Earth, Wind & Fire were one of the most musically accomplished, critically acclaimed, and commercially popular funk bands of the '70s. Conceived by drummer, bandleader, songwriter, kalimba player, and occasional vocalist Maurice White, EWF's all-encompassing musical vision used funk as its foundation, but also incorporated jazz, smooth soul, gospel, pop, rock & roll, psychedelia, blues, folk, African music, and, later on, disco. Lead singer Philip Bailey gave EWF an extra dimension with his talent for crooning sentimental ballads in addition to funk workouts; behind him, the band could harmonize like a smooth Motown group, work a simmering groove like the J.B.'s, or improvise like a jazz fusion outfit. Plus, their stage shows were often just as elaborate and dynamic as George Clinton's P-Funk empire. More than just versatility for its own sake, EWF's eclecticism was part of a broader concept informed by a cosmic, mystical spirituality and an uplifting positivity the likes of which hadn't been seen since the early days of Sly & the Family Stone. Tying it all together was the accomplished songwriting of Maurice White, whose intricate, unpredictable arrangements and firm grasp of hooks and structure made EWF one of the tightest bands in funk when they wanted to be. Not everything they tried worked, but at their best, Earth, Wind & Fire seemingly took all that came before them and wrapped it up into one dizzying, spectacular package. 

White founded Earth, Wind & Fire in Chicago in 1969. He had previously honed his chops as a session drummer for Chess Records, where he played on songs by the likes of Fontella Bass, Billy Stewart, and Etta James, among others. In 1967, he'd replaced Redd Holt in the popular jazz group the Ramsey Lewis Trio, where he was introduced to the kalimba, an African thumb piano he would use extensively in future projects. In 1969, he left Lewis' group to form a songwriting partnership with keyboardist Don Whitehead and singer Wade Flemons. This quickly evolved into a band dubbed the Salty Peppers, which signed with Capitol and scored a regional hit with "La La Time." When a follow-up flopped, White decided to move to Los Angeles, and took most of the band with him; he also renamed them Earth, Wind & Fire, after the three elements in his astrological charts. By the time White convinced his brother, bassist Verdine White, to join him on the West Coast in 1970, the lineup also consisted of Whitehead, Flemons, female singer Sherry Scott, guitarist Michael Beal, tenor saxophonist Chet Washington, trombonist Alex Thomas, and percussionist Yackov Ben Israel. This aggregate signed a new deal with Warner Bros. and issued its self-titled debut album in late 1970. Many critics found it intriguing and ambitious, much like the 1971 follow-up, The Need of Love, but neither attracted much commercial attention, despite a growing following on college campuses and a high-profile gig performing the soundtrack to Melvin Van Peebles' groundbreaking black independent film Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song. 

Dissatisfied with the results, White dismantled the first version of EWF in 1972, retaining only brother Verdine. He built a new lineup with female vocalist Jessica Cleaves, flute/sax player Ronnie Laws, guitarist Roland Bautista, keyboardist Larry Dunn, and percussionist Ralph Johnson; the most important new addition, however, was singer Philip Bailey, recruited from a Denver R&B band called Friends & Love. After seeing the group open for John Sebastian in New York, Clive Davis signed them to CBS, where they debuted in 1972 with Last Days and Time. Further personnel changes ensued; Laws and Bautista were all gone by year's end, replaced by reedman Andrew Woolfolk and guitarists Al McKay and Johnny Graham. It was then that EWF truly began to hit their stride. 1973's Head to the Sky (Cleaves' last album with the group) significantly broadened their cult following, and the 1974 follow-up, Open Our Eyes, was their first genuine hit. It marked their first collaboration with producer, arranger, and sometime songwriting collaborator Charles Stepney, who helped streamline their sound for wider acceptance; it also featured another White brother, Fred, brought in as a second drummer. The single "Mighty Mighty" became EWF's first Top Ten hit on the R&B charts, although pop radio shied away from its black-pride subtext, and the minor hit "Kalimba Story" brought Maurice White's infatuation with African sounds to the airwaves. Open Our Eyes went gold, setting the stage for the band's blockbuster breakthrough. 

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In 1975, EWF completed work on another movie soundtrack, this time to a music-biz drama called That's the Way of the World. Not optimistic about the film's commercial prospects, the group rushed out their soundtrack album of the same name (unlike Sweet Sweetback, they composed all the music themselves) in advance. The film flopped, but the album took off; its lead single, the love-and-encouragement anthem "Shining Star," shot to the top of both the R&B and pop charts, making Earth, Wind & Fire mainstream stars; it later won a Grammy for Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Group. The album also hit number one on both the pop and R&B charts, and went double platinum; its title track went Top Five on the R&B side, and it also contained Bailey's signature ballad in the album cut "Reasons." White used the new income to develop EWF's live show into a lavish, effects-filled extravaganza, which eventually grew to include stunts designed by magician Doug Henning. The band was also augmented by a regular horn section, the Phoenix Horns, headed by saxophonist Don Myrick. Their emerging concert experience was chronicled later that year on the double-LP set Gratitude, which became their second straight number one album and featured one side of new studio tracks. Of those, "Sing a Song" reached the pop Top Ten and the R&B Top Five, and the ballad "Can't Hide Love" and the title track were also successful. 

Sadly, during the 1976 sessions for EWF's next studio album, Spirit, Charles Stepney died suddenly of a heart attack. Maurice White took over the arranging chores, but the Stepney-produced "Getaway" managed to top the R&B charts posthumously. Spirit naturally performed well on the charts, topping out at number two. In the meantime, White was taking a hand in producing other acts; in addition to working with his old boss Ramsey Lewis, he helped kick start the careers of the Emotions and Deniece Williams. 1977's All n' All was another strong effort that charted at number three and spawned the R&B smashes "Fantasy" and the chart-topping "Serpentine Fire"; meanwhile, the Emotions topped the pop charts with the White-helmed smash "Best of My Love." The following year, White founded his own label, ARC, and EWF appeared in the mostly disastrous film version of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, turning in a fine cover of the Beatles' "Got to Get You Into My Life" that became their first Top Ten pop hit since "Sing a Song." Released before year's end, The Best of Earth, Wind & Fire, Vol. 1 produced another Top Ten hit (and R&B number one) in the newly recorded "September." 

1979's I Am contained EWF's most explicit nod to disco, a smash collaboration with the Emotions called "Boogie Wonderland" that climbed into the Top Ten. The ballad "After the Love Has Gone" did even better, falling one spot short of the top. Although I Am became EWF's sixth straight multi-platinum album, there were signs that the group's explosion of creativity over the past few years was beginning to wane. 1980's Faces broke that string, after which guitarist McKay departed. While 1981's Raise brought them a Top Five hit and R&B chart-topper in "Let's Groove," an overall decline in consistency was becoming apparent. By the time EWF issued its next album, 1983's Powerlight, ARC had folded, and the Phoenix Horns had been cut loose to save money. After the lackluster Electric Universe appeared at the end of the year, White disbanded the group to simply take a break. In the meantime, Verdine White became a producer and video director, while Philip Bailey embarked on a solo career and scored a pop smash with the Phil Collins duet "Easy Lover." Collins also made frequent use of the Phoenix Horns on his '80s records, both solo and with Genesis. 

Bailey reunited with the White brothers, plus Andrew Woolfolk, Ralph Johnson, and new guitarist Sheldon Reynolds, in 1987 for the album Touch the World. It was surprisingly successful, producing two R&B smashes in "Thinking of You" and the number one "System of Survival." Released in 1990, Heritage was a forced attempt to contemporize the group's sound, with guest appearances from Sly Stone and MC Hammer; its failure led to the end of the group's relationship with Columbia. They returned on Reprise with the more traditional-sounding Millennium in 1993, but were dropped when the record failed to recapture their commercial standing despite a Grammy nomination for "Sunday Morning"; tragedy struck that year when onetime horn leader Don Myrick was murdered in Los Angeles. Bailey and the White brothers returned once again in 1997 on the small Pyramid label with In the Name of Love. After 2003's The Promise, the group realigned itself with several top-shelf adult contemporary artists and released 2005's Illumination, which featured a much-publicized collaboration with smooth jazz juggernaut Kenny G. 

 For The Record

Original members include Michael Beale, guitar; Leslie Drayton, horns; Wade Flemons,electric piano; Sherry Scott, vocals; Alex Thomas, horns; Chester Washington, horns;Maurice White (born December 19, 1941, in Chicago, IL), vocals, drums, kalimba; Verdine White (born July 25, 1951), bass; Donald Whitehead, keyboards; and Phillard Williams,percussion.

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Pink Floyd were an English rock band established in 1965 by Syd Barrett (lead vocals and lead guitar), Nick Mason (drums), Roger Waters (bass guitar) and Richard Wright (vocals and keyboard). They became famous for their psychedelic and space rock music which later evolved to progressive rock. The band is known for its imaginative live shows, album cover art, philosophical lyrics and experimental music.

Pink Floyd have sold more than 200 million albums globally making them one of the most successful rock acts of all time and they have also been an influence to many 1970s bands such as Yes and Genesis. Pink Floyd enjoyed relative success in the late 1960s especially in the London underground music scene before Barrett’s erratic behavior led to him being replaced by David Gilmour. Bass player Roger Waters then became a tour de force within the band and remained dominant until his departure in 1985.

'The Piper at the Gates of Dawn', released in 1967, was the band’s debut album and was well received at the time and is now considered a prime example of British psychedelic music. The reason Barrett was let go from the band was for his excessive use of LSD causing him to spend concerts staring into space or playing one chord for the whole performance.

After Barrett’s departure and the introduction of David Gilmour the band released the album 'A Saucerful of Secrets' which reached No.9 in the UK charts and is the only Pink Floyd album not to chart in the US. It featured the 12 minute epic title track and hinted at what was to come from this band. They were then recruited to produce the soundtrack for the film, ‘More’, which was released in 1969. The music was released as an album in its own right called 'Soundtrack from the Film More'. They then released the double album, 'Ummagumma' which was an avant-garde mix of solo projects, studio experimentation and live recordings. The album was critically acclaimed and proves Pink Floyd’s most popular release yet charting at No. 5 in the UK. Their next album, 'Atom Heart Mother'. proved a great success and reached No.1 in the UK and No. 55 in the US. This allowed Pink Floyd to embark on their first full US tour.

1970-75 was the bands big breakthrough period and produced what many consider the band’s two masterpiece albums, 'The Dark Side of the Moon' and 'Wish You Were Here'. 'The Dark Side of the Moon' became the band’s first No.1 in the US and is the third highest selling album of all time (behind 'Thriller' and 'Back in Black') selling over 45 million copies worldwide. It stayed in the US Billboard Top 200 for 741 weeks. It only ever reached No. 2 in the UK but staying in the charts for an incredible 301 weeks. 1975 saw the release of 'Wish You Were Here' which was just as well received by critics and fans alike and is the only Pink Floyd album to chart at No.1 in both the UK and the US.

'Animals', their next album release was a highly political album and although reaching No. 2 and No. 3 in the UK and US charts respectively it wasn’t well received by critics. 1979 saw the release of “The Wall” which gave Pink Floyd new acclaim and included the likes of 'Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)', 'Comfortably Numb' and 'Run Like Hell'. It sold over 11.5 million copies and was certified 23x platinum by the RIAA.

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1985 saw Waters leave the band and Gilmour take up the leaders mantle and enjoyed success with the release of “A Momentary Lapse of Reason” which charted at No.3 in both the UK and US and then in 1988 released the double album, 'Delicate Sound of Thunder'. In 1994 the band released 'The Division Bell' which was the 2nd Pink Floyd to reach No.1 in both the UK and US. 1996 saw the band inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Pink Floyd appeared at Live 8 and it was hoped that the band would take up a $250 million dollar offer of a world tour but they refused.

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Johnny Rotten, Sid Vicious, Steve Jones and Paul Cook. Four names that can mean only one band, Sex Pistols. An English punk rock band that formed in London in 1975 and were responsible for initiating the punk movement in the UK. Their initial career only lasted two and a half years but they are regarded as one of the most influential acts in popular music.

The Sex Pistols may have only been together for two years in the late '70s, but they changed the face of popular music. Through their raw, nihilistic singles and violent performances, the band revolutionized the idea of what rock & roll could be. In England, the group was considered dangerous to the very fabric of society and was banned across the country; in America, they didn't have the same impact, but countless bands in both countries were inspired by the sheer sonic force of their music, while countless others were inspired by their independent, do-it-yourself ethics. Even if they didn't release any singles by themselves, there was an implicit independence in the way they played their music and handled their career. The band gave birth to the massive independent music underground in England and America that would soon include bands that didn't have a direct musical connection to the Sex Pistols' initial three-minute blasts of rage, but couldn't have existed without those singles. 

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Guitarist Steve Jones and drummer Paul Cook were regulars at a boutique owned by their manager, Malcolm McLaren; bassist Glen Matlock worked at the store. Vocalist John Lydon, who would later perform under the name Johnny Rotten, met the rest of the group at the shop and was asked to join the band. While the band played simple rock & roll loudly and abrasively, Rotten arrogantly sang of anarchy, abortion, violence, fascism, and apathy; without Rotten, the band wouldn't have been threatening to England's government -- he provided the band's conceptual direction, calculated to be as confrontational and threatening as possible. The publicity caused by their caustic first single "Anarchy in the U.K." caused the band to be dropped by their record label, EMI. Matlock was fired before their next single "God Save the Queen," which was released on Virgin; it was banned by the BBC. Matlock's replacement was Sid Vicious, a tough street kid who, unlike the rest of the band, couldn't play his instrument. 

Their short career only produced four singles and one studio album, “Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols”. Perhaps best known for their single, “God Save the Queen”, the band’s concerts and public appearances often ended in mayhem.

January 1978 saw Rotten leave the band and announce their breakup after a turbulent US tour. Vicious died of a heroin overdose in February 1979.

In 1996 the band reformed for a reunion tour and have staged further reunion shows since. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006 but refused to attend, calling the museum “a piss stain”. Well guys, it’s good to know you appreciate your fans…

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Alice Cooper, born Vincent Damon Furnier on 4th February 1948, is an American rock singer and composer. With a career that has spanned more than 40 years, Alice Cooper’s shock rock has brought both infamy and success, with 50 million records sold worldwide and a reputation for Vaudeville-like horror stage shows.

"We brought theatrics to rock 'n' roll. We did it before Bowie, we did it before Kiss and before anybody,” Cooper has said in an interview. This shock factor even seems to extend to Alice Cooper’s personal life.  As one of the progenitors of heavy metal, and the first to introduce horror imagery to rock music, it’s something of a surprise to learn that Rolling Stone’s “World’s Most Beloved Entertainer” is a Christian golfer, actor, restaurateur and DJ.

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Alice Cooper was originally the name of Furnier’s band, with Furnier singing and playing the harmonica, supported by guitarists Glen Buxton and Michael Bruce, bassist Dennis Dunaway and drummer Neal Smith. The band was signed to Frank Zappa’s Straight Records in 1969, but commercial success took some time. Their first release, ‘Pretties For You’, floundered low in the charts, and ‘Easy Action’ didn’t do much better the year after. Having been signed to Straight for three albums, the next chance for Alice Cooper to make a successful record may well have been their last. Fortunately, success came.  Teaming up with producer Bob Ezrin, ‘Love It To Death’, as the album was called, was released in 1971 and reached #35 in the US charts after their earlier single, ‘I’m Eighteen’ had reached #21 in the Billboard Hot 100. In the summer of 1972, the single ‘School’s Out’ reached new heights, reaching top spot in the UK and a place in the top 10 of the US charts. ‘Billion Dollar Babies’, the band’s most commercially successful album, was released a year later, reaching the top spot in both the UK and US charts.

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In 1975, Furnier broke away from the rest of the band and used the pseudonym Alice Cooper to start his solo career. The concept album ‘Welcome to My Nightmare’ was his first solo release, reaching the top 10 in the US charts, and it was accompanied by a TV special, ‘The Nightmare’, which represents the first music video album ever made. However, Furnier’s alcoholism began to take its toll, and he booked himself into a sanitarium in 1977. In 1983, Furnier was hospitalized for his alcohol abuse, and he took a year-long career break. Between then and Furnier’s most recent release, 2008’s ‘Along Came A Spider’, Alice Cooper has enjoyed consistently good commercial successes and high acclaim for his musical innovation and often groundbreaking cross-media work, not to mention being commonly credited with the inspiration for more than one generation’s musical talents. 

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Born Vincent Damián Fumier, December 25, 1945 (one source says February 4, 1948), in Detroit, MI; son of a protestant minister; married, two children.

Began career during high school as member of the Earwigs; group relocated to Los Angeles, 1968, and changed name to the Spiders, then the Nazz, then Alice Cooper; released first two records on Frank Zappa's Straight Records label; signed to Warner Bros., 1971; launched solo career and released first solo album, Welcome to My Nightmare, 1975; moved to MCA records; moved to Epic Records, and released Trash, 1989. Appeared in films Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, 1978, Sextette, 1979, Roadie, 1980, Monster Dog, 1982, Decline of Western Civilization Part II, 1988, Wayne's World, 1992, and Nightmare on Elm Street Part VI, 1992.

Addresses: Home—Scottsdale, AZ. Record company—Epic Records, 51 West 52nd St., New York, NY 10019.

The release of Cooper's first solo album, 1975's Welcome To My Nightmare, was accompanied by a successful prime-time television special. The album contained an unlikely hit, the ballad "Only Women Bleed." Other cuts demonstrated Cooper's still-sharp penchant for theatrics, including the sinister "Black Widow"—which in concert featured human-sized spiders crawling across a giant web suspended across the stage—and the surreal "Escape," where in live performance Cooper was chased by a ten-foot-tall one-eyed monster.

In keeping with the punk/new-wave era of the late 1970s and early 1980s, Cooper in 1980 released Flush the Fashion. Flush is best remembered for the single "Clones (We Are All)"; its liberal use of the Moog synthesizer and monotone vocal style were both indicative of the popular "cold wave" style of the day. David Fricke of Rolling Stone reported that Flush the Fashion "wisely scrapped the flatulent vaudeville trappings and tragicomic pretensions of [Cooper's] late seventies work and reassumed the punk mantle he wore when the original Alice band was cutting a [Civil War Union] General Sherman-like swath."

Trash, Cooper's first release for Epic Records, started a tradition of extensive collaboration with other prominent artists. Steven Tyler of Aerosmith accompanied Cooper on "Hell Is Living Without You," a ballad co-written by Jon Bon Jovi and guitarist Richie Sambora, and "Poison," the smash single from the album, the video of which was broadcast regularly on MTV, featured the backing vocals of Bon Jovi. 1991 's Hey Stoopid! boasted a stellar studio lineup that included metal elder statesman Ozzy Osbourne, who sang, and Slash from Guns and Roses, who played guitar on the title track. Guitar aces Joe Satriani and Steve Vai lent dueling guitars to "Feed My Frankenstein," and Motley Crue guitarist Mick Mars contributed licks to "Die For You." Hard Force magazine called Hey Stoopid! "the best since Welcome to My Nightmare, a vicious guitar record."

Promotion for Hey Stoopid! was characteristically spectacular. Cooper took to the streets, turning up in various public places to perform songs from the album and generally wreak havoc. Dubbing the September, 1991, tour the "Nightmare on Your Street," he performed at 8:45 in the morning in the parking lot of Los Angeles radio station KLOS, causing a standstill in rush-hour traffic. In New York City, Cooper tempted fate by playing in Times Square on Friday the 13th. Confused onlookers in Detroit were treated to a concert on the roof of the local Sound Warehouse record store, and in Towson, Maryland, Cooper held forth on the steps of the country courthouse.

Further promotion for Hey Stoopid! came in the form of a cameo role in director Penelope Spheeris's block-buster Wayne's World. In the film, Cooper performed the song "Feed My Frankenstein" and offered the star-struck protagonists an impromptu backstage lesson on the history of Milwaukee worthy of the best high school geography teacher. Commenting in Rolling Stone on the head-banging community-access television hosts portrayed in the film, Cooper said, "I like Wayne and Garth, I meet people like them all the time, they are my audience."

And because—or in spite—of his over-the-top image, Cooper's fans seem to be able to relate to Alice as well. Cooper has endured because he consistently plays the type of villain or monster that audiences can't help but cheer. By innovating a diabolic, yet charismatic, character back in the seventies, he has become a legendary figure in rock music. Melody Maker commented aptly on the universal appeal of Cooper's persona, allowing, "There has to be an Alice Cooper just like there has to be a Father Christmas.

Sources: Artistdirect.com; Barry C. Henssler

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Rod Stewart, the British singer/song writer was born as Roderick David Stewart on 10th January 1945. grew up in Eppin, London. Before his music career began, Rod famously worked as a grave digger.

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With a unique and raspy voice, Stewart gained popularity towards the end of 1960s and early 1970s, aided by the bands ‘The Jeff Beck Group’ and ‘Faces’. Rod Stewart started on his solo career in 1969 with debut album ‘An Old Raincoat Won’t Ever let You Down’ following the huge success of his single Maggie Mae.

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Rod Stewart has had more than six consecutive number one albums, and almost as many wives. His string of 62 hit singles included 31 that occupied places in the top 10 of which six were number ones.

His United States success list includes 16 top ten singles with four of them reaching the number one position. Stewart’s singles include ‘Maggie Mae’, 'Sailing', ‘You Wear It Well’, ‘Tonight’s the Night (Gonna Be Alright)’, ‘Da ya Think I’m Sexy’, ‘Hot Legs’, ‘Rhythm of My Heart’ and ‘Forever Young’.

He won a Grammy Award for the ‘Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album’ in 2005 and was inducted into the ‘Rock and Roll Hall Fame’ in 1994 and most recently in 2006 he was also awarded the ‘Diamond Award’ of World Music Awards show for the sale of 100 million records worldwide in 2001. 

Rod continues to record and tour.

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Joan Jett is a singer/songwriter /guitarist, best known for her smash hit single ‘I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll’ released in 1982. Jett had huge success in the late 70’s, with her first group The Runaways, the group garnered much of their success overseas, especially in Japan and are widely recognised as the first successful all-girl rock group, competent musicians intact. They never had mainstream success in their native US. The group split up in 1979.

Jett pursued a solo career after ‘The Runaways’ disbanded; she began by recording some demo songs with Paul Cook and Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols, one of the songs recorded was an early version of The Arrows song ‘I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll’.

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From 1979-1980 Joan Jett recorded her self-titled, debut solo album, after being rejected by multiple record labels, Jett and the album’s producer Kenny Laguna released the album on their own independent label Blackheart records. Jett’s next move was to form a band a band around her, which consisted of Joan Jett (Lead vocal and Guitar), Gary Ryan (bass), Ricky Beard (Guitar) and Danny O’Brien (Drums). In 1982 Joan Jett and the Blackhearts released the single ‘I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll’ which became the biggest hit of the year and was in heavy rotation on the newly formed MTV, instantly making Jett a star. Jett followed this success with an accumulation of hits throughout the 80’s including ‘I Hate Myself for Loving You’, ‘Light Of Day’ and ‘Love is All Around’.

Jett has ventured into other lanes in the entertainment business including movies, radio, tv and performances on Broadway’s ‘Rocky Horror Show’; she has been seen on our TV screens as recently as July 2008 in the American Drama Series Law & Order. Joan Jett continues to produce for others, run her own record label and record music, her enduring legacy will be as one of the first Female rock stars to break down barriers in the Phallic drenched genre that is Rock ‘n’ Roll. 

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Marc Bolan (Mark Feld) was a hugely successful star in the Seventies when his group T Rex, which had evolved from his previous group Tyrannosaurus Rex, which was a loosely hippy acoustic duo. During the early Seventies he had a string of hugely successful hit singles and accompanying LP’s, however, as the Seventies moved towards the Eighties his star waned somewhat and he fell out of favour as is the way of the world.

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Towards the end of the decade however, he regained some popularity and particularly based around the fact the he became a children’s television presenter, he still continued to record and had his last hit just before he was killed in a car accident on Barnes Common on September 16th 1977.

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New York Dolls

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