NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Steppenwolf (band)

Steppenwolf is a rock band that helped establish heavy metal music in the late 1960s along with bands like Blue Cheer and Iron Butterfly. The band was formed in 1967 in Los Angeles by vocalist John Kay, guitarist Michael Monarch, bassist Rushton Moreve, keyboardist Goldy McJohn and drummer Jerry Edmonton after the dissolution of its predecessor, The Sparrows. Steppenwolf album cover uploaded by Gerald Zuckier. ... Flag Seal Nickname: City of Angels Location Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates , Government State County California Los Angeles County Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) Geographical characteristics Area City 1,290. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Acid rock is a form of psychedelic music and was the first form of it to achieve popular acclaim. ... Hard Rock redirects here. ... Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that attempts to replicate the mind-altering experiences of hallucinogenic drugs. ... Heavy metal redirects here. ... The year 1967 was an important year for psychedelic music, with releases from Small Faces Itchycoo Park,The Doors (The Doors, Strange Days), Jefferson Airplane (Surrealistic Pillow, After Bathing at Baxters), the Beatles Sgt. ... In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. ... ABC Dunhill Records starts when ABC Records purchases Dunhill Records They purchase Duke Records and Peacock Records on 23 May 1973. ... Mums Records was a short-lived record label in the United States in the early 1970s. ... Epic Records is an American record label, owned and operated by Sony BMG. // Epic was launched originally as a jazz and classical music label in 1953 by CBS. Its bright-yellow, black and blue logo became a familiar trademark for many jazz and classical releases. ... MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc. ... The Mynah Birds were a short-lived R&B band based in Toronto in the 1960s. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Steppenwolf (band). ... Janis Lyn Joplin (19 January 1943 â€“ 4 October 1970) was an American singer, songwriter, and music arranger, from Port Arthur, Texas. ... World Classic Rockers is a rock supergroup formed in 1994. ... John Kay (left), Steppenwolf album cover John Kay (born 12 April 1944 as Joachim Fritz Krauledat in Tilsit, East Prussia) is a German-born Canadian singer, songwriter and guitarist known as the front man of Steppenwolf. ... Michael Wilk (born c. ... For other uses, see Rock music (disambiguation). ... This article is about the type of musical group. ... Heavy metal redirects here. ... The 1960s decade refers to the years from 1960 to 1969. ... Blue Cheer is a San Francisco-based rock group of the late 1960s and early 1970s, who helped to pioneer heavy metal music. ... For other uses, see Iron Butterfly (disambiguation). ... The year 1967 was an important year for psychedelic music, with releases from Small Faces Itchycoo Park,The Doors (The Doors, Strange Days), Jefferson Airplane (Surrealistic Pillow, After Bathing at Baxters), the Beatles Sgt. ... Flag Seal Nickname: City of Angels Location Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates , Government State County California Los Angeles County Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) Geographical characteristics Area City 1,290. ... John Kay (left), Steppenwolf album cover John Kay (born 12 April 1944 as Joachim Fritz Krauledat in Tilsit, East Prussia) is a German-born Canadian singer, songwriter and guitarist known as the front man of Steppenwolf. ... Michael Monarch (b. ... John Russell Morgane, known as Rushton Moreve, was a bass player for the band Steppenwolf. ... Goldie McJohn (born May 2, 1945) is a Canadian musician, best known as the keyboard player for the rock group Steppenwolf. ... Jerry Edmonton (October 24, 1946-November 28, 1993) was the drummer for rock group Steppenwolf. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Steppenwolf (band). ...

The band has sold more than 25 million units worldwide, releasing 8 gold albums and 13 Hot 100 singles, including three top-10 hits in "Born to Be Wild", '"Magic Carpet Ride", and "Rock Me". Steppenwolf enjoyed worldwide success from 1968 to 1974, but clashing personalities led to the end of the core lineup. Today, frontman John Kay is the only original member left, having served as lead singer for almost all of the 40 years since 1967. Kay has stated that there will be no more Steppenwolf tours, but according to band manager Charlie Wolf, he has left open the possibility of doing "a half dozen shows in '09".[1] The Billboard Hot 100 is the main singles chart used by Billboard magazine. ... Born to Be Wild is a rock song written by Mars Bonfire. ... Magic Carpet Ride is a rock song written by John Kay and Rushton Moreve from the band Steppenwolf. ...

History of Steppenwolf

The Sparrows

Steppenwolf had its roots in a Toronto blues-influenced rock band called The Sparrow, which was established in 1964 by brothers Dennis and Jerry Edmonton and Nick St. Nicholas. Kay joined The Sparrow in September 1965 to sing and play guitar after the original singer, Jack London, left the group. Shortly thereafter, Goldy McJohn, who had once played in The Mynah Birds with Neil Young and Rick James, was brought in to replace departed keyboardist Art Ayre. The band shortened its name to The Sparrow in May 1966. The Sparrow is the first novel by science fiction author Mary Doria Russell. ... Mars Bonfire was the stage name used by rock musician Dennis Edmonton (born April 21, 1943), perhaps best known for writing the song Born to Be Wild. ... Nick St. ... David Marsden is a Canadian radio broadcaster. ... Goldie McJohn (born May 2, 1945) is a Canadian musician, best known as the keyboard player for the rock group Steppenwolf. ... This article is about the musician. ... Rick James (born James Ambrose Johnson, Jr) (February 1, 1948 â€“ August 6, 2004) was one of the most popular artists on the Motown label during the late 1970s and early 1980s. ...

The band had some success in Toronto and New York before moving to California, recording an album for Columbia Records (not released until after Steppenwolf became popular). Dennis Edmonton and Nick St. Nicholas quit at this point to pursue other musical ventures. 17-year-old Michael Monarch and Rushton Moreve replaced them for a short time in The Sparrows before the band changed its name to Steppenwolf, at the suggestion of Dunhill Records producer Gabriel Mekler, who facilitated the band's signing with his employer. Columbia Records is the oldest brand name in recorded sound, dating back to 1888, and was the first record company to produce pre-recorded records as opposed to blank cylinders. ... Dunhill Records was started by Lou Adler, Al Bennett, Pierre Cossette and Bobby Roberts in 1964 as Dunhill Productions, originally for the purpose of releasing Johnny Rivers recordings on Imperial Records. ... Gabriel Mekler was a musician and record producer who attained fame in the 1960s, helming classic albums for Steppenwolf, Three Dog Night, and Janis Joplin. ...

Steppenwolf

Steppenwolf rocketed to world-wide fame after their third single, "Born to Be Wild", and their cover of Hoyt Axton's "The Pusher" were prominently used in the 1969 cult film Easy Rider (both titles originally had been released on the band's debut album). In the movie, "The Pusher" accompanies a drug deal, and Peter Fonda stuffing Dollar bills into his Stars&Stripes-clad fuel tank, while "Born to Be Wild" is then seen in the opening credits, with Fonda and Hopper riding their Harley choppers through the American West. The song, which is closely associated with motorcycles ever since, introduced to rock lyrics the signature term "heavy metal" (in fact, not about a kind of music, but about a motorcycle: "I like smoke and lightning, heavy metal thunder, racin' with the wind..."). The song reached number 2 on the charts. It had been written by Jerry Edmonton's elder brother, who had begun using the pen name Mars Bonfire. Born to Be Wild is a rock song written by Mars Bonfire. ... Hoyt Axton on the cover of Southbound (1975) Hoyt Wayne Axton (March 25, 1938 â€“ October 26, 1999) was an American country music singer-songwriter, and a film and television actor. ... This article, image, template or category belongs in one or more categories. ... This article is about motion pictures. ... Wyatt, Mary (Toni Basil), Billy and Karen (Karen Black) wandering the streets of a parade filled New Orleans. ... Peter Henry Fonda (born February 23, 1940) is an Academy Award-nominated American actor. ... Heavy metal redirects here. ... For other uses, see Motorcycle (disambiguation). ...

This was followed by several more hits, including "Magic Carpet Ride" (which reached #3) from Steppenwolf The Second and "Rock Me" (which reached #10) from At Your Birthday Party. Many fans consider their double album Steppenwolf Live (an extended single album in the UK) the best of Steppenwolf's releases, though John Kay expressed a personal dislike for the album in his autobiography, Magic Carpet Ride. Magic Carpet Ride is a rock song written by John Kay and Rushton Moreve from the band Steppenwolf. ...

Monster, which criticized US policy of the Nixon-era, and Steppenwolf 7 were the band's most political albums, and are still fondly remembered by fans as two of the best rock & roll snapshots of the attitudes of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Nixon redirects here. ...

The band broke up in 1971 following the release of another political concept album, For Ladies Only, and Kay went on to a successful though inconsistent solo career, scoring a minor solo hit in 1972 with "I'm Movin' On" from his album Forgotten Songs and Unsung Heroes.

Reunion

Steppenwolf reformed in 1974 with it's core linup of Kay, Edmonton, and McJohn, along with longtime bassist George Biondo and newcomer Bobby Cochran, Eddie Cochran's nephew. The band signed with Mums Records in retaliation for what Kay perceived as a lack of support by Dunhill Records for his solo album. Their first album apart from Dunhill was Slow Flux which included their last Top-40 hit, "Straight Shootin' Woman". Following the tour in support of the album's release, McJohn was dismissed for what Kay described as a decline in his quality in play, as well as erratic behavior. McJohn was replaced by Andy Chapin on Hour of the Wolf, though McJohn appeared in artwork for the single to Caroline (Are You Ready) and claims that his keyboard work can be heard on many of the album's tracks. After the album peaked at #155, the band attempted to break up, but the label, now Epic Records, insisted Steppenwolf record one more album to satisfy their contractual obligations. The ensuing album, Skullduggery, featuring Wayne Cook on keyboards, was released without a tour to support it, and Steppenwolf disbanded a second time. Bobby Cochran is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, and record producer who has worked with Steppenwolf, The Flying Burrito Bros. ... Ray Edward Eddie Cochran (October 3, 1938 â€“ April 17, 1960) was an American Rock and Roll musician and an important influence on popular music during the late 1950s and early 1960s. ... Mums Records was a short-lived record label in the United States in the early 1970s. ... Dunhill Records was started by Lou Adler, Al Bennett, Pierre Cossette and Bobby Roberts in 1964 as Dunhill Productions, originally for the purpose of releasing Johnny Rivers recordings on Imperial Records. ... Andy Chapin (1955 â€“ December 31, 1985) was an American keyboardist best known for his short stint with the Ricky Nelson Band that ended with his death along with his bandmates in a plane crash on New Years Eve, 1985 in De Kalb, Texas. ... Epic Records is an American record label, owned and operated by Sony BMG. // Epic was launched originally as a jazz and classical music label in 1953 by CBS. Its bright-yellow, black and blue logo became a familiar trademark for many jazz and classical releases. ... Wayne Cook is an American keyboardist best known for his time with Steppenwolf and Player. ...

New Steppenwolf

From 1977 until 1980 Steppenwolf reformed for touring, this time with a variety of incarnations featuring former members Nick St. Nicholas (German-born like Kay), Goldy McJohn, Kent Henry, Rushton Moreve, but without Kay himself. A new studio album, produced by Phil Spector was attempted in 1978, and abandoned. Another, The Night Of The Wolf was recorded in 1979 but never released. A third album was recorded in 1980, but halted with legal action. Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Harvey Philip Spector (born December 26, 1939) is an American musician, songwriter and record producer. ...

John Kay & Steppenwolf

John Kay formed a new version of Steppenwolf in the early 1980s and went on tour as "John Kay and Steppenwolf", as well as releasing a solo album in 2001. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 536 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (2316 Ã— 2592 pixel, file size: 3. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 536 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (2316 Ã— 2592 pixel, file size: 3. ... County Oppland District Gudbrandsdal Municipality NO-0501 Administrative centre Lillehammer Mayor (2005) SynnÃ¸ve Brenden Klemetrud (Ap) Official language form BokmÃ¥l Area - Total - Land - Percentage Ranked 211 477 kmÂ² 450 kmÂ² 0. ... The 1980s refers to the years from 1980 to 1989. ...

As the band was named after the Steppenwolf (novel) by German author Hermann Hesse, who was born in the Black Forest town of Calw, the city invited them to come over and play in the International Hermann-Hesse-Festival 2002, along with other bands inspired by Hesse, like Anyone's Daughter. The concert drew considerable media coverage, with Kay's fluent German stunning those who did not know beforehand about him growing up in Germany. For other uses, see Steppenwolf. ... Hermann Hesse (pronounced ) (2 July 1877 â€“ 9 August 1962) was a German-Swiss poet, novelist, and painter. ... A map of Germany, showing the Black Forest in red. ... Calw is a town in the middle of Baden-WÃ¼rttemberg in the south of Germany, capital of the district Calw. ... For the song Anyones Daughter by Deep Purple, see Fireball of 1971 Anyones Daughter is a German progressive rock band founded in 1972 in Stuttgart by Uwe Karpa und Matthias Ulmer. ...

The band performed its farewell concert October 6, 2007 at Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen, Maryland featuring Kay, longtime keyboardist Michael Wilk, drummer Ron Hurst, and guitarist Danny Johnson. is the 279th day of the year (280th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... A part of Cal Ripken, Jr. ... Aberdeen is a city in Harford County, Maryland, United States. ...

A 2007 newsletter from John Kay's Wolfpack fanclub states there will be some remastering of the band's classic albums throughout 2007. Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ...

Personnel

This is a List of personnel from the various lineups of Steppenwolfs studio and touring bands. ...

Discography

The following is a complete US and UK Discography of the American rock artist Steppenwolf, excluding promo only releases, bootlegs and unauthorized releases. ...

Notable performances

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Joni Mitchell, CC (born Roberta Joan Anderson on November 7, 1943) is a Canadian musician, songwriter, and painter. ... is the 171st day of the year (172nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1969 (number) 1969 (movie) 1969 (Stargate SG-1) episode. ... Northridge is a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley region of the City of Los Angeles, California. ... Jimi Hendrix (November 27, 1942 â€“ September 18, 1970) was an American guitar virtuoso, singer and songwriter. ... Joe Cocker OBE (born 20 May 1944) is an English rock/blues singer who came to popularity in the 1960s, and is most known for his gritty voice and his cover versions of popular songs. ... The Byrds (formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1964) were an American rock band. ... Creedence Clearwater Revival (commonly referred to by its initials CCR or simply as Creedence) was an American rock band, which consisted of John Fogerty (vocals, guitar, harmonica, piano), Tom Fogerty (guitar, vocals, piano), Stu Cook (bass guitar, vocals), and Doug Clifford (drums, percussion, vocals). ... is the 177th day of the year (178th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... , Shepton Mallet is a small rural town in Somerset, England. ... For the bands 1969 eponymous debut album, see Led Zeppelin (album). ... The Byrds (formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1964) were an American rock band. ... For other uses, see Donovan (disambiguation). ... Frank Vincent Zappa[1] (December 21, 1940 â€“ December 4, 1993) was an American composer, musician, and film director. ... 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John Dawson Johnny Winter III (born on 23 February 1944 in Beaumont, Texas, USA) is an American blues guitarist, singer, and producer. ... is the 209th day of the year (210th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ... Poplar Creek Music Theater was a concert venue located in Hoffman Estates, Illinois from 1980 to 1994. ... Hoffman Estates is a village located primarily in Cook County and a small section in Kane County, Illinois. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Robby Krieger (born January 8, 1946) is a rock and roll guitarist from Los Angeles, California. ... Arlo Davy Guthrie (born July 10, 1947) is an American folk singer. ... Three Dog Night is an American rock and roll band, best known for their work from 1968-1975 but still making live appearances as of 2007. ...

Popular culture

Born to Be Wild is a rock song written by Mars Bonfire. ... Star Trek: First Contact (Paramount Pictures, 1996; see also 1996 in film), is the eighth feature film based on the popular Star Trek science fiction television series. ... Zefram Cochrane is a fictional character in the Star Trek universe created by Gene Roddenberry. ... Magic Carpet Ride is a rock song written by John Kay and Rushton Moreve from the band Steppenwolf. ...

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