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The Guardian
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
James Lowe, singer of psychedelic rock trailblazers the Electric Prunes, dies age 82
James Lowe, the singer of psychedelic rock band the Electric Prunes, has died aged 82. His family said in a statement that he died of natural causes. 'Dad leaves behind a legacy of sound, love and boundless creativity,' they said on Facebook. 'At the centre of it all was our amazing mom, Pamela – his guiding star, enduring muse and wife of 62 years. We know how deeply he cherished this community, and we feel that love too.' Formed in Los Angeles in 1965, the band's second single, 1966's I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night), reached No 11 in the US, and proved their biggest hit. (Most of their hits were written by Annette Tucker and Nancie Mantz.) More significant, perhaps, was the song's inclusion on the 1972 psych and garage compilation Nuggets, a cult favourite for more than 50 years, and their general influence over the emerging psychedelic scene. Lowe said that the band wanted to make 'free-form garage music'. The band's name started as a joke and they had a short-lived, tumultuous existence, with Lowe later admitting that they were learning to play their instruments as they went along, with one significant early woodshedding session taking place at the house of Leon Russell. Members came and went, a David Axelrod-produced album of psychedelic pop and Gregorian music flopped and inspired a disastrous live performance, and producer and engineer Dave Hassinger's rights to the name allowed him to reassemble the band at will. Lowe left in 1968. The so-called New Improved Electric Prunes released their last album, Just Good Old Rock and Roll, in 1969 and split a year later. Lowe distanced himself from the band until interest resurged in the 1990s and he began touring and recording with other members of the group. The song Kyrie Eleison, from the Gregorian-inspired album Mass in F Minor, had been used in the 1969 film Easy Rider and part of the album were later sampled by the likes of MF Doom and Madlib. At the time of his death, he was the last surviving original member. Lowe was born in San Luis Obispo, California, on 5 March 1943 and lived in Hawaii for a time as a teenager. When he returned to California, he performed folk music and worked in rocket engine production before forming the Sanctions, the band that evolved into the Electric Prunes. After the band's split, Lowe worked as a recording engineer, contributing to significant works such as all three albums by Todd Rundgren's band Nazz and the first album by the band that would become Sparks, then known as Halfnelson. That record flopped, prompting Lowe to leave music to work in television production. In 2000, he told US author Richie Unterberger that the band's reunion had reminded him 'how much fun music is. Take away the profit motive and all that greed and you get back to trying to make a good record … it's very hard.' Of the Electric Prunes' brief existence, he said: 'Some things are meant to be short and sweet. Life is but a dream.'
Daily Mail
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Legendary Carpenters composer dies aged 84 as tributes pour in for the We've Only Just Begun hitmaker
We've Only Just Begun composer Roger Nichols has died aged 84. The multi-instrumentalist behind the Carpenters' biggest hit passed away peacefully at his home on May 17, but no cause of death has been given. His songwriting partner Paul Williams, 84, confirmed the news on Instagram on Thursday, writing: 'The first song, Roger Nichols and I wrote was called "It's hard to say goodbye…" Sadly, we hit the nail on the head. 'Roger Nichols passed away peacefully four days ago, at home with his beautiful family …his wife Terry and the daughters he was so proud of, Claire and Caitlin at his side. They were his dream come true. His greatest joy.' Together, the pair penned the music and lyrics to several of the Carpenters' best hits, including Rainy Days and Mondays and I Won't Last a Day Without You. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the Daily Mail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Their songs were also performed by the likes of Barbra Streisand, Diana Ross, Petula Clark, and The Monkees. Roger's daughter, Claire, commented on the post with her own touching tribute: 'My mom, Terri, and my sisters, Caroline and Caitlin, are all so proud of the man he was, and are in awe of the legacy he leaves.' Tributes also flooded in from fans as the news broke, one wrote: 'Rainy Days and Mondays, We've Only Just Begun, I Won't Last a Day... Your partnership left a mark, forever. 'Men like he an you are gifted with one of the most rare circumstences in a human life: inmortality through art. Each time one of your records spins, he'll live again somehow. All souls las forever (I've heard it somewhere...) Love and gratitude.'; 'My sympathies! Roger, I felt never got all the recognition for his work as he should've. 'It feels like there's too many songwriters out there who the general public doesn't know because their songs are performed by the well known singers and bands. 'I have a number of records with the names 'Roger Nichols - Paul Williams' and they make me smile quite often. Thoughts and prayers to Roger and his family/friends.'; 'This is not the news I wanted to wake up to. I have long considered Roger a genius and the two of you to be one of the greatest songwriting teams ever…PERIOD. 'There's nothing like discovering yet another perfect little Roger Nichols-Paul Williams gem I hadn't heard before. He wrote: 'The first song, Roger Nichols and I wrote was called "It's hard to say goodbye…" Sadly, we hit the nail on the head. Roger Nichols passed away peacefully four days ago, at home with his beautiful family' Roger's daughter's, Claire and Caitlin, also commented on the post with their own touching tributes They concluded: 'Thank you both endlessly and RIP to Roger. I'm glad to be among the 'small circle of friends' who understand all that he brought to the world.' One of Roger's best-known creations We've Only Just Begun, was originally a jingle for a Crocker National Bank commercial. Roger and Paul were commissioned to write it after a bank executive heard Roger's album, and it was composed in a matter of hours on the last day before the deadline. Richard Carpenter, 78, heard the jingle on TV and believed it had hit potential, so he approached Paul and asked him if he had a complete version of the track. Paul didn't have a complete version, but he soon extended it, and the Carpenters subsequently recorded a version, which became a major hit in late 1970. The hit was nominated for the Grammy Awards for Song of the Year and Best Contemporary Song. Brother-sister duo the Carpenters were fronted by the late Karen Carpenter, who tragically died in February 1983, aged just 32.
News.com.au
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Foreigner lead singer reveals departure from band on The Voice: ‘It's time to pass the mic'
Foreigner's longtime lead singer Kelly Hansen stunned fans when he announced his departure from the legendary band in rock star fashion. The 64-year-old rocker, who joined the band in 2005, broke the news on the season finale of NBC's The Voice US on Tuesday after performing the group's 1977 hit song Feels Like the First Time alongside his bandmates. 'After 20 magical years fronting this band, this will be my last year with Foreigner,' Hansen told the crowd. 'At the end of this summer, a new great voice will sing these songs for you; my friend Luis Maldonado.' Maldonado — who joined Foreigner in 2021 as a guitarist and has filled in as lead singer on the recent Latin America tour — appeared with a mic in hand on centre stage and started singing one of the band's radio hit songs, Juke Box Hero. Hansen joined Maldonado in an emotional send-off as the pair ended the night singing I Want to Know What Love Is. 'Being the voice of Foreigner has been one of the greatest honours of my life,' Hansen said following the announcement. 'But it's time to pass the mic. Luis has the voice, the energy, and the soul to carry these songs into the future. I couldn't be prouder to hand this off to him.' Maldonado added that he was ready to step up to the plate and 'honour Foreigner's legacy.' 'This music has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. I'm ready to honour Foreigner's legacy and bring my heart to every performance,' Maldonado said. Founding member and guitarist Mick Jones is the only original member of Foreigner to remain with the band. However, the 80-year-old rock star has not performed live with the band since 2023. 'In 1976, my goal was to assemble the finest group of musicians I could find. Results have shown that it worked!' Jones said of Hansen's departure, according to Rolling Stone. 'Kelly Hansen is one of the best frontmen in our business and over the last twenty years he has breathed new life into our songs. His boundless energy and flawless talent has helped us climb the mountain and set up the opportunity for Foreigner vocalist and guitarist, Luis Maldonado, to bring us home.' Hansen will put down the mic for good as the band's frontman at the end of their current summer tour, featuring both him and Maldonado as vocalists. Hansen's upcoming departure from the band caps off a 20-year run as Foreigner's vocalist after he replaced original lead singer, Lou Gramm — who left the group over creative differences, Billboard reported. In April, Gramm, 75, revealed he would be touring with Foreigner for one last run as the band and appeared as a special guest at their recent South American tour shows. Hansen did not join the band at those concerts due to scheduling issues, but he and Gramm have acknowledged their strained relationship, according to Billboard. Foreigner was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in October 2024, including Jones, Gramm, the band's original drummer Dennis Elliott, bassist Ed Gagliard (who died in 2014), keyboardist Ian McDonald (who died in 2022), keyboardist Al Greenwood, and bassist Rick Wills. Hansen was not included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction. Current members include Maldonado, Bruce Watson, Michael Bluestein, Chris Frazier, and Jeff Pilson. Foreigner is on tour across North America through November and will celebrate their 50th anniversary in 2026.
Forbes
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Buddy Holly Earns A New Posthumous Bestseller
Buddy Holly's The Very Best Of returns him to the U.K. charts decades after his passing, thanks to a ... More tribute-filled new book from Paul McCartney and members of The Who. NEW YORK - CIRCA 1958: Buddy Holly (Charles Hardin Holley) poses for a portrait circa 1958 in New York City, New York. (Photo by Michael) getty Buddy Holly has been gone for more than 60 years at this point. He died at just 22, when his career was only beginning to take off. He had already achieved commercial success in both the U.S. and the U.K. by that point, and his legacy has continued to grow in the six decades since his death in a plane crash. More than half a century later — far longer than he was alive to make music — Holly is still collecting new wins on the charts and being honored by major musicians. Holly returns to the U.K. music rankings this week with a beloved compilation. The Very Best Of , which credits both Holly and his band the Crickets, debuts on a pair of tallies as it finally becomes a bestseller. The Very Best Of launches at No. 54 on the Official Physical Albums chart. At the same time, it enters at No. 61 on the Official Albums Sales list, which also includes digital purchases. This frame marks just the third time Holly has scored a posthumous placement on the Official Albums Sales chart. He's only appeared on that list once as a solo act, with All Time Greats in 2021. A few years earlier, he collaborated with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra on True Love Ways , which remains his only top 10 on that ranking, as it peaked at No. 8. Holly has fared better on the Official Physical Albums tally. With The Very Best Of , he's doubled his total number of career appearances on this roster, which focuses on CD, vinyl, and cassette sales, when compared to the Official Albums Sales ranking. In both instances, the new arrival marks a new low for the late star. Buddy Holly's Compilation is a Hit Thanks to a New Book It appears that The Very Best Of is the same compilation of that name originally released in August 1999. The set — and Holly's music in general — is back in the spotlight following the release of a book titled Buddy Holly: Words of Love . The 400-plus-page book features musicians paying tribute to Holly, describing how he influenced their work and expressing the hope that their attention can keep his music and name alive. The project, which was heralded by his widow Maria Elena Holly, includes contributions from Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend of The Who, Paul McCartney, and Ronnie Wood of The Rolling Stones, who painted the cover art.
