[13] His four bandmates carried on for a short while under the name Hog Heaven, recording two albums (one "self-titled" on Roulette Records in March 1971 and the second recorded in 1971, but unreleased until 2008), and landing one Hot 100 hit, "Happy," at number 98, but disbanded soon afterwards. We didnt know who he was, said Vale, who was the bass player and vocalist for The Raconteurs. When James formed the new version of the band in 1965, it featured bassist Mike Vale, drummer Peter Lucia and organist Ronnie Rosman in addition to Gray. Brian Kachejian also holds B.A. Tommy James & The Shondells - The Best Of Tommy James & The Shondells The impact of the late 1960s psychedelic and progressive rock movements seemed to inspire the modest musical shift that was apparent on the Cellophane Symphony album. I Think Were Alone Now, was released on the album entitled I Think Were Alone Now. 1 in the country, and he plays Hanky Panky., I made a U-turn in the middle of a four-lane highway and went back home and called all the guys in The Raconteurs and told them, This is a window of opportunity, and we should jump through it. . James had recorded the tune two years earlier with the short-lived original Shondells lineup. The year brought several hits for the group, including "Mirage," "I Like the Way," "Gettin' Together" and "Out of the Blue.". Seiten: The track, "Crimson and Clover" (RealAudio excerpt), topped the Billboard Hot 100 and became the band's biggest hit (Joan Jett went on to hit #7 with the song in 1982). Do Eric benet and Lisa bonet have a child together? While touring that year in Alabama, James collapsed onstage. Tommy James and the Shondells | Encyclopedia.com In 2015, he and former Shondells members Ron Rosman and Eddie Gray, along with Mike Wilps, formed the Crystal Blue Band and released an album called Legacy. 45 years have past since Mike Vale, Ron Rosman and Eddie Gray, original members of the group have shared a concert stage. In April 1966 James went by himself to make promotional appearances in Pittsburgh in nightclubs and on local television. It happened as a result of Bo Gentry accidentally putting the tape of the song on backwards in the recording studio . Eddie Gray | Credits | AllMusic Mike Vale - Facebook Born Feb. 27, 1948, in Scottdale, Pa., Gray joined the Shondells in 1965, in Pittsburgh, where Michigan-based James had moved the band when a local DJ picked up his song "Hanky Panky." Also, it's a strict singles compilation, which means that many great songs are bypassed simply because they weren't judged worthy of a single -- and the Shondells pumped out some excellent B-sides. We decided weve accomplished what we set out to do. In 1964 James renamed the band the Shondells because the name "sounded good" and in honor of nearby Fort Wayne's own Troy Shondell, famous for his 1961 release "This Time." Like so many bands in the 1960s such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks etc,etc, Tommy James and the Shondells released multiple albums a year. Label: Roulette - CLVLXR 453: Series: . At a concert in Birmingham, Alabama in March of 1970, an exhausted James collapsed after coming off stage from a reaction to drugs and was pronounced dead. Deep in the Roots. MTV, EMA and all related titles, logos and characters are trademarks of Viacom International Inc. Bop Shop: Songs From Thundercat And Tame Impala, Aiza, Honey Revenge, And More, Jessie Ware Understands That Dancing Is Freedom, On her new album 'That! Other Shondells covers have been performed by acts as disparate as psychobilly ravers the Cramps, new wave singer Lene Lovich, country music veteran Dolly Parton, and the Boston Pops orchestra. [4], The band The Echoes formed in 1959 in Niles, Michigan, then evolved into Tom and the Tornadoes, with 12-year-old Tommy James (then known as Tommy Jackson) as lead singer. "We have been asked countless times over the years by friends and fans, when are you guys going get out and play together again", Mike Vale, Bass Player and songwriter with the group said. Born Feb. 27, 1948, in Scottdale, Pa., Gray joined the Shondells in 1965, in. Celebration: The Complete Roulette Recordings 1966-1973, El Barrio: The Ultimate Collection of Latin Boogaloo, Disco, Funk & Soul, Crystal Blues Symphonies: The Psychedelic Years, El Barrio: Sounds from the Spanish Harlem Streets, 40 Years: The Complete Singles Collection (1966-2006), The Greatest Groovy 60's Hits of All Time, Rhino Hi-Five: Tommy James & The Shondells, Greatest Hits of Tommy James & the Shondells, Crimson and Clover: A Tribute to Tommy James and the Shondells, The Best of Tommy James & the Shondells [Intercontinental], Here Comes the Groom/The Name Above the Title, Hits of Tommy James & The Shondells, Vol. "Crystal Blue Persuasion" is a 1969 song originally recorded by Tommy James and the Shondells and composed by Eddie Gray, Tommy James and Mike Vale.A gentle-. They had two no. Read Full Biography Overview Biography Discography Songs Credits Awards Related All Songs (1-100 of 625) Highlights All Songs 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Next AllMusic Quiz View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 1970 Vinyl release of "The Best Of Tommy James & The Shondells" on Discogs. With national promotion, the single became a No. Tommy James & The Shondells hometown, lineup, biography - Last.fm With four children at home, Vale decided to come back home to the Pittsburgh area and pick up where he had left off before going to New York. When Mack finally tracked down Tommy James in Niles, Michigan where the song was recorded, James told him The Shondells were no more. "I Think We're Alone Now" actually produced two hit singles. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. Tommy James and the Shondells - I Think We're Alone Now While attending Niles High School in Niles, Michigan, the group released its first single, "Long Pony Tail", in 1962.[5]. The Koachmen played a circuit of clubs in the Midwest through the summer and fall of 1965, but returned to Niles in February 1966, after the gigs dried up, to plot their next move. Written-By - Ed Gray*, Mike Vale, Tommy James. [10] From late 1968, the group began writing their own songs, with James and Lucia penning the psychedelic-tinged classic "Crimson and Clover", which was recorded and mixed by Bruce Staple, with James tackling vocal duties and playing many of the instruments himself, and featured the creative use of studio effects such as delay and tremolo.[11]. Written-By - Ed Gray*, Mike Vale, Tommy James. More images. They always give the highest spot to the bass player, he joked. Further hits included "Sweet Cherry Wine", "Crystal Blue Persuasion", and "Ball of Fire", all from 1969. At this time, the band included Tommy James (vocals and guitar), Larry Coverdale (lead guitar), Larry Wright (bass), Craig Villeneuve (keyboards) and Jim Payne (drums). 95.7fm WELT is a non-commercial, listener-sponsored, member-controlled community radio station licensed by the FCC to broadcast within Allen County. The Heptones. [1], According to James's manager, James was actually inspired by his readings of the Book of Ezekiel, which (he remembered as) speaking of a blue Shekhinah light that represented the presence of the Almighty God, and of the Book of Isaiah and Book of Revelation, which tell of a future age of brotherhood of mankind, living in peace and harmony. J. You may find their concert tour at Billboard Mainstream Music Charts. The Shondells [US1] Tommy James and The Shondells Tommy James & The Shondells Real name Thomas Gregory Jackson Born April 29, 1947 Country United States . If they couldnt get at the family members they were trying to wipe out, they would go after the cash cow that the family was involved with and there was no question that we were the cash cow for Morris Levy and the Genovese family. A big list of musical marriages and family relations ranging from the simple to the truly dysfunctional. The renown Texas songwriter has been at it for 40 years, with tales to tell about The Flatlanders and The Clash - that's Joe's Tex-Mex on "Should I Stay or Should I Go?". The band The Echoes formed in 1959 in Niles, Michigan, then evolved into Tom and the Tornadoes, . TribLIVE's Daily and Weekly email newsletters deliver the news you want and information you need, right to your inbox. The bands Crimson and Clover album spawned five singles including the number one title track Crimson and Clover.. In an attempt to capitalize on the success of the song, James was talked into coming to Pittsburgh. James' version of "Hanky Panky" sold respectably in Michigan, Indiana and Illinois, but Snap Records, the label under which "Hanky Panky" was originally released, had no national distribution. Written-By - Ed Gray*, Mike Vale, Tommy James. The Shondells in 1968. Tommy James and the Shondells' Ed Gray | News | MTV Former Amazon exec wants to bring manufacturing jobs back to the U.S., starting in New Kensington, Polio vaccine pioneer Jonas Salk's archives 'come home' to the University of Pittsburgh, Sto-Rox School District seeks public input on financial recovery plans, Its May 1 your last chance to register to vote in the Pennsylvania primary, Home gardeners prepare: the invasive spotted lanternflies are returning. What happened to Eddie Grey of Tommy James and the shondells? 1 hit in July 1966. Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images. The American rock and roll band "Tommy James and the Shondells" was formed in 1959. The classic Tommy James And The Shondells song Hanky Panky, was the bands first number one hit. Left to right: Ron Rosman, Peter Lucia, Tommy James, Mike Vale and Eddie Gray. Look, this group has some very talented writers and performers who have always been key contributors to the groups success and are still quite capable of doing the same again. I picked up a guitar which I couldnt play at all because Im a bass man, chuckled Vale. In a 1985 interview in Hitch magazine, James said the title of the song came to him while he was reading the Biblical Book of Revelation: I took the title from the Book of Revelations [sic] in the Bible, reading about the New Jerusalem. ", The band Simple Minds took their name from the line "He's so simple minded he can't drive his module" in David Bowie's "The Jean Genie.". Gray, Ed. Learn how your comment data is processed. Tommy James And The Shondells - Tommy James And The Shondells As they would discover later in their time with James, touring was their only income, as their label Roulette was owned by the mob and kept nearly all the money for itself. It was the second single released from the album. The album Hanky Panky also spawned a second successful single entitled Say I Am (What I Am).The song reached number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100. So, we were able to contribute greatly to our success going forward. 3 in the US and was a British No. When released as a single in June 1969, "Crystal Blue Persuasion" became one of the biggest hits for the group, peaking at number two on the Billboard pop singles chart for three weeks behind Zager and Evans 's single "In the Year 2525". The band has released an album titled Legacy, a collection of the Tommy James & the Shondells songs as performed sans James. Billy Idol covered it in the 80s and had a big hit with it also. Tommy James / Tommy James & the Shondells: 04:01 : 16 : Ball of Fire. In 1967, Tommy James and the Shondells released two more albums entitled I Think Were Alone Now and Getting Together. Eddie Gray, the guitarist of the band Tommy James and the Shondells, during a recording session for their track 'Crimson and Clover', 30th October 1968. Continuing with our top 10 Tommy James And The Shondells songs list we turn to their Cellophane Symphony album. Ed Gray found success as lead guitarist for the hitmaking '60s pop group Tommy James and the Shondells. [5] The single version differs from the album version of the song with horn overdubs added to the mix and a longer bongos overdub before the third verse. During the 1980s, the group's songbook produced major hits for three other artists: Joan Jett & The Blackhearts' version of "Crimson and Clover" (No. They recruited their longtime friend and drummer Mike Wilps to replace the late Peter Lucia. The song was nowhere as successful as the title track. When Mack finally tracked down Tommy James in Niles, Michigan where the song was recorded, James told him The Shondells were no more. A Greenwich Village nightclub appearance was filmed and released as Tommy James & the Shondells: Live! 282 Tommy James And The Shondells Premium High Res Photos Browse 282 tommy james and the shondells photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more photos and images. The principal riff of the song is sampled in the song "Sabbatical" by German nu jazz group De-Phazz, from their 2001 album Death by Chocolate. He said, I want to play a song for you thats going to be No. Eddie Gray played guitar for me then, and he came up with that little riff. Gray, Gray Artist [a614489] Edit Artist 1,439 For Sale Vinyl and CD Discography 73 Credits What are the duties of a sanitary prefect in a school? The catchy tune was suddenly getting on Pittsburgh radio, and it was on its way to becoming the No. 4:01: A3: Mony, Mony. 2023 Cox Media Group. View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 1969 Reel-To-Reel release of "The Best Of Tommy James & The Shondells" on Discogs. Tommy James and the Shondells - Wikipedia What James had going on was an infectious song called Hanky Panky that he had recorded with his group the Shondells some two years earlier. 1 singles in the U.S., "Hanky Panky" (July 1966) and "Crimson and Clover" (February 1969), and also charted twelve other top 40 hits, including five in the hot 100's top ten: "I Think We're Alone Now . Vale was a co-writer for many of the Shondells hits, but the Tommy Jones team has largely erased the members of the Raconteurs from the bands history. 4:01: A3: Mony, Mony. Tommy James, Ed Gray, Mike Vale: Tommy James and The Shondells: May 1969: Covered by : Draggin' the Line: Tommy James, Bob King [CA1] Tommy James: December 1970: and M.A. You could be feeling its effects, too, Bop Shop: Songs From Arlo Parks, Georgia, Rosala And Rauw Alejandro, And More, A superstar team-up is just the beginning, Jennifer Coolidge Is Officially A Comedic Genius At The 2023 MTV Movie & TV Awards, The 'White Lotus' star will be the latest recipient of the Comic Genius Award. There remains disagreement over the role of Metrovich in the recording. So, lets thank God for the time and go forward and spend the rest of our days with our family and friends.. . At The Bitter End. It features the #1 hit "Crimson and Clover" [2] as well as the #2 hit "Crystal Blue Persuasion". Eminem's first hit was "My Name Is," which introduced his alter ego, Slim Shady. The Crystal Blue Band draws its name from the 1968 hit Crystal Blue Persuasion, a song that Vale co-wrote. Crystal Blue Persuasion - Wikipedia Over the 2 year period from 1968 through 1969 were the largest selling Singles act in the world!At the peak of their careers however, The Shondells went off in one direction and James another. 3:34; Get Out Now,only reached the forty eighth position on the Billboard Hot 100. Like their compatriots in the pop/rock game (Revere, Johnny Rivers, etc. Email [email protected]. If we wanted to continue our music careers, we would have to form a new group.. 4 hit "I Think We're Alone Now" and the No. If one looks at the albums, the photos and videos and TV shows, the faces you will see are those of the original guys. He is the founder and Editor in Chief of ClassicRockHistory.com. [7] "I had no group, and I had to put one together really fast," recalled James. The latest is his "In My Dreams" album on Slamtrack Records. Collections; Project #ShowUs; . "I was in a Greensburg, PA club one night, and I walked up to a group that was playing that I thought was pretty good and asked them if they wanted to be the Shondells. The other part of that story is that a year before our first appearance (on the Sullivan Show) I was sitting at home watching the Rolling Stones on The Ed Sullivan Show and thinking to myself My God, I cant imagine what that feeling would be like. . They were very proud, Vale said. In 2015, Vale and the other former Shondells reunited and formed the Crystal Blue Band after his grandchildren and great-grandchildren asked about the gold records displayed on the basement walls of his house in Deep Creek Lake, Md. We had our own connotations of what the word Mafia meant and all of a sudden it became real. Tommy James & The Shondells "Crimson & Clover" on The Ed Sullivan Show on January 26, 1969. The group toured with Vice President Hubert Humphrey during his 1968 presidential campaign, for which Humphrey showed his appreciation by writing the liner notes for their next album Crimson & Clover, which was released in Dec. 1968. (Crystal blue persuasion, aah-aah) Writer/s: Eddie Morley Gray, Mike Vale, Tommy James Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind More songs from Tommy James & the Shondells More songs inspired by the Bible More songs with colors in the title More songs with biblical references This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. Gettin Together was the only single released from the album. I was flattered but I said, Ive got to talk it over with the guys., The next morning, Im on my way to a day job that I had and I turned on the radio, and, sure enough, I put it on KQV, and Chuck Brinkman was the jock at the time. James disputes this, saying that Super K Productions "bubblegum" producers Jerry Kasenetz and Jeffry Katz approached his record company (run by Morris Levy) looking for songwriting jobs. Former Shondell Mike Vale's Crystal Blue Band to hold final concert Roger Daltrey stutters the vocal on "My Generation" by The Who. www.tommyjames.com/tours.php. A gentle-tempoed groove, "Crystal Blue Persuasion" was built around a prominent organ part with an understated arrangement, more akin to The Rascals' sound at the time than to James's contemporary efforts with psychedelic rock. [3] The album "Crimson & Clover", was released in December 1968 [4] and reached a peak of #8 on the Billboard 200 . Sugar On Sunday, was never released as a single but its one of the sweetest songs that Tommy James And The Shondells ever released. He released his first solo album, It's A Pittsburgh Thing, in 2010 and his second, In My Dreams, in 2013. Paul Guggenheimer is a Tribune-Review staff writer. The LP, featuring liner notes by Democratic Presidential candidate Hubert Humphrey, yielded the top-10 "Sweet Cherry Wine" and the #2 smash "Crystal Blue Persuasion.". The song has been included in many television shows and motion pictures. Mike Vale | Discography | Discogs MUSICIANS Guitars: Tommy James, Eddie Gray Moog Synthesizer, Electric / Acoustic Pianos, Hammond Organ, Harpsichords: Ron Rosman, Tommy James Bass Guitar: Mike Vale Drums & Percussion: Peter Lucia At the Bitter End (2000)", "Michigan Rock and Roll Legends - TOMMY JAMES AND THE SHONDELLS", "TOMMY JAMES & THE SHONDELLS - full Official Chart History", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tommy_James_and_the_Shondells&oldid=1152332494. So, on occasion, we spent some time out of town. In Greensburg, PA at the Thunderbird Lounge he found The Raconteurs.. Ed Gray, in addition to performing, owns and operates a recording studio in the Pittsburgh area in which he has recorded and produced a variety of successful acts.When asked why The Shondells chose to begin performing again now and, why without James, Vale said, "As I mentioned before, Tommy is off doing his own thing and we're happy for him. As to why us..and why now, it's simple! (Photo by Don Paulsen/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) Embed PURCHASE A LICENSE Standard editorial rights Custom rights How can I use this image? Eddie Gray / Tommy James / Mike Vale. Tommy James & The Shondells - Crimson And Clover (LIVE) 4:41; Tommy James and The Shondells - Crimson and Clover. By 1970, James was in such bad mental and physical health that he started missing shows and the band would sometimes have to perform without him, which didnt go over well with the audience. How much is a biblical shekel of silver worth in us dollars? He has since retired and two of his children, Mike Vucish Jr. and Lori Albright, have been running the company. That leaves Rhino's excellent single-disc Anthology as the best Tommy James for the money, with 40 Years: The Complete Singles Collection (1966-2006) being content to open up the career of these hitmakers beyond their '60s prime. 4:01: A3: Mony, Mony. The song was originally released in 1964 and then re-released in 1966 and reached the number one position on the Billboard Hot 100. They continue to tour. He had two other children, Cari and Traci Vucish. Eddie Gray The Guitarist Tommy James And The Shondells 1968 OLD - eBay Crystal Blue Persuasion - Tommy James & The Shondells (With Lyrics Feels Good!,' the British disco artist revels in liberation, MTV Announces The 2023 Movie & TV Awards Presenters And It's A Long List, Plus, the nominees for Best Musical Moment are revealed, Taylor Swift Hates Mercury Retrograde As Much As The Rest Of Us, The singer jokingly blamed a hand injury on the astrological event. 4:01: A3: Mony, Mony. In 2012, "Crystal Blue Persuasion" was used in the eighth episode of the fifth season of Breaking Bad, "Gliding Over All", during a montage depicting the process involved to bring main character Walter White's methamphetamine operation and its signature blue crystal meth to an international level. 1, All Time Greatest Hits: Live at the Bitter End, Greatest Hits of the '60s, Vol. They said yes, and off we went. They may be right about the De-Evoloution thing. Vale's bandmates, guitarist Eddie Gray, keyboard player Ron Rosman and drummer Pete Lucia, were concerned because they were still in college, but they decided to take a year off and go to New. Vale said there were times when Levy would have to have the band go into hiding in the mountains of upstate New York for their own safety. Tommy James And The Shondells - Travelin' - Discogs Seriously, we opened this Tommy James And The Shondells Songs list with this one to simply demonstrate that the band was not just a hit making machine but a group that released fantastic albums that at times were overshadowed by their mega hits. Brian Kachejian is also an active member of the New York Press. Every garage band, bar band, party band and on and on utilizes Mony Mony, in their set list. 40 Years: The Complete Singles Collection (1966-2006) - AllMusic Many hit songs later, one year turned into six. Tommy James & the Shondells on their 2010 tour, The Best of Tommy James and The Shondells, "Hanky Panky: The Raindrops | Listen, Appearances, Song Review", "Me, the Mob, and the Music: One Helluva Ride with Tommy James & The Shondells", "Tommy James & the Shondells Official Website", "Tommy James & The Shondells 'Crimson & Clover' - Classic Tracks", "Tighter, Tighter - Alive 'N Kickin' | Listen, Appearances, Song Review", "Tommy James & the Shondells: Live! Gray on label B1 credits add Bob King on label, who does not appear on cover credit As James could often be found playing at Niles High School events, his popularity locally continued to grow. Crimson & Clover is the sixth album by Tommy James and the Shondells. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. A monthly update on our latest interviews, stories and added songs, Writer/s: Eddie Morley Gray, Mike Vale, Tommy James, More songs from Tommy James & the Shondells, More songs the author denied was about drugs, More songs about spirituality or religion, Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be), Songs in Famous Movie Scenes: '80s Edition. More images. It was at a Raconteurs show at the Thunderbird Cafe in Greensburg that they were approached by James and Mack about becoming the new Shondells. 40 Years: The Complete Singles Collection (1966-2006) surveys that great career, hitting every major peak -- from "Hanky Panky" to "Mony Mony" to "I Think We're Alone Now," "Crystal Blue Persuasion" to "Ball and Chain" to "Draggin' the Line" -- with a two-disc set that may end up being close to the most Tommy James & the Shondells ever offered in one package (not that they don't deserve the full box treatment). Ed Gray found success as lead guitarist for the hitmaking '60s pop group Tommy James and the Shondells. Ad. And now, 56 years and a few incarnations later, the 82-year-old Vales Crystal Blue Band is bowing out with one final concert at Saturdays Banana Split Celebration on the Robindale Main Stage (320 Main Street) in Latrobe. 1 singles in November 1987). Tommy James & The Shondells - The Best Of Tommy James & The Shondells It will be the bands final live public performance. Eddie Gray, the guitarist of the band Tommy James and the Shondells using a Sho-Bud pedal steel guitar during a recording session for their track 'Crimson and Clover', 30th October 1968. Gray spent time at his self-built recording studio in Pennsylvania. The song is also referenced in the title of the season 30 finale Crystal Blue-Haired Persuasion, in which a segment of the song is played. TOMMY JAMES AND THE SHONDELLS - Michigan Rock and Roll Legends The title was inspired by a flashing sign for Mutual Of New York visible from James's apartment balcony in New York. Tommy James & The Shondells - The Best Of Tommy James & The Shondells. In 1968, Tommy James And The Shondells released the album Mony Mony which contained their smash single Mony Mony. Three singles were released from the album. TOMMY JAMES & THE SHONDELLS - CRYSTAL BLUE PERSUASION - Facebook Tommy James & The Shondells - The Best Of Tommy James & The Shondells Gray, Ed. 6, I Said, She Said, Ah Cid: The Exploito Psych World of Alshire Records 1967-1971, Billboard Karaoke: Top 10 Box Set, Vol.
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