The Roches | |
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 The Roches in 1980. Left to right: Suzzy, Maggie, Terre | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Park Ridge, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 1973–2017 |
| Labels |
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| Past members |
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| Website | roches |
The Roches were an American vocal trio of sisters Maggie, Terre and Suzzy Roche, from Park Ridge, New Jersey. [1]
In the late 1960s, eldest sister Maggie (October 26, 1951 [2] – January 21, 2017 [3] ) and middle sister Terre (pronounced "Terry", born April 10, 1953 [2] ) attended Park Ridge High School, [4] but dropped out of school to tour as a duo. Maggie wrote most of the songs, with Terre contributing to a few. The sisters got a break when Paul Simon brought them in as backup singers on his 1973 album There Goes Rhymin' Simon . [5] They got his assistance (along with an appearance by the Oak Ridge Boys) on their only album as a duo, Seductive Reasoning (1975). [5]
Reviewing Seductive Reasoning in Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies (1981), Robert Christgau said, "Female singing duos must function as mutual support groups; last time a women's sensibility this assured, relaxed, and reflective made it to vinyl was Joy of Cooking. These folkies manque are a little flat here, a little arch there, but in general the shoe fits; no ideological feminism, but plenty of consciousness." [6]
Later in the 1970s youngest sister Suzzy (rhymes with "fuzzy", born September 29, 1956 [2] ) joined the group to form the Roches trio. [5]
Around this time, they parlayed bartending jobs at the Greenwich Village folk venue Gerde's Folk City into stage appearances, an experience they commemorated in their song "Face Down at Folk City" (from Another World, 1985). There they met many of their future singing and songwriting collaborators. Terre was now writing songs as well, and by the time of their first album as a trio, The Roches (1979), Suzzy had also begun writing. [5] Robert Fripp produced the album. [5] Maggie's "The Married Men" from this album was eventually to become the songwriting trio's biggest hit—not for them, but for Phoebe Snow. [5] After Snow and Linda Ronstadt performed the song in a duet on Saturday Night Live , the Roches were invited to perform on the show a few months later in 1979 at Simon's behest. They did two songs, both unreleased at the time: "Bobby's Song" and "The Hallelujah Chorus".
Throughout the 1980s, the Roches continued to release their music to small audiences, little or no air play, and only modest record sales. In February 1981 the BBC broadcast a 40-minute performance in its series Rock Goes to College . A 1983 episode of the PBS concert series Soundstage was devoted to an hourlong performance by the trio, and they appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson in November 1985, performing their song "Mr. Sellack". In 1990, they returned to their Christmas-caroling roots with the release of the 24-track We Three Kings, [5] which included the a cappella "Star of Wonder", written by Terre. After another pop album (A Dove, 1992), they recorded an entire album of children's songs, Will You Be My Friend?, featuring a song by brother David and various young backup singers, including Suzzy's daughter Lucy Wainwright Roche.
After a tour interrupted by the death of their father, the Roches released Can We Go Home Now (1995), [5] the last original recording they released as a trio until 2007.
In 1997, the sisters formally put their group on long-term hold. They continued to work on solo projects and often collaborated on albums and performances. Terre teaches guitar workshops and has released a solo album. Suzzy, who has acted on the stage and in several movies, released two of her own albums and two with Maggie, with whom she toured. All three sisters periodically participated in New York-area events. At the end of 2005, the three Roches (with brother Dave) reunited for a short but successful holiday tour. Several more appearances in the U.S. and Canada took place in 2006–07, and in March 2007, after a 12-year hiatus, the Roches released a new studio album, Moonswept. [7] After the tour for Moonswept, the Roches announced that they would no longer be touring, but they continued to make isolated appearances individually and as a group, mostly in and around New York City.
On January 21, 2017, Maggie Roche died from breast cancer at the age of 65. [3] [8] In a statement on Facebook, Suzzy wrote that Maggie "was a private person, too sensitive and shy for this world, but brimming with life, love, and talent. She was smart, wickedly funny, and authentic — not a false bone in her body — a brilliant songwriter, with a distinct unique perspective, all heart and soul." [9] She was survived by her partner Michael McCarthy and son Edward "Felix" McTeigue. [9]
Maggie Roche had an "unusual" contralto voice—"almost a baritone". [10] Terre provided a soprano that bracketed the upper range of the sisters, while Suzzy filled in the middle range. While touring, the sisters accompanied themselves with guitars and keyboards, occasionally with additional musicians.
Terre Roche continues to perform publicly in New York City, and since 2016 she has led a "Sunset Singing Circle" at Battery Park in Manhattan under the auspices of the Parks Department. [11] [3]
Brother David is also a singer-songwriter with his own solo album, and often backed up the trio on their recordings. [12] [13] [14] Maggie's son, Felix McTeigue, has recorded three albums (one with his group Filo). [15] [16] Suzzy's daughter, Lucy Wainwright Roche, has also contributed vocals on the Roches' and McTeigue's albums, [17] [18] and in 2007 produced an EP of her own, 8 Songs, followed by 8 More in 2008 and tours opening for acts such as Amos Lee and the Indigo Girls. [19] [20] Lucy has released three full-length albums: Lucy (2010), There's a Last Time for Everything (2013), and Little Beast (2018). [21] Her father is Loudon Wainwright III, and she is the half-sister of singers Martha and Rufus Wainwright.
Robert Fripp is an English musician, songwriter, record producer, and author, best known as the guitarist, founder and longest-lasting member of the progressive rock band King Crimson. He has worked extensively as a session musician and collaborator, notably with David Bowie, Blondie, Brian Eno, Peter Gabriel, Daryl Hall, The Roches, Talking Heads, and David Sylvian. He also composed the startup sound of Windows Vista operating system, in collaboration with Tucker Martine and Steve Ball. His discography includes contributions to more than 700 official releases.
Suzzy Roche is an American singer, best known for her work with the vocal group The Roches, alongside sisters Maggie and Terre. Suzzy is the youngest of the three, and joined the act in 1977. She is the author of the novels Wayward Saints and The Town Crazy and the children's book Want to Be in a Band?
The Roches is the 1979 eponymous debut trio album by The Roches, on the Warner Bros. label, produced by Robert Fripp, who also plays guitar and Fripperies. Also playing on the album are Tony Levin and Jimmy Maelen.
Exposure is the debut solo album by guitarist and composer Robert Fripp. Unique among Fripp solo projects for its focus on the pop song format, it grew out of his previous collaborations with David Bowie, Peter Gabriel, and Daryl Hall, and the latter two singers appear on the album. Released in 1979, it peaked at No. 79 on the Billboard Album Chart. Most of the lyrics were provided by the poet and lyricist Joanna Walton, who also coined the term "Frippertronics" to describe Fripp's tape looping techniques.
I'm Alright is a 1985 album by Loudon Wainwright III. It was his third release on Rounder Records, recorded in London. It was produced by Richard Thompson, who also played electric lead guitar on several songs. The back cover features a photo of the two together, captioned 'Loud and Rich'.
Lucy Wainwright Roche is an American singer-songwriter. Preceded by two EPs, 8 Songs and 8 More, Roche released her debut album, Lucy in October 2010. In 2013, she starred as Jeri in the Stuff You Should Know television show.
Nurds is the second studio album by the American musical trio the Roches, released on Warner Bros. Records in 1980. It peaked at number 130 on the Billboard 200. Nurds was produced by Roy Halee.
Keep On Doing is the third studio album by the folk trio the Roches, released in 1982 on Warner Bros. Records. It is their second collaboration with Robert Fripp, following their 1979 debut album.
Another World is the fourth studio album by the American musical trio the Roches, released in 1985 on Warner Bros. Records. The trio supported the album with a North American tour.
No Trespassing is a 1986 EP by the American folk group the Roches. It was released in 1986 on SOS Records, and distributed more widely by Rhino Records.
Speak is an album by the American musical trio the Roches, released in 1989 on MCA Records. The album contained two singles that had accompanying videos, "Big Nuthin'" and "Everyone Is Good". Another track, "Nocturne", was included in the 1988 film Crossing Delancey, which costarred Suzzy Roche.
We Three Kings is an album by the American folk trio the Roches, released in 1990. It is a collection of Christmas songs. The sisters wrote two of the album's 24 tracks. We Three Kings is considered a classic of unconventional Christmas music.
Moonswept is the final studio album by the folk trio The Roches, released in 2007. The trio did not release any further studio albums before Maggie Roche's death in January 2017.
Holy Smokes is the debut solo album by the American musician Suzzy Roche, released in 1997. It was the first solo album by a member of the Roches. Roche supported the album by embarking on a tour, playing solo with just a guitar.
Songs from an Unmarried Housewife and Mother, Greenwich Village, USA is the second album by Suzzy Roche, released in 2000.
The League of Gentlemen is an album by Robert Fripp. The music on the album was performed by members of a band which toured Europe and North America throughout 1980 under the name of the League of Gentlemen. The album was released in the UK in 1981 in vinyl format on the Editions EG label. The original album has never been reissued in full on CD, however some tracks are on the abridged Robert Fripp and the League of Gentlemen God Save the King CD release.
High Wide & Handsome: The Charlie Poole Project is the 20th studio album by American singer-songwriter Loudon Wainwright III. The album, a double-CD released on August 18, 2009, on 2nd Story Sound, pays tribute to singer and banjo picker Charlie Poole (1892–1931). It features 30 tracks, including new versions of songs made popular by Poole from 1925 through 1930, as well as original songs on Poole's turbulent life by Wainwright and producer Dick Connette.
Edward "Felix" McTeigue was a Grammy Award-nominated record producer and songwriter.
There's a Last Time for Everything is the second full-length studio album by singer-songwriter Lucy Wainwright Roche. The album was recorded over ten days in Nashville in collaboration with producer Jordan Brooke Hamlin. Of the quick recording, Lucy said, "Jordan and I crafted these tracks over long summer days that stretched into late, late nights. We were gloriously swept up in the process, like kids working on a secret project. Because we were working with a limited time frame, we went with our gut on every decision. There wasn't time for us to second guess or retrace our steps. The urgency of working that way was exciting and freeing – and also a little bit terrifying." The album was released on October 15, 2013.
Songs in the Dark is the debut album by the Wainwright Sisters, a singer-songwriter duo featuring the Canadian-American Martha Wainwright and her American half-sister Lucy Wainwright Roche. The album, released on November 13, 2015, includes lullabies that their mothers Kate McGarrigle and Suzzy Roche sang to them as children, plus songs by Woody Guthrie, Jimmie Rogers, and their father Loudon Wainwright III.
She and Terre performed them first in the family living room in Park Ridge, N.J., then later on the back of a flat-bed truck in nearby shopping centers for the benefit of a local politician and the glory of the Democratic Party.
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