Snail (band)

Last updated
Snail
Origin Santa Cruz, California, U.S.
Genres
Years active
  • 1967 (1967)–present
Members
  • Bob O'Neill (guitar)
  • Ken Kraft (guitar)
  • Craig Owens (bass)
  • Jimmy Norris (drums)
Website snailrocks.com

Snail is an American rock band best known for their Billboard charting single, The Joker. [1] They toured nationally and shared the stage with Santana, Thin Lizzy, Sammy Hagar, Taj Mahal, and Iron Butterfly, as well as touring with Styx and The Doobie Brothers, among others. [2] [3] [4] [5] In 1978, the group performed on American Bandstand. [6] [7] [8] The band has had various members but original members Bob O'Neill and Ken Kraft have remained throughout the band's history.

Contents

History

Snail was formed in Santa Cruz in 1967 by Bob O'Neill (guitar, vocals), Ron Fillmore (drums), and Dave Kibbler (bass). Ken Kraft (guitar, vocals) joined the band in 1968. The band interchanged bass players and drummers but O'Neill and Kraft have remained throughout the group's history. Ken Kraft (guitar/vocals), Bob O'Neill (guitar/vocals), Craig Owens (bass), and Jimmy Norris (drums) make up the current lineup. [9]

Past bass players include Dave Kibbler, Howard Dumble, Jim Hampton Larry Hosford, Jack Register, Bret Bloomfield, and Tiran Porter. Past drummers include Ron Fillmore, Bob Aguirre, Jimmy Norris, Donny Baldwin, and Gary "killer" Andrijasevich. Dale Ockerman was also a longtime band member. [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15]

The band toured extensively in the late 1960s through the late 1970s, sharing the stage with such artists as The Chambers Brothers, Elvin Bishop The Doobie Brothers, West, Bruce and Laing, Thin Lizzy, Sammy Hagar, Styx, Charlie Daniels, Jerry Miller, and Iron Butterfly. They have performed at Winterland, the Carousel Ballroom, and the Fillmore West, among numerous other venues. [8]

After performing for over ten years in the San Francisco Bay Area, Snail signed a record deal with Cream Records in 1977, making them one of the first bands from Santa Cruz to sign a major record deal. [16] Cream Records launched an extensive radio campaign for the release of their debut album, Snail, which led to the group's album charting on Billboard's Top 200 Albums and its single, The Joker, charting at #93 on Billboard's Hot 100 in 1978. [1] [17] [18] [19] The album received favorable reviews and Billboard Magazine said that it was Cream Record's strongest rock release in some time. [16] Their single, Tonight also received favorable reviews. [20]

At the height of their career, Kraft suffered a near-fatal brain hemorrhage which took him a year to recover. The band renamed themselves, The Millionaires, as O'Neill stated that "Snail wasn't Snail without Kraft". But shortly after, members Bret Bloomfield (bass) and Donny Baldwin (drums) joined up with Starship. [21]

The album cover from Snail's 1978 debut LP is featured prominently in the background, as one of the album covers on the wall in McConnell's Music store on the TV show Mork & Mindy.

Snail has reunited for concerts throughout the years and is performing as a band again, based in Santa Cruz, CA. [8]

Discography

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">REO Speedwagon</span> American rock band

REO Speedwagon, or simply REO, is an American rock band from Champaign, Illinois. Formed in 1967, the band cultivated a following during the 1970s and achieved significant commercial success throughout the 1980s. Their best-selling album, Hi Infidelity (1980), contained four US Top 40 hits and sold more than 10 million copies.

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

Styx is an American rock band formed in Chicago, Illinois, in 1972. They are known for blending melodic hard rock guitar with acoustic guitar, synthesizers mixed with acoustic piano, upbeat tracks with power ballads, and incorporating elements of international musical theatre. The band established themselves with a progressive rock sound during the 1970s, and began to incorporate pop rock and soft rock elements in the 1980s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Doobie Brothers</span> American rock band

The Doobie Brothers are an American rock band formed in 1970 in San Jose, California, known for their flexibility in performing across numerous genres and their vocal harmonies. Active for five decades, with their greatest success during the 1970s, the group's current lineup consists of founding members Tom Johnston and Patrick Simmons, alongside Michael McDonald and John McFee, and touring musicians including John Cowan, Marc Russo (saxophones), Ed Toth (drums), and Marc Quiñones.

<i>Pieces of Eight</i> 1978 studio album by Styx

Pieces of Eight is the eighth studio album by American progressive rock band Styx, released in September 1978.

<i>Wheels of Fire</i> 1968 studio/live album by Cream

Wheels of Fire is the third album by the British rock band Cream. It was released in the US in June 1968 as a two-disc vinyl LP, with one disc recorded in the studio and the other recorded live. It was released in the UK on August 9. It reached number three in the United Kingdom and number one in the United States, Canada and Australia, becoming the world's first platinum-selling double album. In May 2012, Rolling Stone magazine ranked it at number 205 on its list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. It was voted number 757 in the third edition of Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums (2000).

<i>Cycles</i> (The Doobie Brothers album) 1989 studio album by The Doobie Brothers

Cycles is the tenth studio album by American rock band The Doobie Brothers. The album was released on May 17, 1989, by Capitol Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Los Bukis</span> Mexican grupera band

Los Bukis are a Mexican grupero band. Formed in Ario de Rosales, Michoacán in 1973, the band's current lineup consists of singer and songwriter Marco Antonio Solís, Joel Solís (guitars), José Javier Solís (congas/percussion), Pedro Sánchez (drums), Roberto Guadarrama (trumpet), José "Pepe" Guadarrama and Eusebio "El Chivo" Cortéz (bass).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sons of Champlin</span> American rock band

The Sons of Champlin are an American rock band, from Marin County, California, in the San Francisco Bay Area, formed in 1965. They are fronted by vocalist-keyboardist-guitarist Bill Champlin, who, after leaving the group in 1977, joined the rock band Chicago from 1981 to 2009, reforming the Sons of Champlin in 1997. They brought to the late ‘60s music scene in the Bay Area a soulful sound built around a horn section, Hammond B3 organ, sophisticated arrangements, philosophical themes, Bill Champlin's songwriting and blue-eyed soul singing, and Terry Haggerty's unique jazz-based guitar soloing. They are one of the enduring 1960s San Francisco bands, along with Jefferson Airplane, the Grateful Dead and Moby Grape.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">What a Fool Believes</span> 1978 song by Kenny Loggins and Michael McDonald, later recorded by The Doobie Brothers

"What a Fool Believes" is a song written by Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins. The best-known version was recorded by the Doobie Brothers for their 1978 album Minute by Minute. Debuting at number 73 on January 20, 1979, the single reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on April 14, 1979, for one week. The song received Grammy Awards in 1980 for both Song of the Year and Record of the Year. In 2024, the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)</span> 1978 single by Styx

"Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)" is a song by American rock band Styx, released as the first single from their eighth studio album, Pieces of Eight (1978). Released in 1978, the single came in two 7" vinyl formats: one with the b-side "Superstars" (a track from The Grand Illusion) and a second single with the instrumental album track "Aku-Aku" as the b-side. Some printings of the single were also issued in a translucent blue vinyl, which are now highly sought after collectors items.

Dale Ockerman is a keyboardist, guitarist and songwriter who has worked with a variety of internationally recognized musicians since the late 1960s. He is best known for his association with the Doobie Brothers, where he was principal keyboardist and a guitarist with the reformed version of the band during the 1988–1996 period.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patrick Simmons</span> American musician (born 1948)

Patrick Simmons is an American musician best known as a founding member of the rock band The Doobie Brothers, with whom he was inducted as into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2020. Born in Aberdeen, Washington, he has been the only consistent member of the band throughout their tenure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Been</span> Musical artist

Michael Kenneth Been was an American rock musician who achieved critical attention and rotation play on MTV in the 1980s with his band The Call. He later released an album of his solo work and toured with his son's band Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. His song "Let the Day Begin" was the official campaign song of Al Gore's 2000 U.S. presidential campaign. His song "Oklahoma" was one of the top ten choices for Oklahoma's official state rock song and a line from the song provided the name for Another Hot Oklahoma Night: A Rock & Roll Exhibit at the Oklahoma History Center.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Durbin (singer)</span> American singer and guitarist

James William Durbin is an American singer and guitarist from Santa Cruz, California, who finished in fourth place on the tenth season of American Idol in 2011. Durbin was the lead singer for heavy metal band Quiet Riot from 2017 to 2019.

The Eclipse Tour was a concert tour by American rock band Journey. It was in support of the group's fourteenth studio album Eclipse. The album is Arnel Pineda's second since joining the band in 2007. Special guests on the 2011 tour include Foreigner and Night Ranger for most of the North American dates, Styx for the European dates, and Sweet for South American dates. The tour was the sixth top-grossing concert tour from July 23, 2011, to September 23, 2011, bringing in over $21 million and selling over 900,000 tickets. For the 2012 U.S. tour, special guests were Pat Benatar and Loverboy, and the guests for the 2013 tour were Deep Purple for the Australian dates, and Whitesnake for the European dates. For the 2014–2015 tour, the Steve Miller Band co-headlined. The 2016 tour saw the band play with The Doobie Brothers, as well as signal the return of "classic" drummer Steve Smith after longtime drummer Deen Castronovo was fired from the group. The 2017 tour had Asia co-headline, and also included the band's induction and performance at their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. This tour is also the longest-running in the entire history of the band.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dependin' on You</span> 1979 single by The Doobie Brothers

"Dependin' on You" is a song written by Michael McDonald and Patrick Simmons that was first released by the Doobie Brothers on their 1978 album Minute by Minute. It was also released as the third single from the album. It has subsequently been released on live and compilation albums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">It Keeps You Runnin'</span> 1976 song by the Doobie Brothers

"It Keeps You Runnin'" is a song by the American rock band The Doobie Brothers. The song was written by band member Michael McDonald, and served as the third single from their sixth studio album Takin' It to the Streets (1976). It was also covered by Carly Simon the same year and released as the lead single from her sixth studio album Another Passenger.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Snail Mail (musician)</span> Solo musical project of Lindsey Jordan

Snail Mail is the American indie rock solo project of guitarist and singer-songwriter Lindsey Erin Jordan. Originally from Ellicott City, Maryland, Jordan first performed as Snail Mail live in 2015 at the age of 15, and attracted attention with the EP Habit in 2016. After signing with Matador Records, Snail Mail released her debut studio album, Lush (2018), to critical acclaim. In 2021, Snail Mail followed up with her second album, Valentine, to further critical recognition.

<i>Liberté</i> (The Doobie Brothers album) 2021 studio album by the Doobie Brothers

Liberté is the fifteenth studio album by American rock band the Doobie Brothers, released on Island Records. First released exclusively on streaming services on October 1, 2021, the album saw a CD release four weeks later on October 29 and an LP release in June 2022. It is their first studio album since 2014's Southbound, and their first of new material since 2010's World Gone Crazy. The band toured following the release of the album.

References

  1. 1 2 "Snail - Billboard Top 100". Billboard. September 23, 1978. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
  2. ↑ "Santana, Snail at Selling Arena, Fresno". Concert Archives. October 10, 1969. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Styx concert dates - Snail opening act". Styx Toury. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
  4. ↑ "Spotlight", Santa Cruz Sentinel, Page 13, June 22, 1979
  5. ↑ "Five-hour Rock Concert to Spotlight Three Bands", The Dispatch, Page 44, June 19, 1971
  6. ↑ "Snail Crawls to the Top by Lee Upton", Lansing State Journal, Page 47, August 19, 1978
  7. ↑ "Snail Returns to Santa Cruz", Santa Cruz Sentinel, Page 31, September 24, 1978
  8. 1 2 3 "Snail". Good Times 2. May 4, 2011. Retrieved January 31, 2023.
  9. 1 2 "Santa Cruz Legend Snail Reunites, Releases First Album in Four Decades by Aaron Carnes". Good Times 1. December 22, 2020. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
  10. ↑ "Ex-Doobie Dale Ockerman pulls together a team of veterans for a run at Sly's by Stuart Thornton". Monterey Bay Herald. March 25, 2004. Retrieved January 31, 2023.
  11. ↑ "Snail". Do 512. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  12. 1 2 "Snail CD Release Party", Santa Cruz Sentinel, Page 55, December 20, 1996
  13. ↑ "Snail", Santa Cruz Sentinel, Page 61, June 7, 1985
  14. ↑ "Santa Cruz legends Snail and Jerry Miller, plus a bevy of other stars, return to celebrate the Catalyst's yearlong 20th birthday party by Kelly Luker". Santa Cruz. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  15. ↑ "Santa Cruz' Fast Moving Musical Landmarks"", Santa Cruz Sentinel, Page 30, April 3, 1981
  16. 1 2 "Billboard's Top Album Picks" (PDF). Billboard. May 13, 1978. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
  17. ↑ "Radio, Promo, Retail Tie Breaks Snail Single Ray Herbeck Jr" (PDF). Billboard. October 7, 1978. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
  18. ↑ "Cream Set To Launch Major Snail Campaign" (PDF). Cash Box. June 24, 1978. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
  19. ↑ "Billboard's Top 200 LPs and Tapes" (PDF). Billboard. July 22, 1978. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
  20. ↑ "Billboard's Top Singles Picks" (PDF). Billboard. November 6, 1979. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
  21. ↑ "The Millionaires Go For Broke by Greg Beebe", Santa Cruz Sentinel, Page 14, August 29, 1980
  22. ↑ "Promotion Fast for Snail’s Flow", The Daily Oklahoman, Page 61, November 6, 1979
  23. ↑ ""Snail Rocks", 2021". Santa Cruz Public Library. Retrieved January 31, 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.