Fear Itself (band)
Encyclopedia
Fear Itself was a short-lived psychedelic
blues-rock
band formed by Ellen McIlwaine
in the late 1960s in Atlanta, Georgia
. The band featured McIlwaine singing lead vocals as well as performing harp
, rhythm guitar
and organ
. Chris Zaloom performed lead guitar, Steve Cook played bass guitar, and Bill McCord
was on drums. (Steve Cook left Fear Itself after this album was recorded and Paul Album joined the group playing bass guitar.)
Inspired by Jimi Hendrix
and Cream
, the group's sound was unique due in large part to the McIlwaine's gospel-bluesy voice and lyrics.
The group performed at Woodstock Festival
in 1969, and eventually separated after the bass guitarist Paul Album was killed by a drunk driver. McIlwaine later moved to Canada and started a solo career.
The band released one self-titled album in 1969 on vinyl
by Dot Records
, and it was re-released on CD in 2006 by World IN Sound
. Prior entry stated that the CD contains a bonus track, "Born Under a Bad Sign." That song actually appears on the original LP.
Psychedelic music
Psychedelic music covers a range of popular music styles and genres, which are inspired by or influenced by psychedelic culture and which attempt 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 the...
blues-rock
Blues-rock
Blues rock is a hybrid musical genre combining bluesy improvisations over the 12-bar blues and extended boogie jams with rock and roll styles. The core of the blues rock sound is created by the electric guitar, piano, bass guitar and drum kit, with the electric guitar usually amplified through a...
band formed by Ellen McIlwaine
Ellen McIlwaine
Ellen McIlwaine is an American singer-songwriter and musician best known for her career as a slide guitarist.-Biography:...
in the late 1960s in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
. The band featured McIlwaine singing lead vocals as well as performing harp
Harp
The harp is a multi-stringed instrument which has the plane of its strings positioned perpendicularly to the soundboard. Organologically, it is in the general category of chordophones and has its own sub category . All harps have a neck, resonator and strings...
, rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
and organ
Organ (music)
The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
. Chris Zaloom performed lead guitar, Steve Cook played bass guitar, and Bill McCord
Bill McCord
William J. "Bill" McCord was an American radio and television announcer.Born in Colville, Washington, McCord moved to Spokane in the 1930s, where he began his broadcasting career. During World War II, he served as a pilot in the United States Army Air Corps, stationed in Riverside, California,...
was on drums. (Steve Cook left Fear Itself after this album was recorded and Paul Album joined the group playing bass guitar.)
Inspired by Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
and Cream
Cream (band)
Cream were a 1960s British rock supergroup consisting of bassist/vocalist Jack Bruce, guitarist/vocalist Eric Clapton, and drummer Ginger Baker...
, the group's sound was unique due in large part to the McIlwaine's gospel-bluesy voice and lyrics.
The group performed at Woodstock Festival
Woodstock Festival
Woodstock Music & Art Fair was a music festival, billed as "An Aquarian Exposition: 3 Days of Peace & Music". It was held at Max Yasgur's 600-acre dairy farm in the Catskills near the hamlet of White Lake in the town of Bethel, New York, from August 15 to August 18, 1969...
in 1969, and eventually separated after the bass guitarist Paul Album was killed by a drunk driver. McIlwaine later moved to Canada and started a solo career.
The band released one self-titled album in 1969 on vinyl
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
by Dot Records
Dot Records
Dot Records was an American record label and company that was active between 1950 and 1977. It was founded by Randy Wood. In Gallatin, Tennessee, Wood had earlier started a mail order record shop, known for its radio ads on WLAC in Nashville and its R&B air personality Bill "Hoss" Allen...
, and it was re-released on CD in 2006 by World IN Sound
World IN Sound
World IN Sound is a record label based in Schwetzingen, Germany. The label specializes in psychedelic and experimental music from the late 1960s and early 1970s. They also occasionally release contemporary material in the same genres....
. Prior entry stated that the CD contains a bonus track, "Born Under a Bad Sign." That song actually appears on the original LP.