Head East
Encyclopedia
Head East is an American
hard rock
band originally from South Central Illinois
. The band was formed by vocalist John Schlitt
, guitarist
Mike Somerville, keyboardist
Roger Boyd, bassist
Dan Birney, and drummer
Steve Huston. They met and formed the band while studying at the University of Illinois, Champaign
. The band achieved success in the Midwest during the 1970s, but fell into obscurity in the following decades.
, in 1974 and released it on their own record label (Pyramid Records) selling all 5,000 records and 500 eight-tracks produced. With those sales, and the song "Never Been Any Reason
" on radio, A&M
was impressed enough to sign the band and re-release the album in 1975. The album reached gold status by 1978 and would remain their most popular album, spawning another hit in the song "Love Me Tonight", which peaked at #54.
The band followed with the albums Get Yourself Up and Gettin' Lucky, released in 1976 and 1977 respectively. Neither album achieved the success of their debut album. However, their fourth album simply titled Head East (1978) produced another hit with the band's cover of former Argent
singer Russ Ballard
's "Since You Been Gone," which peaked at #46.
In 1979, the band released the double-LP
Head East Live! and A Different Kind of Crazy. The former also peaked on the US Top 100 charts. The band also performed on the soundtrack
to the comic anthology film J-Men Forever
. Head East Also performed at the Culver Academies
Prom.
In March 1980, bassist
Dan Birney and guitarist
Mike Somerville left the band, while singer John Schlitt
was fired over a drug
dependency. He would later recover, become a born-again Christian
and reappear as the singer and the face of one of Contemporary Christian Music
's all-time most successful bands, Petra
. Schlitt was with Petra from 1985 until the band was retired in 2005.
Remaining members, Boyd and Huston, hired Mark Boatman, Tony Gross, and Dan Odum to record their following album titled U.S. 1, released in October 1980. The album was their last to reach the charts and last recorded release on A&M.
The band continued with little success, releasing albums on small labels. Some of them were Onward and Upward (1982) on Allegiance Records and Choice of Weapons (1988) released on Dark Heart Records with Kurt Hansen taking on bass and vocal duties. These were the last studio albums recorded with new original material being released as Head East. Subsequent albums featured rereleased, remixed studio and live performances of the more successful material. Tim Day, drummer from Daddy's Girl joined the band and toured from 99-01. They would still continue to play around, with guitarist Somerville returning from 1994 to 2003.
In 1999, a live album titled Live on Stage was released. The album featured songs from two shows at Denver's Rainbow Music Hall. The first five tracks are from a 1980 show featuring the original personnel, while the last 10 tracks are from a 1981 show featuring the latter lineup.
The band continues to tour to this day, playing 30 to 40 shows each year.
The band's 1975 single, "Never Been Any Reason," was featured in the 2005 movie adaptation
of Clive Cussler
's novel, Sahara, and appears on the soundtrack to the 1993 coming-of-age drama Dazed and Confused
as well as being briefly heard in the film.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
band originally from South Central Illinois
South Central Illinois
South Central Illinois is a region in the southern part of Illinois; its approximate boundaries are US 50 in the south, and Illinois Highway 16 in the north. Blessed with fertile soil throughout the region, agriculture is a chief industry here. Some of the largest communities in south-central...
. The band was formed by vocalist John Schlitt
John Schlitt
John William Schlitt is known for his career as the lead singer of Christian rock band Petra from 1986 until the band's retirement in late 2005. Prior to joining Petra in 1986, Schlitt was the vocalist for Head East....
, guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
Mike Somerville, keyboardist
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
Roger Boyd, 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...
Dan Birney, and drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
Steve Huston. They met and formed the band while studying at the University of Illinois, Champaign
Champaign, Illinois
Champaign is a city in Champaign County, Illinois, in the United States. The city is located south of Chicago, west of Indianapolis, Indiana, and 178 miles northeast of St. Louis, Missouri. Though surrounded by farm communities, Champaign is notable for sharing the campus of the University of...
. The band achieved success in the Midwest during the 1970s, but fell into obscurity in the following decades.
Background
Head East was formed in 1968 and played their first gig in Carbondale, Illinois. Originally known as the TimeAtions, the band adopted the name Head East on August 6, 1969 at the suggestion of Baxter Forrest Twilight. They released their first album cut at Golden Voice Recording Studio in South Pekin Ill, Flat as a PancakeFlat as a Pancake
Flat as a Pancake was the first studio release of the hard rock band Head East. At first, the album was released independently on Pyramid Records...
, in 1974 and released it on their own record label (Pyramid Records) selling all 5,000 records and 500 eight-tracks produced. With those sales, and the song "Never Been Any Reason
Never Been Any Reason
"Never Been Any Reason" is the first track on Head East's debut album Flat as a Pancake, composed by the band's guitarist, Mike Somerville. It is often considered Head East's signature song, peaking at #68 on the Hot 100, and continues to be played on classic rock radio stations in the US a...
" on radio, A&M
A&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...
was impressed enough to sign the band and re-release the album in 1975. The album reached gold status by 1978 and would remain their most popular album, spawning another hit in the song "Love Me Tonight", which peaked at #54.
The band followed with the albums Get Yourself Up and Gettin' Lucky, released in 1976 and 1977 respectively. Neither album achieved the success of their debut album. However, their fourth album simply titled Head East (1978) produced another hit with the band's cover of former Argent
Argent (band)
Argent are an English rock band founded in 1969 by keyboardist Rod Argent, formerly of The Zombies.-Career:The first three demos from Argent, recorded in the autumn of 1968 featured Mac MacLeod on bass guitar though he was not meant to become a member of the group.Original members of the band were...
singer Russ Ballard
Russ Ballard
Russell Glyn Ballard is an English singer, songwriter and musician.-Career:Ballard was initially a guitarist with Buster Meikle & The Day Breakers in 1961, together with Roy Ballard, Russ's older brother on piano and Bob Henrit on drums...
's "Since You Been Gone," which peaked at #46.
In 1979, the band released the double-LP
LP album
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
Head East Live! and A Different Kind of Crazy. The former also peaked on the US Top 100 charts. The band also performed on the soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
to the comic anthology film J-Men Forever
J-Men Forever
J-Men Forever is a 1979 comedy film by Philip Proctor and PeterBergman of the Firesign Theatre. The film is a pastiche using film clips from Republic serials, re-dubbed with comic dialog to tell a tale of world conquest by sex, drugs and rock and roll....
. Head East Also performed at the Culver Academies
Culver Academies
The Culver Academies is a college preparatory boarding school and summer camp in the United States. The Culver Academies is composed of three entities: Culver Military Academy for boys, Culver Girls Academy , and the Culver Summer Schools and Camps . Collectively known as Culver Academies located...
Prom.
In March 1980, 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...
Dan Birney and guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
Mike Somerville left the band, while singer John Schlitt
John Schlitt
John William Schlitt is known for his career as the lead singer of Christian rock band Petra from 1986 until the band's retirement in late 2005. Prior to joining Petra in 1986, Schlitt was the vocalist for Head East....
was fired over a drug
Drug
A drug, broadly speaking, is any substance that, when absorbed into the body of a living organism, alters normal bodily function. There is no single, precise definition, as there are different meanings in drug control law, government regulations, medicine, and colloquial usage.In pharmacology, a...
dependency. He would later recover, become a born-again Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
and reappear as the singer and the face of one of Contemporary Christian Music
Christian music
Christian music is music that has been written to express either personal or a communal belief regarding Christian life and faith. Common themes of Christian music include praise, worship, penitence, and lament, and its forms vary widely across the world....
's all-time most successful bands, Petra
Petra (band)
Petra is a music group regarded as a pioneer of the Christian rock and contemporary Christian music genres. Formed in 1972, the band took its name from the Greek word for "rock"...
. Schlitt was with Petra from 1985 until the band was retired in 2005.
Remaining members, Boyd and Huston, hired Mark Boatman, Tony Gross, and Dan Odum to record their following album titled U.S. 1, released in October 1980. The album was their last to reach the charts and last recorded release on A&M.
The band continued with little success, releasing albums on small labels. Some of them were Onward and Upward (1982) on Allegiance Records and Choice of Weapons (1988) released on Dark Heart Records with Kurt Hansen taking on bass and vocal duties. These were the last studio albums recorded with new original material being released as Head East. Subsequent albums featured rereleased, remixed studio and live performances of the more successful material. Tim Day, drummer from Daddy's Girl joined the band and toured from 99-01. They would still continue to play around, with guitarist Somerville returning from 1994 to 2003.
In 1999, a live album titled Live on Stage was released. The album featured songs from two shows at Denver's Rainbow Music Hall. The first five tracks are from a 1980 show featuring the original personnel, while the last 10 tracks are from a 1981 show featuring the latter lineup.
The band continues to tour to this day, playing 30 to 40 shows each year.
The band's 1975 single, "Never Been Any Reason," was featured in the 2005 movie adaptation
Sahara (2005 film)
Sahara is a 2005 action-comedy adventure film directed by Breck Eisner and based on the best-selling book of the same name by Clive Cussler...
of Clive Cussler
Clive Cussler
Clive Eric Cussler is an American adventure novelist and marine archaeologist. His thriller novels, many featuring the character Dirk Pitt, have reached The New York Times fiction best-seller list more than seventeen times...
's novel, Sahara, and appears on the soundtrack to the 1993 coming-of-age drama Dazed and Confused
Dazed and Confused
"Dazed and Confused" is a song by Jake Holmes, which was covered by The Yardbirds, and later reworked by Led Zeppelin who hold a separate copyright on the song.-Jake Holmes:...
as well as being briefly heard in the film.
Band members
- Roger Boyd - keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
- Eddy Jones - drums & vocals
- Greg Manahan - bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, vocals - Glen Bridger - lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, vocals - Darren Walker - lead vocals
Former members
- Steve Huston - drums
- Dan Piper - lead guitar - (1970–1972)
- Brad Flota - guitarist (1972–1973)
- Mike Somerville - guitarist (1974–1980, 1994–2003)
- Dan Birney - bassist (1974–1980)
- John SchlittJohn SchlittJohn William Schlitt is known for his career as the lead singer of Christian rock band Petra from 1986 until the band's retirement in late 2005. Prior to joining Petra in 1986, Schlitt was the vocalist for Head East....
- lead vocals (1974–1980) - Mark Boatman - Bass - 1980
- Kurt Hansen - Lead Vocals/Bass (1983–1997)
- Steve Riker - drums (1991–1994)
- Tim Day - drums (1994–2001)
- Tom Bryant - lead singer
- Donnie Dobbins - drums
- Dan Kelly - drums
- Rich Creadore - bass
- Tony Gross - Guitar (1980–1984,1987)
- Jim Murphy - Guitar
Albums
(Year: album - peak on Billboard's Pop Album chart)- 1974: Flat as a PancakeFlat as a PancakeFlat as a Pancake was the first studio release of the hard rock band Head East. At first, the album was released independently on Pyramid Records...
- (#126) - 1976: Get Yourself Up - (#161)
- 1977: Gettin' LuckyGettin' LuckyThe album Gettin' Lucky by Head East was released in 1977 on A&M Records. Along with Flat as a Pancake and Head East Live!, it is one of their most renowned releases...
- (#136) - 1978: Head EastHead East (album)Head East is American hard rock band Head East's fourth studio album. It was released in 1978 on A&M Records, and contains their cover of Russ Ballard's "Since You Been Gone," which, chart-wise, became their most successful single when it reached #46 on the Hot 100. The album became their first to...
- (#78) - 1979: Head East Live! - (#96)
- 1979: A Different Kind of Crazy - (#65)
- 1980: U.S. 1 - (#137)
- 1982: Onward and Upward - (none)
- 1988: Choice of Weapons - (none)
- 1999: Concert Classics Volume 7 - (none)
- 2000: Live on Stage (edited version of Head East Live) - (none)
- 2008: Head East Live 2008 - (none)
Singles
(Year: "side-A song" / "side-B song" - peak on Billboard's Hot 100)- 1975: "Never Been Any Reason" / "One Against The Other" - (#68)
- 1975: "Love Me Tonight" / "Fly By Night Lady" - (#54)
- 1976: "Fly By Night Lady" / "Separate Ways" - (none)
- 1977: "Gettin' Lucky" / "Sands of Time" - (none)
- 1978: "Since You Been Gone" / "Pictures" - (#46)
- 1979: "Never Been Any Reason" / "I'm Feelin' Fine" - (none)
- 1979: "Got To Be Real" / "Morning" - (none)
- 1979: "Specialty" / "Morning" - (none)
- 1980: "I Surrender" / "Out Of The Blue" - (none)