Tommy James & the Shondells

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Tommy James & the Shondells
Tommy James & the Shondells, 2010
Tommy James & the Shondells, 2010
General information
Genre (s) Rock 'n' roll , pop
founding 1964 as The Shondells
Founding members
Joseph Kessler
Larry Wright
guitar
 Larry Coverdale
Vincent Pietropaoli
Drums
 James Payne
Craig Villeneuve
George D. Magura
Classic line-up (from 1966)
Vocals, guitar
 Tommy James (born Thomas Jackson on April 29, 1947 in Dayton, Ohio )
guitar
 Eddie Gray (born February 27, 1948 as Edward James Zgorecki )
bass
 Mike Vale (* 17th July 1943 as Michael Richard Vucish )
Hammond organ
 Ronnie Rosman (born February 28, 1945 as Claron Louis Rosman )
Drums
 Peter Lucia, Jr ( February 2, 1947 - 1987 )

Tommy James and the Shondells was an American rock 'n' roll band that originally formed as The Shondells in 1964.

Career

Her first single, Hanky ​​Panky , was released in 1964 - at the time band leader James was only 17 years old. After that, the band fell apart. In 1966, James put the Shondells back together and re-recorded Hanky ​​Panky . The song reached number 1 in the US charts .

A number of hits followed, including I Think We're Alone Now (1967), Mony Mony , Crimson and Clover (1968 each), Sweet Cherry Wine and Crystal Blue Persuasion (1969 each). Several titles reached number one on the charts. In 1970, James separated from the band and started a solo career. The remaining four members released a few unsuccessful singles under the name Hog Heaven and then separated.

Discography

Studio albums

year title Top ranking, total weeks, awardChartsChart placements
(Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes) 		Remarks
US US
1966 Hanky ​​Panky US46 (15 weeks)
US
1967 I think we're alone now US74 (18 weeks)
US
1968 Mony Mony US193 (2 weeks)
US
1969 Crimson & Clover US8 (35 weeks)
US
Cellophane Symphony US141 (6 weeks)
US
1970 Travelin ' US91 (9 weeks)
US

More studio albums

  • 1967: It's Only Love
  • 1967: Gettin 'Together

Compilations

year title Top ranking, total weeks, awardChartsChart placements
(Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes) 		Remarks
US US
1967 Something special! The Best of Tommy James and The Shondells US174 (5 weeks)
US
1969 The Best of Tommy James and The Shondells US21 (41 weeks)
US
2011 The essentials US131 (7 weeks)
US

More compilations

  • 1989: Anthology
  • 1993: The Very Best of Tommy James and the Shondells
  • 2006: The Definitive Pop Collection
  • 2008: 40 Years: The Complete Singles Collection (1966-2006)

Singles

year Title
album 		Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements
(Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes) 		Remarks
UK UK US US
1966 Hanky ​​Panky
Hanky ​​Panky 		UK38 (7 weeks)
UK 		US1
gold
gold

(12 weeks)US
Say I Am (What I Am)
Hanky ​​Panky 		- US21 (8 weeks)
US
It's Only Love
It's Only Love 		- US31 (9 weeks)
US
1967 I Think We're Alone Now
I Think We're Alone Now 		- US4 (17 weeks)
US
Mirage
I Think We're Alone Now 		- US10 (10 weeks)
US
I Like the Way
I Think We're Alone Now 		- US25 (7 weeks)
US
Gettin 'Together
Gettin' Together 		- US18 (8 weeks)
US
Out of the Blue
Something Special! The Best Of Tommy James & The Shondells 		- US43 (6 weeks)
US
1968 Get Out Now
Mony Mony 		- US48 (7 weeks)
US
Mony Mony
Mony Mony 		UK1 (18 weeks)
UK 		US3 (17 weeks)
US
Somebody Cares
Mony Mony 		- US53 (5 weeks)
US
Do Something to Me
Crimson & Clover 		- US38 (9 weeks)
US
Crimson and Clover
Crimson & Clover 		- US1 (16 weeks)
US
1969 Sweet Cherry Wine
Cellophane Symphony 		- US7 (10 weeks)
US
Crystal Blue Persuasion
Crimson & Clover 		- US2 (15 weeks)
US
Ball of Fire
The Best of Tommy James and The Shondells 		- US19 (8 weeks)
US
She
travelin ' 		- US23 (8 weeks)
US
1970 Gotta Get Back to You
Travelin ' 		- US45 (8 weeks)
US
Come to Me
Tommy James 		- US47 (8 weeks)
US

More singles

  • 1962: Long Pony Tail (as Tom and the Tornadoes )
  • 1964: Hanky ​​Panky (as The Shondells )

Trivia

  • The Shondells group named Tommy James after one of his idols, the American guitarist Troy Shondell .
  • The hit Crimson and Clover was written and recorded by James with his drummer Peter Lucia. James played guitar, Hammond organ and bass and sang, Lucia played drums. What was remarkable about the piece at that time was the use of electrically distorted guitars and the use of a gater effect on the electric guitar and in places also on the vocal part. Prince released a cover version of the song on his album Lotusflow3r in 2009 .
  • Former US Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey was a fan of the band and wrote the liner notes for one of their albums .
  • The band is considered to be one of the first to shoot music videos for their songs.

literature

  • Stambler, Irwin: The Encyclopedia Of Pop, Rock And Soul . 3rd revised edition, New York City, New York: St. Martin's Press, 1989, pp. 325f - ISBN 0-312-02573-4 .

swell

  1. ↑ For more information on the title, see: Bronson, Fred: The Billboard Book of Number One Hits . 3rd revised and expanded edition. New York City, New York: Billboard Publications, 1992, p. 203
  2. ^ Bronson, Fred: The Billboard Book of Number One Hits . 3rd revised and expanded edition. New York City, New York: Billboard Publications, 1992, 250
  3. ↑ a b c Chart sources: UK US
  4. ↑ Music Sales Awards: US