The American Breed

The American Breed was an American rock band.

Career

The four friends Al Ciner (born May 14, 1947, guitar), Gary Loizzo (born August 16, 1945, † January 16, 2016, lead vocals), Lee Anthony Graziano (born November 9, 1943, drums) and Charles "Chuck" Colbert (born August 30, 1944, bass guitar) founded a dance band called Gary & the Nightlights in Chicago , Michigan in the early 1960s .

They recorded a demo tape that was played to the boss of a record company by chance. He was so enthusiastic that the quartet got a record deal. The name "American Breed" was invented and the first single "I Don't Think You Know Me" was released.

At the end of 1967 the really big hit succeeded: With “Bend Me, Shape Me” they created a million seller , which became an international success ( US place 5, UK place 24, DE place 9).

In England the song became an even bigger success in 1968 in a recording by the British band Amen Corner . In 1968 and 1969, The American Breed sang the theme songs for the films Bizarre Morde and Das Superhirn .

After several line-up changes, the band broke up in the late 60s. The soul & funk band Rufus with Chaka Khan as lead singer emerged from the remains in the mid-70s .

Discography (selection)

Albums

Selection criterion: all original US LPs

1967: The American Breed - Dot DOLP 0255
1968: Bend me, shape me - Acta A38003
1968: Pumpkin, powder, scarlet and green - Acta A38006
1968: Lonely side of the city - Acta A38008

Singles

year	Title album	Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes)				Remarks
year	Title album	DE	AT	UK	US	Remarks
1967	Step Out Of Your Mind	-	-	-	US24 (9 weeks) US
1967	Bend Me, Shape Me	DE9 (8 weeks) DE	AT11 (4 weeks) AT	UK24 (6 weeks) UK	US5 (14 weeks) US
1968	Green light	-	-	-	US39 (7 weeks) US
	Reading, Willing and Able	-	-	-	US84 (3 weeks) US
	Anyway That You Want Me	-	-	-	US88 (4 weeks) US

literature

Julia Edenhofer : The Great Oldie Lexicon. With hit parade overview England, USA, Germany . Weltbild, Augsburg 1991, ISBN 3-89350-720-5 .

swell

^ Joseph Murrells: The Book of Golden Discs . 2nd Edition. Barrie and Jenkins, London 1978, ISBN 0-214-20480-4 , p. 215.
^ Joel Whitburn: Top Pop Singles 1955-1993 . Record Research, Menomonee Falls, Wisc. 1994, ISBN 0-89820-104-7 , p. 13.
^ Günter Ehnert (Ed.): Hit balance sheet. German chart singles 1956–1980 . Taurus Press, Hamburg 1990, ISBN 3-922542-24-7 , p. 15.
↑ The single from Amen Corner reached number 3, cf. Nugent, Stephen, Anne Fowler, Pete Fowler: Chart Log of American / British Top 20 Hits, 1955-1974 . In: Charlie Gillett, Simon Frith (Eds.): Rock File 4 . Panther Books, Frogmore, St. Albans 1976, ISBN 0-586-04370-5 , p. 69.
↑ more information see: Klaus D. Tilch: rock LPs 1955-1970, Vol. 1: A-E . 3rd ext. Edition. Taurus Press, Hamburg 1990, ISBN 3-922542-25-5 , pp. 25f.
↑ Chart sources: DE AT UK Chartsurfer

[1] Joseph Murrells: The Book of Golden Discs . 2nd Edition. Barrie and Jenkins, London 1978, ISBN 0-214-20480-4 , p. 215.

[2] Joel Whitburn: Top Pop Singles 1955-1993 . Record Research, Menomonee Falls, Wisc. 1994, ISBN 0-89820-104-7 , p. 13.

[3] Günter Ehnert (Ed.): Hit balance sheet. German chart singles 1956–1980 . Taurus Press, Hamburg 1990, ISBN 3-922542-24-7 , p. 15.

[4] The single from Amen Corner reached number 3, cf. Nugent, Stephen, Anne Fowler, Pete Fowler: Chart Log of American / British Top 20 Hits, 1955-1974 . In: Charlie Gillett, Simon Frith (Eds.): Rock File 4 . Panther Books, Frogmore, St. Albans 1976, ISBN 0-586-04370-5 , p. 69.

[5] re information see: Klaus D. Tilch: rock LPs 1955-1970, Vol. 1: A-E . 3rd ext. Edition. Taurus Press, Hamburg 1990, ISBN 3-922542-25-5 , pp. 25f.

[charts-6] Chart sources: DE AT UK Chartsurfer