 | This article relies largely or entirely on a single source .(April 2021) |
Jonah Koslen | |
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| Born | February 9, 1952 |
| Origin | Cleveland, Ohio, United States |
| Genres | Rock |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter |
| Instrument(s) | Guitar, vocals |
Jonah Koslen is an American singer-songwriter and musician best known for his work with the Michael Stanley Band and Breathless in the 1970s and 1980s.
After graduating from Beachwood High School, [1] Koslen joined the Cleveland, Ohio-based band, Snake Eyes, with former Eli Radish Band bassist Danny Sheridan. In 1974, he joined with Michael Stanley, Daniel Pecchio, formerly of Glass Harp, and Tommy Dobeck to form The Michael Stanley Band. During his tenure with the band, they released three albums for Epic Records and became popular in Northeast Ohio. Sharing songwriting duties with Stanley, Koslen contributed two of the group's classic songs: "Strike Up the Band" and "Nothing's Gonna Change My Mind".
Koslen left the Michael Stanley Band in 1977 and formed the band Breathless the following year. [2] Breathless consisted of Koslen, bassist Bob Benjamin, drummer Kevin Valentine, percussionist Rodney Psyka, guitarist Alan Greene and keyboardist Mark Avsec, formerly with Wild Cherry. [2] Signed to EMI America Records, the group released their debut album Breathless, produced by Don Gehman, in July 1979. [2] Following the album's release, Breathless toured as an opening act, including a dozen shows opening for Kiss. The single, "Takin' It Back", scratched the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 92, [3] but the album did not chart. With support from Cleveland radio station WMMS, Breathless became a popular act locally, headlining Blossom Music Center in June 1980. The band released its second album, Nobody Leaves This Song Alive in October 1980. [2] Again, the album received airplay in Northeast Ohio but failed to catch on nationally. Breathless disbanded in 1981, [2] with Avsec and Valentine joining Donnie Iris' band "The Cruisers".
Koslen formed another band, Jonah Koslen and the Heroes, that released the album Aces, in 1983, [2] and also the albums Orange and Agora Live, but they soon broke up. After that Koslen moved to California and worked on various music projects. He briefly reunited with Michael Stanley in 1993 for the album The Ghost Poets.
Figures on a Beach was an American new wave band from Detroit, Michigan that was active from 1981 to 1991. The band had two successful singles in 1989: "Accidentally 4th Street (Gloria)", which reached #14 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and a cover of Bachman-Turner Overdrive's "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet", which peaked at #64 on the Billboard Hot 100.
James Gang was an American rock band formed in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1966. The band went through a variety of line-up changes until they recorded their debut album as a power trio consisting of Joe Walsh, Tom Kriss (bass), and Jim Fox (drums). Dale Peters replaced Kriss on bass for the band's second and third albums. Two of the band's signature songs, "Funk #49" and "Walk Away", remain staples of classic rock and AOR stations.
Bruce Howard Kulick is an American guitarist and since 2000 a member of the rock band Grand Funk Railroad. Previously, Kulick was a member of the band Kiss (1984–1996). He was also a member of Union with John Corabi from 1997–2002 and Blackjack from 1979–1980.
Donnie Iris is an American rock musician known for his work with the Jaggerz and Wild Cherry during the 1970s, and for his solo career beginning in the 1980s with his band, the Cruisers. He wrote the #2 Billboard hit, "The Rapper", with the Jaggerz in 1970 and was a member of Wild Cherry after the group had a #1 hit with "Play That Funky Music." He also achieved fame as a solo artist in the early 1980s with the #29 hit "Ah! Leah!" and the #37 hit "Love Is Like a Rock."
Michael Stanley was an American singer-songwriter, musician, radio and television personality. As a solo artist and with the Michael Stanley Band (MSB), and Michael Stanley and the Resonators (MS&R) his brand of heartland rock was popular in Cleveland, Ohio, and around the American Midwest in the 1970s and 1980s.
Wild Cherry was an American funk rock band formed in Mingo Junction, Ohio, in 1970 that was best known for its song "Play That Funky Music".
Starz is an American hard rock and power pop band from New Jersey. Despite a lack of major commercial success, the band has a lasting cult following and has been cited as a major influence by bands such as Mötley Crüe, Poison, Bon Jovi, and Twisted Sister.
The Romantics are an American rock band formed in 1977 in Detroit. The band is often put under the banner of power pop and new wave. They were influenced by 1950s American rock and roll, Detroit's MC5, the Stooges, early Bob Seger, Motown R&B, 1960s North American garage rock as well as the British Invasion rockers.
One-Trick Pony is the fifth solo studio album by Paul Simon released in 1980. It was Simon's first album for Warner Bros. Records, and his first new studio album since 1975's Still Crazy After All These Years. His back catalog from Columbia Records would also move to Warner Bros. as a result of his signing with the label.
Back on the Streets is the debut album by American rock singer/guitarist Donnie Iris, released in 1980. The single "Ah! Leah!" was a hit for Iris, reaching #29 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart and #19 on the U.S. Billboard Top Tracks chart. The album was remastered and reissued on CD in 2021 by Rock Candy Records with two live bonus tracks from the 1981 Live EP.
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Breathless may refer to:
Mark Avsec is an American rock keyboardist, songwriter, and producer. He was a member of the funk rock band Wild Cherry.
Kevin Valentine is an American rock drummer who is best known for being a member of Donnie Iris and the Cruisers. Valentine played drums on all of the band's early albums during the 1980s. Valentine has recorded as a member of Breathless, The Innocent, Godz, Rosie, Shadow King, The Lou Gramm Band and Neverland. He also performed on the Kiss albums Hot In The Shade, Psycho Circus and Revenge, playing on all tracks but one on Psycho Circus. The one track he did not play was "Into the Void", performed by Peter Criss. On Revenge, he played on one song, "Take It Off" and played on "You Love Me to Hate You" on Hot in the Shade. He was also a touring member of Cinderella. Valentine is also a sound mixer for many prominent TV shows, such as The Good Wife, Legion, Better Call Saul, El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie, Ozark, and The Nevers.
MSB is an album by the Cleveland, Ohio based Michael Stanley Band that was released in August 1982 on the EMI America label. It was the band's third release on the EMI America label. The record reached #136 on the Billboard Magazine Album Charts in 1982 and was lead guitarist Gary Markasky's last outing with the group.
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Magnificent Obsession is the second and final studio album from 1980s American pop-rock act Cellarful of Noise, a solo project of Mark Avsec of Donnie Iris fame. The album was released in March 1988, with some of the tracks featuring Donnie Iris on vocals.
Cellarful of Noise is the debut studio album from 1980s pop-rock act Cellarful of Noise, a solo project of Mark Avsec of Donnie Iris fame. The album was released in June 1985.
Greatest Hints is an album by the Cleveland, Ohio based Michael Stanley Band that was released on Arista Records in 1979 and reached #148 on the Billboard Magazine charts. The album cover art prominently features the members of the band in black and white photographs. This was a direct attempt to introduce the world to Michael and his bandmates.
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