Quarterflash

Last updated
Quarterflash
Origin Portland, Oregon, U.S.
Years active1980–1985, 1990–2019
Labels Geffen Records, Epic Records
Past members
  • Jack Charles
  • Rich Gooch
  • Jon Propp
  • Brian David Willis
  • Rick DiGiallonardo
  • Rindy Ross
  • Marv Ross
Website www.quarterflash.net

Quarterflash (previously stylized as QuarterFlash) was an American rock group formed in 1980 in Portland, Oregon. The band was originally made up of lead vocalist and saxophonist Orinda Sue "Rindy" Ross (born June 26, 1951) [1] and her husband, guitarist Marvin "Marv" Ross (born January 30, 1951), [1] along with Jack Charles (guitars), Rick DiGiallonardo (keyboards/synthesizers), Rich Gooch (electric bass), and Brian David Willis (drums and percussion). [2] In a 1982 interview, Rindy Ross said that she viewed the saxophone as an extension of her voice, enabling her to express things she could not express with her voice alone. [3]

Contents

Recording history

The group was formed by merging two popular Oregon bands, Seafood Mama (formerly Beggars Opera) and Pilot (not to be confused with the Scottish band of "Magic" fame). [4] [5] [6] Continuing under the name Seafood Mama, the band originally released the picture-sleeved single "Harden My Heart" on a local private label, Whitefire Records, in the spring of 1980 (with the B-side track being "City of Roses"). "Harden My Heart" was a big hit on Portland radio stations and got the band a one-hour TV special, Seafood Mama In Concert, on KOIN on June 5, 1980. [7] "Harden My Heart" would later be rerecorded by the band after they renamed themselves Quarterflash. The name came from an Australian slang description of new immigrants as "a quarter flash, three quarters foolish", which the Rosses found in a book at producer John Boylan's house. [2] [8]

Quarterflash signed to Geffen Records and released their self-titled debut album Quarterflash in September 1981. It reached No. 8 on Billboard's Top LPs & Tapes chart, and sold over a million copies, earning RIAA platinum status on June 30, 1982. The album contained the new version of "Harden My Heart", which became their biggest single, reaching No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 (and the Top 10 in France). The follow-up single from the album, "Find Another Fool", reached No. 16. A second one-hour Portland television special, Quarterflash In Concert, was broadcast on KOIN on October 22, 1981, and simulcast on KGON. This concert was taped at the Paramount Theatre (the present-day Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall) on October 15, 1981.

In between albums, the band appeared on soundtracks of two of 1982's biggest films, charting the theme to Ron Howard's Night Shift up to No. 60 on the Billboard Hot 100, and landing one of their B-sides, "Don't Be Lonely", in Fast Times at Ridgemont High .

Quarterflash released their second album, Take Another Picture , in 1983. It reached No. 34 in Billboard, and scored the single "Take Me to Heart", which reached No. 14. At some point after this album was released, both Charles and DiGiallonardo left the group. Opting to continue as a four-piece, the group completed a third album featuring contributions from unofficial group keyboardist/guitarist Daniel Brandt; released in 1985, Back Into Blue peaked at No. 150 on Billboard. The group later disbanded after getting dropped from Geffen Records.

In 1990, Quarterflash reunited, hiring session musicians, including bassist–vocalist Sandin Wilson, drummer Greg Williams, guitarist Doug Fraser, Mel Weith and Mel Kubik on saxophone and keyboards. The group released Girl in the Wind on Epic Records. In 1991, Rindy and Marv Ross founded the historic music ensemble The Trail Band, which was formed at the request of the Oregon Trail Advisory Council to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Oregon Trail. [9]

In June 2008, Marv and Rindy Ross released a new Quarterflash album, Goodbye Uncle Buzz, but it did not chart. [10] In September 2013, the band released a new album, Love Is a Road, which also failed to chart. [11] The Rosses announced their March 23, 2019 concert at the Alberta Rose Theater in Portland was their last show as Quarterflash. They will continue to perform as a duo. [12]

Discography

Studio albums

List of studio albums, with selected chart positions
TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart positions
US
[13] 		AUS
[14] 		CAN
Quarterflash
  • Released: 1981
8226
Take Another Picture
  • Released: 1983
34—
Back into Blue
  • Released: 1985
150—
Girl in the Wind
  • Released: 1991
——
Goodbye Uncle Buzz
  • Released: 2008
——
Love Is a Road
  • Released: 2013
——
A Better World
  • Released: 2020
——
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Compilation albums

Singles

List of singles, with selected chart positions
TitleYearPeak chart positionsAlbum
US
[13] 		US Rock
[ citation needed ]		 US AC
[ citation needed ]		 US$
[15] 		AUS
[14] 		CAN
[16] 		UK
[17]
"Harden My Heart"19813141461049Quarterflash
"Find Another Fool"19821612—16—21—
"Right Kind of Love"198256——47———
"Night Shift"198260——57——— Night Shift soundtrack
"Take Me to Heart"19831462815—19—Take Another Picture
"Take Another Picture"198358——64———
"Talk to Me"19858341—————Back Into Blue
"Walking On Ice"1985———————
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

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Back into Blue is the third studio album by American pop rock band Quarterflash, released in 1985. It peaked at No. 150 on the U.S. charts. Two commercial singles were released from the album, "Talk to Me" and "Walking on Ice"—the former reached No. 83 on the American charts and was the group's last charting single, whereas the latter was released with a music video but failed to chart. The album sold around 250,000 copies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harden My Heart</span> 1981 single by Quarterflash

"Harden My Heart" is a song by American rock group Quarterflash, written by guitarist Marv Ross and included on the band's debut album, Quarterflash (1981). The song was originally released as a single in early 1980 by Seafood Mama, Quarterflash's predecessor band. Quarterflash's version became a top-10 hit in the United States, peaking at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in February 1982. The song's video features theatrics in and around an office trailer with dark corridors and swinging Metal Halide light bulbs from the ceiling before it was bulldozed and torched.

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References

  1. 1 2 Nite & Crespo 1982, p. 262.
  2. 1 2 Clarke, SP. "Part 1: Introduction". History of Portland Rock. Archived from the original on 2011-10-04. Retrieved 2008-06-16.
  3. ↑ Night Flight 1982 Archived 2017-02-06 at the Wayback Machine , concert clips and interviews, see esp. 4:04 into the video for Rindy Ross talking about what the saxophone adds to her music.
  4. ↑ Sundial, Tri-City Herald (Washington state), Cleveland (AP), Quarterflash burning hot, Dec. 8, 1981, page 22.
  5. ↑ "Quarterflash". AllMusic. Archived from the original on September 8, 2011. Retrieved July 25, 2011.
  6. ↑ According to Alain Gardinier in Rindy, Marv and Jack's French interview, Coup de foudre ?, Rock , No. 53, June 1982, p. 14, the name of the second band was "Union".
  7. ↑ "Seafood Mama in Concert" Archived 2019-09-08 at the Wayback Machine on YouTube
  8. ↑ Bradley, Clyde. "What Ever Happened to Quarterflash?". Classic Rock Revisited. Archived from the original on 2008-05-24. Retrieved 2008-06-16.
  9. ↑ "Meet the Trail Band". The Trail Band. Archived from the original on 2008-04-24. Retrieved 2008-06-10.
  10. ↑ "Marv & Rindy Ross / Quarterflash – Goodbye Uncle Buzz". Quarterflash. Archived from the original on 2008-11-21. Retrieved 2008-07-29.
  11. ↑ Ham, Robert (September 30, 2013). "Quarterflash brings humility to 'Love is a Road', their first album in 20 years, plans Oregon Music Hall of Fame show". The Oregonian . Archived from the original on October 3, 2013. Retrieved October 6, 2013.
  12. ↑ "Marv & Rindy Ross / Quarterflash – Calendar".
  13. 1 2 "Quarterflash Chart History". Billboard . Retrieved March 16, 2022.
  14. 1 2 Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 242. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  15. ↑ "U.S. Cash Box Charts" (PDF). popmusichistory. Retrieved October 12, 2023.
  16. ↑ "RPM Weekly". Library and Archives Canada. 1983-10-01. Retrieved 2022-10-10.
  17. ↑ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 444. ISBN   1-904994-10-5.

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