I’m starting a new feature for the blog today, a variation of Throwback Thursday featuring albums froth sixties, seventies and early eighties.
As many of you know I have a variety of interests including music. I played bass guitar in a couple of rock bands when I was in high school and college and I did a graveyard shift radio show on a small station while I attended Purdue University. An avid audiophile, I also worked at a stereo shop that was next door to a record store where I maintained my music fix while matriculating.
Today’s featured album has hung with me throughout the years, although I’m not sure how many others will remember it. Originally released in 1982 and rereleased as a CD in 1995, it was certified Gold at the time and, though the band continued to record and perform until 1986, it is the most commercially successful of the band’s work. The odd title is actually and anagram of the band’s name.
Spring Session M featured Dale Bozzio on lead vocals, Terry Bozzio of drums, Warren Cuccurullo on guitar, Patrick O’Hearn on bass and Chuck Wild on Keyboards. Missing Persons formed in 1980 shortly after Cuccurullo began working with the Bozzio’s who had met in 1979 while working for Frank Zappa. The group’s music is a fusion of new wave, jazz and hard rock styles with amazing drum work throughout. The album includes the hits Destination Unknown, Walking In LA, Words, Windows that received regional and national FM-airplay. But it was the video play (back when the ‘M’ in MTV really stood for music) that featured some cutting edge visual effects that drove the band’s initial popularity. Lead singer, Dale Bozzio, married to the percussionist Terry Bozzio, wore revealing costumes that augmented the use of lighting and striking colors in a way that was novel for the fledgeling music video industry. The band enjoyed moderate commercial success until the break-up in 1986 which coincided with Dale and Terry’s divorce.
Terry Bozzio is highly regarded as a session and tour percussionist who, in addition to Frank Zappa, has worked with Mick Jagger and Jeff Beck and was the tour percussionist for The Knack. A picture and diagram of his 200-piece drum kit can be seen on his website, http://www.terrybozzio.com. Warren Cuccurullo worked for many years with Duran Duran. Chuck Wild was an in-demand session keyboardist who worked with Michael Jackson, Paula Abdul and The Pointer Sisters. Patrick O’Hearn is a skilled composer of instrumental interludes.
#MissingPersons #TerryBozio #DaleBozio #WarrenCuccurullo #ChuckWild #PatrickOHearn #FrankZappa #JeffBeck #MickJagger #MichaelJackson #PaulaAbdul #ThePointerSisters #SpringSessionM #ThrowbackThursday
The One & Only Elgon 