Big Brother and the Holding Company
| Big Brother and the Holding Company | |
|---|---|
 Janis Joplin and the Big Brother & the Holding Company |
|
| General information | |
| Genre (s) | skirt |
| founding | 1965 |
| Website | www.bbhc.com |
| Founding members | |
| Sam Andrew (until 1968) | |
Electric bass , vocals |
Peter Albin |
guitar |
Dave Eskerson |
| Chuck Jones | |
| Current occupation | |
Bass, vocals |
Peter Albin |
guitar |
Tom Finch (since 1997) |
Drums |
David Getz (since 1965) |
| former members | |
singing |
Janis Joplin (1966–1968) |
guitar |
James Gurley (1965-1997) |
| Ed Bogas (? -?) | |
singing |
Kathi McDonald (? -?) |
Keyboard , vocals |
Mike Finnigan (1971) |
singing |
Nick Gravenites (? -?) |
guitar |
David Schallock (? -?) |
singing |
Michel Bastian (1987-1996) |
singing |
Lisa Battle (1996-1998) |
singing |
Lisa Mills (2000-2002) |
singing |
Kacee Clanton (2002–?) |
singing |
Wendy Rich (? -?) |
singing |
Andra Mitrovich (? -?) |
singing |
Sophia Ramos (? -?) |
Guitar, vocals |
Sam Andrew (1969– † 2015) |
Big Brother and the Holding Company is an American band formed in 1965 within the San Francisco music scene . Its best known member was Janis Joplin .
Band history
James Gurley replaced Dave Eskerson in November 1965 because he was too young to play in bars according to American youth protection regulations . In addition, Chuck Jones was replaced by David Getz on drums in February 1966. The line- up from February 1966 to June 1966 was Sam Andrew (guitar, vocals), Peter Albin (bass, vocals), James Gurley (guitar) († December 20, 2009), David Getz (drums), Ed Bogas (violin). In the early summer of 1966, Chet Helms , the band's manager, recruited a blues singer friend from Texas: Janis Joplin. With the appearance at the Monterey Pop Festival 1967 with the front woman Janis Joplin the band became world famous.
In 1967 the band also released their first album, Big Brother & the Holding Company, on Bob Shad's mainstream label . In April 1968 she got a contract with Columbia Records . The second LP, Cheap Thrills (front cover by Robert Crumb ) was released there in the same year . The line-up Janis Joplin (vocals), Sam Andrew (guitar, vocals), Peter Albin (bass, vocals), James Gurley (guitar) and David Getz (drums) existed until November 1968.
Then Janis Joplin decided to pursue a solo career and left the band. A new backing band was put together for them, in which the guitarist Sam Andrew was the only Big Brother member. This new band initially appeared under different names, but has been referred to as the Full Tilt Boogie Band or Kozmic Blues Band since the 3rd Joplin album ( I Got Dem Ol 'Kozmic Blues Again Mama ), which was released in late summer 1969 .
Sam Andrew left the Kozmic Blues Band in the late summer of 1969. From August 1969 to February 1972 the band tried to build on successful times by the return of Sam Andrew and the addition of Nick Gravenites ( Electric Flag ). The line-up until February 1972: Kathi McDonald (vocals), Sam Andrew (guitar, vocals), Mike Finnigan ( keyboard , vocals), Peter Albin (bass, vocals), James Gurley (guitar), David Getz (drums), Nick Gravenites (Vocals), David Schallock (guitar). The band members got lost in all winds after February 1972. David Schallock later played bass with the Sons of Champlin . Peter Albin went to Country Joe and the Fish , with whom he had "hooked up" in between.
In 1987 the band started playing together again and are still active and touring today. First of all, all of the original band members still alive were there again. James Gurley ended his collaboration in 1997 and was replaced by Tom Finch. The new singers were Michel Bastian from 1987 to 1996 and Lisa Battle from 1996 to 1998. In the line-up with Tom Finch and Lisa Battle, the band released a new CD in 1998: Do What You Love .
Since Lisa Battle's departure, the band has collaborated with various female singers. The main partners from 2000 to 2002 were Lisa Mills and since then Kacee Clanton. Wendy Rich, Andra Mitrovich, Sophia Ramos and Mary Bridget Davies also performed with Big Brother. Tom Finch has been represented on some European tours since 2002 by guitarist Chad Quist from Seattle.
In 2006, Hold Me, a live CD recorded in Germany, was released. In addition to Andrew, Albin and Getz, you can hear Sophia Ramos on vocals and Chad Quist on guitar. On February 12, 2015, Sam Andrew died at the age of 73 from complications from a heart attack ten weeks earlier.
Discography
Studio albums
| year | Title music label |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, music label , placements, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 US
|
R&B
|
|||
| 1967 | Big Brother & the Holding Company Mainstream 6099 |
US60 (34 weeks) US |
R&B28 (2 weeks) R&B |
|
| 1968 |
Cheap Thrills Columbia 9700 |
US1  × 2
(66 weeks)US |
R&B7 (23 weeks) R&B |
|
| 1970 | Be a Brother Columbia 30222 |
US134 (6 weeks) US |
- |
First published: October 1970
Singing: David Schallock, Sam Andrew, Nick Gravenites Producer: Nick Gravenites |
| 1971 | How Hard It Is Columbia 30738 |
US157 (3 weeks) US |
- |
First published: August 1971
Singing: Mike Finnigan , Sam Andrew, Nick Gravenites, Kathi McDonald Producers: Roscoe, Roy Segal |
More studio albums
- 1997: Can't Go Home Again (Legend)
- 1998: Do What You Love (Cheap Thrills Publishing)
Live albums
- 1984: Cheaper Thrills (UK) / Live (US) (Recording: California Hall, San Francisco, July 28, 1966; Made to Last Records 001 / Rhino 121)
- 1998: Live at Winterland '68 (with Janis Joplin ; recording: Winterland , San Francisco, 1968; Columbia / Legacy 64869)
- 2006: Hold Me: Live in Germany (Recording: Burg-Herzberg-Festival , Burg Herzberg , on July 15, 2005)
- 2012: Live at the Carousel Ballroom 1968 (feat. Janis Joplin; Recording: Carousel Ballroom, San Francisco, June 23, 1968; Columbia / Legacy 88697963131)
Compilations
- 1986: Joseph's Coat (Edsel 170)
- 1991: Untitled (with Janis Joplin; Duchesse 352118)
- 1999: Box of Pearls: The Janis Joplin Collection (with Janis Joplin; box with 5 CDs; Columbia 65937)
- 2008: The Lost Tapes (Airline Records 0214)
Singles
| year | Title album |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChartsChart placements (Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
|
US
|
|||
| 1968 | Down on Me Big Brother & the Holding Company |
US43 (8 weeks) US |
First published: March 1967
Chart entry: August 31, 1968 Arranger: Janis Joplin |
| Piece of My Heart Cheap Thrills |
US12 (12 weeks) US |
First published: August 15, 1968
Chart entry: August 31, 1968 Authors: Bert Berns , Jerry Ragovoy Original: Erma Franklin , 1967 |
|
| Coo Coo Big Brother & the Holding Company |
US84 (3 weeks) US |
First published: February 1968
Chart entry: November 23, 1968 Author: Janis Joplin |
More singles
- 1966: All Is Loneliness (release: September)
- 1967: Blindman
- 1967: Bye, Bye Baby (release: August)
- 1967: Women Is Losers (released December)
- 1971: Keep On (released January 14th)
- 1971: Black Widow Spider / Nu Boogaloo Jam (release: November 3rd)
Video albums
- 1989: Ball and Chain
- 1992: Comin 'Home
- 2001: Nine Hundred Nights (with Janis Joplin; documentary)
literature
- Michael Spörke : Big Brother & the Holding Co. 1965–2003. The band that made Janis Joplin famous. Bod, Kassel, 2003. ISBN 3-8311-4823-6 .
swell
- ↑ Peter Keepnews: Sam Andrew, Guitarist for Big Brother and the Holding Company, Dies at 73. In: The New York Times of February 16, 2015 (English, accessed February 17, 2015).
- ↑ a b Chart sources: Billboard Hot 100 Billboard 200
- ↑ a b gold / platinum database US
- ^ Joel Whitburn : Top R&B Albums 1965–1998, ISBN 0-89820-134-9 .
Web links
- Official website
- Big Brother and the Holding Company at Allmusic (English)
- Big Brother and the Holding Company at Discogs (English)
- biography