Sunday, June 09, 2002 10:11:30 PM
Rock 'n' Roll Artists A-Z...Tommy James and the Shondells
http://www.tommyjames.com/
The music of Tommy James is played continuously, everyday, in every country in the world, and has been for over a generation. His songs have become so ingrained in modern culture, it's difficult to go for more than a couple of days without hearing one of them on radio, TV, in films, or on one of the 300 plus cover versions of his songs by other artists. He has sold, to date, over 100 million records and has been awarded 23 gold singles and 9 gold and platinum albums.
He was born Thomas Jackson on April 29, 1947 in Dayton, Ohio finally settling in Niles, Michigan which he still regards as his hometown. His first stage appearance was as a child model at age four.
In 1959, at the age of 12, he formed his first rock band, 'The Tornadoes', and began playing local gigs around the area and developing a sizeable following.
In 1964 a local DJ asked Tommy and the group to sign with his new regional label, 'Snap Records'. One of the 4 sides they recorded was an obscure song written by Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich called 'Hanky Panky'. The group changed their name to 'The Shondells' and released it as a single. It was an instant local hit but didn't break nationally and was soon forgotten.
Two years later, in May of '66, amazingly the record exploded out of Pittsburgh and 'Hanky Panky' was a smash! Unable to put the original group back together, Tommy went to Pittsburgh alone and hired the first local band he could find to be The Shondells. Two weeks later the new group signed a record deal with Roulette Records in New York and 'Hanky Panky' became the biggest hit of the summer of '66. Thus began one of the longest strings of non-stop hits in the record business.
'Hanky Panky' was quickly followed up by two more million selling singles: 'Say I Am' and 'It's Only Love' with the 'Hanky Panky' album going gold a mere 4 weeks after its release in July of '66.
Tommy then added producers Bo Gentry and Richie Cordell to the team who, over the next two years, produced 7 more back-to-back gold singles including:
"I Think We're Alone Now" "Mirage" "I Like The Way" "Gettin' Together" "Out Of The Blue" "Get Out Now" and the party rock icon... "Mony Mony"
The Gentry/Cordell/James team also produced three platinum albums:
"I Think We're Alone Now" "Mony Mony" "Something Special"
Tommy James and The Shondells were also one of the first acts to experiment with music videos of their hits starting with 'Mony Mony' in 1968, thirteen years before MTV.
By the end of '68, after three months on the road with Vice President Hubert Humphrey's Presidential campaign, TJ and company began writing and producing their own records.
Their first project, released in early 1969, was the unforgettable 'Crimson And Clover' album which in addition to going multi-platinum spawned three more monster hits for the group:
"Do Something To Me" "Crimson And Clover" "Crystal Blue Persuasion"
A fourth song on the LP, 'Sugar On Sunday' was recorded by The Clique and also went top ten. This was followed with the 'Cellophane Symphony' album which featured the first Moog Synthesizer ever used on a record, as well as another huge hit, 'Sweet Cherry Wine'. Their second volume of greatest hits (The Best of Tommy James and The Shondells) was released next and featured the smash hit 'Ball Of Fire'. This LP has sold, to date, over 10 million copies.
In 1970 the group released another million selling LP, 'Travelin'. This innovative theme album was viewed by many as their best work. It also contained the gold single, 'She' and 'Gotta Get Back To You'. 'Travelin', however, would be the last album Tommy would make with The Shondells.
With the breakup of The Shondells, Tommy continued with a solo career beginning with the writing and producing of the million selling 'Tighter, Tighter' for the group Alive 'n Kickin'.
Over the next four years Tommy scored an additional 12 chart singles including:
'Come To Me' 'Ball And Chain' 'I'm Commin' Home' 'Draggin' The Line'
Plus three top 40 albums: 'Tommy James', 'Christian Of The World', and 'My Head, My Bed And My Red Guitar', the latter recorded in Nashville with an all-star cast featuring Pete Drake and Elvis side-men Scotty Moore and DJ Fontana.
In 1974 Tommy left Roulette Records and recorded two albums for San Francisco based Fantasy Records: 'In Touch' and 'Midnight Rider'.
Returning to the east coast in 1980, Tommy signed with Millennium Records scoring three more chart singles including the million selling 'Three Times In Love'.
By the mid-80's, Tommy's songs, now considered classics, were being covered all over the world by everyone from punk rockers like Joan Jett to symphony orchestras like The Boston Pops.
At one point in 1987, Tiffany and Billy Idol, with their versions of 'I Think We're Alone Now' and 'Mony Mony', fought it out for the top spot on the charts for a solid month, each eventually going number one. It was the first time in music history that two cover versions of songs by the same artist went number one back-to-back.
In the 90's Tommy's music has appeared in countless movie soundtracks including:
'Forrest Gump' Oliver Stones' 'Heaven And Earth' 'Cape Fear' 'Pontiac Moon' 'Don't Tell Mom The Babysitter's Dead' 'Off And Running' 'Vice Versa' 'Apollo 13' To name only a few.
In 1999 REM's cover of 'Draggin' The Line' was one of the high points in the summer blockbuster 'Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me' while the film 'A Walk On The Moon' featured Cher singing 'Crimson And Clover' and Morcheeba doing 'Crystal Blue Persuasion'.
So far the year 2000 offers the box office smash 'Frequency' featuring Tommy's recording of 'Crimson and Clover' while the NBC TV movie 'Growin' Up Brady' touts 'Crimson And Clover' and "Crystal Blue Persuasion'.
Tommy has also recently recorded a much heralded Live CD of his Greatest Hits at the landmark 'Bitter End' night club in New York. Entertainment giant BMG has just released the project as one of their first DVD packages.
In 35 years Tommy James has left an indelible mark on his industry and his generation with credits and longevity as an artist, songwriter, and performer few have equalled. With the ever increasing popularity of his music, there seems to be no end in sight.
FACTOIDS:
1. Tommy James' first stage appearance was as a child-model in 1951 at age 4.
2. Tommy formed his first band "The Tornadoes", in 1959 at age 12 and the Shondells in 1963 - in his hometown of Niles, Michigan.
3. "Hanky Panky", Tommy's first million-seller, was recorded in 1964 at the WNIL radio studios in Niles, Michigan and released on a small regional label, Snap Records. Two years later it exploded out of Pittsburgh on a bootleg label. Tommy then signed with Roulette Records in New York and "Hanky Panky" became the biggest summer hit of 1966.
4. Tommy has had 23 gold singles, 9 gold and platinum albums, and has sold over 100 million records worldwide.
5. During 1968-69 Tommy James and The Shondells sold more single records (45's) than any artist in the world, including The Beatles.
6. Tommy James and the Shondells' "It's Only Love" album cover was the first professional photo shoot by Linda Eastman McCartney. (1966)
7. Tommy James was the first artist to feature the synthesizer in the production of his classic LP "Cellophane Symphony" in 1968. The instrument was owned by Hall of Famer Whitey Ford of The New York Yankees.
8. The chords and structure of Tommy's smash single "Mirage" were actually the chords to "I Think We're Alone Now" in reverse created when it was accidentally played backwards during a writing session.
9. Vice President Hubert Humphrey asked Tommy to head his "Youth Affairs" commission while performing on his 1968 Presidential campaign. Mr. Humphrey also wrote the liner notes for Tommy's "Crimson and Clover" album. They remained good friends until his death in 1978.
10. Tommy and the Shondells were one of the very first groups to produce music videos, starting with "Mony Mony" in 1968 - thirteen years prior to MTV.
11. The title of "Mony Mony" was created from the MONY (Mutual Of New York) Insurance Company building who's logo could be seen from Tommy's Manhattan apartment.
12. Tommy wrote and produced the million-selling smash hit "Tighter Tighter" by the group Alive 'N' Kickin'.
13. In 1969, Tommy and the group regrettably turned down the offer to perform at the original Woodstock Festival when his booking agent described the event as "...a stupid gig on a pig farm in upstate New York."
The Shondells I (1959 - ? )
Tommy James - vocals/guitar - b. Thomas Gregory Jackson, April 29, 1947, Dayton, Ohio, USA
Larry Coverdale - guitar
Larry Wright - bass
Craig Villeneuve - keyboards
Jim Payne - drums
Single: "Hanky Panky" (1963)
Tommy James and the Shondells II ( ? - 1965)
Tommy James - vocals/guitar
Michael Vale - bass - b. July 17, 1949
Ronald Rosman - keyboards - b. February 28, 1945
George Magura - bass/keyboards/sax
Vincent Pietropaoli - drums
Tommy James and the Shondells III (1965 - 1970)
Tommy James - vocals/guitar
Michael Vale - bass
Ronald Rosman - keyboards
Eddie Gray - guitar - b. February 27, 1948
Peter Lucia - drums - b. February 2, 1947
Albums:
"Hanky Panky" (1966) - Singles: "Hanky Panky", "Say I Am (What I Am)"
"It's Only Love" (1966) - Single: "It's Only Love"
"I Think We're Alone Now" (1967) - Single: "I Think We're Alone Now"
"Gettin' Together" (1967) - Single: "Gettin' Together"
"Mony Mony" (1968) - Singles: "Mony Mony", "Somebody Cares"
"Crimson & Clover" (1969) - Singles: "Crimson & Clover", "Crystal Blue Persuasion", "Do Something To Me"
"Cellophane Symphony" (1969) - Single: "Sweet Cherry Wine"
"Travelin'" (1970) - Single: "She"
"Hanky Panky / Mony Mony" (2-fer) (1994)
"Crimson & Clover / Cellophane Symphony" (2-fer) (1991)
Tommy James goes solo.
Compilations:
"Something Special! The Best of Tommy James and the Shondells" (1968)
"The Best of Tommy James and the Shondells" (1969)
"Anthology" (1989)
"The Very Best of Tommy James & the Shondells" (1993)
Tommy James solo:
"Tommy James" (1970) - Single: "Draggin' the Line"
"Christian of the World" (1971)
"My Head, My Bed & My Red Guitar" (1971)
"In Touch" (1976)
"Midnight Rider" (1977)
"Three Times In Love" (1980)
"Tommy James: The Solo Years (1970-1981)" (1991)
"Tighter, Tighter" (2000)
Discography
http://tommyjames.com/discog.htm
Movie Soundtracks
http://tommyjames.com/tjmovie.htm
Upcoming Concert Dates
http://tommyjames.com/2000.htm
]
Breaking Clay Makes My Day!
http://www.tommyjames.com/
The music of Tommy James is played continuously, everyday, in every country in the world, and has been for over a generation. His songs have become so ingrained in modern culture, it's difficult to go for more than a couple of days without hearing one of them on radio, TV, in films, or on one of the 300 plus cover versions of his songs by other artists. He has sold, to date, over 100 million records and has been awarded 23 gold singles and 9 gold and platinum albums.
He was born Thomas Jackson on April 29, 1947 in Dayton, Ohio finally settling in Niles, Michigan which he still regards as his hometown. His first stage appearance was as a child model at age four.
In 1959, at the age of 12, he formed his first rock band, 'The Tornadoes', and began playing local gigs around the area and developing a sizeable following.
In 1964 a local DJ asked Tommy and the group to sign with his new regional label, 'Snap Records'. One of the 4 sides they recorded was an obscure song written by Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich called 'Hanky Panky'. The group changed their name to 'The Shondells' and released it as a single. It was an instant local hit but didn't break nationally and was soon forgotten.
Two years later, in May of '66, amazingly the record exploded out of Pittsburgh and 'Hanky Panky' was a smash! Unable to put the original group back together, Tommy went to Pittsburgh alone and hired the first local band he could find to be The Shondells. Two weeks later the new group signed a record deal with Roulette Records in New York and 'Hanky Panky' became the biggest hit of the summer of '66. Thus began one of the longest strings of non-stop hits in the record business.
'Hanky Panky' was quickly followed up by two more million selling singles: 'Say I Am' and 'It's Only Love' with the 'Hanky Panky' album going gold a mere 4 weeks after its release in July of '66.
Tommy then added producers Bo Gentry and Richie Cordell to the team who, over the next two years, produced 7 more back-to-back gold singles including:
"I Think We're Alone Now" "Mirage" "I Like The Way" "Gettin' Together" "Out Of The Blue" "Get Out Now" and the party rock icon... "Mony Mony"
The Gentry/Cordell/James team also produced three platinum albums:
"I Think We're Alone Now" "Mony Mony" "Something Special"
Tommy James and The Shondells were also one of the first acts to experiment with music videos of their hits starting with 'Mony Mony' in 1968, thirteen years before MTV.
By the end of '68, after three months on the road with Vice President Hubert Humphrey's Presidential campaign, TJ and company began writing and producing their own records.
Their first project, released in early 1969, was the unforgettable 'Crimson And Clover' album which in addition to going multi-platinum spawned three more monster hits for the group:
"Do Something To Me" "Crimson And Clover" "Crystal Blue Persuasion"
A fourth song on the LP, 'Sugar On Sunday' was recorded by The Clique and also went top ten. This was followed with the 'Cellophane Symphony' album which featured the first Moog Synthesizer ever used on a record, as well as another huge hit, 'Sweet Cherry Wine'. Their second volume of greatest hits (The Best of Tommy James and The Shondells) was released next and featured the smash hit 'Ball Of Fire'. This LP has sold, to date, over 10 million copies.
In 1970 the group released another million selling LP, 'Travelin'. This innovative theme album was viewed by many as their best work. It also contained the gold single, 'She' and 'Gotta Get Back To You'. 'Travelin', however, would be the last album Tommy would make with The Shondells.
With the breakup of The Shondells, Tommy continued with a solo career beginning with the writing and producing of the million selling 'Tighter, Tighter' for the group Alive 'n Kickin'.
Over the next four years Tommy scored an additional 12 chart singles including:
'Come To Me' 'Ball And Chain' 'I'm Commin' Home' 'Draggin' The Line'
Plus three top 40 albums: 'Tommy James', 'Christian Of The World', and 'My Head, My Bed And My Red Guitar', the latter recorded in Nashville with an all-star cast featuring Pete Drake and Elvis side-men Scotty Moore and DJ Fontana.
In 1974 Tommy left Roulette Records and recorded two albums for San Francisco based Fantasy Records: 'In Touch' and 'Midnight Rider'.
Returning to the east coast in 1980, Tommy signed with Millennium Records scoring three more chart singles including the million selling 'Three Times In Love'.
By the mid-80's, Tommy's songs, now considered classics, were being covered all over the world by everyone from punk rockers like Joan Jett to symphony orchestras like The Boston Pops.
At one point in 1987, Tiffany and Billy Idol, with their versions of 'I Think We're Alone Now' and 'Mony Mony', fought it out for the top spot on the charts for a solid month, each eventually going number one. It was the first time in music history that two cover versions of songs by the same artist went number one back-to-back.
In the 90's Tommy's music has appeared in countless movie soundtracks including:
'Forrest Gump' Oliver Stones' 'Heaven And Earth' 'Cape Fear' 'Pontiac Moon' 'Don't Tell Mom The Babysitter's Dead' 'Off And Running' 'Vice Versa' 'Apollo 13' To name only a few.
In 1999 REM's cover of 'Draggin' The Line' was one of the high points in the summer blockbuster 'Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me' while the film 'A Walk On The Moon' featured Cher singing 'Crimson And Clover' and Morcheeba doing 'Crystal Blue Persuasion'.
So far the year 2000 offers the box office smash 'Frequency' featuring Tommy's recording of 'Crimson and Clover' while the NBC TV movie 'Growin' Up Brady' touts 'Crimson And Clover' and "Crystal Blue Persuasion'.
Tommy has also recently recorded a much heralded Live CD of his Greatest Hits at the landmark 'Bitter End' night club in New York. Entertainment giant BMG has just released the project as one of their first DVD packages.
In 35 years Tommy James has left an indelible mark on his industry and his generation with credits and longevity as an artist, songwriter, and performer few have equalled. With the ever increasing popularity of his music, there seems to be no end in sight.
FACTOIDS:
1. Tommy James' first stage appearance was as a child-model in 1951 at age 4.
2. Tommy formed his first band "The Tornadoes", in 1959 at age 12 and the Shondells in 1963 - in his hometown of Niles, Michigan.
3. "Hanky Panky", Tommy's first million-seller, was recorded in 1964 at the WNIL radio studios in Niles, Michigan and released on a small regional label, Snap Records. Two years later it exploded out of Pittsburgh on a bootleg label. Tommy then signed with Roulette Records in New York and "Hanky Panky" became the biggest summer hit of 1966.
4. Tommy has had 23 gold singles, 9 gold and platinum albums, and has sold over 100 million records worldwide.
5. During 1968-69 Tommy James and The Shondells sold more single records (45's) than any artist in the world, including The Beatles.
6. Tommy James and the Shondells' "It's Only Love" album cover was the first professional photo shoot by Linda Eastman McCartney. (1966)
7. Tommy James was the first artist to feature the synthesizer in the production of his classic LP "Cellophane Symphony" in 1968. The instrument was owned by Hall of Famer Whitey Ford of The New York Yankees.
8. The chords and structure of Tommy's smash single "Mirage" were actually the chords to "I Think We're Alone Now" in reverse created when it was accidentally played backwards during a writing session.
9. Vice President Hubert Humphrey asked Tommy to head his "Youth Affairs" commission while performing on his 1968 Presidential campaign. Mr. Humphrey also wrote the liner notes for Tommy's "Crimson and Clover" album. They remained good friends until his death in 1978.
10. Tommy and the Shondells were one of the very first groups to produce music videos, starting with "Mony Mony" in 1968 - thirteen years prior to MTV.
11. The title of "Mony Mony" was created from the MONY (Mutual Of New York) Insurance Company building who's logo could be seen from Tommy's Manhattan apartment.
12. Tommy wrote and produced the million-selling smash hit "Tighter Tighter" by the group Alive 'N' Kickin'.
13. In 1969, Tommy and the group regrettably turned down the offer to perform at the original Woodstock Festival when his booking agent described the event as "...a stupid gig on a pig farm in upstate New York."
The Shondells I (1959 - ? )
Tommy James - vocals/guitar - b. Thomas Gregory Jackson, April 29, 1947, Dayton, Ohio, USA
Larry Coverdale - guitar
Larry Wright - bass
Craig Villeneuve - keyboards
Jim Payne - drums
Single: "Hanky Panky" (1963)
Tommy James and the Shondells II ( ? - 1965)
Tommy James - vocals/guitar
Michael Vale - bass - b. July 17, 1949
Ronald Rosman - keyboards - b. February 28, 1945
George Magura - bass/keyboards/sax
Vincent Pietropaoli - drums
Tommy James and the Shondells III (1965 - 1970)
Tommy James - vocals/guitar
Michael Vale - bass
Ronald Rosman - keyboards
Eddie Gray - guitar - b. February 27, 1948
Peter Lucia - drums - b. February 2, 1947
Albums:
"Hanky Panky" (1966) - Singles: "Hanky Panky", "Say I Am (What I Am)"
"It's Only Love" (1966) - Single: "It's Only Love"
"I Think We're Alone Now" (1967) - Single: "I Think We're Alone Now"
"Gettin' Together" (1967) - Single: "Gettin' Together"
"Mony Mony" (1968) - Singles: "Mony Mony", "Somebody Cares"
"Crimson & Clover" (1969) - Singles: "Crimson & Clover", "Crystal Blue Persuasion", "Do Something To Me"
"Cellophane Symphony" (1969) - Single: "Sweet Cherry Wine"
"Travelin'" (1970) - Single: "She"
"Hanky Panky / Mony Mony" (2-fer) (1994)
"Crimson & Clover / Cellophane Symphony" (2-fer) (1991)
Tommy James goes solo.
Compilations:
"Something Special! The Best of Tommy James and the Shondells" (1968)
"The Best of Tommy James and the Shondells" (1969)
"Anthology" (1989)
"The Very Best of Tommy James & the Shondells" (1993)
Tommy James solo:
"Tommy James" (1970) - Single: "Draggin' the Line"
"Christian of the World" (1971)
"My Head, My Bed & My Red Guitar" (1971)
"In Touch" (1976)
"Midnight Rider" (1977)
"Three Times In Love" (1980)
"Tommy James: The Solo Years (1970-1981)" (1991)
"Tighter, Tighter" (2000)
Discography
http://tommyjames.com/discog.htm
Movie Soundtracks
http://tommyjames.com/tjmovie.htm
Upcoming Concert Dates
http://tommyjames.com/2000.htm
] Breaking Clay Makes My Day!
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