Aorta (band)
Encyclopedia
Aorta were an American
psychedelic rock
band from Chicago
who recorded two albums in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
, pop
and rock'n'roll group who had originally formed in Rockford, Illinois
in 1962 as Kal David and the Exceptions. Its members were Kal David
(b. David Raskin - vocals and guitar), Peter Cetera
(bass, vocals), Denny Ebert (drums, vocals), and Marty Grebb (saxophone, keyboards, guitar, vocals). David left in 1965, to join The Rovin' Kind, later to become Illinois Speed Press
, and was replaced by James Vincent (b. James Vincent Dondelinger, 8 February 1943, in Chicago; later known as Jim Donlinger). The band was then known as The Exceptions. They released several singles on local labels, and an EP
, Rock and Roll Mass, on the Flair label, before Grebb left to join The Buckinghams
, being replaced by Jim Nyeholt. Ebert also left to be replaced by Billy Herman. As The Exception, Vincent (Donlinger), Cetera, Nyeholt and Herman recorded several singles for Capitol Records
, but Cetera left when the other members expressed a desire to perform more psychedelic
material. Cetera joined The Big Thing, who became Chicago Transit Authority and then Chicago
.
After recruiting Bobby Jones as the new bass player, the group changed their name to Aorta in 1967, for a short period also adding Dan Hoagland (born Daniel Hoogland) on tenor sax. With Jim Donlinger on lead vocals, the band recorded a single, "The Shape Of Things To Come
", a song written by Barry Mann
and Cynthia Weil
and included on the soundtrack to the movie Wild in the Streets
by the fictional group Max Frost and the Troopers
. Aorta signed to Dunwich Productions, a company formed by Bill Traut, and the single was leased for release on Atlantic Records
. Under Traut's management, the band were then signed to Columbia Records
to record an album. Their first LP
was produced by Traut and Donlinger. Entitled Aorta, it was issued in early 1969, as part of a drive by Columbia to promote "the Chicago sound" - the company simultaneously released albums by Chicago, Illinois Speed Press, and The Flock
- and reached #167 on the Billboard
album chart
. The album has been described as a "startling record which was a mix of psychedelia, soul, jazz, folk, and rock... housed in a beautiful, graphic sleeve that has always overshadowed the great music from within.... Aorta is solid throughout, featuring strong musicianship, inventive studio wizardry, superb songs with a healthy dose of fuzz guitar and wonderful string and horn arrangements." Neither the album nor the single "Strange" (a track written by Hoagland before he left the band) c/w "Ode to Missy Mxyzosptlk" achieved significant sales. The group toured in support of bands such as Led Zeppelin
and The Mothers of Invention
, and were given a major showcase opportunity to impress music industry leaders at the Fillmore East
in New York
. However, according to Donlinger, the band were offered LSD
by another musician before the show, resulting in them giving what was described as a "train wreck" of a performance.
Jones and Herman then left, and Donlinger and Nyeholt, together with Donlinger's drummer brother Tom, temporarily joined the Rotary Connection
. However, they then decided to reform Aorta, with the Donlinger brothers and Nyeholt adding Michael Been
on bass, guitar and vocals. The band recorded a second album, Aorta 2, in a radically different style, leaning more towards country rock
with Christian overtones. They finally split up shortly after its release on the Happy Tiger
label in early 1970. Jim Donlinger and Michael Been, together with former Exceptions member Marty Grebb, then joined the band Lovecraft (previously H. P. Lovecraft
). Been later formed The Call
.
The original Aorta later re-formed to do promotional spots for the U.S. Armed Forces. Their first album, Aorta, was reissued on CD in 1996.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues rock bands in United States and the United Kingdom...
band from Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
who recorded two albums in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
History
The band developed from a soulSoul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
, pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
and rock'n'roll group who had originally formed in Rockford, Illinois
Rockford, Illinois
Rockford is a mid-sized city located on both banks of the Rock River in far northern Illinois. Often referred to as "The Forest City", Rockford is the county seat of Winnebago County, Illinois, USA. As reported in the 2010 U.S. census, the city was home to 152,871 people, the third most populated...
in 1962 as Kal David and the Exceptions. Its members were Kal David
Kal David
Kal David is an American blues guitarist, singer and songwriter, whose 50-year musical career in Illinois, New York and California extended through various phases, including a highly-regarded stint with Columbia Records in early 1970s....
(b. David Raskin - vocals and guitar), Peter Cetera
Peter Cetera
Peter Paul Cetera is an American singer, songwriter, bassist and producer best known for being an original member of the rock band Chicago, before launching a successful solo career...
(bass, vocals), Denny Ebert (drums, vocals), and Marty Grebb (saxophone, keyboards, guitar, vocals). David left in 1965, to join The Rovin' Kind, later to become Illinois Speed Press
Illinois Speed Press
Illinois Speed Press was an American rock band formed - originally, in 1965, as The Rovin' Kind - in Chicago, later relocating to California. The band was formed by Paul Cotton - later of Poco - and Kal David...
, and was replaced by James Vincent (b. James Vincent Dondelinger, 8 February 1943, in Chicago; later known as Jim Donlinger). The band was then known as The Exceptions. They released several singles on local labels, and an EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, Rock and Roll Mass, on the Flair label, before Grebb left to join The Buckinghams
The Buckinghams
The Buckinghams are an American Sunshine Pop band from Chicago, Illinois. They formed in 1966 and went on to become one of the top selling acts of 1967. The band dissolved in 1970 but reformed in 1980 and continue to tour throughout the United States....
, being replaced by Jim Nyeholt. Ebert also left to be replaced by Billy Herman. As The Exception, Vincent (Donlinger), Cetera, Nyeholt and Herman recorded several singles for Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
, but Cetera left when the other members expressed a desire to perform more psychedelic
Psychedelic
The term psychedelic is derived from the Greek words ψυχή and δηλοῦν , translating to "soul-manifesting". A psychedelic experience is characterized by the striking perception of aspects of one's mind previously unknown, or by the creative exuberance of the mind liberated from its ostensibly...
material. Cetera joined The Big Thing, who became Chicago Transit Authority and then Chicago
Chicago (band)
Chicago is an American rock band formed in 1967 in Chicago, Illinois. The self-described "rock and roll band with horns" began as a politically charged, sometimes experimental, rock band and later moved to a predominantly softer sound, becoming famous for producing a number of hit ballads. They had...
.
After recruiting Bobby Jones as the new bass player, the group changed their name to Aorta in 1967, for a short period also adding Dan Hoagland (born Daniel Hoogland) on tenor sax. With Jim Donlinger on lead vocals, the band recorded a single, "The Shape Of Things To Come
Shape of Things to Come (song)
"Shape of Things to Come" is a song written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil from the film Wild in the Streets, performed by the fictional band Max Frost and the Troopers on their 1968 album Shape of Things to Come. The song was also released without vocals by Davie Allan and the Arrows...
", a song written by Barry Mann
Barry Mann
Barry Mann is an American songwriter, and part of a successful songwriting partnership with his wife, Cynthia Weil.-Career:...
and Cynthia Weil
Cynthia Weil
Cynthia Weil is a prominent American songwriter. She is famous for having written many songs together with her husband Barry Mann....
and included on the soundtrack to the movie Wild in the Streets
Wild in the Streets
Wild in the Streets is a 1968 film featuring Christopher Jones, Hal Holbrook, and Shelley Winters. It was produced by American International Pictures and based on a short story by writer Robert Thom...
by the fictional group Max Frost and the Troopers
Max Frost and the Troopers
Max Frost and The Troopers was a fictional rock music group created for the exploitation film Wild in the Streets, released in 1968. The film featured Christopher Jones as the highly influential singer Max Frost. The songs performed by Frost and his band, a group that was never formally named in...
. Aorta signed to Dunwich Productions, a company formed by Bill Traut, and the single was leased for release on Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
. Under Traut's management, the band were then signed to Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
to record an album. Their first LP
LP record
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
was produced by Traut and Donlinger. Entitled Aorta, it was issued in early 1969, as part of a drive by Columbia to promote "the Chicago sound" - the company simultaneously released albums by Chicago, Illinois Speed Press, and The Flock
The Flock (band)
The Flock was a Chicago-based jazz-rock band that released two records on Columbia records in 1969 and 1970 . The Flock did not achieve the commercial success of other Columbia jazz-rock groups of the era such as Chicago and Blood Sweat & Tears, but were most notable for their inclusion of a...
- and reached #167 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
album chart
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
. The album has been described as a "startling record which was a mix of psychedelia, soul, jazz, folk, and rock... housed in a beautiful, graphic sleeve that has always overshadowed the great music from within.... Aorta is solid throughout, featuring strong musicianship, inventive studio wizardry, superb songs with a healthy dose of fuzz guitar and wonderful string and horn arrangements." Neither the album nor the single "Strange" (a track written by Hoagland before he left the band) c/w "Ode to Missy Mxyzosptlk" achieved significant sales. The group toured in support of bands such as Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
and The Mothers of Invention
The Mothers of Invention
The Mothers of Invention were an American band active from 1964 to 1969, and again from 1970 to 1975.They mainly performed works by, and were the original recording group of, US composer and guitarist Frank Zappa , although other members have had the occasional writing credit...
, and were given a major showcase opportunity to impress music industry leaders at the Fillmore East
Fillmore East
The Fillmore East was rock promoter Bill Graham's rock venue on Second Avenue near East 6th Street in the East Village neighborhood of the Manhattan borough of New York City. It was open from 1968 to 1971, and featured some of the biggest acts in rock music at the time...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. However, according to Donlinger, the band were offered LSD
LSD
Lysergic acid diethylamide, abbreviated LSD or LSD-25, also known as lysergide and colloquially as acid, is a semisynthetic psychedelic drug of the ergoline family, well known for its psychological effects which can include altered thinking processes, closed and open eye visuals, synaesthesia, an...
by another musician before the show, resulting in them giving what was described as a "train wreck" of a performance.
Jones and Herman then left, and Donlinger and Nyeholt, together with Donlinger's drummer brother Tom, temporarily joined the Rotary Connection
Rotary Connection
Rotary Connection was an American psychedelic soul band, formed in Chicago in 1966. The highly experimental band was the idea of Marshall Chess, son of Chess Records founder Leonard Chess. Marshall was the director behind a start-up label, Cadet Concept Records, and wanted to focus on music outside...
. However, they then decided to reform Aorta, with the Donlinger brothers and Nyeholt adding Michael Been
Michael Been
Michael Been was an American rock musician who achieved critical attention and rotation play on MTV in the 1980s with his band The Call. He later released an album of his solo work and toured with his son's band Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. His song "Let the Day Begin" was the official campaign...
on bass, guitar and vocals. The band recorded a second album, Aorta 2, in a radically different style, leaning more towards country rock
Country rock
Country rock is sub-genre of popular music, formed from the fusion of rock with country. The term is generally used to refer to the wave of rock musicians who began to record country-flavored records in the late 1960s and early 1970s, beginning with Bob Dylan and The Byrds; reaching its greatest...
with Christian overtones. They finally split up shortly after its release on the Happy Tiger
Happy Tiger Records
Happy Tiger Records was an independent American record label that was owned by the Flying Tiger Line air freight company. Happy Tiger only operated from 1969 to 1971, but during this time managed to produce more than two dozen albums by such notable artists as Count Basie, Mason Proffit, Red...
label in early 1970. Jim Donlinger and Michael Been, together with former Exceptions member Marty Grebb, then joined the band Lovecraft (previously H. P. Lovecraft
H. P. Lovecraft (band)
H. P. Lovecraft was an American psychedelic rock band, formed in Chicago, Illinois in 1967 and named after horror writer H. P. Lovecraft. Much of the band's music was possessed of a haunting, eerie ambience, and consisted of material that was inspired by the macabre writings of the author whose...
). Been later formed The Call
The Call (band)
The Call was an American rock band from Santa Cruz, California active from 1980 to 2000.-Biography:The Call formed in Santa Cruz in 1980 by vocalist/guitarist Michael Been, Scott Musick, and Tom Ferrier. Been and Musick were originally from Oklahoma...
.
The original Aorta later re-formed to do promotional spots for the U.S. Armed Forces. Their first album, Aorta, was reissued on CD in 1996.
Singles
- "Shapes of Things to Come"/"Strange" (AtlanticAtlantic RecordsAtlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
45-2545) 1968 - "Strange"/"Ode To Missy Mxyzosptlk" (ColumbiaColumbia RecordsColumbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
44870) 1969 - "Sand Castles"/"Willie Jean" (Happy TigerHappy Tiger RecordsHappy Tiger Records was an independent American record label that was owned by the Flying Tiger Line air freight company. Happy Tiger only operated from 1969 to 1971, but during this time managed to produce more than two dozen albums by such notable artists as Count Basie, Mason Proffit, Red...
567) 1970
Albums
- Aorta (Columbia CS 9785) 1969
- Aorta 2 (Happy Tiger HT-1010) 1970
- Aorta [Reissue] (Buy or Die BOD 104) 1996
External links
- [ Aorta] at Allmusic