The concert gathered all of the remaining original Head East band members and current band members together onstage. Boyd and Huston recruited Mark Boatman, Tony Gross, and Dan Odum to record U.S. 1 (October 1980), Head East's last album to reach the charts and last newly recorded release on A&M; it was a minor chart entry. Eventually both Larry and Danny dropped out of the band and were replaced by Mike Somerville (guitar) and Dan Birney (bass). Head East is an American rock band formed in East Central Illinois. Do their first three albums have French titles? Piper and Flota on guitar were from southern Illinois and popular As long as I can still lift my synthesizer over my head like I do at the end of every show, Ill keep playing, said Boyd. Pictured (L to R): Steve Huston, original member; Darren Walker, current lead singer; John Schlitt, original member; and Greg Manahan, current bassist. ! The song is about a guy who returns home - possibly from a tour - and has it out with his woman. He learned firsthand about social issues such as addiction and substance abuse while in the music industry, and he wanted to teach students how to support individuals who may be dealing with these types of issues. "Never Been Any Reason" is the debut single by Head East from their debut album Flat as a Pancake. Clear Lake, in Des Moines and at the Roof Garden in Okoboji as at a DARE concert in which the band performed and again at the Iowa It was composed by the band's guitarist, Mike Somerville. by Head East on Amazon Music. It was a real pleasure to meet the Head East of today, and to sing once again with the Head East of the past, said Schlitt. Get Yourself Up (April 1976) and Gettin' Lucky (March, 1977) were less successful, but Head East (February, 1978), spurred by the minor singles chart entry "Since You Been Gone," reached the upper half of the Top 100. (DVD) Eddy Jones - drums, vocals (2006present), Greg Manahan - bass guitar, guitar, vocals (2006present), Darren Walker - lead vocals, occasional live bass guitar (2006present), Mark Murtha - lead guitar, vocals (2022present), Steve Huston - drums (19691973, 19741983), Mike Somerville - guitar (19731980, 19952003; died 2020), Tony Gross - guitar (19801984, 19871991), Kurt Hansen - bass, lead vocals (19831997), Mike Mesey - drums (19971999, 20002006), Richie Callison - guitar, lead vocals (20012006), Glen Bridger - lead guitar, vocals (20042022), This page was last edited on 21 April 2023, at 19:52. A concert followed at Arnolds Park with Head East headlining the which featured the song Never Been Any Reason, released by Flota, along with the other original members of the band, were A relative of mine who knew of my military background talked me The band achieved peak popularity and success during the 1970s, but later fell into obscurity. say that the first time Never Been Any Reason was performed it First time with original members on stage since April 19. into testing for the job, so I did, and the rest is history, said By Head East Artist Head East Type Album Released They met and formed the band while John, Roger, and Larry were studying at the University of Illinois, Steve was at Eastern Illinois University 45 miles away and Danny was not in college. All rights reserved. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Vietnam and stabbed twice as a cop then there was my time as a Head East Format: Audio CD 184 ratings -8% $1567 List Price: $16.99 Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns See all 6 formats and editions Streaming Unlimited MP3 $9.49 Listen with our Free App Audio CD $15.67 2 Used from $13.79 12 New from $13.82 Vinyl $7.20 7 Used from $7.20 Includes FREE MP3 version of this album. You have permission to edit this article. He is a founding member of Head East and has been it's keyboardist and leader for the past five decades. I received great feedback from them down the road about how the exercise helped them in their work.. Flota return from his military service and rejoined Head East in He taught computer science and communications classes at a local community college for over 20 years, until he retired in 2016 to play music on a full-time basis. In 2011, Head East was inducted into the Iowa Rock n' Roll Music Association's Hall of Fame. After its commercial heyday, Boyd led the band in continued touring and recording for small labels. A new version of Last.fm is available, to keep everything running smoothly, please reload the site. [1] In a 2011 interview, founding member Steve Huston claimed that soon after sunrise one morning in 1969, Baxter Twilight woke the band members in their communal home/practice facility. They released their first album, Flat as a Pancake, in 1974 on their o. Roger Boyd - Keyboard, Leader, Original Member, Darren Walker - Vocals, Glen Bridger - Guitar, Eddy Jones - Drums, Greg Manahan - Bass. My greatest accomplishment in my education was returning to school in 1995 and continuing on to earn my PhD.. Iowa Hall of Fame inductees 2011. With those sales, and the song "Never Been Any Reason" on radio, A&M was impressed enough to sign the band and re-release the album in 1975. We would play two night per week in about three different towns We are updating our release dates twice a week. The band followed with the albums Get Yourself Up and Gettin' Lucky, released in 1976 and 1977 respectively. At this point in time, I dont see an end in sight.. The Ben Folds Five song "Brick" is about a difficult time when Folds' girlfriend got an abortion. The five original members of Head East Roger Boyd on keyboards, Steve Houston on drums, Larry Boyd on bass and Danny Piper and Flota on guitar were from southern Illinois and popular. A&M was impressed enough to sign the band and re-release the album in 1975 which went gold by 1978. Nirvana, Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen are among those who wrote songs with cities that show up in this quiz. Mark operated his own recording studio in the early nineties, and produced recordings for many area groups. Read Full Biography. Head East with John Schlitt, Steve Huston & Roger Boyd. Head East. Vernon Police Department where he served for 25 years. Head East is an American rock band formed in East Central Illinois. Another tick-borne disease is on the rise in the U.S. Ukrainian soldiers get targeted by rockets while digging trenches near Bakhmut. The band remained active in some form for decades, and the song was always their showstopper. Also an. 1973 and 1974, he is credited with being an original member of the guitar player for Head East. provided me with a good career later in life, said Flota. The band members were presented with plaques honoring their talent, dedication, longevity and major impact on the Iowa music scene, where the band frequently played throughout the 70s. It also gave us the freedom to perform our own songs.. legendary Midwest rock band Head East. In addition to his solo concerts, Schlitt joined The Jay Sekulow Band for performances at various events, including a Darrell Waltrip NASCAR benefit concert and a televised American Center for Law and Justicebenefit concert. Great voice!! Originally known as the TimeAtions, the band adopted the name Head East on August 6, 1969, at the suggestion of the band's roadie, Baxter Forrest Twilight. University professor and founding member of a professional classic rock band. His most recent album, The Grafting, is available on 4K Records and is distributed by New Day Christian Distributors in the U.S. and internationally by Go Global Entertainment. He was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame as the lead singer of Petra, one of the most successful Christian rock bands of all time. Please subscribe to keep reading. [3] Both the last line of each verse and the choruses feature multi-part vocal harmonies sung by all the members of the band. These were the last studio albums recorded with new original material being released as Head East. It's copper-clad windows and sturdy brick were a backdrop to countle. The comedian Steve Martin had a hit in 1978 with "King Tut." Visit our official website at https://www.head-east.com/ Head East Official {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, UPDATE: Kirk Apartments destroyed in huge downtown fire, Downtown landmark arose on site of previous fire, Police also vital at Kirk Apartment scene, Medical board charges ex-MercyOne heart surgeon with incompetence, harmful practices, Mason City breaks ground on Highline Trail, City will work with Kirk Apartments owner in the aftermath, The fire last time: A history of Kirkland Flats, Kirk Apartments, Mason City native, entrepreneur John Pappajohn dies at age 94, High school track and field: Five area athletes to watch at the 2023 Drake Relays, Chris Lovell named chief operating officer at CL Tel, Iowa restaurant inspection update: Dead rodents, yellow slime and dodgy hotdogs, 2023 Drake Relays notebook: Reese Brownlee breaks Clear Lake record in girls' 400-meter run, Newman holds ground blessing for $15 million capital campaign, Local residents recall business titan John Pappajohn, More extreme heat waves are expected as the world gets warmer, Student misbehavior rises further since the return of in-person classes, study says. Instead of touring year-round, many bands began touring only in the summer a schedule that aligned well with the academic calendar in higher education. On January 6, 2008 it became the first song ever to sell 3 million digital copies in the States. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Schlitt's reunion performance with Head East follows on the heels of a busy year, which has seen the celebrated vocalist performing at events throughout the country and across the ocean. singles back then, were certified gold in 1978, representing more From Head Easts first concert on Aug. 6, 1969, at the Golden Gauntlet in Carbondale, Illinois, Boyd has remained loyal to the band he helped found. He started piano lessons at an early age, and went on to play trumpet in the school band. The band achieved peak popularity and success during the 1970s, but later fell into obscurity. Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. All user-contributed text on this page is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Three of the original five band members also left after 'Crazy' which also possibly shows a bit of frustration with the lack of greater success that never seemed to come their way. It is often considered Head East's signature song,[1] peaking at number 68 on the Billboard Hot 100, and continues to be played on classic rock radio stations in the US, generations after it was released. Enterprises newspaper. Though St. Louis is often mentioned as Head East's hometown, the original members grew up in south central Illinois. Please click here to learn how. Photo Caption: Past and current members of Head East recentlyperformed at the Iowa Rock n Roll Hall of Fame Induction Spectacular. From 2003 until his retirement in 2011, Boyd taught in the Department of Social Work and also courses in sociology and criminal justice. Its been an interesting life.. the members of Head East, so he quit the band and joined the Mt. Head East went through several lineups and musical approaches before consolidating in St. Louis in the early '70s as a hard rock quintet consisting of John Schlitt (vocals), Mike Somerville (guitar), Roger Boyd (keyboards), Dan Birney (bass), and Steve Huston (drums), all alumni of the University of Illinois. band at 16 years old, but they were looking for a guitar player so In March 1980, bassist Dan Birney and guitarist Mike Somerville left the band, while singer John Schlitt was fired over a drug dependency. The band was founded by vocalist John Schlitt, guitarist Danny Piper, keyboardist Roger Boyd, bassist Larry Boyd, and drummer Steve Huston. According to Boyd, these two careers fulfilled two of his lifelong dreams. It is often considered Head East's signature song, [1] peaking at number 68 on the Billboard Hot 100, and continues to be played on classic rock radio stations in the US, generations after it was released. cause I never did any of those things, said Flota. Having been up all night sitting in the front yard consuming acid, the roadie said that when the sun rose, it turned into a giant talking head and told him the band's new name should be "Head East". He enjoyed playing guitar and keyboard in his elementary school years, but dedicated himself to guitar when he was 15. He has worked as a studio musician playing guitar, steel guitar, and keyboards on recordings with Terry Ilous (XYZ and Great White), Jack Russell (Great White), Greg D'Angelo (Anthrax and White Lion), Sean McNabb (Dokken, Great White, Lynch Mob, Montrose, Queensryche, XYZ, and others), Glen Bridger (Head East and Bridger), and a variety of other artists across the United States and Europe. Brad Flota, one of the original members of Head East, was The band line-up at this time included Roger Boyd, Tony Gross, Kurt Hansen, and Donnie Dobbins. a Head East (self-titled) Head East Live! [5] The album reached gold status by 1978 and would remain their most popular album, spawning another hit in the song "Love Me Tonight", which peaked at number 54. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. keyboards, Steve Houston on drums, Larry Boyd on bass and Danny Instead of making a demo and pitching it to record companies, they just made the. The weekend concluded with performances by the inductees, with Head East as the finale. It took us from being a regional band to being a national act. in front of thousands of fans who are there because of your than 500,000 in record sales. Head East is an American rock band formed in East Central Illinois. Mike Somerville (1974 - 2003) Head East was a hard rock quintet originally from south central Illinois, then Champaign, Illinois, USA. (January, 1979) also peaked in the Top 100, as did A Different Kind of Crazy (October, 1979), and the band performed on the soundtrack to the comic anthology film J-Men Forever! A Different Kind of Crazy US 1 Onward and Upward Choice of Weapons Concert Classics Vol 7 Live on Stage The Best of Head East (The Millennium Collection) Head East / Gettin' Lucky (2 LPs on 1 CD) One Night With Head East Raise A Little Hell Head East Rocks! However, their fourth album simply titled Head East (1978) produced another hit with the band's cover of former Argent singer Russ Ballard's "Since You Been Gone",[3] which peaked at number 46. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. They recorded their debut album, Flat as a Pancake, independently and released it on their own Pyramid Records label in early 1975. 'Live On Stage' is a typical seventies live album on par with live REO Speedwagon, Foghat or Grand Funk Raillroad.Though this doesn't contain the full live set featured originally on 1979's . Feel free to contribute! They honed their craft playing colleges and clubs in the midwest, which is where they developed "Never Been Any Reason." Continue with Recommended Cookies. And the third is being one of the original members of the Head East fans will be thrilled to know that original drummer Steve Huston joined the band on vocals, while he may have lost a beat or two on drums, and thus while he did not . The first five tracks are from a 1980 show featuring the original personnel, while the last 10 tracks are from a 1981 show featuring the latter line-up. For all band submissions, review submissions, press materials, and more, please email: We do read every one, but we also get a high volume of mail. Can you identify them? One of the ways Boyd helped his social work students gain empathy for their clients was through the Single Parent Family Day activity he created. Other original members have drifted in and out of the band over the years, but Boyd is the only constant. Head East was awesome in the day, saw them at a small venue in 1979 in Kansas, they walked off the stage due to some redneck douches throwing beer . Iowa has been a great venue for Head East. ", A monthly update on our latest interviews, stories and added songs. Steve Huston, one of the founding members of Head East talks to Bill Grady and shares the real behind-the-scenes story of how the band came up with the name. He continued his education at Saint Louis University, where he earned his doctorate in 2003. . I dont know what its like to be high on drugs or alcohol Email: podcasts@lee.net. Dave Namanny is editor of the Mitchell County Press-News, a Lee Legendary rock vocalist, Grammy and Dove Award-winning GMA Hall of Famer John Schlittrecently joined the popular classic rock band, Head East, for a reunion concert event which was held at the Wildwood Springs Resort in Steeleville, Missouri. Roger Boyd took over leadership of the band for one mildly successful album, U.S. 1, and two more studio albums before the band became an oldies act. "" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. Flotas clean-living style didnt seem to fit with the rest of was at Arnolds Park in Okoboji, and I was there and proud to be For more information about Schlitt, visitjohnwschlitt.com. In 1979, the band released the double-LP Head East Live!,[3] and A Different Kind of Crazy. Genres: Hard Rock, AOR. inducted into the Iowa Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on Sept. 4 in Check out Head East Live! The hit is still one of the most frequently played classic rock anthems in many parts of the country. John Schlitt, legendary recording artist and Gospel Music Hall of Famer, best known as the lead singer for award-winning Christian band Petra during the era when the band won its four Grammy Awards and 10 Dove Awards, recently reunited with the popular 70s mainstream rock band Head East. The retired faculty member in the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Department of Social Work was also a founding member of the legendary rock band Head East. Tags : John Schlitt petra head east john schlitt news. You can cancel at any time. Mark was born in Kansas, but his family relocated to North Carolina, Texas, and New York before finally settling in the Kansas City, Missouri area. Several other musicians are credited on this release, including former members Dan Birney, Ricky Lynn Gregg, Brian Kelly, and Joel Parks. Original band members from the A&M era included Schlitt, Roger Boyd, Mike Sommerville, Steve Huston, and Dan Birney, who passed away in 2003. LEGENDARY RECORDING ARTIST JOHN SCHLITT REUNITES WITH 70s ROCK BAND HEAD EAST. The song has also been used on TV's That '70s Show and Friday Night Lights. The band continues to tour to this day, playing 30 to 40 shows each year. More songs that got a recording contract for an artist, More songs used in the movie Dazed And Confused. 97 talking about this. Then on Memorial Day, Id pack my mortar board away and put on my rock n roll clothes.. [4] Several midwest album rock radio stations, chief among them KSHE 95, St. Louis and KY-102 in Kansas City and others, began airing songs from the album as well. OSAGE There are three major accomplishments that Osages Brad The album featured songs from two shows at Denver's Rainbow Music Hall. Subsequent albums featured re-issued, remixed studio and live performances of the more successful material. [3] Neither album achieved the success of their debut album. "Performing with Head East is a special joy for me," Schlitt says of the event. Flat as a Pancake would remain their most popular album spawning two charting singles, the well-known anthem "Never Been Any Reason" and "Love Me tonight", both written by guitarist Mike Somerville. The singles "Never Been Any Reason" and "Love Me Tonight" became minor pop chart entries, and the album spent six months on the charts, eventually going gold. Today, he is the only remaining member of the original band, but he is the force that has kept the band a relevant part of the classic rock music scene for the past 50 years. Head East was a hard rock quintet originally from south central Illinois, then Champaign, Illinois, USA. This schedule allowed Boyd to focus all of his attention on his students while a faculty member at SIUE. Head East was a hard rock quintet originally from south central Illinois, then Champaign, Illinois. Artist descriptions on Last.fm are editable by everyone. Okoboji. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. This was written by Mike Somerville, who was the band's lead guitarist from 1973-1980, and again from 1994-2003. The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, who Martin would open for on tour, were his backing band on the song. sign in RYM new musicgenres charts listscommunity Close Search:Music Film Games for: New MusicGenresChartsListsCommunity artistreleaselabelworkfilmvideopic x Live! Blaze rekindled after firefighters orginally had it extinguished. Schlitt was recently named the best rock singer in Christian music history by GospelMusicChannel.com, and according to the website, Schlitt remains one of the most distinctive and impactful men to ever stand behind a microphone. Schlitt was also named Best Male Vocalist in About.coms 2011 Readers Choice Awards.Schlitt is currently in the studio recording his fourth solo album, The Greater Cause.