Living Colour

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This article is about the hard rock band. For the television series, see In Living Color.


Living Colour
Live in Vienna, 1993
Live in Vienna, 1993
Background information
Origin New York City, USA
Genre(s) Hard rock
Heavy metal
Funk metal
Years active 1984–1994, 2001–present
Label(s) Epic
Sanctuary
Sony
Associated
acts		 Headfake
Wood Brass & Steel
Website http://www.livingcolour.com/
Members
Corey Glover (1984-present)
Vernon Reid (1984-present)
Doug Wimbish (1992-present)
Will Calhoun (1984-present)
Former members
Muzz Skillings (1984-1992)

Living Colour is a hard rock group formed in New York city in 1984 by African American musicians. They signed to Epic Records in 1987 and released their first album Vivid in 1988. Stylistically their music is a creative fusion influenced by guitar-based rock, funk, heavy metal, free jazz, hardcore punk and hip hop. They are linked to the funk metal movement of the late 1980s typified by bands such as Fishbone, Jane's Addiction, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Faith No More, and 24-7 Spyz. They are best remembered for the hits "Cult of Personality", which won a Grammy Award for best hard rock performance in 1989 and "Type" - their highest charting single. They were also named Best New Artist at the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards.

Contents

[edit] History

Living Colour grew out of the Black Rock Coalition, an organization started by (among others) guitarist Vernon Reid for black musicians interested in playing rock music. Reid, British born but a longtime New York resident, was well known on the downtown New York jazz scenes courtesy of his tenure in Ronald Shannon Jackson's Decoding Society. A guitarist of unnerving technique and speed, he assembled a number of bands under the name Living Colour before settling on this quartet - bassist Muzz Skillings, drummer Will Calhoun, who had graduated with honors from Berklee College of Music, and vocalist Corey Glover (who Reid met at a birthday party and was suitably impressed with a rendition of "Happy Birthday"). In Skillings and particularly Calhoun, Reid had a rhythm section with the ability to express themselves in dozens of forms, and in Glover he had a vocalist who could produce depths of soul or rage upon demand. Soon after they became regulars on the touring circuit, including regular gigs at the seminal club CBGB. Aided by a demo produced by fan Mick Jagger, they scored a record deal with Epic records (now Sony), and released Vivid in the middle of 1988. The album gathered sales momentum only when in late 1988 MTV began playing the video for "Cult of Personality." They gained further exposure as an opening act (with Guns N' Roses) for the 1989 Rolling Stones tour of stadiums throughout the USA.

Their second effort, Time's Up, was a sprawling affair that capitalized on the ability of its members to work in numerous musical contexts; thrash metal, punk, jazz fusion, delta blues, hip hop (cameos by Queen Latifah and Doug E. Fresh), funk, jive, and hints of electronica were all represented. The album won a Grammy for Best Hard Rock Album. Other guests included Maceo Parker and Little Richard. In 1991 they joined the inaugural Lollapalooza tour and released an EP of outtakes entitled Biscuits. Bass player Muzz Skillings left the group soon after due to creative differences and was replaced by Doug Wimbish. This new incarnation released the album Stain in 1993, revealing an emotionally darker, more personal side of the group. Despite retaining their strong fan base, the band split in 1994 after failing to settle on a common musical goal during sessions for their fourth full-length album. Four of these tracks were included on the compilation "Pride".

Individual members released a variety of solo efforts until the band finally reformed for good in 2001. The reunion was followed by the release of another dark record, Collideøscope, in 2003.

Sony Records released Live from CBGB's recorded on December 12, 1989 @ the legendary CBGB's as well as another "best of" cd titled Everything Is Possible: The Very Best of Living Colour with songs from Vivid to Collideoscope.

As of August 2006, Glover is taking on the role of Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar touring w/ Ted Neeley. According to Reid, Glover had not left the band [1]. dUg Pinnick, vocalist and bassist for King's X, is filling in for Glover on lead vocals. Living Colour is planning to record an album of all-new material for 2007 release.

On Friday September 22nd, original bassist Muzz Skillings joined the band for the first time in 17 years. The occasion was a private party drummer Jack DeJohnette threw for his wife Lydia. Current LC bassist Doug Wimbish was unable to come back from London for the event and Muzz agreed to do it.

Living Colour is doing a small European Tour - December 12th through Dec 19th 2006.

[edit] Trivia

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

1. Vivid (1988)

2. Live From CBGB's (1989, released in 2004)

3. Time's Up (1990)

4. Stain (1993)

5. CollideØscope (2003)

6. Instant Live: Avalon, Boston, MA 10/17/04 (2005, recorded live in 2004)

[edit] EPs

1. Biscuits (1991)

[edit] Videos

1. Primer (1989)

2. Time Tunnel (1991)

[edit] Compilations

  • Dread (1994)
  • Pride (1995)
  • Super Hits (1998)
  • Play It Loud (1998)
  • What's Your Favorite Color?: Remixes, B-Sides and Rarities (2005)
  • Everything Is Possible: The Very Best of Living Colour (2006)

[edit] Singles

  • Cult Of Personality (1988)
  • Glamour Boys (1988)
  • Memories Can't Wait (1989)
  • Open Letter (To A Landlord) (1989)
  • Type (1991)
  • Love Rears Its Ugly Head (1991)
  • Solace Of You (1991)
  • Pride (1992)
  • Fight The Fight (1992)
  • Nothingness (1993)
  • Ausländer (1993)
  • Sunshine Of Your Love (1994)

External link :

[edit] Singles

Year Title Chart Positions Album
US Modern Rock
1990 "Type" #3 Time's Up
1990 "Elvis Is Dead" #25 Time's Up
1991 "Love Rears Its Ugly Head" #8 Time's Up
1991 "Talkin' Loud and Sayin' Nothing" #12 Biscuits [EP]

[edit] External links

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