Afterglow was an American
psychedelic rock band in the late 1960s.
The band emerged from the Medallions, formed in 1965 in
Chico, California
Chico ( ; Spanish for "little") is the most populous city in Butte County, California. Located in the Sacramento Valley region of Northern California, the city had a population of 101,475 in the 2020 census, reflecting an increase from 86,18 ...
, by guitarist Tony Tecumseh (Anthony Vernon Tecumseh, October 27, 1940–January 29, 2012), drummer Larry Alexander and a bassist named Mike, later joined by vocalist Gene Resler. Tecumseh was a
Modoc, born in
Klamath Agency, Oregon.
[ "Pioneering Indian musician Tony Tecumseh dies", ''Herald and News'', February 1, 2012]
Retrieved 4 March 2018 The group played at local events, before disbanding to attend college. In 1966, Tecumseh, Alexander and Resler reconvened and added bassist Ron George and keyboard player Roger Swanson. After a period of rehearsal they changed their name to Afterglow and began recording an album at
Leo Kulka
Leo De Gar Kulka (February 17, 1921 – March 17, 1998) was a Czech-born American record producer, recording engineer and educator. Starting in Los Angeles at Autumn Records in the 1960s, he later founded the San Francisco studio Golden State Re ...
's
Golden State Recorders studio in
San Francisco
San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17th ...
. The band performed in
Northern California but, because of members' studies, they were unable to complete the album until 1967.
[ "Afterglow", ''Bad Cat Records'']
. Retrieved 4 March 2018 Most of the tracks were written by Tecumseh, with Resler taking the majority of lead vocals.[ The self-titled album was released in 1968 on the small New York-based MTA label, but was not successful at the time and the band split up shortly afterwards.][
In later years, the album acquired a cult reputation, being described as "a classic example of California pop and psychedelic",][ and "like a sampler of American psychedelic styles", recalling the music of ]the Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1965, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger, and drummer John Densmore. They were among the most controversial and influential rock acts ...
, Jefferson Airplane, the Byrds
The Byrds () were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1964. The band underwent multiple lineup changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn (known as Jim McGuinn until mid-1967) remaining the sole cons ...
and others.[Stephen Thomas Erlewine, "Afterglow", ''Allmusic.com'']
Retrieved 4 March 2018 In 1995, it was reissued by Sundazed Records
Sundazed Music is an American independent record label based in Coxsackie, New York. It specializes in obscure and rare recordings from the 1950s to the 1970s. In 2000, Sundazed had a staff of 15 and two mixing studios, including a vintage audio ...
, and members of the band reunited to perform, though without Tecumseh because of his poor health. Tecumseh came to be regarded as "a forerunner in Native American involvement in rock and roll music", and was awarded the Native American Music Association's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011.[ He died in 2012.][
]
References
External links
Official website
Psychedelic rock music groups from California
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