The Butts Band
Encyclopedia
The Butts Band was a British
and American
group formed by ex-Doors members John Densmore
and Robby Krieger
that was active from 1973-1975.
trying to find a replacement for Jim Morrison
. The remaining Doors were in London in 1973 had auditioned several British singers including Howard Werth (the singer with Audience
), Kevin Coyne
(from Siren) and Jess Roden
(who was the leader of Bronco UK
).
Howard Werth rehearsed with the band for a week with a view to stepping into Morrison's shoes. Elektra records founder Jac Holzman
favoured Werth as he had at one stage foreseen Audience taking over The Doors' spot on Elektra - but Audience had fallen apart and he now saw Howard and The Doors merging as the new Doors. However, Ray Manzarek
eventually called it off and went back to Los Angeles, leaving Densmore and Krieger in London
. They began looking for a new project, linking up with Roden, Phil Chen
and Roy Davies
to form the Butts Band.
In an early interview in Melody Maker
or NME
Krieger explained the origin of the name: "'Butts Band' equalled a bunch of losers desperate for a gig, hence the tattered speaker on the front cover."
Their debut, the self titled album The Butts Band
was released in 1974. After the pressure of two members living in California
and three in London led the band to split (following a low key tour and the odd TV appearance), Krieger and Densmore recruited a second cast of musicians to produce a second album, titled Hear and Now
in 1975.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
group formed by ex-Doors members John Densmore
John Densmore
John Paul Densmore is an American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the drummer of the rock group The Doors.-Early life and The Doors:Born in Los Angeles, Densmore attended Santa Monica City College and Cal...
and Robby Krieger
Robby Krieger
Robert Alan "Robby" Krieger is an American rock guitarist and songwriter. He was the guitarist in The Doors, and wrote some of the band's best known songs, including "Light My Fire," "Love Me Two Times," "Touch Me," and "Love Her Madly."...
that was active from 1973-1975.
History
The Butts Band came about as a consequence of The DoorsThe 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...
trying to find a replacement for Jim Morrison
Jim Morrison
James Douglas "Jim" Morrison was an American musician, singer, and poet, best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the rock band The Doors...
. The remaining Doors were in London in 1973 had auditioned several British singers including Howard Werth (the singer with Audience
Audience (band)
Audience is a cult British art rock band which existed between 1969 and 1972, and reformed in 2004.The original band consisted of Howard Werth on nylon-strung electric acoustic guitar and vocals, Keith Gemmell on tenor...
), Kevin Coyne
Kevin Coyne
Kevin Coyne was a musician, singer, composer, film-maker, and a writer of lyrics, stories and poems. The former "anti-star" was born on 27 January 1944 in Derby, UK, and died in his adopted home of Nuremberg, Germany, on 2 December 2004....
(from Siren) and Jess Roden
Jess Roden
Jess Roden is an English rock singer and guitarist.-Biography:Roden's first band was The Raiders followed by The Shakedown Sound which also included the guitarist, Kevyn Gammond, and keyboard player August Eadon ....
(who was the leader of Bronco UK
Bronco UK
Bronco were an English rock/country band signed to Island & Polydor Records 1969-1973.-History:Formed August 1969 by Jess Roden following his split from The Alan Bown Set, Bronco were signed to Island Records and released two albums 'Country Home' and 'Ace of Sunlight'...
).
Howard Werth rehearsed with the band for a week with a view to stepping into Morrison's shoes. Elektra records founder Jac Holzman
Jac Holzman
Jac Holzman was the founder, chief executive officer and head of both Elektra Records and Nonesuch Records.-Biography:He founded Elektra Records in his St. John's College dorm room in 1950 and Nonesuch Records in 1964...
favoured Werth as he had at one stage foreseen Audience taking over The Doors' spot on Elektra - but Audience had fallen apart and he now saw Howard and The Doors merging as the new Doors. However, Ray Manzarek
Ray Manzarek
Raymond Daniel Manzarek, Jr., better known as Ray Manzarek , is an American musician, singer, producer, film director, writer, co-founder and keyboardist of The Doors from 1965 to 1973, Nite City from 1977–1978 and Manzarek-Krieger since 2001.Manzarek is listed #4 on Digital Dreamdoor's "100...
eventually called it off and went back to Los Angeles, leaving Densmore and Krieger in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. They began looking for a new project, linking up with Roden, Phil Chen
Phil Chen
Phil Chen is a well-known Chinese-Jamaican bassist. He was one of England's most utilized session bassists during the 1970s and 1980s, including being part of the Rod Stewart band from 1977 to 1980, but is probably best known for his later work with Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger of The Doors.-Life...
and Roy Davies
Roy Davies
Roy Thomas Davies was Bishop of Llandaff from 1985 to 1999.-Life:Davies was educated at St David's College, Lampeter, Wales obtaining a BA degree in 1955, and then at Jesus College, Oxford, where he obtained a BLitt in 1959. He trained for ordination at St Stephen's House, Oxford...
to form the Butts Band.
In an early interview in Melody Maker
Melody Maker
Melody Maker, published in the United Kingdom, was, according to its publisher IPC Media, the world's oldest weekly music newspaper. It was founded in 1926 as a magazine targeted at musicians; in 2000 it was merged into "long-standing rival" New Musical Express.-1950s–1960s:Originally the Melody...
or NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
Krieger explained the origin of the name: "'Butts Band' equalled a bunch of losers desperate for a gig, hence the tattered speaker on the front cover."
Their debut, the self titled album The Butts Band
The Butts Band (album)
- Track listing :#"I Won't Be Alone Anymore" #"Baja Bus" #"Sweet Danger" #"Pop-A-Top" #"Be With Me" #"New Ways" #"Love Your Brother"...
was released in 1974. After the pressure of two members living in 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...
and three in London led the band to split (following a low key tour and the odd TV appearance), Krieger and Densmore recruited a second cast of musicians to produce a second album, titled Hear and Now
Hear and Now (album)
- Track listing :#"Get Up, Stand Up" #"Corner of My Mind" #"Caught in the Middle" #"Everybody's Fool" #"Livin' and Dyin'" #"Don't Wake Up"...
in 1975.
Krieger's thoughts
"Before 'An American Prayer', we did two albums as the Doors, Full Circle and Other Voices, which were fairly well received albums.
But the problem was after Jim had gone, the three of us couldn’t get along anymore. We did for a while but after a while, it got very strange. We all decided to go to England and maybe find a singer over there. So we all went over there, kind of moved over there. Then Dorothy, Ray’s wife, got pregnant and she had gone through some weird stuff. So Ray decided to go back home.
John and I were stuck over in London, so we formed this group called the Butts Band with Phil Chen, who at that time was the hot bass player in England, like the James Jamerson of England. We had a singer named Jess Roden and a keyboard player named Roy Davis. It was really a good band. We recorded half of the record in the U.K. and half in Jamaica which Phil help with because he is from there and he was able to visit his mother and father for the first time in ten years. Then we came back to Los Angeles and we couldn’t hold the band together because half of them lived in England and half of us lived here. They got homesick and stuff didn’t happen as soon as we had hoped. The record got shuffled around to two or three record companies so then we did another album as the Butts Band with a whole different line up. Karl 'Slick' Rucker bass player, Mike Stull who is a great singer. He sounded like the Righteous Brothers and a Lady keyboard player named Alex Richman. We did an album called 'Here and Now'."
Early band members
- Phillip Chen – Bass guitar
- Roy DaviesRoy DaviesRoy Thomas Davies was Bishop of Llandaff from 1985 to 1999.-Life:Davies was educated at St David's College, Lampeter, Wales obtaining a BA degree in 1955, and then at Jesus College, Oxford, where he obtained a BLitt in 1959. He trained for ordination at St Stephen's House, Oxford...
– Keyboards/Synthesiser - John DensmoreJohn DensmoreJohn Paul Densmore is an American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the drummer of the rock group The Doors.-Early life and The Doors:Born in Los Angeles, Densmore attended Santa Monica City College and Cal...
– Drums - Robby KriegerRobby KriegerRobert Alan "Robby" Krieger is an American rock guitarist and songwriter. He was the guitarist in The Doors, and wrote some of the band's best known songs, including "Light My Fire," "Love Me Two Times," "Touch Me," and "Love Her Madly."...
– Guitar - Jess RodenJess RodenJess Roden is an English rock singer and guitarist.-Biography:Roden's first band was The Raiders followed by The Shakedown Sound which also included the guitarist, Kevyn Gammond, and keyboard player August Eadon ....
– Vocals - Mick WeaverMick WeaverMick Weaver is a session musician best known for his playing of the Hammond B3 organ and is a much respected exponent of the Blues and Funk styles.-Career:...
– Organ
Band members in the second line-up
- Mike Berkowitz – Drums
- John DensmoreJohn DensmoreJohn Paul Densmore is an American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the drummer of the rock group The Doors.-Early life and The Doors:Born in Los Angeles, Densmore attended Santa Monica City College and Cal...
– Drums - Robby KriegerRobby KriegerRobert Alan "Robby" Krieger is an American rock guitarist and songwriter. He was the guitarist in The Doors, and wrote some of the band's best known songs, including "Light My Fire," "Love Me Two Times," "Touch Me," and "Love Her Madly."...
– Guitar - Alex Richman – Keyboards/Vocals
- Karl Ruckner – Bass
- Michael Stull – Guitar/Vocals
Discography
- The Butts BandThe Butts Band (album)- Track listing :#"I Won't Be Alone Anymore" #"Baja Bus" #"Sweet Danger" #"Pop-A-Top" #"Be With Me" #"New Ways" #"Love Your Brother"...
(1974) - Hear and NowHear and Now (album)- Track listing :#"Get Up, Stand Up" #"Corner of My Mind" #"Caught in the Middle" #"Everybody's Fool" #"Livin' and Dyin'" #"Don't Wake Up"...
(1975)