Stone the Crows
Stone The Crows | |
---|---|
Stone the Crows (Kralingen, 1970) | |
Background information | |
Origin | Glasgow, Scotland |
Genres | Blues-rock |
Years active | 1968–1973 |
Past members |
Leslie Harvey Maggie Bell Colin Allen John McGinnis Jim Dewar Steve Thompson Ronnie Leahy Jimmy McCulloch |
Stone the Crows was a blues-rock band formed in Glasgow in late 1969.
History
The band were formed after Maggie Bell was introduced to Les Harvey by his elder brother Alex Harvey. After playing together in the Kinning Park Ramblers, their next band Power was renamed Stone the Crows (after a British/Australian English exclamation of surprise or shock) by Led Zeppelin's manager, Peter Grant.[1] The band was co-managed by Grant and Mark London. London was associated with Lulu as the co-writer of her signature song, "To Sir With Love" and was also married to Lulu's manager, Marion Massey. London had also managed the predecessor band Cartoone, in which Peter Grant had a financial interest and featured Les Harvey on guitar.[2]
Original line-up
- Maggie Bell, vocals
- Les Harvey, guitar
- Colin Allen, drums
- James Dewar, bass and vocals
- John McGinnis, keyboards
The band's first two albums were recorded with the original line up and Bell's vocals was described as being similar to Janis Joplin.[3]
Second line-up
McGinnis and Dewar left the band in 1971 and were replaced by Ronnie Leahy and Steve Thompson. Jimmy McCulloch would subsequently replace the main songwriter Harvey as lead guitarist, following Harvey's on-stage death by electrocution at Swansea's Top Rank Suite in May 1972. After Harvey's death the band reconsidered their direction.[4]
After band breakup
Stone the Crows ultimately broke up in June 1973 and Peter Grant continued to manage Maggie Bell's career. Guided by Grant Bell subsequently recorded two solo , Queen of the Night (1974) and Suicide Sal (1975) and an album with the Grant-managed band Midnight Flyer (1981). Bell is also known for her session work on Rod Stewart's album Every Picture Tells a Story (1971), in particular her co-lead vocal with Stewart on the album's title track (credited as "vocal abrasives").[5] Jimmy McCulloch joined Paul McCartney's group Wings, in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1974.
Discography
Studio albums
- Stone the Crows (1970)
- Ode to John Law (1970)
- Teenage Licks (1971)
- Ontinuous Performance (1972) - UK Number 33[6]
Live albums
- The BBC Sessions - Volume 1 - 1969-1970 (1998)
- The BBC Sessions - Volume 2 - 1970-1971 (1998)
- Live Montreux 1972 (2002)
- Radio Sessions 1969-1972 (2009) (2CD)
- BBC Sessions 1969-1972 (2014) (2LP)
References
- ↑ Welch, Chris (2002). Peter Grant: The Man Who Led Zeppelin. p. 23. ISBN 0-7119-9195-2.
- ↑ Uncredited, Led Zeppelin: Achilles Last Stand, Biography of Mark London. Retrieved 2011-09-05.
- ↑ Logan, Nick &Woffinden, Bob (eds.) The New Musical Express Book of Rock, W.H. Allen &Co. Ltd (Star), 1973, p. 489-490. ISBN 0-352-39715-2.
- ↑ Tobler, John (1992). NME Rock 'N' Roll Years (1st ed.). London: Reed International Books Ltd. p. 238. CN 5585.
- ↑ Liner notes to Rod Stewart's album Every Picture Tells a Story, Mercury Records, catalog no. SRM-609, 1971.
- ↑ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 534. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
External links
- Stone the Crows biography from linernotes by Chris Welch at Alex Gitlin's website