Pearl Harbor and the Explosions

Last updated
Pearl Harbor and the Explosions
Genres Alternative rock, new wave
Years active1978–1982
Past membersPearl E. Gates
Peter Bilt
John Stench
Hilary Stench

Pearl Harbor and the Explosions was a musical act from San Francisco, California, United States. Forming in 1979, the new wave band had limited success in the late 1970s and early 1980s, with their debut single, "Drivin'", reaching the lower end of the American Billboard chart in 1980. [1] In the same year, they released a self-titled LP which included the song "Shut Up and Dance", which received considerable airplay, particularly in the Bay Area. [2]

Contents

The vocalist, Pearl E. Gates (also known as Pearl Harbor and later Pearl Harbour (British and Canadian spelling), [1] was based in the UK and was married to Clash bassist Paul Simonon. Gates had been a part of the Leila and the Snakes live shows, then formed the band. [1] After Gates left the band, the remaining members, Peter Bilt and the Stench brothers (stage names for John and Hilary Hanes) performed as Peter Bilt and the Expressions. [3]

Discography

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tangerine Dream</span> German electronic music group

Tangerine Dream is a German electronic music band founded in 1967 by Edgar Froese. The group has seen many personnel changes over the years, with Froese the only constant member until his death in January 2015. The best-known lineup of the group was its mid-1970s trio of Froese, Christopher Franke, and Peter Baumann. In 1979, Johannes Schmoelling replaced Baumann until his own departure in 1985. This lineup was notable for composing many movie soundtracks. Since Froese's death in 2015, the group has been under the leadership of Thorsten Quaeschning. Quaeschning is Froese's chosen successor and is currently the longest-serving band member, having joined in 2005. Quaeschning is currently joined by violinist Hoshiko Yamane who joined in 2011 and Paul Frick who joined in 2020. Prior to this Quaeschning and Yamane performed with Ulrich Schnauss from 2014 to 2020. Schnauss only played two shows with Froese in November 2014 before Froese's passing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Human League</span> English synth-pop band

The Human League are an English synth-pop band formed in Sheffield in 1977. Initially an experimental electronic outfit, the group signed to Virgin Records in 1979 and later attained widespread commercial success with their third album Dare in 1981 after restructuring their lineup. The album contained four hit singles, including the UK/US number one hit "Don't You Want Me". The band received the Brit Award for Best British Breakthrough Act in 1982. Further hits followed throughout the 1980s and into the 1990s, including "Mirror Man", "(Keep Feeling) Fascination", "The Lebanon", "Human" and "Tell Me When".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">War (band)</span> American funk band

War is an American funk/rock/soul/Latin band from Long Beach, California, known for several hit songs . Formed in 1969, War is a musical crossover band that fuses elements of rock, funk, jazz, Latin, rhythm and blues, psychedelia, and reggae. According to music writer Colin Larkin, their "potent fusion of funk, R&B, rock and Latin styles produced a progressive soul sound", while Martin C. Strong calls them "one of the fiercest progressive soul combos of the '70s". Their album The World Is a Ghetto was Billboard's best-selling album of 1973. The band transcended racial and cultural barriers with a multi-ethnic line-up. War was subject to many line-up changes over the course of its existence, leaving member Leroy "Lonnie" Jordan as the only original member in the current line-up; four other members created a new group called the Lowrider Band.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Romeo Void</span> American rock band

Romeo Void was an American new wave/post punk band from San Francisco, California, formed in 1979. The band primarily consisted of saxophonist Benjamin Bossi, vocalist Debora Iyall, guitarist Peter Woods, and bassist Frank Zincavage. The band went through four drummers, starting with Jay Derrah and ending with Aaron Smith. The band released three albums, It's a Condition, Benefactor and Instincts, along with one EP. They are best known for the songs "Never Say Never" and "A Girl in Trouble "; the latter became a Top 40 pop single.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">415 Records</span> American record label

415 Records was a San Francisco record label created in 1978. The label focused its efforts on local punk rock and new wave music acts of the late 1970s through the late 1980s, including The Offs, The Nuns, The Units, Romeo Void, and Wire Train. Its name, pronounced four-one-five, was a play on both the telephone area code for the San Francisco area and the California penal code section for disturbing the peace. The label had a productive partnership with Columbia Records from 1981 until shortly before it was sold in 1989 to Sandy Pearlman, who retitled the label Popular Metaphysics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sammy Kaye</span> American songwriter (1910–1987)

Sammy Kaye was an American bandleader and songwriter, whose tag line, "Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye", became one of the most famous of the Big Band Era. The expression springs from his first hit single in 1937, "Swing and Sway". He was the first to record and release the standard "Blueberry Hill" in 1940. During World War II, he co-wrote and recorded the anthemic "Remember Pearl Harbor". He was the first to record and release the no. 1 song "Daddy" in 1941. His signature tune was "Harbor Lights", a number-one hit in 1950.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Girl (band)</span> English glam metal band

Girl were an English glam metal band formed in London in 1979. They split up in 1982 with band members going on to join Def Leppard and L.A. Guns, among others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pat Travers</span> Canadian rock musician (born 1954)

Patrick Henry Travers is a Canadian rock guitarist, singer and songwriter who began his recording career in the mid-1970s.

Dalek I Love You were a synthpop group from the Wirral, England. At various points in their existence, the band was also known as Dalek I. Record executives at Phonogram shortened the band's name without telling them for the "Freedom Fighters" single.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anthony Moore</span> British musician

Anthony Moore is a British experimental music composer, performer and producer. He was a founding member of the band Slapp Happy, worked with Henry Cow and has made a number of solo albums, including Flying Doesn't Help (1979) and World Service (1981).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Mayo</span> Musical artist

Robert J. Mayo was an American session keyboardist and guitarist, perhaps best known for his work with Peter Frampton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rain Parade</span> American band

The Rain Parade is a band that was originally active in the Paisley Underground scene in Los Angeles in the 1980s, and that reunited and resumed touring in 2012.

Jaguar are an English heavy metal band formed in Bristol in December 1979. They had moderate success throughout Europe and Asia in the early 1980s, during the heyday of the new wave of British heavy metal movement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geraint Watkins</span> Musical artist

Geraint Meurig Vaughan Watkins is a Welsh singer, songwriter, rock and roll pianist and accordionist. He has backed many notable artists, including Nick Lowe, Dave Edmunds, Van Morrison, Mark Knopfler, Paul McCartney, Roy St. John, Shakin' Stevens and most recently Status Quo. He has also pursued a solo career and issued a number of albums under his own name, the most recent of which, Rush of Blood, was released in September 2019.

Sammy Figueroa is an American percussionist. At 18, he joined the band of bassist Bobby Valentín and also co-led the Brazilian/Latin fusion group Raíces. He is known as an extremely prolific session player, having played on nearly 400 albums, including ten platinum records.

<i>Pearl Harbor and the Explosions</i> (album) 1979 studio album by Pearl Harbor and the Explosions

Pearl Harbor and the Explosions is the only studio album by the American band Pearl Harbor and the Explosions.

Frank Ricotti is an English jazz vibraphonist and percussionist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quiver (band)</span> British rock band

Quiver were a British rock band formed in 1970 by Tim Renwick and Cal Batchelor. In December 1972, they teamed up with the Sutherland Brothers and became known as Sutherland Brothers & Quiver, releasing soft rock music and achieving success with the songs "(I Don't Want to Love You But) You Got Me Anyway" and "Arms of Mary", a No. 5 UK hit.

"Garageland" is a song by English punk rock band The Clash featured as the final track for their 1977 debut album The Clash.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pacific Fleet Band</span> United States Navy military band attached to the United States Pacific Fleet

The Pacific Fleet Band is a United States Navy military Band that is attached to the United States Pacific Fleet based at Naval Station Pearl Harbor. It performs at civilian/military ceremonies, military parades, and unit/community events. It operates under the direct control and supervision of Fleet Band Activities, the official navy music program. It is alsk under the operational control of the Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Colin Larkin, ed. (2003). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Eighties Music (Third ed.). Virgin Books. p. 378. ISBN   1-85227-969-9.
  2. "Pearl Harbor & The Explosions album review" . Retrieved 2008-05-12.[ dead link ]
  3. "Peter Bilt and the Expressions @ The Mabuhay Gardens on August 07, 1981 - Rate Your Music". Rateyourmusic.com. Retrieved November 7, 2019.
  4. "Pearl Harbor & the Explosions Discography". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2024-02-07.