The Webb Brothers
Encyclopedia
The Webb Brothers are a rock
band from Chicago
, Illinois
, who formed in 1998.
Jimmy Webb
and Patsy Sullivan, a cover girl and top model
. They are grandsons of actor
Barry Sullivan. Christiaan and Justin attended Boston University
together before moving to Chicago. The band recorded a demo
album
called 'Beyond The Biosphere' with drummer Neal Ostrovsky, who also recorded and mixed the tracks, in 1998 and shopped it around to US
record label
s, but none expressed any interest.
However, the demo was picked up by London
-based 7-inch only label Easy!Tiger. It released Excerpts From Beyond The Biosphere (track listing: "Cold Finger", "The Filth of it All" and "I'm Over and I Know It") in early 1999. The 1,000-strong pressing sold out immediately, and the band also came over to the UK
to play some concert
s.
Significant media attention followed and the band signed a recording contract
with Warner Music, and Beyond The Biosphere was formally released on the major label in July 1999, and followed by Maroon on Atlantic Records
in 2000. James then joined his brothers in 2003 for a self-titled release on 679 Recordings
.
The Webb Brothers are now based in Los Angeles and have recorded several mini-projects, such as 'Music From The God Helmet'.
In 2009, The Webb Brothers teamed up with their father to form 'Jimmy Webb & The Webb Brothers', releasing the album Cottonwood Farm and touring the UK in November. Cornelius Webb plays bass for the band, on drums was Cal Campbell (son of Glen Campbell
). Tim Walker provided pedal steel guitar
.
The Webb Brothers commenced work on a new album in January 2010 which is now on hold while Christiaan completes work on his first solo records, 'A Man Possessed'.
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band from Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, who formed in 1998.
History
The Webb Brothers are Christiaan, Justin and James Webb, sons of the songwriterSongwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
Jimmy Webb
Jimmy Webb
Jimmy Webb is an American songwriter, composer, and singer. He wrote numerous platinum selling classics, including "Up, Up and Away", "By the Time I Get to Phoenix", "Wichita Lineman", "Galveston", "The Worst That Could Happen", "All I Know", and "MacArthur Park"...
and Patsy Sullivan, a cover girl and top model
Model (person)
A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
. They are grandsons of actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
Barry Sullivan. Christiaan and Justin attended Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
together before moving to Chicago. The band recorded a demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
called 'Beyond The Biosphere' with drummer Neal Ostrovsky, who also recorded and mixed the tracks, in 1998 and shopped it around to US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
s, but none expressed any interest.
However, the demo was picked up by 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...
-based 7-inch only label Easy!Tiger. It released Excerpts From Beyond The Biosphere (track listing: "Cold Finger", "The Filth of it All" and "I'm Over and I Know It") in early 1999. The 1,000-strong pressing sold out immediately, and the band also came over to the UK
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...
to play some concert
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
s.
Significant media attention followed and the band signed a recording contract
Recording contract
A recording contract is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist , where the artist makes a record for the label to sell and promote...
with Warner Music, and Beyond The Biosphere was formally released on the major label in July 1999, and followed by Maroon on Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
in 2000. James then joined his brothers in 2003 for a self-titled release on 679 Recordings
679 Recordings
679 Artists is a Warner Music Group-owned record label based in London, England....
.
The Webb Brothers are now based in Los Angeles and have recorded several mini-projects, such as 'Music From The God Helmet'.
In 2009, The Webb Brothers teamed up with their father to form 'Jimmy Webb & The Webb Brothers', releasing the album Cottonwood Farm and touring the UK in November. Cornelius Webb plays bass for the band, on drums was Cal Campbell (son of Glen Campbell
Glen Campbell
Glen Travis Campbell is an American country music singer, guitarist, television host and occasional actor. He is best known for a series of hits in the 1960s and 1970s, as well as for hosting a variety show called The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour on CBS television.During his 50 years in show...
). Tim Walker provided pedal steel guitar
Pedal steel guitar
The pedal steel guitar is a type of electric guitar that uses a metal bar to "fret" or shorten the length of the strings, rather than fingers on strings as with a conventional guitar. Unlike other types of steel guitar, it also uses pedals and knee levers to affect the pitch, hence the name "pedal"...
.
The Webb Brothers commenced work on a new album in January 2010 which is now on hold while Christiaan completes work on his first solo records, 'A Man Possessed'.
Discography
- Excerpts From Beyond the Biosphere EP (Easy!Tiger Records, 1999)
- Beyond the Biosphere (Warner Music, 1999)
- Maroon (Atlantic RecordsAtlantic RecordsAtlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
, 2000) - #105 (UK) - The Webb Brothers (679 Records, 2003)
- Odds & Ends (2005)
- Music From The God Helmet (2005)
- Cottonwood Farm - Jimmy Webb & The Webb Brothers (Proper RecordsProper RecordsProper Records is a record label founded in 1988 by Malcolm Mills and Paul Riley. Commencing with a handful of releases, including The Balham Alligators and Chilli Willi and the Red Hot Peppers, the label grew in stature and renown through its reissue marque, 'Proper Box', whose 4CD boxsets for...
, 2009)
Members
- Christiaan Webb - vocals, keyboard
- Justin Webb - vocals, guitar
- James Webb - vocals, guitar, bass, keyboard
- Cornelius Webb - Bass
- Cal Campbell - Drums, vocals, guitars
- Neal Ostrovsky - Drums (1998–2004)