss Gunner Powell (drums) Background Galaxy formed in Jacksonville, Florida, in early 1975 around guitarist Mark […]
The Movies were an American pop-rock trio that released a self-titled album in 1976 on Arista, followed by two non-album singles in 1977. Members: Michael Morgan (piano, electric piano, Mellotron, synthesizers, harp, kazoo, vocals), Peter Barnes (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, mandolin, violin, chimes, shakers, vocals), Ted Medbury (drums, percussion, toys, harmonica, vocals) This entry concerns […]
Roderick Falconer (aka Rod Taylor) is an American musician, poet, and television producer. As Rod Taylor, he released a 1973 singer/songwriter album on Asylum. Under the Roderick Falconer stage name, he made the 1976/77 UA albums New Nation and Victory in Rock City, both glam-rock efforts inspired by David Bowie‘s 1972–74 output. He made two […]
George-Edwards was an American art-pop duo from Detroit that self-pressed the 1977 album 38:38 and the followup single “I See Your Smile.” Both reappeared with additional material on a 2009 CD on Bella Terra Records. Further tracks surfaced on the discs Archives and Chapter III. The duo reunited for the 2010 disc 41:57. Members: Raymond […]
The Eyes was an American psych-rock band behind the 1977 album New Gods: Aardvark Through Zymurgy, produced and largely played by multi-instrumentalist Todd Tamanend Clark. Members: Todd Tamanend Clark (vocals, keyboards), Tim Rimer (guitar), Keef Morabito (bass), Mark Cosco (drums) For the contemporary Cleveland pop-rock band, click here. Background The Eyes formed in 1977 in […]
Gabriel Bondage was an American post-psych band from Chicago that released the 1975 album Angel Dust on local-press Dharma, followed in 1977 by Another Trip to Earth. Members: Rex Bundy (lead vocals, guitar, 12-string guitar, drums, piano, effects) Tony Stram (vocals, bass, keyboards, programming), Larry Biernacki (vocals, guitar, mandolin), Bill Wisniewski (lead vocals, backing vocals, […]
Daddy Warbucks were an American pop-rock band from Los Angeles whose album appeared in 1976 on the tax-scam Tiger Lily label. Drummer John Desautels hailed from GoodThunder and subsequently played in L.A. Jets and 1994. Members: Ralph Plummer (lead vocals), Harlin McNees (guitars), Glenn Adams (keyboards), Jerry Guitar (bass), John Desautels (drums) Background Daddy Warbucks […]
Hillary Blaze was an American space-rock band from Arizona that released the 1977 album Exposure on self-press 30th Century Fox. The lineup included three alumni of the late-Sixties New York psych-pop group Paper Garden. Members: Sandy Michael (lead vocals, synthesizer), Paul Gran (bass, vocals), Scott Dickson (guitar), Jimmy Tirella (percussion), John Williams (percussion) Background Hillary […]
Snakegrinder was an American jam-rock/boogie band from Newark, Delaware, that issued the private-press album …And the Shredded Fieldmice on Alligator Shoes in spring 1977 as a 500-copy local pressing. Members: Larry Adams (lead guitar, vocals), Dave Bennett (keyboards), Tommy Eppes (rhythm guitar, pedal steel, percussion), Steve Roberts (bass, acoustic guitar, vocals), John DiGiovanni (drums, percussion), George […]
Major Arcana was an American folk-psych band from Milwaukee, Wisc., that released a self-titled album in 1976 on the private-press A Major Label. Singer/songwriter and guitarist Jim Spencer preceded the project with two locally pressed solo albums. Fellow Wisconsinite Sigmund Snopek plays keyboards and flute on several tracks. Members: Michael Burdecki (bass, slide guitar), Randall […]
Ernie Story is an American songwriter and musician from Minneapolis who released the 1977 album Meditation Blue on self-press Legend Records. Background Ernie Story worked in Chicago in the early 1970s as a songwriter and performer with several unnamed groups. The Impressions recorded his composition “Simple Message” for their Curtom album Preacher Man, released in […]
The Mark & Clark Band were an American piano-rock duo comprised of twin brothers Mark and Clark Seymour. The pair issued the album Double Take on CBS in 1977, scoring a major hit in the Netherlands with “Worn Down Piano (Part 1) / Worn Down Piano (Part 2).” The brothers concurrently led the band Carnegie, […]
White Wing was an American symphonic-rock band from Rapid City, SD, that released a 1976 self-titled album on ASI. Guitarist Mike Coates and singer Mike English later formed Asia for two subsequent albums with Free Flite singer Larry Galbraith. Members: Mike Drew (vocals, organ, 1968–73), Rod Schroeder (vocals, guitar, 1968–72), Mike Coates (guitar, keyboards, vocals, […]
Universe was an American space-rock/psych duo that released a 1977 self-titled album on PBR International. Members: Gary Paul Van (vocals, keyboards), Dennis Lee Askew (vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, percussion, programming) Background Universe developed from The Stars, an early-1970s group led by Las Vegas musician Dennis Lee Askew, a guitarist since child who studied jazz […]
Zolar X was an American rock band active on the mid-Seventies Los Angeles club circuit. They blended multiple art-rock styles (space, glam, proto-punk) with sci-fi theatrics and alien-style costumes. Their collection of songs (recorded 1974–76) appear on the 2004 Alternative Tentacles disc Timeless. Members: Ygarr Ygarrist [Steven Della Bosca] (guitar), Zany Zatovian [Bruce Courtois] (bass, […]
Topper was an American psych-rock band from Independence, Mo., that released the 1977 album At Last on the self-run Scot label. They used drummer-singer Jim Hodges’ Riverside nightclub Cosmos as a performance base and recording site. Drummer Bob Brown recorded earlier with the Winamill Music Band. Keyboardist Rudy Passonno later cut the album Mama Mama in […]
Sailor was an American rustic-rock band from Indianapolis that released a self-titled album through the local 700 West label in 1976, their sole full-length release. Members: Jim Arnold (vocals, bass), Jim Dicks (vocals, drums, percussion, bass), Penny Hooker (vocals, keyboards), Norman Knight (vocals, guitar), Dan Vincent (vocals, guitar) For the contemporary English cabaret-glam band, click […]
Eyes were an American art-rock/pop band from Cleveland, Ohio, that released the 1977 album Stroke a Horse’s Navel on self-press Eyes Record Co., Inc. For the contemporary Pennsylvanian psych-rock band, click here. Background Brothers John and Jim Forcina played together in Eyes, a Cleveland group that rehearsed in a basement practice space. John played drums. […]
ID was an American space-rock/jam band that released the 1976 album Where Are We Going on Aura Records. Members: David Oickle (mellotron, vocals), Gary Oickle (guitar), Kevin Orsie (bass), James Albert (guitar), Bob Halsall (keyboards), Ralph Jenkins (drums) Background ID formed in Maryland during summer 1972 when guitarist David Oickle invited neighborhood bassist Kevin Orsie […]
Frank Pisani is an American recording artist and principal songwriter credited on the 1977 Dellwood album Sky. He was not the same artist as the 1950s Chicago singer. Background Frank Pisani first appears in surviving records as principal songwriter and co-arranger of six recordings made at Media Sound Studios in New York. No verified record […]
Mo was the performance moniker of Moe Whittemore, an American musician from Indiana who ran 700 West Recording, a 1970s label behind regional titles by Primevil and Sailor. In 1976, he released his own album in a limited run of 200 copies. The album gained wider circulation in 2014 courtesy of Greek archivists Anazitisi Records. […]
Lem was an American electro-rock band that released the 1977 album Machines on self-press Wavefront Records. Members: Bryce Robbley (synthesizer, vocals), Alex Cima (synthesizer), Doug Lynner (synthesizer) Danny Sofer (synthesizer, drums) Inception Lem coalesced in California as the project of four synthesizer players: Bryce Robbley, Alex Cima, Doug Lynner, and Danny Sofer. They also employed […]
J. Jasmine was the avant-cabaret musical project of American singer, lyricist, and performance artist Jacqueline Humbert and pianist–composer David Rosenboom. In 1977, they self-released the album My New Music. Members: Jacqueline Humbert (vocals), David Rosenboom (piano, violin) Background J. Jasmine emerged in Toronto in 1976 when vocalist and visual artist Jacqueline Humbert and composer–keyboardist David […]
Random was an American avant-rock band from Illinois that self-released the album Nothin’ Tricky in 1977. Members: Ralph Athey (clarinet, saxophone, vocals), Jerry Fiddler (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, percussion, vocals), Sam Kolmodin (bass guitar, contrabass, vocals), Sandy Robinson (violin, viola, vocals), Paul Shimandle (12-string guitar, percussion, vocals) Background Random formed circa 1977 in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, […]
