Sunday, November 11, 2007
Link Wray
Link Wray
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Link Wray and His Ray Men's The Swan Singles Collection 1963-1967Fred Lincoln "Link" Wray Jr (May 2, 1929 – November 5, 2005) was an American rock and roll guitar player most noted for pioneering a new sound for electric guitars in his hit 1958 instrumental "Rumble", by Link Wray and his Ray Men. Before "Rumble", electric guitars were commonly used to produce clean sounds and jazz chords. Wray pioneered electric guitar distortions, like overdrive and fuzz, and was the first guitarist to use power chords to play a song's melody.
Wray was born in Dunn, North Carolina to Lillie M. Norris and Frederick ("Fred") Lincoln Wray.[1] It was there that Link first heard slide guitar at age eight from a traveling carnival worker, a black man named "Hambone". Link and his family later moved to Norfolk, Virginia as his father got work in the Navy shipyards. Link served a hitch in the US Army and was a Korean War Veteran. In 1956, his family later moved to Washington, D.C., and from there, they moved to a farm in Accokeek, Maryland. Link relocated to Arizona with his brother Vernon in the very early 1970s, and later moved to San Francisco in the mid 1970s.
Wray was a veteran of the Korean war, where he contracted tuberculosis that ultimately cost him a lung. His doctors told him that he would never sing again. So Link concentrated on his heavy guitar work. Despite this, on his rare vocal numbers he displays a strong voice and a range equivalent to Clarence "Frogman" Henry.
Contents [hide]
1 Career
2 "Rumble"
3 Later career
4 Native American
5 Discography
5.1 Singles
5.2 Albums
5.3 Compilations
6 Footnotes
7 External links
[edit] Career
After discharge from the Army, Wray and his brothers Doug and Vernon Wray, with friends Shorty Horton and Dixie Neale, formed Lucky Wray and the Lazy Pine Wranglers, later known as Lucky Wray and the Palomino Ranch Hands. They had been playing country music and Western swing for several years when they took a gig as the house band on the daily live TV show Milt Grant's House Party, a Washington D.C. version of American Bandstand. The band made their first recordings in 1956 as Lucky Wray and the Palomino Ranch Hands for Starday Records.
[edit] "Rumble"
Main article: Rumble (song)
For the TV show, they also backed many performers, from Fats Domino to Ricky Nelson. At a live gig in Fredericksburg, VA, attempting to work up a backing for The Diamonds' "The Stroll", they came up with the stately, powerful 12-bar blues instrumental "Rumble", which they originally called "Oddball". The song was an instant hit with the live audience, which demanded four repeats that night. Eventually the song came to the attention of record producer Archie Bleyer of Cadence Records, who hated it, particularly after Wray poked holes in his amplifier's speakers to make the recording sound more like the live version (see "Rocket 88" for Ike Turner's similar story). However, Bleyer's step-daughter loved it and it was released despite his protest. She was the one who suggested renaming the song "Rumble", because it reminded her of West Side Story. Rumble is slang for a "gang fight".
The menacing sound of "Rumble" (and its title) led to a ban on several radio stations, a rare feat for a song with no lyrics, on the grounds that it glorified juvenile delinquency. Nevertheless it became a huge hit, not only in the United States, but also Great Britain, where it has been cited as an influence on The Who, among others. Pete Townshend stated in unpublished liner notes for the 1970 comeback album, "He is the king; if it hadn't been for Link Wray and 'Rumble,' I would have never picked up a guitar." In other liner notes in 1974, Townshend said, of "Rumble": "I remember being made very uneasy the first time I heard it, and yet excited by the savage guitar sounds."
Jeff Beck, Jimi Hendrix, Marc Bolan, Neil Young and Bob Dylan have all cited Wray as an influence. Mark E. Smith of The Fall sang the line "I used to have this thing about Link Wray, I used to play him every Saturday, God bless Saturday" in the song "Neighbourhood of Infinity" on the album Perverted by Language. He was named as one of the hundred greatest guitarists of all time by Rolling Stone magazine, but still has not yet been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He is, however, a member of the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.
[edit] Later career
The band had several more hard-rocking instrumental hits in the late 1950s and early 1960s, including "Rawhide", "Ace of Spades", and "Jack the Ripper", the latter named after a "dirty boogie" dance popular in Baltimore at the time. The dirty boogie dance was among the several dance crazes featured in the 1988 film Hairspray.
After his initial hits, Wray's career had periods of retirement followed by renewed popularity, particularly in Europe. He toured and recorded two albums with retro-rockabilly artist Robert Gordon in the late 1970s. The 1980s to the present day saw a large number of reissues as well as new material. Inspired by the use of his songs in various feature films, the 1997 "Shadowman" album is generally regarded as the Rumble Man's return to his raw rock'n'roll roots. Backed by a Dutch band consisting of Eric Geevers on bass and Rob Louwers on drums, Wray toured Europe and Australia as well, documented on a live album and DVD. Link's last new recording was 2000s "Barbed Wire", again recorded with his Dutch rhythm section. He was generally accompanied on tour by his wife Olive Julie, and since the late nineties his "colorful" Irish born road manager John Tynan. His regular backing band in the USA from 1998 until 2003 were bassist Atom Ellis and drummers Danny Heifetz (Mr. Bungle, Dieselhed) and Dustin Donaldson (I Am Spoonbender, various). He continued to tour up until four months before he died.
His music has been featured in numerous films, including Desperado, Independence Day, 12 Monkeys, This Boy's Life, Blow, Johnny Suede, The Shadow, Breathless, and Pink Flamingos, which is set in Baltimore.
[edit] Native American
Part Shawnee Indian, Wray frequently spoke of his ancestry in performances and interviews. Three of the songs he performed bear the names of American Indian tribes: "Shawnee," "Apache," and "Comanche." "Apache" was an instrumental composed by Jerry Lordan, which became a hit in the UK for The Shadows in 1960. Wray recorded one of the better covers of the song 30 years later, somehow finding new life in this mythic, minor-key, guitar/drum dialogue which by then was also associated with everyone from The Ventures to the Incredible Bongo Band to Grandmaster Flash.
He moved to Denmark in the 1980s after meeting and marrying a Danish student, Olive, who had been studying Native American culture. He lived his last years with Olive on a Danish island, touring frequently. Link Wray died November 5, 2005 at his home in Copenhagen. He was 76. He was buried at the Christian Church Cemetery in the eastern Copenhagen suburb of Christianshavn on November 18, 2005.
According to a note added by Deborah Wray on his Rockabilly Hall of Fame page, Link Wray was married four times and is survived by nine children: Fred Lincoln Wray III, Link Elvis Wray, Shayne Wray, Elizabeth (Beth) Wray Webb, Mona Kay Wray Tidwell, Bellinda Wray Muth, Rhonda Wray Sayen, and Charlotte Wray Glass. Print and online obituaries have only mentioned the wife and son he was living with at the time of his death, Olive and Oliver Christian Wray.
The most comprehensive resource on Link Wray, www.WraysShack3Tracks.com, has documented and displayed photos and videos of two other bands that were his continual touring bands on his very last two tours. He was backed by members of the Seattle band Jet City Fix for the duration of his next to last tour. His very last tour was booked and managed by Marc Mencher of Action Packed Events. Link's drummer on that tour was Gary Weiss of the rockabilly band Vibro Champs and he was backed on bass by Kris Day current bassist. The Vibro Champs website also features photos and video of Link's last touring band.
Robert Ehrlich, the governor of Maryland, declared January 15 to be Link Wray Day.
On March 25, 2006 Link was honored by "The First Americans in the Arts" with the Life Time Achievement Award.
On June 8, 2006, Link was inducted into the Native American Music Hall of Fame.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Singles
Release date A-side B-side Label Number
1958/Mar. 31 Rumble The Swag Cadence 1347
1959/Jan. 12 Raw-Hide Dixie-Doodle Epic 5-9300
1959/June 15 Comanche Lillian Epic 5-9321
1959/Oct. Slinky Rendezvous Epic 5-9343
1959 Vendetta (as Ray Vernon) Roughshod Scottie NRS-3020
1960/Mar. 7 Trail Of The Lonesome Pine Golden Strings (Based On A Chopin Etude) Epic 5-9361
1960/Oct. 24 Ain't That Lovin' You Babe Mary Ann Epic 5-9419
1961/July 31 Jack The Ripper The Stranger Rumble 1000
1961/Aug. 21 El Toro Tijuana Epic 5-9454
1962/Mar. Big City Stomp Poppin' Popeye Trans Atlas M 687
1963/Mar. 16 Rumble Mambo Hambone Okeh 4-7166
1963/Apr. 6 The Black Widow Jack The Ripper Swan S-4137
1963/Sept. 21 Week End Turnpike U.S.A. Swan S-4154
1963/Dec. Run Chicken Run The Sweeper Swan S-4163
1964/Mar. The Shadow Knows My Alberta Swan S-4171
1964/Jul. Deuces Wild Summer Dream Swan S-4187
1965/Feb. 13 Good Rockin' Tonight I'll Do Anything For You Swan S-4201
1965 I'm Branded Hang On Swan S-4211
1965 Girl From The North Country You Hurt Me So Swan S-4232
1965 Ace Of Spades The Fuzz Swan S-4239
1966 The Batman Theme (with Bobby Howard) Alone Swan S-4244
1966 Ace Of Spades Hidden Charms Swan S-4261
1967 Let The Good Times Roll (with Kathy Lynn) Soul Train Swan S-4273
1967 Jack The Ripper I'll Do Anything For You Swan S-4284
[edit] Albums
Release date Title Label Number
1960 US Link Wray & The Raymen Epic LN 3661
1962 US Great Guitar Hits by Link Wray Vermillion V-1924
1963 US Jack The Ripper Swan S-LP 510
1964 US Link Wray Sings And Plays Guitar Vermillion V-1925
1963/2006 Link Wray Early Recordings Rollercoaster/Ace
1971 US Link Wray Polydor PD-24-4064
1971 US Mordicai Jones (w/ Bobby Howard) Polydor PD-5010
1972 US Be What You Want To Polydor PD-5047
1973 US Beans and Fatback (rec. 1971) Virgin V-2006
1979 US Bull Shot
[edit] Compilations
Release date Title Label Number
1969 US Yesterday and Today Record Factory LP 1929
1993/May, 18 Rumble! The Best of Link Wray Rhino Records
[edit] Footnotes
^ http://www.wargs.com/other/wrayl.html
[edit] External links
Link Wray's Official Website
Link Wray's Raymen Official Site
WraysShack3Tracks.com
Link Wray's entry at the Rockabilly Hall of Fame
Link Wray - Photo Gallery
Best Link Wray Web Bio - by Jimmy McDonough
In-depth Link Wray obituary that explains his importance in American music and culture from NewYorkNightTrain.com
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Link_Wray"
Categories: 1929 births | 2005 deaths | American rock guitarists | Native American musicians | American military personnel of the Korean War | People from North Carolina | Shawnee tribe
Hippie Picture!
Here is a picture I created. It reminds of "back in the 70's", and hippie's! Any hippie's out there? BE SURE TO CLICK ON THE PICTURE, SO YOU CAN SEE A FULL SIZE IMAGE, AND REALLY "TRIP OUT"!
Frank/Abstracts.tv
Who is Big Head Todd & the Monsters?
Big Head Todd and the Monsters
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Big Head Todd and the Monsters
Origin Boulder, Colorado, USA
Years active 1986-present
Label(s) Big, Giant
Website Official Site of Big Head Todd & the Monsters
Members
Todd Park Mohr
Brian Nevin
Rob Squires
Jeremy Lawton
Big Head Todd & the Monsters is a rock band formed in 1986 in Colorado. The band has released a number of albums since 1989 with their 1993 album Sister Sweetly going platinum in the United States. The band has developed a sizable live following especially in the Mountain States of the United States.
Contents [hide]
1 Band history
2 Line up
3 Discography
4 Chart Success
4.1 Charting singles
5 References
6 External links
[edit] Band history
The band was formed in 1986 with Todd Park Mohr on guitar and vocals, Brian Nevin drums and vocals and Rob Squires on bass and vocals. The trio had attended Columbine High School together and formed a band at the University of Colorado. The band name is a tribute to legendary blues/jazz "heads" (eg. Eddy Clean-head Vincent, etc.) It was actually just a fluke--they were scheduled to perform their first gig, but had no name...Todd came up with that at the spur of the moment and it stuck.[1]
The band soon built up a following in Denver and Boulder. They toured extensively throughout the Mountain States and West Coast of the United States in their van dubbed "The Colonel", which clocked up over 400,000 miles.
In 1989, the band formed Big Records and released their first album Another Mayberry in 1989. Midnight Radio was released the following year. By 1993, Big Head Todd and the Monsters had developed a considerable live following across the United States. Their first live album Big Head Todd and the Monsters Live was recorded at the H.O.R.D.E. Festival in 1993.
The group signed with Giant Records in 1993 and recorded Sister Sweetly with Prince associate David Z. producing. This album went platinum and spawned three singles that made the rock charts including "Bittersweet", "Circle" and "Brokenhearted Saviour".
Mohr produced the next album Strategem released in 1994. It reached #30 on the Billboard album charts but did not sell as well as its predecessors due to the lack of a hit single from the album.
The band contributed the song Tangerine to the 1995 Led Zeppelin tribute album Encomium: A Tribute to Led Zeppelin.
Jerry Harrison, formerly of the Talking Heads, produced the next album released in 1997. Blues legend John Lee Hooker was recording an album in the same studio and played with the band on a version of his best-known song "Boom Boom". Rob Squires described the recording of the track on the band's website. "Hooker has just this incredible presence. He walked into the room and literally everyone was intimidated including our producer and the people who work in the studio." (1) Bernie Worrell, formerly of P-Funk, played keyboards on the albums title track "Beautiful World". The album spawned two hit singles on the rock charts namely "Boom Boom" and "Resignation Superman". The Live Monsters album followed in 1998.
In 2002, the group released the follow up studio album Riviera. As Giant Records had closed its doors, the self-produced album was released through Big Records with distribution through Warner Music. Crimes of Passion was released in 2004 with Sanctuary Records distributing it. Another live album Live at the Fillmore was released in 2004.
In 2005, the group joined the throng of Internet-based music sales by releasing the single "Blue Sky" exclusively on iTunes. This single was written at the request of crewmembers of the Space Shuttle Discovery for their STS-114 Return to Flight mission in 2005, the first mission after the Columbia disaster. "Blue Sky" was written and performed as a tribute to the men and women of the American space program, from the people keeping the space shuttle flying to the astronauts doing the flying.
As of November 4 2007 they are offering an advance copy of their next record free to anyone who signs up via their official website listed below.
[edit] Line up
Todd Park Mohr - lead vocals/guitars/keyboards/saxophone
Brian Nevin - drums/percussion/vocals
Rob Squires - bass/vocals
Jeremy Lawton - keyboards/pedal steel guitar/vocals
[edit] Discography
Another Mayberry 1989
Midnight Radio 1990
Sister Sweetly 1993
Strategem 1994
Beautiful World 1997
Live Monsters 1998
Riviera 2002
Crimes of Passion 2004
Live at the Fillmore 2004
From The Archives 2007
[edit] Chart Success
The following albums have charted on the Billboard album charts:
Sister Sweetly #1 Billboard Heatseeker, #117 Billboard Album Chart 1993
Strategem #30 Billboard Album Chart 1994
Beautiful World #54 Billboard Album Chart 1997
Riviera #166 Billboard Album Chart #2 Internet Chart
Crimes of Passion #253 Internet albums
[edit] Charting singles
Year Title Chart Positions[2] Album
US Modern Rock US Mainstream Rock
1993 "Bittersweet" - #14 Sister Sweetly
1993 "Broken Hearted Savior" - #9 Sister Sweetly
1993 "Circle" - #21 Sister Sweetly
1997 "Resignation Superman" #38 #13 Beautiful World
1998 "Boom Boom" - #29 Beautiful World
[edit] References
^ FAQ. BigHeadTodd.com. Retrieved on 2007-04-14.
^ Billboard Singles, Allmusic.com
[edit] External links
Official Site of Big Head Todd & the Monsters
Allmusic.com Big Head Todd and The Monsters
Podcast.net with downloadable Big Head Todd & the Monsters tunes
Todd Park Mohr's philosophy podcasts on Podcast.net
Big Head Todd and the Monsters collection at the Internet Archive's live music archive
"Big Head Todd & the Monsters" article in Contemporary Musicians Volume 20 1997 cited on Galenet Biography Research Centre
"Rock favourites Big Head Todd & the Monsters Set to Release New Album Riviera Set to Release New Album on Warner Bros Distributed Big Records" PR Newswire January 28 2002
Management: Alex Brahl for Brahl Management
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Head_Todd_and_the_Monsters"
Categories: Music in Denver | American rock music groups | Colorado musical groups | Taper-friendly musical groups | Columbine High School alumni | Musical groups established in 1986
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Big Head Todd and the Monsters
Origin Boulder, Colorado, USA
Years active 1986-present
Label(s) Big, Giant
Website Official Site of Big Head Todd & the Monsters
Members
Todd Park Mohr
Brian Nevin
Rob Squires
Jeremy Lawton
Big Head Todd & the Monsters is a rock band formed in 1986 in Colorado. The band has released a number of albums since 1989 with their 1993 album Sister Sweetly going platinum in the United States. The band has developed a sizable live following especially in the Mountain States of the United States.
Contents [hide]
1 Band history
2 Line up
3 Discography
4 Chart Success
4.1 Charting singles
5 References
6 External links
[edit] Band history
The band was formed in 1986 with Todd Park Mohr on guitar and vocals, Brian Nevin drums and vocals and Rob Squires on bass and vocals. The trio had attended Columbine High School together and formed a band at the University of Colorado. The band name is a tribute to legendary blues/jazz "heads" (eg. Eddy Clean-head Vincent, etc.) It was actually just a fluke--they were scheduled to perform their first gig, but had no name...Todd came up with that at the spur of the moment and it stuck.[1]
The band soon built up a following in Denver and Boulder. They toured extensively throughout the Mountain States and West Coast of the United States in their van dubbed "The Colonel", which clocked up over 400,000 miles.
In 1989, the band formed Big Records and released their first album Another Mayberry in 1989. Midnight Radio was released the following year. By 1993, Big Head Todd and the Monsters had developed a considerable live following across the United States. Their first live album Big Head Todd and the Monsters Live was recorded at the H.O.R.D.E. Festival in 1993.
The group signed with Giant Records in 1993 and recorded Sister Sweetly with Prince associate David Z. producing. This album went platinum and spawned three singles that made the rock charts including "Bittersweet", "Circle" and "Brokenhearted Saviour".
Mohr produced the next album Strategem released in 1994. It reached #30 on the Billboard album charts but did not sell as well as its predecessors due to the lack of a hit single from the album.
The band contributed the song Tangerine to the 1995 Led Zeppelin tribute album Encomium: A Tribute to Led Zeppelin.
Jerry Harrison, formerly of the Talking Heads, produced the next album released in 1997. Blues legend John Lee Hooker was recording an album in the same studio and played with the band on a version of his best-known song "Boom Boom". Rob Squires described the recording of the track on the band's website. "Hooker has just this incredible presence. He walked into the room and literally everyone was intimidated including our producer and the people who work in the studio." (1) Bernie Worrell, formerly of P-Funk, played keyboards on the albums title track "Beautiful World". The album spawned two hit singles on the rock charts namely "Boom Boom" and "Resignation Superman". The Live Monsters album followed in 1998.
In 2002, the group released the follow up studio album Riviera. As Giant Records had closed its doors, the self-produced album was released through Big Records with distribution through Warner Music. Crimes of Passion was released in 2004 with Sanctuary Records distributing it. Another live album Live at the Fillmore was released in 2004.
In 2005, the group joined the throng of Internet-based music sales by releasing the single "Blue Sky" exclusively on iTunes. This single was written at the request of crewmembers of the Space Shuttle Discovery for their STS-114 Return to Flight mission in 2005, the first mission after the Columbia disaster. "Blue Sky" was written and performed as a tribute to the men and women of the American space program, from the people keeping the space shuttle flying to the astronauts doing the flying.
As of November 4 2007 they are offering an advance copy of their next record free to anyone who signs up via their official website listed below.
[edit] Line up
Todd Park Mohr - lead vocals/guitars/keyboards/saxophone
Brian Nevin - drums/percussion/vocals
Rob Squires - bass/vocals
Jeremy Lawton - keyboards/pedal steel guitar/vocals
[edit] Discography
Another Mayberry 1989
Midnight Radio 1990
Sister Sweetly 1993
Strategem 1994
Beautiful World 1997
Live Monsters 1998
Riviera 2002
Crimes of Passion 2004
Live at the Fillmore 2004
From The Archives 2007
[edit] Chart Success
The following albums have charted on the Billboard album charts:
Sister Sweetly #1 Billboard Heatseeker, #117 Billboard Album Chart 1993
Strategem #30 Billboard Album Chart 1994
Beautiful World #54 Billboard Album Chart 1997
Riviera #166 Billboard Album Chart #2 Internet Chart
Crimes of Passion #253 Internet albums
[edit] Charting singles
Year Title Chart Positions[2] Album
US Modern Rock US Mainstream Rock
1993 "Bittersweet" - #14 Sister Sweetly
1993 "Broken Hearted Savior" - #9 Sister Sweetly
1993 "Circle" - #21 Sister Sweetly
1997 "Resignation Superman" #38 #13 Beautiful World
1998 "Boom Boom" - #29 Beautiful World
[edit] References
^ FAQ. BigHeadTodd.com. Retrieved on 2007-04-14.
^ Billboard Singles, Allmusic.com
[edit] External links
Official Site of Big Head Todd & the Monsters
Allmusic.com Big Head Todd and The Monsters
Podcast.net with downloadable Big Head Todd & the Monsters tunes
Todd Park Mohr's philosophy podcasts on Podcast.net
Big Head Todd and the Monsters collection at the Internet Archive's live music archive
"Big Head Todd & the Monsters" article in Contemporary Musicians Volume 20 1997 cited on Galenet Biography Research Centre
"Rock favourites Big Head Todd & the Monsters Set to Release New Album Riviera Set to Release New Album on Warner Bros Distributed Big Records" PR Newswire January 28 2002
Management: Alex Brahl for Brahl Management
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Head_Todd_and_the_Monsters"
Categories: Music in Denver | American rock music groups | Colorado musical groups | Taper-friendly musical groups | Columbine High School alumni | Musical groups established in 1986
ViewsArticle Discussion Edit this page History Personal toolsSign in / create account Navigation
Main page
Contents
Featured content
Current events
Random article
interaction
About Wikipedia
Community portal
Recent changes
Contact Wikipedia
Donate to Wikipedia
Help
Search
Toolbox
What links here
Related changes
Upload file
Special pages
Printable version
Permanent link
Cite this article
Visit Abstracts.tv to see many more videos from BHTM (Big Head Todd & The Monsters!)
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