Laurie Styvers

Last updated

Laurie Styvers
Born
Laurette Stivers

(1951-08-03)3 August 1951 [1]
Texas, United States
DiedFebruary 18, 1998(1998-02-18) (aged 46)
United States
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter
Years active1970–1973
Known forSongwriter, recording artist
Notable workSpilt Milk (record album), The Colorado Kid (record album), Gemini Girl: The Complete Hush Recordings (compilation record album)

Laurette Stivers, known as Laurie Styvers, was a British-based, American singer-songwriter.

Contents

Career

Justine

Styvers moved to London in the mid-1960s when her father, who was a pipeline engineer in the oil industry, was stationed in Europe. She attended the American School of London, graduating in 1969. [2] The year prior, Styvers had responded to an advertisement for female singers that had been placed by John McBurnie (later of Jackson Heights) and Keith Trowsdale. The three, with additional vocalists Bethlyn Bates and Valerie Cope, formed the psychedelic folk band Justine and recorded and released one album and two singles with producer Hugh Murphy in 1970. Styvers left to attend college in Colorado before the album was released and thus was not pictured on its cover. [2] She returned to the UK in late 1970 and rejoined the group but they disbanded shortly thereafter. [3] [4]

Solo

Styvers signed to Hush Productions, owned by Hugh Murphy and Shel Talmy, and released two solo albums and a single between 1971 and 1973. These were produced by Murphy, who was also the co-writer on a handful of songs, as well as being Styver's sometimes boyfriend. [5] Her debut was Spilt Milk, recorded in the spring of 1971 with arrangements by Tom Parker. It was first issued in the United States on Warner Brothers in November 1971. The album received good reviews and some airplay on the college circuit but was not commercially successful. [5] [3] In 1981, Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies described the first solo album as "rightfully obscure". [6]

Styvers performed at the Troubadour in Los Angeles in support of the album but then returned to her studies at the University of Colorado, where she began to play with a local group, Little Brown's Electric Band. Spilt Milk was issued in the UK in May 1972 on the Chrysalis label and a concurrent single, "Beat The Reaper", got healthy airplay, including a feature as Radio 1 Single Of The Week. Styvers was summoned back to London to promote the album and also start work on its sequel, The Colorado Kid, which was recorded over the early summer, with David Whitaker handling the arrangements and the trio of Dyan Birch, Frank Collins and Paddy McHugh on backing vocals. The Colorado Kid appeared in the spring of the following year to further good reviews, although it was not released in the United States. [2]

On February 17, 2023, High Moon Records released Gemini Girl: The Complete Hush Recordings, a compilation of material from the studio sessions Styver's did for Hush Recordings on 2xCD and Digital. The release includes the entirety of the LPs Spilt Milk and The Colorado Kid, as well as alternate mixes, outtakes, demos, and a 48-page booklet illustrated with photos and memorabilia. [7]

Later life and death

Following the release of her second album, Styvers returned to Colorado and continued to dabble in music until the late 1970s. She shifted her focus however to caring for animals. Later on, she returned to her native Texas and established an animal sanctuary with her father, the Creature Comforts Boarding Kennel.  She died from hepatitis in 1998. [2]

Discography

Justine albums

Justine singles

Solo albums

Solo singles

Solo Compilation

Related Research Articles

<i>Aqualung</i> (album) 1971 studio album by Jethro Tull

Aqualung, released in March 1971 by Chrysalis Records, is the fourth studio album by the rock band Jethro Tull. Though it is generally regarded as a concept album, featuring a central theme of "the distinction between religion and God", the band have said there was no intention to make a concept album, and that only a few songs have a unifying theme. Aqualung's success signalled a turning point in the career of the band, which went on to become a major radio and touring act.

<i>Agents of Fortune</i> 1976 studio album by Blue Öyster Cult

Agents of Fortune is the fourth studio album by American rock band Blue Öyster Cult, released on May 21, 1976 by Columbia Records.

<i>Parallel Lines</i> 1978 studio album by Blondie

Parallel Lines is the third studio album by American rock band Blondie, released on September 23, 1978, by Chrysalis Records to international commercial success. The album reached No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart in February 1979 and proved to be the band's commercial breakthrough in the United States, where it reached No. 6 on the Billboard 200 in April 1979. In Billboard magazine, Parallel Lines was listed at No. 9 in its top pop albums year-end chart of 1979. The album spawned several successful singles, notably the international hit "Heart of Glass".

<i>Stand Up</i> (Jethro Tull album) 1969 studio album by Jethro Tull

Stand Up, released in 1969, is the second studio album by British rock band Jethro Tull. It was the first Jethro Tull album to feature guitarist Martin Barre, who would go on to become the band's longtime guitarist until its initial dissolution in 2012. Before recording sessions for the album began, the band's original guitarist Mick Abrahams departed from the band as a result of musical differences with frontman and primary songwriter Ian Anderson; Abrahams wanted to stay with the blues rock sound of their 1968 debut, This Was, while Anderson wished to add other musical influences such as folk rock.

<i>Spilt Milk</i> (Jellyfish album) 1993 studio album by Jellyfish

Spilt Milk is the second and last studio album by American rock band Jellyfish, released on February 9, 1993, by Charisma Records. It features a harsher and more ornate sound than their previous, Bellybutton (1990). As with Bellybutton, Spilt Milk was written and co-produced by founding members Andy Sturmer and Roger Manning. Albhy Galuten and Jack Joseph Puig also returned as producers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bridget St John</span> English singer-songwriter

Bridget St John is an English singer-songwriter and guitarist, best known for the three albums she recorded between 1969 and 1972 for John Peel's Dandelion record label. Peel produced her debut album, Ask Me No Questions. She also recorded a large number of BBC Radio and Peel sessions and toured regularly on the British college and festival circuit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Krista Muir</span>

Krista Muir is a Canadian indie rock singer-songwriter and keyboardist based in Montreal, Quebec. She initially used the stage name and persona of Lederhosen Lucil, but in 2007, she also began recording and performing under her own name. She plays two vintage Yamaha keyboards, and sometimes a ukulele, to accompany her singing.

<i>The Hunter</i> (Blondie album) 1982 studio album by Blondie

The Hunter is the sixth studio album by American rock band Blondie, released on May 24, 1982, by Chrysalis Records. It was Blondie's last album of new material until 1999's No Exit. It was recorded between December 1981 and February 1982.

<i>Plastic Letters</i> 1978 studio album by Blondie

Plastic Letters is the second studio album by American rock band Blondie, released in February 1978 by Chrysalis Records. An earlier version with a rearranged track listing was released in Japan in late December 1977.

<i>The Best of Blondie</i> 1981 greatest hits album by Blondie

The Best of Blondie is the first greatest hits album by American rock band Blondie. It was released in October 1981, by Chrysalis Records. The album peaked at number four in the United Kingdom and number 30 in the United States, while becoming the band's only number-one album in Australia.

<i>For the Roses</i> 1972 studio album by Joni Mitchell

For the Roses is the fifth studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell. It was released in November 1972, between her two biggest commercial and critical successes—Blue and Court and Spark. In 2007 it was one of 25 recordings chosen that year by the Library of Congress to be added to the National Recording Registry.

<i>Strange Angels</i> (Laurie Anderson album) 1989 studio album by Laurie Anderson

Strange Angels is the fifth album overall and fourth studio album by performance artist and singer Laurie Anderson, released by Warner Bros. Records in 1989.

<i>The Wanderer</i> (Donna Summer album) 1980 studio album by Donna Summer

The Wanderer is the eighth studio album by American singer-songwriter Donna Summer, released on October 20, 1980. It marks a musical departure for Summer, being an album influenced by rock and new wave whilst previous albums all fell under the disco music category. Her inaugural release of the Geffen Records label, it became a top 20 album in the United States, with the title track reaching No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100; other singles failed to enter the top ten. However, the record was more unsuccessful on the charts than her previous album Bad Girls, which topped the Billboard 200 for five weeks.

<i>Kiln House</i> 1970 studio album by Fleetwood Mac

Kiln House is the fourth studio album by British blues rock band Fleetwood Mac, released on 18 September 1970 by Reprise Records. This is the first album after the departure of founder Peter Green, and their last album to feature guitarist Jeremy Spencer. Christine McVie was present at the recording sessions and contributed backing vocals, keyboards and cover art, although she was not a full member of the band until shortly after the album's completion.

<i>Stick It to Ya</i> 1990 studio album by Slaughter

Stick It to Ya is the debut studio album by American glam metal band Slaughter. It was released in 1990 by Chrysalis Records. It sold over 2 million copies and became one of the biggest albums of 1990. "Up All Night"(#27), "Fly to the Angels"(#19) & "Spend My Life"(#39) all charted in the Top 40 on Billboard Magazine's Hot 100 and their videos were in solid rotations on the various music television outlets. "Mad About You" also received considerable airplay on Album Rock stations as the band toured to support the release. The LP was also nominated for a best metal album of the year at the 1991 American Music Awards show. Music videos were made for the singles "Up All Night", "Fly to the Angels", "Spend My Life", and "Mad About You".

Roy Charles Hammond, better known as Roy C or Roy "C", was an American southern soul singer, songwriter and record executive, best known for his 1965 hit, "Shotgun Wedding". Another song, "Impeach the President", which he recorded and produced with a high school group, the Honey Drippers, has had one of the most sampled drum tracks in hip hop music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bonnie Hayes</span> American singer-songwriter

Bonnie Hayes is an American singer-songwriter, musician and record producer, born in San Francisco, California, United States, and currently lives between Los Angeles and New York City. Her songs have been recorded by Cher, Bette Midler, Bonnie Raitt, Natalie Cole, Robert Cray, David Crosby, Adam Ant and Booker T and the MGs.

"Spilt Milk" is the eleventh episode of the second season of the FX anthology television series American Horror Story. The episode, written by series co-creator Brad Falchuk and directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, aired on January 9, 2013. This episode is rated TV-MA (LSV).

Lawrence "Yogi" Horton was an American R&B, funk, jazz and rock drummer. Horton worked and recorded as a session and touring drummer with a wide variety of musicians such as Aretha Franklin, Luther Vandross, John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Ashford & Simpson, David Byrne, Deborah Harry, Hall & Oates, Diana Ross, Kenny G, The B-52's, and Jean-Michel Jarre among numerous others. His first recording was on Dave "Baby" Cortez's 1972 album Soul Vibration.

<i>Fan Club</i> (Jellyfish album) Box set by Jellyfish

Fan Club is a box set of demos, rarities and live performances by American power pop band Jellyfish. The box set was released in limited quantity by Not Lame Recordings in August 2002. Fan Club contains demos from the band's 1990 debut Bellybutton and their 1993 sophomore follow-up Spilt Milk. The box set also contains recordings of live performances, rehearsals, compilation track appearances, and interview snippets.

References

  1. The sleeve notes of the US release of her album Spilt Milk
  2. 1 2 3 4 Palao, Alec. Sleeve notes to Gemini Girl: The Complete Hush Recordings (2023)
  3. 1 2 "Laurie Styvers – Spilt Milk (1972)". Disques Obscurs (in French). Disques Obscurs. 18 January 2017. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  4. Unterberger, Richie. "AllMusic Review". AllMusic . Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  5. 1 2 Leon, Noel (20 October 2010). "Biography". Last.fm . CBS Corporation . Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  6. Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: S". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies . Ticknor & Fields. ISBN   089919026X . Retrieved 13 March 2019 via robertchristgau.com.
  7. Neff, Joseph (15 February 2023). "Graded on a Curve: Laurie Styvers, Gemini Girl: The Complete Hush Recordings". The Vinyl District.