Raspberries | |
---|---|
![]() Raspberries, 1975. L-R: Wally Bryson, Michael McBride, Scott McCarl, and Eric Carmen. | |
Background information | |
Origin | Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. |
Genres | |
Years active |
|
Labels | |
Past members | Wally Bryson Eric Carmen Jim Bonfanti John Aleksic Dave Smalley Scott McCarl Michael McBride |
Website | www |
The Raspberries were an American pop rock band formed in 1970 from Cleveland, Ohio. They had a run of success in the early 1970s music scene with their pop rock sound, which AllMusic later described as featuring "exquisitely crafted melodies and achingly gorgeous harmonies." [3] The members were known for their clean-cut public image and matching suits, which brought them teenybopper attention as well as scorn from some mainstream media outlets as "uncool". [4] The group drew influence from the British Invasion era—especially the Beatles, the Who, the Hollies, and the Small Faces—and its mod sensibility. [3] In both the US and the UK, the Raspberries helped pioneer the power pop music style that took off after the group disbanded. [5] They also have had a following among professional musicians such as Jack Bruce, Ringo Starr, [6] and Courtney Love. [7]
The group's "classic" lineup consisted of Eric Carmen (vocalist/guitarist/bassist/pianist), Wally Bryson (guitarist), Dave Smalley (guitarist/bassist) and Jim Bonfanti (drummer). Their best known songs include "Go All the Way", "Let's Pretend", "I Wanna Be with You", "Tonight", and "Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)". [3] Producer Jimmy Ienner was responsible for all four of the Raspberries' albums in the 1970s. The group disbanded in 1975 after a five-year run, and Eric Carmen proceeded to a successful career as a solo artist. Bryson and Smalley resurrected the group's name in 1999 for an album, [3] which included singer/songwriter Scott McCarl as vocalist. [8] In 2004, the original quartet reunited and undertook a well-received reunion tour in 2005. [6]
The group had its roots in two of Cleveland's most successful local bands in the late 1960s, The Choir and Cyrus Erie. The Choir, originally called The Mods and consisting of Dann Klawon, Wally Bryson, Dave Burke, Dave Smalley, and Jim Bonfanti, had a more extensive repertoire of original songs. Most notable was "It's Cold Outside" which parlayed its massive local success (#1 in Cleveland) into a nationally charting single (peaking at No. 68 for Roulette Records). The Choir then went through a series of lineup changes, with Smalley and Bonfanti remaining in the various versions, until 1968, when Dave Smalley was drafted and sent to Vietnam. [9] As a result, The Choir disbanded, although it later reformed behind Bonfanti and ultimately survived until 1970.
Although The Choir had the hit and a string of singles, Cyrus Erie, founded by brothers Michael and Bob McBride, became the better-drawing local act shortly after Eric Carmen joined in 1967. Carmen persuaded Bryson, who had recently left The Choir, to join. In live shows, Cyrus Erie mainly covered other artists' songs. When the group signed to Epic Records they recorded two Carmen/Bryson originals ("Get the Message" b/w "Sparrow") as a single. Following this, Bryson left, and was replaced by Randy Klawon. Eric, Mike, Randy and Dann Klawon then formed a new act, and the name was changed to The Quick. The Quick recorded a single of two Carmen/Klawon originals for Epic which did not find much success.
The group's style arose from a variety of rock and roll groups that the members loved, especially The Who. Carmen later said:
Pete Townshend coined the phrase [power pop] to define what the Who did. For some reason, it didn't stick to the Who, but it did stick to these groups that came out in the '70s that played kind of melodic songs with crunchy guitars and some wild drumming. It just kind of stuck to us like glue, and that was OK with us because the Who were among our highest role models. We absolutely loved the Who. [6]
After discussions between Carmen and Bonfanti about forming a new group, the first lineup for the Raspberries was Eric Carmen (rhythm guitar, vocals, piano, bass), Jim Bonfanti (drums, backing vocals), Wally Bryson (lead guitar, vocals) and John Aleksic (born 1951, bass, guitar, vocals). Aleksic left the group at the end of 1970 and the group performed as a trio until April 1971, when former Choir member Dave Smalley (rhythm guitar, vocals), just back from Vietnam, became the fourth member of the original recording lineup with Carmen moving to bass. The Raspberries' demo tape went to the desk of producer Jimmy Ienner, for whom Carmen had previously done session work. After a major-label bidding war [10] the band signed to Capitol Records. [11] This 1st album featured a strong scratch and sniff raspberry scented sticker on the front cover.
The Raspberries wore matching ensembles on stage, and the group was criticized for making its stage entrance in tuxedos and large bouffant hairdos which, according to Carmen, "complemented the style of our music". [12]
"Go All the Way" peaked at #5 in the U.S. in October 1972, sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. Afterwards, [13] Carmen and Smalley switched instruments, with Carmen moving to rhythm guitar so that he would be upfront on stage, while Smalley took over bass. After two albums, Raspberries and Fresh , both released in 1972, creative tension came to a head sparked largely by Carmen's creative dominance (and commercial success) over the contributions of Bryson and Smalley. Accordingly, Side 3 turned out to be a more raw, aggressive effort than its predecessors, typified by the opening track "Tonight". After the band's tour for Side 3, Smalley was ejected from the band due to musical differences and Bonfanti departed soon afterwards. They subsequently formed their own band, Dynamite. They were replaced in December 1973 by bassist Scott McCarl and ex-Cyrus Erie drummer Michael McBride for what was to be the fourth and final Raspberries album, Starting Over . [14]
Bryson's friend Jeff Hutton (who had also played with McBride in Target) was brought in to contribute keyboards on stage for the group's late 1973-74 tours, replacing Opie O'Brien (keyboards, sax) and Tony Shannon (keyboards, synths) who had done the honors on their 1973 tour for Side 3. [15]
In April 1975 Rainbow Canyon guitarist Billy Hanna came in to sub for an ill Bryson, but the band broke up on April 19, 1975 after a final gig in Scranton, Pennsylvania at the Masonic Temple.
Their style, however, continued to influence other musicians. Bruce Springsteen praised the Raspberries at several stops during his Summer 2005 tour. [16] Springsteen's drummer Max Weinberg said that he based his drum style in that period off of Raspberries drummer Michael McBride (particularly on the Springsteen album Darkness on the Edge of Town ). [17] Paul Stanley of Kiss, Tom Petty, and Axl Rose of Guns N' Roses, have all also cited the Raspberries as an influence in their songwriting. [4]
In 1978 Bryson joined another notable power pop band, Fotomaker, led by ex-Rascals Dino Danelli and Gene Cornish. He left shortly after the second of the band's three albums was released.
A biography of the Raspberries titled Overnight Sensation – The Story of the Raspberries by Ken Sharp was released in 1993.
In 1996, a tribute album to Raspberries called Raspberries Preserved was released by Pravda Records, a Chicago-based indie record label. The album featured 21 cover versions by such acts as The Rubinoos, Bill Lloyd, Brad Jones, Tiny Lights, Rank Strangers, the Gladhands, and The Shambles.
Singer-guitarist and primary songwriter Eric Carmen went on to have a successful solo career as a singer and writer of romantic pop ballads. His first solo hit "All by Myself" (which rearranged a motif from the melody of "Let's Pretend" and comes directly from Sergei Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Opus 18 [18] ) hit No. 2 nationally, and was covered by Celine Dion to much fanfare in 1996. His second single "Never Gonna Fall in Love Again" was also a hit, as was "She Did It”, a spiritual sequel to both, which revived the Raspberries' power pop sound. Carmen later had additional Top Ten singles success with "Hungry Eyes" (from Dirty Dancing , 1987) and "Make Me Lose Control". He also wrote "Almost Paradise" (performed by Mike Reno and Ann Wilson for Footloose , 1984), [19] [20] as well as songs that were made major hits by Shaun Cassidy ("That's Rock & Roll" and "Hey Deanie").
On March 24, 1999 all four original members, Carmen, Bryson, Smalley and Bonfanti, reunited in Metrosync Studio, near Cleveland, to play for the first time since 1973. A summer reunion tour was discussed, but the reformed group found minimal interest among promoters since the band had not been heard of since the mid-70s. [21] Carmen and Bonfanti dropped out but Bryson, Smalley and their Starting Over bassist, Scott McCarl, decided to continue on briefly. The trio released a six-song EP entitled Raspberries Refreshed in September 2000. [22] [23] The album's tracks, written by the three remaining members, re-created the group's original sound. [22]
In November 2004 the House of Blues nightclub chain opened its Cleveland branch with a Raspberries reunion concert featuring all four original members, accompanied on stage by four members of Carmen's band: Paul Sidoti - bass, guitar, keyboards, backing vocals, Billy Sullivan - guitar, keyboards, harmonica, backing vocals, Jennifer Lee - keyboards, vocals and Derek Braunschweiger - percussion. [24] This led to a well-received 2005 mini-tour starting at the Chicago House of Blues, a VH1 Classic special, and a concert broadcast on XM Satellite Radio. A date from the 2005 tour in Los Angeles was recorded and released in 2007 as Live on Sunset Strip. The double CD and one DVD contained a foreword from Bruce Springsteen, and a 1970s photo of John Lennon wearing a Raspberries' Starting Over sweatshirt. Capitalizing on the release, Raspberries played further shows in New York, California, and their hometown of Cleveland. [5]
The band booked a few more reunion dates into late 2007, culminating with a concert at Cleveland's Playhouse Square on December 14, 2007, and an appearance at a VIP event at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland on April 3, 2009 turned out to be their very last show. [25]
The band's iconic rock tune "Go All the Way" attracted renewed attention in 2014 when it was notably included in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Guardians of the Galaxy . The Albany Democrat-Herald ran a positive review of the film remarking that "while it's freaky to hear the Raspberries' ... in space, one recognizes the malleability of its majesty and craft and appreciate the range of vocalist Eric Carmen". [26] [27] The song was included on the film's Guardians of the Galaxy: Awesome Mix Vol. 1 soundtrack released on July 29, 2014.
In 2017 Omnivore Records released Pop Art Live, a recording of the band's first Cleveland reunion show on November 26, 2004. It was their first show together in nearly 30 years. Featuring twenty-eight songs, including material by major influences The Beatles and The Who, the album received positive reviews from publications such as Allmusic, Paste, and Stereophile. Critic Mark Deming of Allmusic remarked that "the Raspberries merge the superb craftsmanship of their classic recordings with the sweat and muscle of a crack band having a great time." [28] [29] [30]
Carmen died in March 2024. [31]
Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
US [32] | AUS [33] | CAN [34] | ||
Raspberries |
| 51 | 30 | 22 |
Fresh |
| 36 | 31 | 19 |
Side 3 |
| 128 | — | — |
Starting Over |
| 143 | 72 | — |
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. |
Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | |
---|---|---|---|
US [32] | CAN [34] | ||
Raspberries' Best |
| 138 | 70 |
Capitol Collectors Series |
| — | — |
Greatest |
| — | — |
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. |
Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US [36] | AUS [33] | CAN [37] | ||||
"Don't Want to Say Goodbye" b/w "Rock & Roll Mama" | 1972 | 86 | — | — | Raspberries | |
"Go All the Way" b/w "With You in My Life" | 5 | 14 | 5 | |||
"I Wanna Be with You" b/w "Goin' Nowhere Tonight" | 16 | 44 | 17 | Fresh | ||
"Drivin' Around" b/w "Might As Well" | — | — | — | |||
"Let's Pretend" b/w "Every Way I Can" | 1973 | 35 | 62 | 13 | ||
"Tonight" b/w "Hard to Get Over a Heartbreak" | 69 | — | 80 | Side 3 | ||
"I'm a Rocker" b/w "Money Down" | 94 | — | — | |||
"Ecstasy" b/w "Don't Want to Say Goodbye" | [lower-alpha 2] | — | — | |||
"Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)" b/w "Hands on You" | 1974 | 18 | 91 | 22 | Starting Over | |
"Cruisin' Music" b/w "Party's Over" | 1975 | — | — | — | ||
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. |
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".
Eric Howard Carmen was an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He was the lead vocalist of the Raspberries, with whom he recorded the hit "Go All the Way" and four albums. He embarked on a solo career in 1975 and had global success with "All by Myself", "Never Gonna Fall in Love Again", "She Did It", "Hungry Eyes", and "Make Me Lose Control". In later years, he toured with Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band before reforming the Raspberries in 2004.
The Revolution is an American band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1979 by Prince, serving as his live band and later as his studio band. The band's sound incorporated rock, pop, R&B, funk, new wave and psychedelic elements. Along with Prince's other projects, the Revolution helped create the Minneapolis sound. By the time of their 1986 breakup, the Revolution had backed Prince on two studio albums, two soundtracks and two videos.
Raspberries is the debut album from the Raspberries, released in April 1972. It was their second highest-charting LP, reaching No. 51 on the Billboard album chart, but spent more weeks on the chart than all of their other albums combined.
Fresh is the second studio album by Raspberries, released in 1972. It contains the two top 40 singles "I Wanna Be with You" which reached number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100, number 10 on Cash Box and number 7 on Record World, and "Let's Pretend" which reached number 35 on Billboard, number 18 on Cashbox, and number 14 on Record World. It was their highest-charting album, peaking at number 36 on the Billboard 200 album chart.
Side 3 is the third album from the Raspberries, released in 1973. The album cover is diecut like a basket of Raspberries, with the group's name placed at the top of the LP sleeve. Three singles were released from the album: "Tonight" / "Hard to Get Over a Heartbreak", which reached number 69 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 37 on the Cash Box chart; "I'm a Rocker", which reached number 94 on Billboard and number 75 on Cash Box; and "Ecstasy", which did not chart on Billboard but reached number 116 on Cash Box. The album itself reached number 138 on the US albums chart.
Starting Over is the fourth and final studio album by the 1970s power pop band Raspberries. It peaked at #143 on the Billboard pop album chart in 1974. Rolling Stone named it its rock record album of the year for 1974. The LP generated the #18 Billboard pop single "Overnight Sensation ", while a second single, "Cruisin' Music", did not chart. This was the first album by the Raspberries to feature songs with profanity. Those songs were "Starting Over", which featured the word "fucking" once, and the song "Party’s Over", which featured the word "shit" twice.
James Alexander Bonfanti is a rock drummer who is best known for having been a member of the band Raspberries.
The Choir was a garage rock band largely active in the greater Cleveland area from the mid-1960s into the early 1970s. Originally called The Mods, their largest commercial success came with the release of their first single "It's Cold Outside" in December 1966. The song, considered to be a classic of the garage rock era, was featured on Pebbles, Volume 2, one of the earlier garage rock compilation LPs. The flipside, "I'm Going Home" was included as a bonus track when the Pebbles album was reissued as a CD, and it can also be found on a garage rock compilation LP on Ohio bands, Highs in the Mid-Sixties, Volume 9. The Choir is well known for containing three of the four original members of Raspberries.
Wallace Carter Bryson is an American guitarist, best remembered for his time with the power-pop group Raspberries, famous for their hit "Go All The Way". After the Raspberries split in 1974, Bryson co-formed the power pop group Fotomaker and became one of the leading members of the group.
"Go All the Way" is a song written by Eric Carmen of American rock group the Raspberries, from their 1972 self-titled debut album. Released as a single in July 1972, the song reached the Top 5 on three principal US charts: number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100, number 4 on Cashbox, and number 3 on Record World. The single sold more than 1.3 million copies, earning the band their only certified Gold Record. It was their second single release and their biggest US hit.
The Definitive Collection is a 1997 greatest hits album of all the singles released by Cleveland, Ohio singer-songwriter Eric Carmen. It features five hits by the Raspberries, a power pop group which he led in the early 1970s. It also contains his versions of two major hits which he wrote for Shaun Cassidy, his popular song from the movie Dirty Dancing, and his greatest hit, "All By Myself", which peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 on March 5, 1976.
"Let's Pretend" is a song by Raspberries, released in March 1973 as the second single from their second LP, Fresh. It was written by band leader Eric Carmen, who also provided the lead vocals.
"I Wanna Be with You" is a song by Raspberries, released in November 1972 as the first single from their second LP, Fresh. It was written by band leader Eric Carmen, who also provided the lead vocals. It became their second greatest US hit.
"It's Cold Outside" is a song by the American garage rock band the Choir, written by member Dann Klawon, and first released on Canadian-American Records in September 1966. It was later re-released in 1967 on Roulette, with Dann's last name incorrectly spelled "Klawson". The song is considered a classic of the musical genre of garage rock, and became the group's only national hit. The song has since been featured on several compilation albums. At the time of the recording, the band consisted of: Wally Bryson - lead guitar, Dave Smalley - guitar/vocals, Dave Burke - bass, Jim Bonfanti - drums, and Dann Klawon - multiple instruments/vocals. The group changed members over the years, but Bryson, Smalley and Bonfanti would team up with songwriter Eric Carmen a few years later, and form the power pop group Raspberries.
"Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)" is a hit single by Raspberries, released in September 1974, on the Capitol label. It was written by band leader Eric Carmen, who also provided the lead vocals. It was the first single release from their fourth and final LP, Starting Over.
"Tonight" is a song by Raspberries, released in August 1973. It was written by band leader Eric Carmen, who also provided the lead vocals. The song was the first of three single releases from their third LP, Side 3.
The Essential Eric Carmen is a two-disc compilation album that contain 15 tracks each by American soft rock singer, songwriter, guitarist and keyboardist Eric Carmen, released on March 25, 2014. It is part of Sony BMG's Essential series of compilation albums and includes tracks from Carmen's solo output, as well as tracks from his Raspberries days and Cyrus Erie. The tracks consist of some of Carmen's biggest hits and popular album 1968 as leader of American band Cyrus Erie through his 1984 release Eric Carmen.
"Ecstasy" is a song written by Eric Carmen that was first released by the Raspberries on their 1973 album Side 3. It was also released as a single but did not chart.
Greatest is a 2005 compilation album by Raspberries. The album contains 20 songs, 4 to 6 from each of the group's four albums. Most of the songs on Greatest had been included on previous Raspberries' compilation albums, but the songs on Greatest were remastered using 24-bit technology, and the album included liner notes quoting three members of the band – Eric Carmen, Wally Bryson and Jim Bonfanti discussing each song.
Wolff, Carlo (2006). Cleveland Rock and Roll Memories. Cleveland, OH: Gray & Company, Publishers. ISBN 978-1-886228-99-3