Incubator escapee wiki

NRBQ

Article Discussion

Template:Short description Template:Redirect Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox musical artist

NRBQ is an American rock band founded by Terry Adams (piano), Steve Ferguson (guitar) and Joey Spampinato (bass).<ref name=AllMusic2019>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=Boston.com>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Originally the "New Rhythm and Blues Quintet", the group was formed circa 1965.<ref name=lohud>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=Spectrum>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=Argus>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Adams disbanded it for a time, and the group re-formed in 1967.<ref name=AllMusic2019/><ref name=Boston.com/><ref name=Style>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The quartet is known for its live performances, containing a high degree of spontaneity and levity, and blending rock, pop, jazz, blues and Tin Pan Alley styles.<ref name=AllMusic2019/><ref name=RStone>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

From 1974 to 1994, the band included pianist Adams, bassist Spampinato, guitarist Al Anderson, and drummer Tom Ardolino. This is considered the classic lineup of the group.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Its current membership includes Adams, bassist Casey McDonough, guitarist Scott Ligon, and drummer John Perrin. Other members in the band's long history include guitarists Kenny Sheehan and Johnny Spampinato; drummers Tom Staley, Conrad Choucroun, Bobby Lloyd Hicks and Joe Camarillo; and vocalist Frank Gadler.

HistoryEdit

NRBQ began in late 1965 as a rehearsal band in the Shively, Kentucky, home of brothers Terry and Donn Adams, and they appeared on stage for the first time in 1966.<ref name=Argus/> Along with drummer Charlie Craig, they made home tapes of their experiments. The first known reference to the band's name can be heard on one of these home tapes, with Donn announcing, "Here they are, the New Rhythm and Blues Quintet!" as though presenting them to a live audience.

In late spring of 1966, guitarist Steve Ferguson was invited to join NRBQ after he quit Mersey Beats USA (no relation to the Liverpool group who recorded "I Stand Accused"). He met Adams when the latter briefly joined the Mersey Beats USA to fill in for the regular keyboard player.<ref name=AllMusic2019/> After playing a few live dates in Louisville, Jimmy Orten (Soul Inc) was recruited on bass and vocals and the band left for Florida in late 1966.

In Miami, early January 1967, NRBQ played six nights at The Cheetah. Soon after, Orten and Ferguson returned to Louisville. Adams stayed behind and joined The Seven of Us, a band that was playing the same club.<ref name=AllMusic2019/><ref name=S&S>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> By August, the NRBQ was Adams (keyboards), Ferguson (guitar), Spampinato (bass) and Frank Gadler (vocals) from The Seven of Us, and Tom Staley (drums).

In December 1968, they began recording with Eddie Kramer at the Record Plant<ref name=BCB>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and by early 1969 were signed to a two-record deal with Columbia Records. Their self-titled debut album was released that year, with songs by both Eddie Cochran and Sun Ra, and a number of similarly wide-ranging originals. The following year, the group collaborated with rockabilly legend Carl Perkins on an album titled Boppin' the Blues.<ref name=AllMusic2019/>

Over the next three years, the band experienced personnel shifts, with the departure of Ferguson (replaced for one year by Ken Sheehan), Gadler, and Staley, and the arrival of two new members: guitarist/singer Al Anderson formerly of The Wildweeds, known for the Connecticut and Massachusetts regional hit "No Good To Cry",<ref name=CTPost>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and drummer Tom Ardolino.<ref name=Boss2>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The Adams / Spampinato / Anderson / Ardolino quartet stayed together longer than any other incarnation of the band (20 years, from 1974 until 1994),<ref name=Spectrum/><ref name=Boss2/> and was often augmented by the Whole Wheat Horns (Donn Adams, Keith Spring and others).

File:NRBQ and Lou Albano.png
NRBQ with Lou Albano

Starting in September 1989, NRBQ opened for R.E.M. on the "Acronym Tour"<ref name=RStone/> with the first concert taking place on the 27th at the University of Dayton Arena. The last stop on the tour was at the Shoreline Amphitheater at Mountain View in Mountain View, California on October 21.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Rolling Stone's Sam Freedman noted that the NRBQ played a compressed 30-minute club show. He also reported that both Mike Mills and Peter Buck of R.E.M. watched each of the NRBQ's opening sets during their portion of the tour from the edge of the stage "as if to endorse NRBQ for their fans".<ref name=RStone/>

In 1994 Anderson departed the group. He would become an award-winning Nashville songwriter for many country and western acts. He was replaced in NRBQ by Joey Spampinato's younger brother, Johnny Spampinato, who was (and still is) a member of power-pop band The Incredible Casuals.

On April 30 and May 1, 2004, the group celebrated its 35th anniversary with concerts at the Calvin Theater in Northampton, Massachusetts. The shows featured every former and current member of the band, as Ferguson, Gadler, Staley, Sheehan and Anderson returned for an NRBQ reunion.<ref name=AllMusic2019/><ref name=Boston.com/>

Hiatus and returnEdit

File:NRBQ at Louisville.jpg
NRBQ at Jim Porter's Good Time Emporium, Louisville, KY, October 24, 2014
Left to right: Bobby Lloyd Hicks, Terry Adams, Casey McDonough and Scott Ligon

After the Halloween engagement at Shank Hall in Milwaukee in 2004, NRBQ went on hiatus.<ref name=UMil>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Adams had developed stage 4 throat cancer. During this time, Ardolino and the Spampinato brothers started playing shows as a trio, under the name "Baby Macaroni" and as the "Spampinato Bros.". After a number of months, Adams recovered and toured with former drummer Staley and Japanese rockabilly group the Hot Shots.<ref name=AllMusic2019/><ref name=Boston.com/><ref name=Boss2/>

In June 2006, Adams and Ferguson released the album Louisville Sluggers (with Ardolino on drums, Pete Toigo on bass and other supporting musicians), and this album's lineup performed live shows in the U.S. and Japan as "The Terry Adams – Steve Ferguson Quartet" and "Rock & Roll Summit Meeting."

Also in September 2006 came the release of a SpongeBob SquarePants album, The Best Day Ever, which included backing music by all four NRBQ members, as well as Anderson. The album, a collection of '60s-influenced pop/rock produced by Andy Paley, and co-written by Paley and the voice of SpongeBob, Tom Kenny, also included such musical luminaries as Brian Wilson, Tommy Ramone, James Burton, Flaco Jiménez and Philadelphia DJ Jerry "The Geator" Blavat.

In November 2007, Adams formed "The Terry Adams Rock & Roll Quartet" with Scott Ligon on guitar and vocals, Pete Donnelly (of The Figgs) on bass and Conrad Choucroun and Ardolino on drums.

In March 2011, Adams posted an open letter to fans announcing that with the release of the upcoming album, Keep This Love Goin', this lineup would take on the NRBQ name. He also explained that while he did have tendinitis, the real reason for the hiatus was his treatment for cancer.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In May 2012, the group released a live album, We Travel the Spaceways, on Clang! records.<ref name=AllMusic2019/><ref name=Boston.com/>

During September 2012, bassist Donnelly was replaced by Scott Ligon's friend Casey McDonough. (As of 2021, Ligon and McDonough have also been members of the Flat Five, based in Chicago.)

In July 2013, NRBQ toured with drummer Joe Camarillo of The Waco Brothers and Hushdrops, where he recorded two songs on the Brass Tacks album: "Greetings from Delaware" and "I'm Not Here". Bobby Lloyd Hicks became the drummer from 2013 to 2015. He played on "Love In Outer Space" and "Let Go" from the 5-CD box set High Noon. John Perrin became the drummer in 2015.Template:Citation needed

Steve Ferguson died of cancer on October 7, 2009.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Tom Ardolino died on January 6, 2012, following a long illness.<ref name=Boss2/>

Bobby Lloyd Hicks died of bronchiectasis on February 20, 2017.

Joe Camarillo died on January 24, 2021, of a stroke after contracting COVID-19.<ref name=JCamarillo-death_CReader>Template:Cite news </ref><ref name=JCamarillo-death_CTribune>Template:Cite news </ref>

Reunion showsEdit

On April 27 and 28 of 2007, NRBQ gave a pair of "38th Anniversary" performances in Northampton, Massachusetts, the first public NRBQ shows since 2004. Both Anderson and Johnny Spampinato appeared in the line-up, along with "Whole Wheat Horns" Donn Adams and Jim Bob Hoke, and guest appearances by John Sebastian, original NRBQ drummer Staley, and the band's former road manager Klem Klimek on saxophone. Gadler, former lead vocalist, also appeared.

Style and influenceEdit

The band's music is a blend of styles from rockabilly to Beatles-influenced pop to Thelonious Monk-inspired jazz.<ref name=AllMusic2019/><ref name=RStone/><ref name=BCB/><ref name=lohud/><ref name=Boston.com/><ref name=Boss2/><ref name=Spectrum/><ref name=S&S/><ref name=Style/><ref name=Argus/> They have attracted fans as diverse as Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Elvis Costello, Keith Richards, The Replacements, John Sebastian, Dave Edmunds, Yo La Tengo and Penn & Teller.<ref name=AllMusic2019/><ref name=Boston.com/><ref name=UMil/><ref name=Argus/> NRBQ songs have been performed by Bonnie Raitt, Los Lobos, and Dave Edmunds among others.<ref name=Argus/> Also, the group served as the unofficial "house band" for The Simpsons for the season 10–12 period in which NRBQ fan Mike Scully was head writer and executive producer. NRBQ allowed several of their songs to be used on The Simpsons, including "Mayonnaise and Marmalade", written specifically for the show. The band also appeared in animated form and on camera during the end credits to perform the show's theme song during the episode "Take My Wife, Sleaze" and to perform Edmunds's cover of "Me & The Boys".<ref name=Boston.com/><ref name=Argus/> The band also recorded a song entitled "Birdman" for an episode of Space Ghost Coast to Coast entitled "Pilot". The group appeared in feature films, including Day of the Dead, Shakes the Clown, and 28 Days. Their cover version of "Down in My Heart" appeared in the series finale of Wilfred.

NRBQ has a large following from decades of live shows. The band always performs without a set list which makes them, in the words of AllMusic's Mark Deming, "a stellar and wildly unpredictable live act."<ref name=AllMusic2019/> In addition to its own compositions, the band performs a broad range of cover material and audience requests.

In their nearly 50-year history, NRBQ's records have been released by many record companies, including Columbia Records, Kama Sutra Records, Mercury Records, Virgin Records, Rhino Entertainment, Rounder Records, and more.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Their song "Get That Gasoline Blues" (on Kama Sutra) reached No. 70 in 1974 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Over the years, the group played sets while wearing pajamas, hired professional wrestling manager "Captain" Lou Albano as the band's manager (for whom they penned a song in tribute), and exploded Cabbage Patch Dolls on stage.

MembersEdit

Current line-upEdit

  • Terry Adams – keyboards, vocals (1966–2004, 2011–present); occasional live drums (1974–2004, 2016–present)
  • Scott Ligon – guitar, vocals (2011–present)
  • Casey McDonough – bass, vocals (2012–present)
  • John Perrin – drums (2015–present)

Former membersEdit

  • Steve Ferguson – guitar, vocals (1966–1970, 1973–1974; guest 2004; died 2009)
  • Joey Spampinato – bass, vocals (1967–2004, 2007)
  • Tom Staley – drums (1967–1974; guest 2004, 2007)
  • Frank Gadler – lead vocals (1967–1972; guest 2004, 2007)
  • Joe Gallivan – drums (1968)
  • Ken Sheehan – guitar (1970; guest 2004)
  • Al Anderson – guitar, vocals (1971–1994, 2007; guest 2004)
  • Tom Ardolino – drums, vocals (1974–2004; died 2012)
  • Johnny Spampinato – guitar, vocals (1994–2004, 2007)
  • Conrad Choucroun – drums (2011–2013)
  • Pete Donnelly – bass, vocals (2011–2012)
  • Nash Lovallo - guitar (2012-2014)
  • Joe Camarillo – drums (2013, died 2021)
  • Bobby Lloyd Hicks – drums (2013–2015, died 2017)

TimelineEdit

<timeline> ImageSize = width:800 height:auto barincrement:24 PlotArea = left:100 bottom:90 top:10 right:20 Alignbars = justify DateFormat = mm/dd/yyyy Period = from:01/01/1966 till:{{#time: m/d/Y }} TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy Legend = position:bottom orientation:vertical columns:3 ScaleMajor = increment:5 start:1966 ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:1966

Colors = 

 id:vocals  value:red     legend:Vocals
 id:guitar  value:green   legend:Guitars
 id:bass    value:blue    legend:Bass
 id:keys    value:purple  legend:Keyboards,_piano
 id:drums   value:orange  legend:Drums,_percussion
 id:lines1  value:black   legend:Studio_albums

BarData = 

bar:Terry   text:Terry Adams
bar:Frank   text:Frank Gadler
bar:Steve   text:Steve Ferguson
bar:Ken     text:Ken Sheehan
bar:Al      text:Al Anderson
bar:Johnny  text:Johnny Spampinato
bar:Scott   text:Scott Ligon
bar:Joey    text:Joey Spampinato
bar:Pete    text:Pete Donnelly
bar:Casey   text:Casey McDonough
bar:TomS    text:Tom Staley
bar:Tom     text:Tom Ardolino
bar:Conrad  text:Conrad Choucroun
bar:Joe     text:Joe Camarillo
bar:Bobby   text:Bobby Lloyd Hicks
bar:John    text:John Perrin

PlotData= 

width:3
bar:Terry   from:01/01/1966 till:12/31/2004 color:vocals
bar:Terry   from:01/01/2011 till:end        color:vocals
bar:Steve   from:01/01/1966 till:06/30/1970 color:vocals
bar:Steve   from:08/30/1973 till:06/30/1974 color:vocals
bar:Al      from:01/01/1971 till:07/30/1994 color:vocals
bar:Johnny  from:07/31/1994 till:12/31/2004 color:vocals
bar:Scott   from:01/01/2011 till:end        color:vocals
bar:Joey    from:01/01/1967 till:12/31/2004 color:vocals
bar:Pete    from:01/01/2011 till:06/30/2012 color:vocals
bar:Casey   from:07/01/2012 till:end        color:vocals
bar:Tom     from:07/01/1974 till:12/31/2004 color:vocals
width:11
bar:Terry   from:01/01/1966 till:12/31/2004 color:keys
bar:Terry   from:01/01/2011 till:end        color:keys
bar:Frank   from:01/01/1967 till:12/31/1972 color:vocals
bar:Steve   from:01/01/1966 till:06/30/1970 color:guitar
bar:Steve   from:08/30/1973 till:06/30/1974 color:guitar
bar:Ken     from:07/01/1970 till:12/31/1970 color:guitar
bar:Al      from:01/01/1971 till:07/30/1994 color:guitar
bar:Johnny  from:07/31/1994 till:12/31/2004 color:guitar
bar:Scott   from:01/01/2011 till:end        color:guitar
bar:Joey    from:01/01/1967 till:12/31/2004 color:bass
bar:Pete    from:01/01/2011 till:06/30/2012 color:bass
bar:Casey   from:07/01/2012 till:end        color:bass
bar:TomS    from:01/01/1967 till:06/30/1974 color:drums 
bar:Tom     from:07/01/1974 till:12/31/2004 color:drums
bar:Conrad  from:01/01/2011 till:04/30/2013 color:drums
bar:Joe     from:05/01/2013 till:08/31/2013 color:drums
bar:Bobby   from:09/01/2013 till:06/30/2015 color:drums
bar:John    from:07/01/2015 till:end        color:drums

LineData = 

 layer:back color:lines1
 at:07/01/1969
 at:07/01/1970
 at:07/01/1972
 at:07/01/1973
 at:07/01/1977
 at:07/01/1978
 at:07/01/1979
 at:07/01/1980
 at:05/01/1983
 at:09/01/1983
 at:07/01/1985
 at:07/01/1986
 at:07/01/1989
 at:07/01/1994
 at:05/01/1997
 at:09/01/1997
 at:07/01/1999
 at:07/01/2002
 at:07/01/2004
 at:07/01/2011
 at:07/01/2014
 at:10/20/2017
 at:11/21/2021

</timeline>

DiscographyEdit

Studio albumsEdit

Live albumsEdit

  • God Bless Us All (Rounder) 1987
  • Diggin' Uncle Q (Rounder) 1988
  • Honest Dollar (Rykodisc) 1992
  • Tokyo (Rounder) 1996
  • You Gotta Be Loose (Rounder) 1998
  • Live from Mountain Stage (Live performances from the Mountain Stage radio show) (Blue Plate) 2002
  • Live at the Wax Museum (previously unreleased concert from 1982, with guest John Sebastian) (Edisun) 2003
  • Froggy's Favorites Vol. 1 (compilation of unreleased live tracks 1979–1999) (Edisun) 2006
  • Ludlow Garage 1970 (previously unreleased concert from 1970) (Sundazed) 2006
  • We Travel the Spaceways (Clang!) 2012
  • Talk Thelonious (Euclid Records) 2015
  • Turn On, Tune In (Omnivore) 2019
  • NRBQ at the Ardmore Music Hall 2015 (arQive) 2020
  • NRBQ & the Whole Wheat Horns Park West 83 (arQive) 2022

CompilationsEdit

  • RC Cola and a Moon Pie (Rounder/Red Rooster) 1986
  • Uncommon Denominators (Rounder-era compilation covering 1972 through 1984) (Rounder) 1987
  • Kick Me Hard — The Deluxe Edition (reissue, w/ 8 bonus tracks) (Rounder) 1989
  • Peek-A-Boo (multi-label compilation covering 1969 through 1989) (Rhino) 1990
  • Stay with We (compilation of Columbia years, w/ unreleased songs) (Columbia/Legacy) 1993
  • Tapdancin' Bats — The Anniversary Edition (reissue, w/ 4 bonus tracks) (Rounder) 1998
  • Ridin' in My Car (reissue of All Hopped Up, w/ unreleased songs) (Rounder) 1999
  • Scraps (reissue, remastered, w/ 3 bonus tracks) (Rounder) 2000
  • Scraps Companion (15 tracks from radio show from Memphis in 1972 and 6 outtakes from Scraps sessions) (Edisun) 2000
  • Transmissions (2-disc Japan-only compilation featuring about 40 percent unissued material) (Caraway) 2004
  • Christmas Wish — Deluxe Version (Clang!) 2007
  • High Noon: A 50-Year Retrospective [106-track 5-CD version] (Omnivore) 2016
  • High Noon: A 50-Year Retrospective [17-track digital version] (Omnivore) 2016
  • High Noon: A 50-Year Retrospective [26-track 2-LP version] (Omnivore) 2017
  • In • Frequencies (Omnivore) 2020

SinglesEdit

  • "Stomp / I Didn't Know Myself" (Columbia) 1969 No. 122 US <ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
  • "C'mon Everybody / Rocket Number 9" (Columbia) 1969
  • "Down In My Heart / Sure To Fall (In Love With You)" (Columbia) 1969
  • "All Mama's Children / Step Aside" (with Carl Perkins) (Columbia) 1970
  • "Howard Johnson's Got His Ho-Jo Workin' / Only You" (Kama Sutra) 1972
  • "Magnet / Do You Feel It?" (Kama Sutra) 1972
  • "C'mon If You're Comin' / RC And A Moon Pie" (Kama Sutra) 1973
  • "Get That Gasoline Blues / Mona" (Kama Sutra) 1973 No. 70 US <ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
  • "Rumors / Sourpuss" (Select-O-Hit) 1974
  • "Ridin' In My Car / Do The Bump" (Red Rooster) 1977
  • "I Got A Rocket In My Pocket / Tapdancin' Bats" (Red Rooster) 1977
  • "I Love Her, She Loves Me / Green Lights" (Mercury) 1978
  • "Hot Biscuits And Sweet Marie / Don't She Look Good" (Red Rooster/Rounder) 1979
  • "Get That Gasoline / Wacky Tobacky" (Red Rooster/Rounder) 1979 No. 105 US Cashbox<ref name="Whitburn">Template:Cite book</ref>
  • "Me And The Boys / People" (Red Rooster/Rounder) 1980
  • "Christmas Wish / Jolly Old St. Nicholas" (Red Rooster/Rounder) 1980
  • "Never Take The Place Of You / Radio Spot / TV Spot" (Red Rooster/Rounder) 1980
  • "Captain Lou / Boardin' House Pie" (W/ Captain Lou Albano) (Red Rooster) 1982
  • "Rain At The Drive-In / Smackaroo" (Instrumental) (Bearsville) 1983
  • "Wild Weekend / This Love Is True" (Virgin) 1989
  • "If I Don't Have You" (Virgin) 1989
  • "A Little Bit Of Bad / Tom Dooley" (Forward) 1994
  • "Over Your Head / Blues Stay Away From Me / Spampinato" (Forward) 1994
  • "Careful What You Ask For" (Rounder) 1999
  • "Everybody Say Yeah! / Hornin' In" (Euclid) 2012
  • "Never Cop Out / Scram! It's The Fuzz" (B-side By Los Straitjackets) (Spinout) 2016
  • "Do The Primal Thing" (Extended Version) (Omnivore) 2020
  • "I'm Not Here / All I Have To Do Is Dream" (Folc) 2021

ReferencesEdit

Template:Reflist

External linksEdit

Template:NRBQ Template:Authority control

Retrieved from "https://zalansite.site/mediawiki/index.php?title=NRBQ&oldid=511893"