The Grease Band

Last updated

The Grease Band
Woodstock redmond cocker.JPG
The Grease Band performing in 1969
Background information
Genres
Years active1968–1975
Spinoffs
Past members

The Grease Band was a British rock band that originally formed as Joe Cocker's backing group. They appeared with Cocker during the 1960s, including his performance at the Woodstock Festival in August 1969. The band's name derived from an interview Cocker had read with the American jazz organist Jimmy Smith, who had approvingly described another performer as having "a lot of grease", with "grease" referring to soul. [1] After Cocker formed the Mad Dogs & Englishmen album band line-up, the group released two albums without him in the 1970s.

Contents

Their keyboard player was Chris Stainton, who went on to tour extensively with Eric Clapton. Bassist Alan Spenner and rhythm guitarist Neil Hubbard went on to play in the UK blue-eyed soul band Kokomo; following this, the pair worked in support of the late 1970s/early 1980s incarnation of Roxy Music. Drummer Bruce Rowland later joined Fairport Convention. [1] Henry McCullough was the Grease Band's lead guitarist, a role he later occupied in Paul McCartney's Wings, and continued as a solo artist until his death in June 2016. [2] Rowland, Spenner, Hubbard and McCullough all played on the original 1970 recording of Jesus Christ Superstar . [1]

Personnel

Original Members [3]

Musicians credited on Amazing Grease [4]

Discography

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joe Cocker</span> English singer (1944–2014)

John Robert "Joe" Cocker was an English singer known for his gritty, bluesy voice and dynamic stage performances that featured expressive body movements. Most of his best known singles, such as "Feelin' Alright?" and "Unchain My Heart", were recordings of songs written by other song writers, though he composed a number of songs for most of his albums as well, often in conjunction with songwriting partner Chris Stainton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry McCullough</span> Northern Irish guitarist, singer and songwriter (1943–2016)

Henry Campbell Liken McCullough was a musician and singer-songwriter from Northern Ireland. He was best known for his work as a member of Spooky Tooth, The Grease Band and Paul McCartney and Wings. He also performed and recorded as a solo artist and session musician.

<i>Mad Dogs & Englishmen</i> (album) 1970 live album by Joe Cocker

Mad Dogs & Englishmen is a live album by Joe Cocker, released in 1970. The album's title is drawn from the 1931 Noël Coward song of the same name and Leon Russell's "Ballad of Mad Dogs and Englishmen". Only four songs of the 16 on the original album were drawn from his first two studio albums. Besides the contributions of bandmate and musical director Leon Russell, it draws equally from rock and soul. Accompanying Cocker is a choir, a three-piece horn section and several drummers.

Mick Weaver is an English session musician, best known for his playing of the Hammond B3 organ, and as an exponent of the blues and funk.

<i>With a Little Help from My Friends</i> (Joe Cocker album) 1969 studio album by Joe Cocker

With a Little Help from My Friends is the debut album by singer-songwriter Joe Cocker, released in late April 1969. It was certified gold in the US and peaked at number 35 on the Billboard 200. In the UK, the album charted in May 1972 at number 29 when it was re-released as a double pack with Cocker's second LP Joe Cocker!.

Alan Henry Spenner was an English bass player who performed with Wynder K. Frog, the Grease Band, Spooky Tooth, ABC, David Coverdale, David Soul, Joe Cocker, Kenny Loggins, Lynda Carter, Peter Frampton, Ted Nugent, Mick Taylor, China Crisis, Murray Head, Kokomo, Roxy Music, and played on the original 1970 concept album Jesus Christ Superstar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Stainton</span> Musical artist

Christopher Robert "Chris" Stainton is an English session musician, keyboard player, bassist and songwriter, who first gained recognition with Joe Cocker in the late 1960s. In addition to his collaboration with Cocker, Stainton is best known for his work with Eric Clapton, The Who, Andy Fairweather Low and Bryan Ferry.

<i>Joe Cocker!</i> 1969 studio album by Joe Cocker

Joe Cocker! is the second studio album by English singer Joe Cocker, released in November 1969. Following the template of his first LP, the album features numerous covers of songs originally performed by Bob Dylan, the Beatles, Leonard Cohen, and future touring partner Leon Russell. Cocker also co-wrote one song, "That's Your Business Now", with Chris Stainton, who was a frequent songwriting partner.

<i>Jesus Christ Superstar</i> (album) 1970 rock opera album

Jesus Christ Superstar is a 1970 album musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, on which the 1971 rock opera of the same name was based. Initially unable to get backing for a stage production, the composers released it as an album, the success of which led to stage productions. The album musical is a musical dramatisation of the last week of the life of Jesus Christ, beginning with his entry into Jerusalem and ending with the Crucifixion. It was originally banned by the BBC on grounds of being "sacrilegious". By 1983, the album had sold over seven million copies worldwide.

<i>Dangerous Acquaintances</i> 1981 studio album by Marianne Faithfull

Dangerous Acquaintances is the eighth studio album by English singer Marianne Faithfull. It was released on 1 September 1981 by Island Records. The album was seen by reviewers as a disappointing follow-up to Faithfull's Broken English, as the album trades the angry and controversial alternative new wave arrangements of the previous one for a more mainstream rock texture, using over a dozen session musicians and, for some, giving a certain anonymous feel to the songs. The title is a reference to the Pierre Choderlos de Laclos 1782 novel Les Liaisons dangereuses.

<i>Leon Russell</i> (album) 1970 studio album by Leon Russell

Leon Russell is the debut solo album by the singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Leon Russell. It followed his debut with the Midnight String Quartet and a production by Russell and Marc Benno billed as the Asylum Choir.

Kokomo are a British band whose members were prime exponents of British soul in the 1970s. They released three albums, and the second Rise & Shine was described as "the finest British funk album of the 1970s".

<i>Joe Cocker</i> (album) 1972 studio album by Joe Cocker

Joe Cocker is the third studio album by Joe Cocker, released in 1972 in Europe as Something to Say on Cube Records, and in the USA as Joe Cocker on A&M Records. It contains the hit single "High Time We Went", that was released in the summer of 1971. Joe Cocker signalled Cocker's change of direction into a more jazzy, blues style. The album reached no. 30 in the US album charts. However, although it received a positive response from the press, it made no impression on the British and European charts.

<i>Joe Cocker Live</i> 1990 live album by Joe Cocker

Joe Cocker Live is a live album by Joe Cocker, released in 1990. It was recorded live 5 October 1989 at Memorial Auditorium in Lowell, Massachusetts with the exception of the last two tracks which were recorded in the studio. The album was re-released in 2011 under the title Joe Cocker's Greatest Hits Live.

<i>The Last Puff</i> 1970 studio album by Spooky Tooth

The Last Puff is an album by British rock band Spooky Tooth, released in 1970.

Bruce Rowland was an English rock drummer best known for his memberships of The Grease Band and folk rock band Fairport Convention. He was also a prolific session musician.

<i>Live at Woodstock</i> (Joe Cocker album) 2009 live album by Joe Cocker

Live at Woodstock is a live album documenting Joe Cocker's famous performance with The Grease Band at Woodstock Festival on 17 August 1969. It was released officially for the first time in 2009 by A&M/Universal.

Gerry Lockran was a British blues singer, songwriter, poet and guitarist.

<i>Woodstock – Back to the Garden: 50th Anniversary Experience</i> 2019 live album by various artists

Woodstock – Back to the Garden: 50th Anniversary Experience is a live album by various artists, packaged as a box set of ten compact discs. Released by Rhino Records during the summer leading up to the fiftieth anniversary of the Woodstock Music and Art Fair, it contains selections from every performance at the music festival, which took place on August 15–18, 1969, in Bethel, New York. The discs also include stage announcements and miscellaneous audio material. The package contains essays by producer Andy Zax and Jesse Jarnow, details about the performers and notable festival figures, and photographs. This box set is a compilation derived from its limited edition parent box set. A smaller three-CD or five-LP sampler was also released.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Bruce Eder. "The Grease Band - Biography - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  2. "Henry McCullough - BIOGRAPHY". Oldflattop.com. Archived from the original on 24 December 2014. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  3. The Grease Band liner notesShelter Records, Harvest
  4. Amazing Grease liner notes – Goodear Records
  5. Joe Viglione. "The Grease Band - The Grease Band - Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  6. "Grease". Billboard. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
  7. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 129. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  8. "Amazing Grease - The Grease Band - Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  9. Joe Cocker And The Grease Band - On Air , retrieved 7 February 2023

Further reading