People!
Encyclopedia
People! was a one-hit wonder
rock band that was formed in San Jose
, California
in 1965. They started out playing "Top 40" music like most artists but ended up releasing three albums of mostly original material. Their greatest chart success came with their summer hit
single "I Love You
", a song written by Chris White
and recorded by The Zombies
that never charted in the United States. The People! version of "I Love You", on the other hand, rose to number one in Japan (twice), Israel, Australia, Italy, South Africa, and the Philippines, and peaked at #14 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in June 1968. They were also the first rock band to present a dramatic rock opera
onstage with the creation of "The Epic".
Later additions:
1974 version:
bands the Pine Valley Boys, which had included David Nelson
, and the Black Mountain Boys, which had included Jerry Garcia
, later of the Grateful Dead
; his younger brother, Robert Keith "Robb" Levin (born 25 April 1949); Albert Anthony "Al" Ribisi (born 5 July 1949), the son of a San Jose surgeon, a senior at Bellarmine College Preparatory
school, and a member of the Aardvarks, a local surf music
band; John Matthew Riolo (born 28 December 1949), a junior at Bellarmine College Preparatory
school, and also a member of the Aardvarks; and David Ladd "Dave" Anderson, stage manager and announcer for The Off Stage, a folk music club, and who also managed a folk club near La Honda, California
, formed the San Jose band People!. Their name, which was intended as an ironic contrast to bands with animal names, such as The Beatles
, The Animals
, The Turtles
, and The Byrds
, was suggested by Anderson, who also originated the artwork for their name logo.
Geoff Levin, who gave guitar lessons to local DJ Mike Hunter, asked Hunter if he would like to manage the group.
) recommended Anderson be replaced as Anderson had incompatible music sensibilities and aspirations. Anderson left to form another band, Tree of Life. In 1966 Larry Norman
(born 8 April 1947) opened a concert for People! at the Asilomar Conference Grounds
in Pacific Grove
near Monterey, California
that followed a speech by Buckminster Fuller
, "The Father of Geodesics". According to a foundation member of People!, John Riolo:
Several days after seeing Norman's performance, Geoff Levin contacted Norman and invited him to join the band. According to John Riolo: "Geoff made Larry an offer to join the group several days after this chance meeting. Larry Norman wanted Gene Mason in the group also since they had grown up together dreaming of becoming singers like The Righteous Brothers
and had also honed their skills in a popular local folk group. Mason and Norman had considerable experience behind them with their own folk group The Back Country Seven. After hearing Mason sing with Norman, Geoff Levin approved Mason's inclusion.
Norman became the band's principal songwriter, sharing lead vocals with Gene Mason (born 26 July 1947).
According to Riolo: "They were hired as dual lead singers which would allow PEOPLE! to cover almost any of the top hits. Gene and Larry could dance, sing, switch off vocal duties, and put on an amazing show."
Riolo soon left because as a senior high school student he could not commit to full-time involvement, and was replaced on drums by San Jose State College student Dennis Allen "Denny" Fridkin (born 16 December 1946 in Los Angeles), who had been recruited by Norman. In addition to his drumming, Fridkin sang, and also joined Norman and Geoff Levin as a songwriter. They encouraged the other band members to write and collaborate. Five of the six members were writing songs by the time of the first album, which contained a variety of styles, including straight ahead rock, hard rock, country rock
, psychedelic rock
, and classical rock.
After considerable rehearsal, Hunter used his radio prominence to freely promote all the band's engagements. After gig
s at dances at churches, schools, teen clubs, roller rinks, recreation clubs, battle of the bands, private parties, and even a place called "The Wahtzit Club", People! attracted larger crowds, and the group began making appearances at major rock concerts and festivals on the West Coast. People! appeared with such artists as The Dave Clark Five
, Paul Revere & the Raiders
, The Doors
, The Who
, Janis Joplin
, Jimi Hendrix
, and San Jose bands Syndicate of Sound
, and Count Five
. After Carl Engleman, head of A&R
at Capitol Records
, heard them play at the Whatsit Club, a youth club, People! was signed to Capitol Records
in 1966. As Norman was legally underage, he required parental permission and court approval to sign. Norman recalled in 1974:
"L'Epoque de Dieu" ("The Epic"), a thirteen minute piece co-written by Norman and Fridkin in 1966, which used allegory
to tell the story of the Incarnation
and spiritual warfare
. Possibly inspired by an essay by English writer G.K. Chesterton, Norman explained the idea behind the rock opera:
According to Norman, People! toured "27 cities with The Who
, performing our rock opera
"The Epic" every night with Pete Townshend
standing in the wings watching, (which led to Pete writing "Tommy" and releasing it eighteen months later, he divulged to the band in a later encounter)." According to Norman,
While some have disputed Norman's claims (especially since Townshend had already written and recorded his first "rock opera," "A Quick One [While He's Away]," by this point), there is some corroboration of the veracity of Norman's claim. Rock historian Walter Rasmussen claims Pete Townshend
has acknowledged as the inspiration for The Who
's Tommy
, providing him with both the basic idea of "rock opera" and also an essential plot line (involving a misunderstood messianic
leader)." Further, according to David Di Sabatino: "There's shards of that that are might be true. One of the guys in People, bassist
Robbie Levin - who didn't like Larry - says he operated a lodge, and Townsend came to stay once, and he asked him point blank, and Townsend corroborated that it was true."
. Other songs written by Norman and Fridkin in 1967, but refused release by Capitol, were "Floor Talk", "The Ice Cream Man", and "The End of the Road" for an almost completed but unreleased People! album. In 1968 Norman wrote "I am the Six O'Clock News", but Capitol refused to release it as a single, as Alan W. Livingston
, then "the head of Capitol was pro-Vietnam
, like most middle-class Americans".
of the British band The Zombies
' 1965 song "I Love You
", written by Chris White
. People! added "I Love You" to their live show to popular acclaim. On 2 February 1968 Capitol released their second single, produced also by Mikel Hunter, a cover version
of The Zombies
' non-chart song "I Love You
", written by Chris White
, backed by "Somebody Tell Me My Name", a song co-written by Geoff Levin and Fridkin, for the rock musical Vox Populi. After extensive promotion by the band and its manager, and industry advertising by Capitol, including the creation of a promotional film that appeared on Dick Clark's American Bandstand
on 27 April 1968, "I Love You" quickly became a hit single, selling more than one million copies, and reaching a peak of #14 on the Billboard
Hot 100 on 14 June 1968, and reaching #13 on the Cash Box Top 100 Singles Chart on 29 June 1968, and became a #1 single in several markets, including Italy, Israel, and Japan. After the release of their single "I Love You", People! toured extensively, appearing three times on Dick Clark's American Bandstand
, including an appearance on 15 June 1968, and also on Johnny Carson
's Tonight Show. According to the liner notes of the 2006 Best of People! Volume 1 album, People!'s version of "I Love You" could have topped the US national charts if not for industry rivalries:
Despite the success of "I Love You", People!'s heavy touring schedule, a promotional film of the group performing the song which aired on American Bandstand, and despite favorable reviews, the subsequent album, which was named after their hit single, was released by Capitol on 13 July 1968, but only reached #138 on the Billboard album charts on 10 August 1968. In August 1968 Capitol released People!'s third single "Apple Cider (credited to People! and from the rock 1968 musical Alison), backed with "Ashes of Me" (written by Al Ribisi and from the 1966 rock musical Vox Populi), which was produced also by Captain Mikey, but it failed to chart.
and Johnny Carson
's Tonight Show. The reasons for Norman's departure are still disputed more than forty years later. All of the band members (except lead singers Norman and Mason) embraced Scientology
. Norman claimed other members of the band zealously issued the ultimatum: "We all have to get into Scientology or you can't be in the band." Norman and Mason both refused. People! drummer, Denny Fridkin, acknowledged conflicting claims in a 2007 interview:
Some band members indicate that Norman was asked to leave the band because he was seen as a "Suppressive Person
". Norman agreed to be audited by the Church of Scientology
on one occasion. Norman claimed that he was harassed by other members of Scientology, until the band's manager, KLIV
radio personality and program director Captain Mikey (Mikel Hunter Herrington), intervened. In a letter to his father, Norman wrote: "Captain Mikey and I talked yesterday (he phoned to say that the Scientology center in San Francisco has decided I'm not suppressive at all. That's a relief; no more midnight phone calls.)" Some members of the band agree that while it was known that Larry had some sort of religious background, he did not make his faith known to the rest of the members. Geoff Levin specifically cites that he was totally unaware that Larry was a Christian and at no time did his faith enter in to any of their discussions. However, in response to a question about whether Norman's Christian faith caused tensions in People!, drummer Denny Fridkin answered in a 2007 interview:
A second incident involved the release of People!s first album. Larry Norman claimed that he expected to name the album after their cover of the Wayne Raney
song "We Need A Lot More Jesus (and a Lot Less Rock and Roll)" and to feature Christian imagery on the album cover. Larry also claimed that Capitol Records decided to name the album after the single "I Love You" instead, with a photograph of the band on the cover. According to Norman, since he was facing censorship by his record label and a forced religious conversion by his bandmates, he quit the band on the day People!'s first album was released (July 13, 1968). In 2007 Norman wrote:
According to British writer Steve Turner
, "Larry, always uncompromising, saw this as a victory for big business over artistic vision and for secular pop over spiritual rock. From then on, he ploughed an often lonely furrow as a solo artist who tried to combine the thrill of the Beatles and the Rolling Stones with the spiritual insight of writers such as CS Lewis and GK Chesterton." Some other members of People! state that at no time was there ever any talk of the album being called anything other than "I Love You." Geoff Levin, who apologised to Norman in 1996 for his treatment of Norman in the final months of Norman's relationship with the band, is quoted in the documentary Fallen Angel as stating that Norman's "take on things" was delusional. Norman biographer Allen Flemming attempts to reconcile the conflicting claims:
Norman's last concert with this incarnation of People! for almost forty years was at the Avalon Ballroom in San Francisco on the night that the I Love You album was released (July 13, 1968). After Norman's departure, the band's second album Both Sides of People (1969), which included unused songs from the I Love You sessions, featured Norman's vocals and three of his compositions out of the eight tracks, the songs "I've Got You On My Mind", "She's A Dancer", and "Hasty Heart", which was written in 1967, and which Norman claimed was "probably the first country-rock song ever released".
Norman and Mason reunited in 1974 for a benefit concert for Israel at UCLA, later released in 1980 as the live album Larry Norman and People!—The Israel Tapes—1974 A.D. Norman, Fridkin and Mason came together in August 2006 for a People! reunion concert in the G. Herbert Smith Auditorium on the Willamette University
campus in Salem, Oregon
. This concert was later released on a CD titled "People! The Reunion Concert 2006", and on two DVDs, "Larry Norman Live At The Smith, The Solo Set" and "Live At The Smith, The Band Set". Soon after, Fridkin decided to move in with Norman to look after him due to Norman's declining health and Norman's son's impending marriage. All of the original members of People! came together for a final mini concert on 19 October 2007, where they were later inducted into the San Jose Rocks Hall of Fame.
hit single.
. Tristao would record eight singles and one album with People but they would never achieve another Top Ten hit. After the departure of Geoff Levin, Bruce Thomas Eason (born 9 January 1949), sang with the band, including several television appearances. After three months, Eason left before their third album. Eason recalls, "I appeared as lead singer for the band on American Bandstand
and Sam Riddle's "9th Street West". I used the stage name Scott Eason on the shows. I also participated in some unreleased studio recording that we did at Rainbow Studios in Hollywood as well."
Their third album featured brass instruments, which changed their sound considerably. The band regrouped one more time without Robb Levin, but, achieving no further success, disbanded permanently in 1971.
Norman and Mason reunited on Thursday, 9 May 1974 for a benefit concert in the Grand Ballroom at UCLA for the Israeli Fund
, later released as the live album Larry Norman and People!—The Israel Tapes—1974 A.D. Norman recruited local San Jose musicians Gary Wayne Burris (born 6 November 1952), Gary Steven Pomeroy (born 23 May 1951), and Robb Thomas (died about 1997) for this incarnation of People!
Norman, Fridkin and Mason came together in August 2006 for a People! reunion concert in the G. Herbert Smith Auditorium on the Willamette University
campus in Salem, Oregon
. This concert was later released on a CD titled "People! The Reunion Concert 2006", and on two DVDs, "Larry Norman Live At The Smith, The Solo Set" and "Live At The Smith, The Band Set". Soon after, Fridkin decided to move in with Norman to look after him due to Norman's declining health and Norman's son's impending marriage.
On October 19, 2007, People! was inducted into the San Jose Rocks Hall of Fame and its most successful lineup (including Larry Norman, Gene Mason, Denny Fridkin, Albert Ribisi, Robb Levin, John Riolo, and Geoff Levin) performed together for the first time since 1968. John Tristao, who joined People! after the departure of Norman and Mason, was also present, and had been inducted into the San Jose Rocks Hall of Fame in its inaugural class in October 2006.
This album is a high quality Japan and South Korea release from the original Capitol Records CD re-release of 1994 of their inaugural album "I Love You." Liner notes are written by Larry Norman and explain the origin and significance of each song.
One-hit wonder
A one-hit wonder is a person or act known mainly for only a single success. The term is most often used to describe music performers with only one hit single.-Characteristics:...
rock band that was formed in San Jose
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
in 1965. They started out playing "Top 40" music like most artists but ended up releasing three albums of mostly original material. Their greatest chart success came with their summer hit
Summer hit
A summer hit is a term in entertainment industry which refers to a title released and peaked in its popularity during summer and often later quickly faded away..Rick Lyman, a culture reporter for The New York Times, wrote:...
single "I Love You
I Love You (The Zombies song)
-People! :The cover version by People!, released in February 1968 was a #14 hit in the USA and went to #1 in Japan...
", a song written by Chris White
Chris White (musician)
Chris White was the bass guitarist and songwriter with the 60s British Invasion band The Zombies.Although born in Barnet, Hertfordshire, he was brought up in Markyate where his parents owned a village shop...
and recorded by The Zombies
The Zombies
The Zombies are an English rock band, formed in 1961 in St Albans and led by Rod Argent, on piano and keyboards, and vocalist Colin Blunstone. The group scored a UK and US hit in 1964 with "She's Not There"...
that never charted in the United States. The People! version of "I Love You", on the other hand, rose to number one in Japan (twice), Israel, Australia, Italy, South Africa, and the Philippines, and peaked at #14 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in June 1968. They were also the first rock band to present a dramatic rock opera
Rock opera
A rock opera is a work of rock music that presents a storyline told over multiple parts, songs or sections in the manner of opera. A rock opera differs from a conventional rock album, which usually includes songs that are not unified by a common theme or narrative. More recent developments include...
onstage with the creation of "The Epic".
Band members
Foundation Members:- Robb Levin - bass guitar, singer (1965–1971)
- Geoff Levin- band leader, guitar, singer (1965–1969)
- Albert Ribisi - keyboards, guitar, singer (1965–1971)
- John Riolo- drums, singer (1965–1966), later a prominent Hindu/Jewish/Zen Drum builder
- David Anderson - guitar, singer (1965)
Later additions:
- Pete Grant - temporarily replaced Robb Levin while he was ill, bass guitar, singer (three weeks) (1966)
- Larry NormanLarry NormanLarry David Norman was an American Christian musician, singer, songwriter, record label owner, and record producer, who worked with Christian rock music...
- replaced Dave Anderson, singer (1966–1968), later a prominent Christian rockChristian rockChristian rock is a form of rock music played by individuals and bands whose members are Christians and who often focus the lyrics on matters concerned with the Christian faith. The extent to which their lyrics are explicitly Christian varies between bands...
musician - Gene Mason - singer (1966–1969)
- Denny Fridkin - replaced John Riolo, drums, singer (1966–1971)
- Tom Tucker - replaced Geoff Levin, lead guitar (1969)
- Bruce Thomas Eason (as Scott Eason) - singer (1969)
- John Tristao - added to band, drums, singer (1970–1971)
- Steve Boatwright - added to band, drums, singer (1970–1971)
1974 version:
- Gary Burris - bass guitar for a four hour time period (1974)
- Gary S. Pomeroy - lead guitar for a four hour time period (1974)
- Rob Thomas - drums
Origins (1965)
In 1965 Jeffrey Harris "Geoff" Levin (born 14 September 1945), a student at San Jose State College, and a former member of bluegrassBluegrass music
Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. It has mixed roots in Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish traditional music...
bands the Pine Valley Boys, which had included David Nelson
David Nelson (musician)
David Nelson is an American guitarist and musician.Although he started his musical career playing folk and bluegrass music Nelson is probably best known as one of the original members of psychedelic country rock band the New Riders of the Purple Sage...
, and the Black Mountain Boys, which had included Jerry Garcia
Jerry Garcia
Jerome John "Jerry" Garcia was an American musician best known for his lead guitar work, singing and songwriting with the band the Grateful Dead...
, later of the Grateful Dead
Grateful Dead
The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The band was known for its unique and eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, country, improvisational jazz, psychedelia, and space rock, and for live performances of long...
; his younger brother, Robert Keith "Robb" Levin (born 25 April 1949); Albert Anthony "Al" Ribisi (born 5 July 1949), the son of a San Jose surgeon, a senior at Bellarmine College Preparatory
Bellarmine College Preparatory
Bellarmine College Preparatory is an all-male, private secondary school located in San Jose, California, USA. Founded in 1851, it is the oldest secondary school in California....
school, and a member of the Aardvarks, a local surf music
Surf music
Surf music is a genre of popular music associated with surf culture, particularly as found in Orange County and other areas of Southern California. It was particularly popular between 1961 and 1965, has subsequently been revived and was highly influential on subsequent rock music...
band; John Matthew Riolo (born 28 December 1949), a junior at Bellarmine College Preparatory
Bellarmine College Preparatory
Bellarmine College Preparatory is an all-male, private secondary school located in San Jose, California, USA. Founded in 1851, it is the oldest secondary school in California....
school, and also a member of the Aardvarks; and David Ladd "Dave" Anderson, stage manager and announcer for The Off Stage, a folk music club, and who also managed a folk club near La Honda, California
La Honda, California
La Honda is a census-designated place in southern San Mateo County, California, United States. The population was 928 at the 2010 census. It is located in the Santa Cruz Mountains between Silicon Valley and the Pacific coast of California...
, formed the San Jose band People!. Their name, which was intended as an ironic contrast to bands with animal names, such as The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, The Animals
The Animals
The Animals were an English music group of the 1960s formed in Newcastle upon Tyne during the early part of the decade, and later relocated to London...
, The Turtles
The Turtles
The Turtles are an American rock group led by vocalists Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman. The band became notable for several Top 40 hits beginning with its cover version of Bob Dylan's "It Ain't Me Babe" in 1965...
, and The Byrds
The Byrds
The Byrds were an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1964. The band underwent multiple line-up changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn remaining the sole consistent member until the group disbanded in 1973...
, was suggested by Anderson, who also originated the artwork for their name logo.
Geoff Levin, who gave guitar lessons to local DJ Mike Hunter, asked Hunter if he would like to manage the group.
Line-up changes (1966)
In 1966 People!'s manager Mikel Hunter Herrington (known professionally as both Mike Hunter and Captain MikeyCaptain Mikey
Marion Elbridge Herrington , , best known as Captain Mikey , was an American disc jockey; voice-over actor, who was the national voice for Sears; and innovative radio program...
) recommended Anderson be replaced as Anderson had incompatible music sensibilities and aspirations. Anderson left to form another band, Tree of Life. In 1966 Larry Norman
Larry Norman
Larry David Norman was an American Christian musician, singer, songwriter, record label owner, and record producer, who worked with Christian rock music...
(born 8 April 1947) opened a concert for People! at the Asilomar Conference Grounds
Asilomar Conference Grounds
Asilomar Conference Grounds is a conference center built for the YWCA in 1913 at Asilomar State Beach in Pacific Grove, California. Julia Morgan designed and built 16 of the buildings on the property, of which 11 are still standing. It became part of Asilomar State Beach and Conference Grounds in...
in Pacific Grove
Pacific Grove, California
Pacific Grove is a coastal city in Monterey County, California, USA, with a population of 15,041 as of the 2010 census, down from 15,522 as of the 2000 census...
near Monterey, California
Monterey, California
The City of Monterey in Monterey County is located on Monterey Bay along the Pacific coast in Central California. Monterey lies at an elevation of 26 feet above sea level. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 27,810. Monterey is of historical importance because it was the capital of...
that followed a speech by Buckminster Fuller
Buckminster Fuller
Richard Buckminster “Bucky” Fuller was an American systems theorist, author, designer, inventor, futurist and second president of Mensa International, the high IQ society....
, "The Father of Geodesics". According to a foundation member of People!, John Riolo:
It turned out that he was the hardest act the group ever had to follow. He was such a great entertainer and he looked wonderful, was animated, made the audience laugh, told clever stories, clowned around etc., and most of all sang very well. Larry and his beautiful singing could melt your tender heart one moment and burn down the barn the next. His comedy, acting pranks, and obvious show biz wizardry were irresistable to all present.
Several days after seeing Norman's performance, Geoff Levin contacted Norman and invited him to join the band. According to John Riolo: "Geoff made Larry an offer to join the group several days after this chance meeting. Larry Norman wanted Gene Mason in the group also since they had grown up together dreaming of becoming singers like The Righteous Brothers
The Righteous Brothers
The Righteous Brothers were the musical duo of Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield. They recorded from 1963 through 1975, and continued to perform until Hatfield's death in 2003...
and had also honed their skills in a popular local folk group. Mason and Norman had considerable experience behind them with their own folk group The Back Country Seven. After hearing Mason sing with Norman, Geoff Levin approved Mason's inclusion.
Norman became the band's principal songwriter, sharing lead vocals with Gene Mason (born 26 July 1947).
According to Riolo: "They were hired as dual lead singers which would allow PEOPLE! to cover almost any of the top hits. Gene and Larry could dance, sing, switch off vocal duties, and put on an amazing show."
Riolo soon left because as a senior high school student he could not commit to full-time involvement, and was replaced on drums by San Jose State College student Dennis Allen "Denny" Fridkin (born 16 December 1946 in Los Angeles), who had been recruited by Norman. In addition to his drumming, Fridkin sang, and also joined Norman and Geoff Levin as a songwriter. They encouraged the other band members to write and collaborate. Five of the six members were writing songs by the time of the first album, which contained a variety of styles, including straight ahead rock, hard rock, 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...
, 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...
, and classical rock.
After considerable rehearsal, Hunter used his radio prominence to freely promote all the band's engagements. After gig
Gig (musical performance)
Gig is slang for a musical engagement in which musicians are hired. Originally coined in the 1920s by jazz musicians, the term, short for the word "engagement", now refers to any aspect of performing such as assisting with performance and attending musical performance...
s at dances at churches, schools, teen clubs, roller rinks, recreation clubs, battle of the bands, private parties, and even a place called "The Wahtzit Club", People! attracted larger crowds, and the group began making appearances at major rock concerts and festivals on the West Coast. People! appeared with such artists as The Dave Clark Five
The Dave Clark Five
The Dave Clark Five were an English pop rock group. Their single "Glad All Over" knocked The Beatles' "I Want to Hold Your Hand" off the top of the UK singles charts in January 1964: it eventually peaked at No.6 in the United States in April 1964.They were the second group of the British Invasion,...
, Paul Revere & the Raiders
Paul Revere & the Raiders
Paul Revere & the Raiders is an American rock band that saw considerable U.S. mainstream success in the second half of the 1960s and early 1970s with hits such as "Kicks" , "Hungry" , "Him Or Me - What's It Gonna Be?" and the 1971 No...
, The Doors
The Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger...
, The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
, Janis Joplin
Janis Joplin
Janis Lyn Joplin was an American singer, songwriter, painter, dancer and music arranger. She rose to prominence in the late 1960s as the lead singer of Big Brother and the Holding Company and later as a solo artist with her backing groups, The Kozmic Blues Band and The Full Tilt Boogie Band...
, Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
, and San Jose bands Syndicate of Sound
Syndicate of Sound
The Syndicate of Sound was an American garage band that existed between 1965 and 1970. Originally from San Jose, California, the band had an edgy style that some critics have considered to be a forerunner of psychedelic rock.- History :...
, and Count Five
Count Five
The Count Five was a 1960s garage rock band from San Jose, California, best known for their Top 10 single "Psychotic Reaction".The band was founded in 1964 by John "Mouse" Michalski and Roy Chaney took over bass duties, two high school friends who had previously played in several short-lived...
. After Carl Engleman, head of A&R
A&R
Artists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :...
at 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...
, heard them play at the Whatsit Club, a youth club, People! was signed to 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...
in 1966. As Norman was legally underage, he required parental permission and court approval to sign. Norman recalled in 1974:
I was still in my teens so my parents had to go to court and assure the judge that they were in accord with the agreement about to be signed. Of course, they were fearful of the while(sic) enterprise. They were pretty sure that the road to rock led to ruin, but when they saw that I would have no other life, they decided to give me their legal permission, withhold their personal blessing, and hope that when this treacherous course had been run I would return to the fold in one piece.
L'Epoque de Dieu (The Epic) (1966)
Each night People! performed the rock operaRock opera
A rock opera is a work of rock music that presents a storyline told over multiple parts, songs or sections in the manner of opera. A rock opera differs from a conventional rock album, which usually includes songs that are not unified by a common theme or narrative. More recent developments include...
"L'Epoque de Dieu" ("The Epic"), a thirteen minute piece co-written by Norman and Fridkin in 1966, which used allegory
Allegory
Allegory is a demonstrative form of representation explaining meaning other than the words that are spoken. Allegory communicates its message by means of symbolic figures, actions or symbolic representation...
to tell the story of the Incarnation
Incarnation (Christianity)
The Incarnation in traditional Christianity is the belief that Jesus Christ the second person of the Trinity, also known as God the Son or the Logos , "became flesh" by being conceived in the womb of a woman, the Virgin Mary, also known as the Theotokos .The Incarnation is a fundamental theological...
and spiritual warfare
Spiritual warfare
Spiritual warfare is a range of activity by various Christian groups whereby Satanic demons are combatted, using a variety of methods depending on the group, but typically through prayer.-Range of practice, history, and methodology:...
. Possibly inspired by an essay by English writer G.K. Chesterton, Norman explained the idea behind the rock opera:
"My musical concept of the song we were going to write is that it would span the musical styles from Gregorian group singingGregorian chantGregorian chant is the central tradition of Western plainchant, a form of monophonic liturgical music within Western Christianity that accompanied the celebration of Mass and other ritual services...
... to post-modern jazzAvant-garde jazzAvant-garde jazz is a style of music and improvisation that combines avant-garde art music and composition with jazz. Avant-jazz often sounds very similar to free jazz, but differs in that, despite its distinct departure from traditional harmony, it has a predetermined structure over which ...
. ... The story would be an allegoryAllegoryAllegory is a demonstrative form of representation explaining meaning other than the words that are spoken. Allegory communicates its message by means of symbolic figures, actions or symbolic representation...
. ... Alain [duc Langlois] is the Son of his Father the king. He comes down down out of his position and eminence. His future bride, Toria Kincade, (Toria meaning Victoria or Victory, Kin meaning related to others; Mankind, Cade meaning Lamb, Langlois is The Lion) He loves "mankind" but this world is plagued by the 'dragon', the evil one, Satan. To save the one he loves, his bride to be, and establish his kingdom he must do battle with the dragon. Though he is wounded during this battle, he destroys Satan. ('Alain killed the dragon.' Boom. The End. The end of the song. The end of the album. The first rock opera ever written."
According to Norman, People! toured "27 cities with The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
, performing our rock opera
Rock opera
A rock opera is a work of rock music that presents a storyline told over multiple parts, songs or sections in the manner of opera. A rock opera differs from a conventional rock album, which usually includes songs that are not unified by a common theme or narrative. More recent developments include...
"The Epic" every night with Pete Townshend
Pete Townshend
Peter Dennis Blandford "Pete" Townshend is an English rock guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and author, known principally as the guitarist and songwriter for the rock group The Who, as well as for his own solo career...
standing in the wings watching, (which led to Pete writing "Tommy" and releasing it eighteen months later, he divulged to the band in a later encounter)." According to Norman,
"Townshend was very interested in the song, especially the dramatics of the song. The Battle scene was acted out. ... Townshend said he wanted to write a rock opera and the next year The Who released "Tommy". A few months after its release Pete and Denny were travelling and Pete said 'Well, I did it. I wrote a rock opera,' and he told Denny he had been directly inspired by another band. In later years he would say he got the idea elsewhere, inspired by another band. Twenty years later he was saying it was three English bands. It's show biz, baby. You can't admit you nicked the idea off an obscure, one hit wonder".
While some have disputed Norman's claims (especially since Townshend had already written and recorded his first "rock opera," "A Quick One [While He's Away]," by this point), there is some corroboration of the veracity of Norman's claim. Rock historian Walter Rasmussen claims Pete Townshend
Pete Townshend
Peter Dennis Blandford "Pete" Townshend is an English rock guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and author, known principally as the guitarist and songwriter for the rock group The Who, as well as for his own solo career...
has acknowledged as the inspiration for The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
's Tommy
Tommy (rock opera)
Tommy is the fourth album by English rock band The Who, released by Track Records and Polydor Records in the United Kingdom and Decca Records/MCA in the United States. A double album telling a loose story about a "deaf, dumb and blind boy" who becomes the leader of a messianic movement, Tommy was...
, providing him with both the basic idea of "rock opera" and also an essential plot line (involving a misunderstood messianic
Messiah
A messiah is a redeemer figure expected or foretold in one form or another by a religion. Slightly more widely, a messiah is any redeemer figure. Messianic beliefs or theories generally relate to eschatological improvement of the state of humanity or the world, in other words the World to...
leader)." Further, according to David Di Sabatino: "There's shards of that that are might be true. One of the guys in People, bassist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
Robbie Levin - who didn't like Larry - says he operated a lodge, and Townsend came to stay once, and he asked him point blank, and Townsend corroborated that it was true."
Capitol Records releases (1967-1968)
People!'s first three singles and first two albums were produced by their manager, Mikel Hunter "Captain Mikey" Harrington, and recorded at the Sierra Sound Laboratories owned by Bob De Sousa in Berkley, California. In 1967 Capitol released People!'s first single "Organ Grinder/Riding High", with both songs co-written by Norman and Mason. "Organ Grinder" is "a song about a child molester in the Panhandle Park of Haight Ashbury". While many considered "Riding High" to be about drugs, according to Norman it was a Christian song "about survival and redemption", "about riding high above this world's cares through the power of the Holy Spirit". However, this single failed to chart, due to a lack of promotion by Capitol. During 1967 People! appeared on Dick Clark's American BandstandAmerican Bandstand
American Bandstand is an American music-performance show that aired in various versions from 1952 to 1989 and was hosted from 1956 until its final season by Dick Clark, who also served as producer...
. Other songs written by Norman and Fridkin in 1967, but refused release by Capitol, were "Floor Talk", "The Ice Cream Man", and "The End of the Road" for an almost completed but unreleased People! album. In 1968 Norman wrote "I am the Six O'Clock News", but Capitol refused to release it as a single, as Alan W. Livingston
Alan W. Livingston
Alan Wendell Livingston , born Alan Wendell Levison, was an American businessman best known for his tenures at Capitol Records, first as a writer/producer best-known for creating Bozo the Clown for a series of record-album and illustrative read-along children's book sets, then as the executive who...
, then "the head of Capitol was pro-Vietnam
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, like most middle-class Americans".
I Love You (1968)
While they were working on their debut album, Cathy Stashuk (born 19 November 1950 in San Francisco), the president of their fan club, recommended that they record a cover versionCover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of the British band The Zombies
The Zombies
The Zombies are an English rock band, formed in 1961 in St Albans and led by Rod Argent, on piano and keyboards, and vocalist Colin Blunstone. The group scored a UK and US hit in 1964 with "She's Not There"...
' 1965 song "I Love You
I Love You (The Zombies song)
-People! :The cover version by People!, released in February 1968 was a #14 hit in the USA and went to #1 in Japan...
", written by Chris White
Chris White (musician)
Chris White was the bass guitarist and songwriter with the 60s British Invasion band The Zombies.Although born in Barnet, Hertfordshire, he was brought up in Markyate where his parents owned a village shop...
. People! added "I Love You" to their live show to popular acclaim. On 2 February 1968 Capitol released their second single, produced also by Mikel Hunter, a cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of The Zombies
The Zombies
The Zombies are an English rock band, formed in 1961 in St Albans and led by Rod Argent, on piano and keyboards, and vocalist Colin Blunstone. The group scored a UK and US hit in 1964 with "She's Not There"...
' non-chart song "I Love You
I Love You (The Zombies song)
-People! :The cover version by People!, released in February 1968 was a #14 hit in the USA and went to #1 in Japan...
", written by Chris White
Chris White (musician)
Chris White was the bass guitarist and songwriter with the 60s British Invasion band The Zombies.Although born in Barnet, Hertfordshire, he was brought up in Markyate where his parents owned a village shop...
, backed by "Somebody Tell Me My Name", a song co-written by Geoff Levin and Fridkin, for the rock musical Vox Populi. After extensive promotion by the band and its manager, and industry advertising by Capitol, including the creation of a promotional film that appeared on Dick Clark's American Bandstand
American Bandstand
American Bandstand is an American music-performance show that aired in various versions from 1952 to 1989 and was hosted from 1956 until its final season by Dick Clark, who also served as producer...
on 27 April 1968, "I Love You" quickly became a hit single, selling more than one million copies, and reaching a peak of #14 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...
Hot 100 on 14 June 1968, and reaching #13 on the Cash Box Top 100 Singles Chart on 29 June 1968, and became a #1 single in several markets, including Italy, Israel, and Japan. After the release of their single "I Love You", People! toured extensively, appearing three times on Dick Clark's American Bandstand
American Bandstand
American Bandstand is an American music-performance show that aired in various versions from 1952 to 1989 and was hosted from 1956 until its final season by Dick Clark, who also served as producer...
, including an appearance on 15 June 1968, and also on Johnny Carson
Johnny Carson
John William "Johnny" Carson was an American television host and comedian, known as host of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson for 30 years . Carson received six Emmy Awards including the Governor Award and a 1985 Peabody Award; he was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 1987...
's Tonight Show. According to the liner notes of the 2006 Best of People! Volume 1 album, People!'s version of "I Love You" could have topped the US national charts if not for industry rivalries:
"It was #1 in Japan. It was big everywhere. Israel, South Africa, England, Scandinavia, Argentina and America where it actually hit #1 in every "market" all over the country, but not in the same week. Bill GavinGavin ReportThe Gavin Report was a San Francisco-based radio industry trade publication. The publication was founded by radio performer Bill Gavin in 1958. Its Top 40 listings were used for many years by programmers to decide content of programs...
and Bill DrakeBill DrakeBill Drake , born Philip Yarbrough, was an American radio programmer who co-developed the Boss Radio format with Gene Chenault via their company Drake-Chenault.-Early career:...
had two competitive companies who did exactly the same thing. For an expensive membership each would advise radio stations on what was bubbling up and was going to be a popular release to put into rotation on the radio playlistPlaylistIn its most general form, a playlist is simply a list of songs. They can be played in sequential or shuffled order. The term has several specialized meanings in the realms of radio broadcasting and personal computers.-In radio:...
. But People! was produced by Mikel Hunter, an upstart who broke all the rules of AM Boss Jock RadioBoss RadioBoss Radio was the name of two radio programming formats, both launched in the early 1960s: One in the United States, and one in the United Kingdom. Although the names were the same, the formats were quite different.-Boss Radio in the United States:...
and could predict much more accurately what was going to be a hit. So any radio programmer could take a look at Hunter's playlist, several weeks ahead of the nation, and pick the hits for free. Gavin and Drake decided to bury Hunter and one way was to advise programmers NOT to play "I Love You." "It's not going to be a hit." was their steady message for the four months during which "I Love You" fought its way to the top of every chart. A sad story. But a funny one, because People! was able to do a concert in every city while their single was the hottest thing on the local charts. Most bands can only do concerts for a week as their song hits #1 and then is pushed off the charts by a Beatles song, or even a Monkees song. So People! followed the path that the song laid down and had the biggest and longest thrill ride any band can have. It was a freakish phenomenon and one that never happened again. The suppression and black-ball attempts of Gavin and Drake spun the band into the majors and the band toured with The WhoThe WhoThe Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
and would have kept on going. But Larry [Norman] left the band on the day when Capitol followed up the little hit that could with a revamped version of the album for its premier release. Had the song been left on its own, unopposed, it would have sat atop the national charts at #1 for several weeks according to the overall tally in the end. Had Larry stayed in the group, who knows what might have happened".
Despite the success of "I Love You", People!'s heavy touring schedule, a promotional film of the group performing the song which aired on American Bandstand, and despite favorable reviews, the subsequent album, which was named after their hit single, was released by Capitol on 13 July 1968, but only reached #138 on the Billboard album charts on 10 August 1968. In August 1968 Capitol released People!'s third single "Apple Cider (credited to People! and from the rock 1968 musical Alison), backed with "Ashes of Me" (written by Al Ribisi and from the 1966 rock musical Vox Populi), which was produced also by Captain Mikey, but it failed to chart.
Departure of Larry Norman (1968)
A series of disputes, both between the band members and between the band and their record label, resulted in Norman leaving People!. By the time the 'I Love You' album was released and the band undertook its first major tour of the USA in the summer of 1968 Larry Norman had left People!. Subsequently People! appeared on Dick Clark's American BandstandAmerican Bandstand
American Bandstand is an American music-performance show that aired in various versions from 1952 to 1989 and was hosted from 1956 until its final season by Dick Clark, who also served as producer...
and Johnny Carson
Johnny Carson
John William "Johnny" Carson was an American television host and comedian, known as host of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson for 30 years . Carson received six Emmy Awards including the Governor Award and a 1985 Peabody Award; he was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 1987...
's Tonight Show. The reasons for Norman's departure are still disputed more than forty years later. All of the band members (except lead singers Norman and Mason) embraced Scientology
Scientology
Scientology is a body of beliefs and related practices created by science fiction and fantasy author L. Ron Hubbard , starting in 1952, as a successor to his earlier self-help system, Dianetics...
. Norman claimed other members of the band zealously issued the ultimatum: "We all have to get into Scientology or you can't be in the band." Norman and Mason both refused. People! drummer, Denny Fridkin, acknowledged conflicting claims in a 2007 interview:
"I'm sure you've got many interpretations and you have gotten or will get from the horse's mouth. As I perceived it at the time the whole band had gotten interested in ScientologyScientologyScientology is a body of beliefs and related practices created by science fiction and fantasy author L. Ron Hubbard , starting in 1952, as a successor to his earlier self-help system, Dianetics...
, sort of cultCultThe word cult in current popular usage usually refers to a group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre. The word originally denoted a system of ritual practices...
y thing. . . I was into that Ron L HubbardL. Ron HubbardLafayette Ronald Hubbard , better known as L. Ron Hubbard , was an American pulp fiction author and religious leader who founded the Church of Scientology...
(sic) stuff for a short time, a couple of years. Albert the keyboard player was the first one to get exposed to it and he came to rehearsal one day and was just all excited about it. But Larry was just not at all interested in it of course."
Some band members indicate that Norman was asked to leave the band because he was seen as a "Suppressive Person
Suppressive Person
Suppressive Person, often abbreviated SP, is a term used in Scientology to describe the "antisocial personalities" who, according to Scientology's founder L. Ron Hubbard, make up about 2.5% of the population...
". Norman agreed to be audited by the Church of Scientology
Church of Scientology
The Church of Scientology is an organization devoted to the practice and the promotion of the Scientology belief system. The Church of Scientology International is the Church of Scientology's parent organization, and is responsible for the overall ecclesiastical management, dissemination and...
on one occasion. Norman claimed that he was harassed by other members of Scientology, until the band's manager, KLIV
KLIV
KLIV is an AM radio station in the San Francisco Bay Area based in San Jose, California. The station operates at 1590 kHz on the AM band. It is owned by Empire Broadcasting, and is headed by News and Program Director George Sampson.-Programming:...
radio personality and program director Captain Mikey (Mikel Hunter Herrington), intervened. In a letter to his father, Norman wrote: "Captain Mikey and I talked yesterday (he phoned to say that the Scientology center in San Francisco has decided I'm not suppressive at all. That's a relief; no more midnight phone calls.)" Some members of the band agree that while it was known that Larry had some sort of religious background, he did not make his faith known to the rest of the members. Geoff Levin specifically cites that he was totally unaware that Larry was a Christian and at no time did his faith enter in to any of their discussions. However, in response to a question about whether Norman's Christian faith caused tensions in People!, drummer Denny Fridkin answered in a 2007 interview:
"Not outwardly at first. But we were playing in Monterey, CaliforniaMonterey, CaliforniaThe City of Monterey in Monterey County is located on Monterey Bay along the Pacific coast in Central California. Monterey lies at an elevation of 26 feet above sea level. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 27,810. Monterey is of historical importance because it was the capital of...
with a makeshift stage and during the dragon killing, during the epic where he would use a microphone stand and mimic killing a dragon... The stage had separated from Larry and he fell and damaged his finger. In fact a piece of bone flew off his finger and blood was spurting out all over the place. He finished the song with his finger a bleeding mess. Shortly after that is when he announced that he was leaving the band. My understanding is God told him that he was to be doing something else. Larry said, 'I don't know what that is but I'm following the Lord.'"
Wayne Raney
Wayne Raney was an American country singer and harmonica player.-Biography:Raney was born on a farm with a foot deformity and could not do heavy labor. After learning to play harmonica at an early age, he moved to Piedras Negras, Mexico at age 13, where he played on radio station XEPN...
song "We Need A Lot More Jesus (and a Lot Less Rock and Roll)" and to feature Christian imagery on the album cover. Larry also claimed that Capitol Records decided to name the album after the single "I Love You" instead, with a photograph of the band on the cover. According to Norman, since he was facing censorship by his record label and a forced religious conversion by his bandmates, he quit the band on the day People!'s first album was released (July 13, 1968). In 2007 Norman wrote:
"I quit the band that day. I let them think it was their idea to kick me out. But I was very upset that the album title had been changed and that Jesus had been irreverently been giving [sic] a pair of hippieHippieThe hippie subculture was originally a youth movement that arose in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread to other countries around the world. The etymology of the term 'hippie' is from hipster, and was initially used to describe beatniks who had moved into San Francisco's...
sunglasses. And I didn't want to record songs and have my best work left off of the album....I didn't want my message to be censored."
According to British writer Steve Turner
Steve Turner (writer)
Steve Turner is an English music journalist, biographer and poet, who grew up in Northamptonshire, England. His first published article was in the Beatles Monthly in 1969. His career as a journalist began as features editor of Beat Instrumental where he interviewed many of the prominent rock...
, "Larry, always uncompromising, saw this as a victory for big business over artistic vision and for secular pop over spiritual rock. From then on, he ploughed an often lonely furrow as a solo artist who tried to combine the thrill of the Beatles and the Rolling Stones with the spiritual insight of writers such as CS Lewis and GK Chesterton." Some other members of People! state that at no time was there ever any talk of the album being called anything other than "I Love You." Geoff Levin, who apologised to Norman in 1996 for his treatment of Norman in the final months of Norman's relationship with the band, is quoted in the documentary Fallen Angel as stating that Norman's "take on things" was delusional. Norman biographer Allen Flemming attempts to reconcile the conflicting claims:
[A] band meeting was held in which Larry announced that he wanted to quit the band because of the influences of Scientology. The band's founders called him delusional and preempted Larry's resignation by firing him on the spot. The band then immersed themselves completely in Scientology and continued on without Larry, with diminishing success. Mikel Hunter, the band's manager, then quit as well, telling the band they had "just fired the talent."
Norman and Mason reunited in 1974 for a benefit concert for Israel at UCLA, later released in 1980 as the live album Larry Norman and People!—The Israel Tapes—1974 A.D. Norman, Fridkin and Mason came together in August 2006 for a People! reunion concert in the G. Herbert Smith Auditorium on the Willamette University
Willamette University
Willamette University is an American private institution of higher learning located in Salem, Oregon. Founded in 1842, it is the oldest university in the Western United States. Willamette is a member of the Annapolis Group of colleges, and is made up of an undergraduate College of Liberal Arts and...
campus in Salem, Oregon
Salem, Oregon
Salem is the capital of the U.S. state of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County. It is located in the center of the Willamette Valley alongside the Willamette River, which runs north through the city. The river forms the boundary between Marion and Polk counties, and the city neighborhood...
. This concert was later released on a CD titled "People! The Reunion Concert 2006", and on two DVDs, "Larry Norman Live At The Smith, The Solo Set" and "Live At The Smith, The Band Set". Soon after, Fridkin decided to move in with Norman to look after him due to Norman's declining health and Norman's son's impending marriage. All of the original members of People! came together for a final mini concert on 19 October 2007, where they were later inducted into the San Jose Rocks Hall of Fame.
Both Sides of People! (1969)
Despite Norman's departure, the band's second album Both Sides of People (1969), which included unused songs from the I Love You sessions, featured three Larry Norman compositions out of the eight tracks, the songs "I've Got You On My Mind," "Hasty Heart," and "She's A Dancer", and Norman's vocals. People! made their second live performance on American Bandstand on 8 February 1969, performing "I Love You" and "Think", a cover of the James BrownJames Brown
James Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of Funk and is recognized as a major figure in the 20th century popular music for both his vocals and dancing. He has been referred to as "The Godfather of Soul," "Mr...
hit single.
There are People and There are People (1970)
Before the release of their third album, There are People and There are People (1970) (Paramount PAS-5013), Mason left the band, and was replaced by John Anthony Tristao (born 25 August 1949), lead singer of Coffee, a San Jose band that had opened for People!, who had been recruited by Geoff Levin. Tristao fronted People! for the first time at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds, opening for Creedence Clearwater RevivalCreedence Clearwater Revival
Creedence Clearwater Revival was an American rock band that gained popularity in the late 1960s and early 1970s with a number of successful singles drawn from various albums....
. Tristao would record eight singles and one album with People but they would never achieve another Top Ten hit. After the departure of Geoff Levin, Bruce Thomas Eason (born 9 January 1949), sang with the band, including several television appearances. After three months, Eason left before their third album. Eason recalls, "I appeared as lead singer for the band on American Bandstand
American Bandstand
American Bandstand is an American music-performance show that aired in various versions from 1952 to 1989 and was hosted from 1956 until its final season by Dick Clark, who also served as producer...
and Sam Riddle's "9th Street West". I used the stage name Scott Eason on the shows. I also participated in some unreleased studio recording that we did at Rainbow Studios in Hollywood as well."
Their third album featured brass instruments, which changed their sound considerably. The band regrouped one more time without Robb Levin, but, achieving no further success, disbanded permanently in 1971.
Reunions (1974-2007)
Israeli Fund for UNICEF
The Israeli Fund for UNICEF is the Israeli non-profit and non-governmental organization that supports the United Nations Children's Fund...
, later released as the live album Larry Norman and People!—The Israel Tapes—1974 A.D. Norman recruited local San Jose musicians Gary Wayne Burris (born 6 November 1952), Gary Steven Pomeroy (born 23 May 1951), and Robb Thomas (died about 1997) for this incarnation of People!
Norman, Fridkin and Mason came together in August 2006 for a People! reunion concert in the G. Herbert Smith Auditorium on the Willamette University
Willamette University
Willamette University is an American private institution of higher learning located in Salem, Oregon. Founded in 1842, it is the oldest university in the Western United States. Willamette is a member of the Annapolis Group of colleges, and is made up of an undergraduate College of Liberal Arts and...
campus in Salem, Oregon
Salem, Oregon
Salem is the capital of the U.S. state of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County. It is located in the center of the Willamette Valley alongside the Willamette River, which runs north through the city. The river forms the boundary between Marion and Polk counties, and the city neighborhood...
. This concert was later released on a CD titled "People! The Reunion Concert 2006", and on two DVDs, "Larry Norman Live At The Smith, The Solo Set" and "Live At The Smith, The Band Set". Soon after, Fridkin decided to move in with Norman to look after him due to Norman's declining health and Norman's son's impending marriage.
On October 19, 2007, People! was inducted into the San Jose Rocks Hall of Fame and its most successful lineup (including Larry Norman, Gene Mason, Denny Fridkin, Albert Ribisi, Robb Levin, John Riolo, and Geoff Levin) performed together for the first time since 1968. John Tristao, who joined People! after the departure of Norman and Mason, was also present, and had been inducted into the San Jose Rocks Hall of Fame in its inaugural class in October 2006.
After break-up
- Larry NormanLarry NormanLarry David Norman was an American Christian musician, singer, songwriter, record label owner, and record producer, who worked with Christian rock music...
started performing his own songs in 1956. He went on to perform for Ted Mack's Amateur Hour TV show when he was thirteen, signed with Capitol RecordsCapitol RecordsCapitol 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...
when he was eighteen, and opened for Jimi HendrixJimi HendrixJames Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
, The Grateful Dead, Janis JoplinJanis JoplinJanis Lyn Joplin was an American singer, songwriter, painter, dancer and music arranger. She rose to prominence in the late 1960s as the lead singer of Big Brother and the Holding Company and later as a solo artist with her backing groups, The Kozmic Blues Band and The Full Tilt Boogie Band...
, The ByrdsThe ByrdsThe Byrds were an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1964. The band underwent multiple line-up changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn remaining the sole consistent member until the group disbanded in 1973...
, and others with People! In 1968, Norman left People! and moved to Hollywood. He was asked to be one of the leads in HairHair (musical)Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical is a rock musical with a book and lyrics by James Rado and Gerome Ragni and music by Galt MacDermot. A product of the hippie counter-culture and sexual revolution of the 1960s, several of its songs became anthems of the anti-Vietnam War peace movement...
, and also offered a solo contract from Capitol Records. He passed on Hair and released his first solo album entitled Upon This Rock. He went on to long career in music before dying of heart disease in February 2008.
- Dennis Fridkin once said he had come to San Jose State for pre–med studies "because it was the only college that would accept me." Two hours after his arrival at the bus terminal, Norman approached him in an electronics store and asked if he played drums. In two weeks, Fridkin was drumming for a full house with People! at the San Jose Civic Auditorium, opening for Paul Revere and the Raiders. When People! turned down an extensive Australian tour, Fridkin decided to go his own way and he retired from People!. He went back to school and completed his medical degree and opened up his own clinic for chiropracticChiropracticChiropractic is a health care profession concerned with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disorders of the neuromusculoskeletal system and the effects of these disorders on general health. It is generally categorized as complementary and alternative medicine...
and holistic health, and ran the business for twelve years. He later returned to show business, this time writing several musicals, which were performed in Las VegasLas Vegas metropolitan areaThe Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
and Palm SpringsPalm SpringsPalm Springs is a desert city in CaliforniaPalm Springs may also refer to:* Palm Springs, Florida* Palm Springs, Hong Kong, a residential development in Yuen Long, Hong Kong* Coachella Valley, also known as the Palm Springs area...
. In 2005 he re–united with Norman and toured parts of Europe and America as Norman's musical director and keyboardist.
- Gene Mason went on to form his own band Carrousel, which had some success in Los AngelesLos ÁngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and in the San Francisco Bay AreaSan Francisco Bay AreaThe San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
after retiring from People! Mason also became the lead guitarist for Carrousel, and continued to record with his own group and People! vets Denny Fridkin and Larry Norman. Norman and Mason reformed People! in 1974 for recording sessions and a benefit concert for The Israel Fund. Mason's love for bluegrass never died, however, and he gravitated back into several prominent groups throughout California, including the Stoney Hill Bluegrass Band, Western Lights, and The Borderline Bluegrass Band. Mason later moved to Salt Lake City and played lead guitar and sang for various country and western bands.
- Geoff Levin is a founding member of the internationally popular "storytelling and music group" Celestial Navigations and has toured and released CD performances with the group for over 25 years. Geoff is also a composer, orchestrator and songwriter. Mr.Levin has numerous TV and cable shows and series to his credit, including a three-part series for The Learning Channel called Science at the Edge, National Geographic's Quest for K2, and the Discovery ChannelDiscovery ChannelDiscovery Channel is an American satellite and cable specialty channel , founded by John Hendricks and distributed by Discovery Communications. It is a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav...
's special Valley of the T-Rex. He has provided additional music for Friends, Saturday Night LiveSaturday Night LiveSaturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
, The SopranosThe SopranosThe Sopranos is an American television drama series created by David Chase that revolves around the New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster Tony Soprano and the difficulties he faces as he tries to balance the often conflicting requirements of his home life and the criminal organization he heads...
, RoswellRoswell (TV series)Roswell is an American science fiction television series developed, produced, and co-written by Jason Katims. The series debuted on October 6, 1999 on The WB and moved to UPN for the third season. The last episode aired May 14, 2002...
, All My ChildrenAll My ChildrenAll My Children is an American television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 5, 1970 to September 23, 2011. Created by Agnes Nixon, All My Children is set in Pine Valley, Pennsylvania, a fictitious suburb of Philadelphia. The show features Susan Lucci as Erica Kane, one of daytime's most...
, Family Matters, Good Morning AmericaGood Morning AmericaGood Morning America is an American morning news and talk show that is broadcast on the ABC television network; it debuted on November 3, 1975. The weekday program airs for two hours; a third hour aired between 2007 and 2008 exclusively on ABC News Now...
, and 20/20, and has scored over 30 films and numerous television presentations. Geoff was an early participant in ScientologyScientologyScientology is a body of beliefs and related practices created by science fiction and fantasy author L. Ron Hubbard , starting in 1952, as a successor to his earlier self-help system, Dianetics...
's Celebrity Center and spent time with L. Ron HubbardL. Ron HubbardLafayette Ronald Hubbard , better known as L. Ron Hubbard , was an American pulp fiction author and religious leader who founded the Church of Scientology...
on the Sea OrgSea OrgThe Sea Organization or Sea Org is an association of Scientologists established in 1968 by L. Ron Hubbard, the science fiction writer and founder of Scientology. Its members are found in the central management organizations of the Church of Scientology as well as in individual churches...
.
- Robb Levin was in the band longer than any other member and became leader of People! after the other founding members moved on. The name People! was eventually changed to Rocking Horse, and Levin continued to tour and record. Later Levin toured with the Rick SpringfieldRick SpringfieldRick Springfield is an Australian-born singer-songwriter, musician, and actor. He was a member of pop rock group Zoot from 1969 to 1971 and then started his solo career with his début single "Speak to the Sky" reaching the top 10 in Australia. In mid-1972, he relocated to the United States...
Band. He also became a successful clothing manufacturer, property developer, and owner of the Sorrel River Ranch Resort near Moab, Utah.
- Albert Ribisi, married to Lyn Ribisi, writes for magazines. Ribisi owns and manages L.A. Publishing, a printing company that specializes in expedited printing services. Ribisi's son GiovanniGiovanni RibisiGiovanni Ribisi is an American actor. His film credits include Gone in 60 Seconds, Boiler Room, Saving Private Ryan, The Mod Squad, The Gift, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, Lost in Translation and more recently, Public Enemies and Avatar...
and daughters MarissaMarissa RibisiMarissa Ribisi is an American actress. She has performed in the films Dazed and Confused, True Crime, The Brady Bunch Movie, Pleasantville, and Don's Plum and television shows such as Felicity, Friends, Grace Under Fire, Watching Ellie, and Tales of the City.-Early life:Ribisi was born Santina...
and Gina are professional television and film actors.
- John Tristao is the frontman for Creedence Clearwater RevisitedCreedence Clearwater RevisitedCreedence Clearwater Revisited is a band formed in 1995 by former Creedence Clearwater Revival members Stu Cook and Doug Clifford .-The band:...
, with original CCR bassist Stu Cook and drummer Doug Clifford. Tristao had previously logged many years with the west coast Daddy-O. Tristao has also released several of his own albums, including Big Hat, No Cattle, and his double edged CD/DVD release Feed the Need.. He was inducted into the San Jose Rocks Hall of Fame in October 2006. In addition to his work with CCR, Tristao is lead singer for Johnny Bulldog.
- David Anderson came up with the name People! and was an original founding member. He has been a fixture in the Bay Area music scene for years as a writer and a performer, and has showcased at the KPIG Fat Fry, The San Francisco Folk Festival, and The High Sierra Folk Festival.
- John Riolo's continued to play drums, keyboards, guitar, and sing professionally after leaving People!, and worked in various rock bands around the San Francisco Bay Area and throughout the Western United States. He produced his own music in San Francisco, Johnny and the Soulbirds, playing all instruments. Riolo was part of the San Francisco Rock Music scene for many years, constructed and lived in his massive tree house for eleven years in Oregon, and now owns a Custom Drum Company specializing in rock and roll drum sets, Riolo Custom Drums
- Bruce Thomas Eason owns an insurance business in Long Beach, CaliforniaLong Beach, CaliforniaLong Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
and has appeared in several films.
- Gary Burris joined Gropus Cackus in 1977, after having been a member of Coffee, and Bandana
Singles (45 rpm)
Title (A Side/B Side) (Label Number) Year- "Organ Grinder"/"Riding High" (Capitol 5920) 1967
- "I Love YouI Love You (The Zombies song)-People! :The cover version by People!, released in February 1968 was a #14 hit in the USA and went to #1 in Japan...
"/"Somebody Tell Me My Name" (Capitol 2078) 1968 - "Apple Cider"/Ashes Of Me (Capitol 2251) 1968
- "Ulla"/Turnin' Me In (Capitol 2449) 1969
- "Turnin' Me In"/Ulla (Capitol 2499) 1969
- Love Will Take Us Higher & Higher/Living It Up (Paramount 0005) 1969
- Sunshine Lady/Crosstown Bus (Paramount 0011) 1969
- For What It's Worth/Maple Street (Paramount 0019) 1970
- One Chain Don't Make No Prison/Keep It Alive (Paramount 0028) 1970
- Chant For Peace/I Don't Carry No Guns (Polydor 14087) 1971
- I Love You (Re-Issue)/Nobody but Me (The Human BeinzThe Human BeinzThe Human Beinz is an American rock and roll / frat rock band from Youngstown, Ohio. Originally known as The Human Beingz, the band initially featured John "Dick" Belley , Joe "Ting" Markulin , Mel Pachuta and Gary Coates -Early career:The Beinz started in 1964 as The Premiers, launching their...
) (Capitol P4482 and X-6224)
Albums
- I Love You (1968) (Capitol ST-2924) CD Re-Release (1994) (Capitol CDP-29797)
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- Songs: 1000 Years B.C./ Nothing Can Stop the Elephants/ Ashes of Me/ Crying Shoes
- I Love You/ What We Need is a Lot More Jesus (And a Lot Less Rock & Roll)/ The Epic
- Both Sides of People (1969) (Capitol ST-151)
- Songs: I've Got You On My Mind/ Hasty Heart/ You'll Never Know For Sure/ Think/ Hey Sweetheart/
- Lucky John/ She's A Dancer/ Pirate Bill
- There Are People and There Are People (1970) (Paramount PAS-5013)
- Songs: For What It's Worth/Crosstown Bus/How Does It Feel/We're Off To See The Wizard/There's A Man
- Miss Jane/The Other Side/Maple Street/Sunshine Lady/It's Making Me Crazy/The Willie Tell Experience
- Larry Norman and People! - The Israel Tapes 1974 A.D. (1980) (Phydeaux WOOF-999-1)
- Songs: Fly, Fly, Fly/ I Love You (Chris White)/ I Love You (Larry Norman/ Randy Stonehill)/
- I Am The Six O'clock News/ Lonely By Myself/ Baroquen Spirits/ You Knew What You Were Doing/
- Forget Your Hexagram/ I've Searched All Around The World/ Sweet Song Of Salvation
- Best of People Vol. 1 - 40 Year Anniversary (2006) (Solid Rock CD-SRP-001)
- Songs: Riding High/ Organ Grinder/ Hasty Heart/ I've Got You on My Mind/ Somebody Tell Me My Name/
- I Love You/ Ashes of Me/ She's a Dancer/ Crying Shoes/ The Epic
- Best of People Vol. 2 - 40 Year Anniversary (2006) (Solid Rock CD-SRP-002)
- Songs: 1000 Years Before Christ/Hey Sweetheart/Nothing Can Stop the Elephants/Opposite Me/
- We Need a Whole Lot More of Jesus/Giant Man/She's a Dancer/Think/Apple Cider/Hungarian Rhapsody
- People! The Reunion Concert 2006 (2007) (Solid Rock)
- Songs: I Love You/ Riding High/ Cryin' Shoes/ Somebody Tell Me My Name/ She's A Dancer/
- Hey Sweetheart/ I've Got You On My Mind/ We Need A Whole Lot More Of Jesus/ Hasty Heart/
- Why Don't You Look Into Jesus/ Twelve Good Men
- I Love You Korea (2007) (Solid Rock ILY-001)
- Songs: 1000 Years Before Christ/ Nothing Can Stop the Elephants/ Ashes of Me/ Crying Shoes
- I Love You/ What We Need is a Lot More Jesus And a Lot Less Rock & Roll/ The Epic
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This album is a high quality Japan and South Korea release from the original Capitol Records CD re-release of 1994 of their inaugural album "I Love You." Liner notes are written by Larry Norman and explain the origin and significance of each song.
Further reading
- The Best of People! 40 Year Anniversary Vol. 1 Songbook with Lyrics and Notes (2006)
- The Best of People! 40 Year Anniversary Vol. 2 Songbook with Lyrics and Notes (2006)