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Andy West (sports Commentator)
Andy West (born February 6, 1953) is an American bass guitarist and composer who is an original founding member of the Dixie Dregs along with Steve Morse. Since the breakup of the original band in 1983, West has been on albums with Mike Keneally, Henry Kaiser, Paul Barrere, Vinnie Moore, and many others. His frequent style of playing bass is with a guitar pick, although he has performed in fingerstyle on several occasions. Since 1985, West has simultaneously pursued a career in the software industry while continuing to release albums sporadically. He currently works as a vice president for Analytics and Adaptive Learning at Pearson Education. Discography With Dixie Dregs *1976 ''The Great Spectacular'' (Formally released in 1997) *1977 ''Free Fall'' - Capricorn Records *1978 ''What If - Capricorn Records *1979 ''Night of the Living Dregs'' - Capricorn Records *1980 ''Dregs of the Earth'' - Arista Records *1981 ''Unsung Heroes'' - Arista Records *1982 ''Industry Standard'' - Arist ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bass Guitar
The bass guitar, electric bass or simply bass (), is the lowest-pitched member of the string family. It is a plucked string instrument similar in appearance and construction to an electric or an acoustic guitar, but with a longer neck and scale length, and typically four to six strings or courses. Since the mid-1950s, the bass guitar has largely replaced the double bass in popular music. The four-string bass is usually tuned the same as the double bass, which corresponds to pitches one octave lower than the four lowest-pitched strings of a guitar (typically E, A, D, and G). It is played primarily with the fingers or thumb, or with a pick. To be heard at normal performance volumes, electric basses require external amplification. Terminology According to the ''New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians'', an "Electric bass guitar sa Guitar, usually with four heavy strings tuned E1'–A1'–D2–G2." It also defines ''bass'' as "Bass (iv). A contraction of Double bas ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
What If (Dixie Dregs Album)
''What If'' is the second studio album by the Dixie Dregs, released in 1978. Track listing # "Take It Off the Top" (Steve Morse) – 4:07 # "Odyssey" (Morse) – 7:35 # "What If" (Morse) – 5:01 # "Travel Tunes" (Andy West) – 4:34 # "Ice Cakes" (Morse) – 4:39 # "Little Kids" (Morse) – 2:03 # "Gina Lola Breakdown" (Morse, Twiggs Lyndon) – 4:00 # "Night Meets Light" (Morse) – 7:47 Personnel * Steve Morse – guitar, banjo * Mark Parrish – keyboards * Allen Sloan – violin, viola * Andy West – bass guitar * Rod Morgenstein – drums, vocals Production Producer - Ken Scott * Assistant engineers – Brian Leshon, Chris Gregg, Gary Coppola * Mastered By – SR/2* * Recorded At – Chateau Recorders Production coordinator - Steven Brooks Notes * "What If" and "Ice Cakes" are re-recordings from the band's 1976 demo record ''The Great Spectacular''. * The lead track "Take It Off the Top" was used as the theme song for the ''Friday Rock Show'' for most of the show' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John French (musician)
John Stephen French (born 29 September 1948) is an American drummer and former member of Captain Beefheart's Magic Band, where he was known by the nickname Drumbo. He was the principal drummer on several of Beefheart's albums, including 1969's ''Trout Mask Replica'', for which he also acted as arranger. He later released several albums as a solo artist as well as with the collaborative group French Frith Kaiser Thompson. Early life French grew up in Lancaster, California; the same area of Southern California as Frank Zappa, Don Van Vliet and other members of The Magic Band and The Mothers of Invention. He was interested in the local music scene as a teenager, hanging out with Doug Moon and watching The Omens perform live. Playing career Around 1964, he played and recorded with Merrell and The Exiles, a band led by Merrell Fankhauser and featuring Jeff Cotton on guitar. French and Cotton joined Mark Boston in another band in 1966, never recorded, called Blues in a Bottle. Bill ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
T Lavitz
Terry "T" Lavitz (April 16, 1956 – October 7, 2010) was an American keyboardist, composer and Record producer, producer. He is best known for his work with the Dixie Dregs and Jazz Is Dead. Biography Born on April 16, 1956, Lavitz grew up in New Jersey. He started taking piano lessons at the age of seven and was offered a scholarship at the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan where he studied keyboard and saxophone. After high school he attended University of Miami's School of Music. In his senior year at the UM he was asked to join the Dixie Dregs. He accepted the invitation and played his first show in January 1980. ''Dregs of the Earth'', released in 1980, was the first Dregs album he could be heard on. In 1981 he won the 'Best New Talent' category of Keyboard Magazine's Annual Readers Poll. The Dregs broke up in January 1983 and T Lavitz, Rod Morgenstein and Andy West went on tour with former Little Feat guitarist/singer Paul Barrere. ''Extended Play'', a five song EP, wa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
SST Records
SST Records is an American independent record label formed in 1978 in Long Beach, California by musician Greg Ginn. The company was formed in 1966 by Ginn at age 12 as Solid State Tuners, a small business through which he sold electronics equipment. Ginn repurposed the company as a record label to release material by his band Black Flag. Music writer Michael Azerrad wrote, "Ginn took his label from a cash-strapped, cop-hassled store-front operation to easily the most influential and popular underground indie of the Eighties". Along with other independent American labels such as Twin/Tone, Touch and Go Records, Epitaph, Alternative Tentacles, and Dischord, SST helped to spearhead the nationwide network of underground bands that formed the pre-Nirvana indie-rock scene. These labels presided over the shift from the hardcore punk that then dominated the American underground scene to the more diverse styles of alternative rock that were emerging. SST initially focused on releasing m ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Crazy Backwards Alphabet
''Crazy Backwards Alphabet'' is an album conceived by cartoonist Matt Groening and recorded by Henry Kaiser. The core group features Kaiser on guitar along with drummer John "Drumbo" French (ex Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band), bassist Andy West (of Dixie Dregs), and Swedish avant-rock drummer Michael Maksymenko. American rock critic Robert Christgau said of the album: "Concept is Beefheart as Dixie Dregs, kind of, with intermittent lyrics, not always in English." It was released in 1987 (see 1987 in music). Further recordings were made for a follow-up album, however it wasn't released until 2007 as ''Crazy Backwards Alphabet II''. Track listing LP version Side one #"The Blood and the Ink" (Bob Adams & John French) – 5:02 #"Det Enda Raka?" (Michael Maksymenko) – 1:58 #"Get To You" ( John French) – 4:30 #"The Welfare Elite" ( John French & Henry Kaiser) – 3:52 #"Ghosts" (Albert Ayler) – 4:18 #"Lobster on the Rocks #2" ( John French, Henry Kaiser, Michael Mak ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
MCA Records
MCA Records was an American record label owned by MCA Inc., which later became part of Universal Music Group. Pre-history MCA Inc., a powerful talent agency and a television production company, entered the recorded music business in 1962 with the purchase of the New York-based US Decca Records (established in 1934), including Coral Records and Brunswick Records. MCA was forced to exit the talent agency business in order to complete the merger. As American Decca owned Universal Pictures, MCA assumed full ownership of Universal and made it into a top film studio, producing several hits. In 1966, MCA formed Uni Records and in 1967, purchased Kapp Records which was placed under Uni Records management. History The early years In 1937, the owner of Decca, E. R. Lewis, chose to split off the UK Decca company from the US company (keeping his US Decca holdings), fearing the financial damage that would arise for UK Companies if the emerging hostilities of Nazi Germany should lead t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Steve Morse Band
Steve J. Morse (born July 28, 1954) is an American guitarist, best known as the founder of the Dixie Dregs and as the lead guitarist of Deep Purple from 1994 to 2022. Morse has also enjoyed a successful solo career and was briefly a member of the group Kansas in the mid-1980s. Most recently, Morse became a member of the supergroup Flying Colors. Biography Early life Steve Morse was born in Hamilton, Ohio. His family soon moved to Tennessee and then to Ypsilanti, Michigan, where Morse spent his childhood. Although familiar with piano and clarinet, Morse ultimately became a guitarist. Morse worked briefly with his older brother Dave in a band called the Plague until the family moved to Augusta, Georgia. In the late 1960s, he played in a band called Three with his older brother and a junior high schoolmate, William Gerald (Jerry) Wooten, who played keyboards. The three performed at a local psychedelic youth club, the Glass Onion, and at Legion Halls and church functions. W ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shrapnel Records
Shrapnel Records is an American record label founded in 1980 by record producer Mike Varney. History Guitarist Marty Friedman (formerly of Megadeth and Cacophony), one of the label's most successful artists, first appeared on the album ''Unsung Guitar Heroes II'' in 1980 with the band Vixen. Vixen would later change their name to Hawaii and release the album '' One Nation Underground'' for Shrapnel. In 1981, a friend gave Mike Varney a tape featuring a 17-year-old Swedish guitarist named Yngwie Malmsteen. A year later, Malmsteen wrote to the label stating that he wanted to export his music to America. Varney, who started writing a column called "Spotlight" for ''Guitar Player'' magazine in 1982, featured Malmsteen in his February 1983 column. The record executive flew Yngwie to California and set him up with vocalist Ron Keel's new band called Steeler. Steeler's self-titled album became a best selling release for Shrapnel Records. The label was acquired by The Orchard, subsi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
King Biscuit Flour Hour
The ''King Biscuit Flower Hour'' was an American syndicated radio show presented by the D.I.R. Radio Network that featured concert performances by various rock music recording artists. History The program was broadcast on Sunday nights from 1973 until 1993. Following the end of original programming, the broadcast continued on Sunday nights until 2005, airing previously broadcast shows. During its prime, the program was carried by more than 300 radio stations throughout the United States. The show's name was derived from the influential blues radio show ''King Biscuit Time'', which was sponsored by the King Biscuit Flour Co., combined with the hippie phrase "flower power". The first show was broadcast on February 18, 1973, and featured Blood, Sweat & Tears, the Mahavishnu Orchestra, and Bruce Springsteen. The long-time host of the show until the mid-1990s was Bill Minkin, whose voice has been described as "the perfect blend of hipster enthusiasm and stoner casualness." The conce ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Industry Standard
''Industry Standard'' is the sixth studio album by the Dixie Dregs, released in 1982. This was the second of two albums released under the moniker The Dregs, and is their only album featuring vocals (by Alex Ligertwood of Santana and Patrick Simmons of The Doobie Brothers on one track each); it also garnered the group their fourth Grammy nomination. Ligertwood sang on "Crank It Up", while Simmons sang on and co-wrote "Ridin' High". ''Industry Standard'' was also the last album by The Dixie Dregs before their split in 1983, and their last one for 12 years until the release of '' Full Circle'' in 1994. Track listing All tracks are written by Steve Morse, except where noted. #"Assembly Line" – 4:25 #"Crank It Up" (Morse, The Dregs) – 3:35 #"Chips Ahoy" – 3:39 #"Bloodsucking Leeches" – 3:59 #"Up in the Air" – 2:27 #"Ridin' High" (Morse, Simmons) – 3:40 #"Where's Dixie?" – 3:57 #"Conversation Piece" – 6:12 #"Vitamin Q" – 5:33 Personnel * T Lavitz – Keyboards, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Unsung Heroes (Dixie Dregs Album)
''Unsung Heroes'' is the fifth studio album by the Dixie Dregs, released in 1981. This was the band's first album released under the moniker The Dregs. It also received a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Instrumental Performance. Track listing All tracks are written by Steve Morse. Personnel * Steve Morse – acoustic and electric guitars * Andy West – fretted and fretless bass * Allen Sloan – electric and acoustic 5 string violin * Rod Morgenstein – drums and percussion * T Lavitz Terry "T" Lavitz (April 16, 1956 – October 7, 2010) was an American keyboardist, composer and Record producer, producer. He is best known for his work with the Dixie Dregs and Jazz Is Dead. Biography Born on April 16, 1956, Lavitz grew up in ... – acoustic and electric piano, organ, synthesizer, clavinet, saxophone References 1981 albums Dixie Dregs albums Arista Records albums {{1980s-rock-album-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
