Bobby and the Midnites
Bobby and the Midnites | |
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San Francisco, California | |
Genres | Rock |
Years active | 1980–1984 |
Labels | Arista, Columbia |
Past members | Bob Weir Bobby Cochran Billy Cobham Matthew Kelly Brent Mydland Tim Bogert Alphonso Johnson Dave Garland Kenny Gradney |
Bobby and the Midnites was a rock group led by Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead. The band was Weir's main side project during the first half of the 1980s. They released two albums, but were better known for their live concerts than for their work in the recording studio. With a rhythm section that included jazz veterans Billy Cobham and, for a time, Alphonso Johnson, Bobby and the Midnites played rock music that was influenced by jazz-rock fusion.
History of the Band
In 1978, Bob Weir had led a side project called the Bob Weir Band that played a number of concerts. Besides Weir himself, two members of the Bob Weir Band were in Bobby and the Midnites. One was
The first Bobby and the Midnites concert was at the Golden Bear, in Huntington Beach, California, on June 30, 1980. The band played a number of live dates from mid-1980 to early 1981. Then Alphonso Johnson replaced Bogert on bass. Johnson had been in Weather Report, and had played with Cobham in the CBS All-Stars. This slightly revised configuration of Bobby and the Midnites recorded the band's self-titled first album.
The Midnites did not play live again until the following year. Brent Mydland and Matthew Kelly had left the lineup, and Dave Garland had joined. Garland sang and played keyboards and saxophone. Starting in January 1982, this group toured extensively when the Grateful Dead were not on the road. A 60-minute concert video of this Midnites lineup was released on VHS in 1991.
On November 27, 1982, Bobby and the Midnites performed in
In March 1983, the band had its final change of personnel, when Kenny Gradney, formerly of Little Feat, replaced Johnson on bass. The band continued touring, playing many live dates, and in 1984 released a second studio album. The last Bobby and the Midnites concert was at the Rio, in Valley Stream, New York, on September 30, 1984.
After Bobby and the Midnites, Bob Weir's next non-Grateful Dead musical appearances were with Kingfish, sitting in on a number of concerts in 1984 and again in 1986. Weir also played several solo acoustic shows in 1985.
Discography
Albums
- Bobby and the Midnites (1981)
- Where the Beat Meets the Street (1984)
Single
- "Too Many Losers" / "Haze" (1981)
Concert video
- Bobby and the Midnites (1991)
Personnel
Following are the lineups for Bobby and the Midnites' live performances.
June 30, 1980 – January 31, 1981 |
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January 12, 1982 – March 10, 1983 |
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March 22, 1983 – September 30, 1984 |
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References
This article includes a improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (August 2014) ) |
- Bobby and the Midnites on Allmusic
- Bobby and the Midnites on DeadDisc.com
- Pareles, Jon. Bobby and the Midnites concert review, New York Times, August 31, 1984
- Rolling Stone biography of the Grateful Dead
- San Francisco Chronicle, March 21, 2004. Selvin, Joel. "Dead Man Talking"
- Scott, John W; Dolgushkin, Mike; Nixon, Stu. DeadBase XI: The Complete Guide to Grateful Dead Song Lists, 1999, DeadBase, ISBN 1-877657-22-0, pp. 476 – 481.