Russ Ballard | |
---|---|
![]() Ballard performing in 2024 | |
Background information | |
Birth name | Russell Glyn Ballard |
Born | Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, England | 31 October 1945
Genres | |
Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter |
Instrument(s) | Guitar, vocals, piano, keyboards, harmonica |
Years active | 1960–present |
Labels | EMI |
Website | russballardmusic |
Russell Glyn Ballard (born 31 October 1945) is an English musician. [1]
Originally rising to prominence as the lead singer and guitarist of the band Argent, Ballard became a prolific songwriter and producer by the late 1970s. His compositions "New York Groove", "You Can Do Magic", "Since You Been Gone", "I Surrender", "Liar", "Winning", "I Know There's Something Going On", "Can't Shake Loose", "So You Win Again" and "God Gave Rock and Roll to You" became hits for other artists during the 1970s and 1980s. He also scored several minor hits under his own name in the early and mid-1980s.
Ballard was born in Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, England. [1]
Ballard was initially a guitarist, joining Buster Meikle & The Day Breakers in 1961 together with his older brother Roy and their friend the drummer Bob Henrit. After a stint with The Roulettes, backing Adam Faith, he then went on to join Unit 4 + 2 in 1967, before becoming the lead singer and guitarist of Argent (along with Henrit, who joined as drummer), writing their hit "God Gave Rock and Roll to You", [1] which would later be covered by both Petra and KISS. Ballard is most well known as the vocalist on Argent's smash "Hold Your Head Up". In 1972, Ballard performed on Colin Blunstone's album Ennismore , which was produced by Chris White. Ballard also wrote the hit single "I Don't Believe in Miracles", which featured on that album.
Ballard left Argent in 1974 and pursued a solo and songwriting career. He wrote such hits as Three Dog Night's "Liar" [1] (originally recorded by Argent), Hot Chocolate's 1977 UK chart topper "So You Win Again", [1] [2] and Rainbow's 1979 hit "Since You Been Gone". Head East had also recorded the song in 1978 for its self-titled album, and before that it was included in Ballard's 1976 solo album Winning. Ballard also wrote Rainbow's 1981 song "I Surrender", which charted at number 3 in the UK.
Ballard also wrote and performed on Roger Daltrey's first two solo albums, Daltrey (1973) and Ride a Rock Horse (1975). Daltrey recorded some other Russ Ballard originals for his McVicar soundtrack, and his albums Under a Raging Moon and Can't Wait to See the Movie . Ballard undertook a tour with Roger Daltrey in 1985, playing guitar and singing one of his own songs.
British pop band Hello recorded Ballard's "New York Groove" in 1975, reaching No. 7 in Germany and No. 9 in the UK. [3] "New York Groove" would also be recorded three years later by Ace Frehley, who turned the tune into a stateside hit.
Ballard also wrote the No. 17, 1981 hit for Santana, called "Winning", which appeared on their album entitled Zebop! and had previously been released by Ballard himself on his second solo album. To promote the Winning album he toured Europe and the US in October and November 1976, working with the John Stanley Media Management Company and a four-piece band, performing at large theatre venues in Europe and medium-sized clubs such as The Bottom Line in New York and the Whisky a Go Go in Los Angeles.
Ballard wrote and produced "You Can Do Magic" for the group America on its 1982 album View from the Ground . The single climbed to No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 in October 1982, and helped resurrect the band's career. The following year, America brought in Ballard to produce their follow-up album, Your Move . One of its tracks, "The Border", which was co-written by Ballard with Dewey Bunnell, reached No. 33 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Ballard wrote ABBA singer Anni-Frid Lyngstad's 1982 solo hit: "I Know There's Something Going On" (which was produced by Phil Collins, and also featured Collins on drums). The track reached No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100. He also penned "Can't Shake Loose" for fellow ABBA former member Agnetha Fältskog, which peaked at No. 29 in the same listings.
Ballard wrote "No More the Fool" recorded by Elkie Brooks, aka British Queen of Blues. It reached number five in the UK charts in 1987.[ citation needed ]
Returning to a harder rock vein, Ballard wrote "I Did It For Love," which became the last Billboard Hot 100 hit for Night Ranger, appearing on their 1988 Man in Motion album. In 1991 the song he co-wrote with John Waite and Jonathan Cain, "So This Is Eden", appeared on Bad English's album, Backlash .
Ballard has also written and produced for Elkie Brooks, and in 2005 acting as a talent scout, he "discovered" Lauren Harris. [4] [5]
As a solo artist, Ballard charted once on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, when "On the Rebound" reached No. 58 in 1980. [1] The song was featured on his solo album for Epic, entitled Barnet Dogs, which reached number 187 on the Billboard 200. [6] English rock band Uriah Heep covered "On the Rebound" in 1982 on their album Abominog .
Another notable solo hit, "Voices" – from his second self-titled album (1984) – was featured in the Miami Vice episode "Calderone's Return: Part 2 – Calderone's Demise", which aired on 26 October 1984. The song was a brief hit on rock radio stations, peaking at No. 15 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. However, "Voices" stalled below the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 110. Another song from the same album, "In the Night" was featured in the episode "Calderone's Return: Part 1 – The Hit List". The show also featured "Your Time Is Gonna Come" by Ballard later in its run.
"The Fire Still Burns", the title track of his 1985 album matched the placement of the previous year's "Voices", peaking at No. 15 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. [7]
In addition to Kiss covering "God Gave Rock and Roll to You", retitled as "God Gave Rock 'n' Roll to You II": [8]
Year | Album details | Peak chart positions | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|
US | AUS [14] | |||
1974 | Russ Ballard | – | – |
|
1976 | Winning
| – | – |
|
1978 | At the Third Stroke | – | – |
|
1980 | Barnet Dogs
| 187 | – |
|
1981 | Into the Fire | – | – | |
1984 | Russ Ballard
| 147 | 70 |
|
1985 | The Fire Still Burns | 166 | – |
|
1993 | The Seer
| – | – | |
2006 | Book of Love [7]
Format: CD | – | – | |
2015 | It's Good to Be Here [7]
| – | – |
|
All songs written by Ballard.
Year | A-Side | Length | B-Side | Length | Other |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1974 | "Fly Away" | 3:20 | "Danger Zone - Part II" | 3:06 | |
1975 | "Loose Women" | 2:27 | "Danger Zone—Part 1" | 2:38 | |
1976 | "Since You Been Gone" | 2:50 | "Venus (Shine Your Light)" | 4:41 | |
1976 | "The Russ Ballard Story Part 1" | 7:50 | "The Russ Ballard Story Part 2" | 7:41 | US only, promo, |
1977 | "Some Kinda Hurricane" | 3:27 | "You Can Do Voodoo" | 3:32 | |
1978 | "Dancer" | 4:02 | "Treat Her Right" | 2:29 | New Zealand only |
1978 | "Treat Her Right" | 2:55 | "What Does It Take" | 3:09 | |
1978 | "I'm a Scorpio" | 3:38 | "Expressway to Your Heart" | 2:53 | |
1980 | "Rene Didn't Do It" | 3:20 | "Feels Like the Real Thing" | 3:58 | Australia only |
1980 | "On the Rebound" | 3:28 | "Riding with the Angels" | 4:06 | |
1981 | "Rock & Roll Lover" | 3:31 | "Breakdown" | 3:16 | US only |
1981 | "Here Comes the Hurt" | 3:56 | "Breakdown" | 3:16 | |
1981 | "I Will Be There" | 3:57 | "Madman" | 5:04 | |
1984 | "Two Silhouettes" | 4:17 | "Living Without You" | 4:24 | |
1984 | "I Can't Hear You No More" | 4:09 | "The Last Time" | 5:25 | Germany only |
1985 | "Voices" | 5:33 | "Living Without You" | 4:24 | |
1985 | "The Fire Still Burns" | 4:12 | "Hold On" | 4:17 | |
1985 | "Dream On" | 4:15 | "The Omen" | 4:27 | Germany only |
In 1984, Mary Turner produced a 15-minute portrait of Russ Ballard as a record with the title "A Portrait Of An Artist By Mary Turner". [18]
George Peter John Criscuola, better known by his stage name Peter Criss, is a retired American musician, best known as a co-founder, original drummer, and an occasional vocalist of the hard rock band Kiss. Criss established the Catman character for his Kiss persona. In 2014, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Kiss.
Paul Daniel "Ace" Frehley is an American musician who was the original lead guitarist, occasional lead vocalist and founding member of the rock band Kiss. He invented the persona of The Spaceman and played with the group from its inception in 1973 until his departure in 1982. After leaving Kiss, Frehley formed his own band named Frehley's Comet and released two albums with the group. He subsequently embarked on a solo career, which was put on hold when he rejoined Kiss in 1996 for a highly successful reunion tour.
Hotter than Hell is the second studio album by American hard rock band Kiss, released on October 22, 1974, by Casablanca Records. It was certified gold on June 23, 1977, having shipped 500,000 copies. The album was re-released in 1997 in a remastered version. It peaked on the Billboard 200 charts at No. 100, without the benefit of a hit single. Many of the album's songs were live staples for the band, including "Parasite", "Hotter than Hell", "Let Me Go, Rock 'n' Roll", and "Watchin' You".
Killers is the second compilation album by American hard rock group Kiss. It was released only outside the US, but quickly became available as an import. Of the album's twelve songs, four were new compositions recorded specifically for it: "I'm a Legend Tonight," "Down on Your Knees," "Nowhere to Run" and "Partners in Crime." These new songs were recorded at the behest of Phonogram, in response to the commercial failure of 1981's Music from "The Elder".
Unmasked is the eighth studio album by American hard rock band Kiss, released on May 20, 1980, by Casablanca Records. It was their first not to feature original drummer and founding member Peter Criss. Despite having no involvement in its production, Criss features in the album's artwork and the video for "Shandi", and also receives credit.
Kiss is the debut studio album by American rock band Kiss, released on February 18, 1974, by Casablanca Records. Much of the material on the album was written by Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, as members of their pre-Kiss band Wicked Lester. Simmons estimated that the entire process of recording and mixing took three weeks, while co-producer Richie Wise has stated it took just 13 days.
Ace Frehley is the first solo album by American guitarist and former Kiss member Ace Frehley, released on September 18, 1978, by Casablanca Records. It was one of four albums released by each separate Kiss member as a solo act, but yet still under the Kiss label, coming out alongside Peter Criss, Paul Stanley, and Gene Simmons.
Peter Criss is the first solo album by Peter Criss, the drummer of American hard rock band Kiss. It was one of four solo albums released by the members of Kiss on September 18, 1978, but yet under the Kiss label, coming out alongside Ace Frehley, Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley. The album was produced by Vini Poncia, who went on to produce Dynasty (1979) and Unmasked (1980) for Kiss.
Dynasty is the seventh studio album by American rock band Kiss, produced by Vini Poncia and released on May 23, 1979, by Casablanca Records.
"Beth" is a song by American rock band Kiss, originally released on their fourth studio album Destroyer (1976). Composed by drummer Peter Criss, his friend Stan Penridge and producer Bob Ezrin, the song was published as a single by Casablanca Records in August 1976, after releasing it as the B-side of "Detroit Rock City". "Beth" is Kiss's biggest commercial hit in the United States, reaching #7 on the Billboard Hot 100, receiving a Gold Record certification from the RIAA, and winning the 1977 People's Choice Award for "Favorite Song".
Psycho Circus is the eighteenth studio album by American rock band Kiss and the first and only album to involve all four original members since 1979's Dynasty. While touted as a band effort, Peter Criss only played drums on the Ace Frehley-penned track, "Into the Void", and guitarist Frehley only played on two regular album tracks, the one he wrote plus "You Wanted the Best". He also played on a bonus track called "In Your Face", penned by Simmons. All four band members, however, sang lead vocals on the album.
Frehley's Comet is the second solo album by Ace Frehley, former lead guitarist of Kiss. It was also the first album that Frehley released after leaving Kiss in 1982.
"Rock and Roll All Nite" is a song by American rock band Kiss, originally released on their 1975 album Dressed to Kill. It was released as the A-side of their fifth single, with the album track "Getaway". The studio version of the song peaked at No. 68 on the Billboard singles chart, besting the band's previous charting single, "Kissin' Time" (#89). A subsequent live version, released as a single in October 1975, eventually reached No. 12 in early 1976, the first of six Top 20 songs for Kiss in the 1970s. "Rock and Roll All Nite" became Kiss's signature song and has served as the group's closing concert number in almost every concert since 1976. In 2008, it was named the 16th greatest hard rock song of all time by VH1.
Hello are an English glam rock band. They originally recorded for the Bell Records label.
"Hard Luck Woman" is a song by American hard rock band Kiss and the lead single from their 1976 album, Rock and Roll Over. It was originally written by Paul Stanley as a possible track for Rod Stewart, but after the success of the soft rock ballad "Beth", Kiss decided to keep it for themselves as a follow-up. Stanley has stated his admiration and love of Stewart's music numerous times, and that "Hard Luck Woman" was inspired by Rod Stewart, in particular the songs "Maggie May" and "You Wear It Well". While Stewart's music served as a partial inspiration for the song, the nautical themed song "Brandy" by American pop-rock band Looking Glass served as Stanley's main inspiration.
"God Gave Rock and Roll to You" is a 1973 song by the British band Argent and covered by Kiss as "God Gave Rock 'N' Roll to You II" in 1991, with modified lyrics.
"Shandi" is a hit single by American hard rock band Kiss. Released on their 1980 album, Unmasked, the song was popular in Australia, where it reached number five on the Australian charts. The song would prove to be a hit in other countries as well, making the top ten in three other countries. "Shandi" peaked at number 47 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Chart.
"New York Groove" is a song written by English musician and producer Russ Ballard. The song was originally recorded by glam rock band Hello in 1975 and was later covered by Ace Frehley (Kiss) for his 1978 solo album. Frehley's version is also well known, especially in the US.
"Rocket Ride" is a song by the American hard rock band Kiss. It was originally featured on their 1977 album Alive II.
"Hold Me, Touch Me " is a song written by Paul Stanley, the rhythm guitarist and lead vocalist of the American hard rock band Kiss. It is the only single released from his eponymous solo debut album. Paul Stanley was one of four solo albums released simultaneously by the band members of Kiss on September 18, 1978.