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Introducing Sparks
''Introducing Sparks'' is the seventh album by the American rock band Sparks, released in 1977 by Columbia Records. Release At the time of its release, Pete Makowski in ''Sounds'' suggested that the album was "probably the most adventurous musical outing yet" from Sparks, suggesting that Ron Mael "is one of the most underrated and original lyricists in the galaxy." However, the album proved to be a commercial failure, and many other very negative reviews claimed that the band had adopted a new East Coast "American sound" despite the fact that the Mael brothers are indeed Americans. The title is also rather ironic – ''Introducing Sparks'' was not only not their first album, it wasn't even the first for their label, Columbia (it was their second and, furthering the irony, their last). ''Introducing Sparks'' was no more a success in terms of chart performance than their previous album ''Big Beat''. It did not chart in the UK or US. The singles "Over the Summer" and "A Big Surpris ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Album
An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as Digital distribution#Music, digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th century as individual Phonograph record#78 rpm disc developments, 78 rpm records collected in a bound book resembling a photograph album; this format evolved after 1948 into single vinyl LP record, long-playing (LP) records played at revolutions per minute, rpm. The album was the dominant form of recorded music expression and consumption from the mid-1960s to the early 21st century, a period known as the album era. Vinyl LPs are still issued, though album sales in the 21st-century have mostly focused on CD and MP3 formats. The 8-track tape was the first tape format widely used alongside vinyl from 1965 until being phased out by 1983 and was gradually supplanted by the cassette tape during the 1970s and early 1980s; the populari ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Island Records
Island Records is a multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded in 1959 by Chris Blackwell, Graeme Goodall, and Leslie Kong in Jamaica, and was eventually sold to PolyGram in 1989. Island and A&M Records, another label recently acquired by PolyGram, were both at the time the largest independent record labels in history, with Island having exerted a major influence on the progressive music scene in the United Kingdom in the early 1970s. Island Records operates four international divisions: Island US, Island UK, Island Australia, and Island France (known as Vertigo France until 2014). Current key people include Island US president Darcus Beese, OBE and MD Jon Turner. Partially due to its significant legacy, Island remains one of UMG's pre-eminent record labels. Artists who have signed to Island Records include Bob Marley, Nick Drake, Queen, Jethro Tull, Grace Jones, Steve Winwood, King Crimson, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Brian Eno, Demi Lo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bob Seidemann
Robert Emett (Bob) Seidemann (December 28, 1941 – November 27, 2017 ) was an American graphic artist and photographer. Biography Seidemann was born in Manhattan, New York, and grew up in Queens. He graduated from Manhattan High School of Aviation Trades and apprenticed with photographer Tom Caravaglia in NYC before heading west to San Francisco. There he found friends among the artists in North Beach and environs and began working as an artist himself. He collaborated with friends David Getz, Rick Griffin, Stanley Mouse and Alton Kelly, Big Brother and the Holding Company, George Hunter, The Charlatans, Janis Joplin and the Grateful Dead to create photographic images at the forefront of the popular and revolutionary culture of the time. Although unpublished until her death, Seidemann's 1967 portraits of a semi-nude Janis Joplin earned him wide acclaim. Seidemann also photographed The Grateful Dead a number of times during their peak, both for posters and album liners, as we ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Hewlett
John Hewlett (1762–13 April 1844) was a prominent biblical scholar in nineteenth-century England. Hewlett was born in Chetnole, Dorset to Timothy Hewlett. In his early 20s he established a school in Shacklewell, Hackney. During this period, he became acquainted with the young Mary Wollstonecraft, then running her own school at nearby Newington Green. Hewlett persuaded her to write her first book, ''Thoughts on the Education of Daughters'', and sold the yet-unwritten manuscript to the radical publisher Joseph Johnson. He also introduced her to the great lexicographer Samuel Johnson. In 1786 he was admitted as a sizar to Magdalene College, Cambridge. The Cambridge Alumni Database lists him as "a ten-year man", which the university defines as: "Under the 1570 statutes it was made possible for a man over the age of twenty-four to proceed to the degree of BD ten years after matriculation without first proceeding to the degrees of BA and MA . The privilege was not much used until sho ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jim Haas
James Edwin Haas was an American singer who performed vocals for many artists including Andy Williams, Neil Diamond, Jackson Browne, David Cassidy, Leif Garrett, Pink Floyd, and Barry Manilow. Leif Garrett, after Haas' death, explained that in multiple tracks in his earlier albums Haas actually replaced his vocals entirely. The producers had wanted him to "smooth" Garrett's uneven vocals, but made the choice sometimes to replace Garrett entirely on his own albums. In some cases, Garrett's producers even brought in Haas to sing for Garrett behind a curtain during some live concert tour performances. He was a member of Roger Waters George Roger Waters (born 6 September 1943) is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. In 1965, he co-founded the progressive rock band Pink Floyd. Waters initially served as the bassist, but following the departure of singer-so ...' The Bleeding Heart Band. A Facebook post from one of his associated acts announced James' death in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Al Capps
Allan Alfonzo Capps (April 26, 1939 – June 7, 2018) was an American record producer, arranger, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and vocalist. Beginning in the 1960s and 1970s, he produced and arranged albums for popular artists such as Cher, Andy Williams, Helen Reddy, José Feliciano, Vicki Lawrence, and Liza Minnelli, and delivered film music for more than twenty films. As a musician, he played on albums by The Everly Brothers, Gábor Szabó, and Frank Sinatra. Later in life, he made music for commercials of international brands. Biography Capps produced and arranged albums for many artists, including Andy Williams, Helen Reddy, Vikki Carr, José Feliciano, Liza Minnelli, The Osmonds, Cher, Jennifer Warnes, The Lennon Sisters, The Ventures, and The Cats. In the seventies he was a fixed arranger of Snuff Garrett.Johan Tol and Michel Veerman, ''Lost on Larrabee - The 'Love in your eyes' recordings in L.A. - The Cats'' (Dutch), 2014, pages 16, 62-64WorldcatAl Capps/re ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ron Hicklin Singers
The Ron Hicklin Singers were a group of Los Angeles studio singers contracted and organized by Ron Hicklin. They are mostly known as the real singers behind the background vocals on The Partridge Family recordings. In Los Angeles studio circles in the 1960s through 1980s, they were the vocal equivalent of (and often worked with) The Wrecking Crew, performing backup vocals on thousands of songs, TV and movie themes, and as lead (while remaining anonymous) singers on thousands of radio and television commercials. Cast The core group usually consisted of (by Voice Type): * Ron Hicklin - lead tenor * Tom Bähler - tenor * John Bähler - tenor * Stan Farber - tenor * Jim Gilstrap - tenor * Gene Morford - bass * Al Capps - bass * Sally Stevens - soprano * Sandie Hall - soprano * Carolyn Willis - soprano * Jackie Ward - alto * Debbie Hall - alto * Myrna Matthews - alto However, this core group was often augmented with other specialist vocalists such as: * Jim Haas - tenor * Jerry W ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lee Ritenour
Lee Mack Ritenour ( ; born January 11, 1952) is an American jazz guitarist who has been active since the late 1960s. Biography Ritenour was born on January 11, 1952, in Los Angeles, California, United States. At the age of eight he started playing guitar and four years later decided on a career in music. When he was 16 he played on his first recording session with the Mamas & the Papas. He developed a love for jazz and was influenced by guitarist Wes Montgomery. At the age of 17 he worked with Lena Horne and Tony Bennett. He studied classical guitar at the University of Southern California. 1976–1988 Ritenour's solo career began with the album ''First Course'' (1976), a good example of the jazz-funk sound of the 1970s, followed by ''Captain Fingers'', ''The Captain's Journey'' (1978), and ''Feel the Night'' (1979). In 1979, he "was brought in to beef up" one of Pink Floyd's ''The Wall''s heaviest rock numbers, "Run Like Hell". He played "uncredited rhythm guitar" on "One of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mike Porcaro
Michael Joseph Porcaro (May 29, 1955 – March 15, 2015) was an American bass player known for his work with the rock band Toto. He retired from touring in 2007 as a result of being diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). He was the middle brother of Toto members Jeff Porcaro and Steve Porcaro. Their father was jazz drummer-percussionist Joe Porcaro. Early life Mike Porcaro is the second of the three Porcaro brothers. The three brothers were taught drums by their father at his drum shop every weekend. Jeff said that he himself wasn't the best drummer, adding that Mike was a better player than him before he switched to bass, while Steve later took up piano before they moved to California. Jeff explained that when the brothers took guitar lessons, Mike took off at the instrument while Jeff gave up after three lessons, and since the family had only one drum kit and one bass, Mike was assigned the bass. Mike Porcaro was also a member of the Baháʼí Faith He was ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
David Paich
David Frank Paich (born June 25, 1954) is an American musician, best known as the co-founder, principal songwriter, keyboardist and singer of the rock band Toto since 1977. He wrote or co-wrote much of Toto's original material, including the band's three most popular songs: " Hold the Line", " Rosanna" and "Africa". With Toto, Paich has contributed to 17 albums and sold over 40 million records. He and guitarist and singer Steve Lukather are the only members to appear on every studio album. In addition, Paich has worked as a songwriter, session musician and producer with a host of artists including Boz Scaggs and Michael Jackson. Paich is the son of jazz composer, musician and arranger Marty Paich. Career Toto A prolific writer of chart-performing songs, Paich wrote or co-wrote such tracks as " Hold the Line", " 99", " Lowdown", " Lido Shuffle", " Georgy Porgy", " Rosanna", " Hydra", "Holyanna", "Pamela", "Got To Be Real", " Lady Love Me (One More Time)", and "Miss Sun". ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ed Greene
Ed Greene is an American drummer and session musician. In 1971 he recorded with Donald Byrd (''Ethiopian Knights'', 1972), together with Thurman Green, Harold Land, Bobby Hutcherson, Joe Sample, Bobbye Porter Hall, David T. Walker, and Wilton Felder, among others. Greene has also recorded with Barry White, Stanley Turrentine, Richard Cook (journalist), Cook, Richard, Brian Morton (Scottish writer), Brian Morton''The Penguin Guide to Jazz on Compact Disc'', p. 1495.At Google Books. Retrieved 5 January 2022. B.B. King, Ramsey Lewis, Dizzy Gillespie, Steely Dan,Don Breithaupt, Breithaupt, Don''Steely Dan's Aja'', pp. 56, 103. A&C Black, 2007. ISBN 0826427839, 9780826427830.At Google Books. Retrieved 5 January 2022. Bobby "Blue" Bland, Phoebe Snow, Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye, among others. Greene was Barry White's drummer on recording sessions, and he played on many of White's biggest hits, including his 1973 hit "I'm Gonna Love You Just a Little More Baby". Partial discography ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
David Foster
David Walter Foster (born November 1, 1949) is a Canadian musician, composer, arranger, record producer and music executive who chaired Verve Records from 2012 to 2016. He has won 16 Grammy Awards from 47 nominations. His music career spans more than five decades, mainly beginning in the early 1970s as a keyboardist for the pop group Skylark. Early life and career Foster was born in Victoria, British Columbia, the son of Maurice "Maury" Foster, an office worker, and Eleanor May Foster (née Vantreight), a homemaker. In 1963, at the age of 13, he enrolled in the University of Washington music program.Encyclopedia.com: "Foster, David" Contemporary Musicians , 1995 , Shelton, Sonya In 1965, he auditioned to lead the band in an Edmonton nightclub owned by jazz musician |
