Kansas are an American symphonic/hard-rock band that released nine albums and a live double-LP on CBS-subsidiary Kirshner between 1974 and 1983, followed by a pair of late-’80s albums on MCA. Formed in Topeka by guitarist–keyboardist Kerry Livgren and drummer Phil Ehart, the band solidified with vocalist–keyboardist Steve Walsh, violinist–vocalist Robby Steinhardt, guitarist Rich Williams, bassist […]
Blue Öyster Cult are an American hard-rock band from Long Island known for their literate lyrics, dual-guitar interplay, and fusion of heavy riff structures with cryptic sci-fi and occult themes. They emerged in 1972 with a trilogy of stark, riff-driven albums—Blue Öyster Cult, Tyranny and Mutation, and Secret Treaties—anchored by the tight rhythm section of […]
The Tubes were an American rock band from San Francisco that gained notoriety for their edgy stage antics and role-play numbers. They released the 1975–79 A&M studio albums The Tubes, Young and Rich, Now, and Remote Control, then moved to Capitol for the 1981–83 albums The Completion Backward Principle and Outside Inside. Their popular songs […]
Journey are an American rock band from San Francisco, formed around former Santana members Neal Schon and Gregg Rolie. They explored spacey hard-rock and jazz-fusion instrumentals on their first three Columbia albums, released between 1975 and 1977 before the arrival of Steve Perry. The Perry/Rolie lineup gained radio traction with the 1978–80 albums Infinity, Evolution, […]
Montrose was an American hard-rock band that released the 1973–74 albums Montrose and Paper Money with original singer Sammy Hagar, a future solo star and Van Halen frontman. His replacement, Bob James, fronted the 1975–76 Montrose albums Warner Bros. Presents Montrose! and Jump on It. Their namesake guitarist, Ronnie Montrose, cut solo instrumentals and spearheaded […]
Heart are an American hard-rock band from Seattle that debuted with the popular album Dreamboat Annie on Canadian small-press Mushroom in 1975, followed by five studio albums on the CBS imprints Portrait and Epic between 1977 and 1983. In 1985, the band issued a self-titled album on Capitol that spawned a new round of success […]
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 […]
Utopia was an American maximalist-rock band that released six studio albums and a live disc on Bearsville between 1974 and 1982, followed by three further albums on Network and Passport. The band was formed by musician/producer Todd Rundgren and initially featured a six man lineup, as heard on Todd Rundgren’s Utopia (1974). By the time […]
Ambrosia is an American rock band that released the 1975–76 20th Century albums Ambrosia and Somewhere I’ve Never Travelled, followed by the 1978–82 Warner albums Life Beyond L.A., One Eighty, and Road Island. Their style evolved from symphonic art-rock to West Coast blue-eyed soul. Ambrosia’s chart hits include “Holdin’ on to Yesterday,” and the soft-rock […]
Happy the Man is an American symphonic-rock band that released the 1977–78 Arista albums Happy the Man and Craft Hands, both comprised of lavish, intricate pieces (mostly instrumental). Their near-completed 1979 third album appeared posthumously in 1983 as 3rd – “Better Late…” Keyboardist Ken Watkins joined Camel for their 1979 album I Can See Your […]
Styx are an American symphonic/hard-rock band from Chicago, rooted in the early Dennis DeYoung–Panozzo brothers partnership. The band released four albums on Wooden Nickel between 1972 and 1974, with Styx II later yielding the delayed breakout single “Lady.” After their move to A&M, Tommy Shaw joined the lineup for Crystal Ball. Styx then reached its […]
Starcastle was an American symphonic-rock band that released four albums between 1976 and 1978 on Epic. Their first three albums — Starcastle, Fountains of Light, and Citadel — are noted for their elaborate fantasy covers and lavish music, which explore themes of aquatic enchantresses and celestial marvels. Starcastle’s epic numbers include “Lady of the Lake,” […]
Captain Beyond was an English-American hard-rock band that released the 1972–73 Capricorn albums Captain Beyond and Sufficiently Breathless. They featured original Deep Purple singer Rod Evans and two Iron Butterfly graduates: guitarist Larry Reinhardt and bassist Lee Dorman. Drummer Bobby Caldwell left after the first album but resurrected Captain Beyond with new musicians for the […]
Group 87 was an American instrumental jazz-rock group that released a 1980 self-titled album and the 1984 follow-up A Career in Dada Processing. Members: Mark Isham (trumpet, keyboards), Patrick O’Hearn (bass), Peter Maunu (guitar, keyboards, percussion, violin, mandolin), Terry Bozzio (drums, 1980), Peter Van Hooke (drums, percussion, 1984), Brian MacLeod (drums), Peter Wolf (piano) Background Group […]
Harlequin Mass was an American symphonic-rock band from Portland, Oregon, that released a self-titled album in October 1978 on Mass Productions. The group developed from West Linn high-school projects Aarbyn and Magus, then continued in Seattle as Stubborn Puppet. Members: Lyle Holdahl (bass, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, strings, synthesizer, piano, organ, bass synthesizer, flute, percussion, […]
Shooting Star was an American hard-rock band from Kansas City that released five albums between 1980 and 1985 on Virgin and scored FM radio hits with “Last Chance,” “Hang On for Your Life,” “Do You Feel Alright,” and “Straight Ahead.” Members: Van McLain (vocals, guitar), Ron Verlin (bass, 1971-84), Gary West (lead vocals, guitar, keyboard, […]
Angel was an American hard-rock band from Washington D.C. that released five studio albums and a live double-LP between 1975 and 1980 on Casablanca. Members: Barry Brandt (drums), Gregg Giuffria (keyboards, 1975-81), Frank DiMino (lead vocals, 1975-80, 1998-present), Punky Meadows (guitar, 1975-80), Mickie Jones (bass, 1975-77), Felix Robinson (bass, 1978-81), Fergie Frederiksen (lead vocals, 1981), […]
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), […]
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 […]
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 […]
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. […]
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, […]
Pavlov’s Dog was an American rock band from St. Louis that released the 1975 album Pampered Menial on ABC and Columbia, followed in 1976 by At the Sound of the Bell. Their intended third album remained a bootleg (The St. Louis HOUNDS, 1977) until its first proper release in 2007. Material from their pre-label days […]
Jasper Wrath was an American hard-rock/psych band that made a 1971 self-titled album on Sunflower. A revised lineup surfaced with a self-pressed 1975 single, followed by 1977 albums under the alternate names Arden House and Zoldar & Clark. Singer/musician Jeff Cannata fronted Eighties melodic-rockers Arc Angel and later recorded solo under his surname. Members: Robert […]
Gamma was an American hard-rock band from San Francisco, formed by guitarist and Montrose mastermind Ronnie Montrose. They released three albums between 1979 and 1982 on Elektra. Members: Ronnie Montrose (guitar), Jim Alciver (keyboards, 1979-81), Alan Fitzgerald (bass, 1979-80), Davey Pattison (vocals), Skip Gallette (drums, 1979-80), Glenn Letsch (bass, 1980-82), Denny Carmassi (drums, 1980-82), Mitchell […]
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), […]
Ethos was an American Midwest symphonic-rock band that released the 1976/77 albums Ardour and Open Up on Capitol. A collection of their early demos later appeared on the CD Relics. Members: Wil Sharpe (guitar, mandolin, vocals), Michael Ponczek (keyboards), Mark Richards (drums, percussion), Dan Owen (bass, vocals, 1973), Stevie Marra (bass, flute, vocals, 1974-75), Brad […]
Balance was an American rock band that released the 1981/82 albums Balance and In for the Count and scored a Top 25 hit with “Breaking Away.” Members: Peppy Castro (vocals), Bob Kulick (guitar), Doug Katsaros (keyboards), Chuck Burgi (drums), Dennis Feldman (bass) Background Balance formed in 1979 when veteran rock singer Peppy Castro teamed with […]
White Witch was an American art-rock/psych band from Tampa that released two albums between 1972 and 1974 on Capricorn. Members: Beau Fisher (drums, bass, vocals), Ron Goedert (vocals, percussion), Buddy Pendergrass (keyboards, backing vocals), Bill Peterson (percussion), Buddy Richardson (lead guitar), Bobby Shea (drums, percussion, backing vocals), Charlie Souza (bass, percussion) Background White Witch was […]
A-440 was an American rock band from Houston that released three local garage-psych singles in 1967/68 on Sona and Cinema. The group returned in 1978 with the double-album rock opera Ulysses: The Greek Suite, featuring singers Ted Neeley and Yvonne Iversen on 20th Century-Fox. Members: Ted Neeley (vocals), Carlos Luevano (guitar), Craig Meacham (bass), Ian Hoffman […]
Atlantis Philharmonic was an American symphonic-rock group from Cleveland that released a self-titled album on Dharma Records in 1974. The duo added guitarist Roger Lewis and completed a second album in 1975, issued three decades later as Atlantis Philharmonic II: Grand Master. Members: Joe DiFazio (organ, piano, harpsichord, Mellotron, Moog, guitar, bass, bass pedals, lead […]
Bang was an American hard-rock/psych trio from Philadelphia that released three albums in 1972/73 on Capitol. They debuted with a heavy, riff-driven self-titled album that drew comparisons to Black Sabbath. Their second release, Mother/Bow to the King, coupled conceptual side-long suites with compact, riff-based rockers. Music, their third album, featured more contoured guitar lines, orchestral […]
Head East was an American hard-rock band, best known for the FM evergreen “Never Been Any Reason” from their 1975 debut album Flat as a Pancake. Through 1980, they released six studio albums on A&M and scored further hits with “Love Me Tonight” and the Russ Ballard cover “Since You Been Gone.” Members: Roger Boyd […]
Paris was an American post-psych hard rock trio that released two albums on Capitol in 1976. The band was formed by singer and guitarist Bob Welch after his five-album run with Fleetwood Mac. Members: Bob Welch (guitar, vocals), Glenn Cornick (bass), Thom Mooney (drums, 1975-76), Hunt Sales (drums, 1976) Background Paris formed in 1975 when […]
Carmen was an English-American flamenco-rock band, formed in Los Angeles by guitarist–keyboardist David Allen. They relocated to London and released the 1973–74 albums Fandangos in Space and Dancing on a Cold Wind on Regal Zonophone. After opening the 1975 US Jethro Tull tour, Carmen recorded The Gypsies for Mercury. Members: David Allen (vocals, guitar, piano, […]
Dust was an American northeast power trio that released two albums, Dust and Hard Attack, on Kama Sutra in 1971/72. Members: Richie Wise (electric guitar, acoustic guitar, vocals), Marc Bell [Marky Ramone] (drums), Kenny Aaronson (bass, steel guitar, Dobro, bottleneck guitar) Background Dust formed in 1969 in New York City when guitarist Richie Wise teamed […]
Alamo was an American hard-rock band from Memphis that released a 1971 album on Atlantic. Members: Larry Raspberry (guitar), Richard Rosebrough (drums), Larry Davis [aka Larry Changes] (bass), Ken Woodley (keyboards, vocals) Background Alamo formed in Memphis, Tennessee in late 1970 when ex-Gentry guitarist Larry Raspberry teamed with bassist Larry Davis, ex-Jokers drummer Richard Rosebrough, […]
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 […]
Trillion was an American AOR|hard-rock band that released the 1978–80 Epic albums Trillion and Clear Approach. Members: Fergie Frederiksen (vocals, 1978-79), Thom Griffin (vocals, guitar), Frank Barbalace (guitar), Ron Anaman (bass), Patrick Leonard (keyboards), Bill Wilkins (drums) Background Trillion had its roots in Whisper, a Chicago bar band formed in 1976 with keyboardist Patrick Leonard, […]
Hotel was an American melodic-rock band from Birmingham, Alabama, that released the 1979/80 MCA albums Hotel and Half Moon Silver. Members: Marc Phillips (keyboards, guitar, lead vocals), George Creasman (bass, vocals), Lee Bargeron (keyboards, guitar, vocals), Tommy Calton (guitar), Michael Reid (guitar), Michael Cadenhead (drums, percussion, vocals) Background Hotel formed in Birmingham in early 1973 […]
Phantom was an American hard-rock/psych band from Detroit that released the album Phantom’s Divine Comedy, Part 1 on Capitol in 1974. Earlier recordings were later released by archivists Flash and Ghost. The group morphed into the Happy Dragon Band for a further album on the Fiddlers Music Company label in 1978. Members: Phantom [aka Tom […]
Russia was an American hard-rock band from Seattle that evolved from Sorcerer’s Apprentice and moved to Los Angeles. Warner Bros. issued their 1980 self-titled album, followed by a second album under the Force 10 name. Members: Griff Stevens (lead vocals, woodwinds, guitar), Tom Richard Brighton (guitar, vocals), Richard Allyn White (keyboards, vocals), Larry Tuttle (bass, […]
Alpha Centauri was a symphonic|hard-rock band from Colorado that existed for twelve years (1971–83). They moved to Canada and released a 1977 self-titled album on Salt Records. Members: Kurt Smith (vocals, guitar), Jess Redmon (keyboards, vocals), Garth Hannum (bass, vocals, 1975-83), Randy Thompson (drums) Background Alpha Centauri sprung from Colorado, a psychedelic rock trio formed […]
707 was an American melodic/hard-rock band that released three albums on the PolyGram subsidiaries Casablanca and Boardwalk between 1980 and 1982. Members: Kevin Russell (vocals, guitar), Phil Bryant (vocals, bass), Duke McFadden (vocals, keyboards), Jim McClarty (drums), Kevin Chalfant (vocals), Tod Howarth (keyboards, guitar), Felix Robinson (bass), Don Bassey (bass), Denny Carmassi (drums) Background 707 […]
Speedway Blvd. was an American studio-only hard-rock quintet that released a 1980 self-titled album on Epic. Producers Jerry Kasenetz and Jeffry Katz assembled the project around three musicians from a Ram Jam touring lineup. They completed the group with keyboardist Jordan Rudess and singer-pianist Roy Herring Jr. Bassist Dennis Feldman later joined Balance, while Rudess […]
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 […]
Zoldar & Clark was the mystery band attributed to a 1977 symphonic-rock album on Dellwood, which issued further material by the same band under the name Arden House. Both names were Dellwood-assigned pseudonyms for the mid-Seventies lineup of Jasper Wrath, an earlier American post-psych band with future-Arc Angel frontman Jeff Cannata. Members: Jeff Cannata [aka […]
The Breaks and Drama were sequential American rock bands led by Memphis musicians Pat Taylor and Susanne Jerome Taylor. RCA issued the self-titled Breaks album in 1983, then the couple reorganized as Drama for the 1985 album Scene from a Distance, noted for its hi-tech lead track “Paralyze.” Members: Suzanne Jerome Taylor (vocals), Pat Taylor […]
New England was an American hard-rock band from Boston that released a 1979 self-titled album on Infinity, followed by the 1980/81 Elektra albums Explorer Suite and Walking Wild. Members: John Fannon (guitar, vocals), Hirsh Gardner (drums, vocals), Jimmy Waldo (keyboards, vocals), Gary Shea (bass) Background New England formed in the Boston music scene during the […]
Edgewood was an American hard-rock/psych band from Memphis that released the 1972 album Ship of Labor on TMI Records. Members: David Beaver (vocals, keyboards), Pat Taylor (vocals, guitar), David Mayo (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Jim Tarbutton (guitar), Steve Spear (bass), Joel Williams (drums, percussion), Mike Bleecker (drums, percussion, 1970) Background Edgewood formed in 1970 in Memphis, […]
Fairchild was an American symphonic/hard-rock band from Minneapolis that released a 1978 self-titled album on small-press Flight Records. They made a second DIY album in 1982 through ITB, followed by a 1985 third on Gold Mountain. Members: Brian Kinney (vocals, keyboards), Mike Ricci (vocals), Tom Riopelle (guitar, vocals), Richard Wieser (bass, vocals), Palmer Harbison (keyboards, […]
Asia was an American symphonic hard-rock band from Rapid City, South Dakota, that released the 1979–80 ASI albums Asia and Armed to the Teeth. The lineup united White Wing alumni Mike Coates and Michael English with Free Flite singer–guitarist Larry Galbraith and Nebraska drummer John Haynes. Conflicting claims to the Asia name later led the […]
However was an American symphonic-rock band formed in 1977 by Peter Princiotto, Bobby Read, Bill Kotapish, and Joe “Stellar” Princiotto. The group released the 1981 Random Radar album Sudden Dusk and the 1985 Cuneiform followup Calling. Members: Peter Princiotto (vocals, synthesizer, piano, bass, clavinet, guitar, bass, pedals, kalimba, autoharp, bells, violin), Bobby Read (vocals, alto […]
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 […]
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 […]
Lift was an American symphonic-rock band from New Orleans. Guinness, a tax-shelter label, pressed the group’s 1974 recordings without authorization as the 1977 album Caverns of Your Brain. Syn-Phonic sanctioned the first official edition in 1990 and later gathered both principal lineups on The Moment of Hearing. Members: Chip Gremillion (keyboards), Chip Grevemberg (drums, percussion), […]
The Load was an American symphonic-rock trio that released the 1976 album Praise the Load on Columbus small-press Owl. In 1977, they recorded a second album that appeared in 1995 as Load Have Mercy through archivists Laser’s Edge. Members: Dave Hessler (guitar, bass), Sterling Smith (keyboards), Tom Smith (drums, percussion) Background The Load formed in […]
Pre was an American symphonic-rock band, active circa 1973 in Kentucky. They recorded an album’s worth of material that appeared 21 years later courtesy of archivists ZNR. Members: Alfred Collinsworth (lead and backing vocals, twelve-string guitars), Larry Collinsworth (electric, bowed, and acoustic guitars; backing vocals), Brian E. Paulson (Hammond organ, electric piano, grand piano, Minimoog), […]
Orchestra Luna was an American operatic art-rock septet from Boston that released a self-titled album in 1975 on Epic, produced by Rupert Homes. Members: Rick Berlin (keyboards), Scott Chambers (bass), Randy Roos (guitar), Don Mulvaney (drums), Lisa Kinscherf (vocals), Liz Gallagher (vocals), Peter Barrett (vocals), Steven Paul Perry (guitar), Chet Cahill (bass), Bob Brandon (keyboards), […]
Boomerang was an American hard-rock band from NYC that released a 1971 self-titled album on RCA Victor. Members: Jo Casmir (bass, vocals), Richard Ramirez (guitar), James Galluzi (drums), Mark Stein (keyboards, vocals) Background Boomerang formed in 1970 in New York City around keyboardist–vocalist Mark Stein, who previously wrote and sang for Vanilla Fudge across five […]
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, […]
Mars Everywhere was an American avant-rock/electronic band from Washington, DC, that debuted with the track “Attack of the Giant Squid” on the 1977 multi-artist release A Random Sampler on Random Radar Records, which issued the band’s 1980 singular album Industrial Sabotage. Audiofile Tapes archived the founding trio on the 1989 cassette Visitor Parking. Members: Barney […]
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 […]
Maelstrom was an American band from Indianapolis that recorded the 1973 symphonic-rock album On the Gulf, followed by the 1975 free-jazz oriented Paradigms. The latter was issued in its own time by Houston Records; the former was released on CD in 1997 by archivists Black Moon Productions. Members: Robert Williams [aka Roberts Owen] (alto saxophone, […]
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, […]
Strongbow was an American symphonic/hard-rock band that issued a 1973 standalone single on self-press Epodus, followed by a 1975 album on Southwind, a subsidiary of Buddah. Members: Bill Bendler (vocals), Michael Shortland (guitar), John Stelzer (organ, synthesizer, saxophone, flute, vocals), John Durzo (bass), David Smith (drums), Bob Hill (guitar, 1970-71), Mike Haines (bass, 1970-71) Background […]
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 […]
Marianus was an American symphonic-rock singer and multi-instrumentalist who released the 1981 album Visions From Out of the Blue on private label Jupiter Phonodisc and fronted the Invisible Light Band. Members: Marianus (lead vocals, Mellotron, synthesizers, saxophone), Joe Fazio (guitar, vocals), Jeff Pevar (guitar), Steve Perry (guitar), Jack Petrycki (keyboards, vocals), Joseph Blair Mudarri (bass, […]
Bighorn was a symphonic/hard-rock band from Seattle that self-released a 1974 standalone single and a 1978 self-titled album on CBS Canada. Members: Bob Andersen (drums), Steve Adamek (drums), Toby Bowen (guitar, vocals), Robb Clarke (vocals), Peter Davis (keyboards), Tom Erak (bass), Michael Ipsen (bass), Steve Isham (keyboards), Marv Jensen (keyboards), James Kenfield (bass), Norm Lombardo […]
Albatross was an American Midwest symphonic-rock band that issued an eponymous album on self-press Anvil Records in 1976. Members: Mark Dahlgren (keyboards, synthesizer, vocals), Joe Guarino (bass, vocals), Mike Novak (vocals), Paul Roe (guitar), Dana Williams (percussion) Background Albatross formed in 1971 in Rockford, Illinois, around keyboardist Mark Dahlgren, a classically trained musician with a […]
Axcraft was an American symphonic/hard-rock band from Los Angeles whose 1974 recordings first appeared commercially on the archival 1999 album Dancing Madly Backwards. Members: Randy Ballard (keyboards), Michael Carroll (bass guitar), Gary Gossett (drums), Jim McClellan (lead vocals), Paul Skylar (rhythm guitar), Dan Gerard (lead guitar) Background Vocalist Jim McClellan formed Axcraft in Los Angeles […]
Locust was an American hard-rock band that released the 1976 album Playgue on small-press Annuit Coeptis. Members: Keith Brown (guitar, backing vocals), Dean Davis (drums), Court Hawley (bass, lead vocals), Randy Roseberry (keyboards, lead vocals) Inception Locust was an American hard-rock band from Fort Dodge, Iowa. The quartet comprised guitarist Keith Brown, drummer Dean Davis, […]
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 […]
Skyeros was an American folk-rock/psych band from Missouri that released a self-titled album on their namesake label in 1975. Members: John Danieley (Electric Guitar), Rodney McCarron (Keyboards, Vocals), Bill Sikes (Lead Guitar), Karl Lawson (Percussion, Vocals), Steve Wright (Vocals, Electric Bass) Background Skyeros formed in Farmington, Missouri, as a prog-psych quartet in 1974. Keyboardist/vocalist Rodney […]
Games were an American art-rock band from California that released the 1977 album Stargazer on self-press Cascade Court Records. Members: Colleen Fitzpatrick (vocals), David Miller (bass), Stan Tatkin (drums, percussion), David Tatkin (keyboards) Background Games formed in Los Angeles during the mid-1970s as a guitar-less quartet of vocalist Colleen Fitzpatrick, bassist David Miller, drummer-percussionist Stan […]
Year One was an American post-psych band from Miami. In 1971, they recorded a double-album that appeared in 1976 on Year One Productions. Members: Greg Kimple (keyboards), Charlie Duchant (saxophone, flute), John Simmons (keyboards), K.F.C. (vocals), Ann Holloway (bass), Bob Marcus (bass), Steve Mele (guitar), Jim Hilley (guitar) Background Year One stemmed from Fantasy, a […]
Baby Grand was an American rock band from Philadelphia that released the 1977–78 Arista albums Baby Grand and Ancient Medicine. Guitarist–singer Eric Bazilian and keyboardist–songwriter Rob Hyman formed subsequent hitmakers The Hooters. Members: Eric Bazilian (guitar, vocals), Rob Hyman (keyboards, vocals), David Kagan (vocals), David Prater (drums, 1978-79), Carmine Rojas (bass, 1978-79) Background Baby Grand […]
McLuhan was an American symphonic/jazz-rock band that released the 1972 album Anomaly on Brunswick. Members: David Wright (trumpet, vocals, narration, slide whistle), Paul Cohn (flute, clarinet, tenor saxophone, flute), Neal Rosner (bass guitar, lead vocals), John Mahoney (drums, vocals), Micahael Linn (drums), Dennis Stoney Philips (guitar, vocals), Tom ‘Tojza’ Laney (organ, piano, vocals), Bobby Christian […]
Crack the Sky was an American rock quintet that released the 1975–76 albums Crack the Sky and Animal Notes on Lifesong Records. Their music mixed transatlantic hard-rock and art-rock styles with odd song structures. Singer/songwriter John Palumbo cut a 1978 solo album, Innocent Bystander, while the others released Safety in Numbers. Palumbo formed a trio […]
