The Buckinghams
The Buckinghams | |
---|---|
Carl Giammarese Nick Fortuna Bruce Soboroff Dave Zane Tom Scheckel | |
Past members | Dennis Tufano John Poulos George LeGros Curtis Bachman Dennis Miccolis Marty Grebb Jack Parker John Cammelot Laurie Beebe Lewis Barb Unger Larry Nestor Bruce "Rocky" Penn Bob Abrams |
Website | The Buckinghams official website |
The Buckinghams are an American pop[2] band from Chicago. They formed in 1966 and went on to become one of the top-selling acts of 1967, charting their only five top 40 hits in the U.S. that year. The band dissolved in 1970, but re-formed in 1980 and as of 2022[update] they continue to tour throughout the United States.
History
In 1965, guitarists Carl Giammarese and Nick Fortuna, along with bassist Curtis Bachman, were invited to join a band called the Centuries. Giammarese and Bachman, plus keyboardist Dennis Miccolis, later became members of another band, the Pulsations, whose members included drummer
In early 1966, LeGros was forced to leave after he was drafted. Right around the same time, bassist Bachman also left and Fortuna (now playing bass and soon briefly going under the surname of Fortune, after it was misspelled on the record jacket) returned after a stint with Jimmy V. & the Entertainers. The band then signed their first record contract with local label USA Records and recorded 12 songs that year. Several were released as singles, including "
In late 1966, keyboardist Miccolis was replaced by Larry Nestor, who stayed in the band a short time and was in turn replaced by Marty Grebb at the close of 1966. Around this time the band members were introduced to James William Guercio, formerly the bassist and road manager for Chad & Jeremy, who then signed them to a management contract with Ebbins-Guercio Associates. The Buckinghams were courted by several record labels before deciding on promotion specialist Jim Scully, who quickly got them a new contract with Columbia (CBS) Records.[7] Guercio, who became the group's producer, continued the group's "brass-rock" approach, and the band produced four more Top-20 hits in 1967: "Don't You Care" (#6), "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" (#5), "Hey Baby (They're Playing Our Song)" (#12), and "Susan" (#11), (three of which were written by Jim Holvay and Gary Beisbier). The same year, the Buckinghams were named by Billboard magazine as "The Most Listened to Band in America". Severe differences occurred between the Buckinghams and Guercio, particularly the producer's decision to add a psychedelic section to the song "Susan". The song included a short portion of Charles Ives' "Central Park in the Dark" and sounded very similar to the Beatles' song "A Day in the Life", with an orchestral crescendo.[8] Many radio stations omitted this section, since it changed the song's tempo and veered radically from the melody.[9] But the producer had the last word, and the released version kept the psychedelic section intact. The group currently does not include the psychedelic portion in their performances.
By mid-1968, the Buckinghams had parted company with Guercio and Columbia Records assigned staff producer Jimmy Wisner to work with the group on their fourth album, In One Ear and Gone Tomorrow. The album featured material written by Grebb, Giammarese, and Tufano. Despite the release of a new single, "Back in Love Again", they were unable to duplicate their 1967 success without Guercio, who went on to take the "brass rock" concept further with Blood, Sweat & Tears and Chicago. Also, a "Buckinghams Day" in Chicago was cancelled when it was learned that some of the band members were arrested for possession of illegal drugs. It was later determined that marijuana had been found belonging to the band's roadies, and later all charges were later dropped when the police failed to prove their case. The story of the charges made headlines, but the retraction and resolution of the case as being innocent did not.[10] Ultimately, restitution came in the form of recognition as The Buckinghams were inducted into the Iowa Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in September, 2019.[11]
By late 1968, Grebb and Fortuna had left and were replaced by keyboardist John Turner and original bassist Bachman, who had gone on to join the band Saturday's Child after leaving the Buckinghams. There were no more hits, though, and the band dissolved in early 1970.[12] Columbia released a double compilation record of their old material in 1975 called Made in Chicago.[6]
After the break-up, Tufano and Giammarese formed the duo Tufano & Giammarese and recorded three albums for Lou Adler's record label, Ode Records, forming a touring band in time for their second album. Drummer John Poulos, who had secured the Ode Records recording contract for the duo, became a manager of several rock bands, including the Boyzz from Illinoizz. Poulos died of drug-related heart failure on March 26, 1980.
Reformation
Later in 1980, Chicago's WLS radio programming executive John Gehron called Giammarese with an invitation to reunite the Buckinghams for Mayor Jane Byrne's ChicagoFest event in August. Giammarese, Fortuna, and Tufano appeared with drummer Tom Osfar and keyboardist John Cammelot on the Navy Pier rooftop stage. Marty Grebb declined the opportunity to join them as he was touring with the group Chicago at the time. For the next two years the trio of original members performed at selected concerts in Chicago. When Tufano decided to return to California to resume a career in film voice work in early 1983, Giammarese and Fortuna committed to tour full-time as The Buckinghams.[13]
The 1983 Buckinghams featured an expanded group that included Giammarese, Fortuna, John Duich (guitar), Tom Taylor (keyboards), Tom Scheckel (drums, percussion), and two female singers: Laurie Beebe Lewis (vocals, keyboards), who later joined the Mamas & the Papas,[14][15] and Barbara Unger (keyboards, backing vocals).
In 1984 Duich, Taylor, and Unger were dropped and Giammarese, now handling lead vocal duties, went back to playing guitar as well and Cammelot rejoined on keyboards with Lewis on vocals and supporting keyboards. The following year the Buckinghams were part of the Happy Together 85 Tour, along with
In 1991,
In 1996, the Buckinghams celebrated the band's 30th anniversary with a concert at The Vic Theatre in Chicago. The show was filmed and released as a video entitled "Off Their Rocker" and included DJs Dick Biondi (d. 6.26.23)[18] and John Records Landecker, still on WGN Radio, as hosts.
New studio and live recordings (2000–present)
In 2001, the Buckinghams were part of the Solid Gold 60s Tour along with Tommy James, the Turtles, Gary Puckett, and the Grass Roots. PBS featured the Buckinghams on The Sixties Pop Rock Reunion in 2004.
In January 2005, the Buckinghams performed at the Twilight on the Prairie Ball for one of President
The Buckinghams released their first Christmas album on the BML label, The Joy of Christmas, in November 2008. In December 2008, they debuted the single "Have a Little Faith" on WGN-TV in Chicago.
In 2009, the Buckinghams performed at the Bipartisan Illinois Agricultural Ball for the inauguration of President Barack Obama. The same year, Sony reissued the Buckinghams' first three albums for sale as digital downloads as part of their Legacy Music Series.
On February 9, 2010, the Buckinghams released a DVD/CD box set, Up Close, showing them in concert at the Star Plaza Theatre in Merrillville, Indiana.[19]
In May 2010, Abrams and Scheckel left the Buckinghams lineup to be replaced by Dave Zane (guitars, vocals) and Bruce (Rocky) Penn (drums, percussion, backing vocals), who had played with several Chicago-based groups, including the
On May 20, 2010 Giammarese and Fortuna were featured in the 25th Anniversary Happy Together Tour, joining the Turtles, the Grass Roots, Micky Dolenz, and Mark Lindsay in a 20+-city tour from California to New York, celebrating the silver anniversary of the original Happy Together Tour in 1985. In July 2011, concerts began for the second Happy Together Reunion Tour that included the Buckinghams, the Turtles, the Grass Roots, Mark Lindsay, and the Association.[21] Later in 2011, it was announced that Carl Giammarese and Nick Fortuna would join the 2012 Happy Together Tour alongside the Turtles, Micky Dolenz, the Grass Roots, and Gary Puckett. The popularity of the tour found them rejoining the Happy Together Tour in 2015, 2019, 2021, and 2022 with other artists including The Cowsills, Ron Dante, the Classics IV, and the Vogues.[22]
In 2011, Giammarese completed his solo CD Journey, the companion to his future biography, Reinventing The Buckinghams: My Journey.[23]
On October 16, 2015, the Buckinghams took part in the filming of Cornerstones of Rock: American Garage which aired multiple times on
Original lead singer Tufano continues to tour as a solo act, and also appears in a Bobby Darin show he created, As Long as I'm Singing. Former keyboards/vocals/songwriter Grebb played with the Fabulous Rhinestones, Lovecraft (formerly H P Lovecraft), Chicago, Bonnie Raitt, the Weight Band, and Dave Mason, and has also produced CDs for independent musicians, including Peach. Grebb died on January 1, 2020.[24]
Giammarese and Fortuna have continued touring with band members Soboroff, Zane, Scheckel, and a horn section consisting of Carlo Isabelli (trumpet), Charles Morgan (trombone), and Dan Moffett (tenor saxophone).
Discography
Albums
- Kind of a Drag (1967, USA Records) US # 109
- Time and Charges (1967, Columbia) US # 58
- Portraits (1967, Columbia) US # 53
- In One Ear and Gone Tomorrow (1968, Columbia #CS 9703) US # 161
- A Matter of Time (1985, Red Label Records)
- Terra Firma (1998, Nation Records)
- Live and Well (2006, BML Records)
- Reaching Back (2007, Fuel Records)
- Standing Room Only (2008, Fuel Records)
- The Joy of Christmas (2008, BML Records)
- Up Close: CD and digital downloads (2010, itsaboutmusic.com Records)
Compilation albums
- Greatest Hits (1969, Columbia) US # 73
- Made in Chicago (1975, Columbia)
- Mercy, Mercy, Mercy: A Collection (1991, Columbia/Legacy)
- Up Close: The Buckinghams in Concert DVD/CD box set (2010, itsaboutmusic.com Records)
Singles
Year | A-side/B-side Both sides from same album except where indicated |
U.S. Charts | Canada | Album | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Billboard | Cashbox | RPM | |||
1965 | "Sweets for My Sweet" b/w "Beginners Love" |
Kind of a Drag | |||
1966 | "I'll Go Crazy" b/w "Don't Want to Cry" |
112 | 132 | ||
"I Call Your Name" b/w "Makin' Up and Breakin' Up" |
102 | ||||
"I've Been Wrong Before" b/w "Love Ain't Enough" |
129 | ||||
"Kind of a Drag" b/w "You Make Me Feel So Good" |
1 | 3 | 1 | ||
1967 | "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" b/w "I Call Your Name" (first pressings) "Makin' Up and Breakin' Up" (later pressings) |
41 | 39 | 42 | |
"Summertime" b/w "I Don't Want to Cry" |
|||||
"Don't You Care" b/w "Why Don't You Love Me" |
6 | 6 | 4 | Time & Charges | |
"Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" b/w "You Are Gone" |
5 | 5 | 4 | ||
"Hey Baby (They're Playing Our Song)" b/w "And Our Love" (from Time & Charges) |
12 | 5 | 2 | Portraits | |
"Susan" b/w "Foreign Policy" (from Time & Charges) |
11 | 7 | 7 | ||
1968 | "Back In Love Again" b/w "You Misunderstand Me" (Non-album track) |
57 | 53 | 31 | In One Ear and Gone Tomorrow |
"Where Did You Come From" b/w "Song of the Breeze" (from In One Ear and Gone Tomorrow) |
117 | 125 | Non-album tracks | ||
1969 | "This Is How Much I Love You" b/w "Can't Find the Words" (from In One Ear and Gone Tomorrow) |
||||
"It's a Beautiful Day (For Lovin')" b/w "Difference of Opinion" |
126 | 110 | |||
1970 | "I Got a Feelin'" b/w "It Took Forever" |
||||
1985 | "Veronica" b/w "Can We Talk About It" |
A Matter of Time |
Personnel
Note: Bold Text indicates original members.
Current
- Carl Giammarese– guitar, vocals
- Nick Fortuna – bass, vocals
- Bruce Soboroff – keyboards
- Dave Zane – guitar
- Tom Scheckel – drums
Former
- Dennis Tufano – vocals
- George LeGros – vocals
- John Duich – guitar
- Bob Abrams – guitar, vocals
- John Poulos – drums, percussion
- Rocky Penn – drums, percussion
- Tom Osfar – drums
- Curtis Bachman – bass
- Marty Grebb – keyboards, vocals
- Dennis Miccolis – keyboards
- Larry Nestor – keyboards
- John Turner – keyboards
- John Cammelot – keyboards
- Laurie Beebe Lewis – vocals, keyboards
- Barbara Unger – keyboards, vocals
References
- ^ Blue-eyed soul Retrieved 16 January 2023
- ^ Bill Dahl. "The Buckinghams | Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 2015-08-19.
- ^ "The Buckinghams' official website". Thebuckinghams.com. Retrieved 2012-11-10.
- ^ "THE MOB - Chicago band". Mikebaker45s.weebly.com. Retrieved October 16, 2019.
- ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
- ^ a b Nite, Norm N. (1978). Rock On: The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock N' Roll, volume II. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell, p. 58
- ^ "Featured Content on Myspace". Myspace.com. Retrieved October 16, 2019.
- ^ Kevin Courrier, "Dangerous Kitchen: The Subversive World of Zappa", ECW Press, Jun 1, 2002. p. 75
- ^ Hey Baby, They're Playing Our Song: A Conversation with Carl Giammarese, Confessions of a Pop Culture Addict. Accessed September 22, 2015
- ^ "The Buckinghams - Biography". IMDb.
- ^ The Buckinghams Concert & Dance, okobojichamber.com, September 29, 2019, Archived 2021-03-04 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "The Buckinghams". Archived from the original on 2006-05-16. Retrieved 2006-04-04.
- ^ "The Buckinghams | Biography, Albums, Streaming Links". AllMusic. Retrieved October 16, 2019.
- ^ ""Coffee, with Divas" by Jam Session". San Diego Reader. 2012-07-18. Retrieved 2012-11-10.
- ^ "When Not With The Papas, This Mama Sells Cars - latimes". Articles.latimes.com. 1987-06-10. Retrieved 2015-08-19.
- ^ "Buckinghams, The - A Matter Of Time (Vinyl, LP, Album)". Discogs.com. 1985. Retrieved 2015-08-19.
- ^ The Buckinghams' Facebook page announcement 4.25.23.
- ^ "Dick Biondi, Chicago Radio Legend, Dies at 90". 2 July 2023.
- ^ "It's About Music.com". It's About Music.com. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
- ^ a b The Buckinghams official web site: thebuckinghams.com
- ^ McQuistion, James (April 30, 2011). "Happy Together Tour Returns In Summer 2011". Retrieved 2011-05-12.
- ^ The Buckinghams official web site.
- ^ "Carl Giammarese". Carlgiammarese.com. Retrieved 2012-11-10.
- ^ "Marty Grebb, ex-Buckinghams member and journeyman session musician, dead at 73". WABX - 107.5. January 3, 2020. Retrieved January 5, 2020.