Bee Gees

Background information

Genre(s)
Pop, Soft rock, Blue-eyed soul, Disco

Years active
1958–2003

Label(s)
Festival, Polydor, Atco, RSO, Warner Bros., Rhino

Former members

Barry Gibb
Robin Gibb
Maurice Gibb

 

The Bee Gees were a singing trio of brothers — Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The multiple award-winning group was successful for most of its forty years of recording music, but the trio had two distinct periods of exceptional success: as a harmonic "soft rock" act in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and as the foremost stars of the disco music era in the late 1970s. The group sang three-part tight harmonies that were instantly recognizable; brother Robin's clear vibrato lead was a hallmark of their earlier hits, while Barry's R&B falsetto became a signature sound during the disco years. The three brothers co-wrote most of their own hits, as well as writing and producing several major hits for other artists.

Born on the Isle of Man to English parents, the family lived in various locales that included Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester, England and Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, where they began their musical careers. After early chart success in Australia, they returned to the United Kingdom where producer Robert Stigwood promoted them to a worldwide audience. It has been estimated that the Bee Gees' record sales total more than 200 million,making them one of the best-selling music artists of all time. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997; fittingly, the presenter of the award to "Britain's first family of harmony" was Brian Wilson, historical leader of the Beach Boys, America's first family of rock harmony. Their Hall of Fame citation says "Only Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Michael Jackson, Garth Brooks and Paul McCartney have outsold the Bee Gees".

Following Maurice's sudden death on 12 January 2003, Barry and Robin Gibb ended the group after forty-five years of activity.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bee_gees

Scorpions

Scorpions are a heavy metal/hard rock band from Hanover, Germany, probably best known for their 1980s rock anthem "Rock You Like a Hurricane" and their singles "No One Like You", "Still Loving You", and "Wind of Change". The band has sold over 75 million albums worldwide and were ranked #46 on VH1's Greatest Artists of Hard Rock program.

Background information

Origin
Hanover, Germany

Genre(s)
Heavy metal, hard rock

Years active
1965 - present

Label(s)
Rhino, RCA, Mercury, EMI, Atlantic, WEA, BMG

Klaus Meine
Matthias Jabs
Rudolf Schenker
James Kottak
Paweł Mąciwoda

Formation and early history (1965-1973)

Rudolf Schenker, the band's rhythm guitarist launched the band in 1965. At first, the band had beat influences and Schenker himself did the vocals. Things began to come together in 1969 when Schenker's younger brother Michael and vocalist Klaus Meine joined the band. In 1972, the group recorded and released their debut album Lonesome Crow, with Lothar Heimberg on bass and Wolfgang Dziony on drums. During the Lonesome Crow tour, the Scorpions opened for upcoming British band UFO. Near the end of the tour, the members of UFO offered guitarist Michael Schenker the lead guitar job; an offer which he soon accepted. Uli Roth, a friend of the Schenker brothers, was then called in temporarily to finish off the tour.

The departure of Michael Schenker led to the breakup of the band. In 1973, Uli Roth, who had helped the Scorpions complete the Lonesome Crow tour, was offered the role as lead guitarist, but turned the band down, preferring instead to remain in the band Dawn Road. Schenker eventually decided that he wanted to work with Roth, but did not want to resurrect the last Scorpions lineup. He attended some of Dawn Road's rehearsals and ultimately decided to join the band, which consisted of Roth, Francis Buchholz (bass), Achim Kirschning (keyboards) and Jürgen Rosenthal (drums). Roth and Buchholz persuaded Rudolf Schenker to invite Klaus Meine to join, which he soon did. While there were more members of Dawn Road than Scorpions in the band, they decided to use the Scorpions name because it was well-known in the German hard rock scene and an album had been released under that name.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scorpions_%28band%29

ABBA

Background information

Origin
Stockholm, Sweden

Genre(s)
Pop
Disco
Europop
Poprock

Years active
1972–1982, disbanded 1983

Label(s)
Polar (Sweden)
Polydor (Germany)
Philips
Atlantic (United States/Canada)
Universal (USA)
Epic (UK)
Vogue (France)
Discomate
RCA (Australia/South America)
PolyGram
Carnaby
Sunshine (Rhodesia-Zimbabwe)
Ariston/Dig It

Associated acts
Hep Stars, Hootenanny Singers, Benny Anderssons Orkester

Website
www.abbasite.com

Former members

Anni-Frid Lyngstad
Björn Ulvaeus
Benny Andersson
Agnetha Fältskog

ABBA was a pop music group formed in Sweden in November, 1970. The band consisted of Anni-Frid Lyngstad (Frida), Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Agnetha Fältskog. They topped the charts worldwide from 1972 to 1982. The name "ABBA" is an acronym formed from the first letters of each of the group members' given names (Agnetha, Björn, Benny, Anni-Frid), and the group took this name officially in late 1973.The group's name is officially trademarked with the first "B" reversed.

ABBA gained international popularity employing catchy song hooks, simple lyrics, and a Wall of Sound achieved by overdubbing the female singers' voices in multiple harmonies. As their popularity grew, they were sought after to tour Europe, Australia, and North America, drawing crowds of ardent fans, notably in Australia. Touring became a contentious issue, being particularly unpopular with Fältskog, but they continued to release studio albums to great commercial success. At the height of their popularity, however, both marriages of the band members failed, and the relationship changes were reflected in their music, as they produced more thoughtful lyrics with different compositions.

They remain a fixture of radio playlists and are one of the world's best selling bands, having sold near 400 million records world wide; they still sell two to four million records a year. ABBA was also the first pop group from mainland Europe to enjoy consistent success in the charts of English-speaking countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Ireland, South Africa, Rhodesia, Australia and New Zealand. Their enormous popularity subsequently opened the doors for other Continental European acts.

The music of ABBA has been re-arranged into the successful musical Mamma Mia! that has toured worldwide and had a movie version released in July 2008. All four of the former members of ABBA were present at the Stockholm premieres of both the musical (2005) and the film (2008). The film première took place at the Benny Andersson-owned Rival Theatre at Mariatorget, Stockholm on 4 July 2008. A new museum devoted entirely to the pop supergroup was scheduled to open in Stockholm in 2009, but the project was postponed as of September 2008.

Form http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ABBA

The Beatles

The Beatles in 1964.
Clockwise (from top-left): John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, George Harrison

Background information

Also known as
"The Fab Four," "The Lads from Liverpool"

Origin
Liverpool, England

Genre(s)
Rock, pop rock

Years active
1960–1970

Label(s)
EMI, Parlophone, Capitol, Odeon, Apple, Vee-Jay, Polydor, Swan, Tollie, UA

Associated acts
The Quarrymen, Plastic Ono Band, The Dirty Mac, Wings, Traveling Wilburys, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band

Website
www.thebeatles.com

Members

John Lennon
Paul McCartney
George Harrison
Ringo Starr

Former members

Pete Best
Stuart Sutcliffe

The Beatles were a rock and pop group formed in Liverpool, England in 1960 who became one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed bands in the history of popular music. During their years of stardom, the band consisted of John Lennon (rhythm guitar, vocals), Paul McCartney (bass guitar, vocals), George Harrison (lead guitar, vocals) and Ringo Starr (drums, vocals), and were managed by Brian Epstein until his death in 1967. Although their initial musical style was rooted in 1950s rock and roll and skiffle, the group worked with different musical genres, ranging from Tin Pan Alley to psychedelic rock. Their clothes, style and statements made them trend-setters, while their growing social awareness saw their influence extend into the social and cultural revolutions of the 1960s.

Returning to Liverpool following periods of Hamburg residency during 1960, 1961 and 1962, the group appointed Epstein manager, and he negotiated a record contract with EMI. The single "Please Please Me" achieved UK chart success in late 1962, and they attracted fervent interest, termed "Beatlemania", during tours of the UK and Europe throughout the next year. The single "I Want to Hold Your Hand", finding U.S. chart success in late 1963, spearheaded the group's international popularity, and they toured the U.S. and other countries over the next three years. During this period, Lennon, McCartney, Harrison and Starr were each honoured with an MBE. In 1966 the group found themselves mired in  controversy, including widespread antipathy in the U.S. after a magazine published a quote from Lennon's remarks on Christianity. They ceased to perform commercial concerts after the 1966 U.S. tour, concentrating instead on studio work and enjoying continued international chart success. In 1967 the group met Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who introduced them to Transcendental Meditation. The same year, Epstein died from an overdose of a prescription drug. The group spent time in India, treating the Maharishi as their guru for a short time, but became disillusioned with him. Increasingly dominated by conflict, and further alienated from one another by a disagreement about the appointment of a new financial adviser, the group disintegrated in 1970. All four members embarked upon successful solo careers.

The Beatles have sold over one billion records internationally. In the United Kingdom they released more than 40 different singles, albums, and EPs that reached number one, earning more number one albums (15) than any other group in UK chart history. According to the Recording Industry Association of America, they have sold more albums in the United States than any other band,and in 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked them number one in its list of 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.According to that same magazine, The Beatles' innovative music and cultural impact helped define the 1960s, and their influence on pop culture is still evident today. In 2008, Billboard magazine released a list of top-selling Hot 100 artists to celebrate the chart's fiftieth anniversary, with The Beatles at #1.The Beatles were collectively included in Time in their list of The Most Important People of the 20th Century.

From  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Beatles

Elvis Presley

Background information

Birth name
Elvis Aaron Presley

Also known as
Elvis, The King, The King of Rock 'n' Roll, Elvis the Pelvis, The Hillbilly Cat

Born
January 8, 1935(1935-01-08)
Tupelo, Mississippi, USA

Died
August 16, 1977 (aged 42)
Memphis, Tennessee, USA

Genre(s)
Rock & roll, pop, Rockabilly, Blues, Gospel, R&B

Occupation(s)
Singer, actor

Instrument(s)
Vocals, guitar, piano

Voice type(s)
Baritone (D2-C♯5)

Years active
1954–1977

Label(s)
Sun, RCA Victor

Website
Elvis.com

Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977; middle name sometimes spelled Aron) was an American singer and actor. A cultural icon, he is commonly known simply as Elvis and is also sometimes referred to as The King of Rock 'n' Roll or The King.

Presley began his career in 1953 as one of the first performers of rockabilly, an uptempo fusion of country and rhythm and blues with a strong back beat. His novel versions of existing songs, mixing "black" and "white" sounds, made him popular—and controversial —as did his uninhibited stage and television performances. Presley had a versatile voice and had unusually wide success encompassing many genres, including rock and roll, gospel, blues, country, ballads and pop. To date, he has been inducted into four music halls of fame.

In the 1960s, Presley made the majority of his 31 movies, most of which were poorly reviewed but financially successful musicals.In 1968, he returned to live performances in a television special,and performed across the U.S., notably in Las Vegas. In 1973, Presley staged the first global live concert via satellite (Aloha from Hawaii), reaching at least one billion viewers live and an additional 500 million on delay.

Throughout his career, he set records for concert attendance, television ratings and recordings sales. He is one of the best-selling and most influential artists in the history of music, selling over one billion records internationally. Health problems,  prescription drug dependence, and other factors led to his death at age 42.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elvis_Presley

Michael Jackson

Background information

Birth name
Michael Joseph Jackson

Born
August 29, 1958
Gary, Indiana,
United States

Died
June 25, 2009 (aged 50)
Los Angeles, California
United States

Genre(s)
Pop, R&B, rock, soul

Occupation(s)
Singer, songwriter, record producer, arranger, dancer, choreographer, actor, author, businessman, financier, philanthropist

Instrument(s)
Vocals, multiple instruments

Voice type(s)
Countertenor

Years active
1967–2009

Label(s)
Motown, Epic

Associated acts
The Jackson 5/The Jacksons

Website
MichaelJackson.com

Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American recording artist and entertainer. In addition, his recording career enabled him to have a role as a businessman. The seventh child of the Jackson family, he made his debut onto the professional music scene at the age of 11 as a member of The Jackson 5 in 1969, and later began a solo career in 1971 while still a member of the group. Referred to as the "King of Pop" in subsequent years, his 1982 album Thriller remains the world's best-selling record of all time and four of his other solo studio albums are among the world's best-selling records: Off the Wall (1979), Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991) and HIStory (1995).

In the early 1980s, he became a dominant figure in popular music and the first African American entertainer to amass a strong crossover following on MTV. The popularity of his music videos airing on MTV, such as "Beat It", "Billie Jean" and "Thriller"—widely credited with transforming the music video from a promotional tool into an art form—helped bring the relatively new channel to fame. Videos such as "Black or White" and "Scream" made Jackson an enduring staple on MTV in the 1990s. With stage performances and music videos, Jackson popularized a number of physically complicated dance techniques, such as the robot and the moonwalk. His distinctive musical sound and vocal style influenced many hip hop, pop and contemporary R&B artists.

Jackson donated and raised millions of dollars for beneficial causes through his foundations, charity singles, and support of 39 charities. Other aspects of his personal life, including his often changing appearances and eccentric behavior, generated significant controversy which damaged his public image. Though he was accused of child sexual abuse in 1993, the criminal investigation was closed due to lack of evidence and Jackson was not charged. The singer had experienced health concerns since the early 1990s and conflicting reports regarding the state of his finances since the late 1990s. Jackson married twice and fathered three children, all of which caused further controversy. In 2005, Jackson was tried and acquitted of further sexual abuse allegations and several other charges.

One of the few artists to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, his other achievements include multiple Guinness World Records—including one for "Most Successful Entertainer of All Time"—13 Grammy Awards, 13 number one singles in his solo career, and the sale of 750 million records worldwide. Jackson's highly publicized personal life, coupled with his successful career, made him a part of popular culture for almost four decades. Michael Jackson died on June 25, 2009, aged 50.The specific cause of death has yet to be determined. Before his death, Jackson had announced a 50-date sell-out This Is It comeback tour, in London, UK.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Jackson

Air Supply

Air Supply are a soft rock duo who had a succession of hits worldwide through the late 1970s and early 1980s. It consists of British guitarist and vocalist Graham Russell (born Graham Cyril Russell, 11 June 1950, Sherwood, Nottingham, England, UK) and Australian lead vocalist Russell Hitchcock (born Russell Charles Hitchcock, 15 June 1949, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia).

Formation

The two met in May 1975 while performing in the Australian production of the Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice musical, Jesus Christ Superstar. Later that year, the duo, along with Chrissie Hammond and two others, formed Air Supply as a five-man group. Hammond left the band and was replaced by Jeremy Paul in time for the group's first Australian hit single, "Love and Other Bruises." It was followed by a debut album that reached gold in Australia, which featured keyboardist/arranger Adrian Scott, drummer Jeff Browne, and guitarist Mark McEntee. Singles during this period included "Empty Pages" and "Do What You Do". The group was invited to open for Rod Stewart during his tour of Australia; he was so impressed with their performance that he invited them to be the opening act during his tour of the United States. During this tour, Jeremy Paul left the band. (He later played with the original lineup of the Divinyls, led by Chrissie Amphlett and Mark McEntee.)

Eager to prove that they could succeed as a duo, Air Supply released the album Love & Other Bruises, which included re-recordings of many of their earlier hits. Although their music met with some success, Graham Russell on the 1995 DVD recalls that he and Hitchcock were so poor that they were reduced to checking the backs of hotel sofas for change so that they could buy bread to make toast.

Hitchcock and Russell started out fresh again in 1978, and the band that was to record almost all of the hit records was formed. It featured Frank Esler-Smith (arranger and keyboardist), David Moyse, and Rex Goh (guitars) as well as the rhythm section of David Green (bass) and Ralph Cooper (drums).

In 1979, the band released Life Support, a concept album that included a picture disc on its first printing. Produced by Charles Fisher, it was recorded in the tiny Trafalgar Studios in Sydney, Australia where, as Graham recalls on the 2005 DVD, he had half an inch between the end of his guitar and the studio wall. It was on this album that a five-and-a-half minute version of "Lost in Love" was introduced to Australian audiences. Written by Russell in fifteen minutes, the song caught the attention of music mogul Clive Davis, and his record label, Arista, remixed the song and released it as a single in the United States.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Supply