George Biondo

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George Biondo
George Biondo (1971).png
Biondo with Steppenwolf in 1971
Background information
Birth nameGeorge Michael Biondo
BornSeptember 3, 1945 (1945-09-03) (age 78)
Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Genres Acid rock, hard rock, psychedelic rock, heavy metal
Occupation(s) Session musician, songwriter
Instrument(s)Bass
Years active1967-present
Labels Dunhill Records
Mums Records
Epic Records
MCA Records
Dore Records

George Michael Biondo [1] (born September 3, 1945) is a musician who served as bass guitarist of the Canadian rock band Steppenwolf from April 1970 to October 1976. [2] Born in New York, [3] [4] Biondo has been based in Southern California throughout a career as a session musician and songwriter.

Contents

Early career

Biondo played bass in a Los Angeles area band called Storybook People during which time they released a single on Dunhill Records, which received limited airplay in Los Angeles. [5] In 1968, Biondo replaced Nick St. Nicholas in another Los Angeles area band called T.I.M.E., when St. Nicholas departed for Steppenwolf. After T.I.M.E. guitarist Larry Byrom also left to join Steppenwolf, T.I.M.E. briefly attempted to carry on with Biondo as lead singer, but never released any further recordings.

Steppenwolf

In early 1970, Biondo replaced St. Nicholas a second time [6] when he joined Steppenwolf for the recording of Steppenwolf 7 , contributing lead vocals on "Fat Jack" and co-lead vocals on "Foggy Mental Breakdown" and the chart-hit, "Who Needs Ya'". [7] In 1971, the band released their last new album for Dunhill, For Ladies Only for which Biondo wrote "Sparkle Eyes" with John Kay and "In Hopes of a Garden". He sang lead on the latter, as well as "Jaded Strumpet". [7] When Steppenwolf went on hiatus in 1972, Biondo became a founding member of the John Kay Band, appearing on both of Kay's solo albums on Dunhill Records. [7] When Steppenwolf reconvened in the mid-1970s, Biondo was brought back for the album Slow Flux . Then writing "Two for the Love of One" for the Hour of the Wolf album. [7] Biondo later wrote "Sleep" and co-wrote the instrumental "Lip Service" with Bobby Cochran and Wayne Cook for the Skullduggery album in 1976. [8] In 1981, Biondo added backing vocals to Wolftracks , the first studio album by John Kay and his new band, now under the moniker John Kay & Steppenwolf. [8]

After Steppenwolf

In 1980, Biondo reunited with Steppenwolf cofounder Jerry Edmonton in a band called Steel Rose. A Steel Rose single penned by Biondo, "Good That You're Gone", was released on Dore Records, and featured Biondo on lead vocals. [9] When Steel Rose disbanded in 1984, Biondo returned to writing and freelance club and session work.

Discography

Studio albums

Compilations

Singles

Release date A-side B-sideUS Chart PeakUK Chart Peak
1967"Do You Believe"
"Afternoon Glare""No Return"
1970"Screaming Night Hog" (Kay)"Spiritual Fantasy" (Kay)62
"Who Needs Ya" (Byrom/Kay)"Earschplittenloudenboomer" (Byrom)54
"Snowblind Friend" (Axton)"Hippo Stomp" (Byrom/Kay)
1971"Ride With Me" (Bonfire)"For Madmen Only"52
"For Ladies Only" (Edmonton/Henry/Kay/McJohn)"Sparkle Eyes" (Biondo/Kay)64
1974"Straight Shootin' Woman" (Edmonton)"Justice Don't Be Slow" (Kay/Richie)29
1975"Get Into The Wind" (Cochran/Van Beek)"Morning Blue" (Biondo)
"Smokey Factory Blues" (Hammond/Hazlewood)"A Fool's Fantasy" (McJohn)
"Caroline (Are You Ready)" (Bonfire)"Angeldrawers"

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steppenwolf (band)</span> American rock group

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nick St. Nicholas</span> German-Canadian rock musician

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<i>Slow Flux</i> 1974 studio album by Steppenwolf

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<i>The Second</i> 1968 studio album by Steppenwolf

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<i>At Your Birthday Party</i> 1969 studio album by Steppenwolf

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<i>Early Steppenwolf</i> 1969 live album by Steppenwolf

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<i>Steppenwolf 7</i> 1970 studio album by Steppenwolf

Steppenwolf 7 is the fifth studio album by Canadian-American rock band Steppenwolf. The album was released in November 1970, by Dunhill Records. It is the first Steppenwolf album with new bass player George Biondo. The album’s numerical title reflects the fact that it was the band’s seventh album release for ABC/Dunhill records . While the album featured Steppenwolf's trademark rock and roll sounds, none of the songs were able to make the top 40. The album featured a cover of Hoyt Axton's "Snowblind Friend", their second cover of one of his antidrug songs. Along with "Who Needs Ya", it was one of two singles from the album which made the charts, but fell short of the top 40. The album track "Renegade" is autobiographical for lead vocalist John Kay, recounting his flight with his mother from the Soviet occupation zone to the West in 1948. The intro to "Earschplittenloudenboomer" is spoken by Kay partially in German.

<i>For Ladies Only</i> 1971 studio album by Steppenwolf

For Ladies Only is the sixth studio album by Canadian-American rock band Steppenwolf. The album was released in November 1971, by Dunhill Records. It is a political concept album mainly about feminism but with several more conventional songs about romance as well, both unusual themes for Steppenwolf. Some critics saw the album as sexist, citing the lyrics of the songs and a photo of a car shaped like a penis alongside the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the gatefold. The album saw the band hinting toward the progressive rock movement that was popular at the time with more complex arrangements and sophisticated keyboard playing, particularly on the title track. Like their previous album, it was accompanied by two minor hit singles which fell just short of the Top 40.

<i>Hour of the Wolf</i> (album) 1975 studio album by Steppenwolf

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<i>Skullduggery</i> (album) 1976 studio album by Steppenwolf

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References

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